In God’s realm, everything is scheduled according to His pace. When confronted with obstacles too hard for us to cope with, what is the best solution? Countless testimonies tell us that the best way is to lay down all our worries and burdens in front of God and wait for Him to arrange the best for us.
On the eve of Sep 10 we witnessed what God has achieved on the land of Mongolia where there are scarce resources and government support for Christians. To the Chinese people, Mongolia brings back the nostalgia for a horse-riding people who built the biggest ever empire spanning over Asia, Europe and Africa in the world history. The descendants of Genghis Khan are tough in that they are virtually nomads that have to make yurts their homes on the immense grassland and move along with the changing seasons. They live on livestock, mainly sheep, goats, horses and camels. The dominating religion in Mongolia is Tibetan Buddhism.
In 1928 the Mongolian People's Republic was set up. For nearly seven decades, the country has undergone fierce political upheavals between the previous Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China. When the Soviet Union broke down in 1990, the country was finally able to construct its own multi-party system and a market economy. However, despite being a democratic modern nation, the spread of Christianity is still not encouraged in the country.
That is the very point where powerful faith and prayers are needed. Rome was not built in a day; likewise, it may take years to see Mongols converted into Christians. In 2000, following God's guidance, Pastor Frank Wu singlehandedly flew to Mongolia to start his missionary career. With relentless efforts, Pastor Wu conquered all possible obstacles with patience, love, prayers and faith. In 16 years' time, God has rewarded him with one surprise after another. The first surprise came from his first converted local, a Mongolian girl who later became his wife. She still looks as charming and elegant as she was 16 years ago. Now God has further given Pastor Wu a small church and a steadily growing congregation, and in addition, the most valuable treasure from Heaven – a happy lovely family
Tainan Holiness Church's missionary team paid Pastor Wu an official visit from August 21 to 28, 2017. There the interactions between Pastor Wu and his congregation testified to us once again the truth contained in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” What we saw in Pastor's Wu's church is unwavering faith in God's direction. We should not build our faith on what is visible, like ordinary people do, but rather, we should build it on what is felt inside our heart. Only God can speak to us in His own voice. All we have to do is calm down, stay quiet, and listen to the Holy Spirit. We believed that was what happened to Pastor Wu when he first made his pivotal decision in his life 16 years ago.
Although Christianity still faces certain obstacles to become widely accepted in Mongolia, Pastor Wu believes that God will find a way for people there to know more about the gospels. Actually, he has seen many communities having their own small churches and believers. God has a purpose, that is, to have more people know about Him in Mongolia. Step by step and inch by inch, more believers on this vast land will erect churches to worship and praise Him. It is just a matter of time.
On the eve of Sep 10 we witnessed what God has achieved on the land of Mongolia where there are scarce resources and government support for Christians. To the Chinese people, Mongolia brings back the nostalgia for a horse-riding people who built the biggest ever empire spanning over Asia, Europe and Africa in the world history. The descendants of Genghis Khan are tough in that they are virtually nomads that have to make yurts their homes on the immense grassland and move along with the changing seasons. They live on livestock, mainly sheep, goats, horses and camels. The dominating religion in Mongolia is Tibetan Buddhism.
In 1928 the Mongolian People's Republic was set up. For nearly seven decades, the country has undergone fierce political upheavals between the previous Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China. When the Soviet Union broke down in 1990, the country was finally able to construct its own multi-party system and a market economy. However, despite being a democratic modern nation, the spread of Christianity is still not encouraged in the country.
That is the very point where powerful faith and prayers are needed. Rome was not built in a day; likewise, it may take years to see Mongols converted into Christians. In 2000, following God's guidance, Pastor Frank Wu singlehandedly flew to Mongolia to start his missionary career. With relentless efforts, Pastor Wu conquered all possible obstacles with patience, love, prayers and faith. In 16 years' time, God has rewarded him with one surprise after another. The first surprise came from his first converted local, a Mongolian girl who later became his wife. She still looks as charming and elegant as she was 16 years ago. Now God has further given Pastor Wu a small church and a steadily growing congregation, and in addition, the most valuable treasure from Heaven – a happy lovely family
Tainan Holiness Church's missionary team paid Pastor Wu an official visit from August 21 to 28, 2017. There the interactions between Pastor Wu and his congregation testified to us once again the truth contained in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” What we saw in Pastor's Wu's church is unwavering faith in God's direction. We should not build our faith on what is visible, like ordinary people do, but rather, we should build it on what is felt inside our heart. Only God can speak to us in His own voice. All we have to do is calm down, stay quiet, and listen to the Holy Spirit. We believed that was what happened to Pastor Wu when he first made his pivotal decision in his life 16 years ago.
Although Christianity still faces certain obstacles to become widely accepted in Mongolia, Pastor Wu believes that God will find a way for people there to know more about the gospels. Actually, he has seen many communities having their own small churches and believers. God has a purpose, that is, to have more people know about Him in Mongolia. Step by step and inch by inch, more believers on this vast land will erect churches to worship and praise Him. It is just a matter of time.
中國，古老的國度，廣袤的土地，眾神傳說的發源地；中國文化流過五千年長河，歷經分分合合與無數悲喜，雖然征戰與憂患帶來浩劫無數，然而中華文明在這片無垠的土地上還是有幸地被保存了。而出生在臺灣、成長在紅色文革對岸這方島國的我們，無緣親睹當年國共政治的紛擾如何撕裂古老的國土，也無法想像蒙古人民，成吉思汗的後裔，如何經歷奮鬥，脫離與中國幾百年的連結，回歸自治而走上獨立之路。
歷史上的蒙古是成吉思汗、是窩闊台、是忽必烈，是史上擁有最大版圖、橫跨歐亞非三大陸塊，行軍作戰最迅速、最剽悍的元朝；地理上的蒙古是風吹草低見牛羊、是逐水草而居、居住在蒙古包，生活起居與馬、駱駝不可分開的遊牧民族故鄉。雖然如今旅遊業興盛，揹起行囊，我們便可一日千里遠離臺灣，然而當從未拜訪過蒙古包的我們看到一張張聖教會弟兄姊妹親自拍攝的蒙古包實景與蒙古人民信仰基督的情況時，內心的震撼仍是久久無法自己。
藉由白牧師的講解，我們知道基督教在藏傳佛教為主要信仰的蒙古國仍面臨發展的瓶頸，大規模公開的安息日禮拜與讚美儀式仍無法得到官方許可，基督徒只能做小團體的聚會與禮拜，且官僚的弊端與貧富的差距讓基督教在蒙古仍面臨多方挑戰。但可喜的是，儘管險阻重重，儘管千山萬水，我們臺灣的吳牧師十多年前在神的帶領下，毅然決然遠赴天涯，親踏戈壁沙漠，到千里外陌生的蒙古播撒基督的恩典，孜孜矻矻、一步一腳印的宣揚上帝的福音與救贖，而今，神的福杯滿溢，當年初信基督的美麗、纖細的蒙古姑娘已是吳牧師得力的主內兄妹與賢內助，他們的女兒也有著蒙古女子的聰慧、大方與美麗氣質，一家人和樂幸福的為基督播種宣道，如今他們的牧區也小有聚會群眾，從每一張相片裡的眼神與笑靨裡，我們看到牧民們渴望真理的心與對上帝、基督、聖靈的虔敬信仰。
羅馬書8:28：「我們曉得萬事都互相效力，叫愛神的人得益處，」因為愛神，神會為我們安排所有一切，叫我們放下所有屬人的聰明與心思謀略，但凡將所有的憂慮與牽掛交託給 耶穌基督，放下我們的勞苦與憂擔，凡事信靠主與仰望主，這是身為主內弟兄姊妹的我們該有的信念。從遠在蒙古佈道的吳牧師身上，我們看到了神的愛是無遠弗屆，無國界、無貧富之分的，當堅定的信仰與禱告蒙 神垂聽時，荒蕪的沙漠也能成為主內弟兄姊妹的天堂。
▌英文牧區 English Zone
侯碧芬 Hou Pi-fen
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