幾年前，我們才開始接觸到鄉福。卻沒想到會有機會能訪問鄉福。藉著2000年暑假回台探親之行，匆忙中前往東石教會作只有一天來回的訪問。感謝主！讓我能在2001年有五天的時間去訪問鄉福。除東石教會之外，另加上大村和大埤兩家鄉福的教會。除了與牧師們配搭事奉之外，也讓我學到一些寶貴的功課。
第一天早上，我從台北出發。火車中午前到員林站下車後，林逢泉牧師夫婦即到車站接我。在受到熱誠的招待後，才頓然想起有點不習慣。一向應該是招待牧師才對，怎麼這次卻反主為客，竟然是接受牧者家的招待。大村教會正籌劃建教堂，我也以我們在休士頓的教會購地，建堂的經驗與林牧師分享。靠信心等候與仰望上帝。因為慈愛與信實的上帝，必會用耶和華以勒來回應。下午和牧師夫婦去探訪一位尚未信主的黃先生，他太太已信主。在短短的一個多鐘頭聽他個人的想法，再和他做信仰分享與談道，心中也一邊禱告聖靈在他身上動工。並不是從國外回台的有什麼特殊的地方，但是經由上帝安排的見面，有時會使受訪人有一些突然且溫馨的感覺。晚上到一位會友家訪問，鼓勵他們能多花一些時間在教會的事工上，這樣也多少分擔一點牧師家的重擔。
此次回台才聽到，台灣的鄉村有一些也受到都市的不良影響。除了根深蒂固的傳統民間信仰之外，也有毒品、賭博、綁票和一些不好的事。求主特別憐憫，大大興旺鄉村的福音事工。使用各樣方法把福音的好消息傳楊開來，使鄉親們的靈魂得拯救。
第二天，大埤教會的韓國籍黃金滿牧師和小兒子到斗南車站接我。一抵達牧師家，就享受到牧師娘準備可口的韓國午餐招待。我的行程中，有兩整天的時間在大埤。牧師娘很會做韓國菜，加上我也很喜歡，真沒想到我這次鄉福之旅，竟然這麼有口福。此地因為大部分的人都有午睡的習慣，牧師也建議我稍為休息一下再去探訪。我本來是有些不習慣，後來才知道在大埤教會，每天早上五點鐘正都有早禱會(一禮拜七次)，比較能體會到午睡的好處。在大埤兩天的期間，黃牧師帶著我一共探訪了約十位的會友和慕道友。對於慕道友，我們很樂意做的是撒下福音的種子，更祈求聖靈親自在他們身上作感動的工。對幾位已信主多年，卻尚未能真正的靠主平安喜樂。除了用上帝的話勉勵他們，並和他們一起禱告之外，求主特別施恩憐憫在他們和他們的家人身上。
黃牧師夫婦今年二月才到大埤開拓教會。從零開始，真是篳路藍縷。他們離鄉背井來到大埤，先有上帝的呼召，再有愛人靈魂的回應，且有多多的禱告，也看到上帝豐盛的祝福他們。在短短九個月之間，已經做了很多撒種和牧養的工作。除了每天清早的讀經早禱會之外，禮拜四和禮拜五晚上都有讀經讚美禱告會。黃牧師也每天早上趁送張媽媽回家後，以祈禱的心，開車環繞大埤一週，為全鄉的人禱告。也每天停車在鄉公所後面一塊待售的空地旁禱告。求上帝照祂的時間和意思，賜給大埤教會作為建堂用地。那種靠信心尋求上帝的旨意精神和作法，非常值得我們學習。
第四天的早上，陳文逸牧師帶小兒子和會友孫媽媽，來到大埤接我去東石。約一個鐘頭的車程，路過朴子，也嚐到鄉村的特產。可不再是吃麥當勞，卻是在市場內一家專賣潤餅的攤子坐下來，陳牧師請了我吃兩大捲我生平所吃過最好吃的潤餅。這次是我第二度訪問東石教會，也見到在那裡短宣的余冬萍姊妹。和她相比，她才是真正的短宣，我只不過是沾醬油式的訪問而已。因時間的短暫和不湊巧，除了和牧者家有一些交通之外，只有探訪到兩位朋友，但卻對牧師家常存喜樂和知足的心事奉，留下深刻的印象。
台灣鄉村可愛的人與物，實在很令人留戀。想起還有那麼多的人，尚未認識這位創造宇宙萬物的上帝，心中是會很難過的。我們這已嚐到主恩滋味的弟兄姊妹們，故鄉的福音工作是需要我們每個人的參與。不論是為已在福音工場的弟兄姊妹們禱告，或親自參加或組短宣隊，與鄉福的同工一起搭配事奉，帶人信耶穌，都會蒙神的喜悅。因為到底“要收的莊稼多，做工的人少。所以你們當求莊稼的主打發工人出去收祂的莊嫁。”
（作者為鄉福北美德州代表）
A Trip to Village Gospel Mission
Several years ago we contacted Village Gospel Mission and never thought that we would have the chance to visit them.
In the summer of the year 2000 we took a trip back to my country Taiwan and stopped by a church called東 石 for a short one-day visit. Thanks to the Lord, we were able to go back to Village Gospel Mission again in the year 2001 for 5 days. In addition to the church of 東 石, we visited two other churches for Village Gospel Mission. In serving the Lord together, we treasure some of the valuable lessons we learned from them.
On the first day of our Taiwan trip, we started out in the morning from Taipei. We arrived 員林by train. Pastor林逢泉 and his wife came to the station and picked us up. After we received a warm welcome and earnest hospitality from them, we all of a sudden became uncomfortable. We were supposed to serve them but on the contrary they served us instead. In our conversation we learned that a church called 大村 is raising funds for a church building. We shared and exchanged experiences with them in the Lord, of us buying a piece of land for a church building in Houston by faith, hope and waiting upon the Lord. God is faithful. They will be rewarded with His promise ---“The Lord Will Provide”. In the afternoon, we went with pastor couples and visited a new friend, Mr. Huang. He does not believe in Jesus but his wife does. Within the hour, we had listened to his thoughts and ideas. We shared our faith and God’s Word with him and prayed in our heart that the Holy Spirit would touch his life.
There was nothing special in us who came from America; however, with God’s plan for us to meet him, Mr. Huang found a warm feeling inside of himself and was glad we had met with him. We then went to visit church family members in the evening and shared and encouraged them to give their time for the Lord, so that it would ease some of the heavy loads on their pastor.
During this Taiwan visit , we heard that Taiwan villages were bring badly influenced by big cities. Besides local traditional beliefs, there were drugs, gambles, and blackmails etc. Pleading for the extra mercy from the Lord, I prayed that there would be a big new revival at Village Gospel Mission to bring the Gospel News through many different channels to our home people and save their souls.
On the second day of our Taiwan trip, a Korean Pastor, 金滿 Huang, from the church of 大碑 came to pick us up. Once we arrived in his house, we were able to enjoy a delicious Korean lunch prepared by the pastor’s wife. During this visit, we stayed
exactly two days in大碑. Our pastor’s wife is very good at cooking Korean food. Plus, I like the food very much. I never thought that I could be blessed with such a treat. Most of the people here have customs of taking naps at noon. We were able to rest before continuing on our visits. In the beginning I was a little bit uncomfortable adjusting myself here. After I found out that they always have a morning prayer every day at 5:00am (seven days a week), I started to appreciate the benefit of taking a nap at noon. In those two days of staying in 大碑, pastor Huang took us to visit about 10 members of the new Gospel hearing friends. For these new Gospel hearing friends, we were so pleased that we could sow seeds and pray that the Holy Spirit would be doing His work to move them in their lives. For those members who have been in Him for years but yet not able to rely on the Lord’s peace and joy, we not only encouraged them with God’s Word but also prayed together with them and made petitions to the Lord for extra mercy on them and their families.
Pastor Huang and his wife arrived at 大碑 to build the body of Christ around February this year. They started with their bare hands in the beginning and are the Lord’s hard workers for the Way, the Truth, and the Life. They left their country and home and went to大碑 with the Lord’s calling first and responded to the Lord with their love for souls. They pray a lot and are seeing God’s abundant blessings in their lives.
Within 9 months, a short period of time, many seeds were sown and sheep were fed. In addition to every morning of prayer and reading of God’s Word, they have Bible Study and Prayer of Praise meetings on every Thursday and Friday evening. Also every morning after prayer when Ms. Chang goes home, pastor Huang drives around the village of大碑 with a heart of prayer and prays for the people in the whole village. He also parks behind the County Hall every day and prays for that piece of land that is for sale. He prays for the Lord’s perfect timing and His will to give the church of 大碑 land for a church building .We admire that kind of faith and heart seeking God’s will. It is really a good example for us to learn by.
The forth morning of our Taiwan trip, pastor Wenyih Chen, accompanied by his youngest son and an elder member Ms. Sun, came to大碑and took us to 東 石. In about an hour of driving we dropped by 朴子and tasted local famous food products. It was not like having burgers at MacDonald’s. We sat down in a booth of a super market for authentic soft steam rolls. Pastor Chen treated us to two big rolls. These were the best tasting rolls I have ever had in my life. This was my second time that I have visited church of東 石and saw sister余冬萍in her short-term mission over there. Compared to her, I am just like a soy sauce drop over here. She is a real short-term missionary. Time is short and flies by. Besides sharing in Christ with pastor’s family, we only visited two friends. His family serves the Lord with joy and a content heart. That impressed me a lot.
There are lovely people and things in Taiwan Villages. It is worthy of memories. When it occurs to me that there are still lots of people who do not know the Creator of this universe, our almighty God, I feel very sad in my heart. My brothers and sisters who have already experienced the grace of the Lord, we need every one of you to join the work of Village Gospel Missions. No matter if it is praying for those brothers and sisters who work in the fields, or joining the short-term mission team yourself, or serving the Lord with workers in Village Gospel Mission to bring souls to Jesus, all of you will be blessed by God. After all, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
