9. Manna issue 84 - God Opened a Way for His Church 神為教會開路
Lemuel Leong—Papar, Sabah, Malaysia
馬來西亞沙巴吧巴教會 梁利慕以勒 傳道
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
I testify of how God has protected the local True Jesus Church (TJC) in Papar,
a town some thirty-one kilometres from the state capital Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.
奉主耶穌基督聖名，見証神如何保護沙巴當地巴吧的真耶穌教會。
巴吧是沙巴洲首都亞庇31公里遠的城鎮。
In the first half of 2016,
the church in Papar received an almost constant barrage of
harassment and persecution over a land-ownership dispute.
2016上半年，巴吧教會受到幾乎不斷歇的猛烈攻擊，
因為教會土地所有權的紛爭，受到騷擾和迫害。
Back in 1979, the church negotiated with the then-landowner of the neighboring property
to open an access route between the main road and the church grounds.
It was agreed that, in return for this access route,
the land along the roadside boundary of the church property would be moved back
by three feet for the landowner’s use.
Both parties consented to this land exchange and signed an agreement letter,
but the landowner failed to submit his land title deed for amendment,
so neither of the deeds was updated to reflect the land exchange
(i.e., the landowner’s land for an access road in exchange for the three feet of church land along the roadside).
This discrepancy is the source of the misunderstanding that
led to an ugly dispute between the current landowners and the church.
回到1979年，教會和當時隔壁的地主協議，
在大路和教會土地之間，開一條對外的道路。
為了得到這條對外道路的使用權，當時的結論是，
教會土地連接路旁的邊界，會退後三尺給地主使用。
兩造同意土地交換，並簽訂合約，
但是地主沒有去作土地所有權契約的變更，
而兩邊的地契也沒有修正，顯示土地有所變動。
(也是就說，用地主的土地開出對外道路，而教會以路旁三尺地與之交換)
這個差異點，就是誤解的源頭，
導致了現任地主和教會之間，爭議惡化。
In 2015, we were told that the ownership of the neighboring property
had passed to the former landowner’s niece and her husband.
During that year, the new landowners tried repeatedly
to sell the entire property to Papar TJC.
Because the government had requisitioned this piece
of land for future road expansion,
the church naturally declined the option to purchase it.
At this point, the new landowners started to resort to
unscrupulous means to pressure the church.
They used the un-revised land title deeds
to accuse the church of unlawful use of their land—the access road.
On a few occasions, they even entered the church
after Sabbath worship to openly threaten the members.
They demanded that the church either buy the land,
or pay thirty-six years’ worth of back rent for using the disputed land as an access road.
2015年，我們被告知，隔壁資產所有權，已經傳給前任地主的姪女夫婦。
在那一年，新地主一直試著要把整個土地賣給巴吧真耶穌教會。
因為政府已經征用這塊土地，作為未來道路擴展之用，
教會自然拒絕去購買。
在這時候，新地主開始訴諸不擇手段的方式施壓教會。
他們用未修正過的地契，控告教會不當使用他們的土地，那條對外通路。
有幾次，他們甚至在安息日聚會之後，進入教會公開威脅信徒。
他們要求，教會要麼買下土地，
要麼付36年使用對外通路等值的費用作為過期租金。
Waiting for God’s Intervention 等候神的界入
In January 2016, the dispute intensified.
The current landowners dumped a heap of rubble on the road,
blocking the main entrance to the church and
preventing our members’ cars from accessing the parking area.
Sister Rukina Logidu, the General Affairs Officer,
quickly organized the removal of the obstruction.
But, shortly after, the landowners repeated their action,
and even threatened to build a row of toilets on the disputed land!
2016年一月，爭議升級了。
現任地主放了一堆碎石在路上，
阻擋了教會的主要出入口，防止我們信徒的車輛使用停車場。
Rukina Logidu 姐妹，是總務負責人，
很快動員來移除那些障礙。
但是不久之後，地主重覆這個行為，
而且甚至威脅要在爭議的土地上，蓋一排廁所。
The church reported these incidents of harassment to the police,
but the police did not deem them to be criminal in nature.
They referred our brethren to the State Government’s Land
and Survey Department (LSD) to resolve the matter.
After the complaint was lodged, the LSD needed time
to retrieve the relevant documents from state archives.
The waiting period was agonizing.
Members came for church services every Friday and
Saturday fearing the landowners’ harassment.
Some even chose to attend Sabbath services at other nearby TJCs.
Apart from frequent follow-ups with the LSD, the members had nowhere else to turn,
so they resolved to rely on God.
With weekly fasting prayers, they implored God to open a way for them.
教會把這些騷擾事件向警察報案，
但是警察並不認為這些事件本質上有犯罪。
他們向弟兄姐妹建議到州政府的土地量測部門(LSD)來解決這件事。
在提出申訴之後，土地量測部門需要時間，
從州政府檔案局那裡取得相關的文件。
這段等候的時間讓人很痛苦。
每個星期五和星期六，信徒來教會聚會的時候，
都要擔心地主的騷擾。
有些人甚至選擇到其他附近的真耶穌教會參加安息日聚會。
除了常常追綜土地量測部門的進度之外，
信徒也沒有其他的管道可以處理，所以他們決心依靠神。
藉由每週的禁食禱告，向神懇求來為他們開路。
During those four months, the members felt
as though they were walking through a dreadful wilderness,
under the scorching heat of the sun, beset by dangers all around.
They had to tread carefully, guarding against the ambush of the evil one.
As the resident preacher, I continued to comfort the members with the word of God,
and encouraged them to trust in the Lord—
to pray that He would stretch out His almighty hand and perform a great work,
inspiring awe in all who heard about it (1 Sam 3:11).
這四個月期間，許多信徒覺得，
就好像是他們行走在可怕的曠野中，
頭上有大大的太陽發熱灼燒著他們，四周環繞著各種的危險。
他們行為舉止要非常的謹慎，注意防備惡者的埋伏。
身為駐牧傳道，我一直用神的話語來安慰信徒，
鼓勵他們信靠神-
並且禱告，神會伸出大能的手，施行偉大神蹟，
讓所有聽到這件事所有的人，都心存敬畏。
(撒上 3：11)
The Amazing Intervention of God 神奇妙的界入
On 1 April 2016, the landowners blocked off the access road
to the church with an iron chain.
By this point,
the Executive Committee of the Sabah General Assembly (Sabah GA) had become very concerned,
so they also began to petition the LSD for help.
On 8 April, an LSD officer verbally confirmed that
the disputed piece of land—the access road—indeed belonged to the TJC,
and that the neighboring landowners had encroached onto the church’s property.
The church could simply remove the iron chain.
But in doing so, we ignited the spark that led to the final confrontation.
2016年四月一日，地主用鐵鍊切斷了進入會堂的進出口。
這時候，沙巴總會的負責人委員會很關切這件事，
所以他們著手訴請土地量測部門來協助。
四月8日的時候，一位土地量測部門的官員口頭証實，
這片有爭議的土地 - 進出通道 - 確實是屬於真耶穌教會，
而那隔壁的地主已經侵犯了教會的資產。
教會可以直接移除鐵鍊。
但是因為這麼作，就點燃了火花，導致了最後的衝突。
At 4 pm that same day,
I arrived at church to find the male landowner waiting in a rage.
He warned us that he had ordered a truckload of debris to block the road again—
cars parked on the church compound would be trapped if their owners did not leave immediately.
On hearing this, I decided to wait and see what would happen.
A Papar church member, Brother Janik, and I contacted the members to pray for the matter,
and then we left the scene to have dinner in town.
同一天的下午四點，
我到了教會發現男地主很生意的等候著。
他警告我們，已經叫了一卡車的廢棄物要再次把路擋地來 -
那些停在教會周邊地區的車輛，若是他們的車主沒有馬上把車開走，車子就會被困住。
一聽到這件事，我決定等看看，會發生什麼事。
有一個吧巴教會的信徒，Janik 弟兄，和我一起連絡了其他的信徒一起為這件事禱告，
然後，我們就離開現場，到城里一起吃晚飯。
At 6 pm, we returned to find the church signboard torn down and discarded on the road;
it was being run over by passing vehicles.
A lamp by the fence was also smashed.
The landowners’ car was blocking the church entrance,
and both husband and wife were there,
together with a burly man with long hair and a beard.
Not wanting to aggravate the situation,
we contacted the police and waited for them in the car.
But when the police arrived, the wife viciously slandered the church
using offensive language, and refused to give way.
下午六點的時候，我們回來就發現教會的招牌被拆下來了，被拋棄在路上；
有很多經過的車輛壓過了招牌。
而籬笆旁的燈座也被壓毀。
地主的車子擋住了教會的入口，
地主夫婦兩人都在那裡，
有一個很魁梧的男人，留著長髮和鬍子，和他們在一起。
為了不使這情況更加惡化，
我們連絡警察，在車裡等他們來。
但是當警察來的時候，女地主惡意地用無禮的話語毀謗教會，
並且拒絕讓路。
One of the police officers reminded me to take a photo of the damaged signboard,
but a strange thing happened when I tried to do so
—my smartphone was unable to focus to take the photo.
I tried again with Brother Janik’s phone, but his phone also could not work.
When the same thing happened with a third phone,
I somehow realized that this must be the interference of the evil one.
I shouted out, “In the name of the Lord Jesus,” and finally managed to take the photo.
一位警官提醒我們，記著把毀損的招牌照像，
但當我想這麼作的時候，一件奇怪的事情發生了 -
我的手機相機不能對焦，好好的照像。
我用 Janik 弟兄的手機再試著照像，但是他的手機也不正常使用。
當同樣的事情發生在第三隻手機的時候，
我有些明白，這一定是有惡者插手，
我大聲叫出來，"奉主耶穌的聖名"，最後終於完照像。
At that very moment, the wife let out a painful scream and sat down on the ground.
One of the police officers remarked that she was pretending.
But I replied, “It is our God who has started to work.”
正是那個時候，女地主發出大痛苦的尖叫，坐在地上。
一位警官特別提醒，她在假裝。
但我回他，"是我們的神開始動工了"。
Immediately after I said this, the wife fell unconscious.
The husband and his companion rushed her to the hospital,
but before he left, the landowner fixed me with an angry stare.
He stretched out his hand and warned,
“If anything happens to my wife, you are finished!”
在我說完這句話之後，女地主就立刻昏倒。
男地主和他的朋友就急著把她送去醫院，
但是在他離開之前，地主就用很生氣的眼神瞪著我。
他伸出手來警告我們，
"若是我太太發生什麼事，你們就完了！"
Having witnessed all of this,
the police officers advised the church to file a report against the landowners’ intimidation
and vandalism of church property—this was now a criminal case.
當看到這全部的事情，
警官就勸告教會，要對地主的威脅及惡意毀損教會資產作備案 -
現在這已經是一件刑事案件了。
At 8 pm, I led the congregation in a special prayer service to thank God for His preservation,
and to petition God for His continuous care.
After the service, a sister nervously informed me that the landowner had returned.
As I walked down the stairs, a group of church youths reported in panic
that the landowner was threatening to torch Brother Janik’s car if I did not come down.
晚上八點的時候，我帶領會眾一起作特別的禱告會，感謝神的保守，
並且懇求神繼續照顧。
聚完會之後，一位姐妹很緊張的通知我們，地主回來了。
當我走下樓梯的時候，一群教會青年很恐慌的回報，
若是我不下來，地主要威脅要對 Janik 弟兄的車子放火。
I arrived at the church car park to find the landowner screaming out of his mind,
along with his companion.
He had evidently been drinking—
the members later found seven empty beer cans at the entrance.
He pointed at me furiously and shouted,
“My wife is in the hospital, and it’s your fault!”
我走到教會的停車區，發現地主瘋狂的吼叫，和他朋友在一起。
他很明顯是喝醉了 -
信徒後來發現在有7個空啤酒罐在入口處。
他很生意的指著我大叫，
"我太太在醫院，這都是你的錯！"
I replied, “I didn’t do anything to your wife.
Please calm down; we can discuss and try to find a solution.”
我回答，"我沒有對你太太作什麼。
請冷靜；我們可以討論，試著找出解決方法。"
“There’s nothing to discuss—
just buy the piece of land and the problem will be solved!”
"沒有什麼好討論的 -
只要買下這塊土地，問題就解決了"。
I remained calm, saying, “If you are able to produce evidence that the road belongs to you,
then the church will happily pay a reasonable compensation.”
我保持冷靜說，
"若你能找出路是屬於你的證據，
那麼教會會讓樂意給你合理的賠償。"
Without another word, the landowner turned to walk five steps to his car, and picked something up.
In the dim light, I could not make out what was in his hand.
But in the split second that he raised it, I saw that he was holding a wooden stick.
With the close proximity and force of the strike,
it was impossible to escape, so I shouted, “Hallelujah!”
The members looking on also shouted, “Hallelujah!”
地主一言不發，轉身走了5步到車旁，拿起東西。
在昏暗的燈光中，我無法看清楚他手上拿什麼。
在他舉起手來的一瞬間，我看見他手裡拿著一根木棍。
因為彼此間非常接近，而且攻擊力道的原故，是不可能逃走了，
所以我大喊，"哈利路亞"。
而旁觀的信徒也大喊，"哈利路亞！"
In that instant, the landowner’s arm froze as though it had been stopped by a powerful force.
He could not move forward at all.
He then lowered the stick and shouted, “Amen! Amen! I’m a Roman Catholic believer!”
He appeared extremely frightened.
His companion helped him to his car.
But before they left, he threatened to return to burn down the church.
That night, four brothers and I guarded the church until morning.
在那瞬息之間，地主的手臂暫時停止不動了，
就好像被一股很大的力量所固定住。
他一點也不能往前移動。
然後他放下棍子，大叫，"阿們！阿！我是天主教信徒！"
他表情極度恐懼。
他朋友就扶他到車上。
在他們離開之前，就威脅要回來燒掉教會。
那晚，我和四位弟兄一起在教會警戒到早晨。
The next day, we learned that the landowner had gone to the police station
after leaving the church to file a report.
But he was still in such shock that he could not speak.
After waiting for some time,
the police officer advised him to return home to calm down before making a report.
When he returned the next day to file the report,
he said that the minister of the TJC used witchcraft to harm his wife.
Of course, the police did not entertain such an irrational accusation.
隔天，我們得知，地主離開教會之後，去了警局備案。
但他仍很警恐，而不能說話。
在等待一些時間之後，警官勸他備案之前，先回家冷靜。
隔天他回去備案的時候，
他說真耶穌教會的牧師用巫術傷害他配偶。
當然，警察並沒有接受這樣不合理的控告。
God Finally Opened a Way 神最後的開路
On 27 April, we received good news from the Sabah GA.
They had found the signed agreement letter in their documents archive,
and passed it to Deacon Agur of Papar TJC.
Relevant documents were then submitted to the LSD to confirm that
the land actually belonged to the church,
and to request a letter of confirmation be sent to
the current landowners of the neighboring property as soon as possible.
四月27日，我們從沙巴總會得到好消息。
他們已經在舊檔案中，發現當初簽訂的合約，
並且把文件寄給了吧巴真耶穌教會的 Agur 亞古爾執事。
然後有關的文件就被送到了土地量測部門得到了証實，這塊地真的屬於教會，
也請土地量測部門儘快送一封証實信給隔壁土地的現任地主。
On 3 May, the LSD issued a formal letter to the landowners,
and sent a duplicate to the church,
verifying that the access road indeed belongs to the True Jesus Church,
and that the landowners are forbidden from blocking the road.
On 28 May, we received news that the female landowner was still in a coma
and had been transferred to Kota Kinabalu Central Hospital.
Since then, the church has not encountered any further harassment.
五月三日，土地量測部門送出一封正式文件給地主，
並且送副本給教會。
終於証實，出入口這條路真的是屬於真耶穌教會，
而且這位地主被禁止阻擋道路。
五月28日，我們收到消息，女地主仍然處於昏迷狀態，
而且已經被轉送到亞庇中央醫院。
自從那時開始，教會就不再遭到任何進一步的騷擾了。
Thank God for His constant presence with His church in Papar.
Despite months of persecution and provocation,
the members did not resort to retaliation.
Instead, they responded with resilience,
clearing away each obstacle and doing all things according to the law.
Above all, they entrusted the matter to God,
who protected them from violence and exposed the landowners’ misconduct.
By God’s hand, they came through this crisis peacefully.
No matter what persecution and tribulation faced by His church, God is in control;
He will execute judgment at the right time,
and bring comfort to those who suffer for righteousness’ sake (1 Pet 3:14).
感謝神一直和祂在吧巴教會同在。
雖然這幾個月以來，一直受到別人的逼迫和挑衅，
但是信徒沒有採取報復。
他們以順從的態度回應，
清理每個路障，都依照法律行事。
除了上面一切的事，他們把這件事交託給神，
神保護他們不遭受暴力，暴露了地主不好的行為。
藉由神的手，他們和平地渡過這次的危機。
不論教會面臨何種的迫害及困難，一切都在神的掌握之中；
神會在適當的時機，執行審判，
並且為了那些為義受逼迫的人，帶來安慰。
(彼前 3：14)
[Your patience and faith in all the persecutions you endure are]
manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God,
that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer;
since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you,
and to give you who are troubled rest with us
when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels. (2 Thess 1:5–7)
4你們在所受的一切逼迫患難中，仍舊存忍耐和信心。
5這正是神公義判斷的明證，叫你們可算配得神的國；你們就是為這國受苦。
6神既是公義的，就必將患難報應那加患難給你們的人；
7也必使你們這受患難的人與我們同得平安。那時，主耶穌同他有能力的天使從天上在火燄中顯現，
(帖後 1：4-7)
May all glory and praise be unto our heavenly Father, Jesus Christ,
whose peace and grace are always upon the believers in His church.
Amen.
願一切榮耀讚美歸於天上的父，耶穌基督，
平安恩典永遠歸予祂教會的信徒。
阿們。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
歡迎主內同靈來信加入翻譯
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