在监狱事工中，我们经常遇到难民和寻求庇护者。我们的事工不只涵盖香港各监狱，也包括入境羁留中心。当作为难民或寻求庇护者来到香港时，他们经常需要找到一种离开自己国家的方法，而他们往往很容易被利用，或者对其他国家的法律和程序如何运作不太了解。他们付款所得的非法出境通道，可能意味着他们在抵达香港时会被拘留或监禁。由于寻求庇护者在香港期间不得工作，如果他们工作或寻找其他非法手段赚钱，他们也可能被逮捕和监禁。我们的事工在羁留设施内开设基督教课程，囚犯和被拘留者可自愿参加，与义工一起敬拜上帝、团契和阅读圣经。
当我们一起敬拜时，这确实是一件非常深刻的事。这些设施里没有任何花巧的东西；没有任何技术、强烈的视觉效果或互动视听来吸引人们的注意。相反，它只是一群崇拜者聚集在一起唱歌，有时没有任何音乐，并使用平装版圣经，一起翻阅圣经，分享圣经。这份简樸，让不同阶级、种族、教育、经济或地位之间变得没有任何区别，我们只是基督里的兄弟姊妹，一起敬拜我们的主。我们可以在世界任何地方，用自己的语言、自己的文化和表达方式分享敬拜歌曲，人人都可以加入。
当我们相信我们是他的孩子时，无论我们的背景如何，都会接受并理解我们都是按照上帝的形像创造的。正是在监狱里，我们共同体认到，我们都是基督里的兄弟姊妹，上帝呼召我们每个人都有一个目的，而我们的生活就是为了他的荣耀而活出这个目的。相比之下，在香港作为难民及寻庇者（RAS）的生活非常艰难，因为当他们的难民身份声请尚在处理，他们常常要等待很长时间，而且他们有很多顾虑，要处理起来，亦因为香港的法律所限而无能为力。
许多人分享了为自己和家人创造未来时所遇到的挣扎，他们很容易陷入自怜和沮丧，或重新陷入非法的生存方式。然而，我发现，那些在监狱里得到了福音真理的人，他们的信心会继续坚强起来，当他们出狱时，即使在等待他们的声请处理时，他们也能成为别人的祝福。他们决定在等待期间相信上帝并服事他，而不是重新犯罪。
我认识的RAS兄弟姊妹，尽管他们被认为是最贫穷的，仍会利用出狱后的时间，参加为穷人提供食物的喂养计划；亲自探访仍在里面的囚犯；在各个教堂提供帮助，什至建立他们自己的事工来支持其他RAS人士，让他们在对主的信仰和爱上成长。
他们之所以能够做到这一点，是因为他们对于上帝给他们创造的身份，有着深刻的理解。他们不受别人如何给他们贴上标签限制，也不受他们的环境限制。相反，他们知道无论他们身在何处，他们都被呼召，正如彼得前书二章9节所说的那样：「惟有你们是被拣选的族类，是有君尊的祭司，是圣洁的国度，是属神的子民，要叫你们宣扬那召你们出黑暗入奇妙光明者的美德。」
无论他们身在何处、无论在什么情况下，他们都将成为周遭人的光明。他们知道，无论有什么缺乏，他们都有一位能够满足他们所有需求并供应他们的父亲。当他们继续跟随他并允许他使用他们时，他正在幕后为他们的好处而工作。这使得他们的见证和影响力更加强大，因为他们能够表明上帝能够为悲哀的人赐华冠代替灰烬（赛六十一3）。尽管他们面临着比我们许多人更多的挑战和耻辱，他们透过自己的软弱，证明了他们的父神是强大的！
我个人深被他们的生命所激励。看到他们的生命完全依赖他，来满足他们的所有需要，与此同时，仍然倾尽自己去服务他人，我深受启发要更有信心。我们会继续在基督里作为兄弟姊妹一家人，共同成长。
（作者董怡馨牧师为基督教更新会助理秘书长。本文属「与难民同行．难民不烂」系列，由难民事工小组提供。小组由香港的基督教教会和机构组成，一直以来支援在港难民和免遣返声请者在房屋、教育、心理、生活上的需要，帮助他们融入社会。）
From prisoners to brothers and sisters
In the prison ministry we often come across Refugee and Asylum Seekers. Our ministry not only covers the various prisons of Hong Kong but also the Immigration Detention Centres. As often when coming to HK as a refugee or asylum seeker one needs to find a way to leave their own country and often they can be easily exploited or without much knowledge of how laws and procedures work in other countries they are sold a passage out via illegal means which could mean detention or imprisonment when they land in Hong Kong. As asylum seekers are not allowed to work while they are in Hong Kong they can also be arrested and imprisoned if they work or find other illegal means to make money. Our ministry runs Christian classes inside the institutions where inmates／detainees voluntarily attend to worship God, fellowship and read the word together along with volunteers.
It’s really something quite profound as we worship together. There are no bells or whistles in the institutions. There is no technology or strong visuals or interactive audiovisual to attract people’s attention. Instead it is the bare minimum of a group of worshippers coming together to sing sometimes without any music and share the bible together flipping passages using the paperback versions of the Bible. In this simplicity there are no differentiations between class, race, education, financial or status we are just all brothers and sisters in Christ worshipping our Lord together.We could be anywhere in the world as each person shares worship songs in their own language and in their own culture and expression and everybody joins in.
There’s an acceptance and understanding that we are all created in the image of God and when we believe we are His children regardless of our backgrounds. It is in the prison that we share that we are all brothers and sisters in Christ and that God has called each of us for a purpose and our life is about living out this purpose for His glory.In contrast life outside as a RAS in Hong Kong is very tough as often they have to wait for a long time while their claim for refugee status is being processed and they have many concerns and a powerlessness to be able to do anything about it due to the laws of Hong Kong.
Many have shared their struggles to make a future for themselves and for their families, it’s easy to fall into a pattern of self pity and frustration or going back into illegal means of survival.
However what I have found is that those who in the prison have grasped the truth of the gospel will continue to grow strong in faith and when they come out of the prison they are able to be a blessing to others even while they are awaiting for their claims to be processed. Rather than going back to crime they decide to trust in God and serve Him while they are waiting.
RAS brothers and sisters that I know will use their time post-release to participate in feeding programs to feed the poor even though they themselves are considered the most poor, undertake personal visits to inmates who are still inside, help at various churches and even establish their own ministries to support other RAS people to grow in their faith and love for the Lord.
They are able to do this because they have a strong understanding of who God made them to be. They are not restricted by how others may label them or how their environment restricts them instead they know that wherever they are they are called to be as it says in 2 Peter 2:9 “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that [they] may proclaim the excellencies of him who called [them] out of darkness into his marvellous light”.
They will be a light to those around them wherever they are and in whatever circumstances. They know that regardless of lack they have a Father who can supply all their needs and who will provide for them. That He is working behind the scenes for their good as they continue to follow Him and allow Him to use them.
This makes their testimony and their impact even more powerful as they are able to show that God is able to turn their ashes into beauty (Isaiah 61:3) despite all the challenges that they face and the stigma which is much more than many of us. Through their weaknesses they demonstrate that their Father Lord is strong!
I’ve personally been so encouraged by their lives and am inspired myself to have more faith through seeing their lives of complete dependence on Him for all their needs as well as still pouring out themselves to serve others. We continue to grow together as family, brothers and sisters in Christ.
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