Witness

參劈 - 祈禱(intro by Witness)

祈禱(intro by Witness)
作詞：參劈 (Tripoets)
作曲：參劈 (Tripoets)

我沒有信仰 對神仙也不會景仰
但我相信人間的一切都受制於天上
一股力量 無形地支配這世界
日子過得不錯的我始終常懷感謝
我很想找張紙 來寫下我的禱告詞
但怕千篇一律像老報紙上的廣告詞
於是我明瞭 禱告內容只是表面
重要的是心裡面願不願意讓它實現
我祈禱 不是為了吃得飽
也沒那麼偉大在為人類禱告
那背著十字架的耶穌在路上跌倒
也沒人掉下眼淚 來為他哀悼
在這fucked up的世界中 唯有祈禱能讓我
懂得自己還有機會來奮力一搏
祈禱的方式有千萬種 我只用一種
我說我的禱告詞 on my microphone

我向天祈禱 在朦朧中賜我力量
走向什麼地方只有天知道
我向天祈禱 在黑暗中帶來希望
走向什麼地方只有我知道

明天是艷陽高照還是烏雲繚繞
風雲變色的那一秒 沒人知道 沒有人會猜得著
沒有人在乎你過得好不好 如果你 禱告
想要 有一個 依靠 需要 一個溫暖的擁抱
需要 一個聲音告訴你 其實做得很好
其實還在正確的軌道 很多煩惱 可能是庸人自擾
老天爺喜歡開我玩笑 有時候關掉 我的頻道
有時候把我的聲音 fade out
是不是我 只在落魄 失意的時候 才找祂溝通
是不是我 只在難過 無助的時候 才向祂求救
才希望祂能伸出援手
能夠 保佑我 能夠 平安度過
這難關重重 so 祈禱也沒有用
so 就讓眼淚一直流 so 我用力怒吼
直到不再委屈 也不再悲痛 no
我把祈禱的內容 付諸於行動 不再困惑

我向天祈禱 在朦朧中賜我力量
走向什麼地方只有天知道
我向天祈禱 在黑暗中帶來希望
走向什麼地方只有我知道

在一生中 你會遭遇多少困惑
多少不能解決的問題圍繞 在你心頭
Children in the ghetto 只想好好過活
然而現實環境只能給予壓迫
Life is a struggle but you must go on
結果 人類無法掌握 或超脫
像行屍 走肉 的生活 我見過
空洞的眼神一雙雙遊移 在街頭
接踵 而來雜務繁多像 接龍
我何嘗不想要一對翅膀 讓我飛走
我祈禱 不是為了要和神佛溝通
是為了明天會更好 起床起的更早
就算 變老 頭髮 變少
我也沒有被宗教洗腦的煩惱
用真誠的心去祈禱
相信虔誠的禱告 最終能改變 生命的浪潮

我向天祈禱 在朦朧中賜我力量
走向什麼地方只有天知道
我向天祈禱 在黑暗中帶來希望
走向什麼地方只有我知道

你是否曾經 經歷無止境的不幸
讓你的心沈浸悲情 彷彿上天挑釁
多麼慶幸 我還擁有生命 我感激
並且時時提醒自己切記 不要忘記
你是否曾經感到迷惘 或是全世界的重量
都落在你的肩膀 正義不能伸張
我祈求上蒼 讓我不要慌張
讓我 看清楚一切都很正常
我何嘗不想 將痛楚淡忘
所以我跪在地上 祈禱人間也有天堂
快站起來 你的人生沒那麼慘
把雙眼睜開來 我們要永遠往未來看
祈禱是讓自己過得更好 讓自己更早
知道這個世界並不總是美好
我充滿期望去祈禱 我知道也明瞭
從今天起誰也不能把我擊倒

我向天祈禱 (我向天祈禱)
我向天祈禱 (我向天祈禱)
我祈禱 我祈禱
我祈禱 我祈禱
我祈禱 我祈禱
明天會更好

Better than a Hallelujah

I grew up listening to Amy Grant. Way back when I was in junior college and university helping out at my auntie's Christian bookstore, people used to come in and tell me that we shouldn't be selling Amy Grant's CDs because she has turned secular with her music.

Well...I had an issue with that because God created music and so we glorify Him by worshipping him. To me, God can be glorified in a Christian punk rock song as much as He can be exalted high through a hymn.

It's not the medium; it's the heart of a believer and the form through which God has inspired him or her to worship Him.  

Here's a recent interview with Amy Grant.

Better than a Hallelujah by Amy Grant

God loves a lullaby
In a mothers tears in the dead of night
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes.
God loves a drunkards cry,
A soldiers plea not to let him die
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are
But honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah.

Woman holding on for life,
A dying man giving up the fight
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes
Tears of shame for whats been done,
A silence when the words wont come
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

Better than a church bell ringing,
Better than a choir singing loud, singing out.

In sync with God

God has been moving in the entertainment circles in Taiwan and Hong Kong. 

Interview with Sammi Cheng

Interview with Vanness Wu 吳建豪

Interview with 梁文音

鄭 秀文 - 終生美麗 

After an absence of close to three years from the limelight owing to depression, Sammi Cheng held a series of eight concerts in May 2007. At the end of her last show, she read out a letter that she had written that morning to herself to share with her fans what she had gone through.

The video's quite touching. Have included the contents of the letter below as well.

Her letter ends with these words: "I know for sure that you're back, and even more important, your courage."

What an inspiration.



2007, 5 月18日至25日一连举行8场演唱会，这是她3年来的首

次 个唱，sammi演唱会的最后一场，sammi读了一封 自己写给自己的信，将这两年来的心情与所有人分享。读到 最后，“我清楚地知道，你回来了。更重要的是，你的勇气回来 了。

亲爱的mi：

自《长恨歌》之后，你就像人间蒸发。但这长达近两年的蒸发 期，空气中仍残存了不少你的气息。有关你的消息和报道， 恍如腐蚀性的液体，气味浓烈，伤害性也直达百分之百的饱 和状态。但我知道，这个悠长假期，你蒸发了某部分自己，是为 了茁壮另一个自己。

我太熟悉你这个人了。当你在一片负面的声音中，忽然举旗说 要举行演唱会，我深知你必然经过一番深思熟虑，方才让这 决定实行。而我也不会斗胆质疑你的能耐，纵然你已有数年 没站上舞台。我知道你心中抱持的信念，往往是力大无穷的 动力和能量。我看了你一连7场的演唱会，你那爆发出来的 力量非一日而来，我想郑重的告诉你，你这悠长假期，非常 值得。台上的你，像吃了一千粒3A电芯，生猛得恍如西贡 “通记”的游水龙虾。我太快乐了。看到你笑，我也跟着笑。 看着你跳，我也跟着跳。快乐就像感冒菌。这股交叉感染， 谁也逃不掉。这不是法庭，观众澎湃高涨的表现，是最好的证 据。

Mi，你没有让我失望，也没有让为你挤票而弄得面色枯黄的 观众失望。回顾一个多月前，报纸偷拍到你戒烟后滋生出来 的麒麟臂和猪腩肉。恕我直言，从后面看到你那高耸的屁股， 你胖得真的像菜市场的现代肥师奶。我知道你心中必定早 已预设了一系列进入地狱的减肥计划。听说你喜欢从天还没 亮的5点，便开始跑步，长达两小时，然后进行数小时磨人 的锻炼。天啊！我差点以为这特训是为了参加2008年北 京的奥运。不过，一个多月后的你，又极速变回了一个钢条 身形，这背后究竟弄湿了多少件汗衫和流了多少磅汗水呢？Mi， 我想告诉你：“值得”。你流过的汗水不是咸的，是 甘甜的。如果你不相信，请你洗耳恭听观众为你热烈而真诚的拍 掌声。

Mi，我太熟悉你了。你常说人生是一场自己和自己的竞技， 与人无关，战胜一个懦弱的自己，好过击败其他人的生命。 这两年多，我相信你也曾软弱无力，失去了太阳，但你推开 窗，看看今天阳光正在普照。下了一连数天的暴雨，太阳最 终为你而展露微笑。这不就是人生吗？更差更坏的都会过去，但 我们心中要长留一块美丽的境域。

作为一个快将35岁的女人。我相信你对生命有更大的体会， 这两年，是你人生中一个不能避免的起承转合期，你更懂得 感恩，更懂得珍惜。这两年媒体给你特级的特训，负面新闻 有时会形成一股强大的能量，我也感谢媒体在你第一场演唱 会之后的报道，“状态大勇”这4个字，看得我感动连连。 传播力量之大可想而知。你看，媒体对你也有宅心仁厚之时，哈 哈！

Mi，你说今天的你，是经过一场蜕变，像金蝉脱壳般，我知 道信仰是一股何其大的力量，你演唱“I will follow him”的him是指“主”吗？也就是“上帝”吗？如果是的话，我想告诉你，我可以清晰地看到他给你重新出发的力量！

Mi，我知道这场演唱会是你自放假以来，给自己的第一个“大 功课”。这一课，对于很久没站舞台的你，并不轻易。

这一堂功课，我认为你做到了，我清楚知道你回来了。更重要 的，你的勇气回来了。
永远爱你的人Sammi上

The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few

Chinese turn to religion to fill a spiritual vacuum

Excerpts:

The economic boom also is having unforeseen consequences for China's Muslims, in particular its female imams, who report difficulty recruiting new imam candidates, due to the paltry salaries. China is the only place in the world that has a tradition of independent female mosques, with their own ahong, or imams, to lead prayers and teach the Quran to women. But older female ahong report that the economic opportunities offered elsewhere mean that few women are drawn to the profession.

Another recent development is that increasing numbers of younger people are practicing religion. The 2006 survey showed 62 percent of religious believers are 39 and under.

This trend was evident at an unregistered meeting of Christians worshipping in a charismatic underground prayer meeting in the coastal city of Wenzhou, known as "China's ... See moreJerusalem." Many of the devout were young and obviously well-off. Such underground Christians have recently received surprisingly sympathetic coverage in the state-run media, raising hopes that their meetings may be legitimized. 

Great Leap Forward

Why Christianity is blossoming in China 

Excerpts:

Job and his wife became Christians the same way most Chinese do: A friend who was visiting the couple in their home simply shared the gospel. "She came for 24 hours, and she preached the gospel for 20," Job says of an evening five years ago.

"God has his eyes set on China," Uncle Daniel says. "I am seeing that in the policy of the government. I am... See more seeing that in the change of the politics and economics. I'm seeing change in our morality. I believe God will allow China to become strong not just for political reasons, but far more for his kingdom purpose."

The Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989 left many people questioning government values. The killing of unarmed protestors destroyed China's pro-democracy movement, but it also destroyed the nation's soul, says one Chinese leader. As a result, the academic study of Christianity became a maverick discipline in intellectual circles and a curiosity for others.

Following the Cultural Revolution, David Wang says, China ministry meant ministry to China. Years ago, Wang broadcasted readings from Streams in the Desert into China twice daily. Others smuggled Bibles or simply prayed. As China opened up in the '80s, it became ministry in China. English teachers became the face of that ministry.

Today, Wang says, the church is more mature. "I see these young leaders. They are preparing their co-workers to come out of China. I see the young leaders from the house church in China planting churches in southern Europe, western Europe, and Calgary and Toronto. I see them everywhere. So it's now the era of ministry from China.

"We the Chinese church are the ones who are going to bring the gospel back to Jerusalem," he says. "Probably every one of these leaders has been to Jerusalem. Why? Because somehow this crazy Chinese church could never forget that if we could bring the gospel back to Jerusalem, we will complete Matthew 24:14—that this gospel must be preached around the world. So we Chinese have the mandate to complete the gospel circle and usher in the return of Jesus."

Light in the hermit kingdom

North Korean killed for spreading the Gospel

"He told me his dream is to build a church at a good Pyongyang location and work as a pastor there," his brother says. "I thought the religious faith completely changed his fate."