牧者心聲
請聽我說！
袁國瑞牧師
2024 年 9 月 28 日 / 29 日
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感謝神使北宣家成為一間傷健共融的教會。肢體傷殘和有特殊學習需要的人，因自身的限制，未能容易與人溝通。他們在生活中與我們無異，一樣面對著不同的困難和挑戰，然而他們卻仍能活出神的美善。
有一位自閉症的成年人，他的父母很疼愛他，因兒子很愛旅行，所以爸爸會定期帶兒子到香港或澳門不同的酒店作兩日一夜的遊玩。爸爸近年身體機能下降，未能獨自穿上外衣及扣鈕。這位兒子看見了爸爸的狀況，立時伸出手向下大力一拉，幫助爸爸弄好衣服及扣上衫鈕，接著向父親說了一聲：「爸爸老了！爸爸老了！」這位爸爸感到很欣慰，多年侍候自閉症的兒子，兒子是接收到的，他見爸爸有需要便會關懷幫忙。
另有一位小種子兒童主日學的小五自閉症孩子，他的口語表達不好，只能單字回應。後來大家偶然發現他可以透過英語書寫與家人溝通，媽媽指出平日沒有用英文教他，她詢問孩子：「是誰教的？」小孩子回應：「是神教導我的。」媽媽分享幾段與兒子的書寫對話，媽媽問：「你知道自己有自閉症，有甚麼感受？」孩子回應：「有時我感到很孤獨，因為人都遠離我。」媽媽問：「你如何克服這孤獨？」孩子答：「上主向我顯示平安和喜樂。」接著媽媽問：「你有甚麼想與我分享？」孩子回應：「我們是從救主耶穌基督分享相同的愛！要感恩。」另外一次媽媽問孩子：「為何人有苦難？」孩子回答：「因為神想告訴我們，要倚靠祂。」
又有一位學習遲緩的青年人，他最近因肝臟有腫瘤，需要做手術。手術前團友們及導師同工到醫院探望他，為他禱告。他分享一幅圖畫，寫著「要相信光。要相信主耶穌。（約八12）」手術後，他分享說：入手術室時，他感到很害怕，於是祈禱，主耶穌向他說：「不害怕就不會痛。」他回應：「不害怕了。」他說他果然不害怕，最後就覺得平安不痛了。
以上三個片段，帶給我甚麼啟示？一、要尊重傷健人士，傷健群體同樣遇到人生的孤獨、苦難、疾病，人生的生老病死，他們同樣需要關愛，並會表達愛，他們也能明白主耶穌的愛；二、要學習他們對上主的信心和倚靠，他們對上主話語存著直接和單純的信靠；三、我願意進入他們當中，花時間認識他們、聆聽他們、與他們同行嗎？
願上主帶領我們作出回應。
Thank God for enabling the NPAC family to be a church that is disability inclusive. People with physical disabilities or special learning needs may not be able to communicate with others readily due to their own limitations. However, their lives are not much different from ours. Just like the rest of us, they face various difficulties and challenges. Yet, they are still able to live out the beauty and goodness of God.
There is an adult with autism. His parents love him dearly. As their son loves traveling, the father would regularly take him to spend a night in different hotels in Hong Kong or Macau for two-day trips. In recent years, the father's bodily functions are deteriorating and is unable to wear or button his shirt by himself. When the son saw his father's condition, he held out his hand to drag his shirt downwards, helped tidy and button his clothes and then said: "Dad is getting old! Dad is getting old!" The father was delighted. His autistic son knew his years of serving him, and he cared for him and helped him when he saw his needs.
Another child, a Primary Five student with autism, attends Little Seeds Children's Sunday School. He cannot speak clearly and can only respond with single words. Later, those around him found that he could communicate with his family in written English. His mother noted that she did not teach the child English. So, she asked her child, "Who taught you?" "God did," he replied. The mother shared with us a few written dialogues between she and her son. The mother asked: "How do you feel, knowing that you have autism?" The child responded: "Sometimes I feel very lonely because everybody stays away from me." The mother asked: "How do you overcome your loneliness?" The child replied: "The LORD showed me peace and joy." Then the mother asked: "Do you have anything to share with me?" The child responded: "We share the same love from the Savior Jesus Christ! We need to be grateful." Another time, the mother asked her child: "Why is there human suffering?" The child replied: "Because God wants to tell us that we should rely on Him."
There is another youth who has learning difficulties. Recently, he needed surgery to remove a tumor in his liver. Before the surgery, fellowship members and counselors visited him in hospital to pray for him. The youth shared with the visitors a picture on which is written: "Trust in the light. Trust in the Lord Jesus. (John 8:12)" After the surgery, he shared that he was really scared when he was wheeled into the operating room. So, he prayed. The Lord Jesus said to him, "Do not be afraid and you will not feel the pain." He replied: "I am not afraid now." He said he really was not scared anymore. Finally, he felt peace in his heart and there was no pain.
How have the three episodes above inspired me? First, we need to respect people with disabilities. Like all of us, the disabled community face loneliness, suffering and sickness. They go through the same life cycle of being born, getting old, being sick and dying. They need love and care just like everybody else. They would convey love. They can also understand the love of the Lord Jesus. Second, we really need to learn from their faith and trust in the LORD. They have direct, simple faith in the word of the LORD. Third, am I willing to go in their midst to spend time getting to know them, listen to them and walk with them?
May the LORD guide us to make a response.
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