Rev. Paul Chang

December 22 . I took the PCV 13 pneumonia vaccination as instructed by doctor, reactioned with chill and 102 fever until 23rd night .  Then my arm began to have redness, warmth and swelling . The redness like a little red guard, trying to sneak over boundary and eventually  going down to the elbow. 12/27 in urgent care and suspected it was an infection during my vaccination. Due to my heart condition, antibiotics applied and they had site follow up daily.  Four days later, I repulsed all these little red guards :))

  

Yesterday (12/31), Rev. Paul Chang form Singapore came together with Mark his son, and grandson Nathan. (and Rev. Paul Lee ). All together four generations. His visit marked an end to my challenging 2015 with a blessed full stop.

I have known Rev. Paul Chang since I was 11. To me, he is my mentor as well as a spiritual father. 3 years ago, he held his 80^th birthday party. I took the opportunity to write down some of the blessing and impact he made in my life, I am thankful for his commitment to the Lord thru his loving care to the people around him.

Protecting the weak

I attended the evening session (3-8pm) of Bethel High School for my elementary education, commune by 30 minutes of slow bus ride.  At that time, buses were the only public transportation, and there were too many passengers. It always was a challenging for me to get on the bus. There was a time, I tried very hard, already 3-4 buses came and left, still not able to get on. Hungry and cold and frustrated, there came a strong hand blocking off the adults at my side and brought me up the bus. (Later on I learned he was one of our school teacher and also my neighbor taking the same bus route home). This  was our first encounter , also the first impression I had about him: “Protecting the weak.” Later on, in order to save 1.5cents bus fee, I walked home with one of my classmates. I remember one time, teacher Chang walked with us through the darkest street before we said goodbye. 

In the 80’s, China began to open. I had a few opportunities to team up with Paul to serve in China. Once we were taken away by the China police. They first interrogated him and then me. When they were questioning me half way, the door suddenly banged open. Paul rushed in and was mad with the officers, saying they could not do that to me and insisted they should release me right away. Due to his strong intervention, they released me also the local minister. It was 1:30 am in the midnight. They sent us off to a closed train station. I asked him how he got the guts to scream on the officers. He said he was a US passport holder but I only held an entry permit as a Hong Kong resident. He therefore had the obligations to safeguard us. 

On top of being a school teacher, Pastor Chang was also a  youth group mentor in my Hong Kong home church .  Very often, he would play hide and seek with us. His way of hiding was very special. He would just sit there but disguised himself as someone else, and we would not recognize him in the dark. During Chinese new year, he would invite us to his home, teaching us singing hymns, reciting Bible verses and playing fire crackers. I always went with my younger brother visiting him at CNEC office where also his home. We threw fire crackers from his tiny dormitory room. Ever since, I had a deep impression that Pastor Chang loved kids. 

I learned afterwards this love came from his father, who was the principal of the North China Theological Seminary in Shantung, then the principal of Tai Tung Theological Seminary. In the Sino Japanese war, he sacrificially protected and led over 400 orphans and lepers to take refuge in Guangxi.

Four years ago, when my younger brother was fighting lung cancer, Paul always visited and encouraged him. Very often he would choke in his prayers. All these showed his love and care to those in need.

   

Mission Mobilizer

1959,  Rev. Chang went to US to further his studies in church music and theology, and was sent back to Hong Kong by PI-CNEC  in 1970 as the Vice Field Director. I and Simon, then my boyfriend, were under his leadership.

The First Mission Conference

In 1972, The CNEC Kowloon Church (now CNEC Fellowship Church) was being planted under Paul's leadership. He, together with Simon , recruiting some high school students to set up a basketball team. They all enjoyed the meal Mrs. Chang prepared after playing ball games. then followed by Bible study . These youths became the very first new believers  and disciples of the church. Today, most of them are still serving the Lord actively. As soon as the church was being planted, Paul started teaching about mission and the faith promise pledge from day one. In 1974, the church had the first mission conference and commissioning, supporting Pastor John Kao and family to Canada . These are the seeds planted by Pastor Chang. 

Mentor of Life

In the 4 years when Pastor Chang was serving in Hong Kong, not only was he active in mission and music ministry, but he also showed his greatest passion of his life: to equip disciples. I have been benefited in this respect. 

As soon as he came to Hong Kong, he referred me to vocal teacher and coaching my singing. 

In 1973, when he went to US to do

fundraising for the ministry, he also brought me along, I observed how he did the preaching, solo, He also coach me how to give testimony, and give me opportunity to do solo and duet with him, how he promoted prayers for China. In the 3 month trip, I saw the Changs refrained from eating in restaurants. Sometimes, we had to stay in Motel 6, we would bring out our rice cooker, a bottle of oil and soya sauce from the trunk. We would cook minced beef in rice, then the beef rice with lettuce would become our most wonderful meal. He always said he would maximize the use of people’s donations onto the ministry. It was sometimes very weary in the 3 months trip. However, he never showed any impatience. He always showed his tenderness towards Mrs. Chang and his two kids, who were then only 7 and 5. He would never miss any opportunity to find me scholarship for my further studies, and under his arrangement, I got an opportunity to stay in SF Cumberland Church as a ministry intern for 3 months. 

      

1989, my family came to the States to establish the PI USA Chinese ministry. I had the opportunity to arrange Rev. Chang to speak in Chinese churches, and very often Paul would bring seminary students from Burma, Thailand and Singapore along with him.  What he had done to develop and equip me, he kept doing it. He always talked about 2.2.2 (2Tim 2:2) and he actually committed his life in doing so. 

 A Spiritual Father
 

When I was 4, my father was caught and sent to Mongolia for “Labor camp” for 24 years. He was released after I got married. Father God showed His care of us through Pastor Paul Chang. Before he went to Singapore to take office of his new position as the Field Director for CNEC SEA , he sent me off to marry Simon in 1974 just a few days prior their leaving. He also officiated my son’s wedding ceremony and is the beloved Grand Pa of our granddaughter.

Pastor Chang is not only my Spiritual Father, but also the Spiritual Father of many children and workers in the ministry.

屬靈父親---張牧師

12/22(冬至)， 我遵醫生吩咐打了肺炎疫苗，跟著就發冷和發燒 102度。  2/24手臂開始紅腫。我叫這紅腫做不安份的小皮蛋，每天都偷渡過界擴大勢力。 12/27急診，醫生說是注射時感染細菌，可選擇到醫院打幾天抗生素點滴，我選擇口服觀察；跟著每天都去醫院，連去了四天， 感謝神，終於把之收拾。

作天12/31  張寶華牧師來訪，(還有李智群牧師，張牧師的兒子和孫兒)，一同拍了張四代同堂照。他的到來，對我而言， 是替我這波濤洶湧的2015年，放下一個祝福的句號。感恩不已。

我十一歲就認識張牧師，他對我是亦師亦父。

幾年前他慶祝八十大壽， 我記下了一些常在我心的點滴 回憶，藉此機會，謝謝他的扶持、呵護和活出那愛神的生命。

指揮新加坡葛培理佈道大會詩班 Conduct the Billy Graham Singapore Crusade Joint Choir 

保護弱小者

小學時，讀香港伯特利夜校部。晚上八時放學，然後再坐巴士返家。當時香港人多車少，很難擠上公車。記得一次又餓又冷，出盡力也擠不上，正急著時，突然一隻有力的手，擋開身旁的大漢大嬸，帶了上車，原來是老師張寶華(後來知道他是隣居，故也乘坐11號巴士)。這是張牧師留給我的第一個印象，「保護弱小者」。後來，有時，我和竹君，(邱清泰師母)為了省下一毛錢，步行回家時，張老師都關心，好像有一次還陪著我們二人步行一段最黑的小路才自行離開。

八十年代，中國開放後，我有多次機會和張牧師在國內事奉。一次被公安抓走，分開問話，先問他，後問我。問到一半，門被大力打開，張牧師怒氣衝衝走進來，指著女公安，說她不應該這樣待我們，要她趕緊放我。由於張牧師的堅持，我們和其他一位當地同工，立刻就被放。在半夜一點多，送到空無一人的火車站釋放。我問張牧師為什麼這樣大膽罵公安，他說，我拿美國護照，你是回鄉証，一定要保護你。

張牧師除了是學校老師，還是我在香港紅磡教會的團契導師，完了聚會，他總會花時間和一班青、少年人玩捉迷藏，他藏的方式很特別，就坐在那兒，假扮著另一人，大顆兒在黑暗中就認不出他。過年過節，他總會把一班團友請到家中，教我們唱詩，背聖經，還有燒炮仗。我和弟弟就常去當時是CNEC香港辦公室，他的宿舍處，在二樓的窗戶中，向外抛爆竹。從小，張牧師就給我和弟弟一個深刻印象，就是他很愛護孩子。

後來才知道，這種關懷，來自他父親的影響。(張學恭牧師，當時是中國華北神學院院長，其後任泰東神學院院長。抗戰期捨命保護和帶著四百多名孤兒以及痳瘋病人逃到廣西。)

三年多前，我弟弟肺癌，張牧師每次來美，一定要去看他，鼓勵他；為他禱告時，經常聲音暗啞難過。這一切，在在顯示了張牧師對有需要的人的關顧和愛。

                                                                                                          

差傳的傳承者

高小時，大約是1958-59年，張老師突然不見了，後來才知道他去了美國深造。1968年，我從神學院畢業，在中華傳道會區會的青年部事奉，張牧師在1970年被  CNEC  -PI  美國總部派回來協助桑安柱牧師，任副監督，我和當時的男朋友，范榮香，就在他帶領下學習事奉。

中心堂第一屆差傳會

1972年參予成立中心堂(當時名為九龍教會)，他親自帶著范榮香，邀請了一些年青人，組成籃球隊，打球，談信仰。這些學生成了中心堂的初期信徒的班底。今天，大部份都有美好的服事。張牧師一開始就教導中心堂參予差傳，學習信心認獻。74年就舉行第一次差傳年會，支持區會差派高雲漢牧師一家前往加拿大開荒。這一切，都是張牧師所播下的種籽。

 生命的栽培者

張牧師在香港事奉四年，期間，他不但傳遞差傳，推動聖樂教育，張牧師生命裡最大的熱情也逐漸顯露，就是發掘和栽培事奉者。我自己就是身受其益者之一。張牧師一回來，就替我找好的聲樂老師，他自己經常指導我練習。

1973年，返美替  PI CNEC  兒童助學金及事工籌款時，把我也帶去，讓我一路上觀摩他如何講道、獻詩，及鼓勵西方教會為中國禱告。整整三個月的行程，一行五人(張牧師一家人加上我)，走訪了全美一大圈許多教會。其中，我親眼見到，張牧師師母儘量不上館子，沒有人招待住宿住Motel 6時，我們車尾箱總有一個電飯煲，一瓶油，和醬油，把免治牛肉混在飯內弄熟，生菜一個開水燙熟，就是一頓美而儉的晚餐。他常說，人家的奉獻儘量使用在聖工上。三個月的行程，有時很累，但他從沒有表現出不耐煩，總時溫溫和和的待兩個只有5，7歲的孩子和師母。途中，不忘替我找獎學金深造，後來還安排我在金巴崙教會實習三個月。

1989年，我被調往美國國際福音協傳會(PI)負責北美的華人事工。每年都安排張牧師在不同華人教會異象分享，他多次安排緬甸、泰國或新加坡神學院的學生來美，一同服事。我在旁邊，又再次看到張牧師對後輩的悉心栽培。因他常提及2.2.2.(提後2章2節)，而他也身體力行地栽培後輩。

                                                                                                              

 屬靈的父親

四歲時我自己的父親被抓往內蒙古勞改24 年，在我婚後才獲釋；父神特別透過張牧師彰顯祂的恩眷，1974年，把我嫁出去後，才前往新加坡出任東南亞區監督；我兒子婚禮也是他主婚，更是孫女爾珩心中的張爺爺。

張牧師不但是我屬靈的父親，更是許許多多孩子和事奉者的屬靈父親。