Heart-touching Experience

Kenya trip 2010 was an amazing, heart-touching experience. While I was there, many people I met asked what brought me there? They were probably wondering how this American born girl who spoke no Chinese came to join the team. However, one thing that I have learned from this trip is the power of the holy spirit and how God can work through your heart. Even though there was a language barrier, God still provided and i was still able to worship and pray with everyone else.

I must admit it was a little difficult at first to adjust to not being able to understand the messages, but through the trip God used each and everyone of you to remind me that praising God and having fellowship is something that comes from the heart. I thought it was so cool how I was able to still worship God with the team in a different language. I have come to love each and every one of you as my brother and sister in Christ.

It was an amazing experience being able to serve with the team, and I will miss everyone very much! Pastor talked about God's love in a lot of the morning services, which reminded me that we have the most amazing father in heaven, as well as the best gift of God's grace. His love is so powerful and should overwhelm us to spread the good news with others. I thought this was a very touching reminder of our mission as Christians. Interacting with the people of Kenya was a life changing experience. I learned so much from them, seeing them so thankful for even the littlest things. I can see how God is working through the church as well as I-link with all the work that is being done with the mission teams and Comido school. I will continue to pray for the leaders and the pastors who return every year, and i hope to return next year!

"therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20

God bless!

-- Michelle Chuang

放下自己, 才能體會更多

非洲，一直是我心中的夢想。記得小時候有一次跟媽媽說我想去非洲玩，媽媽不懂為什麼我會有這種想法。大學時曾想過當完兵之後要去非洲當義工；研究所要決定研究方向跟主題時，上帝也很奇妙的把非洲放在我的心中。就在一次跟朋友的閒聊中，知道了肯亞短宣隊的消息。在上帝的安排下，我終於如願踏上非洲的土地。 

出發前我一直以為自己可以做什麼。直到看完短宣隊發的一片介紹非洲宣教士工作的DVD之後，才意識到要在短短四天的福音隊裡做什麼，實在是太天真的想法，因為貧民窟中的需要真是太大太多了。到飛機降落在肯亞機場的那一刻，還是不知道要做什麼的我，就這樣開始了四天的貧民窟服事。到了服事的最後一天，上帝才讓我明白對這些孩童、青少年而言，遊戲、節目都不是最重要的事情。對他們來說，有人願意接納、傾聽和愛才是最真實的需要。有了這三樣寶貝，這些孩子可以跨越環境的限制，往上帝賜予他們的夢想和命定邁進。

還記得福音隊的最後一天早上，我被臨時告知要說一個故事。十五分鐘內，我便將英文的故事稿寫好。突然一個念頭進來，想說如果我能用肯亞當地的語言──Swahili語來說故事的話，不僅大孩子可以吸收，連幼稚園孩童也可以明白我們要表達的信息。於是，在幾個熱情肯亞孩子幫助下，他們將我的英文稿翻譯成Swahili語，還幫我寫在紙上、教我怎麼發音。原本只是簡單的一個想法，卻帶來很大的改變。原本亂哄哄的教室突然安靜下來，變得非常專注。孩子們也在我說故事的過程中，不斷用Swahili語回應我。台上台下好像突然找到一個共同點，彼此的關係更加凝聚。在那一瞬間，我知道我做了一件對的事情。

下午自由時間，和幾個孩子坐在學校後面的大草原上面聊天。看著藍天白雲，我不禁把鞋子脫了。有幾個小孩開始笑，也有人擔心我踩到東西受傷。但是我完全不在意。那時只有一個想法，就是用各種方式融入他們，聽他們說話，讓他們感覺舒服、感覺自在。

對我而言，這次福音隊我學習到放下自己所熟悉的做事方式、放下自己以為的想法，用最純粹的心去體會服事對象的生活和生命。同時，透過服事的學生，也讓我用全新的眼光來看自己的生活。

有天我問一個13歲的男生他未來想做什麼，他毫不猶豫地回答：「銀行家！」我很驚訝，因為這樣的願望在他所在的環境，達成的可能性幾乎是零。但是他那顆單純直接的心深深感動了我。我願意用實際的行動來支持這些願意上進求學的學生，就是每月奉獻一點錢，讓他們可以在更好的環境中學習，有機會可以改變他們所在的世界。感謝神，讓我有這個機會來服事，就像DVD影片中宣教士說的，福音隊改變的往往不是當地人，而是福音隊隊員。感謝神，我就是那個被改變的人。求神可以更多來使用我們，成為有感也有動，願意跨出去的那個人！

-- 昌恩