One summer many years ago, I went back to my parents in Y City. I went shopping with my mother, got tired and thirsty, and walked to the street vendor to buy a cold drink. Suddenly, I saw a stall across the road selling tea and water. Looking closely, it turned out that it was not for sales, but “drink tea for free”. A little red banner on the table read: "Jesus loves you; please enjoy the free tea."
I walked over, and an aunt handed me a cup of cold water. After I drank enough, she gave me a gospel leaflet. I smiled and said, "Aunt, I am also a Christian. Thank you. The Lord is with us!" She was Aunt Zhang Ling.
After that, my mother took me to a gathering point in the community. Every morning at five o'clock, they began to read the Bible, pray, and learn the word of God. There was also worship and praise every night. This was exactly the gathering point under the church set at Aunt Zhang Ling’s home.
Over the years, Sister Zhang's former bungalow home has been demolished. The government compensated her for a three-bedroom apartment. On the third floor, Sister Zhang made simple decorations, and it became Christians’ home again. It would open every morning and evening, and dozens of believers from nearby communities would come to worship God.
Several female believers rose to serve, some reading the Bible, some teaching, some singing, and some lecturing. Every time a chapter of the Bible was read, they shared the contents.
However, one day last year, Aunt Zhang felt suddenly dizzy and fell to the ground when she rode her bike to the street. It turned out to be a cerebral hemorrhage, and Aunt Zhang returned to the embrace of the Lord.
When I went back to my parents again this time, I happened to meet Sister Xinhuan, who had come back from the gathering when I was walking with my parents. She said, "We still gather at Aunt Zhang's home."
It turned out that after Sister Zhang passed away, her children discussed and decided to continue to use the place as a gathering place according to Sister Zhang‘s last wishes.
Today, I took part in the morning reading with about twenty believers. The room has a wooden floor, a row of sofas, and an electronic piano, surrounded by small stools and covered with thick cotton mats. The believers came one after another, sat, knelt, and prayed quietly.
After praying, we began to read the Bible. An old woman believer finished reading, and another woman believer stood up to share. From her sharing, I saw a lot of light that I didn't see when I read the Book of Job myself.
Sister Zhang Ling has departed, but she is still alive, before God and in the Lord's arms.
(The article is ritten by a special contributor/freelance writer of the Gospel Times and a Christian in Henan Province.)
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
许多年前的一个夏天，我回到Y城父母身边。这天陪母亲逛街，又累又渴。走到小区附近街畔正准备买杯冷饮，忽见路对面一个地摊在卖茶水。仔细看，原来不是“卖”，乃是免费请人喝茶。桌上一个小红条幅写着：“耶稣爱你，免费品茶点”。
我走过去，一阿姨将一杯凉好的茶水递给我。她让我喝够之后，又要赠我一份福音单张。我笑了：“阿姨，我也是基督徒，谢谢您，主同在！”她，就是张玲阿姨。
之后，母亲带我到小区里一个聚会点。每天早晨五时开始读经、祈祷，学习神的话语；每天晚上也有敬拜赞美。这正是张玲阿姨将自己的家开放出来，作为教堂下面的一个聚会点。
多年过去，张姊妹昔日的家（平房）已被拆了。政府补偿她一套三居的楼房。在三楼，张姊妹简单装修之后，这里又成为基督之家。每天早、晚开放，附近小区的信徒数十人来聚会，敬拜神。
有几位女信徒兴起来服侍，有领读经的、有教唱的，也有讲经的。每次大家领读一章圣经，然后就这一章的内容分享。
然而，去年的一天，张玲阿姨骑车上街，忽然头晕，跌倒在地。脑溢血，当晚就回天家了。
此次回家，我陪父母散步时，恰好碰上聚会回来的新环姐，她说：“还是在张玲姨的家聚会。”
原来，张姊妹回天家之后，她的儿女商量，决定继续将老母亲这套房按母亲的意愿做为聚会之用。
今天，我参加了晨读，大约有二十多位信徒。房间铺了木地板，一排沙发，一架电子琴。周边摆满了小凳子，上铺厚实的棉垫子。陆续到来的信徒或坐，或跪，安静地祈祷。
祷告之后，我们开始读经。一位老女信徒领读完，另一位女信徒站起来分享。从她的分享中，让我看到了从前我自己读约伯记所没有看到的许多亮光。
张玲姊妹已然安息，然而，她仍然活着，在上帝面前，在主怀里。
注：本文为特约/自由撰稿人文章，作者系河南一名基督徒。
张玲和她的家庭聚会点
One summer many years ago, I went back to my parents in Y City. I went shopping with my mother, got tired and thirsty, and walked to the street vendor to buy a cold drink. Suddenly, I saw a stall across the road selling tea and water. Looking closely, it turned out that it was not for sales, but “drink tea for free”. A little red banner on the table read: "Jesus loves you; please enjoy the free tea."
I walked over, and an aunt handed me a cup of cold water. After I drank enough, she gave me a gospel leaflet. I smiled and said, "Aunt, I am also a Christian. Thank you. The Lord is with us!" She was Aunt Zhang Ling.
After that, my mother took me to a gathering point in the community. Every morning at five o'clock, they began to read the Bible, pray, and learn the word of God. There was also worship and praise every night. This was exactly the gathering point under the church set at Aunt Zhang Ling’s home.
Over the years, Sister Zhang's former bungalow home has been demolished. The government compensated her for a three-bedroom apartment. On the third floor, Sister Zhang made simple decorations, and it became Christians’ home again. It would open every morning and evening, and dozens of believers from nearby communities would come to worship God.
Several female believers rose to serve, some reading the Bible, some teaching, some singing, and some lecturing. Every time a chapter of the Bible was read, they shared the contents.
However, one day last year, Aunt Zhang felt suddenly dizzy and fell to the ground when she rode her bike to the street. It turned out to be a cerebral hemorrhage, and Aunt Zhang returned to the embrace of the Lord.
When I went back to my parents again this time, I happened to meet Sister Xinhuan, who had come back from the gathering when I was walking with my parents. She said, "We still gather at Aunt Zhang's home."
It turned out that after Sister Zhang passed away, her children discussed and decided to continue to use the place as a gathering place according to Sister Zhang‘s last wishes.
Today, I took part in the morning reading with about twenty believers. The room has a wooden floor, a row of sofas, and an electronic piano, surrounded by small stools and covered with thick cotton mats. The believers came one after another, sat, knelt, and prayed quietly.
After praying, we began to read the Bible. An old woman believer finished reading, and another woman believer stood up to share. From her sharing, I saw a lot of light that I didn't see when I read the Book of Job myself.
Sister Zhang Ling has departed, but she is still alive, before God and in the Lord's arms.
(The article is ritten by a special contributor/freelance writer of the Gospel Times and a Christian in Henan Province.)
- Translated by Oliver Zuo
Aunt Zhang and Her Family Gathering Point
