謝德華(Edward Short) 的兒子義方、甜美 (Lewis & Tammy Short) 一家人從非洲坦桑尼亞回來美國做一些和教會有關的事工。期間也到我們中華基督教會證道，講了在坦桑尼亞的事工和需求。他們目前在坦桑尼亞幫助建立教會診所和學校，並幫助那裡的人認識上帝。
義方和太太甜美都是四十多歲。義方至少會流利的應用四、五種語言，包括英文、中文、意大利語、法文和斯瓦希利語。甜美是一名護士，在美國是有註冊護士執照以及工作經歷。他們都是道道地地的美國人，憑他們的能力，本可以在美國過着十分舒適的生活。也就是大多數人所嚮往的，包括不錯的收入、穩定的生活，業餘送孩子去學各種才藝和運動俱樂部、周末和自己朋友聚會和娛樂。可是他們選擇離開七旬的父母，遠走十分貧窮落後、充滿疾病又缺少醫藥的非洲。他們的孩子也缺少同齡的懂得美國生活的朋友。是什麼讓他們做出如此選擇？
這在大多數赴美的中國知識分子，經過數年寒窗苦讀，考托福與GRE（研究生入學考試），過關斬將拿到簽證來到美國，追求更好的教育、職場機會，更加美好品質的大多數人來說真是莫大的犧牲。但是坦桑尼亞的人民是蒙福的，他們的生命因為有義方、甜美以及許許多多和他們類似的上帝的使者，給他們帶來生活的福音。
這不僅是身體上的，更是精神及屬靈上的祝福。因為這些天使般的人的到來，因為診所的建立疾病可以得到醫治；因為學校的建立，孩子可以入學；因為聖經的學習，智慧得以開啟。
看到義方、甜美一家，也想到明末清初許許多多來到中國的傳教士，如司徒雷登、利瑪竇、戴德生他們不也一樣從西方來到貧窮落後的中國創辦大學、醫院：如燕京大學、協和醫院。把生命獻給中國，引導人信仰上帝，生命得到重生。
其中以戴徳生為例，他本可以在英國過一個富裕的醫生生活，但他感受到上帝的呼召，要到中國傳道。他因此學習過着簡樸、刻苦的生活，慰問病人、操練愛心。他女朋友的父親，因不願自己的女兒嫁到中國，戴德生不得不與其解除婚約。而他自己的母親，在他啟程去中國的碼頭撕心裂肺的哭聲，何嘗不是母子離別痛苦與擔憂的寫照！
他在年輕、有才華前程似錦的時刻選擇來到貧窮、落後、戰火紛飛的中國。他在中國成立中國內地會，從西方呼召宣教士參與中國事工。他在中國傳道52年，其中三個孩子夭折，妻子也罹患霍亂。
戴德生一生心向中國，把青春、才華和愛都獻與中國與中國人。他的岳父台約爾先生也是早期來華的宣教士，改良了中文活字，提供了印刷效率。而戴德生先生籌集各方力量辦學校、建醫院、幫助人們認識上帝。
值得一提的就是由於他和家人的努力，促使英國政府在1917年全面停止對中國鴉片的輸出。但今天我們可能都不知道他的付出和對中國人生命的影響。
話題再回到義方、甜美身上。雖然他們目前在坦桑尼亞幫助建立的學校、診所的規模可能沒有當時的燕京大學、協和醫院規模大。但他們在非洲播撒文明的種子，這種子定會生根發芽、開花結果。
想想中國近代歷史上無數優秀的人才，都是受過教會的影響。我們耳熟能詳的冰心、鄭振鐸等文化巨匠，他們的作品字裡行間無不透出基督愛的滲透和影響。正如聖經上所說，“天下萬族必因你的後裔而蒙福。上帝興起他的僕人，首先差遣他到你們中間，使你們脫離罪惡，好賜福給你們。”
不管歷史怎樣評說，這些傳教士怎樣被誤解或接納，被當局的意識形態所扭曲。但歷史會沉澱那些真正對人類文明進程做出努力、貢獻的人。讓你們感恩那些帶着上帝的使命，在過去、現在和將來將福音帶給世界各個角落的人間天使。（周淑美播音）
God’s Messengers—Pioneers of Civilization
By Jingqiong (Katty) Kang, M.D., Ph.D.
Lewis and Tammy Short (son and daughter-in-law of Edward and Sharon Short) and their sweet family, returned to the United States from Tanzania to do some church-related ministry. During the period, I went to the Middle Tennessee Chinese Church of Christ and heard Lewis preach about the ministry in Tanzania, and the needs there. The Shorts are currently helping to establish a church, a clinic and a school in Tanzania; and they are helping people there to know God.
Lewis and Tammy are both in their forties. Lewis is fluent in at least four or five languages, including English, Chinese, Italian, French, and Swahili. Tammy is a nurse who has a registered nurse license and work experience in the United States. They are all authentic Americans who, by their ability, could have lived a very comfortable life in the United States. That is what most people yearn for, including a good income and a stable life. They want to send their children to learn a variety of talents and enjoy sports and join clubs. They spend weekends with friends and enjoying various forms of entertainment. The Lewis Short family, however, chose to leave their 70-year-old parents and go far away to Africa, which is very poor and backward, full of disease and has a lack of medicine. Their children also lack American friends of the same age.
What made them make such a choice?
Most of us [who came to the USA from foreign countries], endured several years of study, preparation for TOEFL (Testing of English as a Foreign Language), GRE (Graduate Record Exam), etc, all in order to obtain a visa to the United States. We came in order to pursue better education, career opportunities, and to better ourselves; most of us will say that we did this at a great sacrifice.
But the people of Tanzania are truly blessed. The gospel of life from God has been brought to them by Lewis and Tammy and the many other similar messengers of God. These blessings are not only physical, but—more importantly—also include metaphysical and spiritual blessings.
Because of the arrival of these angelic people, and because the establishment of the clinic, diseases are healed; because the school was established, children enter school; because of Bible study, students’ minds are opened to wisdom.
Seeing the Lewis Short family, I also thought those many missionaries who came to China in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, such as Stuart, Ricci, and Dai Desheng [Hudson Taylor]— people who came from the West to poor and backward China to start universities and hospitals such as Yanjing University and Union Hospital. Dedicating their lives to China and guiding people to believe in God, people were born again. In the case of Dai Desheng [Hudson Taylor], he could have lived as a wealthy doctor in the UK, but he felt the call of God to preach in China. He therefore lived a simple and hard life, expressed concern to patients, and practiced love. The father of Hudson’s girlfriend, did not want his daughter to marry and move to China, so Taylor had to cancel his marriage contract. And his own mother, on the dock at his departure to China, gave a heartbreaking cry as mother and son parted amidst her pain and worry!! This young man gave up his talented future in order to go to the poverty and backwardness of war-torn China. He established the China Inland Mission and called the missionaries from the West to participate in Chinese ministry. He preached in China for 52 years; his wife suffered from cholera and they buried three of their children there.
Hudson Taylor gave his heart to China and devoted his youth, talent and love to China and the Chinese. His father-in-law, Mr. Taiyol, was also an early missionary to China. He improved the Chinese movable type and improved printing efficiency. Mr. Taylor raised the power of all parties to run schools, build hospitals, and help people know God. It is worth mentioning that due to the efforts of his family and his family, the British government completely stopped the export of Chinese opium in 1917. But today people may not know Taylor’s contribution and the impact on Chinese life.
Let us return to the topic of Lewis and Tammy. Although the size of the school and clinic they are currently helping to establish in Tanzania may not be as large as the Yanjing University and the Union Hospital were at that time. But they are spreading the seeds of civilization in Africa, and these seeds will take root and sprout and produce fruit. I think that countless outstanding talents in China’s modern history have been influenced by the church. Our well-known cultural masters such as Bing Xin and Zheng Zhenze have been influenced by the love of Christ in their works. As the Bible says, “All nations will be blessed through you.” “God raised up his Servant and first sent him to you to free you from sin and bless you.”
Regardless of how history judges, or how these missionaries are misunderstood or accepted, or perhaps even their work is distorted because of the ideology of the authorities. But history will give credit to those who truly make efforts and contributions toward the process of human civilization. Let us all be grateful to those angels who have accepted the mission of God and who carry the gospel to the world–those in the past, present and future.
歡迎來信: smzg@smzg.org