Reflection on a Short Term Service Trip｜Rainbow Missions

I am not a medical professional so I wouldn’t be able to provide any concrete training and help the disabled children. I am not a counselor, a parent or a teacher. I even thought that I would have nothing to share or give because my life is much different from what they go through day in and day out.
請 按此閱讀中文版 (短期服務後感).

A little over two months ago, I went on my very first Rainbow Missions short term service trip. I am not the first of my family to go to China – my parents have gone on this service trip a few times. They go back year after year, again and again. Their consistent dedication never ceased to spark an interest and desire in me to see how God can use me to serve His people.

Over the years, my parents have brought back precious stories of how God works through members of the service team to touch the lives of those across the globe. Of the many stories, one stood out to me – it was one about a little boy by the name of Jabez. Jabez is a little over two years old now, but he is not a regular two-year-old toddler. No one exactly knows what disability he suffers, but he suffers from many physical and developmental disabilities. There is an extreme lack of resources and care for the disabled children in China. Doctors did not even evaluate or provide an accurate diagnosis for him; however, Jabez’s parents did not give up. I couldn’t imagine how Jabez’s parents went on day by day without healthcare support.

Therefore, I decided to join the short term service trip to visit those families. Jabez’s family lived a few hours away from the area our service trip aimed to serve. Due to logistical and safety reasons, only a limited number of members were able to visit them. By His grace, God opened a way for us. A week or so before departure, we received some extra financial support. We would provide for their transportation and hotel stay. This way, we could have a couple days instead of just one to interact with them. One of our team members, Tina, who is a retired occupational therapist, could provide therapy for Jabez.

I had a chance to share my personal struggle and growth in this service trip with Jabez’s family and people from another side of the world were so touched when they heard about their story. Jabez’s parents felt encouraged because God had put people in their lives that cared for Jabez when doctors told them that their son wasn’t worth their time, money, and care.

After this mission trip, I have learned that serving others and doing God’s work doesn’t require any special skills. The mission field can be anywhere. This trip opened my eyes and let me see how God is always working even through trials and circumstances – all for our own good.

Rainbow Missions sincerely invites you to walk with us. Open up your life, live out the love in your heart, become their blessings and walk with them. You are welcome to contact us via email: rainbows@therainbows.org to obtain more information. If you wish to sponsor a student, the tuition is US$500 per school term. You may contact Kery Wong, or mail a check to Rainbow Missions, PO Box 40145, Bellevue, WA 98015. Please state “Short term service trip STST” and your email address on the check.

短期服務後感

我不是醫療專業人士，也沒有很實際的醫療服務帶給殘障的孩子；更不是輔導員、家長或教師，我想我應該沒有什麼可以與人分享，因為我的經歷無法與在水深水熱之中的人相比。

本年六月，我第一次參加彩虹工程舉辦的短期服務隊。在家裡，我並不是第一個去中國服務的人，父母每一年都前往短期服務，已經有五年了。他們每次的恆久而忠心的服事，不斷的燃點起我的興趣和渴望，我盼望能親身經歷神如何使用我去服事殘障的孩子。

每年，父母都會在地球的另一邊帶著很多又真實又寶貴的故事回來分享 — 神是如何藉著每一位服務隊員去以生命影響生命。其中有一個最令我驚訝的故事，是一位年約兩歲、名叫以禛的男孩，他並非一個普通正常的孩子。沒有人真正知道他是屬於那一類的殘障，只知道他患有多種身體殘疾和發展障礙。在中國，實在太缺乏資源去關注這些殘障人士，醫生都沒有很詳細的為以禛作評估和診斷。但以禛的父母卻是不離不棄的盡力地愛護他。我真的不能想像他們是如何在這樣的缺乏裡渡過每一天。

因此，我便決定在今年參加短期服務隊，要看看有什麼地方可以幫助這家庭。我們主要服務的城市與以禛的家大約有幾個小時的車程。因為安全和安排上的種種原因，能夠前往探訪他們的人數有限，但每位隊員都希望有機會探望這家庭。在這兩難之間，神為我們開了一條出路，在出發前幾週，有一位朋友為這次短期服務有額外的奉獻，於是我們可以有足夠的金錢把這個家庭從別的城市帶到我們所在的地方，讓我們有兩天的時間與他們相處。我們的隊員中有一位退休職業治療師，她幫助以禛做一些復康運動，也教授他的父母日後如何幫助以禛。

我有機會與以禛的父母分享我這次短期服務的心路歷程，也告訴他們，在世界的另一角落，有很多人都聽過他們的故事，很關心他們。以禛的父母聽後十分被鼓勵，因為他們知道雖然醫生說不值得用時間和金錢去照顧以禛，但神卻安排了一些人在他們的生命中出現，去愛護以禛和關心他們的需要。

在這次的服務行程中，我學習到做神的工作不需要特別技能，祂的工作也不限於在某個地方。今次真的開了眼界，讓我們可以在以禛和他的家人生命中留下了美好的足印，不知道下一次可以接觸的是那一位孩子的生命呢。

彩虹工程摯誠邀請你與我們同行，敞開你的生命，把心中這一份愛活出來，成為別人的祝福。歡迎你們致電郵rainbows@therainbows.org 索取更多有關短期服務的資訊。倘若你願意在金錢上支持服務隊，可把支票寄往Rainbow Missions, PO BOX 40145, Bellevue, WA 98015，請註明「短期服務STST」及電郵地址。謝謝！