(SATURDAY PRAISE SERVICE)
My childhood best friend, Julian invited me to watch the Christmas caroling at Lucky Plaza in 1996. I got to know his cell group mates and started joining them.
I was very surprised, yet touched when they gave me a Bible; something I secretly long for though I was a Buddhist. I wanted to experience that joy and passion I witnessed in their lives as I was at the lowest point in mine.
The turning point came during the church youth camp in December, 1997. I responded to the altar call and was overwhelmed by God’s presence. After the session, I sat alone at a corner feeling a sense of peace and that something in my life has changed.
Despite my parents’ unhappiness and objections, I decided to be baptized. At the same time, my brother who dissuaded me from becoming a Christian came to faith when he helped my NUS Campus Crusade friends with translation work during their mission trip in Japan.
We then tried reaching out to our parents but without much sustained efforts. However, God is faithful. My mother accepted Christ after a sharing session by our local Chinese DJ, Dong Fang Bi Li in an outreach event.
Fast forward - 2017. My mother was diagnosed with a very rare heart cancer. The initial prognosis was a remaining life span of 3 months but her condition quickly deteriorated.
Mum’s dying wish was to get baptised and for my father to accept Christ. On the eve of her baptism, she nearly died and the doctors had to perform emergency procedures. My father heard her cries and was devastated. I was alone with him at that time. I wasn’t close to him and was struggling with unforgiveness for many years. However, prompted by God, I popped the question, my father not only accepted Christ but wanted to be baptised too!
My parents were baptised the next day - 30 July 2017. From then, my mother’s condition miraculously improved! Swollen body - subsided, breathing with mask - breathing normally less than 2 days after her baptism. For the next five months, she underwent intensive chemotherapy. In January 2018, the doctor declared her cancer free!
On 23 January 2019, my father suffered a sudden massive heart attack and passed away. During the wake, I felt God’s victory instead of defeat. Everything was according to His timing - my father reconciled with God and I with him before he died. During my mother’s cancer ordeal, I cried often during worship because I knew that I didn’t deserve His mercy and grace. Yet, He did so much for my family. Indeed, His grace is sufficient for me, for His power is made perfect in weakness.
1996年，我的童年挚友 Julian 邀我观赏幸运商业中心所举办的报佳音。当时我结识了他的教会小组成员，并开始参加他们的聚会。
当他们送我一本圣经时，我感到既惊讶又感动，因为我虽然身为佛教徒，心里却一直默默渴望拥有一本圣经。当时，处在人生低谷中的我，一直希望能够经历基督徒的喜乐与热情。
1997年末，复活堂青年团契的生活营是我人生的转折点。当时我深深感受到神的同在，以至于我回应神的呼召，接受耶稣基督成为我的救主 。散会后，我独自坐在一个角落，我感到无比的平安，而且我知道我的生命已被改变。
我父母知道后非常不高兴，在他们的反对下，我依然决定要洗礼。与此同时，一直劝我别成为基督徒的哥哥竟然成为信徒，他是在帮我国大校园传道会的朋友翻译日本宣教活动时信主的。
之后，我们兄弟俩虽然曾向父母传福音，但我们不够坚持。然而神是信实的，我的母亲在一场由广播员 - 东方比利所举办的布道会中接受了耶稣。
2017年，我的妈妈不幸患上非常罕见的心脏癌。医生初步的预测只剩下三个月的生命，她的情况也每况愈下。
我的妈妈最后的心愿是希望能够洗礼，也希望爸爸能接受耶稣成为他的救主。在她洗礼前夕，妈妈徘徊在死亡边缘，医生甚至必须为她施行紧急手术。听到妈妈的哭泣声，爸爸几乎崩溃。当时，只有我在爸爸的身边。长期的苦毒使我跟父亲的感情没那么亲密，但是在圣灵的感动下，我问他要不要信主，父亲不仅接受耶稣，还要求洗礼！
第二天，2017年7月30日，我的父母亲双双受洗了。从那天起，妈妈的病情奇迹般地好转了！肿胀的身体消肿了，原本还依赖呼吸器的妈妈，竟然在洗礼两天后恢复正常呼吸。接下来的五个月，她接受了紧密的化疗。2018年1月，医生宣布妈妈的身内的癌细胞已完全清除了！
2019年1月23日，我的父亲因心脏病突发而逝世。在他的追思礼上，我知道神已得胜 ，因为一切都按照神的时间表进行—— 爸爸在去世前不只修复了与神的关系，与我的关系也恢复了。
回想在母亲患癌时，我经常在敬拜中哭泣，因为我知道我不配得着上帝的怜悯与恩典，然而神却为我的家人做了那么多。的确，神的恩典够我用，祂的能力在我的软弱上得以完全！
This article first appeared in Issue 19, April 2019 CHORUS Magazine.
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