這裡遇見神:A Divine Detour on a Bumpy Road - 號角月報加拿大版 Herald Monthly (Canada)

A Divine Detour on a Bumpy Road

號角月報加拿大版二零二五年九月

The Appeal of Holistic Well-being and Compassion

For months, Tom's world had been shrinking, marked by constant, nagging pain. At 76, simple things like getting dressed or walking were a real struggle. Living in Mississauga, he had tried everything, even praying to idols for a miracle, but nothing helped.

Then, one quiet afternoon, he heard a small ad on the radio for the 105 Gibson Centre’s Health Services. He'd never heard of it, and it was far away in Markham. But the words “holistic care” and “compassion” sparked a bit of hope. It was a hope strong enough to make him travel for two hours by bus and bike, each way. With every pedal and every transfer, he moved closer to a new possibility.

When Tom first arrived, he felt hopeful and put his trust in this new therapist. The therapist, though, was full of doubt. Tom's pain was so old and so bad that she wasn't sure she could help. As he began to explain his issues, she silently prayed for wisdom, asking God to guide her hands and show her how to help this man who had come so far.

In the first few sessions, Tom was friendly but held back, sometimes saying things that showed he didn't believe in Christianity. The therapist didn't push her faith. Instead, she focused on building trust and showing care. From time to time, she would gently mention that it might be God's arrangement for him to travel so far to a Christian-based community center to get the help he needed. As the massages helped ease his pain and he saw real improvement, he kept coming back, even with the long, four-hour daily commute. Over time, he seemed less opposed to the idea of Christianity and began to open up, sharing stories about his life. The sharp pains started to fade, and he began to feel more like himself.

It's so important to ask the right people...

One day, something special happened. During a session, Tom was talking about a difficult bicycle trip. He had ridden to a new eye doctor's appointment, but without a GPS, he got completely lost. He rode for hours, frustrated by a man who gave him the wrong directions. Finally, a person at a gas station gave him the right way, and he arrived. He sighed and said, "It's so important to ask the right people in order to get the right direction."

The therapist's heart leaped. She took a deep breath, said a quick prayer for courage, and took her chance. "You are so right," she said gently. "That's exactly why we need to follow the one who will always give us the right direction. He is God, and when we believe in Him, we get a 'passport' to heaven."

Tom didn't say anything, and the therapist, thinking she might have gone too far, didn't expect a reply. The rest of the session was quiet.

Guiding a soul to find its way home

As the massage ended and Tom was getting ready to leave, he turned back to her. "How do I get that passport?" he asked, his voice full of hope. "I also want to have a passport ready to go there."

The therapist, surprised and overjoyed, invited him to pray and accept Christ right then and there.

After this life-changing moment, the therapist felt so touched. She realized she had done more than just heal his body; she had been a part of healing his heart. She helped him find a local Chinese church near his home, where he quickly found a new community. He felt happy and peaceful, sure that God was helping him with his life's problems. Happy with his new faith, he began to share his beliefs with his family and friends. Now, whenever he has a problem, he prays, confident that God is with him every step of the way.

Tom's story is a beautiful reminder of how God works in our everyday lives. He takes a long commute, a stubborn pain, a quiet prayer, and a story about getting lost, and uses them to lead a soul home.

Grace