"Oh, Daddy, the two Americans'
front teeth are gone," exclaimed a nine year old when
he looked at the TV screen shortly after the obliteration
of the World Trade Center, the symbol of wealth and progress
of this nation. September 11, 2001, will be a day for
all Americans to remember! Our New York office was just
8 blocks south and two blocks west of the disaster scene.
We felt the impact of the crisis emotionally. The pain
and agony in our heart is indescribable. We saw it and
were eyewitnesses to the horrible act of evil. Jeremiah
17:9 states, "Who can understand it?"
Amidst all the shock and grief,
we also witnessed beautiful displays of love against the
background of rubble that testifies to the worst in human
beings. For weeks now, we have seen the fearlessness of
the rescuers and togetherness of the people who come from
all walks of life, all kinds of ethnic origins, and all
parts of the nation. As buckets pass along orderly, as
people hug each other in tears and prayers, as donations
and supplies pour into the city, we cannot blindly deny
the goodness in the human race. Yes, we are created in
His image with kindness, mercy and compassion.
America is at war, as declared
by our President. Prayer has become the rallying cry heard
around the nation. The tragedy has drawn our knees before
God to claim the victory over death and over evil. Our
nation has put prayer back into the political scene and
we had a Day of Prayer and Remembrance on September 14,
as called by our President.
Our co-workers in New York
were barred from going back to the office for 5 days after
the calamity. We are thankful that many friends called
from all over the world to ask about our safety. We thank
God for our safety and the protection from material loses.
Moreover, He also answered our prayers to respond to some
of the rising issues-How do we see God in times of tragedy?
Andrina, our co-worker in Dallas,
was able to mobilize and record two hours of special messages
from her Pastor, Rev. Teo, dealing with the Christian
approach towards tragedy: how to deal with anger; how
to channel anger, retribution or revenge; facing the reality
of human suffering; teaching our children in times like
this. This series of talks, and also summaries of other
messages from theologians and pastors, will be broadcast
on air and also via our Internet broadcast in the days
and months to come. Billy Pang in Toronto, Canada CGBC,
will translate the series into Cantonese. By the end of
this year, this series will be available for order in
CD and cassettes. Early pre-orders are welcome because
this will reduce our costs to the minimum.
During our first staff meeting
after we could return to the New York office, we had a
time of reflection and called upon the Lord to renew us
in the midst of such a painful experience. Unanimously
we felt that this was a wake-up call for all of us. "We
cannot take life for granted. It is by grace that we are
here today to serve this eternal King." "Our passion and
sacrifice must be towards the right course and the truth
of the Bible has to be made known to all man." "The rescue
scene reminds us of the urgency of time to win those without
Christ. Today is the day of salvation. Today is the chance
to share Christ's love."
For the afflicted, we pray
for God's love and comfort around them, and for all of
us calling Him Abba Father, we pray for cleansing and
for the revival of His church. We have to redeem the time
and repent for our hope and trust in material prosperity.
Only the Lord can provide security and confidence for
the future. We confess that we are weak and fall short
of His glory. We plead before Him for mercy for this nation,
and blessings to the body of Christ.
As we turn to the Cross, we
hear, "I know and I care!" Jesus has died for the sins
of the world so that we may be reconciled to our Creator.
Christ has conquered evil and death. In Him we have the
answer.
We also pledge our allegiance
to Him today, and we will wait upon Him for strength and
wisdom. This ministry is grounded on the firm foundation
of Christ Himself. This ministry is built upon the fervor
of prayers. The ministry mission is to bring His Word
to the masses that have not even heard the name of Jesus.
We broadcast only Jesus and Him crucified! We need His
mercy and grace to keep us Christ centered and Bible based
in all the teachings and contents of our productions.
We thank Him for still using the foolish, the weak, to
accomplish His plan for humanity. To Him be the glory
for now and throughout eternity.
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Our
Annual September Street Evangelism Gala has turned into a prayer
service due to the 911 tragedy. Together with all the local
Chinese churches we have a time of witnessing in Chinatown on
the Sunday we supposed to have our street fair. (September 15)