Here I am, send me! – Tiffany Sung
Do we see the “Invisibles” in our society?
They could be elderly scavengers, trolley-pushing street cleaners, street sleepers who stack all their belongings with them underneath bridges or in parks. They are, to many people, just some strangers that one would really not want to rub shoulders with on the street.
Because of some job arrangements, I was relocated to a new district for work at the beginning of 2020. Right after that was the outbreak of the COVID-19. One day, I happened to pass by the riverside close to my office and saw that there were quite a number of street sleepers. My heart was moved by the sight of that. I strongly believe that the heart of Jesus Christ is to walk with the poor and the needy. In his eyes, nobody should be ignored or forgotten. I asked myself and prayed to God, “What can I do for them?” But I was just one person, a feeble, petite girl. Besides, it was the early stage of the global outbreak of the pandemic, the whole world knew very little about the transmission and the power of this virus, and fear of it was overwhelming. I had no idea what God really wanted me to do next after He had opened my eyes to see that. Yet, the thought of the street sleepers and other needy people out there in society kept tucking at my heart. So while waiting for God to show me the next move, I kept praying for the street sleepers and asking God to send me other Christians who have the same vision and are willing to serve the street sleepers and other needy people in this society.
After some time, God really gathered people together, and we officially started the ministry of visiting street sleepers. One night every month, we would prepare all the materials for visits, like drinks, biscuits, facial masks and mosquito coils. Then we would walk along the riverside and engage in conversations with all the street sleepers that we encounter, getting to know about their backgrounds and their needs. When there were festivals, we would also bring them some stuff or food for the festivals. Before long, we found out that those street sleepers may not be very needy in terms of materials. Instead, they all have their own stories that caused them to choose such a lifestyle. This made me even more convicted that it is only the gospel, the reconciliation with God that is the best thing that we could bring to them.
We have been visiting them for one year now, and we are interacting like friends. We would share with them what we have, and they would share with us their stories. Though strictly speaking, we are strangers. Yet, we could talk freely like friends. It is not that there is something we could bestow on them; it is also not that they are lacking something that they need the philanthropy of others. We are simply human beings interacting with each other. We all are equal individuals. My hope is that, with these interactions and care, they would not feel that they are in any way forgotten or marginalised people of the society; instead, it is God who has sent a group of Christians to show them care and to affirm their worth and value.
On one occasion, the homeless shared with me some crabs they had caught during a dive in the river, and some fish they had caught with their nets. Seeing me coming, they hurried to grab the crabs one by one from their net, and they specially picked some big fish for me. I was touched by their trusting sharing. I was also touched because they saw me as someone equal to them and shared with me what they had. On that night, I skipped my scheduled event. Instead, I returned home and shared with my family what the homeless had shared with me. That dinner gave me another deep reflection of what “home” is.
I hope that one day, the homeless can go home, and have a home to go. What’s more, I hope to see all those homeless people we have visited get to taste the unfailing love of God and find a home for their souls.
Is our society cold? Let’s add some warmth to it! We don’t all need to do something big, but we all can do something small to bring warmth to others. I hope you find those who God has sent you to serve on this Earth and be a messenger of the gospel and God’s love.
In the original Chinese text:
主，請差遣我
—————— 路上的「看見」，肢體的「同行」
我們看見社會上「隱形」的一群嗎？
他們，可能是在街上拾紙皮長者、可能是推着手推車的清道夫、可能是在橋底、公園擺放全副家當的露宿者，可能是對一般人而言擦身而過唯恐避之不及的陌生人。
因工作調動的關係，我在2020年初來到新的地區工作，隨即遇上新冠肺炎爆發。偶然的情況下，路過辦公室附近的河畔，發現有不少露宿者，心裏很被觸動，我深信耶穌基督的心腸，是和困苦者同行，在祂眼中，沒有任何一人是被遺忘的。我一直在心裏問自己，也禱告神：「我能為他們做什麼？」但我只是一個朋友口中強風能把我吹走的「柔弱」女子，而且當時正值新冠疫情爆發初期，全球各國對這種病毒的傳染方式和殺傷力所知不多，充滿恐懼，我不知道神給了我這「看見」之後，下一步要我做的是什麼。於是乎，在接下來的日子，我一方面為着露宿者禱告，另一方面繼續禱告神，請祂預備有相同心志的弟兄姊妹，一同服侍露宿者和社會上有需要的人。
過了一段時間，神果然把「同行」的人逐一招聚過來，我們便正式開展了探訪露宿者的事工：每個月一個晚上，我們會帶着各種探訪的物資如飲品、餅乾、口罩和蚊香，沿着河畔一直行，和我們遇上的每一個露宿者攀談，了解他們的背景和需要。遇上節日，我們也會預備應節物品和食品給他們。不久後，我們發現，這一群露宿者，他們在物質上可能並非很缺乏，相反，他們背後都有各自的故事，驅使他們選擇這樣的生活模式。而這更使我相信唯有福音、與神復和是我們能夠帶給他們最大的禮物。
一年以來的探訪，令我們和他們已儼如朋友一般，每次見面，我們和他們分享我們所有的，他們也分享自己的故事，縱是陌生，卻又可以閑話家常。不是我們有些什麼可以分享，也不是他們缺乏什麼需要別人的給予，我們只是人與人之間平等的互動交流。盼望藉着這些互動和關懷，能讓他們感受到他們並非社會上被遺忘或被排擠的一群，而是神藉著他所差派的基督徒去肯定他們的價值和帶來從神而來的關懷。
有一次，無家者和我分享他們潛下水親手抓的蟹，和親手網的魚。看見我來到，他們趕快從蟹網中把蟹一隻一隻抓出來，也從剛撈上來的魚網中專挑大的魚給我。那一刻，我心裡很感動，感動於他們對我的信任分享，也感動他們視我如朋友，和我分享他們所有的 。當晚，我放下原本出席的聚會，回到家中，和家人分享無家者和我分享的。那一道晚飯讓我對珍惜「家」有更深刻的體會。
深願有一天，無家者也能回家，也有家可回，更願意看見我們探訪的每一位無家者能體會神對他們不離不棄的愛、找回他們心靈的家。
社會很冰冷嗎？那就為它加上一些溫度吧！ 我們不一定要做大事，但一定可以做一些小事，為別人帶來一些溫暖。希望你們都能找到神差派你們在地上服侍的對象，成為傳揚福音和愛的小天使!
