高牧師，師母

When I first met Pastor Kao and Mrs. Kao, they were not pastors. They were just a lovely couple in HOC5 like you and me. The only difference was that Mrs. Kao cooked the dinner for us (at that time, I was in Tong-Shing Fellowship) on Friday night because many single professionals in Tong-Shing Fellowship didn't have time to eat before going to the fellowship. Every week, we had different dishes, and every week, it was delicious. She cooked every Friday until she and Pastor Kao got the calling from God and went to Taiwan to serve those who were in prison and who were using drugs or having AIDS. They knew that even though most people didn't like those "bad guys", God loves them, so they had to introduce Jesus to them.

Later, Mr. Kao became a pastor, and they shifted some of their time to care for retired old soldiers (榮民) ；and again, this group of people were usually ignored by the society.

When we went to Taiwan this Feb. , we had a wonderful  lunch at their house and got an opportunity to go to one of the 榮民之家 for Sunday worship. Sometimes, people in the U.S. complained that we don't have good coworkers in the church or fellowship, but they have even less coworkers there because most of the people who came to the service are 80 years old or older. The pastor and Mrs. Kao needs to take care of many things by themselves.

Mrs. Kao writes an article and a prayer letter once a week, and the following is the article that I just received this morning. For previous letters, please go to http://www.hoc5.org/mission/letter.asp


值得 高徐志美




值得

我不太願意從大賣場買糕餅類在聚會後當點心給伯伯吃，我喜歡用心做點心，如此伯伯們不但吃到的是點心也是愛心，每週有三個養護堂的聚會，參加的伯伯們身體狀況較差，我就做湯點類給伯伯們享用，另有三堂聚會，參加的伯伯們身體狀況較好，我就常做茶葉蛋給伯伯們享用。

茶葉蛋能入味又保持滑嫩是要點功夫的，然而煮茶葉蛋過程中雞蛋很容易爆裂，所以大眾伙食不易吃到茶葉蛋，感謝主給我一點恩賜，也摸索到一個訣竅，我煮的茶葉蛋並不怎麼費功夫且又好吃，深得伯伯們喜愛，因此常常為伯伯們做茶葉蛋。

復活節時候，煮了一次白水蛋了，伯伯們也欣然接受，相較之下白水蛋輕省許多，所以有時我會有偷懶的念頭，就煮白水蛋吧！不過當我這麼想的時候，聖靈用微小的聲音對我說：「你多花一點功夫，就有三、四十位伯伯吃到有滋有味的茶葉蛋，也能感受到有滋有味的愛心，多麼的值得。」為此，我願意日復一日，不厭其煩的為伯伯們做茶葉蛋，只要能使伯伯們所感受的愛心加分，辛苦一點也是值得。



應份

4/21下午，玉華姊妹陪同我到台北榮總探望住院的伯伯，蕭心靜伯伯肺炎胸口悶，我們與他談話時，注意到鄰床的一位伯伯與家屬，很留心我們的談話，為蕭伯伯禱告後，鄰床的家屬果然向我們打招呼：「師母，我們也是基督徒。」這位伯伯姓劉，因大腸癌轉到了肝臟，進進出出醫院將近十個月之久，相談之下，知道他們信主只有半年的時間，家住龍潭，在龍潭循理會聚會。

這對老夫婦臉上顯出焦慮無助的樣子，劉伯母要求我們為劉伯伯禱告，我心中有個感動，除了禱告還要加強他們對真理的認識，於是我對他們說：「我們都希望向神禱告有求必應，神也的確有能力答應我們所求的，但我們也有應份的事。禱告希望神能垂聽不外乎有四件事要做：第一，當向神向人認罪，要常常思想並回想以前到如今有沒有得罪神得罪人的地方。第二，要常為別人禱告，當我們也顧念別人的難處，為他人禱告時，神就將我們從苦境中轉回。第三，要常常感恩，凡事感恩，每一天的每一件事，因神的愛與大能，我們都可以發出感恩的言語。第四，就是常常讀神的話語，讀完以後，至少存記一句話在心中反覆思想，從那一句話去學習屬靈的功課。」沒有想到這番話說出之後，劉伯伯雙手蒙住臉流著淚說：「師母，聽你這話勝讀萬卷書，你講的這些話我從來沒有聽過，對的，要認罪，這點我沒做到。」禱告後離開病房，我向神呼籲：「主啊！我深信憂傷痛悔的心你必不輕看。」



約束

王厚慈伯伯的名字充滿神的祝福，「厚慈」豈不是蒙神厚賜慈愛的意思嗎？王伯伯小的時候因為得麻疹，在大陸基督教協合醫院被治好，因此認識了耶穌，王伯伯說：「雖然宗教都是勸人為善，但在我心中只認定耶穌是我的神。」我問王伯伯說：「您常去教會嗎。」「我沒有常去教會，但耶穌在我心裡。」「為什麼不常去教會呢？」「我這個人自由慣了，不喜歡被約束，若去了教會，就每個星期天都要去教會，我不願意每個禮拜天被約束。」「王伯伯，你認識我們嗎。」「在八德安養中心有見過妳們。」「今天下午我們已探望了好多位住院的伯伯，不但如此，我每個星期三都來醫院探望，我寧願被約束，不待在家中休息而來醫院，好讓伯伯們得安慰。」我繼續說：「我是美國華僑，美國的交通、空氣、氣候更適合老年人居住，但牧師和我願意被約束到台灣，來關心榮民伯伯。看起來我們好像是被神約束，其實是被約束到神的祝福裡面，王伯伯，出院後來聚會吧。」王伯伯不再拒絕，我們離去時，還堅持送我們出病房，又堅持送我們到電梯口，並堅持等我們入電梯才肯離去。