傳福音給貧乏人
怎樣才算得上是貧乏人? 他們住在哪裡? 是睡街的無家者? 住籠位、板間房、劏房、殘舊唐樓、寮屋、遍遠村屋、政府廉租屋等人士? 是靠執紙皮廢物售賣維生的人、靠綜援或生果金糊口的家庭或長者、辛勞賺取時薪28元或月薪5千的弱勢社群? 在香港這個所謂亞洲世界大都會,這些貧乏人多的是。 他們聚居於大都會中各小區,掙扎求存。 在成立初期,耶穌恩典福音教會用兩年時間得神確定,落戶土瓜灣舊區,開始傳福音給貧乏人、困難人、弱勢人、被遺棄及寄居的人。 在土瓜灣,睡街的、街頭溜連的、收入微薄的、落難的人、單親家庭、大陸新移民、少數族裔等,比比皆是。
2004年初,有幸於神,耶穌恩典福音教會遇上香港伯特利教會慈光堂同工賀耀文弟兄,透過賀牧師愛心安排,我們參與慈光堂社區服侍隊學習服侍社區。 在土瓜灣一個被遺棄的小區13街,作探訪、聚會和實務服侍貧困人。 往後,本教會亦單獨或連繫其他教會及主內機構,在13街及區內其他地點作多項同類服侍,安慰、輔導及實務幫助街坊。 期間福音被傳,多人認信耶穌,他們參與教會及接受洗禮,恆常出席。 亦因賀牧師的安排,本教會有幸參與九龍城區教會群體每年一度聖誕社區嘉年華,將耶穌及教會帶進社區。
幾年前,神亦安排耶穌恩典福音教會認識一對在紅磡,土瓜灣區作街頭派飯事工的夫婦,亞球及依華。 每星期一次的免費飯盒在區內多處派送給露宿者,街頭人,落泊人及長者。 耶穌恩典福音教會延續此事工至今,眾多受飯者接受耶穌,受洗歸入基督及落戶教會。 派飯令街坊對耶穌及教會好感不斷增加,人心軟化,是各街頭福音隊收割的好對象。(文章日期20110907)
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Preaching Good News to the Poor
Who are the poor and where are they? Homeless street sleepers? dwellers in caged beds; partitioned rooms; partitioned flats; old shabby buildings; wooden huts in slum area or remote villages; low cost government houses etc? People struggling their life by picking up paper and scraps and sell for meager income; people surviving with social security subsidies or old age allowance; people earning HK$28 an hour or HK$5000 a month? There are so many of them in Hong Kong, a city claimed to be an Asian-world metropolis. So many of them struggling their lives in districts like Tokwawan, haven for the poor, under-privileged and left-out. After founded, it took Evangelical Grace Church of JESUS two years to be confirmed to settle herself in old district Tokwawan for the mission preaching the good news to the poor and needy. Street sleepers, street wanderers, low-income people, people in distress, single parents, lonely old people, immigrants from Mainland China, ethnic minorities etc, they are everywhere and so many in Tokwawan.
Early in 2004, God gave us the privilege to get in touch with Pastor Hor Yiu Man of Hong Kong Tsz Kwong Bethel Church. Through his caring arrangement, we followed mission team of Tsz Kwong Church to learn and practice serving poor and needy people in Tokwawan, starting with visitation, meetings and practical help we served residents of the notoriously ignored area named 13 streets. Since then, we continue with many similar caring and preaching programs in 13 streets and other areas, on our own or join-force with other churches and Christian welfare organizations. Many residents received comforting, counseling and practical help. Good news is preached and many people accepted Jesus Christ as their savior, many attend churches, baptized and are now regular with Evangelical Grace Church of JESUS. Through the arrangement of Pastor Hor, we are also given the privilege to participate every year in the annual Christmas carnivals in Tokwawan, run by churches group.
A few years earlier, God arrange Evangelical Grace Church of JESUS to be in touch with a Christian couple Ah Kau & Eva, who were doing a weekly free meal give-away mission to street sleepers and people in distress on the streets in Tokwawan and Hunghom. We continue this mission until today, giving out free meal boxes every Tuesday to street sleepers, people in distress and old people, in some spots in Tokwawan. Many meal receivers have believed in Jesus Christ, are attending churches and baptized. Thank you Jesus is often heard from the mouths of people receiving the meal boxes. Their hearts are softened, ready to be harvested by other visiting gospel preaching teams. Their feelings about churches are improved. Praise the Lord. (Article dated20110905)
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