空谷百合--慕拉第的宣教路
作者：小米 翻譯：小米
大約是在去年年初時候，我收到一本擱置已久的書稿。稿子是有關百多年前，一位叫慕拉第的美國姊妹，去到中國山東傳教的故事。曾幾何時，慕拉第這三個 字，是一個如雷貫耳的存在。可到了現如今，自己要等到翻開了書稿，才第一次聽聞她的生平——她出生高貴、家庭富有、學識出眾、個子小小、深色頭發、膽識過 人。而與此同時，她在傳道時候，所選擇的那種溫柔謙卑的方式，則給我留下了尤為深刻的印象。
故事要從 1885 年 12 月的某天說起。那天，慕拉第和她的助手曹先生一家，坐著騾車，搖搖擺擺地朝山東平度進發。在此之前，雖然也有其他宣教士到過平度，可還沒有誰在那裡長住下來。
而慕拉第幾乎是從一開始，就立定了心志要在平度扎根。她在那裡的住處，是由曹先生從他一個親戚那裡租來的。房子雖然簡陋，到也十分寬敞。到了平度以 后，慕拉第沒有立刻跑到街上當眾宣講。相反地，她先是在屋裡的泥地上鋪了草席、毯子，把帶來的褥子在炕上展平，然後氣定神閑地等著神召人來。
他們來了。
最先來的，是曹先生那個親戚的老婆。她需要找份工作。於是，慕小姐就給了她份洗衣服的差事。接著，一個當裁縫的鄰居上門來兜生意，然後跟慕小姐成為了好朋友。再就是一個鄰居家的男人說，他可以幫慕小姐挑水......借著這些人的關系，慕小姐很快就在鄰裡間站穩了腳跟。
慕小姐的策略是，先融入到周圍的環境中，成為社區中的一份子，然後從身邊的鄰居們入手，像一個朋友那樣告訴他們有關福音的真理。
每次她要上街的時候，都會帶著曹太太。通過曹家人，她又認識了很多人。他們時常到對方的家中做客。很快，她就找到了更多對福音有興趣的人家。而在這些人家中，她的工作重心是那些小家庭。因為在人比較少的時候，她可以安安靜靜地跟人們建立起相對親密的關係。
一段時間後，她開始到平度鄉下去探訪。在為期幾個月的時間裡面，她足足出訪了 122 次。到了後來，甚至當地品級最高的官員也請慕小姐到家裡去做客。因為那天正值主日，出訪會影響慕小姐敬拜神，她便拒絕了這位官員的邀請。結果，被拒絕了的大官滿懷好奇地與慕小姐約定改日再聚。等到慕小姐方便的時候，他還 特地派了一個婦人護送她到自己的官邸去。消息很快就傳遍了那裡的大街小巷。人們都知道有一個友好的外國女人到了平度。她來是為了傳講一門新學說。人們的配 合度大大提升，邀約拉第的請柬也便多到讓她應接不暇......
慕拉第在中國的服侍一直持續了好多年，最後她在年老的時候，因著嚴重的飢荒和供給不足而積勞成疾，病逝在回國途中。在她那個年代的美國女子裡面，她並不是最美麗的。可是正如《聖經》所說，艷麗是虛假的，美容是虛浮的，唯敬畏耶和華的婦女必得稱贊。當那些彼時炙手可熱的時尚女郎，在今天人們的眼中看來慘白詭異，神賞賜給慕小姐的安靜、平和，卻一如既往地讓書稿前面的我們受益良多。
The Lily in Valley—A Story of Lottie Moon
Written and translated by Naomi
It was at the beginning of last year when I received a book. The book was about a female missionary in the 19th Century. Her name was Lottie Moon. She spent years to preach gospel in Shandong, China. During that time, her name was well-known within the American evangelical circle. However, I hadn't heard her story until I read the book, which made me get to know the faithful lady finally. She was born rich and considered as highly educated among her peers. She was very small. She had dark hair. She was fearless. Meanwhile, I was most impressed by her humble and gentle style when she had preached the good news from the Lord.
It was during the December of 1885, Lottie Moon and her assistants, Mr. Chao and his wife, loaded their luggage on mules. They left for P'ingtu, China. There were missionaries who had reached their destiny before. However, none of them were able to stay there permanently.
On the other hand, Miss Moon determined to be a long term missionary from the very beginning. Mr Chao rented a house from his relatives for Miss Moon. The house was old but fairly spacy. After she was arrived, she didn't go out to give a public speech about Jesus right away. Instead, she stayed home. She organized her room and made herself a comfortable bed. She waited patiently for the Lord to guide God's chosen people to her.
They came.
The first person was the wife of Mr Chao's relative. She was looking for a job. Miss Moon paid her to do laundry. Later, a neighbour came to do business and made good friends with Miss Moon. Finally, a man from next door told Miss Moon that he could help her to get water from their well. Because of these people, Miss Moon was soon fitted in the neighbourhood.
This was Miss Moon's idea of preaching the Gospel: Being part of the community as a friend and introducing the truth from Jesus to all the neighbors.
Whenever Miss Moon went out for shopping, she would take Mrs. Chao with her. From Chao's families, she got to know even more friends. They visited each other later. And then, Miss Moon built lots of connections with the families who were interested in knowing Jesus more. She paid more attention on those small families, which allowed her to build closer relationships in a quite setting.
Later, she started to visit homes in the country of P'ingtu. During a few months, she visited some villages for 122 times. Later, even the highest governor in town invited her to his home. Miss Moon turned his invitation down as it was on a Sunday. She explained that she wouldn't do anything else but worship the Lord on Sundays. The governor was very nice to her, and they rescheduled the meeting. He respectfully sent a female servant to Miss Moon as her private security guard. The news was spreading fast. Everybody soon knew the friendly American lady was in town to teach a new doctrine. They were happy to hear it. The invitations were so much that Miss Moon was fully booked.
Lottie Moon severed in China for a lot of years. When she was in her old age, she was ill because of famine. Due to wars, she couldn't get enough support from America. She went to heaven before she was able to reach hometown. Bible told us that "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." When Miss Moon was young, she was not one of the American beauties. However, when the superstars then are looked no longer attractive according to our modern standards, the God given spirit in Miss Moon continuously brings us peace up to now.