Jose’s Testimony Jose的见证



Hello everyone,
大家好，

It’s been almost a year since I stood here sharing my testimony about how God opened the door for my family and me to come to this beautiful country. 将近一年了，自从我站在这里分享我的见证，讲述神如何为我和我的家人打开门，使我们来到这个美丽的国家。

It’s also nearly a year since I was baptised and became a member of this church. 这也是我受洗并成为这间教会一员将近一年的日子。 Today, I’d like to share a bit about the journey since then— 今天，我想分享一下这段旅程 ——a journey that hasn’t been without its challenges, but has been filled with blessings. 虽然不乏挑战，但充满了神的祝福。

Since we started attending OTBC, 自从我们开始参加OTBC，our lives have been full of God’s blessings, even though we’ve faced some difficulties. 我们的生活虽遇到困难，却满溢神的祝福。One of those blessings was the opportunity to be part of the worship team at the 2pm service and at some of the combined services. 其中一个祝福就是能有机会参与下午两点的敬拜团队，以及一些联合崇拜。As many of you may have noticed—yes, I’m the crazy guy playing the bass! Haha. 或许你们中许多人已经注意到了——是的，我就是那个在台上疯狂弹贝斯的人！哈哈。When I play, you might think, “This guy looks out of place,” 当我演奏时，你可能会想：“这个人看起来好像有点格格不入。” but for me, worship is the moment I connect with God and surrender my soul to Him. 但对我来说，敬拜是我与神连结、向祂交托自己灵魂的时刻。

If we’re passionate about music, dancing, or sport, we throw ourselves into it— 当我们热爱音乐、舞蹈或运动时，我们会全身心投入其中—— so why not have the same passion for Christ and His ways? 那么，为什么不以同样的热情来追随基督和祂的道路呢？As it says in 2 Samuel 6:14–15: 正如撒母耳记下6:14-15所说：

2 Samuel 6:14–15, 14David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a linen ephod. 15So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet.”
1大卫穿着细麻布的以弗得，在耶和华面前极力跳舞。1这样，大卫和以色列的全家欢呼吹角，将耶和华的约柜抬上来。

That’s how I feel when I worship—full of joy and passion! 这就是我在敬拜时的感受——充满喜乐和热情！If I’m not ashamed to sing or dance or do other things, why should I be ashamed to worship God? 如果我不羞于唱歌、跳舞或做其他事情，那我又怎会羞于敬拜神呢？That’s why I continue to serve and pour my soul into worship. 这就是为什么我坚持服事，并全心全意地投入敬拜。

But as I mentioned earlier, this journey hasn’t been easy. 但正如我之前提到的，这段旅程并不容易。We’ve faced trials—especially around health and finances. 我们经历了许多试炼，特别是在健康和经济方面。One of the biggest challenges was with our youngest daughter, Violet.
其中最大的挑战之一，就是我们的小女儿Violet的健康状况。

When we first arrived in New Zealand, 当我们刚来到新西兰时， she had severe food allergies and couldn’t eat even simple things like potatoes or carrots. 她患有严重的食物过敏，连土豆和胡萝卜这样简单的食物都吃不了。

She had intestinal bleeding and severe skin reactions. 她患有肠道出血和严重的皮肤过敏。We had to prepare all her food separately, 我们不得不为她单独准备食物，and it was heartbreaking to see her watch other children eat things she couldn’t have. 而看着她眼巴巴地望着其他孩子吃她不能碰的食物，实在令人心碎。

I remember one day after a service, I went to Jane and we prayed for Violet’s health. 我记得有一天，在崇拜结束后，我去找Jane，我们一起为Violet的健康祷告。She had spent almost the whole winter fighting off colds and viral infections. 当时，她几乎整个冬天都在与感冒和病毒感染作斗争。Around that time, my wife, Katherine, decided to try reintroducing some foods into her diet. 就在那段时间，我妻子Katherine决定试着重新让她吃些不能碰的食物。To our amazement, Violet ate everything that had previously caused a reaction—and nothing happened. 令人惊讶的是，Violet吃了所有之前会引发过敏的食物——却什么事都没有。She was completely fine. 她完全好了！Fruit, vegetables, meat—everything! 水果、蔬菜、肉类——一切都能吃了！

We had prayed for healing from her frequent colds, but God, in His wisdom, answered the deeper prayer of our hearts. 我们曾为Violet频繁感冒的医治祷告，但神却以祂的智慧回应了我们内心更深的祈求。As Romans 8:26–27 says:正如罗马书8:26-27所说：

Romans 8:26–27,  26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. 27And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. 26况且，我们的软弱有圣灵帮助；我们本不晓得当怎样祷告，只是圣灵亲自用说不出来的叹息替我们祷告。27鉴察人心的，晓得圣灵的意思，因为圣灵照着　神的旨意替圣徒祈求。

God knew our real need, and Violet was healed from those severe allergies. 神知道我们真正的需要，于是Violet得了医治，不再受那些严重过敏的折磨。Now she only has coeliac disease, which means there’s just one thing she can’t eat. 现在她只剩下乳糜泻（腹腔病），这意味着她只需避免一种食物，Everything else is fine. 其他的都可以正常吃了。For this, I give all glory to God. 为此，我将一切荣耀归给神！

That wasn’t our only trial. 然而，这并不是我们唯一的试炼。We also had financial struggles.
我们也经历了经济上的挣扎。It’s not easy to talk about this, because as a man, I wanted to be self-sufficient and provide for my family. 这要说出来不太容易，因为作为男人，我想自己养家。But I found myself under pressure from financial commitments in Chile. 但现实中，我在智利的财务负担非常重。I owned a flat that I couldn’t rent out, yet I still had to pay the mortgage.
我在智利有一套公寓，租不出去，却仍要还房贷。It put a huge strain on our finances. 这让我们感到很吃力。

One memory stands out from Christmas. 圣诞节期间有件事很难忘。I had always been able to give presents to my daughters and my wife, but last year, I had nothing to give. 以前，我总能给妻子和女儿们准备礼物，但去年，我却什么都给不了。Many might say gifts don’t matter—and that’s true—but even a small gesture was out of reach. 许多人可能会说，礼物并不重要——这确实没错——但即使是一个小小的心意，我都无能为力。I prayed that I could at least give something to my youngest daughter. 我向神祷告，希望至少能送点什么给我的小女儿。

God answered with a verse:  神用一节经文回应了我：

Matthew 6:33, But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 你们要先求他的国和他的义，这些东西都要加给你们了。

We’re not a family that places a lot of value on material things, but I still wanted to give my little girl something. 我们家并不看重物质，但我仍然希望能送给我的小女儿一份礼物。A few days later, my mother messaged me, saying, “Son, I want to buy gifts for the girls.” 几天后，我母亲突然给我发消息，说：“儿子，我想给孙女们买些礼物。” I thanked the Lord我感恩神—and they got their presents.——最终，她们收到了自己的圣诞礼物。

But that wasn’t all. 但神的供应还不止于此。At my work Christmas dinner, my boss gave each of us an envelope. 在公司圣诞晚宴上，老板给了我们每个人一个信封。I saw my colleagues received mall gift cards and thought, “That’s nice!” 我看到同事们都收到购物中心的礼品卡，心想：“这挺不错的！” But when I opened mine at home, I found a supermarket voucher. 然而，当我回家打开自己的信封时，里面竟是一张超市购物券。My eyes filled with tears. 我眼里瞬间充满了泪水。

We looked at each other and said, “This is enough for food this month and for Christmas and New Year’s dinner. Glory to God!” 我们彼此对望，说：“这足够让我们这个月有饭吃，也能准备圣诞和新年的晚餐。荣耀归于神！” I hadn’t asked for it. I hadn’t even spoken about it.
我并没有向任何人提过我们的需要，甚至也没有求过神，But God knew. 但神知道一切。

And still, that wasn’t the end. 而且，这还不是结束。A dear friend and brother in Christ visited before Christmas with groceries— 圣诞节前，一位亲爱的弟兄来探望我们，带来了满满一袋食物——including a whole smoked ham! 其中竟然有一整条熏火腿！I’d never had a whole ham for Christmas dinner before. 我从未在圣诞节吃过整条火腿，Praise the Lord! 赞美主！

Then, on Christmas Eve, some friends and family in Jesus came to pray with us—到了平安夜，一些主内的朋友和家人来到我们家，与我们一起祷告——and they brought gifts, including something for my wife, who was the only one without a present at that point. 他们还带来了礼物，其中甚至有一份是给我妻子的——她是家里唯一还没有收到礼物的人。They might’ve thought it was a small gesture, but to us, it meant so much. 或许对他们来说，这只是个微不足道的举动，但对我们而言，这意义非凡。That Christmas was filled with joy. 那个圣诞节充满了喜乐。For us, it was a Christmas miracle. 对我们来说，那就是一个圣诞奇迹！

As Psalm 16:11 says: 正如诗篇16:11所说：

Psalm 16:11, You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. 你必将生命的道路指示我，在你面前有满足的喜乐，在你右手中有永远的福乐。

That’s why I rejoice and worship God with all my heart. 这就是为什么我满心喜乐，尽情敬拜神。How could I not be grateful for all He’s done for my family and me? 我怎能不为祂在我和我家人身上所行的一切感恩呢？

I still remember when we first came to OTBC and our girls were invited to Easter Camp. 我仍然记得我们第一次来到OTBC时，教会邀请我们两个女儿参加复活节营会。We said no that first year—we’d just arrived and didn’t know much about it. 那一年我们拒绝了——毕竟我们才刚到新西兰，对这些活动还不太了解。But this year, they’ve been coming to youth group every Thursday, and when Easter Camp was announced, they were so excited. 但今年，她们每周四都会参加青年团契，当复活节营会的消息宣布时，她们兴奋不已。

When I checked the cost, though, I realised we couldn’t afford it. 然而，当我查看费用时，我发现我们根本负担不起。I reached out to ask about a payment plan, but God already had it covered. 我鼓起勇气去询问是否可以分期付款，但神早已预备好了一切。The response I got was, “Don’t worry, a sister in Christ has already paid for your daughters.” 我收到的回复是：“不用担心，已经有一位姊妹为你的女儿们付清了费用。” I was speechless. 我当场说不出话来。

At first I thought, “What? How? I can’t accept this!” 起初，我心里想：“什么？怎么可能？我不能接受！”But I knew in my heart we couldn’t afford it. 但我也清楚知道，我们真的负担不起。I looked up and said, “Thank you, Lord.” 我抬头望向天，说：“谢谢你，主！”

As Ephesians 2:8 says: 正如以弗所书2:8-9所说：

Ephesians 2:8-9, 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9not by works, so that no one can boast.” 8你们得救是本乎恩，也因着信；这并不是出于自己，乃是　神所赐的；9也不是出于行为，免得有人自夸。

One of my greatest joys this year has been seeing my daughter Sophia join the worship team as a singer. 今年让我最喜乐的事情之一，就是看到我的女儿Sophia加入敬拜团队，成为一名歌手。I remember one night she was practising a worship song, and my heart was just full of gratitude. 我还记得有一天晚上，她在练习一首敬拜诗歌，我的心里充满感恩。One day while driving, she started singing “Oceans” in the car. 有一天，我们开车时，她在车里开始唱《Oceans》。I had tears in my eyes, silently praying and thanking God. 我的眼眶顿时湿润了，我默默地祷告，感谢神。Luckily, I was wearing sunglasses, so she didn’t notice—haha! 幸好我戴着太阳眼镜，所以她没有发现——哈哈！

And now, my wife Katherine has a work visa and is doing a temporary job, which is helping us improve our situation. 如今，我的妻子Katherine已经拿到了工作签证，并找到了一份临时工作，帮助我们改善经济状况。And from the 1st of March, our apartment in Chile has finally been rented out. 而3月1日起，我们在智利的公寓终于租出去了！Praise the Lord! 赞美主！

So that’s been my year since joining OTBC—这就是我在OTBC这一年的旅程——not without hardship, but overflowing with blessings. 虽有困难，却满溢祝福。That’s why I hold on to Psalm 128: 这也是为什么我紧紧抓住诗篇128篇的应许：

Psalm 128:1-2, 1Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to Him. 2You will eat the fruit of your labour; blessings and prosperity will be yours.” 1凡敬畏耶和华、遵行祂道的人便为有福！2你要吃劳碌得来的；你要享福，事情顺利。

And Psalm 116:1–2: 还有诗篇116:1-2：

Psalm 116:1–2, 1I love the Lord, for He heard my voice; He heard my cry for mercy. 2Because He turned His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live.” 1我爱耶和华，因为他听了我的声音和我的恳求。2他既向我侧耳，我一生要求告他。

Now you understand why I worship with all my heart and soul. 现在，你们明白为什么我全心全意地敬拜神了。This is why, filled with joy, I’ve written this testimony—这也是为什么，我满怀喜乐地写下这篇见证——so you might remember why we are here: 愿你们也能记得，我们在这里，out of love for God, to learn something new each day, to hear His Word. 是因着对神的爱，为了每天学习新的功课，为了聆听祂的话语。

Many of us may know it by heart, but being here isn’t just about listening with our ears—我们许多人可能已经熟记这些话语，但来到这里，不只是用耳朵聆听，it’s about receiving it with our soul. 更是用灵魂去领受。

Because faith without works is dead. 因为没有行为的信心是死的。In Latin America, we often say: “Jesus is a verb, not a noun.” 在拉丁美洲，我们常说：“耶稣是一个动词，而不是名词。”It means that knowing the Word by heart is useless if we don’t live it out. 这意味着，即便我们把神的话语背得滚瓜烂熟，但若不活出来，也是毫无意义的。Doing God’s will isn’t easy—it’s a daily battle against our own desires. 遵行神的旨意并不容易——这是一场每天都要面对的争战，是与自己私欲的较量。But God weighs the heart. 但神察验人心。

And that’s why, even when it’s hard to come to church, showing up is an act of love for Him. 正因如此，即便有时候来到教会并不容易，仍然选择来敬拜，就是对神的爱。It’s a moment when we deny the flesh to offer Him our spirit and our lives, choosing to live in the way He calls us to. 这是我们否定肉体、献上灵魂与生命的时刻，是我们回应祂呼召的选择。

Now you understand—this is why I worship God with all my soul. 现在你们明白了——这就是为什么我会全心全意地敬拜神。This is why I turn to Him every day. 这就是为什么我每天都转向祂的原因。This is why I seek Him. 这就是为什么我要每天都寻求祂的原因。And this is why I’m sharing these words with you today. 这就是为什么我愿意与你们分享这篇见证的原因。

May God bless you all. Thank you so much.
愿神祝福你们！谢谢大家！