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Shalom, dear all!
Thank you for faithfully praying for us. Having been not using the gas cooker for half a month, we obtained the new gas cylinder last Saturday. We appreciate now more than before being able to cook even when there is a blackout.
各位代禱勇士，收信平安。
感謝大家忠心代禱。半個多月無法使用瓦斯爐，上個星期六新的瓦斯桶送來了。現在我們比以前更為停電時還能煮食感恩。
I am going to tell you a very touching and inspiring story: On the first day of our arriving in Wewak, March 5th, we met an American missionary, Douglas, that we had never met before. He is one of the leaders of PIM (Pacific Island Ministry) in PNG, mainly staying in Ambunti when he is in this country. Ambunti is in the remote area in the Sepid River basin. Knowing that we had come to conduct sewing class and Bible story-telling, he asked if we would like to consider running our course in the PIM training center in Ambunti.
現在我要告訴您一個很令人感動也很激勵我的際遇：我們三月五日抵達威瓦克的那天，遇見一位以前沒見過的美籍宣教士道格拉斯。他是PIM (太島宣教協會) 在新幾內亞的領導人之一，來新幾內亞期間主要住在《安布恩提》，那是在希比克河流域的偏遠地區。他一知道我們是來做裁縫與聖經故事事工，就問我們要不要考慮到PIM在《安布恩提》的訓練中心開課。
As we had sorted out the issue of buying a car, I made a contact with Douglas during the Easter holydays, and then he managed to send us some pictures. These pictures of Ambunti training center reminded me of Psalm 16. What a pleasant place! But we needed a “sign” from God to make sure about His Guidance. And we made a prayer last Wednesday: If we saw the van of PIM in town the next day and managed to talk to one of their members about Douglas, we would know it was God’s will for us to go to Ambunti. And guess what! We did see their van outside of the store we were going into on Thursday morning, and the engine was started, about to leave. I ran to it and talked to the driver. That was Eric, Douglas’ brother-in-law. I must have looked like a crazy woman that I told him very excitedly about the sign we had asked of God. He told me gladly that Douglas was leaving Ambunti for Wewak on that afternoon. We met up with Douglas and his sister-in-law, Penny, Eric’s wife, on Friday morning, discussing about running a sewing class in Ambunti next month. On that evening, five of us had fellowship in the PIM base in Wewak. It seemed that we had known each other for years.
買車的事情有著落之後，我在復活節假期聯絡道格拉斯，他在百忙之中想辦法寄來給我許多相片。這些《安布恩提》訓練中心的相片讓我想起詩篇十六篇，那真是佳美之處呀！但是我們需要神給我們一個印證，才能確定神要我們到《安布恩提》。上星期三我們做了一個禱告：如果我們隔天在城裡看到PIM的公務車，又能跟他們單位的人問到道格拉斯的消息，我們就知道神要我們到《安布恩提》。結果，你猜怎麼著！星期四我們果真看到PIM的公務車停在我們要去的那家商店門口，引擎好像發動了，快離開的樣子，我跑過去跟開車的人問他認不認識道格拉斯。這個開車的人叫做艾瑞克，他正是道格拉斯的妹婿(連襟)。我像一個瘋女人一樣嘰哩呱啦很興奮地告訴他我們跟上帝求印證的事。他也很高興地告訴我，道格拉斯那天下午要從《安布恩提》搭小飛機到威瓦克，住兩天之後要到首都辦事。於是，星期五早上我們與道格拉斯跟他的姨妹潘妮(艾瑞克的太太)開會，討論我們到安布恩提開課的事；晚上我們五個人在PIM於威瓦克的基地吃飯團契。感覺上我們好像是已經認識很多年的朋友。
Monday this week, Penny purchased the sewing machines for the class, and took us to MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) to have our flight booked. On the way to MAF, she read out Psalm 16:5, 6. “LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance.” Her parents set up the PIM PNG headquarter in Ambunti, and she, her sister, and their husbands inherited their parents’ ministry. They have been blessed and content with God’s assignment for them. As I know, they have served the most grass rooted level in PNG, setting up schools in the remote area, writing text books for schools, training school teachers, pastors, and other community leaders. Now at the age of retirement, they still spend several months each year in PNG, dealing with tasks that local staff still have difficulties in.
這個星期一，潘妮買了上課要用的縫紉機，並帶我們去MAF (宣教飛行事工團契)訂小飛機的機位。在前往MAF的途中，潘妮朗誦詩篇十六篇5-6節「耶和華是我的產業， 是我杯中的分； 我所得的，祢為我持守。 用繩量給我的地界，坐落在佳美之處； 我的產業實在美好。」她的父母在《安布恩提》設立了PIM在新幾內亞的總部，後來她與姊姊及她們的夫婿們承接父母創始的事工，他們因著神量給他們的任務而蒙福，也因此感到知足。他們一直以來都服事著新幾內亞最草根階層的部落，在偏遠的地區設立學校、為他們編寫教材、訓練老師、牧師及其他社區領袖。現在他們雖是退休了，每年還是在新幾內亞住好幾個月，處理當地同工還不會辦理的事務。
When we were in the office of MAF, it seemed that Penny had a lot of something in her mind. She took each step of the procedure thoughtfully. Finally, on the way back to town, she told me something happened when she was quite young. It was the year 1972, when Penny had come back to PNG after college, she worked with an organization of Bible translators. She had a missionary friend, Catherine. Two of them were excitedly planning to conduct a sewing class in Ambunti. When they were about to start this ministry, Catherine died in an air crash. And as she knew, there hadn’t been a sewing class in that area since then. Penny called another sister of hers in America on Sunday and talked about Kellen and me. They both thought of Catherine.
我們在宣教飛行事工團契辦公室的時候，潘妮滿懷心事。整個過程的每個步驟，她都若有所思。在返回城鎮途中，她告訴我一件陳年往事。那是在1972年，潘妮那時已經上過大學，回到新幾內亞在一所翻譯聖經的機構服事。她有一位宣教士朋友凱瑟琳，兩個人非常興奮地計畫著要到安布恩提開設裁縫課程。就在這個事工快要開始之前，凱瑟琳在一場小飛機空難中喪生了。就她所知，從那時候起直到現在，那個地區從來沒有人去開過裁縫課程。星期天潘妮打電話給她在美國的另一位姊妹，談到我和Kellen的事，她們兩人都想起了凱瑟琳。
We appreciate that Panny told us about Catherine. Now we know why Eric didn’t think I was nut when I ran to his van so excitedly and told him about the sign I had asked of God, and why we felt like that we have known them for years. Fifty years might be very long for human beings, but it is just a blink in God’s eye. It’s amazing that it took 50 years for God to answer the plead for a sewing class, and one day for a sign of confirmation. Our body in the world is eventually perishable no matter how hard we try to extend the use of it or how sorry we are for our loved who have passed away. But once we step into God’s Great Plan, we shall work for what values in the eternity.
我們很感激潘妮告訴我們凱瑟琳的事。我們這才知道為什麼素不相識的我跑去艾瑞克的車旁興奮地講述我們跟上帝求的印證時，他並沒有把我當成瘋子；也知道為什麼我們覺得好像認識他們很久了。五十年在人看來十分漫長，在神眼中只是一眨眼的事。神可以用五十年來回應一個裁縫課的祈求，也可以用一天來實現一個所求的印證，真是奇妙。我們在世上的肉體終究要朽壞，無論我們多麼想盡辦法延長它的使用，也無論我們對親愛的逝者有多麼不捨；然而，一旦我們步入上帝偉大的計畫當中，所做的就有永恆的價值。
I ran into Penny in the market this morning. We talked more about the sewing class and she told me that they really appreciate that I ran to their van when I saw it in town the other day. When God grants His Guidance and shows us His assignment for us, we have to press on and run for it. You would know she meant it once you see her, as a very skinny and elegant lady, driving a big van very skillfully like a warrior…
今天早上我在菜市場遇見潘妮。我們又多談了一些裁縫班的事情，她又告訴我，他們很激賞前幾天我一看到他們的車在鎮上就立刻跑過去。當神給我們指引，也指明祂給我們的任務時，我們必須竭力為著這樣的使命奔跑。如果你看過她這個異常苗條又非常優雅的女士，非常勇猛又技術純熟地開著一輛大車的時候，你就知道她是說真的。
Please remember us in your prayers.
敬請在禱告中記念我們：
1. May God guide us in figuring out the tax.
求神引導我們弄清楚稅務問題。
2. Carrying one of the sewing machines into the house, Kellen is now again suffering the great pain on her neck, her back and her knee. She has promised that she will not be so stubborn any more. May God cure her pain.
Kellen搬了其中一部縫紉機進屋，現在頸部、腰部、膝蓋又在劇烈疼痛了。她答應以後不再犯傻，求神醫治Kellen的肩頸、腰及膝蓋，除去她的疼痛。
3. We are supposed to leave Wewak for Ambunti on May 9th, and return on May 30th. May God guide us with all the work of preparation for the class.
我們預計五月九日從威瓦克飛到《安布恩提》，五月三十日回程。願神指引我們做好課程的準備工作。
4. We can only accept 24 students this time, but a lot more than that would like to sign up for the class. May God give the needed wisdom to the center manager in dealing with the requests.
這次的裁縫班只能收24名學生，但是要報名的人遠遠超過這個數字。求神賞賜智慧給中心經理，讓他能夠好好處理大家的需求。
5. May God give us wisdom in preparing for the course to teach in Anguganak TVET Center, and give us better understanding to communicate with the staff of Anguganak TVET center.
願神賞賜智慧，使我們知道如何準備另一項事工《安古加納》職訓中心的課程，也讓我們有好的悟性能有效與該中心的工作人員溝通。
6. May God take care of our old parents, grant them salvation, health, peace and joy.
願神看顧我們年邁的父母，賞賜他們救恩、健康、平安及喜樂。
All for Him
願神得榮耀
主內末肢
In Christ
Sandy
(新幾內亞的點滴分享，在line貼文串或IG，歡迎您來了解。)
IG: chao.sandy.png
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