Update from Matthew and Sherry

Dear Support Family --親愛的常綠弟兄姐妹們:

I think we can finally say that we are settled in for a while. What a wild summer of moving around from place to place, from room to room. But no complaints here - we were in good company wherever we stayed and had a great summer of fellowship with far away friends and family. Still, it does feel nice to have a place of our own for a while. In fact how we came to live where we are now is quite a story, or testimony if you will.

我們總算可以安定下來一陣子了，因為我們整個暑假一直換不同的地方住。不過，我們很感謝神，無論我們暫住哪裡，都受到很好的招待。也有很多機會與弟兄姐妹交流、團聚。不過有了自已的地方可以定居下來，感覺真的很好。事實上，我們如何找到現在住的地方是有一個見證可以與你們分享的。

It all started back about 8 or 9 months ago in November of 2005. At the time Sherry and I were living in Ang Mo Kio (that is where all Ang Moh's are required to live). We were quite happy with the place, it was convenient and well decorated and supplied. Yet the rent at 850 a month was quite high. And we realized that we would be paying this high rent even during the three months of the year when we would be out of the country. That's a lot to pay for an empty flat... But we had planned to continue there, as God had called us to that place (honestly that HDB made our transition from Taiwan to Singapore much easier - We were able to just move right in when we got here and it was all set up for us. I think it would have been a little traumatic to move here and find ourselves living in some dumpy apartment far away from any conveniences. Well i won't elaborate on that too much - that place was a massive blessing.)

回顧 大約在2005年11月份，八、九個月之前。Sherry和我那時候住在宏茂橋。我們相當滿意當時住的地方，不但方便、室內裝潢很好、也有家俱。然而一個月要負擔850新幣仍然很重。又想到一年之中，放暑假的三個月我們不在新加坡還是要付房租。房子空著也是要付租金等等。但是我們本來計劃繼續住在同一個地方，因為那是神為我們預備的(因為在我們未到新加坡之前，神已經為我們預備這個住所，讓我們從台灣來到新加坡生活，適應上容易許多。)所以之前的公寓是神給我們的祝福。)

But with the high cost and the year around commitment to pay the rent, we had begun to consider a change for the next school year. In November, wouldn't you know that one of Sherry's co-leaders at BSF mentioned that she had a place for rent. And wouldn't you know, she was willing to drop the rent down pretty low for a lowly seminary student and his wife. Wow, what an opportunity!! WE could move out of our old place right away and start saving money. This new place was in Green Meadows on Upper Thomson road - quiet, spacious, near the resovoir and near some killer roti prata joints. Heaven sent...God had heard our hearts cry - wait a minute...the day before my classmate had informed us that he was looking for a place...He was bringing his wife and new born baby over from India and he had to move out of the school dormitory. At that time temptation started to weigh heavy on the two of us...we don't have to tell him...he'll never know...we can keep quiet and take the place for ourselves...no one has to know...what an evil voice that was!!! Fortuanately we didn't listen to it for long...it was calling for us to bless ourselves...

但是因為每個月要負擔生活費及房租，使我們後來開始思考下一學年度是否要作調整。在11月份時，Sherry的英文查經班的同工提到她有個房子要出租。而她也願意將房租降很低來幫助神學院的學生及家庭。哇!多麼好的一個機會! 我們當時就在想，如果我們馬上搬出當時住的公寓，住進這個房子，那我們就可以省些錢。又加上這個房子是樓中樓的屋子，不但安靜、空間大、又靠近水庫、又有好吃的印度菜在附近。我們當時就在幻想神會不會要我們住在這個地方呢???但是就在這個房子的房東(查經班的同工)來跟Sherry說的前一天，學校就有一位同學告訴大家他在找房子，因為他在印度剛生完小孩的太太及小baby一家又來到新加坡，而他必須搬出學校的宿舍，另找房子。當時我和Sherry受到誘惑，很想住進這個新的地方，然後我們也不需要告訴這個同學有這個空房子出租，而他也不會知道…等等不好的想法! 感謝神，我們沒有被這個想法誘惑很久。神提醒了我們這對夫婦比我們還需要一個地方住。

After God straightened us out...we immediately went to our classmate, told him about the place and set up an appointment that he could meet the renters. All went well and he signed off on the place...And we were overjoyed to see his family blessed...yet sometimes that voice would creep back up and tell us it could have been us living there...

所以我們馬上通知我們的同學，告訴他有個房子要出租，要他趕快與房東聯絡。一切進行的很順利，不久後，他和房東就簽約了。而我們也很喜樂，看到神保守祝福他們一家人，只是偶而還是會有聲音出現，告訴我們本來我們可以住在這個地方的。

We subsequently became great friends with my classmate and his family - we met regularly with them for a couples Bible study and we joined them often for the many gatherings they hosted...we could see how they were putting the place to use for God's service. Indeed they were the rightful occupants of the place.

沒想到，我們和這位同學及他的家人成為很好的朋友。我們和他們開始了夫妻的查經班。他們也常邀請我們去他們家聚會。我們也看到了他們如何使用這個房子來作神的事工。我們因此了解這個房子是神為他們預備的，而他們也是最適合居住在這地方的人。

As the school year began to wind down Sherry and I decided to move out of our place in AMK (we had an open ended contract with the owner) and find a new flat. Our ambitions were high - we wanted a cheaper place yet with extra bedrooms for guests...we even wanted to seek a 9 month contract so as to avoid paying rent during our summer absence. We searched diligently in the months before the summer break, but to no avail. We realized we would have to come back just before school started and try and find a place. IN the mean time we were left with the problem of what to do with all of our stuff while we were in Taiwan and America. Well, wouldn't you know, our INdian friends offered to let us store things in the extra room they had. They even offered to let us stay in their place while we hunted for an apartment upon our return. We gladly took them up on both offers. It looked like we would finally be living in the place we had lusted after.

到了學期末了時，我和Sherry決定搬出我們在宏茂橋的公寓，另外再找新的地方，以便學校開學後，回到新加坡可以住。另外。我們當時想要租比較便宜的地方，但是又有多一間房間給客人住，甚至希望能簽九個月的合約，所以暑假三個月不在新加坡時，就可以不用付房租了。我們在放暑假前，就開始用心的找，但是並沒有適合的地方。同時，我們必須找個地方，可以在我們去台灣及美國時存放我們的東西。結果，我們的這對印度夫妻主動提出，讓我們將東西借放在他們的儲存室。他們甚至要讓我們回到新加坡找房子時，先住在他們家。我們很欣然的接受，也很高興住進我們夢想很久的地方。

WE stored our stuff, left for the summer, and returned to Green Meadows to stay for a while there...all summer we had prayed for a new place, and asked others to join us in this prayer...So specific was our prayer...cheaper, extra rooms, shorter term contract, close enough to the school - on the bus route...we prayed it would have easy access to our places of ministry and church...yes it was very specific...

暑假過後，回到了新加坡。在之前，我們仍然不斷地為找到地方住來禱告。禱告的內容也很仔細，像是房租可以便宜一點、多間房間、可以簽九個月的房租、離學校近搭公車可以到、到服事的地方及教會方便。真的是很仔細的禱告。

We arrived back in Singapore on July 20th - before we even got to the door of our INdian friend's place, we heard the words "the place next door is for rent." Sherry let out a scream of delight and surprise...and i hurried upstairs to confirm the news. WE immediately called the landlord and began the process of prayer and negotiation. A week later we got the price down to an acceptable level - way way way below market price - and negotiatied a nine month contract. The place is big and has an extra bedroom plus a very nice study room. Since we are right next door to our friends, we share internet a phone line and text books - which saves us a ton of money - we are also able to help our friends take care of ther baby from time to time...there is a direct bus from here to school, Little INdia, and downtown where we do our Bible distribution ministry (and let's not forget the roti prata - open 24 hours).what a great God!!!... It is amazing how he was working long before we even had the need for a new place...

我們在七月20號抵達新加坡。剛剛踏進我們印度朋友的家中時，他們就告訴我們這個好消息「隔壁的房子要出租」。我們感到又興奮及意外，馬上打電話給房東。隨後的幾天，不斷地禱告及和房東商量房租的事。一星期之後，房東將房租降低，也同意和我們簽九個月的租約。這個新的地方很大，也有多出來的房間加上書房。而我們的鄰居就是印度同學，可以一起使用網路，電話線及教科書，也為我們省下了很多錢。我們有時也可以幫助我們的朋友照顧小baby。不管離學校，小印度及發聖經的服事都有公事直接到達。不但如此，附近就有好吃的印度菜可以吃。神不但垂聽了我們的禱告，也一一回應了我們所禱告的事項!!! 在等候神回應我們禱告的過程中，神要我們柄持著耐心及信心地等候祂的祝福。雖然在等候的當中，會有軟弱及失去了耐心，但神會不斷地提醒我們。而我們又再一次經歷神奇妙的作為! 因為祂早早在我們有所需要時，就已經在動工，為我們預備了新的地方。

You are all invited to come by anytime...the doors are always open here...we are back and will keep you posted on what is happening....

再一次地邀請任何人來新加坡找我們。家裡的門為大家而開。歡迎你們來參與我們的事工。現在已經安定下來了，會繼續告知大家在這裡的生活及事工。

Before we came back we stopped in Taiwan for a few days...we spoke at our church the day we returned for details you can click on the following link for some pictures...

在我們短暫停留台灣的幾天當中，有在教會分享。大家可以到以下的網站看到一些照片。
http://evergreentaiwan.blogspot.com/2006_07_17_evergreentaiwan_archive.html

Please continue to pray for my Mandarin learning...please continue to pray for Sherry's family's salvation..

請繼續為我中文的學習及Sherry家人的救恩代禱。

Please let us know how we can pray for you....

也請讓我們知道你們的需要代禱的事項，好讓我們為你們禱告。

Back in town...and as blessed as ever...

Matthew and Sherry