Hi All,
I am very happy when I can read all the emails from you guys. Warm greetings from Malaysia. I appreciate that. Today I want to share with you all of my Sunday experience in Florence. Guess what?
I found a Chinese church where I can go for the Sunday service. It was not easy at all to find this church. Firstly, I tried to search in the internet and I found that there is a Chinese church in Florence and I emailed the webpage to look for the exact address. I got the address last last week and I went to the place...30 minutes of walking...however, that place is no longer there...they have moved to a new place. So I emailed again and they gave me a new address..well, this is quite challenging to me because the place is very far from the place I stayed.
Today, I waked 25 minutes to the bus stop which will go to the direction. Waited for 15 minutes for the bus to come and took another 20 minutes to reach the place. After that need to walk 10 minutes again to the church. I was not sure about the place and of course cannot speak Italian, so what i did is to draw up the place and asked the bus driver to drop me off when the destination is near. It was a challenge but with God's grace...i arrived safely!! I have calculated the whole trip...it took me about 1 hour 15 minutes to reach the church. Sometimes I am wondering that we are so "幸福" because in KL, the church van will arrive at your place to pick you up to church. Or someone will come to your place to pick you up. You never have to worry how to go to church. Perhaps next time all of us should try from your home to go to church by your own effort and then you will appreciate the effort of the brothers and sisters who are willing to sacrifice their time to pick you all up. However, some peoples may not be bother about it and said...since no transport...no need to golah.. But here...i need to figure out by my self. I am glad that I made the effort and I do appreciate this experience.
Because of this experience, it taught me that do not take things for granted.. Ok, talk about the new church.. It was not the kind of church I imagine before. I arrived on time, 3.30 pm for the service.. no pamplet..no one welcome you...i found a seat and sit down. They have singspiration for 30 minutes by singing alike of “普颂"...old songs.. No stand up, no excitement...all the tempo are the same....180....whether a fast song or slow song...the tempo are all the same..and i noticed that does not matter which song...the tune is C major...I think...nothing exciting like our gifted pianist in Pandan Indah.. After 30 minutes of singing...actually the singing is to wait for more peoples to come, the chairperson started the service by praying (a long pray)..and they sung a song, and pray again..after that...sermon given by a brother. After the sermon...pray again and finish. No choir, no "奉献", no report...after the service, everyone just left... I have been thinking through...we in Pandan Indah...or in Malaysia are so so so fortunate...we have everything..but yet we still not satisfy with it...imagine if one day Pandan Indah church does not hv singspiration group...no choir...not gathering...no youth fellowship...every sunday just go to church pray, and then listened to sermon and then go back...is that what we want?? This has been a great experience for me..
I have asked God and I believe HE put me here..must have some reasons, maybe I do not know now...but I know HE will have a plan for me. The today's sermon also great where the brother shared that as a christian...we need to read bible frequently and plant it in our heart. He has challenged that if you served a lot in church but yet not reading bibles...how do you serve? Where do you get the strenght to serve our Lord? Is is based on our talent or our experience? As a Christian, we need to get the strength from the bible so that we can faced the challenges. Otherwise, with your own experiences and talent...one day when you faced challenges you will fall.. Also, he mentioned that a lot of peoples wanting to sacrifice themselve fto serve God full time...and he asked...if you are not reading bibles and understand bible..how do you know to serve God.?? Waoh...this sermon is great..and touched by what he shared. Also, from my observation, I think all the peoples are from China. They are matured in bible and understand the important of praying and reading bible..
I hope our fellows in Pandan Indah can pick up as well. The church I went to is not a big church...maybe around 50 peoples with a lot of children. I will go there again next week and try to make new friends there. Though the trip to there is long (return trip is 2 hours) but I think it is worth it. Please pray for me so that God will show me His way to me. I do not know what I can do here but I will try my best. I hope brothers and sisters in Pandan Indah must treasure all the moment you have in Pandan Indah church. Don't take it for granted..otherwise when you lose it...you will never get it back.
Cheers!
Vin Kee from Florence.
Florence Duomo
Florence Flowers
Florence Food- Roasted Pig.. Wow~~~
Florence Food - Pork
Florence Bridge House
Florence Food- Sausage
Florence Michael Angelo
Florence mamak stall
门训 - 辛耀圻
宣教 - 黄拔萍
团契 - 陈成珠
