|
|
|
|
|
Adopting Sawang Dae Din Christ Church |
|
It is our privilege and honor that we have been given
this opportunity to serve this community. They are a
church very much like us... minus the bountiful
resources. We have WISE, BSF, DLT, Tung Ling Bible
School, etc... We have visiting speakers all the time
(even Musical performers). We have CDs, books and a
myriad of devotional materials. On top of that we have
Training Galore for Sunday School Teachers, Youth
Leaders, Cell Leaders, Worship Leaders - you name it, we
have it. In Thailand, all these are not in their
language, even if they had the money to purchase it.
Access to the internet is limited... dare I ask if there
are Christian bookshops to be found in Sawang Daen Din?
You and I have been very blessed...
"...From everyone who has been
given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who
has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
Luke 12:48
How can I be involved?
1) Go
2) Receive
3) Send
4) Mobilize
Email wacmissions@livingstreams.org.sg
|
“Missionaries are going to reform the world whether it wants to or not”
Oscar Wilde quotes (Irish Poet, Novelist, Dramatist and Critic, 1854-1900)
|
I went on a mission trip..
|
|
|
My first misson trip.
At first i was so scared, cause i never been
to a unknown place before. it's not like a
holiday with my parents, where there is like
a hotel room booked and good food everyday.
So i was kinda scared. But with God's
strength, i obeyed him and went. i remember
i wanted to bring my hair products there
because i used them everyday to keep my hair
straight. But i remember everyone was like
'' you are not going to a fashion show marie!''
Mission Trip!! and yes it told me weeks and
i was kind of upset. But i finally decided
to leave my hair products behind. i was a
little sad but i didn't say anything. That
morning when we gathered, we were all so
excited. the fear and thoughts of my hair
products all disappeared. They weren't
important at all. and the days we were
there, i can't describe to you how much God
can used you to touch the people there. He
is so amazing. He worked and used ever
though i was only 17 then.
i encourage everyone to
go for mission trips. it really can change
your life and the feeling of seeing the
little children and people smile is so
amazing. Let's all serve God, Let's all
depend on him! Let the fire within you never
stop burning no matter how old you are. Big
HUGS and God bless everyone.
|
|
|
It's quite some time back but the experience
of being in Aceh was unforgettable. Although
we had a hard time thinking and preparing of
what to do for the children before we left
for Aceh. It's all paid for when we see the
happy faces on both the helpers and children
there. =) They are really adorable! All we
need to do is to support the helpers, show
them that we really love them and that is
most meaningful to them. Remember during the
first discussion, Huiling keep mentioning
that we can't show our real identity of
Christianity when we go there cause it is a
Muslim country. Thus, that made us really
fortunate as we can worship God freely
anytime, anywhere we want, unlike them.
Share our joy of knowing God. Given another
chance, i would definitely go another time! |
Mission Trip 16-21 Apr 2008
|
|
|
I went on a Mission Trip to Sawang Dae Din Christ Church (16 – 21 April 2008)…
Pei Yi’s Testimony
Before the trip
I was hesitant to go on this mission trip, not because of the "hardship", but I felt inadequate and might not be able to contribute much.
I was supposed to teach Microsoft Excel, but that was scrapped. Instead I was entrusted with teaching one session of conversational English. I am never good with languages so I have little confidence. Also we have to dance and do quite a bit of jumping for the action songs. Friends who know me well, I CANNOT dance. I was reminded that it is not about me. Our Lord is great and mighty. He will work through me during the trip.
It was stressful during the mission preparation period. I broke down once due to pressures from this mission trip, heavy workload at work and problems at home. I prayed about it and put my trust on God that things will work out well.
During the trip
God's grace was present right from the beginning of the trip. The team woke up at about 4 am on the first day, as we have to catch early flight to Bangkok. We waited a few hours at the old airport to take a domestic flight to Udon Thani. We took the opportunity to practise the actions for the songs. We attracted quite a lot attention from people waiting at the lounges. Guess we looked crazy to them with all the actions. But hey, it is for the glory of the Lord, who cares! We had to take a van from Udon Thani for a couple of hours before we reached Sawang Church close to dinnertime. Despite the tiredness, we practised the dance till late hours. This was the fourth time we practised, in fact 2nd time for the second song. It was still messy as we kept forgetting the steps. When we performed at the childcare session and Sunday service, all of us remembered the steps and it was nearly flawless. Thank God for that.
The programs went smoothly. One feedback from the Sawang team was that the SIngapore team was well prepared, but we knew in our hearts we could not have done it without Jesus’s help. God also sustained us, keeping us in good health and giving us good rest during the trip, despite the packed schedules and long hours. The team worked well together, filling up the gaps without much prompting.
The Sawang people are very friendly and hospitable. Sawang team went all out to make our stay comfortable. The villagers are also wonderful. We had lots of food at every cell groups. Even though the dishes are simple, they are very delicious. Volunteers from the Korat team also came to help with the English/PowerPoint lessons and various programs. They were a great assistance, especially being interpreters/translators for us. The local team was so eager to learn, some attended all 3 cell groups to have better understanding how we conduct cells.
There were so many personal breakthroughs during the trip. There were many first times for me - first time I shared boldly my personal testimonies to strangers; first time I prayed for total strangers, with so much convictions and authority; first time I dance with streamers; first time I went to a kampong village; first time I had cell group in the open, sitting on ground mats and under the moonlight.
Leaving Sawang
I was very sad as the car pulled out from the church premises. Tears began to flow uncontrollably. I tried to stop crying as it was so embarrassing, but to no avail. The tears finally stopped after about 15 minutes.
During the journey to Udon Thani, I prayed for Sawang and Thailand, claiming the land for the Lord. I will miss the Sawang people and Korat team.
Afterthoughts
We are all called to bring the Gospel to all the ends of Earth. It can be in the form of providing finances, going on mission trips, helping the mission team with the preparation etc. We are so blessed in Singapore. We need to bless the other nations too.
It boils down to submission to God and availability for God to use/work though us. I strongly encourage the church to avail yourselves for mission trips.
Do continue to uplift Sawang church in prayers that more people in Sawang and Thailand will come to know and accept God as their Lord and savior. Amen.
|
 |
 |
Zhong Fa’s Testimony
To begin with, this is a long overdue trip. I've been procrastinating going on missions for a long time, citing busyness as the reason for not going on missions. But God spoke so clearly over a series of events over my personal QT and in church that I simply cannot deny nor reject his voice
To be very honest: In Singapore, there's hardly a "stand down period" for those in the work force. Even if there is, is this the kind of service that God desires from us?
I urge you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is
your reasonable service.
--- Romans 12:1
You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.
--Deut 6:5
Our God provides
I prayed and asked God to allow me to serve him in the manner he desires of me. And He provides!
The trip falls just nice during my "study break", and I don't have any exam papers during that period, BUT I have a major exam paper 2 days after the mission trip.I struggled a lot but took a step of faith and went. I only managed to revise my work just a little during the trip, and the day after we returned, my stomach was really bad from food
poisoning. And I want to praise and give thanks to God, for I still managed to cover good ground for my revision and the exam went very smoothly!
Other than my exams, another major concern I had was my finances. Huiling estimated around $600 to $700 pax. It was a huge amount for me as I'm in the
midst of my wedding preparations and have just acquired a new flat. I'm really thankful for my fiancée, Ivy, who supported me and urged me to go if God has called me to,
despite our tight budget. The miraculous happened the day before we left for the trip, my GST offset "Ang Bow" from the government came and I realised that it covered the projected expenses perfectly! And
it wasn't taken into our considerations when Ivy and I worked out the sums for our wedding preparations. Praise God for He indeed provides!!!
Abilities vs. availability
I came on board eager to serve God
with what I have. As I am a worship
leader and can play the guitar, I
was eager to serve God in these two
areas. But God has other plans. He
reminded me through a sharing by
Huiling that our availability is
what really matters to God. I was
really humbled and prayed and asked
God to use me in whatever ways He
desire.
The first surprise came - and
that is to perform a tambourine/
streamers dance item for the Sawang
church. It was a first for me! I
was hesitant but after trying out
the streamers, I found that it was
still alright with 2 sets of steps
to remember. Then Huiling asked me
to try out tambourine instead and
it had so much more sets of steps
to remember. I was really nervous
and was beginning to feel a little
discouraged as I didn't really want
to do this. But I prayed and God
lifted my Spirit and enabled me to
catch all the steps in 1 session.
This was a miracle to me - I
had never been able to catch dance
steps that fast, even though having
performed a couple of dances with
the youth before. I know I wouldn’t
have been able to do it if not for
His enabling power!
Praise God for He enables us through our availability!
Thoughts along the trip
Through the trip, the thing that
really struck me was that how
blessed we are here in
Singapore.
It is something that even for those
of us who has not been there could
understand, but it is really
another thing to be there on the
ground experiencing it yourself.
a.
Praying for others
The
most powerful moment I experienced
was during the cell group, where we
visited the church members in their
villages - similar to olden time’s
kampong. All these while as a
Christian, I would normally pray
for people whom I know of and of
concerns that we know of here in Singapore. I didn't really know what
to pray but I just asked the Lord
to teach me how and what to pray.
The prayers came spontaneously
through all 6 of us and we prayed
with the authority and power of
Jesus Christ. I was really amazed
and I knew that I wouldn't be able
to do it without God.
b.
God is the same God, no matter
where, no matter what
As we had ample of time
interacting with the youths, I was
clearly reminded that He is the
same God who loves and cares for
me. We are all in the same family -
be it Singaporeans or Thais. In
Jesus Christ, we are all brothers
and sisters. Therefore as family
members, we have to look out for
each other and seek to bless, since
we’ve been blessed so much here in Singapore.
c.
Singapore's calling
During the last dinner we had with
the Sawang church staff, there were
a couple of men who worked in
Singapore for almost a decade and I
was really really surprised to find
out that they accepted Christ in
SINGAPORE!
And after returning to Singapore,
they came back and shared the good
news and families get saved!
I
finally really understood why
during many prayer meetings and
many other speakers/pastors said
that
Singapore
is the Antioch of Asia. We are
strategically placed geographically
against any natural disasters and
with the vast progress of our
nation - it is all by the grace of
God.
And He has a purpose for
our church - for every single one
of us
Journey
back to SG
On the
way back to
Singapore
in the dark skies, I looked out of
the plane just before landing and
gazed at the orangey glow that
illuminates our city.
I saw 2 pictures:
The
first was likened to a
burning glow somewhat like
a burnt coal.
We
could become consumed like
fire by the cares of this
world, struggling to keep
the flame alive and burning
by our own means, which
ultimately would not have
an impact on eternity
Or
We can be a light that shines for Him in this city and to the nations, fulfilling what the Lord has called us to do
-
and that light is fuelled by the constant feeding upon His word and revelation in our lives
- and that light would never cease because the Lord will enable us
Psalm 29:11
The LORD will give strength to His people; The LORD will bless His people with peace.
Thanksgiving
The Lord has indeed been really gracious to us and taught us many valuable lessons.
None of us got seriously ill and although some of us had some slight body discomfort, he still enabled us to bless the church in Sawang.
I was not that familiar
with some of the team
members, but even
so, somehow, God just
tightened the bonding in
His amazing way. We
supported each other along
the way and everyone had
proper good rest every
night.
It's
really amazing what God can do
through our obedience and being
like-minded in the Body of Christ.
I want to give all the Glory and
Praise to God for what He has done
through our lives
|
|
| Prayer Requests for Sawang Dae Din Church
|
 |
Pray for:
1. Increase in RCDC recruitment of new students
(current enrolment: 90)
2. Strengthening of the leadership in RCDC and CCSD.
3. We thank the Lord who has brought in new teachers for RCDC, pray for their salvation as Khun Beam and Mem reach
out to them.
4. The attendance on Sunday which has again been affected during this season when the members are busy in the rice fields.
5. Uphold Pastor Kittikhun and the staff team
6. RCDC Teachers (especially those who do not yet know God)
7. Sunday worship needs new worship leaders
|
|
|
