Manna issue 71 -Journey of Faith 信仰的旅程
In everything give thanks. 凡事謝恩
Mary Lee—Singapore 新加坡 Mary Lee
In the name of Jesus, I bear testimony
of God’s grace for me and my family.
奉主耶穌聖名，見証神給我和家庭的恩典。
Ten years ago, I was diagnosed with
Stage II nasal cancer. I was devastated
as my children were very young then;
Joshua was only about six years old
and was still in kindergarten. The
children were told of my condition
by their daddy. Surprisingly, they did
not seem troubled by the news, and
we could feel that the peace of God
was with them just as the psalmist
said in his time of trouble, “Why are
you cast down, O my soul? And why
are you disquieted within me? Hope
in God; [f]or I shall yet praise Him, [t]
he help of my countenance and my
God” (Ps 42:11).
十年前，我被診斷出第二期的鼻咽癌。
那時候小孩還很小，我感到非常的絕望；
約書亞大約只有六歲，仍在幼稚園裡。
他們的父親告訴小孩我的情況。
令人驚訝的是，他們並沒有因為這個消息感到難過，
我們可以感覺到神的平安在他們的心中，
就像詩人所說，在患難的時候，
11我的心哪，你為何憂悶？為何在我裡面煩躁？
應當仰望神，因我還要稱讚他。他是我臉上的光榮（原文是幫助），是我的神。
(詩 42：11)
Simultaneous radiation and
chemotherapy sessions to treat
my condition followed. Whilst
undergoing treatment, I suffered
from side effects such as burnt skin,
vomiting, loss of taste, hair loss,
and so forth. Most of the time, I
went for daily treatments by myself.
Nevertheless, I felt blessed because
many brethren in church encouraged
me and prayed for me. During that
time, I saw other patients who were
worried and in despair, but they
noticed that I was calm and at peace:
同時進行放射線和化學療程就接著而來。
在接受治療的時候，副作用讓我很痛苦，例如，
皮膚發熱，嘔吐，吃東西沒有胃口，掉頭髮，等等。
大部份的時間，我都自已每天去作治療。
然而，我感受到祝福，因為許多教會弟兄姐妹鼓勵我，為我禱告。
在那段時間，我看到其他病人很憂慮和絕望，
但他們注意到我很安詳和平靜。
“[The Lord] gives power to the weak,
[a]nd to those who have no might He
increases strength” (Isa 40:29).
29疲乏的，他賜能力；軟弱的，他加力量。(賽 40：29)
By God’s grace, I was able to
return to work five months after I
had started treatment. I returned to
my active and busy lifestyle: going
to the gym every weekday morning
before work and working late often.
In addition, I moved to my present
home and went on holidays with my
family.
因著神的恩典，在我開始治療的五個月之後，就可以回去上班。
我回到了之前活躍又忙碌的生活方式：
每天早上上班前就到健身中心運動，時常很晚下班。
除此之外，我搬到現在的家，和家人去渡假。
Four years later while on vacation
in Beijing, I noticed that my facial
expression was unbalanced. One
eye was smaller than the other.
In addition, one morning on the
way to work, I could not catch the
bus, because my left leg felt weak.
I consulted the doctor and was
subsequently sent for an MRI scan as
well as cancer screenings. Although
the results showed that there was no
cancer relapse, I was diagnosed with
Radiation Necrosis. My neck’s C3
spinal nerve was scarred due to my
previous radiation treatment, and this
affected the movement of my limbs.
四年後在北京渡假的時候，我注意到面部表情不很自然。
一隻眼比另一隻眼稍小。
此外，有一天早上去上班的路上，我趕不上公車，因為我的左腳很沒力。
我去找醫生諮詢，接著就送去作核磁共振掃描，以及檢查有沒有癌症。
雖然結果顯示癌症並沒有復發，但卻有放射性壞死。
我的脖子 C3 的脊髓神經，因為之前的放射性治療而產生結疤，
這就影響了四肢的行動能力。
Thankfully, the condition is not
life threatening. However, it is
permanent and comes with much
suffering, as it can only be managed
through medication. I was also
placed on intravenous drips
to reduce swelling on the spinal cord.
Yet all I can say is, “in everything give
thanks; for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess 5:18).
很感謝的是，情況並沒有生命威脅。
然而卻帶來永久性的痛苦，只能透過醫藥來維持情況。
我也接受了靜脈點滴注射，來減少脊髓的腫脹。
然而我只能說的是，
18凡事謝恩；因為這是神在基督耶穌裡向你們所定的旨意。
(帖前 5：18)
My condition stabilized shortly
after, and I returned to work. It did
not occur to me to stop working,
as I wanted to make sure that my
children have the financial means
for further studies. My mother was a
widow with two children. We were
poor then, and I started to work at
eighteen, because I did not have
the money for further education.
Therefore, I made a promise to myself
that my children will not be denied of
the opportunity. I thank God that my
eldest son, Jonathan, is blessed with
the opportunity to study in Perth,
Australia.
經過一段短時間之後，我的情況穩定了，我就回去工作。
這件事並沒有讓我停止工作，
因為我想要確保小孩子有足夠的資源，來完成未來的學業。
我母親是二個小孩的寡婦。
那時候我們很窮，我在19歲的時候開始工作，因為我沒有錢繼續升學。
所以，我自已立定心意，我的子女不會因此而失去受教的機會。
我感謝神，我的大兒子，約拿單，受到祝福可以到澳洲柏斯學習。
Soon after, my department’s work
was outsourced to Shanghai and
Bangkok. Thus, I had to work and
travel a lot more. Moreover, the
probability of retrenchment was
high. One day, on my way to work
at Jurong Island, the same weakness
returned. I sat at the subway station
for nearly an hour as I could not get
onto the coach that ferries me to my
work place. Thankfully, as Prophet
Nahum says, “The Lord is good, [a]
stronghold in the day of trouble;
[a]nd He knows those who trust in
Him” (Nah 1:7).
不久之後，我部門的工作被委外到上海和曼谷去。
因此，我有多需要去工作和出差。
不僅如此，預算緊縮的可能性又更高。
有一天在裕廊島去上班的路上，同樣的病況又發生了。
我坐在地鐵裡將近1小時，因為我走不到車廂，讓我渡海去上班。
感謝神，那鴻先知說，"
7耶和華本為善，在患難的日子為人的保障，並且認得那些投靠他的人。(鴻 1：7)
The Lord gave me strength to
make my way directly to my doctor.
When my husband Ivan came, I went
for another MRI scan, and the results
showed that there was another
similar scar but now on the other side
of my spinal cord. I was hospitalized
again for the same treatment, and
since then, I have not been able to
return to work, as my limbs became
weaker and I became wheelchair
bound.
主耶穌給我力量，讓我可以直接去找醫生。
當先生 Ivan 來的時候，我去作另一次核磁共振掃描，
結果顯示，有另一個同樣的傷疤，但現在卻是在脊髓的另一邊。
我就住進醫院接受同樣的治療，從那時開始，
我就無法回去工作，我的四肢變的更加沒有，我變得受限在輪椅上。
A year later in 2009, due to my
immobility, I developed bedsores on
my buttock. The sores turned into a
deep hole right to my tailbone. At
this difficult time, I remembered the
words of Jesus, “But the very hairs of
your head are all numbered. Do not
fear therefore; you are of more value
than many sparrows” (Lk 12:7).
2009年一年之後，因為我行動不便，屁股上就產生床上的酸痛。
酸痛轉變成一個很深的洞通到尾骨。
在這樣困難的時候，我記得耶穌的話，
7就是你們的頭髮，也都被數過了。不要懼怕，你們比許多麻雀還貴重！
(路 12：7)
Between July to October 2009, I
underwent a total of three operations.
The first operation was done to
remove the affected decaying tissue.
I was hooked on to a V.A.C.1 machine
to drain fluid from the wound and to
promote new tissue growth. I also
had three bags of blood infusion due
to a blood infection from the wound.
My neurologist told me that I could
have died if treatment had been
delayed. The second operation was
about six weeks later. There was no
improvement, and as my tailbone
was affected, it had to be removed.
The third operation took place about
two months later. There was still no
improvement and the recovery was
slow. At this point in time, I could
only cast my worries and cares upon
God, for He cares for me (1 Pet 5:7).
在2009年七月到十月之間 我總共經歷了三次手術。
第一次是為了移除壞死的組織。
我被連接到真空抽吸癒合機上，來吸除傷口上的體液，讓新的組織可以加速生長。
我也被注入三包血液，因為傷口有血液感染。
我的神經醫生告訴我有可能會死，若延遲治療的話。
第二次手術是六周之後。
並沒有任何改善的跡象，因為我的尾骨也受到了感染，並且要加以移除。
第三次手術在三個月之後實施。
仍然沒有改善，復原的很慢。
在這個時候，我只能把自已的憂愁和憂慮卸給神，因我相信祂會看顧我。(彼 5：7)
As the use of the V.A.C. machine
was very costly, the plastic surgeon
suggested rotating the buttock
tissues to cover the hole, and I agreed
without hesitation. The suggestion
proved effective and both my husband
and the doctor were surprised at the
immediate improvement! Just as
the Scriptures say: “The Lord nurses
them when they are sick and restores
them to health” (Ps 41:3, NLT) and
“Cast your burden on the Lord, [a]nd
He shall sustain you; He shall never
permit the righteous to be moved”
(Ps 55:22).
因為使用真空抽吸癒合機很貴，整型外科醫生就建議，
用因半邊的肉來蓋住這個洞，我就立刻同意。
這個建議是有效的，我先生和醫生都很驚奇地看著這立刻的改善！
就像聖經說：3他病重在榻，耶和華必扶持他；他在病中，你必給他鋪床。(詩 41：3)
22你要把你的重擔卸給耶和華，他必撫養你；他永不叫義人動搖。(詩 55：22)
Even though I had to lie on my side
for three weeks and was not able to
feed or to clean myself, I thank God,
that at that time, my helper, Heide,
and two church sisters took turns
to wash and feed me. Moreover,
by God’s grace, my costly medical
expenses were absorbed by the
company and insurance until 2010
when I officially stopped working. I
then received a lump sum of money
from my company, which, together
with personal insurance claims,
enabled us to pay for my medical
expenses.
即使我要側躺三周，不能吃飯，洗澡，
但我感謝神，在那時候，幫助我的人 Heide 和其他二位教會的姐妹，
輪流來幫我洗澡，餵我吃飯。
不只如此，因神的恩典，我很昂貴的醫樂費被公司和保險公司來吸收，
直到2010年，當我正式停止工作。
然後從公司得到一筆可觀的金錢，
同時也向申請個人保險金，
讓我可以付清醫療的費用。
I once asked my neurologist,
“Doctor, what is the worst case
scenario for my condition?” He
answered, “Paralysis and being
bedridden.” But Philippians 4:6-
7 reminds me to “[b]e anxious for
nothing, but in everything by prayer
and supplication, with thanksgiving,
let your requests be made known to
God; and the peace of God, which
surpasses all understanding, will
guard your hearts and minds through
Christ Jesus.”
我曾經要求神經醫師，"我的情況，最差的情形是什麼？"
他說，"變成痲痺，要終生臥病在床。"
但是在腓利比書四章6-7節提醒我，
6應當一無罣慮，只要凡事藉著禱告、祈求，和感謝，將你們所要的告訴神。
7神所賜、出人意外的平安必在基督耶穌裡保守你們的心懷意念。
(腓 4：6-7)
I thank God that according to the
doctor, my condition is now stable.
I ask God to grant me the physical
strength to exercise. I know that He
is listening when we make requests,
and we can be sure that He will
give us what we ask for (1 Jn 5:15).
Matthew 6:34 also says, “…do not
worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow
will worry about its own things.
Sufficient for the day is its own
trouble.” Thus, I live each day, one
day at a time. I also thank God for
each day and for each Sabbath that I
can attend, despite being wheelchairbound,
for I remember that there
may be someone who cannot come
to church or who may not even
awake to see the day. We may
encounter trials and tribulations, but
valuable life lessons in long suffering,
endurance and perseverance are
learned on our journey of faith.
感謝神，因為根據醫生所說的，我的情況很穩定。
我求神答應我，讓我肉體有力量來運動。
我知道當我們祈求的時候，他就會垂聽，
我們也可以確定，他會應允我們所求的。(約壹 5：15)
馬太福音六章34節也說，
34所以，不要為明天憂慮，因為明天自有明天的憂慮；一天的難處一天當就夠了。
因此，我每一天活著，就好好活過這一天。
我也感謝神讓我活過每一天，每一個安息日我都可以參加，
雖然受制於輪椅之上，因此我就想起，或許有人甚至無法來到教會，
或者他們甚至無法醒過來看到這新的一天。
我們或許遇到試煉或苦難，但在這漫長的苦難中所得到珍貴的人生課程，
就會很信仰的旅程中，學會忍耐，毅力。
May all glory be given to God.
Amen.
願一切榮耀歸於天上的真神。
阿們。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
Manna 嗎哪 56 (1)