主恩满溢 | The Lord's Grace Overflows

Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:10, "But by the grace of God, I am what I am... yet not I, but the grace of God that is with me." Looking back on the missionary journey I have taken, I deeply understand that everything is completely out of God's grace and favor. Someone once asked me how many times I have been to Honduras. I think he meant that leading a short-term mission team repeatedly would be easy and stress-free. But to be honest, every time there was a surprise, every time it was a baptism of my spiritual life, and every time I experienced God's great grace.

Although June to August is the rainy season in Honduras, in the past few years, the heavy rain and mud seemed to be temporary and did not cause us much trouble. It used to rain for a while and then stop immediately. This year's weather in Honduras was unusual in that it rained for a week in Langue before we arrived. At the prayer meeting, everyone prayed continuously for the mission team to have a smooth mission trip. As soon as the first team arrived at the base, the school bus was stuck in the mud when they went up the mountain.  It took more than two hours to pull the bus out. The second mission team bus was about to cross the river, when they realized that the water was deep and the river was turbulent, they finally turned back to the town at the foot of the mountain for a night. They crossed the river and went up the mountain the next day. Every time they crossed a river, everyone praised God. (There are a total of 7 rivers up to the top of the mountain.)  On the third day, because it rained all night, the mountain road was muddy and the bus was stuck in the mud again. The amazing thing was that everyone did not worry about it or complain. Instead, they gathered in a circle and prayed and praised together. The bus got stuck in the mud and attracted more and more villagers to watch. The brothers and sisters suggested that we sing Spanish hymns. In such a difficult situation, we still had joy and gave a beautiful testimony to God through prayer and praise. After several tries, the bus returned to the road safely, and everyone kept shouting "Hallelujah!" Glory to God!

In June, the two teams participated in the gospel visit to the ILAMA prison with 1,800 prisoners, which was 5 and a half hours away from our base. Because it was their first time to visit, they were not familiar with the overall situation of the prison. The first team originally planned to share their testimony twice in the morning and afternoon, but in the end, they shared four times in different areas. The inmates there were the most dangerous criminals. They were very young, and some had "18" or "13" tattooed on their heads. Those numbers represent that the gangs they once joined were very powerful and notorious. Almost everyone had tattoos all over his body. Visiting this prison is different from the past. Everyone stood face to face on both sides of a yellow security line. There was no sound system and no worship instruments.

The first testimony sharing was under the blazing sun, without any shelter. Later, we learned that the temperature felt like 43 degrees Celsius that day. One of the brothers in the team was exhausted and had a heat stroke. For me, who has been to the prison many times, facing more than 200 prisoners and looking at them at such a close distance was still a bit challenging. But seeing their eyes, my heart suddenly felt pity. They were so young, what kind of situation were they in? Some prisoners set up a canopy with towers for a 7-year-old child to give him shelter to avoid the heat. I saw the kindness they still had in their hearts. The Spirit of God was moving among us. Repent, children, our God is still waiting for you! Under the scorching sun, everyone forgot the heat and the yellow security line. When Pastor Luis kept preaching in Spanish, the inmates came forward one by one, and we also extended our hands to encourage them. Sweat and tears blurred our vision. Like it was said in the Bible, “I will make you fishers of people.” We cheered up that every lost soul found his way home. The next three sessions of the day were held in the cell. The Holy Spirit continued to move the brothers and sisters who were bearing witness and also led the inmates. About 180 people decided to believe in the Lord that day. This time we had the opportunity to share testimonies for more than 100 female inmates and saw their joy and hope after believing in the Lord. "For this gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes," (Romans 1:16)

A week later, the second team went to share in two other areas of the prison. When we walked into the cells, we saw high walls and barbed wire. Each area held more than 200 people, and the upstairs and downstairs were full of prisoners. The roaring fan made it difficult for us to hear the Chinese testimonies clearly. We could hear the Spanish of Brother Carlos and Pastor Yamin, who were translating clearly, but we couldn't understand them. We believe that God heard them all. We could only pray silently, asking God to have mercy on these inmates and wishing that they would all turn to God. Maybe they cannot get physical freedom in this life, but spiritual freedom is the hope of eternal life. In the end, nearly a hundred people in the two areas decided to believe in the Lord. When we really know that the Lord is powerful and mighty and that without the gospel and Jesus, they will face that tragic end, we will no longer ignore their needs. When we are filled with the love of the Lord, we will share the love, and we hope that others will also benefit from the gospel, share the incomparable love of God, and share the love of the Son of God who sacrificed his life and blood and died for sin. Despite the bumpy road and hot weather, everyone on the bus shared the joy of serving after the prison visit.

Some people often think that they are not able to do any missionary work. But are we willing to say to God, "God, I don't know if you will call me to missionary work, but I am willing to open my heart and obey your command! Am I willing to put down my own plans, my own ambitions, my own dreams, and just obey God?" Every believer in the Lord must preach salvation, sanctification, and serve God. A missionary once said, “Success doesn't have to be mine, and success doesn't have to have me in it.” God in His glory, looks after me with His power and forgiveness, and has always put my heart in his heart,  so that I can say "Our original missionary intention remains unchanged." Step out of your comfort zone, even the comfort zone of serving, to experience the living and real work of God in your life. Only then can you truly understand what Ephesians 1:8-9 says: "...God's grace which He lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of His will according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ."

From February to early July this year, I participated in short mission trips to Honduras with brothers and sisters from all churches, young and old. God blessed us and the local church in Honduras. Facing various challenges, everyone experienced that it was not our ability, but God's ability. The mission in Honduras allowed each participant to experience walking with God, working with others, praying in unity, and praising with one voice! Step out, and God will let you experience firsthand that "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9) Are you willing?

保罗在哥林多前书 15 章 10 节讲到「然而，我今日成了何等人，是蒙神的恩才成的……这原不是我，乃是神的恩与我同在。」回顾走过的宣教路，深深体会一切完全出自神的恩情、恩惠。曾经有人问我这是第几次去洪都拉斯了？我想他是说，一种模式的带短宣队会不会很轻车熟路，没什么压力。但实话讲，每次都有惊喜，每次都是自己属灵生命的洗礼，每次都经历神极大的恩典。

虽说 6-8 月份是洪都拉斯的雨季，但过往几年， 暴雨泥泞似乎都是短暂的，没有给我们带来很大阻碍。下一阵子雨， 马上就停。今年的洪都拉斯天气异常，在我们来之前，Langue 就下了一周的雨。同工祷告会上，大家为短宣队能够顺利完成任务不住地祷告。第一队一到基地，上山的校车就深陷泥潭，足足花了两个多小时，才把车拖出来。第二队车到要过河的时候，因为水深，河流湍急，最后掉头回到山脚下的小镇过夜，第二天才渡河上山，每过一条河，大家就同声赞美。第三天下山， 因为下了一夜的雨，山路泥土泥泞，校车再次陷入泥中。奇妙的是，大家并未为此着急，抱怨。乃是围成一圈同声开口祷告，赞美。校车困在泥中也引来了越来越多的原住民观望， 弟兄姊妹们就提议，我们带他们唱西语敬拜歌，在困境中，我们依旧欢喜，用祷告和赞美为神做了美好的见证。几经周折，校车安全回到路面，大家不住地高喊“哈利路亚！”荣耀归给神！

6 月份这两队参与了离基地 5 个半小时车程的 ILAMA 1800 人新监狱的福音探访。因为都是第一次去，对于监狱的整个状况并不是了解。第一队原定的上下午两场的见证分享，最后变成分在不同区间的一下子做 4 次分享。这里的狱友都是重刑犯，很年轻，有的头上纹着 “18”或“13”，那些数字代表着他们曾经参加的帮派很厉害，可谓臭名昭著，几乎每个人都是布满纹身。监狱探访的方式也不同以往，大家在黄线两边，面对面站着。没有音响，没有敬拜乐器。

第一场的分享，烈日当头，没有任何遮挡。事后才了解到，当天温度体感 43 摄氏度。团队中有位弟兄体力不支，中暑。对于已经去多很多次监狱的我来讲，面对 200 多人，这么近距离看着他们，多少还是有点挑战。 但看到他们的眼神，我的心一下子产生了怜悯，那么年轻，是什么样的状况，他们管在了里面？当看到他们为我们 7 岁的小朋友搭起凉棚，让孩子不至于中暑，那一丝丝良善让我们看到他们心中尚存柔软。神的灵运行在我们当中，悔改吧，孩子，我们的神依旧在那里等着。第一场烈日下，大家忘了炎热，忘了黄线，当 Luis 牧师用西语不断呼召，狱友们一个接一个地走上前来，我们也伸出鼓励的双手。汗水、泪水模糊了视线，得人如得鱼，为每一个失丧的灵魂找到回家的路，欢呼雀跃。当天接下来的 3 场都在牢房里面， 圣灵继续感动做见证的弟兄姊妹，也带领狱友，当天前前后后约 180 人决志信主。我们这次更是有机会为 100 多位女狱友分享见证，看到他们信主后流出的喜悦，盼望。 “这福音本是神的大能，要救一切相信的，” (罗马书 1:16)

一周后，第二队又到这个监狱的另外两个区域分享，走进牢房，高高的墙壁，铁丝网，每个区间 200 多人，楼上楼下满了人。轰鸣的风扇让我们听不清中文见证分享，做翻译的 Carlos 弟兄和雅明牧师的西语听的清晰，却又听不懂，相信神都听见。我们只能默默祷告，求神怜悯这些狱友，巴不得他们人人都回转向神。也许今生他们不能得到肉体的自由，但灵里的自由，却是那永生的盼望，最后两个区间有近百人决志信主。当我们真知道主是可畏的，没有福音，没有耶稣，他们将要面临那可悲的结局，我们就不会无动于衷了。当我们里面充满主的爱，我们就会把主的爱分享出去，我们就盼望别人同得这福音的好处，同享上帝无比的爱，同得神儿子舍命流血、赎罪替死的爱。尽管路途颠簸，天气炎热，监狱探访后，大家在车里依旧分享着服事的喜乐。

有人常常认为自己不能够做什么，怎么去宣教？但我们是否愿意跟神说,“神呀，我不知道你会不会呼召我宣教，但我愿意打开自己的心，听从你的吩咐！我愿意放下自己的计划，自己的野心，自己的梦想，单单听从神吗？” 我们每一个信主的人，都要传扬救恩，成圣，和服事神。中信有位宣教士曾经讲到过：“「成功不必我在，功成其中不需有我。」神以他的荣耀、权能和赦宥惦记着我，一直心系我心，以致我可诉说自己的「宣教初心、矢志不渝。」”。走出自己的舒适区，甚至是服事的舒适区，经历又活又真的神在你生命中的作为，你才能真真切切明白以弗所书 1 章 8-9 节所讲“这恩典是神用诸般智慧聪明，充充足足赏给我们的，都是照他自己所预定的美意，叫我们知道他旨意的奥秘；”

今年从 2 月到 7 月初，跟众教会的弟兄姊妹们，无论年长还是年幼，一起参与洪都拉斯的短宣，神祝福了我们也祝福洪都拉斯当地教会。面对各样挑战，大家都经历不是我们可以，乃是神能。洪都拉斯短宣让每个参加者经历与神同行，与众人同工，同心祷告，同声赞美！走出去，神必让你亲身体会“我的恩典够你用的，因为我的能力是在人的软弱上显得完全。”（林后12:9）你愿意吗？