20240917

Shalom, dear all!
Thank you for faithfully praying for us. We were finally able to have the class in the sewing classroom last week. The space that used to be the staircase is now part of the classroom floor. It is much better then before. Though the students have been occupied with many church activities, they have not only finished learning how to make three different purses, but have also duplicated several others of what they have learned. This time they even have reached more groups to market their sewing works. This week, we started making a fancy bag that can be carried on the side, on the head, or on the back as a backpack.

代禱勇士們，收信平安：

感謝您忠心為我們禱告。上週我們終於能夠在縫紉教室上縫紉課。曾經是樓梯的空間現在是教室地板的一部分。這可比以前好多了。雖然學生們忙於許多教會活動，常常請假，但她們不僅學習了三種不同的錢包的做法，而且還複製了許多她們所學的內容。這次學生們甚至接觸到了更多的群體來行銷她們的縫紉作品。這星期，我們開始做一個很酷的包包，可以側揹，可以按新幾內亞的習慣用頭頂著揹，也可以當後背包。 

Tailor’s tables are not available at the moment. We, therefore, focused the course on making purses and bags. Hopefully, the extension work of the resource center can be completed next year. And 3 more industrial sewing machines, which have been ordered, can be installed and tailor’s tables can be put into the classroom.
目前我們還沒有裁縫桌，所以就先專心學做包包。但願明年資源中心的擴建可以完工。到時，我們可以增加三部工業型縫紉機，教室裡也可以擺下縫紉桌。

Melisa, one of the students of my training course, has to stop coming because she has a newly born baby. Some other talented potential trainees are also tied to childcare by their toddlers. Children or non-trainees are not allowed in the sewing classroom. These ladies instead would have to attend the sewing class in the Dorcas Fellowship that Beverlyn and Jennifer are running in the church.   
受訓的學員之一，梅麗莎因為剛生小孩，不能繼續參加培訓。其他幾個蠻聰明值得訓練的婦女也因照顧幼仔不能來。既然我規定小孩及非受訓者不能進入縫紉教室，她們就暫時只能加緊參加貝芙琳及珍妮芙在教會開辦多加團契的縫紉課程。

We might think it shouldn’t be a problem and some other women should be able to look after their children. Well, here in PNG, mothers have to breast feed their children until children are 3 years old. Besides, milk bottles are not easily found in the remote area. And there is not power supply or refrigerators to keep the milk fresh. Powder milk for babies is something they can never imagine.
我們可能認為這不應該是一個問題，其他婦女應該能夠幫忙照顧她們的孩子吧。是這樣的，在新幾內亞，母親必須母乳餵養孩子直到孩子 3 歲。另外，在偏遠地區，奶瓶也買不到。而且沒有電力也沒冰箱來存放母奶。嬰兒奶粉更是他們無法想像的東西。

Douglas and I have worked day and night for weeks as we were away for quite a long time and stay for only 5 weeks this time. Both of us are ill. And we need to hire Beverlyn and Jennifer to work in the house more time than as usual. And they have revealed more about life in PNG to us. Jennifer, a single mother with six children, is more fortunate than other single mothers that her brothers allow her and the children to come back and use the land for growing food. But the responsibility of taking care of their old mother has fallen on her. Traditionally, it is men’s work to build the house for the family. Jennifer told me that, during the time when I was away, she and her children complete the huge work of building their own house. It is hard for me to imagine a little woman cutting the trees and dragging the wood from the forest, and so many other heavy work…. Beverlyn and her pastor husband take care of 7 orphans and 1 widow from their relatives. No wonder this young couple have so many children in the house. Pastors in their church used to be paid 50 USD per month and none at the moment due to financial difficulties. How are they going to afford the troop? Surprisingly, they are always full of hope and have very good sense of humor. Douglas and I have tried our best to help them in the constructive way. But I would say, it takes them more faith from God than me serving as a missionary.
因為之前很長一段時間不在這裡，而且這次又只待六個星期，這幾個星期我和道格拉斯白天晚上都在工作，弄得兩個人都生病了。因此，我們雇用貝芙琳和珍妮芙到家裡幫忙的時間比平常更多。她們兩人也有更多機會告訴我們新幾內亞的生活。珍妮芙是個單親媽媽，帶著六個小孩。她比其他新幾內亞的單親媽媽幸運，哥哥弟弟們允許她帶著小孩回來住，也讓她使用土地可以種植食物。條件是，照顧老母的責任全落在她的身上。傳統上，為家人建造房屋是男人的工作。珍妮芙告訴我，在我不在的這段時間，她帶著孩子完成了建造自己房子的艱鉅工作。我很難想像一個小小的女人到森林裡砍樹，又把樹拖回來，…還有眾多粗重的工作。我的腦子好像裝不下去這麼多。還有，貝芙琳和她當牧師的老公，照顧親族中七個孤兒和一個寡婦。難怪他們年紀輕輕，家裡卻有這麼多小孩。在他們教會，傳道人以往可以領到50美元的月薪，現在因為財務困難，傳道人不能領薪水了。很難想像他們怎麼養這麼多人。令人驚奇的是，他們總是充滿盼望，而且很有幽默感。我和道格拉斯盡量用比較「建設性」的方式提供協助。但我還是得說，他們比我這個來新幾內亞服事的宣教士需要更大來自神的信心。

Be joyful in hope,
patient in affliction,
faithful in prayer.
Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.
Practice hospitality.
(Romans 12:12, 13)

在指望中要喜樂；
在患難中要忍耐；
禱告要恆切。
聖徒缺乏，要幫補；
客，要一味地款待。
(羅馬書12:12, 13)

Please remember us in your prayers. 

 
敬請繼續在禱告中記念我們：

1.     May God be in charge of the fuel crisis, currency policy, and economy development in PNG.
求神在新幾內亞的燃油危機、貨幣政策以及經濟發展中掌權。

2.     Mission Aviation Fellowship is facing severe shortage of manpower, aircrafts and fuel. May God has His mercy on the great aviation needs of missionaries in PNG.   
宣教飛行團契正面對人力、飛機及燃油的嚴重短缺，願上帝憐憫在新幾內亞宣教士們的大量飛行需要。

3.     I am invited to deliver the message in the women’s fellowship of South Sea Evangelical Church on the 19th. May God give me wisdom.
 Sandy受邀於19日在安布恩提南海福音教會婦女團契分享信息。願上帝賞賜智慧。

4.     May God be in charge of the issue of the land ownership of Ambunti high school.
 願上帝在安布恩提中學土地所有權的議題中掌權。

5.     Due to the new banking policy of PNG, it has been taking long hours in banking work each week for PIM staff to transfer the funds and to withdraw in order to keep the ministries going. May God rule over the banking issue.  
由於新幾內亞新的銀行政策，PIM工作人員每週都要花很長時間在銀行處理資金的匯存及提領，才得以維持事工的運作。願上帝在銀行事務的難題中掌權。

6.    With multi-duties, Douglas works day and night. May God grant he good health.
道格拉斯身兼眾多職務。願上帝賞賜給他健康的身體。

7.    May God give strength to Douglas in preparing for the on line board’s meeting on September 20th.
求神賜力量給道格拉斯預備九月20日舉行的線上理監事會議。

8.    May God grant Douglas wisdom and strength in facilitating the sewing resource center.  
願上帝在建置縫紉資源中心事上，賞賜道格拉斯智慧與力量。

9.    We are supposed to leave Ambunti for Wewak on September 26, and then leave PNG on the 30th, Sandy for Taiwan and Douglas for the USA. May God give us the strength in completing our on-going projects, sorting out our personal belongings, and cleaning up the house and office before we leave, and bless us a save journey.  
我們九月26日即將離開安布恩提飛往威瓦克，30日就要離開新幾內亞，Sandy回台灣；道格拉斯回美國。求神賞賜力量讓我們能在離開前完成手上正在進行的工作、整理儲藏我們的私人用品、並且打掃住處與辦公室。並求神保守我們旅途平安。

10.   May God grant us His divine guidance in purchasing the generator for South Sea Evangelical Church in Ambunti.
願上帝在我們為安布恩提南海福音教會購買發電機的事上，指引我們。

11.   May God bless our on-going sewing class that started on August 21st. 
願上帝保守我們八月二十一日星期三開始現在仍在進行的縫紉課程。

12.   My mother is not recovering well from a fractured arm. May God heal her.
Sandy的媽媽手臂的骨折復原狀況不佳，求神醫治她。

13.   May God grant His mercy in my old parents’ financial needs, take care of them, and grant them salvation, health, peace and joy.
願神憐憫Sandy年邁父母的財務需要、看顧他們，賞賜他們救恩、健康、平安及喜樂。

14.   May God watch over my brother’s family：remember their hard working and traveling, and bless their work and study.
願神看顧Sandy弟弟的家庭，記念他們的辛勤與奔波，賜福他們的工作與學業。

All for Him

願神得榮耀

主內末肢

In Christ

Sandy 

Line ID : sandytw2014

20240917

P. S. Sandy在結婚之後仍然需要兄姐們的支持。若您有感動為Sandy奉獻，敬請與我聯絡。願神賜福給您。

Get to know about Dorcas Ministry under PIM
(認識PIM的多加事工)

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Explore life with Sandy

與我一同探索生活