Written by Tina
Last June, I went to CC in northeast China with a few members of our short term service trip (STST) members and YY, a local field worker, to visit a paralyzed woman GW. YY was shocked when she first saw the woman. She recounts —
閱讀中文版 (一個終生難忘的體驗(下)).
“When we were at her house, there was a very strong stinky odor. I tried to hold my breath but could only hold it a short time. Then we went into GW’s bedroom. The smell there was much stronger. Her bedroom was messy. There was a table on the left side of the door and a television on the table. GW’s bed was near a window. There was stuff on the bedside such as adult diapers, pillows, clothes, etc. She was lying flat on her back with her knees angled to the rights; and she looked weak. Her body was only covered with a quilt. She didn’t have any reaction when we first talked to her. Then her sister communicated with her and asked if she was willing to let us check her physical/health condition. I was shocked when we opened the quilt. Her legs were deformed and had degenerated and there were pock marks along her legs. Her mattress looked wet and I didn’t know whether she could feel it or not. There was a hole in the mattress for waste products to drop into a bucket. The bed had rusty adjustment cranks and was in poor condition. It was old; it had belonged to her mother. GW had been lying on a thin, firm vinyl-covered mattress 24 hours a days/7 days a week for over 12 years. Her skin integrity, skeletal alignment and overall condition were getting progressively worse. GW responded to touch as Tina massaged her face, neck, shoulders and arms. Sister Eng taught GW and her sister simple upper extremity stretches to maintain the use of her arms and hands.”
In October, sister Tso, YY and I returned to CC. We visited the children in the autism center as well as the paralyzed woman. When we entered GW’s house, its smell was not as strong as before. At first, GW was not willing to let us check her physical condition. However, she started to open her heart and let us help her when we told her the purpose of our visit –sharing the love of Jesus Christ.
Sister Tso took out a book of hymns and we sang together. After sharing the Gospel with her and singing with her sister, both she and her older sister (who cares for her in their home) accepted our offer for a new bed. With money from two generous donors, a new hospital bed and a hospital-standard air mattress with an electric pump and elimination square were arranged for delivery and set up in late November. After asking the older sister what could be of help to her, she said she would love visitations from Christians for prayer, conversation, and singing hymns.
The Lord gave me a broader picture of and a greater heart for the needs, hopes and dreams of young and old on the other side of the world. I looked at the faces of beautiful children and listened to their loving parents who desperately sought and received hope and help. We were able to share Christ with and help a woman who has been paralyzed and not able to see a doctor for over 12 years. God’s still small voice brought me back to China in October and I had a memorable and rewarding experience. I will return this year to share God’s love, care and compassion. Will you join me? You don’t need special skills – just a heart that wants to serve the Lord. He will help us to help others.
一個終生難忘的體驗(下)
去年六月，我和彩虹工程的當地同工YY第一次到東北地區探訪一位因交通意外而癱瘓，需要長期臥床的女士—GW 。當天的情景，同行的YY還瀝瀝在目﹕
「到了GW家門口的時候，就傳來了一股濃濃的、很刺鼻難聞的腐爛味道。剛進去的時侯，我憋了幾分鐘氣。當我們走進GW的房間時，味道更重了。第一眼看到的，就是房間物品很雜亂地堆放著，房間門口的左邊有一個小桌子，上面是一個蓋住的電視機，門口正對面有一個窗戶，門口的右邊是一張床，床上躺著GW，床頭也堆了許多雜物如護理尿片、枕頭、被子和衣物等。GW躺在床上，臉色蒼白，沒有頭髮，身上蓋著一床被子，我們跟她講話時，她沒有任何反應。她姐姐就向她傳達我們的話語，包括詢問她是否願意讓我們看看她身體的狀況。當被子被揭開那一刻，我整個人都驚呆了！她的腿腳已經變形、退化、並且看起來像是腐爛了。她的床墊看起來很潮濕，我不知道她是否能感覺到冷‥‥‥」
在十月，我第二次去中國與曹姐妹和YY一同服事。除了探訪自閉症中心的孩子外，我們還去探望這位癱瘓了的女士。進去房間時仍然有刺鼻的味道，但比第一次輕了一些，GW的房間也乾淨整齊了很多。剛開始的時候，GW不太願意讓我們看看她手臂和腿的活動能力。於是我們跟她分享此行的心意是盼望帶著耶穌基督的愛來幫助她時， GW慢慢地願意和我們配合。GW的床墊是有一個大洞的，方便讓她的排泄物掉落在床下的水桶內。但是這張床墊已經壞了，許多功能都已經不能使用，令她還沒有退化的功能—如腸道功能也加速退化。加上她就這樣每天二十四小時躺在這張又薄又硬又破舊的醫院床墊上，已經超過十二年的時間，長期沒有活動，甚至她的皮膚也都在慢慢地變壞。
及後，曹姐妹翻出詩歌本，我們大家一起唱詩。與GW和她的姐姐分享福音和唱詩歌後，她們也敞開心扉，願意接受我們的幫助，為她預備一張新床墊。在兩位慷慨捐助者的贊助下，一張配備電動充氣泵的標準醫院床墊，已在十一月送到了她們的家中，大大地改善了護理的情況。她的姐姐也表示很歡迎基督徒前來探訪，互相問候鼓勵，一起唱詩禱告，對她們來說，這已經是最大的幫助了。
藉此，神給了我一個更廣闊的視野，更加能關心到地球另一端的年輕孩子和長者的需求、希望和夢想。我看著孩子們美麗的臉龐及傾聽著他們父母拼命尋求盼望和幫助的呼喚，神就帶領我再次回到中國，讓我有這個難忘的經歷。若是出於神的心意，我願意在這新的一年裡，再度回到中國去服事。