Day 9 第九天｜From Strangers to Teammates 教友>>隊友

By John Shum & Esther Poon

Our final day in Taipei began with a grab-and-go breakfast from a local street stall, and greetings with our fellow team members with similar local breakfasts. An ordinary moment but it struck me how much things had changed. When the trip preparations first began over Zoom several months ago, we were mostly courteous semi-strangers. Now, after serving, learning, laughing, and facing challenges together for the past 8 days, we had become teammates. 

在台北的最後一天和前幾天一樣，始於街邊攤的簡單早餐和弟兄姊妹的彼此問候。 但這個平凡不過的畫面，卻讓我感到不少改變。幾個月前，當我們剛開始透過 Zoom 為這趟旅程做準備時，彼此還只是客氣有禮的普通朋友。但在經過一起服事、學習、歡笑的八天後，我們已經成為了真正的隊友。

We began the day with our final team debrief. Everyone shared their highlights and lowlights of this trip – what encouraged us, what challenged us, and what things we might have done differently.  Everyone spoke candidly and with far less hesitation than our first Zoom meetings. 

最後一次的團隊分享準時開始，各隊友逐一分享了自己的感受 — 受鼓勵的、有挑戰的，以及可以下次做得更好的事。大家都敞開心扉地分享，比起最初的預備會議，少了拘謹。多了信任。

We understood short-term mission trips much better. It’s no longer just preparation and imagination but an actual experience for us together. We loved helping local Taiwanese people practice conversational English while also getting to know them personally. The opportunity to speak with local middle school students was especially memorable.

這次旅程讓我們對短宣有了更深的理解。我們不再停留在預備和想像，而是一起經歷了一個完整的過程。幫助本地人練習英語會話，並與他們彼此認識，很好；在板城靈糧堂與國中生交流互動，更好！

We were encouraged by how the team came together and how everyone contributed in whatever ways to get thigns done. Throughout the trip we had to remain flexible to respond to changing needs and adapt on the fly. Sometimes that meant changing our plans 30 minutes before leading the English workshop for local students. At other times, it meant helping a local sister paint her fifth-floor apartment, then carrying numerous large pieces of furniture down five floors and moving them down the street for collection the following day. Whatever the task, everyone stepped in and worked together to get things done.

隊友的同心協力是美好的，但凡有需要時大家都願意及時地出一分力。這趟旅程要求我們保持彈性，回應不斷變化的需求，臨場調整原來的計畫。在中學生英語工作坊開始的三十分鐘前，修改原定流程；又或是幫助一位姊妹粉刷她位於五樓的住所，然後把許多大型家具隨樓梯一件一件搬到樓下，再沿著街道搬到指定回收地點。但無論面對甚麼任務，大家都主動補位、彼此配合，協力把事情完成。

A lowlight was seeing two of our team members falling ill. One was feeling particularly unwell, but our team leaders quickly took her to a nearby medical clinic so that she could receive appropriate care. We were grateful that both were doing much better by now. 

遺憾的是有兩位隊員生病了。其中一位的情況尤其令人擔心，幸好帶隊的弟兄姊妹及時帶她到附近的診所治療。 感謝主，兩位的身體狀況都已經有所好轉。

After the team debrief, we divided into two groups. One group spent time praying with Pastor David, while the other followed Angela, the café manager, for a hands-on lesson in making espresso-based drinks. For many of us, it was our first time operating an espresso machine and learning how to steam milk properly.

團隊分享後我們分成兩組，一組與 David 牧師為了此次旅程禱告，另一組則跟著咖啡館經理 Angela，親手學習製作濃縮咖啡為本的飲品。對我們許多人來說，這是第一次操作意式咖啡機，也是第一次學習如何正確地加熱牛奶並打出奶泡。

[Photo 2 – Angela with first team at coffee bar]

We spent much of the afternoon in an honest and loving debrief with Pastor Chris. We came to understand much more about the Aroma ministry’s operations, and gained a deeper appreciation for the challenges facing the local team. At the same time, we offered ideas on operational improvements and how future short-term mission teams might be hosted more effectively.

當天下午我們與 Chris 牧師做了這次短宣的總體回顧，對話坦誠有愛。我們更深地了解了Aroma的事工運作，以及團隊每天需要處理的種種挑戰。對Aroma在運營及接待短宣隊的安排上我們提出了一些意見，希望能從一個不同的角度幫助他們把事工做得更好。

We headed to Ximending for an all-you-can-eat hot pot feast following the debrief. It was a wonderfully satisfying way to end both the day and the trip. Around the table, our conversation shifted from ministry plans and team responsibilities to the details of everyday life. We learned more about the military service required of Taiwanese men, how several of them first discovered the church, and what made them come to love the ministry enough to eventually work there. 

回顧結束後，我們一起去了西門町享用Chris 牧師極力推薦的火鍋吃到飽。這頓晚飯也為這整趟旅程畫上了一個滿足且美好的句號。餐桌上我們的話題從事工計畫和團隊責任，逐漸轉向日常生活中的點點滴滴。我們了解了台灣現行的兵役制度，也聽了數位當地的弟兄如何找到Aroma的故事—是甚麼讓他們愛上這個教會，這項事工，並最後選擇了在這裡工作。

We arrived as near-strangers but left as teammates, carrying home relationships and lessons that will stay with us.

抵達台北時還挺陌生的我們，到今天已經成了並肩的隊友。感謝上帝讓我們帶著這份珍貴的情誼踏上歸途。