Friday, October 17, 2008
wooow, blog's rotting.. shall update now! :D
here is my reflection on my short term missions trip to Kuching! (:
I really thank God for being able to go for this missions trip to Kuching. Though there were many last minute changes, praise God that everything still proceed on smoothly. (: Through this 7 days serving God in a foreign country, my life has been changed and my heartbeat for missions grew even more.
At first, my original intention of going to Kuching was just to get an experience of serving God in another country, find out if i really have the desire to go church planting one day and also to impart and learn from the people there. However, through this 7 days, God totally changed my perspective of missions.
To me, the most memorable part of the whole missions trip would be the days we spent at the longhouses. Living in a not-so-comfortable environment was definitely a challenge and yet a breakthrough for me. I was pretty much afraid of the creepy crawlies, bathing in cold water and not to forget.. cats!! But praise the Lord, i managed to see myself have a small step of breakthrough in all these areas. :D And i believe God made me go through all these "experiences" to show me how blessed i am to be living in Singapore. The villagers there were very hospitable, serving and loving. Even though there was a certain language barrier between the villagers and us, they would still give us a warm smile whenever they see us. The countless breakfasts that they took effort to prepare for us every morning, when we're still sleeping, really melt our hearts. Their sincerity and genuinely love for one another really touches me deep inside, they are indeed people who are just purely simple and joyful from the inside. God reminded me of how i should be like them as well, a child of God who loves Him with a simple heart. (: Also, i would want to learn from their spirit of excellence and servant-hood.. to be someone who gives my best to God and His Kingdom, more of Him and less of me.
In this missions trip, i was given the opportunity to share my life testimony during one of the MCGs. I really thank God for the chance to share my faith to a group of people far from home but i know they share one common thing with me, that is a relationship with Christ! (: Through sharing my life testimony, i was once again reminded of God's faithfulness in my life and how He has transformed and changed my life completely. i am just so grateful.. :D
God also used me to speak a word of knowledge to one of the villagers who wanted to be prayed for to bear a child. As i spoke to her and heard her response, i knew immediately that it was from God and it really encourages me a lot to know that indeed prayer comes a long way and it increased my faith too. (: As we went from house to house to pray for each villager and their family of their needs, i could really sense strongly their love and dependence on God which really made me ponder.. people living under such conditions can be so hungry and eager to seek and also receive from God, how about us living in our own comfort? Are we also as hungry to seek God in our lives?
Had the pleasure to talk to, one of the sisters from Hope Sri Aman, Sister Empina. She shared to me about vision and burden for the people of the longhouses.. as she shared, i could see that sparkle in her eyes and her love for people. Though in the past as she started to pioneer the longhouses, the villagers did not look up to her due to her height, gender and the difference in the language they speak. However, she kept her faith in God and continue to share God's love with them and God sowed a seed in their lives. Now, out of the ten longhouses in Lingga, eight of them has already been saved! All these salvations would have been impossible if not for the vision, faith and perseverance of this sister and God's grace. I am really inspired by her life and God has used her to plant a vision of a missionary in my heart and further convicts me of going for church planting in future, especially in a country where they are Malays. (:
I also am very blessed by the people serving in Hope Kuching. Even though it was their holidays, they took meticulous care of us by being a good host and hostess and they also make sure they bring us to places with good food, cheap things to buy and to enjoy the nice scenery around Kuching. Their sacrificial love and giving indeed made us felt so welcomed. :D We also attended their youth service, Sunday service and half night prayer meeting. It was indeed encouraging to see people from another Hope church serving God so fervently too! (:
Through this trip, i've also acquired skills that can be applied in our ministry in Singapore. As we interacted and shared our lives with the Hope Kuching people, we realised that there were certain underlying issues they have been dealing with.. certain wrong concepts some of the people have. We were very concerned as we know that these wrong concepts are and will be stumbling blocks that would hinder their personal growth and also affect their ministry. So we really prayed for the people as we evaluated, analyse their root issue and spoke to them indirectly through the Holy Spirit's empowerment. Praise the Lord that we saw how some individuals started to shift their perspective and concept for the better! ((: We were really amazed at how God used us to make a difference and overjoyed to know that God will continue to do something in their hearts! :D Through this experience, i've really learned to look to God instead of my own limitations. Our limitations should not be an excuse to our lack of faith to believe that God will move no matter the situation.
Lastly, i am thankful for the fun bunch of team mates that went for this missions for me and i thank God for placing a burden for people in each and every one of our hearts! Yes indeed, want to encourage those who have not went for missions before, do go for it at least once in your lifetime! It's definitely worth it.. Act locally, dream and impact globally!~ :D
Jorris and Magnortoise ((:
Jorris look so motherly hor? tsk! >.<
Baby Mag and Mag :D hee!
simple life, simple faith, simple love for God.. ^^
(the kids are playing with a tiny lil' frog! awww~ )
the last house visitation..
really enjoy the villagers' warm and hospitality. :DD
group photo with Ah Yieng at Hope Church Kuching!~ ((:
buddy and i at one of Kuching's biggest shopping malls. <3
i wish i had the bears at home! HAHA!~
And again, i want to shout out : "Photography is lovely!~" ((:
Jorris and me in the bus on the way to Sri Aman!~
wooooo~ indeed, it was a loooooooooooong journey! =x
group photo taken while waiting for the sampan at Sri Aman. (:
from left to right: Leslie, Jorris, Mag, Lestari and Buma.
(Lem was in the toilet.~)
when we got bored while waiting... hee!
1, 2...3!~ cheese! :DD
tada~
The End. (:
(more to come though! ^^)
here is my reflection on my short term missions trip to Kuching! (:
I really thank God for being able to go for this missions trip to Kuching. Though there were many last minute changes, praise God that everything still proceed on smoothly. (: Through this 7 days serving God in a foreign country, my life has been changed and my heartbeat for missions grew even more.
At first, my original intention of going to Kuching was just to get an experience of serving God in another country, find out if i really have the desire to go church planting one day and also to impart and learn from the people there. However, through this 7 days, God totally changed my perspective of missions.
To me, the most memorable part of the whole missions trip would be the days we spent at the longhouses. Living in a not-so-comfortable environment was definitely a challenge and yet a breakthrough for me. I was pretty much afraid of the creepy crawlies, bathing in cold water and not to forget.. cats!! But praise the Lord, i managed to see myself have a small step of breakthrough in all these areas. :D And i believe God made me go through all these "experiences" to show me how blessed i am to be living in Singapore. The villagers there were very hospitable, serving and loving. Even though there was a certain language barrier between the villagers and us, they would still give us a warm smile whenever they see us. The countless breakfasts that they took effort to prepare for us every morning, when we're still sleeping, really melt our hearts. Their sincerity and genuinely love for one another really touches me deep inside, they are indeed people who are just purely simple and joyful from the inside. God reminded me of how i should be like them as well, a child of God who loves Him with a simple heart. (: Also, i would want to learn from their spirit of excellence and servant-hood.. to be someone who gives my best to God and His Kingdom, more of Him and less of me.
In this missions trip, i was given the opportunity to share my life testimony during one of the MCGs. I really thank God for the chance to share my faith to a group of people far from home but i know they share one common thing with me, that is a relationship with Christ! (: Through sharing my life testimony, i was once again reminded of God's faithfulness in my life and how He has transformed and changed my life completely. i am just so grateful.. :D
God also used me to speak a word of knowledge to one of the villagers who wanted to be prayed for to bear a child. As i spoke to her and heard her response, i knew immediately that it was from God and it really encourages me a lot to know that indeed prayer comes a long way and it increased my faith too. (: As we went from house to house to pray for each villager and their family of their needs, i could really sense strongly their love and dependence on God which really made me ponder.. people living under such conditions can be so hungry and eager to seek and also receive from God, how about us living in our own comfort? Are we also as hungry to seek God in our lives?
Had the pleasure to talk to, one of the sisters from Hope Sri Aman, Sister Empina. She shared to me about vision and burden for the people of the longhouses.. as she shared, i could see that sparkle in her eyes and her love for people. Though in the past as she started to pioneer the longhouses, the villagers did not look up to her due to her height, gender and the difference in the language they speak. However, she kept her faith in God and continue to share God's love with them and God sowed a seed in their lives. Now, out of the ten longhouses in Lingga, eight of them has already been saved! All these salvations would have been impossible if not for the vision, faith and perseverance of this sister and God's grace. I am really inspired by her life and God has used her to plant a vision of a missionary in my heart and further convicts me of going for church planting in future, especially in a country where they are Malays. (:
I also am very blessed by the people serving in Hope Kuching. Even though it was their holidays, they took meticulous care of us by being a good host and hostess and they also make sure they bring us to places with good food, cheap things to buy and to enjoy the nice scenery around Kuching. Their sacrificial love and giving indeed made us felt so welcomed. :D We also attended their youth service, Sunday service and half night prayer meeting. It was indeed encouraging to see people from another Hope church serving God so fervently too! (:
Through this trip, i've also acquired skills that can be applied in our ministry in Singapore. As we interacted and shared our lives with the Hope Kuching people, we realised that there were certain underlying issues they have been dealing with.. certain wrong concepts some of the people have. We were very concerned as we know that these wrong concepts are and will be stumbling blocks that would hinder their personal growth and also affect their ministry. So we really prayed for the people as we evaluated, analyse their root issue and spoke to them indirectly through the Holy Spirit's empowerment. Praise the Lord that we saw how some individuals started to shift their perspective and concept for the better! ((: We were really amazed at how God used us to make a difference and overjoyed to know that God will continue to do something in their hearts! :D Through this experience, i've really learned to look to God instead of my own limitations. Our limitations should not be an excuse to our lack of faith to believe that God will move no matter the situation.
Lastly, i am thankful for the fun bunch of team mates that went for this missions for me and i thank God for placing a burden for people in each and every one of our hearts! Yes indeed, want to encourage those who have not went for missions before, do go for it at least once in your lifetime! It's definitely worth it.. Act locally, dream and impact globally!~ :D
Jorris and Magnortoise ((:
Jorris look so motherly hor? tsk! >.<
Baby Mag and Mag :D hee!
simple life, simple faith, simple love for God.. ^^
(the kids are playing with a tiny lil' frog! awww~ )
the last house visitation..
really enjoy the villagers' warm and hospitality. :DD
group photo with Ah Yieng at Hope Church Kuching!~ ((:
buddy and i at one of Kuching's biggest shopping malls. <3
i wish i had the bears at home! HAHA!~
And again, i want to shout out : "Photography is lovely!~" ((:
Jorris and me in the bus on the way to Sri Aman!~
wooooo~ indeed, it was a loooooooooooong journey! =x
group photo taken while waiting for the sampan at Sri Aman. (:
from left to right: Leslie, Jorris, Mag, Lestari and Buma.
(Lem was in the toilet.~)
when we got bored while waiting... hee!
1, 2...3!~ cheese! :DD
tada~
The End. (:
(more to come though! ^^)
what we could have been, 12:17 AM.
