好書分享:In the Arena
作者:Isobel Miller Kuhn
出版:OMF(http://www.omfbooks.com)
最近迷上讀宣教士傳記,正在讀的就是這一本,雖然是英文版,不過因為書中的人時地物都很吸引我,所以還是努力地讀下去~
以下是從維基百科裡找到的作者介紹(英文部分),中文則是自己亂翻一通(也許有很多錯誤,別介意),這本書應該有中文版,不過很難找,因為年代已久遠.我手上的書是Petrea回美國時幫我買的,放了許久都没時間讀,現在終於有時間細讀了~感謝主,每次讀完都有滿滿的感動!
2012/09/10
Isobel Selina Miller Kuhn, born Isobel Selina Miller, aka, "Belle" (December 17, 1901 – March 20, 1957), was a Canadian Christian missionary to the Lisu people of Yunnan Province, China, and northern Thailand. She served with the China Inland Mission, along with her husband, John, as a Bible translator, church planter, Bible teacher, evangelist and authored nine books about her experiences.
Isobel Selina Miller Kuhn(註1),生於1901年12月17日,卒於1957年3月20日.她是加拿大籍基督教宣教士,主要在中國雲南及泰北地區的傈僳族中做宣教工作.她與丈夫John kuhn(註2)同受中國內地會(CIM)差派,在海外從事翻譯聖經,主持教會,教導聖經等工作,Isobel更將她的服侍經驗以生動的文字創作成冊.如今已出版九本著作.
(註1) Isobel Selina Miller Kuhn中文譯名為楊宓貴靈
(註2) John kuhn中文譯名為楊志英
Over the next four decades they served together - like her mentor, J. O. Fraser, who came before them and who also worked alongside them until 1938. Although John Kuhn's leadership duties (and eventually his CIM superintendent duties) separated him from his sheep frequently - sometimes for as long as a year - throughout all of their ministry in China, the Kuhns first ministered in Chengchiang, Yunnan, from 1929-1930, and in Tali [Dali], Yunnan, which had been without missionaries for the previous year They were there from 1930-1932. While in Tali, the Kuhns had a baby girl, Kathryn Ann, in April, 1931. They then ministered in Yongping, Yunnan, a mostly Muslim area, from 1932-1934. The Kuhns lived in an area of the city that had a lower percentage of Muslims. They ministered among the Lisu, in China, from 1934 until 1950.
他們來到中國之後,一開始與宣教士J. O. Fraser(註3)同工, Fraser可說是Isobel的導師,他比Kuhn夫婦更早來到中國,而且與他們同工直到1938年.John Kuhn常因身兼CIM督導的緣故,經常必須與他的羊群分開,有時一年就換一次地方:他們待過雲南的Chengchiang(1929-1930)及大理(1930-1932),在此之前大理從未有過宣教士進駐,Isobel在大理生下一個女兒,名為 Kathryn .接著他們在Yongping從事宣教工作(1932-1934),這裡的人多數都是回教徒,他們居住在城中回教徒比例較低的地區.接著他們到傈僳族中開拓福音工作,從1934年開始至1950年結束.
(註3) J. O. Fraser中文譯名為富能仁
In 1936, after 16 months of ministering in "Lisuland," the Kuhns took their first furlough to see both their families, in Manheim, PA, and Vancouver, respectively. John had been on the mission field for 10 years; Isobel, for eight years. Back in China, "Belle" had her second child, a son, Daniel Kreadman, in August, 1943. In 1942, they started a Bible school for girls and, in 1943, one for boys.
1942年,他們開始在傈僳族中開辦"女孩聖經學校",1943年則有"男孩聖經學校"
The communist revolution in China forced Belle and her son Danny to leave the country in March, 1950, and to put her missionary life on hold for two years. John Kuhn left China 18 months after his wife. While on furlough, the Kuhns spent their time in Wheaton, Illinois, because their daughter was studying at Wheaton College.
1950年,因為共產黨革命的緣故,Isobel不得不帶著兒子Danny離開中國,她的宣教生活被迫暫停兩年.John Kuhn 則在中國多待了18個月才離開返美.
Sensing God's call again, but with China closed to them, the Kuhns continued their ministry in 1952 among another Lisu people group, this time in northern Thailand, until 1954, when they retired.
為了再次回應神的呼召,且中國已關閉福音之門的情況下, Kuhns 夫婦在1952年抵達泰北,與另一群生活在此的傈僳族一起生活,繼續他們的宣教工作.直到1954年才退休.
Fifty years after the death of Isobel Kuhn, Christianity has been thriving in the Salween River valley where the Lisu live in China. Of the 18,000 Lisu who lived in Fugong, Yunnan, in 1950, 3,400 professed faith in Christ. As of 2007, it is estimated that 80-90 per cent of the 70,000 population make the same profession. In Yunnan, it is estimated that there are between 100,000-200,000 Lisu Christians in total. More than 75,000 Lisu Bibles have been legally printed in China following this explosive growth.
Isobel Kuhn去世50年後, 中國西南怒江峽谷裡的傈僳村落中,基督徒人數出現驚人的成長.根據統計,1950年(當宣教士被迫離開中國時),居住在怒江福貢的傈僳人口總數是18000人,其中只約有3400人信主.到了2007年,據估計當地人口已達70000人,其中信徒比例竟高達80-90%.在雲南省境內,估計共有10至20萬的傈僳基督徒.因應這些爆炸性成長的信徒人數,在中國已有超過75000本的傈僳文聖經被合法印刷出版.
Today, this strong Christian presence in the Lisu communities of China and beyond can be attributed at least in part to Isobel Kuhn and her idea to start what she called the "Rainy Season Bible School." This was a school borne of the fact that, in the heavily agricultural area where the Kuhns ministered, the rainy season disrupted all normal life. Isobel Kuhn formed a plan to hold classes during this agricultural down time, not only to preach the historic Christian Gospel but also to teach the Lisu the basics of the Christian faith. These classes were taught by Kuhn and others. From these classes, countless men who became evangelists and pastors took the Christian message to untold numbers of nationals and travelers throughout China.
今日福音的果子在中國傈僳族群中如此興旺,或許有部分可以歸因於Isobel Kuhn在傈僳人中開展福音工作的創意,也就是開辦"雨季聖經學校".這是配合當地的自然及人文環境而設計開辦的學校,因為多數傈僳人以務農維生,每年到了雨季,農人們就得被迫中斷工作,Isobel在這段農閒的時間裡,規畫設計一系列關於基督福音及基要真理的課程,舉辦培訓班,由Kuhn夫婦及其他宣教士授課, 藉此培養了無數傈僳族傳道人及牧者,由他們繼續向未信者傳福音,甚至到中國的其他地區去宣教.
Kuhn's autobiographical and biographical missionary writings are still in print over fifty years after they were first published.
Isobel Kuhn的 自傳式宣教著作至今仍持續印刷,距離初次出版的時間已有五十年了,可見其受歡迎程度.
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好書分享~In the Arena
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