RM 15th anniversary booklet with 2019 financial report and video of “Cars under the Stars” fundraising events is available online. Please follow us on our website.
In mid-January, the field workers at the orphanage with which RM partners in China were notified they needed to leave the orphanage/rehab center, which meant they needed to say goodbye to the disabled children and their parents whom we cared for, loved and sponsored for almost 4 years. We had established close relationships, like a family. We didn’t want to say goodbye.
The outbreak of Covid-19 at the end of January made the Chinese New Year a very unique one. Visually impaired college students as well as children and teachers from the autism center who had returned to their hometowns for Chinese New Year were forced to stay home for a few months. There was no way to go back to school for classes.
In early March, the pandemic in the United States became severe. Seattle was the first to bear its brunt. Our hearts were touched when visually impaired college students we sponsored sent us greetings and exhortations. In April, after many considerations due to the continuing severity of the pandemic, we sadly realized we had to cancel the service trips to China scheduled for April and June this year as well as the annual fundraising dinner planned for October.
In mid-May, a co-worker suggested a brilliant idea — even though we couldn’t hold indoor activities due to the pandemic and the need for social distancing. why not organize an alternative fundraising party in a more creative way? So, two outdoor drive-in fundraising events named “Cars under the Stars” began to take shape.
The fact is, no one had any experience organizing an outdoor fundraising event. We kept a humble and open attitude, prayed for the guidance of the Lord, and relied upon His grace to plan and carry out the event. The short videos and messages we wanted to be able to share, a suitable venue, needed outdoor audio equipment and operations, outdoor projection equipment and screen, and online live streaming were all extremely challenging and daunting.
As we continued working hard to turn various creative ideas into reality, there was also exciting news from China:
In early June, the autism center in CC resumed classes, the number of teachers and students doubled, and the need for funds also grew. Impoverished blind students accepted into colleges applied for our student aid program, and college students with visual impairments whom we supported were eager to resume classes. In mid-July, our field workers in SE China contacted us, hoping we could continue supporting the treatment of the children in the orphanage/rehab center. Although they had left the orphanage, they continued to communicate with the children and parents who had received rehabilitation there, and they kept meeting online every week to support the parents with rehabilitation. They also performed home visits every two months. Knowing the children are still growing and progressing, RM can continue to support them. We can still reunite with them after the pandemic subsides! We (and they) are greatly comforted and encouraged.
Back to the preparations for the outdoor fundraising party. Thank the Lord for His guidance. He guided us step by step in multiple ways:
• Field co-worker YY found a brother in China to help with the video production.
• One of the RM representatives in San Francisco’s Bay Area helped with the English subtitles.
• Pastor Ng from KCAC generously let us use the church’s parking lot and restrooms and their audio-visual co-worker, sister Wong, to livestream both events for us.
• Brother Lee of Chinese Baptist Church let us use his audio equipment and sound technicians and set these up for us.
• We were able to rent suitable outdoor projectors and a large inflatable screen at reasonable prices.
• Several sisters enthusiastically contributed to our charity sale. There were more than 300 beautifully sewn practical masks.
• We received air-shipped face shields with RM logos from Hong Kong to sell at events.
God’s grace exceeded our expectations!
2020 marked the 15th anniversary of RM. Our theme was “God’s Grace Beyond the Rainbow!”. We appreciate sister Tina’s work on the anniversary booklet collecting and editing manuscripts, charts and photographs, and co-worker Ricky’s hard work and dedication in computer typesetting, printing, and binding the booklets. We also appreciate other dedicated hard-working co-workers and volunteers. During the rehearsal and the two nights (8/15 and 8/22) of the drive-in events, the technicians, emcees, speakers, singers, and many other brothers and sisters dedicated their efforts and gave their best. We were touched and encouraged, and the whole process was a beautiful and unforgettable experience!
The pandemic is still severe. The virus is keeping us apart, but through livestreaming on the internet, we were able to connect brothers and sisters all over the world with caring hearts for disabled children and young adults to our drive-in fundraising events with the click of a link.
Thank you for coming and participating in our first outdoor fundraising events. Thank you for your support through watching the livestream from home and through your prayers and financial support, recommendations, and volunteer work. We sincerely thank you for walking this journey with us. We are thankful for you!
十五週年特刊與2019財政報告並「星光車影」
我們所信的，是使無變有，化腐朽為神奇的上帝！
今年一月中，彩虹工程在國內的合作夥伴被通知撤離福利院，意味著我們將與所關愛的，資助了近四年，看著他們日漸成長，並且已經建立了如家人般親切關係的殘障孩子及他們的家長道別。這樣的離別，讓我們非常不捨，也很傷心。
一月底新冠疫情的爆發，讓2020的春節注定成為一個不平凡的農曆新年。我們已經回老家過年的視障大學生、自閉症中心的孩子與老師們，一待就是幾個月，沒辦法重回校園，重新開課。
三月初，美國的疫情開始嚴峻，西雅圖更是首當其衝。感動的是，我們收到資助的視障大學生從他們老家捎來愛的問候與叮嚀。
四月，由於疫情持續嚴峻，經過多方考量，我們不得已取消了今年原定於四月及六月到國內的服務隊行程，並計劃在十月舉辦的年度募款餐會。
五月中，同工忽發奇想，雖因疫情隔離不能在室內進行活動，我們是否可以用比較創意的方式舉辦另類募款晚會呢？於是一個名為「星光車影」的戶外募款晚會活動就開始成形⋯⋯
其實籌辦這樣的戶外募款活動，大家都沒有什麼經驗，我們存著謙卑開放的態度，禱告尋求主的引導，一切憑著信心，倚靠上帝的恩典進行。
分享的信息與短片、適合的場地、戶外音響設備與操作、戶外投影設備與螢幕、網上現場直播等，都是我們的重重考驗。
在我們不斷努力嘗試，把各種創意變為實體活動的同時，國內也傳來了令我們興奮的事情：
六月初，長春的自閉症中心復課了，老師與學生的人數倍增，經費的需求也更大；獲得升學批準的貧困盲生紛紛申請我們的助學計劃，已經在學的視障大學生也急不及待地準備復課。七月中，國內的合作夥伴與我們聯繫，希望我們能繼續資助孩子們的治療，因為雖然撤離了福利院，他們一直都與以前在那裡接受康復治療的孩子與家長溝通，定期每週在網上繼續支援家長替孩子做復健，每兩個月都會做家訪。知道孩子們仍在成長與進步中，我們有機會繼續支援他們，而且在疫情消停之後仍然能夠與他們重聚，我們得著很大的安慰與鼓勵。
回到戶外募款晚會的籌備情況，感謝主的引導，祂以大能恩領我們一步步衝破重重困境，迎向祂美好的預備：國內同工YY替我們聯繫了一位弟兄幫忙視頻製作，三藩市灣區的其中一位彩虹代表丘姊妹替我們換上英文字幕，宏恩華人宣道會的伍牧師及理事會同工慷慨地讓我們使用教會的停車場並洗手間，他們的影音同工黃姊妹為我們負責現場直播，華人浸信會的李弟兄借出音響設備及安排人手操作，我們又用合理的價格租用到適合的戶外投影機與大螢幕，有幾位姊妹熱心地為我們的義賣親手縫製精美實用的口罩一共300多個，甚至有從香港空運過來，印有彩虹標誌的防護面罩讓我們在活動中使用及義賣，上帝的恩典超過了我們的所想所求！
2020也是彩虹工程的十五週年慶典，我們的主題是：彩虹盡處見主恩！Tina姊妹願意承擔特刊編輯的工作，在邀稿、修改、編輯、整理等不遺餘力，同工Ricky在電腦排版、印刷、釘裝等過程更是任勞任怨、鞠躬盡瘁，其他的同工義工也是盡心盡力、彼此搭配協作。在預演與兩晚(8/15及8/22)星光車影戶外活動中，各技術人員、負責司儀、講員、獻唱並其他支援的弟兄姊妹，大家都各盡所能，忠心付出，我們都深感溫暖激勵，整個過程，都是一場非常美好難忘的經歷！
疫情仍然嚴峻，病毒讓我們隔離，透過網路現場直播，我們卻可以與美國各州，甚至世界各地的，與我們一樣，對國內殘障孩子同有一份關愛的弟兄姊妹聯繫，讓他們在自己的地方，都能夠在同一個時間直接在我們的網站點擊連結，參與我們的「星光車影」募款晚會。
誠摯感謝您親臨現場參與我們的戶外募款晚會，同樣感謝您在家中透過觀看直播支持，透過禱告與經濟上的支持、推介並義工的參與，感謝您與我們同行，為您我們獻上感恩！