不再恐惧

杰克是巴布亚新几内亚拜曼卡内姆部落的一员。

从他记事起，他和族人们就住在吉瓦卡省，并且一直被恐惧和忽视笼罩着。

单说这个省本身是没有任何问题的。这本身是一个优美的居所。 它位处土地肥沃的山谷中，一条长长的的大河流经此地，可供应人们的需要。肥沃的土壤主要用以种植咖啡和茶叶等丰富的农作物。

但是对于杰克部落的人来说，他们的生活却非常艰难。 许多亲戚和朋友的生计被周而复始的仇恨、暴力、土地权利纠纷和其他内部冲突所撕裂。

由于冲突激烈，部落人民得不到政府基本的服务，也得不到医生和护士的医疗保障。 部落的孩子没有学上，警察也不在那执行法律维持秩序。道路没有人维护，年久失修得很严重。

对于杰克和他族人来说，长期生活在恐惧和被忽视的阴影之下已经是很平常的事了。

后来“全体总动员”进入了该地区。 “全体总动员”是基督复临安息日会世界教会的一项倡议，目的是鼓励每个教友都带领一个人归向耶稣。

教友们到了这并开始在杰克和他的同胞中间引导大家查经。查经为布道会铺平了道路。杰克和他的同胞在读《圣经》时，放下了怨气，将心交给耶稣并受洗归主。复临信徒组织了一场特殊的和平仪式，将这一群曾势同水火的民族团结了起来。

杰克很惊讶会有这样的结果。他说：“我非常感谢当地复临教会举办了为期一周的布道会、安息日的洗礼和丰富多彩的和平仪式。这感动了许多人，尤其是母亲们和姊妹们。她们站在自己的兄弟、丈夫和儿子身边喜极而泣。这个和平仪式将载入我们民族的史册。”

杰克呼吁他的同胞们，要像使徒保罗一样抛开过去，满怀希望地展望未来。 他说：“最后，我想呼吁我的同胞：让我们都接受改变，共同建设并恢复我们社区的和平与常态。和保罗一样，我是罪魁，但上帝正在改变我，我现在渴望朝着祂所引导的方向前进。”

杰克可以和保罗一起说：“我从前是亵渎上帝的，逼迫人的，侮慢人的; 然而我还蒙了怜悯，因我是不信不明白的时候而做的。并且我主的恩是格外丰盛，使我在基督耶稣里有信心和爱心。‘基督耶稣降世，为要拯救罪人。’ 这话是可信的，是令人钦佩的。在罪人中我是个罪魁。 然而，我蒙了怜悯，是因耶稣基督要在我这罪魁身上显明祂一切的忍耐，给后来信他得永生的人作榜样。但愿尊贵、荣耀归与那不能朽坏、不能看见、永世的君王、独一的上帝，直到永永远远。阿们！”（提前1:13-17）。

来源：本文译自《圣工消息》（社会青年季刊）2022年第四季

No More Fear

Meet Jack. He is a member of the Baimankanem tribe in Papua New Guinea.

For as long as Jack can remember, he and his people have lived under a shadow of fear and neglect in Jiwaka Province.

Now there is nothing wrong with the province itself. The centrally located province is a beautiful place to live. Situated in a very fertile valley, it has a long, flowing river that provides for the needs of the people. Its rich soil grows an abundance of crops, mainly coffee and tea.

But life was particularly difficult for the people of Jack’s tribe. The livelihoods of many relatives and friends were torn apart by a seemingly endless cycle of hatred, violence, quarrels over land rights, and other internal conflicts.

Because of the rampant strife, the tribal people did not receive basic government services. No one received healthcare from medical doctors and nurses. Tribal children did not go to school. No police officers enforced law and order in the area. Roads were not maintained and fell into terrible disrepair.

Living in such conditions became normal for Jack and his people. They lived under a long shadow of fear and neglect.

But then Total Member Involvement entered the area. Total Member Involvement is an initiative of the Seventh-day Adventist world church that encourages each church member to lead someone to Jesus.

Church members arrived in the area and led Bible studies among Jack and his people. The Bible studies paved the way for evangelistic meetings. As Jack and his people read the Bible, grievances were laid aside, and people gave their hearts to Jesus in baptism. The Adventists organized a special peace ceremony to unite once-warring clans.

Jack was surprised at the results. He says, “I praise the local Seventh-day Adventist Church for a successful program of one-week evangelistic meetings, Sabbath baptisms, and a colorful peace ceremony that moved the hearts of many, especially the mothers and sisters, who wept tears of joy as they stood alongside their brothers, husbands, and sons. The peace ceremony that will go down in the history of my people.”

Jack appealed to his people to, like the apostle Paul, put aside the past and look ahead with hope. He said, “I’d like to conclude with an appeal to my people: Let us all embrace the change and together build and restore peace and normalcy in our community. Like Paul, I am the worst of sinners, but God is changing me, and I am now looking forward to going in the direction He leads.”

Jack could say with Paul, “Although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen” (1 Tim. 1:13-17).

Please find the original article at: //am.adventistmission.org/mqa22q4-18