牧者心聲
我們是寄居者，我們是寄居者的鄰舍
王良碧牧師
2023 年 10 月 21 日 / 22 日
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2000年9月，我到港滿週年，受邀參加聖公會一個剛開始的普通話崇拜，會眾人數不多，但幾乎每週都有新人。當時與另一熱心姐妹自發地召集了崇拜後的小組，一起查經，也讓彼此熟絡。崇拜後、小組前有茶會，某次與新朋友聊天，其間我想著：都是過客，很多新朋友就出現一次，而隔年神學院就會安排我到另間教會實習，上帝怎麼看此刻我們之間的談話？
香港向來被看為移民和旅居者的城市。2021年人口普查，在港出生者佔61.7%；非華裔人士619,568人，約佔人口8.4%。1997年底到2021年底，內地單程證來港的約112.1萬人，撇除其中淨移出的68.1萬人，所得44萬人，就成了過去25年香港人口增長約93.7萬人的主力。這幾年發生在香港的移民潮，一面是向外遷移成為異國他鄉者，另一面是內地來港就讀、工作的年輕人、協助年輕夫婦照顧孩子的長輩，還有中港兩地婚姻下定居香港者，他們正在成為你我的鄰舍。
在神面前身為寄居者和客旅的我們，謹記並努力實踐神的囑咐，「若有外人寄居在你們的地上和你同住，不可欺負他。寄居在你們那裡的外人，你們要看他如本地人，並要愛他如己，因為你們在埃及地也作過寄居的」（利十九33-34，和修版）。北宣早在1998年，便以「全人發展學童計劃」、「基層探訪組」、「新來港兒童功課輔導」等項目，服事新來港及低收入家庭的學童。2013年，成長了的孩子們和他們的家長，是恩樂堂的立堂成員，而這樣的服事，在北宣、在恩樂堂目前都分別持續著。
對於肢體或其友人轉介、需要關顧的新來港朋友，除上述社關科統籌的事工外，普通話群體牧養科恆常的崇拜、不同團組的聚會，也是較易接待、服事這些朋友的平台。另外，2012-13學年開始，我們通過理大教職員福音使命團參與校方的「親善家庭計劃」；2018-19學年，理大之外，增加了浸大。後來理大除了「親善家庭計劃」，又多了「亦師亦友」計劃。感謝神動員北宣不少家庭成為家長，不少肢體當哥哥、姊姊，參與認領關顧內地來港就讀的學子。零星的，北宣家的肢體們也會邀請他們的同學、朋友參加廣東話的團組聚會。
北宣成立之初，會友與牧者很多都說普通話，後來也一直有著崇拜雙語進行的背景，至今，在踐行大使命與大誡命的屬靈傳統中，求主使用北宣家，成為新來港人士的鄰舍！
September 2000 was the time I arrived in Hong Kong for a full year. By invitation, I attended a new Putonghua worship service of an Anglican Church. There were not many in the congregation, but there were newcomers almost every week. At that time, I teamed up with a dedicated sister to start a group Bible study after the worship service. It was also an opportunity for us to get to know one another. We had tea together between the worship service and the Bible study. One time when chatting with a newcomer, I thought to myself: We are all in transit. Many newcomers come just once, and for me, I will have to change to another church for internship next year. How does the LORD see the conversation between us at this hour?
Hong Kong has all along been seen as a city of migrants and visitors. According to the 2021 Census, Hong Kong born people make up 61.7% of the entire population. The number of non-ethnic Chinese people totaled 619,568, or about 8.4% of the population. From the end of 1997 until the end of 2021, a total of 1.121 million One Way Permit holders from the Mainland had come to Hong Kong. Deducting a net outflow of 681,000 people, the remaining 440,000 people make up a big part of the 937,000 population increase over the past 25 years. The migration tide in the past few years in Hong Kong really comprises two parts, with one being the outflow of migrants to other countries and the other an inflow of young Mainland people who seek education and work in Hong Kong. There are also grandparents who come to help young couple migrants look after the kids, and those who settle in Hong Kong as a result of cross-border marriages. All these people are now our neighbors.
As strangers and sojourners before God, we need to remember and make an effort to carry out the exhortation of God: “When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt” (Leviticus 19:33-34). Back in 1998, NPAC has served the children of new arrivals in Hong Kong and low-income families with schemes including “Comprehensive Development Scheme for School Children”, “Grassroot Visitation Team” and “Homework Assistance for Newly Arrived Children,” etc. In 2013, the kids who had then grown up, along with their parents, became the founding members of Grace & Joy Church. Such ministries are still ongoing in NPAC and Grace & Joy Church today.
Some brothers and sisters and friends have referred to us new arrivals in need of care. In addition to the above ministries of the Social Concern Department, the worship services, fellowships and small groups under the Putonghua Ministry are also readily available platforms to welcome and serve these friends. Meanwhile, from the 2012-2013 school year, we have taken part in the “Goodwill Family Scheme” of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) via their faculty gospel mission group. In the 2018-2019 school year, Hong Kong Baptist University also had a similar scheme as that in PolyU. Later, apart from the “Goodwill Family Scheme,” PolyU added the “Teachers and Friends Scheme.” We are grateful to God for having mobilized many families in NPAC to become parents, and elder brothers and sisters of these students by committing to caring for them. Occasionally, brothers and sisters of the NPAC family have also invited their classmates and friends to attend meetings of the Cantonese congregations.
When NPAC was first established, many pastors and brothers and sisters also spoke Putonghua. NPAC also has the background of bilingual worship services. Today, under the spiritual tradition of carrying out the Great Commission and the Great Commandment, may the Lord use the NPAC family to become the neighbors of new arrivals in Hong Kong!
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