Treasure Box

Pastor Rosita Lee

When our children were young, we took them to a restaurant one day. After the meal, the waiter brought out a treasure box and let the children draw a small gift from it. The gifts included small toys, stickers, or stationery supplies, etc. They were not expensive, but the children were so excited that they wanted to visit the restaurant again.

In the past few years, NYCBC Community Services has organized many different activities, and everyone can sign up to participate according to their preference. We often heard laughter from the classrooms and it sounded like everyone was having fun. We also often received positive comments about the activities, instructors and volunteers, which were very encouraging. In March this year, all activities were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the Community Service team did not stay idle. Starting from late April, individual exercise and interest classes were gradually re-launched on the Internet. The platform is different, but their hearts to serve remain the same.

During the Lunar New Year, a learner from the Chinese Calligraphy class prepared some Chinese well wish greetings in red couplets for his Fellowship. Not only were the writing styles beautiful, but the messages of blessings were also rejoicing and encouraging. I took one written with the message: "Be Joyful Always" to visit an elderly lady. She took a look and said, "Can you still be joyful when you are sick?" We looked up the Bible together and saw these verses: "Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances. " (First Thessalonians Chapter 5 Verses 16-18). She thought about it, and then realized that the care she received from the doctor, her family, and the telephone calls from her grandchildren……. all of these were not merely coincidences, they were all grace from God. We then prayed together and entrusted everything to God. Afterwards, she said that her fear and anxiety were greatly reduced, and she truly experienced peace and calm in her heart.

The NYCBC Community Services is like a treasure box from which everyone can draw what they cherish most, such as: activities that are good for the body and mind, abundant and timely informational resources, interests from the past, long-lost old songs, and more: valuable friendship, true inner joy, sincere love and caring, generous hospitality, etc. I sincerely hope that you will find your most precious treasure from this treasure box, that is, Jesus Christ, who was crucified for everyone in the world. He died and was raised again. He is the true and living Lord.