杜偉中牧師 (Bill Thompson) 紀念教堂

非常感謝你們讓我和我的妻子蜜雪兒 (Michelle) 能夠在這個特別的慶祝日子裡來到這裡。我們非常榮幸能與你們同在！也非常感謝大家一直以來對我母親以及她對「希望之光」異象的支持。當她在台灣的時候，你們就是她的家人。

Thank you so much for allowing me and my wife, Michelle to be here on this special day of celebration.  We are honored to be here with you!  And thank you all so much for the way you have supported my Mom and her vision for Ray of Hope.  You are her family when she is here in Taiwan.

這真是一段不平凡的旅程！這棟新大樓的建造過程，可以說是充滿了各樣的挑戰，而且所花的時間也比任何人原本預期的都還要長。蜜雪兒和我在2019年1月，也就是7年前，第一次為這個計畫奉獻，幫助它開始。儘管一路上遇到了許多困難，你們仍然堅持到底，忠心地跟隨神的帶領，直到今天完成。恭喜你們！

What a journey this has been!  This new building has had some challenges, to say the least.  And it’s taken just a little bit longer than anyone thought it would.  Michelle and I first gave a gift to help get the project started in January of 2019, 7 years ago!  And despite all the challenges thrown your way, you persevered and faithfully followed God’s lead to see this through to completion.  Congratulations!

我喜歡覺得自己還很年輕，感覺好像還在20多歲！但事實是，我已經快50歲了，聽起來真的很老！不過，也正因如此，我有足夠的時間見證一個關於神旨意與計畫「始終不變的真理」：當神有一個計畫時，祂一定會成就，不論我們存不存在。祂所要求的，只是我們憑著信心行事，跟隨祂的帶領；當我們這樣做，祂就會一步一步成就一切。

I like to think that I’m still young.  I feel like I’m still in my 20’s!  But, the truth is, I’m almost 50.  That sounds SO OLD!  That being said, I’ve lived long enough to have witnessed a CONSTANT TRUTH about God’s will and His plans.  And here it is:  When God has a plan, He WILL make it happen, with or without us.  All He asks is that we operate in faith and follow His lead.  When we do that, He steady takes care of the rest.

這是什麼意思呢？意思就是，神的旨意一定會成就。祂並不需要我們來完成，但祂卻給我們機會參與其中。當這個計畫開始時，有人知道資金會從哪裡來嗎？需要多少資金？工程會花多久時間？沒有人知道，但上帝知道。祂不需要我媽媽 (杜淑珊師母Susan Thompson) 或 荷溫妮牧師 (Juanita) 想出所有的資金來源，祂只要她們願意委身、堅持到底，而當她們這樣做時，祂就會預備道路。

What do I mean by that?  I mean that God’s will is going to be accomplished.  And He doesn’t need us to do it, but He DOES give us the opportunity to be part of it.  When this project started, did anyone know where the funding would come from, how much was needed or how long the construction would take?  No, but GOD knew.  He didn’t need my Mom and Juanita to figure out how to get the money for th

如果當初我媽媽和荷溫妮牧師 (Juanita) 覺得這個任務太困難而選擇放棄，神依然會完成這件事，只是祂會使用別的人。但這一群人就會錯過經歷神蹟與祝福的機會。謝謝你們憑著信心踏出去，讓上帝使用你們。看看神藉著你們成就了多麼美好的事！

If my Mom and Juanita had decided it was just too overwhelming to take this on, God would have still done it, He just would have used someone else.  But this group would have missed out on the miracles and the blessing of being used by God. Thank you for stepping out in faith and letting God use you.  Look what God has used you to accom

杜偉中牧師 (Bill Thompson) 紀念教堂 BILL THOMPSON MEMORIAL CHAPEL

其實我並不喜歡在眾人面前講話，但顯然荷溫妮牧師 (Juanita) 很堅持要我今天來為這個教堂的獻堂致詞——「杜偉中牧師Bill Thompson 紀念教堂」。

I don’t like to speak to public.  But apparently, Jaunita was determined that I should speak today as a way of dedicating this Chapel.  The Bill Thompson Memorial Chapel….

我的父親在三年半前回到主耶穌那裡，我每天都很想念他。在他過世一年後，我媽媽曾跟我分享這裡的進度。她說主體建築的資金已經全部到位了，但他們還想加建一個禮拜堂，卻還沒有經費。

My dad went to be with Jesus 3 and a half years ago.  And I miss him every day.  A year after he passed away, my mom was giving me an update on the progress here.  And she said that they finally had full funding for the main building but that there was a chapel they wanted to add and they didn’t have the funding for it.

掛掉電話後，蜜雪兒看著我說：「我們應該為這個教堂奉獻，而且應該用你父親的名字來命名。」當下我非常感動——為我妻子對我的體貼與愛，也為她對「希望之光」的慷慨，更感動上帝竟然如此祝福我們，使我們能夠回應祂在這裡的計畫。因此，今天我們能在這裡，以我父親杜偉中牧師Bill Thompson的名義來奉獻這座教堂。

After I got off the phone, Michelle looked at me and said: “We need to give the money for that chapel, and you need to put your Dad’s name on it.”  I was overwhelmed.  Overwhelmed at my wife’s compassion for me and her generosity towards Ray of Hope.  Overwhelmed that God had even blessed us enough to be able to give back to His plan for Ray of Hope.  And so, today we are here to dedicate this chapel in memory of my Dad, Bill Thompson.

在座的許多人並不認識我父親。他是一位非常好的人，也深深愛著耶穌。

他一直愛我、支持我，是我最好的朋友。他甚至是我婚禮上的伴郎！我19歲就結婚了，有多少19歲的人能和父親有這麼深厚的關係呢？他總是在我身邊。即使我離開家去讀大學、結婚、有了自己的家庭，我仍然知道，只要我打電話給他，他一定會接。

Many of you never knew my dad.  He was a great man and loved Jesus.

My dad always loved me and supported me and he was my best friend.  He was even my best man at my wedding!  I got married when I was 19 - how many 19 year olds have a friendship with their Dad that strong?  He was always there for me.  Even after I left home for college, got married and had my own family, I knew I could always call him and he would answer.

我們總能一起找到可以歡笑的事情。我可以和他談人生，向他請教如何成為更好的丈夫、更好的父親。我也可以向他坦承我的失敗——在婚姻中的失敗、在為父的角色中的失敗，甚至是作為兒子的失敗。而他總是傾聽、支持、愛我，無論如何。

We could always find something to laugh about together.  I could talk to him about life, get advice on how to be a better husband, how to be a better father.  I could tell him about my failures in life.  About my failures as a husband.  About my failures as a father.  Even about my failures as a son.  And he would always listen, always support me, always love me, no matter what.

他的回應始終如一，我也知道永遠都會如此。我知道，即使在我覺得自己不配的時候，他仍然會用愛與饒恕回應我。我直到他離世後才真正明白，原來父親是我的避風港。我可以到他那裡卸下所有重擔，不被定罪，只被愛。

His response was constant and I KNEW it always would be.  I KNEW he would always respond with love and forgiveness, even when I didn’t feel like I deserved it.  I didn’t know it until after he was gone, but dad was my refuge.  I could go to him and unload all of my burdens.  And not be judged, but be loved.

因此，用我父親的名字來命名這座教堂是非常合適的。這裡應該成為一個避難所，一個你可以來卸下所有失敗與重擔的地方。而耶穌、你天上的父，會一直傾聽你、支持你、愛你，無論你是誰、經歷了什麼。你可以把你的重擔交託在這裡，留在天父的面前，然後帶著被愛與被赦免的心離開。這正是我父親為我所做的，也是耶穌為我們每一個人所做的，謝謝大家。

And so having Dad’s name on this chapel is appropriate.  This chapel should be a place of refuge.  It should be a place where you can come and unload all of your failures and all of your burdens.  And JESUS, your Heavenly Father, will always listen, always support you, always love you, no matter what.  You can leave your burdens herein the chapel with your Heavenly Father , and walk out loved and forgiven.  That’s what my dad did for me and what Jesus does for all of us.Thank you.