MUSTARD SEED SERVICE 陈杰恩
I joined COR when I was 11 years old. I was reluctant and disoriented, as I had grown up in another church and had close friends there.
About a year later, I was admitted to KKH for the last of 11 surgeries that I had undergone over 12 years. This was my final major corrective surgery. I had been diagnosed from birth with a defect known as severe hypospadias, an abnormal development of the urethra. It was a troubling time for my family, and the surgery was a traumatic experience for me.
What I did not expect were visitors from COR. As I was relatively new to the church, it was a big surprise for me. My visitors were the teachers from Sunday School. Through the years, visitors were a rare sight during my surgeries, so I did not expect this much care to be shown, especially to someone who was still new to COR.
Not only that, I found out that my parents' cell group had been praying for me throughout my entire hospital stay, which lasted around a month, and even during my entire recovery period at home. Their prayers and God’s grace carried me through my final surgery. This was the beginning of COR becoming my second home.
Two years ago, I was in a darker place. I contemplated self-harm and experienced suicidal thoughts, and almost allowed those demons in my mind to materialise on a school trip. This was a part of myself I had hidden away for some years, but when I began to open up about it, the church was more than supportive. One member recommended my current psychologist to me, and I had the support of my cell group, along with the prayers of my parent’s church friends.
Now, I have reached a point where I can share openly. I have definitely grown as a person since I joined COR. I’ve been attending MSS for around 5 years now and am serving in church. COR is a second home to me, established by the many experiences that I have gone through, and the support of many members in COR. I am truly thankful that God placed me here.
我11岁那年来到复活堂。当时我是极不情愿也感觉迷失，因为我是在另外一个教会长大，我的好友也在那里。
一年后，我被送入竹脚医院，完成我自出生以来第十一次的手术。这是我最后一次矫正手术。我患有先天性的尿道下裂，就是尿道发育异常。这是我们一家非常艰辛的时刻，而且手术也带给我心灵的创伤。
然而，复活堂的访客却让我受宠若惊，原因是我毕竟在教会还是个新人。我的访客是主日学的老师们。以往当我动手术时，并没有很多人来探望我，所以我没有意料到这次会领受到这么多的关怀，尤其是对我这刚来复活堂的新人而言。
除此之外，我发现我父母的小组花了一个月的时间，在我入院期间，甚至在家休养的期间，不住地为我祷告。他们的代祷和上帝的恩典在我这最后的手术中扶持了我。而我也开始把复活堂当成了我第二个家。
两年前，我坠入了更黑暗的深渊。我盘算要自残，经历自杀的念头，并且在一次学校的外出时，几乎让我思想里的恶魔得逞。这是我这几年将自己隐藏的部分。但当我开始敞开自己，教会给予我极大的支持。其中一位会友介绍我现在的心理医生，我也得到我小组，和我父母教会朋友的祷告支持。
现在，我已经能够坦然地公开分享我的经历。自从我来到复活堂以后，我的生命确实成长许多。我已经参加MSS（英文部青年聚会)5年了，也在教会参与服事。复活堂是我第二个家，藉由这些年所经历的，和复活堂许多会友的支持而建立的。我非常感谢上帝把我放置在这里。
This article first appeared in Issue 20, December 2019 CHORUS Magazine.