忽然來的驚恐 A Sudden Terror

English Version Follows

在箴言第3章第25節中，上帝的話語告誡我們“忽然來的驚恐，你不要害怕”。

儘管如此，有時我們仍會感到措手不及。2022年3月9日星期三凌晨3點左右，我醒來上廁所，排尿時非常疼痛。看到大量鮮血，我也很震驚。這在早上7點再次發生，所以我和我的妻子趕往急診室；幸好我馬上就被就診了。經過一些治療，出血似乎得到了控制。我們回家了，但問題一次又一次地出現，以至於在24小時內我去了3次急診室。我第三次懇求醫務人員在出血問題沒有解決之前不要送我回家。

我必須說，我一生中從未經歷過如此巨大的身體痛苦。當頻繁而劇烈的“膀胱痙攣”臨到我身上時，我只能向上帝呼喊，向護士大喊，不惜一切代價讓我解脫。我突然對聖經以賽亞書第53章第4到5節有了更密切和深刻的理解：

4 他诚然担当我们的忧患，
背负我们的痛苦；
我们却以为他受责罚，
被神击打苦待了。
5 哪知他为我们的过犯受害，
为我们的罪孽压伤。
因他受的刑罚，我们得平安；
因他受的鞭伤，我们得医治。

經過三天看似永無止境的痛苦，在醫護人員努力止血的同時，醫生們在前列腺表面進行了電灼，也就是問題所在的位置，最終止住了血。我永遠無法對醫院所有醫務人員的專業精神和真誠關懷表示足夠的感謝。讚美上帝的供應！

在我住院期間，我體會到特別的強烈印象，即工作人員——醫生、醫師助理、護士和其他人——來自不同的種族和民族。工作人員要么來自烏茲別克斯坦、緬甸、海地、牙買加、中國、西班牙語國家、歐洲國家等地。在非常困難的情況下，我經歷了最美好的種族和諧。各種語言和口音的混合聲音傳入我的耳中。

我住院的另一個”美好回憶“：連續兩個晚上，我旁邊床上的“鄰居”（來自哥斯達黎加）從未停止過製造噪音：他的電視也24 小時開著，聲音很大而且不停與朋友和親戚打電話。護士知道情況，還給我帶了一副耳塞！然而，他出院後，我發現我真的“懷念”他給房間帶來的興奮和歡快的氣氛。

我感謝有機會認識這麼多平凡的英雄，他們都以認真快樂的態度努力工作，在身體上照顧他人，同時也為自己的家庭提供經濟支持。一位上夜班照顧我的牙買加護士告訴我，她每天上夜班後回家，睡三個小時，然後去學校接她八年級的兒子和六年級的女兒放學他們可以避免在校車上的霸凌和整體負面環境。（我很高興能夠與她分享我的事工是幫助家庭進行在家教育並鼓勵她尋找當地的教會。她非常感興趣並感謝我們的討論。）

我永遠無法對我的家人和基督徒兄弟姐妹表達足夠的感激之情！我的妻子一直陪伴著我；她還處理了我通常會處理的汽車問題。（例如，有一次，探視時間結束後，汽車啟動器不工作，需要拖車。）我真的蒙了耶和華的極大恩惠。（箴言18:22）我的孩子們還整理了一張巨大的卡片，裡面有我可以隨時從床上看到的照片。我知道很多人在為我祈禱。我只能說：“人算甚麼，你竟顧念他！”（詩篇8:4）

是的，“忽然來的驚恐，你不要害怕…因為耶和華是你的倚靠，他必保護你的腳不陷入羅網”。讚美神！

In Proverbs 3:25, we are admonished by God’s Word that we should “…not be afraid of a sudden terror.”

Nevertheless, sometimes we may still feel caught off guard. At approximately 3 am on Wed., March 9, 2022, I awoke to use the bathroom and had very painful urination. I was also shocked to see a lot of  blood. This occurred again at 7 am so my wife  and I rushed to the ER; fortunately I was seen immediately. After some procedures and monitoring, the bleeding seemed to have come under control. We went home, but the problem occurred again and then again, so that within 24 hours I went to the ER three times. The third time I begged the medical staff not to send me home without the bleeding issue being resolved.

I must say that I have never experienced such great physical pain in my life. When the frequent and intense “bladder spasms” came upon me, I was only able to cry out to God and yell out to the nurses to give me relief, whatever it would take. I suddenly came to comprehend much more closely and deeply the meaning of the Bible passage, Isaiah 53:4-5:

4 Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.

After three days of seemingly never-ending suffering while the medical staff worked to encourage the bleeding to stop, the doctors did a fulguration on the surface of the prostate, the location of the problem, which stopped the bleeding. I can never say enough thanks to all of the medical staff in the hospital for their professionalism and genuine care. Praise be to God for His provision!

A strong impression came upon me during my hospital stay that the staff – doctors, physician assistants, nurses, and others – were of all different races and ethnicities. Staff members were either from, or born of parents from, places like Uzbekistan, Burma, Haiti, Jamaica, China, Spanish-speaking countries, European countries, etc. I experienced the most beautiful racial harmony in a very difficult situation. The mingled sound of various languages and accents passed through my ears.

Another fond memory from my hospitalization: for two straight nights the “neighbor” (from Costa Rica) in the bed next to me never stopped making noise: his television was on for 24 hours even while he was speaking on the phone, loudly and constantly, with friends and relatives. The nurse, aware of the situation, even brought me a pair of ear plugs! However, after the gentleman’s  discharge, I found that I truly “missed” the excitement and cheerful atmosphere he had brought to the room.

I am thankful for the opportunity to have gotten to know so many ordinary heroes who are working so hard, all with a joyful attitude, to care for others physically as they also provide financially for their own families. One Jamican nurse who took care of me on the night shift told me that everyday after her night shift she would go home, sleep for three hours, and then go to pick up her eighth-grade son and sixth-grade daughter from school so that they could avoid the bullying and overall negative treatment on the school bus. (I was glad, then, to be able to share with her that my ministry is to help families to do homeschooling and encouraged her to find a local church. She was very interested and thankful for our discussion.)

I can never have or express enough appreciation for my family and for Christian brothers and sisters! My wife kept me company throughout the time; she also handled car issues which I normally would have taken care of. (For example, at one point, after visiting hours were over, the car starter did not work and the car needed to be towed.) I have really obtained great favor from the Lord. (Proverbs 18:22) My children also put together a huge card with photographs which I could view from my bed at all times. I knew many people were praying for me. I can only say, “Who am I, that God should care for me so tenderly?”

Yes, sometimes we will experience “a sudden terror” (or what seems like it!), but “the Lord will be [our] confidence and will keep [our feet] from being caught.” Praise God!