Kids having fun at Elim Playroom以琳遊樂室 孩子的天地
Photo Shoot Competition攝影比賽 參賽作品
The result of the competition will be announced on 24 April 2011 !
賽果公佈日期 : 24 April 2011
Tips Parent-Child Reading親子閱讀小貼士
1. Anytime, anywhere is suitable
2. Have handy books with you all the time
3. Let kids choose the books
4. Read out the name of the book and the author’s name
5. Let kids flip the pages
6. Let kids guess “ What comes next “
7. Ask open-ended questions
8. Don’t criticize your kids’ answers
9. Read aloud to your kids while they are playing
10. Reading time is for fun, not for teaching
China Mission Work中國宣教的感想
Carol and Pastor Leung shared how they felt after their China mission team a few weeks ago. Here are the touching stories !
” This is the first time I eat with more than 70 brothers and sisters in a little cottage in China. We ate together and we worshipped together. More than 40 of them had travelled a long way in order to come here. And among them, 20 are new comers. And yet, all these 70 people are leaders in churches in the mainland. They are either responsible for a cell group or a district of cell groups. “
” The most special thing about this missionary trip was, we were able to watch a video of a very special event. It was a banquet celebrating 32 couples re-submitting their marriages to God. They committed that they would follow Biblical teachings in their marriage, i.e. one man and one woman, one heart and one mind, one husband and one wife, and for all of their lives. Some of them were even divorced and were brought together again by the power of God. And some of them were even grandparents. “
” From the conversations with the local believers, I learnt that the Gospel had changed their lives and they were totally renewed and living totally new lives! I was very thankful that Elim church is a church that put much emphasis on mission work. “
” All of these started in a tiny cottage 15 years ago. Now, it has already developed to more than 105 churches there. It is hard to believe if I have not seen this myself. “
梁牧師和Carol曾在主日分享了她們在中國短宣的體驗，大家也一起來分享她們的所見所聞吧！
『 第一次和七十多個弟兄姊妹在農村吃飯，在一間小屋中一起敬拜，其中有四十多人是長途跋涉而來的，當中更有二十多人是我從未見過的。這七十多人全是領袖，每人都是負責一個或—區的小組的。』
『 除了一起聚會，敬拜禱告，學習聖經之外，今次更有—特別的節目。就是他們給我們看，他們在新年期間，—個非常特別的宴會的錄影片段。原來，有三十二對夫婦，在新年期間設宴，公開地重新將婚姻交在神的手裏。宴會塲內一共擺了四十圍，連賓客共六百多人，—起見証這三十二對夫婦，承諾忠心實踐聖經所教導的婚姻，即—男—女，—心—意，—夫—妻，—生一世。當中更有—些是已經離了婚的，也有些是誇代的，即夫婦們的父母也一起重新把婚姻交給神。』
『 我從當地信徒的談話中，知道福音是如何的把他們的生命大翻新，我不禁由衷的感恩，因我們的教會能這麼重視宣教。』
『 若不是親眼看見，真不敢相信，這一切—切，都只是從十五年前的一間小村屋開始，如今已經發展成超過—百零五間教會了！』
(12 ) End of my story – Seize the Day別問我 是誰 (12 ) 大結局 活好每一天！
Ha ha ! Thank you for reading until the end of this story! What do you think? Taking an average of a person’s life, I have just gone through half of my life, and I still have another half to go.
In fact, my initial plan was to wait until all my problems are solved before I give this testimony. However, my Pastor always encourages me to do so and she said there is no need to wait. After knowing my story,I think you will share my worry and understand why I found it so difficult to talk about it. Not only that the story is very long, it will also be very difficult for me to say this in front of so many people.
An Ending without an Ending
Now that the church website is up and I thought, “If I post my testimony on the church website, I can have plenty of the time to organize my story and it is not a must to disclose who I am. There will not be as much pressure as if I have to stand in front of so many people to tell my story. ” Therefore, I think, this is the time and this is God’s arrangement that I can give the testimony now.
Let’s talk about the problem that is troubling me all the time. In fact, there is no single one therapy that can deal with my problems! May be I should say, as for me today, who is now living happily in the Lord, it is not as important as before that my problems must be solved!
Why do I have to give this testimony then? I hope you will understand, no matter how difficult your life may be, that you may feel that you have been trapped in a situation where no solution will be there for you, we have to remember, “We are not alone. ” Jesus is there for us.
A Friend who Doesn’t Look Like a Friend
So, who is my “friend”? In fact, it is the negative thoughts that are hidden deep inside my heart for a long time and something that I considered as “must be “, or ” ought to be “.
Everybody will have such thoughts. These thoughts had been buried under our hearts. They are affecting, with or without our knowledge, the every aspect of our lives. Such as our views towards ourselves, to other people or even to God.
For some people, these negative thoughts may be “I am no good! “, “I can’t accomplish anything!” “Everything I do is just a mess! “, or even “I shouldn’t be born in this world at all!” These thoughts will come to visit us from time to time, especially when we are depressed.
How comes these thoughts? Well, they are formed by “accumulation”. No matter how good your life may be, there must be times of difficulties, uncertainties, or even sometimes unfortunate situations.
When the negative emotions activated by these adversities were not dealt with properly, these emotions, which supposed to be temporary, started to accumulate inside our hearts.
Until one day, we cannot bear anymore, our bodies started to give us some signals. These signals may not be very strong and only temporary from the beginning, that is why it is very easy for us to neglect them. However, finally an “explosion” comes, and we have no idea why it is, and therefore, has become much more difficult to deal with.
Well, these are troubles, aren’t they? But why do I keep calling it “my friend”? Yes, we do have friends who will come to visit us from time to time. Sometimes they may come very frequently, and sometimes they may not come to us for a long time. This “friend of mine “, just like my other friends, helped me to know myself better and to face my problems. And this ” friend of mine ” also brought me to Jesus.
As said in the previous chapters, I had decided to believe in Jesus when I was in primary school. I had said to myself , ” I will believe in Jesus someday ! “. And this friend of mine had brought me back to Jesus. I was so stubborn that I left Him even after I was delivered from the evil spirits by Him. If it was not my friend, may be I am still wandering!
The Question after Questions
Okay! So who is the friend inside my heart? It is “death “. I am not afraid of death. However, “death “ itself is a topic which I can never be able to comprehend. After one question has been answered, another question will come. There will be never-ending questions about this topic. Very often, this made me depressed.
The thoughts inside my mind is this, death seems to make life meaningless. No matter how hard you tried to live a good life, or even if you have made significant contribution to the mankind, the ending is the same for everyone.
I know that I will go back to the Lord after I died. There will be no more tears and no more sufferings as said in the Bible. However, I cannot explain why my mind just keeps thinking of these questions. How will life be there? What will I do by then? Will it be praise and worship all the days? Will I have thoughts and my own thinking ? Will everybody be doing the same thing? As there will be so many Christians there, how can we possibly be together with the Lord at the same time, given that there is only one God?
I also understand that the heaven that we are going to, as said in the Bible, is beyond our expectations.
What do you think? Stupid?
In fact, I don’t want to think about these. But these questions rush into my mind automatically and I cannot stop them. Many of my friends had said to me, “There is no need to think about what we cannot think of. There is no need to think about something that we can do nothing about. “
Yes, I agree with them, I totally agree with them. I can fully understand this with my reasoning power. However, the problem is, I cannot stop these thoughts rushing into my mind. What can I do?
The Therapy after Therapies
Back to now, many people do not understand how I can survive until this moment. I can only say that this is the plan of the Lord. If it was not God, I should have been dead for many times. I have tried to take my own life. I was possessed by the demons which tried to kill me. I was almost suffocated when I was badly hit by panic attack. During the most difficult moments, I have said to the Lord, “Oh Lord, please take me home ! “ Of course, He didn’t answer my prayers. Otherwise, I will not be able to share this with you today.
I sincerely wish that you can understand, no matter how bad your situations might be, there will be a way. If my testimony can help anyone of you, may be just one, this is the plan of God. If you feel that you are the one, I wish that you will treasure this because this is God’s thoughtfulness and kind arrangement for you. He wants to save your heart.
As for myself, in writing this testimony, this has helped me a lot. This is an opportunity for me to really face the whole story, and to lay it down. May be this is the special therapy that the Lord has planned for me!
Finally, I sincerely bless you and wish you will treasure everyone in your life and try your best not to leave any regret for yourself. No matter how difficult your situations may be now, although you will still need to face them and deal with them, put them into the hands of Jesus Christ and let Him take care of you!
Prayers
If you are not a Christian yet, since you have spent so much time reading this story up to now, why not spend a few more minutes and try to pray this short prayer? After you have finished the prayer, just close your eyes and relax. Spend one minute and try to listen if Jesus will speak to you. I hope you will experience God and enter another stage of your life. If you have any question about Christianity, you can contact Pastor Leung of Elim Church.
“ Jesus Christ, the author of this story had experienced your help in his life. Please help me in my situations. Please let me experience and know that You are my God. Please let me be able to know and to feel your presence, in Jesus’s name I prayed, Amen. “
If you are already a Christian, I sincerely wish you can feel and obey the moving of the Holy Spirit in your heart for every moment of your life. I sincerely invite you to pray the following prayer. After you have finished the prayer, just close your eyes and relax. Let God speak to you heart and let Him tell you what He wants you to do for Him.
“ Jesus, You are my God and my Saviour. Please lead me and guide me so that I can fulfill what You call me to do in my life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. “
Acknowledgements
In alphabetical order : Alison, Cora, Dr. Chan, Pastor Leung, Siu Siam, and the brother who always pray with me, and to all those who had helped me… There are too many of them that I cannot list all. Otherwise, you may be able to find out who I am.
So, to all my dear friends, “Seize the Day ! “
Mr. Ice cream
沒有結局的結局
哈哈！多謝你們看到這一集，也就是大結局了！不知你們看到現在有什麼感想呢？如果以一個人的平均壽命來計算，我應還有多一倍的路程要走。
本來，我是想待我的問題完全解決後才說見證的，但一切都是神的安排。其實牧師時不時也鼓勵我把見證說出來，不用等問題完全解決後才說的。
但你們看過我的『精彩』人生，都會明白，要說出來是多麽的艱難，不單是因為故事很長，而且，要去面對着這麽多人說出來，對我來說，也很困難。
直到教會的網頁出版了，我想：既可以慢慢的整理我的故事，又可避免必需公開自己的身份的壓力，我相信，這就是神給我的機會！
好了，說回困擾我的問題。其實，根本是沒有絕對有效的治療法或絕對的答案的！又或許應該說，對今天仍能奇蹟地、安穩地活在主耶穌裏，它能否解決，對今天的我而言，已經不再重要了！
我之所以要作這見證，是希望你們能知道，縱使人生有多困難，好像走進了不能解決的光景，我們也要緊記一句：『我不是唯一的。』主耶穌基督才是唯一的。
驟看不似朋友的朋友
我的『那位朋友』其實是所謂的『心魔』，用比較專業的名稱來說，就叫做『負面思維』！它是隱藏在內心深處的、一些似乎牢不可破的想法。其實每一個人都會有的，它深深地植在我們心裏，在我們不自覺的情況下，影響着我們對人、對事、對自己、甚至對上帝的想法。只是每個人的情况和程度不同而已。有些人的心魔可能是『我做什麼也做不成！』有些人的心魔可能是『我是沒有用處的！』更有些人的心魔可能是『我生於這世界已是錯的！』而這些想法，多是久不久就會來找你，或趁你失意的時候出現。
它又是怎樣形成的呢？很多時是累積回來的！人生中的事情，可以有很多預測不到的變數，或會有不如意，甚至不幸的際遇。而當每一樣困難引發起的、相對較短和較輕的負面情緒，沒有被正確的紓解和面對，它就會累積在心中。當心中的深處接受不了時，我們的情緒和身體就會開始出現訊號，這些訊號最初可能是不太強烈、而又短暫的，所以很多人都不易察覺它的存在。終於，它一旦突然『爆發』出來，而我們又完全毫無頭緒為何會這樣，便會難於招架了！
它驟看是這麽的麻煩，為甚麽我仍會說它是我的『朋友』呢？不是嗎？朋友也會不時來探訪我們，有時頻密一些，有時卻又很久都不來一次。我這位『朋友』，也好像其他朋友一樣，讓我多些去面對自己、認識自己。亦是這位『朋友』，把在小學已經決定了『總有一天我會跟隨主耶穌』的我，和連番被邪靈『整理』之後都還會再放縱離開主的我，真真正正帶回主的懷裏。
問號之後的問號
好啦，我內心深處的朋友是誰呢？
就是『死亡』。我不是一般性的『怕死、死了會去那裡』的恐懼，而是『死亡』本身對我來說，是一個很惱人的、永遠可以有永無止境的問號的題目。
死亡使人生變成很沒意義，因為即使盡力去做些什麼，去到最後都是什麼也沒有。例如，你為世界上作出偉大的貢獻，死了也會有很多人記得你，但又怎樣？死了始終是死了！
我知道，我死了之後會返回主的身邊，那時就再沒有痛苦和憂愁。但內心也會問，在另一個空間裏，那兒的生活是怎樣的呢？是不是每天不停的敬拜讚美？這時我們會幹些什麼？有沒有思想的呢？會否做着和人生相若的模式的事情，重重覆覆的，好像無止境的故事！自古以來，有數不盡的信徒都是死後和主一起的，但這麼多人，卻只有一位神，又怎樣能同時都和主一起呢？
我也知道聖經說，我們要去的天堂，是超出我們想像的。其實，我也不想去想像，某程度上，不是我自己想去找答案的，而是那深處的我，不知為何，時常會自動去尋找一些死了之後的情景或出路，就算知道了出路，也會想再找出路後的出路…….而這些想法，可能在幾秒鐘之內就會突然充塞了我的腦海，是我自己控制不了的。一般人會說：『死了就死了罷，你擔心什麼，這些不是你能夠想到或控制到的，根本不用去想！』理性上，我當然絕對明白，但我就是控制不了。
嚐過所有治療後的治療
要說回現在，有很多人都會問『真不明白為何你還能夠活着？』我只可以說，這都是主的安排，因為我也曾在信主前自殺過，又被邪靈控制着去做傷害自己性命的事，也曾無故的極度恐慌致幾乎窒息。而在我最痛苦時，也曾禱告：『主啊，求你接我回你的身邊吧！』當然，祂沒有接納我這樣的禱告，我才可以今天在此說出我的故事。
我衷心的想你們明白，無論你今日的光景有多困難，都會有出路的。而我的見證，若可以幫助到你們，即使只是一個人也好，已是神的安排。如果你感到自己就是那人，你更加要珍惜啊，因為主叫我說出這麼長篇的見證，為的是拯救你的心，這是衪細心為你而設的安排呢！
而我寫這見證，同樣地也幫了我，因為這給我真正去面對及放下的機會，也許是衪給我一個不一樣的治療呀！
最後，我衷心祝福你們，珍惜身邊的每一個人，別讓自己有遺憾。無論你今天的問題是否能解決，或到底到甚麽時候才能解決，你固然也要去處理和面對，但只要把一切都交在主的手裏，就讓衪來照顧你吧！
禱告
假如你不是基督徒，既然你也花了那麽多時間看到這裏了，不妨再花多一點點的時間，根據以下的短文禱告，完成後，再合上你的眼睛，放鬆你的內心，花一分鐘的時間，聽聽主耶穌會否和你說甚麽，盼望你會得到前所未有的體會，走進人生的另一階段。如果你有任何關於基督教的問題，你可致電以琳教會的梁牧師。
『主耶穌，這故事的作者，親身經歷到袮的幫助，求袮也在我的處境中幫助我，讓我經歷到，袮是我的神，讓我能知道、能感受到袮與我同在。奉主耶穌的名祈求，阿門。』
假如你已是基督徒，你們也要謹守每一刻，捉緊主的靈在你的心中運行，我也很想邀請你按以下的禱文禱告，完成後，再合上眼，放鬆你的內心，花一分鐘，試聽聽神在你心中和你說甚麽，想你為祂作什麼？
『主耶穌，祢是我的神，我的救主，求袮帶領我，完成袮在我生命中的旨意，奉主耶穌的名祈求，阿門。』
衷心祝福你！
鳴謝
排名不分先後：Cora, Alison, 阿牧，小三，陳醫生，還有常和我一起禱告的弟兄，以及其他幫助過我的人，太多了，不能盡錄，否則我的身份就會被揭穿了！
因為，『別問我是誰，活好每一天！』
作者 兵奇臨
Elim Youth Space Pancake Class以琳青年空間 青新煮意
Elim Youth Space Pancake Class
Date : 19th March 2011
Time : 7:00pm
Fee : $25
Enquiry & application : Steven 26980070
MPF managed by my God神所管理的退休保障計劃
It was about 20 years ago, I came back to Hong Kong from the UK and worked as a nurse in a government hospital. I felt that God called me to full time ministry. However, since I had to pay for my flat for 9 more years, I said to God, ” Father, let me work for 9 more years, and I will serve you full time by then. “
At that time, my uncle wanted to buy a flat which was for civil servants only. Since our relationship is very close, I would like to see my uncle and his family happy. I decided to use my name to buy the flat for my uncle. Of course, the money was from my uncle.
However, since I felt that God called me to full time ministry, I knew that I would leave the hospital someday. I said to my uncle, ” Uncle, as you know, I felt that God had called me to full time ministry. I will worked for 9 more years. Afterwards, you will need to find someone else, may be your children, to replace me as the owner of the flat. “
Later, my cousin was empolyed by a government school as a teacher. I was very glad to learn about this. I thought God was helping us all the way and I could therefore smoothly transfer the ownership of the flat to my cousin when the 9 years were up.
9 years passed after much waiting. It came to the time when I was about to resign. However, we found that the owner of the flat needed to be 25 years old. My cousin was only 23 by then ! I was so upset because my plan was upset ! I love my uncle and his family and I didn’t want them having to leave this flat, which all of them liked very much. And, it was impossible for my uncle to buy another flat at this price. So, I had no choice but to stay 2 more years in my position.
The hardest part was, I started to question myself. Am I really called by God to full time ministry or did I just made this up by myself ? If God had called me, why didn’t it work out ? I was actually disappointed and frasturated. But I have to accept the reality and lay everything into God’s hands. Prayed, waited and waited.
It was at the same time when the management of government hosptials would be transferred to the Hospital Authority ( HA ). All the staff of government hospitals therefore need to choose if their retirement plan would stay with that government or transfer to the HA. The difference was, there would be no pension in HA but in order to make the plans more attractive, the HA raised the % of their input to 16.5% monthly, which was really quite attractive.
I had no idea as how to choose. Whereas my colleague said to me, ” Since you will work here for only 2 more years, why don’t you just transfer the plan so that you will get a lump sum when you resign ? ” So, I just transfer without much consideration.
Two year passed and I really resigned. After I completed my theology studies, I really started full time ministry.
I was very surprised to discover something ! I realized that God is supernatural ! He knows everything. Nothing is impossible with Him. Let me share with you what happened.
Firstly, the 2 more years which I thought I was ” forced ” to stay was actually a big blessing to me. Within these 2 years, the lump sum I could receive by the time of resignation was increased by $100k ！
Secondly, not only could I get the lump sum, I could have pension at the same time! Why ? How could this be ? In fact, for staff transferred from government to HA and who has worked for more than 10 years, their pension would continue! This is totally out of our knowledge! If I had insisted to resign after the 9 years, I would not be able to receive this pension !
Year after year passed. Each year, the MPF authority mailed a statement to me. It was of course with some figures I would never be able to fully understand. So, I didn’t pay much attention to it.
This year , I am 55 years old and have reached the age of retirement. The MFP authority therefore asked me to go there and sign some documents that allow me to receive the money. The money is really in my hands now. Can you imagine how excited I am ?
God is amazing. His thoughts are different from our thoughts. And his plans are greater than the best plan human beings can ever think of. Why? Because He knows everything, and we just know a part of it, our knowlege is so limited when compare to His.
As Christians we may come across doubts and frasturations in our lives. At these moments, what we should do is to trust Him and lay everything in His hands and let Him take care of us and let Him take the lead ! Bless you !
Mary
說回差不多二十年前的事，一直到今天，我才看清楚神的計劃和細心的安排，以及衪的全知全能！
我從英國留學回來不久，就在政府醫院當護士，心裏一直感到神呼召我全時間去傳福音的。但因我買了樓，還有九年要供，所以我和神說：『 爸爸，給我再做多九年，供完樓才全職事奉祢吧。』
那時，叔叔很希望買—層公務員才可以買的樓，因我們家族關係—向是非常密切的，能見到叔叔開心，我自己也就很樂意用我的名義去替叔叔買樓，錢當然是叔叔自己的。不過，我那時也跟叔叔說 :『 阿叔，因我想全職做福音工作，我再做多九年，就全時間做傳福音的工作。所以，九年之後，叔叔，你需要找人轉名啊！』
後來，叔叔的女兒當老師，竟又給她找到官立學校的教席，我心想，一切都安排得很完滿，我也懷著期待的心情，去完成這九年的護士工作。
漫長的九年過去了，期待已久的時刻應該到了，我也自問準備好去全職事奉了。
豈料，原來政府的條例規定這類物業的擁有人，必須滿廿五歲，但我的堂妹，當時竟然只有廿三歲！我真的氣壞了！我不可能這樣就辭職的，因為叔叔無可能再以這價錢去買另—層樓，而叔叔一家都很喜歡住在這兒，難道就為了我個人的理想，而要他們全家搬離嗎？我唯有再多做兩年吧！
但這時最困擾我的，是我開始懷疑自己，是否真的是神呼召我呢？是否只是我一廂情願？如果真的是神呼召我，為甚麼到頭來卻不成事呢？在那段困惑的日子中，我唯有把一切都在禱告中交託給神吧！
剛好那時候，政府醫院的管理權由醫管局接管，我們做醫護人員的都要選擇是否把自己的合約轉往醫管局。分別是，原先的合約是有長俸的，但醫管局沒給長俸，但有強積金。而醫管局為了吸引員工，卻每月會替員工多供16.5%的款項。唉！聽起來都已經有點複雜了，我真不知怎樣選擇！唯我的同事說: 『你都只是做多兩年，轉啦！沒長俸就沒長俸啦，反正兩年後走的時候也有一筆錢就算了！』就是這樣，我就轉了。
兩年過去了，我就真的辭了職去唸神學，畢業後，就開始了全職事奉的生涯。我竟然發現：
第一，原來我很不情願留下的兩年，竟在兩年之間使我獲額外的得十萬元！
第二，原來在這新的員工合約之下，員工做了超過十年，離職時除了可拿走一筆過的強積金外，還可享有長俸的！如果我當時是按自己的心意，做了九年便辭職，我就不能享有長俸了！
—年又—年過去了。每年積金局都會公式化的寄給我—張通知書，我看看就放在—邊，反正只是些不太明白的數字，也就沒怎放在心上。
直到今年，因我已五十五歲，已經可以拿錢了，所以要親身去積金局簽些文件，那些錢真的到手了！所以，我此刻的心情真是很興奮！
我的感受是，我很感謝神，衪所安排的，絕不是人可以媲美的，人自己能計劃的，無論如何也不及神的好，為甚麼呢？因為祂是全知的，而人所能知的是有限的。另外，信仰的路上少不免會有疑惑或氣餒的時候，在這景況中，我們所能做的，就是完全的交託給神，接受現況，但不是向現實低頭，而是全心等候神自己作工，成就衪自己所應許的！
衷心祝福你！
Mary