TESTIMONY:Thomas Kwok

In 1994, when my wife and I came back from holiday, I tried to sleep that night, and as usual I couldn't, as I felt so concerned, so worried and so afraid. My wife could see what was happening to me and she said to me, "Why don't you read that book?" She was referring to the Bible, which I had had since I was a teenager. When I opened the Bible, the passage I read was John 14:27, where Jesus told his disciples. 'The peace I give to you is very different from the world.' Immediately, it brought a sense of peace to my mind. I knew there was something there, and that God was asking me to do something, but I didn't know what it was. So I asked my wife to go to church with me the next day. We went to a church along Kennedy Road. When I first walked into the church, the music and the sermon brought a great sense of peace to my mind. At that service, an English gentleman by the name of Gumbel preached on the first lesson of the "Alpha, course" which the church was about to start soon. I thought I already knew much about the Bible from my high-school days, so I was reluctant to sign up. As it required me to commit to eleven Monday evenings for three months from seven to ten p.m., it seemed very unlikely. However, as God always has a way to work in us, we decided to sign up and attended each session in the end.

Through Alpha, I learnt that Christianity was not only knowing about Jesus, but it was more like starting and building a relationship. It was like, suddenly knowing your God, your best friend, and someone you can count on. The Alpha weekend in particular, which was probably the most important day of my life, was a day that I will never forget. During that day, there were many times when we encountered the Holy Spirit. Even though we may not know the Bible well, by knowing the Spirit, we know Jesus. My wife and I were so touched on that day that we decided to be baptized the following Christmas.

At times when I lose confidence and hope, and when I am overwhelmed by difficult situations, I always turn to God and learn to trust Him more, for He will cast all doubts from my mind. Probably the best gift I can ever give to my friends, whether they are believers or not, is to give them a chance to know our God better by attending an Alpha course. It is a wonderful experience, an experience I'll never forget.