Harvest Force 2017 issue 3 by MMS1

2017 ISSUE

PEOPLE

~ more important than programme ~

WHEN THEY’RE OLD THEY WON’T BE LOST ~ Proverbs 22:6

Point your kids in the right direction Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. ~ Proverbs 22:6

h my goodness how time flies so fast. It feels like yesterday when Asher, my eldest son, was born. I can still remember the precious moment when we met eye-to-eye in the delivery ward. And now, as I am writing this editorial, he is taking his PSLE (Primary School Leaving Examination). It is a national examination in Singapore taken by all students near the end of their sixth year in primary school before they move on to secondary school. It did not occur to me until recently that taking this exam is almost like a family affair. These poor kids, at a tender age of 12, are put to the test under the pressure of expectations set by the school and society. But we thank God for the many family members and friends who came together to support Asher and us. To counteract the pressure, we always remind him that his PSLE results do not define who he really is and how God is going to use him in future. Instead, we focus on the building of his character traits like faithfulness, perseverance and diligence. Much in the same way, we see a group of Missionaries and National Leaders in Cambodia, Thailand, and Timor-Leste, putting in effort to groom young men and young women in schools and church. They give emphasis to developing the characters of the young people to be future leaders to advance the Kingdom of God. The feature story of this issue is on another partner in missions – the Boys’ Brigade (BB) and Girls’ Brigade (GB). BB and GB seek to develop young people to lead and serve with godly values. Read from page 6 on the BB and GB movement in the mission fields. As you read, may you also pray alongside this ministry with the youth. We want to point our kids in the right direction – so that when they are old, they will not be lost. Even when these youth grow to be adults and face pressures from their world, may they hold fast to the character traits they have learnt in their formative years. Leongheng • Editor

Hello! Do you have anything to share? Email mms@methodist.org.sg Your article may be edited for length, style and clarity.

CONTENTS

FIRST WORD • Shaping and Impacting Lives in Timor-Leste

04 Methodist Missions Society (MMS) is the mission agency of The Methodist Church in Singapore. In 1997, MMS was given the mandate to establish indigenous churches supported by mission endeavours in communities across this region where there is no Methodist presence. Harvest Force is published three times annually and distributed free. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher. All information published is correct at time of writing and may subject to change. All Scripture quoted is based on the English Standard Version, unless otherwise stated.

PERMIT NUMBER

MCI(P) 063/11/2016

ADVISOR Rev Philip Lim EDITOR Leongheng PROOFREADER Wendy Tan

NOVEMBER 2017

2017

WAZZUP! • Mission Trips • Opportunities to Serve • GoForth 2018

FEATURE STORY • Boys’ Brigade and Girls’ Brigade in the mission fields

SAME SAME BUT DIFFERENT • Ticket to Ride

FIELD FEATURES CAMBODIA • Homecoming for Glory Trinity Methodist Church • Little Nyonya NEPAL • Can medical camps leave a lasting impact? • Serving an Awesome God THAILAND • Testimonies from Mettakij Hostel

ISSUE

CHINESE PROOFREADER Goh Tuan Gee

TRANSLATORS Moo Swee Ngoh, Thng Pheng Soon PHOTO CREDITS David Chan, Eunice Phang, Henry Yeo, Jason Tang, Sharon Goh, WT, Medical Teams from various churches, Mission Teams from Christ MC and Pentecost MC-WSCS DISTRIBUTION & SUPPORT Rasanya Isabella Gnasegaran, Helen Tan, Nancy Tay & Volunteers DESIGNER SNAP! Creative Pte Ltd PRINTER Print & Print Pte Ltd PUBLISHER Rev Philip Lim 70 Barker Road #06-01, The Methodist Centre Singapore 309936 Tel: 6478 4818 • Fax: 6478 4817

MMS IS SOCIAL! Connect with us and never miss an update

HOME IN ON... • MMS Vice-Chairman • MMS Family

MMS 25TH ANNIVERSARY • My Father’s Business Banquet 2017

HF SPECIAL • What missionaries wish short term visitors knew

CLOSING THOTS • Mission Fields Need You

mms@methodist.org.sg

www.mms.org.sg mms.org.sg mms.gram

COVER: The scenery is nothing short of spectacular in Timor-Leste. Photo by Eunice Phang.

HARVESTFORCE 2017 • 3

SHAPING AND IMPACTING LIVES in T A

Rev Philip Lim 林建隆牧师卫宣执行主任 is the Executive Director of MMS. He loves Japanese cuisine, especially tempura.

WE REALISED THAT EDUCATION AS A PLATFORM HAS IMMERSE POTENTIAL FOR SHAPING AND IMPACTING LIVES.

t the recent MMS “My Father’s Business” Banquet, we raised funds for two items. The first was toward “where it is needed most” or our General Fund. The General Fund provides resources for us to do projects with strategic intent. It can be used for the ministries where we carry out our Integrated Strategy of Church Planting and Community Development work as well as for administration and other purposes. The second item was the Education Ministry in Timor-Leste. The vision we have for this land is the pursuit of Christian unity, into full maturity in Christ for His Kingdom’s goals. To this end, we realise that education as a platform has immerse potential for shaping and impacting lives. Thus, we envision a school that provides access to quality education in a Christian environment. Take for example, Januario who is studying in Grade 7. His weakness was that he challenged authority regularly and did not complete the assignments given to him. The school observed that his problem was a result of his low self-esteem and a lack of self-discipline. They began working together to set achievable goals, to help him to overcome his challenges. He is slowly coming to enjoy his studies and the missionaries are learning to trust God for a transformation. Another pupil, Francisco, also in Grade 7, wanted to learn English and felt that it would be good for him in the future. His eagerness to learn can be seen where he chose to sacrifice his time. He lives apart from his family in Dili and goes back only on some weekends and holidays. In the proposed school, there will be a chapel, multi-purpose hall and classrooms, and boarding facilities for students from remote places. It is also in our plan to start our first Methodist church there. The needs in a new country like Timor-Leste are many. This is an invitation for you to come and join us to be part of the School Ministry in Timor-Leste. To God Be the Glory!

Timor-Leste

FIRSTWORD 03

在东帝汶转化及塑造生命

近

期举办的“以我父的事为念”晚宴，主要是为两个项目筹款。第一个是“最迫切需要的项目”——我们的一般性经费。这部分的款项用于提供支援策略的项目，如植堂、社区发展以及行政开销等等。其次是筹集经费支援在东帝汶的教育事工。我们对这块土地有个愿景——完成神国度的目标，竭力达成基督里的合一和成长。我们深信教育在转化和塑造生命上，有着巨大的潜能。因此我们憧憬在基督教环境中建立一所提供优质教育的学府。就以就读七年级的詹儒耀为例吧，这孩子的弱点是不受管教，不完成作业。根据校方观察，问题是他的自卑感和缺乏自律在作祟，和他接触后，确立一些共同认可的合理目标，帮助他克服软弱。如今，这孩子对学业逐渐产生兴趣，宣教士同时也学习如何在翻转生命的事工上依靠上帝。另一名七年级的学生弗朗西科，他想学习英语，因为他相信掌握了英语必对自己的将来有益处。从他愿意牺牲和家人团聚的时间上看得出他勤学发奋。弗朗西科寄宿在帝力，远离亲人，只有在周末和公定假期才回家。筹建中的新校舍除了教室、多功能大厅和为来自偏远地区学生兴建的宿舍外，还有附属的教堂。在帝力建立第一所卫理教会一直是我们多年来的异象。像东帝汶这样的新生国家有着多方面的需要，我真心邀请您与我们携手投入东帝汶的学校事工，一同祝福东帝汶的居民。愿荣耀都归于全能的真神！

HARVESTFORCE 2017 • 3

Country Information If you are interested to find out more about the different fields, please email the respective persons at these email addresses: Cambodia jeremy.choo@methodist.org.sg East Asia koheng.quek@methodist.org.sg Laos

david.khew@methodist.org.sg

Nepal noel.tam@methodist.org.sg Thailand david.khew@methodist.org.sg Timor-Leste

teresa.wilborn@gmail.com

Vietnam dianna.khoo@methodist.org.sg

Opportunities to Serve IN THE FIELD • Short term workers who are willing to spend between two weeks and six months to help one of our missionaries. Please raise your own support. • More importantly, passionate prayer partners to pray for our ministries and missionaries. What to do if you sense the LORD calling you into His mission field: 1. Tell your pastor and ask him/her

The fields are ready for harvesting – but there are so few labourers. In all seven countries that MMS has chosen, we continue to be needful for the following: • More fulltime missionaries to join us! We are asking the Lord to send pastors, church planters, ministry workers, mentors, and teachers.

to help examine your calling to missions. 2. If your church pastor and leaders

affirm your calling and are prepared to provide full financial support – praise the Lord! Call MMS straight away. 3. If your church pastor and leaders

For more information about these opportunities, kindly email mms@ methodist.org.sg. Be in prayer with us as we seek God’s direction to challenge and mobilise our Methodist community to serve with MMS.

affirm your calling but are unable to provide full financial support for you – call MMS anyway! Some of our missionaries are supported by the combined efforts of multiple Methodist Churches, Agencies, and individuals.

Cambodia

• Volunteers to support market place ministry and consider joining BAMBOO. • Volunteers to teach Chinese for six months in Emmaus Women’s Centre. • Social worker or missionary for Community Outreach Services – COSI, EWC, and COSY. East Asia

• Church leaders and trainers to train and equip National Workers on church planting and discipleship training in various provinces. • Local churches to partner and support newly established preaching points. • Ministry support in social / community engagement programme Laos

• A Christian Ministry Worker (CMS) to serve for a term of three to six months, with a view to serving longer. Specifically to provide spiritual guidance to the children, to offer pastoral care for the staff, and to befriend and counsel parents.

WAZZUP! 05

• A trained Early Childhood Educator (ECE) for teaching at the Singapore Mission School (SMS) Kindergarten. • Two or three Primary teachers familiar with the Singapore curriculum to teach the primary classes at SMS. Teachers can opt to serve a term a year or long term. • Experienced volunteer English teacher to help at the language centre INSPIRE. • A full-time Operations Manager (OM) for one or two years, to cover the administrative and financial aspect of the work at SMS.

AT HOME You can also come alongside as Mission Partners and Volunteers (MPV) at home to encourage and empower God’s work and workers to incarnate the love of Jesus Christ to make a difference in the mission fields. Communications & Publications

• Be an English-Chinese translator. • Be a photographer. • Be a graphic designer. • Be a web designer. Office Assistance

Nepal

• A missionary pastor to serve as teaching staff at Caleb Bible Institute in East Nepal and equipping ministry for National leaders and workers. • Full time missionaries to support the church planting and community development work and assist in administration and finance matters in the field office. • Ministry staff to serve as spiritual counsellors and mentors for Sophia’s Home on short field assignments.

• Be our MMS Event Coordinator. Mission-Trip Coordinator

• Be a Mission-Trip Coordinator to assist in briefing and debriefing the mission teams to achieve optimal preparation, mission fulfilment and benefits. Financial Assistance

• Be a sponsor through the Student Sponsorship Schemes. Please refer to page 27.

Thailand

• English and Chinese teachers for our Methodist churches at Shineforth, Rangsit, Songroi-pi, etc. • English and Chinese teachers for Vineyard Methodist School. • Prayer partners and supporters for Shineforth Methodist Church’s community outreach effort by building a multi-purpose hall. • Medical mission teams for rural churches. • Mission teams to conduct evangelistic events, community services, etc in our Methodist churches. Timor-Leste

• Short-term volunteers to provide English and Mathematics tuition for Grade 10-12 students in the Sundermeier Home. • Teachers willing to volunteer for one year to provide instruction for Grade 7 and 8 students at the Methodist School. Vietnam

• Mission teams to visit the International Christian Fellowship.

GoForth 2018 Put this on your calendar! The next GoForth National Missions Conference is 21 to 23 June 2018 at ACS Barker Road Campus. The theme is GoUrban. For more information, please email admin@goforth.org.sg. Otherwise, do keep a look out for more details in January 2018.

HARVESTFORCE 2017 • 3

BOYS’ BRIGADE and GIRLS’ BRIGA In this issue, we look at another partner in missions – Boys’ Brigade (BB) and Girls’ Brigade (GB).

and GB aim to nurture youth, based on Christian values, to lead and serve. This is very close to what MMS hopes to achieve by raising up the young people to be leaders in their churches and communities. Some of our ministries in Cambodia, Thailand, and Timor-Leste have engaged and incorporated BB and GB as a part of the school curriculum and church activities.

Cambodia BB Thav Veasna He is the former Captain of the 1st PP Coy.

The Methodist School of Cambodia (MSC) has BB. In fact, it is the 1st Phnom Penh BB Company. The 1st PP Coy was started in 2010. Then Principal, Steven Yeo, approached Chou Fang Soong, then MMS Chairperson, for assistance in setting up the company. Fang Soong, a member of Bedok Methodist Church, approached his church to participate in this work. Since then, the 40th and 97th Singapore Company has been the sponsoring church of the 1st PP Coy. The ground work is headed by 40th and 97th Assistant Chaplain Eric Cheang assisted by 97th Captain Ang Hoe Yong and 97th Training Officer Abian Heng. Currently, there are 120 Boys in the 1st PP Coy. The school has been working very closely with BB in sharing resources, like organising combined leadership camps and fund-raising events. The boys, in turn, have

learnt how to work with and have a good relationship with one another as a team. They are learning to be leaders. The boys also went on outreach to the community. They went to Tern-or Village Primary School to paint the class rooms, organised community service projects around the school, and visited NGO projects to serve the needy and poor. However, they also face the challenges of a lack of manpower, funding, and time to carry out their projects. Pray for the BB movement in Cambodia. Pray that the Lord will continue to raise up leaders and volunteers to continue to advance Christ’s Kingdom among Boys. Visit us if you can. Currently, Daniel Phin is the Captain. He was a member of the company since BB started in 2010.

FEATURESTORY 07

ADE in the mission fields

Cambodia GB Chen Qiuluan She is an MMS Missionary in Cambodia.

The Methodist School of Cambodia (MSC) and COSI Children’s Village (COSI) have GB. MSC is the 1st GB Coy. The COSI Company started in 2016, so it is still small and has yet to be registered as a full company. GB in MSC started in 2008 after a chance meeting our MMS Missionary, Vimala Devi, had with an old friend, Col Tan, who was serving with the GB at Village Works and Jayanthee Kasi, the Country Coordinator of GB in Cambodia. Vimala thought that it was very timely to bring the GB programme into the school for the girls as BB was already running for the boys, and brought this idea up to Stephen Yeo, who was the principal of MSC back in 2008. GB 1st Coy was started with the secondary school students in Grades 7-9. Currently, there are 150 Girls in MSC and 20 in COSI. Initially, GB Cambodia sent their staff to come help teach the bible as well as the drills. Teachers from the school were selected to partner and learn so that they might in turn be the ones that taught. Vimala was very key in ensuring the programme was run well and that the girls were always learning something new. Currently, we run the programme inhouse with female teachers from MSC and volunteers. Half of our team consists of old

girls from MSC that rose from the rank and file in 1st Coy. GB is a compulsory school activity for all Secondary and High School students in MSC, therefore we have a captive audience to share the gospel directly. The four-fold programme in GB covers four aspects of the Girls’ learning; Spiritual, Physical, Educational, and Social. These help the Girls to learn in and out of the classroom setting. Through GB every Girl is given opportunities to become a leader in their spheres of influence. Our desire is for them to grow into confident, godly women. Throughout the six years in GB, each Girl will be given opportunities to serve the school and the community via their badge works. Grade 7 and 8 Girls are taught the importance of serving the school and are given a project to help beautify or improve the exterior facade of the school. In Grade 9, 10 Girls are taught how to plan a short programme and this is executed by their running a New Year party for children in the slums. Planning a programme that is attractive and fun, yet bearing in mind the core teachings in GB, is a challenge we face every year. As the interest of each Girl is different, ensuring all the Girls’ interest is kept and to draw them back every week can be a difficult

HARVESTFORCE 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ 3

task. Thankfully, we have open communication with the students of the higher grades, as well as the local teachers involved, which allows us to get feedback and ideas. We work with the mixtures of gifts our team has in order to design a programme that meets the needs of girls. Serene Lee has been looking into designing the GB programme that suits the needs of girls in Cambodia and it is being improved from year to year. Another challenge we face is the change of teachers and volunteers in GB. Many who served in GBC 1st Coy were university students who taught in MSC. So once their season with the school ended, their vocation changed and they left behind gaps in knowledge and know-how which are hard to fill. We hope that with each graduating batch of students, some will come back to serve in the GB ministry as teachers or volunteers. We believe that nothing beats having seniors who are passionate about teaching juniors, to mentor them so that the cycle of receiving and giving may continue. At the moment, we have six teachers and two volunteers who serve tirelessly every week in ensuring the proper running of the programme. More than half were old girls from MSC who rose from rank and file in GB. If you belong to a GB company, please come and visit us to encourage our girls. Come and share your stories of how GB impacted your life. Come with your leaders to partner us in our camps.

Who is our GB Captain in Cambodia? My name is Chen Qiuluan and I am an MMS Missionary serving in Cambodia. In November 2013, the MMS Country Director, Jacob Cheng, asked me to help prepare the bible study lesson for the students. A month later, Jacob challenged me to take up captainship so that with fresh eyes that I may help to bring the ministry to the Girls forward. It was difficult initially as I had no prior knowledge of GB, having been in Choir for all my school life, and I did not know where to start. Thankfully the missionaries involved in GB before me were so kind in sharing their notes on and knowledge of GB. Throughout these three years of serving in GB, God has grown my love for teaching and equipping the young ladies. He has also deepened my love for the people here. I have seen personal growth in the way that I lead. I am thankful for all the people that God has given to come alongside to partner in this ministry making it what it is today. I will be handing over the captainship to a local young lady, named Chhom Darareaksmey. She is an old girl from the school and rose up in rank and file in GB. She is also our current administrator in the Methodist Centre. Her faithfulness in service for the past three years assures me that she will remain steadfast in the GB work.

FEATURESTORY 09

Thailand BB Seeda Saenkasa She is an Assistant Pastor of SFMC.

The Shineforth Methodist Church (SFMC) has BB. It is the 1st Chiang Mai Coy. It started in June 2015 because many children were disappearing from church after they graduated from Little Lamb Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ministry. We also saw the importance of having a ministry to reach out to the youth. And BB is able to meet the needs of the young people. Currently, there are 20 Boys and 10 Girls. We are blessed to be in partnership with the 12th Singapore Coy of Barker Road Methodist Church (BRMC). BRMC helped

to start up our BB Company, including the officer training in Bangkok and sourcing the BB uniforms for the Boys. The BB Company in BRMC also came to visit and conduct activities with our BB here. The benefits of BB are plenty. The youth became more involved in serving God. And many more youth stepped up to be leaders. Instead of being lost, BB has given the youth a positive circle of influence and of gathering. BB has helped to retain the youth in the church, and has also trained them to be future leaders in the church. In their outreach efforts, BB encourages the youth to reach out to their family members and friends. Pray for these youth to grow in their faith as they face teenage issues. You may come and visit, teach, and develop the youth together with us. Seeda Saenkasa, Assistant Pastor of SFMC, is the Captain of the 1st Chiang Mai Coy. She went for the officerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s training. In the training, she discussed and laid down plans for the BB Company here. She also tried to raise funds to start the BB Company.

HARVESTFORCE 2017 â&#x20AC;¢ 3

FEATURESTORY 11

Timor-Leste BB David Chan He is an MMS Missionary in Timor-Leste.

The Methodist School in Timor-Leste (MSTL) has both BB and GB running concurrently. It is the 4th Timor-Leste Coy. The movement was integrated into the school curriculum when the Methodist School started officially on 1 April 2016. Currently, there are 22 Boys and 17 Girls. MMS Missionary and his wife, Jessie, are the BB Captain and GB Captain respectively. As it is a part of the school curriculum, the teachers are supported in the running of the programme. BB offers many opportunities to instil discipline in the students and to develop good character through Christian education. The youth also have better environmental awareness, and they are given chances to provide student leadership for school camps, or organise programmes for the local schools. Pray for God to work in the hearts of the Boys and Girls. May they grow in the fear of the Lord. Pray that we may find suitable Christian leaders to anchor the movement.

HARVESTFORCE 2017 • 3

TICKET to Ride This new series explores a common item in the seven countries and sees how similar or varied we can be. In this issue, we present some unique and interesting types of transportation in the seven countries. If you are adventurous enough, you may want to give them a try when you visit these places.

CAMBODIA Bamboo Train is a makeshift mode of transport in Cambodia. As its name suggest, it is made of bamboo. It operates using an ultra-light bamboo board set across two single sets of wheel axles, with one attached with fan belts to a motor. It can travel up to a speed of 40 kilometres per hour. It is also one of the most efficient and cheap ways to travel around the country and definitely an unusual mode of transportation, don’t you agree? From O Dambong, on the east bank 3.7 kilometres south of Battambangs Old Stone Bridge in Cambodia, the Bamboo Train runs southeast to O Sra Lav.

EAST ASIA Maglev, short for Magnetic Levitation, in East Asia is not just an ordinary train. It makes its 30 kilometre run in a matter of minutes, reaching speeds of up to 431 kilometres per hour, while it uses magnetic repulsion to keep itself a few inches above the track. A great time-saver for travelling between cities! But you may feel a headache due to the magnetic effect or giddy due to the high speed.

LAOS Long Tailed Boat in Laos is a type of watercraft native to Southeast Asia, which uses a common automotive engine as a readily available and maintainable powerplant. A craft designed to carry passengers on a river may include a lightweight long canoe hull, of up to 30 metres, and a canopy. Although they are now often used to transport tourists, long-tail boats are still very much a valid means of transport in the rural areas of Lao.

NEPAL Cycle Rickshaw is a popular means of public transport for short-distance commuting in plain terai areas of Nepal, such as Jhapa and other flatland places. However, in hilly regions of Nepal, cycle rickshaws are primarily used to attract tourists who can relax and travel around the popular streets and markets at reasonable fares. They are particularly popular among tourists to roam around the popular streets and markets of Thamel, Kathmandu. During strike days, when motorised vehicles are banned on roads, people have no choice but to walk or use cycle rickshaws.

SAMESAMEBUTDIFFERENT

THAILAND Tuk Tuk is a three-wheeler found navigating the streets of many cities in Thailand. The sputtering sounds you may hear as soon as you land in Thailand are probably made by them. Taking at least one ride in a Tuk Tuk is compulsory if you want to have a genuine Thailand experience! The brightly coloured Tuk Tuks are a symbol of Thailand. Passengers are crammed into the covered back seats as they battle insane traffic and hurtle from one lane of traffic to another! Pedestrians beware!

TIMOR-LESTE Mikrolet is a small mini-bus which is the mainstay of public transport in Timor-Leste. An amazing number of passengers can fit into a mikrolet. A trip costs US$0.25 (or S$0.35), regardless of where you go within Dili Capital. Mikrolet can stop anywhere along the route. It has a driver and front passenger cabin in the front and a line of seats that face each other like a troop carrier in the back. To stop, you have to use a coin to hit the metal part of the mikrolet to tell the driver to stop. Each mikrolet has its own personality; some are full of flair and some are dull. Most of them are pretty fun-loving with their name scrawled on the windscreen.

VIETNAM Cyclo is a three-wheel bicycle taxi that appeared in Vietnam during the French colonial period. It is quite similar to a Singapore’s trishaw. A double seat is supported by the two front wheels, with the driver sitting behind. Nowadays, there is very limited number of them. They take mainly tourists around restricted places in the city. If you are keen to try one, it is always better and safer to go through a tour agent to avoid any nasty dispute on the agreed fare at the end of the ride.

Editor’s note: This compilation was done with consultation with our missionaries and workers living in the mission fields. And also with some help from www.wikipedia.org.

Photo source: Bamboo Train – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bamboo_train_(Norry)_station_near_Battambang_in_2012.jpg Maglev – https://assets.train-simulator.com/app/uploads/2016/02/27001926/Screenshot-02.jpg Long Tailed Boat – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Long_tail_boats_at_Ko_Lao_Lading.jpg Cycle Rickshaw – http://incredibleindiatours.com/nepal-photo-gallery/ Tuk Tuk – http://www.sitepronews.com/2014/11/06/five-social-selling-tips-learn-tuk-tuk-driver/ Mikrolet – https://lucyjeunesse.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/work-retreat-bus-no-ana-small.jpg Cyclo – https://boxfullofpostcards.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/125.jpg

HARVESTFORCE 2017 • 3

CAMBODIA

HOMECOMING for Glory Trinity Metho G

Rev Chamnap Nhoek is the pastor in charge of Glory Trinity Methodist Church. He has been serving as a pastor since 2007. He married Pastor Socheat in 2008, and they are now blessed with two kids.

lory Trinity Methodist Church (GTMC) was started by a Cambodian lady pastor, Huy Leang Heng in 1995. Praise and thank God for the love of this pastor who donated a piece of land to build a church. Thank God for Trinity Methodist Church (TMC) in Singapore for adopting GTMC as a sister church and donating some funds for the land and a wooden building over the pond. In 2005, the wooden building collapsed. The congregation then started to move from place to place around town, renting a place for Sunday services and ministry gatherings. TMC also supported it with the rental expenses. GTMC members always kept the land in mind and intended to go back to it. We kept praying to return to using the land even though the state and condition of the building and the road were not good throughout that time for use by the church and its ministries. But we always set our hearts and hopes in Christ for this location. Some of us prayed for some simple rooms and shelter on the land so that we could use this place again. We prayed continuously and waited for God’s timing. God answered by working through TMC to donate a wonderful building. We praised and thanked God for the love of TMC for always coming alongside and supporting us in areas that we could not make it on our own. We felt like God was fulfilling His promise to us according to Jeremiah 33:3 “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.” On 22 March 2016, the construction of the new GTMC building started. Again, GTMC members kept praying for good progress and for safety of the workers and neighbours. Thank God for answering our prayers. By the grace and protection of God, the nice-looking building was completed on 23 March 2017. On 27 May 2017, Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung consecrated the new building, the pulpit, and the Lord’s Table. It was a very blessed and meaningful day for GTMC and TMC. We were so happy to have the presence of TMC members, leaders and pastors, GTMC members, Methodist Church in Cambodia leaders, pastors, and churches members in Kandal District, the village chief and villagers, and the town chief. About 230 people came together to celebrate God’s provision and the blessing of a new building for His ministries in the town. This was a sign of how hands and hearts were bound together in the same journey for His kingdom as one family.

FIELDFEATURE 15

hodist Church As GTMC members, we feel that God has brought us back home. We were moving around but now we are back home by the leading of God in His timing. We would like to dedicate our lives for the Glory of God in this town.

PRAY • Pray for GTMC members to grow in God’s love. May we grow closer with one another and in unity. May we share God’s love with the community. Pray for our ministry that serves the community through children’s education. Pray that God will provide enough teachers and resourses for this ministry. • Pray for GTMC members to abide in Christ so that we will experience God and live fruitful lives - to be good witnesses and lights in this town for the glory of God. • Pray for GTMC members to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit to share Christ with their families, friends, and community around them. Pray for the Holy Spirit to touch the lives of the community and win 500 souls who would accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour. • Pray for God to use this new beautiful building and GTMC members to glorify His name.

VISIT

HODIST IT Y MET IN R T Y R G LO C H U RC H n about informatio re o m r o F t Church, Methodis y it n ri T ry Glo ook.com/ w w.faceb w it is v e s plea tchurch ymethodis glory trinit

HARVESTFORCE 2017 • 3

CAMBODIA

LITTLE NYONYA Team from PMC WSCS Dr Yap Hwa Ling, Pauline Tam, Girlie Lim, Irene Ang, Grace Tan, and Laureen Ong.

rom 26 to 30 March 2017, a team of six from Pentecost Methodist Church (PMC) Women’s Society of Christian Service (WSCS) led by Dr Yap Hwa Ling visited Emmaus Women’s Centre (EWC) and Community Outreach ServicesImmanuel Children’s Village (COSI). Upon arrival in Cambodia, the team headed directly to EWC and COSI where we were greeted by MMS Missionary Carol Ong and two young Cambodian women - Joanne and her cousin. We also purchased snacks as gifts for the COSI kids and the girls at EWC. There were 10 girls in EWC. During our stay, some girls from Post-COSI Integration Programme (PCOSIIP) and COS-Youth (COSY) joined in our workshop sessions. They also assisted us in translation and interpretation. Moreover, the COSI staff, some village women and their children joined us at the workshops on “Music” and “Maternal Health & Hygiene”. The Music workshop trained the leaders to conduct music workshops for worship, creative music and leading church worship. The Maternal Health & Hygiene workshop was relevant and was recommended for further trips. The team also led Bible studies with the girls from EWC and PCOSIIP, and COSI staff. We studied two biblical characters - Eve and Mary – to learn about Finding Contentment in Truth; and Obedience, Courage, Trust, and Belief.

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PRAY • Thank God that COSI was granted the certification of operation. • Pray for wisdom and guidance as we upgrade the training programme and ministry for the women in EWC. • Pray that we will reach out effectively to many more Cambodian women. • Pray for co-workers to serve as Ministry Workers, a certified Culinary Trainer, and English Teachers. 2

What are COSI Children’s Village and Emmaus Women’s Centre?

COSI Children’s Village provides food, clothing, shelter, education and spiritual guidance for poor and neglected children, many of whom have been abandoned or orphaned.

At the Culinary Workshop, the girls learnt about Peranakan dishes. Their cooking skills are actually very good. And they were willing to learn new skills and try new recipes. In future, we will go on to teach them Food Handling and Food Safety. And we also plan to further equip the kitchen. There are three good seamstresses who can sew. Moving forward, we plan to send trainers to teach on finer points of sewing. They will create products for sale after more teaching and show them samples of new products as a means to motivate the girls. A lunch fellowship meeting was held with the PCOSIIP girls to plan for a Young Leadership Training to be conducted. On 29 March, we had a fellowship lunch the women missionaries in Phnom Penh. A gift cheque of S$500 was presented to Carol Ong for EWC. In the evening, we invited Marilyn Chan, Sophany Heng, Helen Cammarce and Esther Gitobu from the General Board of Global Ministries, to join us for fellowship dinner.

Emmaus Women’s Centre provides spiritual, vocational, and educational training for young women at risk. Upon completion of the 12-month residential training programme, they will be equipped in biblical discipleship and livelihood skills.

PMC WSCS visit EWC Cambodia

Ready to cook Peranakan dishes. At EWC, the girls were taught Peranakan cuisine.

Making Nyonya dessert

Peranakan Bibik Chefs

Bible Study on Women from the Bible

Maternal Health Workshop

HARVESTFORCE 2017 • 3

NEPAL

Can medical camps leave A LASTING

GS is a MMS Missionary and Country Director for Nepal. He and his family have been serving in Nepal for the last 11 years. Their home church in Singapore is Sengkang Methodist Church.

*People groups in Nepal are listed at unreachedresources.info/ countries/NP.

Editor’s note: This article was first published in the September 2017 issue of Methodist Message.

any doctors and mission trippers have asked me: “How effective is it to have a once-yearly medical camp in a village?” I have reflected on this question and each time I am asked, I seek God’s wisdom. Invariably, the answer from Him is the same: “My child, it’s not about you or how much you do. Rather, it’s about what transformation I will bring through your simple giving of yourself.” In our Community Development efforts in Nepal, we conduct eight to 10 medical camps annually in three regions of Nepal, through the partnership of Methodist churches in Singapore. It is an essential pre-emptive strategy for Church Planting, as the medical camps have helped the Methodist Church in Nepal (MCN) to establish 10 preaching points. Through these medical camps, we have been able to reach out to 2,500-3,000 people. There are many more Unreached People Groups (UPG)* in Nepal, located mainly in the western region. For our medical teams to get to some of these remote villages, they would have to endure a two-hour jeep ride, followed by a fivehour trek over rough and mountainous terrain. While we have yet to reach out to these villages, we recognise the need, as this is where the UPGs are located. In most villages in Nepal, a villager would need to trek about three hours to a main road, followed by a two- to three-hour bus ride to get to a major town where they can receive decent medical services. In all probability, they do not seek medical help until their condition worsens. By then it may be too late, as they may not survive the arduous journey. And culturally, they resort to seeing village shamans, known as Jhakri, who apply spiritual practices and rituals as they associate illness with possession of unclean spirits. When a medical camp is conducted in such villages, many would come to see our doctors and dentists, some from as far as three to four hours of trekking. Our doctors

FIELDFEATURE 19

G IMPACT? provide medication for symptomatic treatment, and in complicated cases that require followup and pastoral care, they would then recommend the patient for specialised treatment. Our local pastors and the Christian community are also able to show care and concern for the patient and his family. One such amazing story is that of Bhim Kerung and his family. Bhim’s son was diagnosed by our doctors as having clubfoot and a bone disorder called Blount’s Disease. His legs were bowed significantly with both of his feet bent inwards, resulting in the child having to walk on his ankles. Bhim came to one of our medical camps with his son. Although Bhim was a Buddhist, he was willing to follow through his son’s treatment with the church’s help. The Christian community helped support Bhim and his wife emotionally, and for the medical treatment of their child. After the treatment and care by the church, Bhim’s son is now able to lead a normal life. His legs have straightened, and he can walk normally and is enjoying soccer with his friends. Bhim and his family have since accepted Christ, and he is now serving as a leader in the church. Last year, he received his Local Preachers’ Licence that enables him to minister to the community and in sharing God’s Word. Through our medical camps, we can touch and have touched many in love and action, thereby transforming their lives and their community. As a result, preaching points and churches are established as the Christian community grows. Medical camps serve as a conduit that enables God’s love, mercy and grace to be exemplified by our teams, being blessed as they seek to bless their brothers and sisters in Christ. As we do our work in obedience, we trust and believe that God will do His part and that His Name will be glorified.

HARVESTFORCE 2017 • 3

NEPAL

Serving AN AWESOME GOD C

hrist Methodist Church (CMC) has committed 2017 to be the year of “Go Nations”. Together, as the body of Christ, we pledged to expand our mission’s footprint into other countries not previously supported by CMC, in particular to the countries under the Unreached People Group. A people group is considered unreached when less than 2% of its population is evangelical Christian. I was privileged to be in our church’s inaugural Medical mission team to Nepal from 28 April to 3 May 2017. We visited Bandipur, Nepal, which is a hilltop settlement, midway on a day-long drive between Kathmandu and Pokhara.

Winnie Lau worships in Christ Methodist Church and serves as the Children Ministry Superintendent. She is happily married to Dr Bobby Cheng and they have three teenage children.

HEART OF WORSHIP

We had the privilege to visit Rev Singa Tamang’s home church, Abhisek Methodist Fellowship. Although the one-room church was very small, and the congregation at the time of our visit was only about 30 people, we could sense the Lord’s presence when we worshipped together. Truly it is not about having the best sound system, nor the best worship leader or a large modern church, rather it is the hearts and the spirits of the people that truly seek the Lord that draws the presence of the Lord. As we worshipped in our respective languages, there was so much joy and gratitude when we came together in unity to worship Him. We felt His presence.

POWER OF PRAYER

Just before we left the church, we were told that the local government officials had raised questions about the setting up of the medical camp the next day. There seemed to be some opposition and Rev Singa needed to make a trip to town to meet up with them to clarify what the medical camp was about. The team came together to pray for God’s will be done. While we prayed earnestly for God to allow the camp to take place the next day, we were prepared for the medical camp to not take place because ultimately, God’s plan for us, whatever it might be, would be the best. I could really sense the unity and the urgency of the team praying together. It was truly one prayer session that I could hear everyone crying out in desperation and earnestly seeking God for His will to be done. In the late

FIELDFEATURE 21

evening, we received the approval to go ahead with the medical camp. Praise the Lord! What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31 (NIV) The medical camp was held over two days. It was held in a very remote, farming area, which had a very small one-room church in the area. We were expecting to see about 200 patients a day, but to our disappointment, the villagers came in at a very slow pace on the first day. We found out that some of them had to walk four hours to come to this village. By 4pm, we only had about 80 patients. We prayed for God to send a total of 100 patients that day. In the last half hour, God sent more than 20 patients! That day, we saw a total of 106 patients. This showed us that our God is clearly the one in control. Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Philippians 4:6 (NLT)

OBSTACLES BECAME BLESSINGS

One part of the journey to the village was through a single-lane mud road. As we were making our way through the mud road, we suddenly came to a halt. There was an excavator right in the middle of the road. Not even a motorcycle could pass through. We were a little disheartened as there was no other way to get to the village except through this road. We prayed for God to open the door and the excavator eventually moved to the side and we managed to move on. Later on, we realised that there was a landslide the day before and the road had become inaccessible. God had sent the excavator ahead of us to clear the road for us. What we had perceived as “obstacle” was actually a blessing from God! God really showed us through these encounters that he is a God who provides and is in control of every situation.

On the second day of the medical camp, we prayed that more people would come to the medical camp. However, it rained heavily that morning and most of the day. We could not use the same layout we used the day before. All of us (doctors, blood pressure taking, hygiene education and reading glasses prescription) had to be housed inside the tiny church so that the tents outside

HARVESTFORCE 2017 • 3

could be used as shelter and waiting areas for the patients. Despite the rain, a total of 352 patients came on the second day! In other words, 352 pre-believers actually walked into the House of God that day! What a miracle! Only God can make such things happen! We praise the Lord for the seeds that were sown!

GOD’S CREATION

Every day, we woke up early to watch the sunrise. Every day, God blessed us with a different view of the Himalayan Mountains. The landscape was so beautiful that we could not help but be in awe of God’s creation. Who else could have made the mountains and the seas,

FIELDFEATURE 23

but our Great Almighty God. Each day, God would unveil different parts of the foothills, followed by the Himalayan range behind it. It brought to mind that God will choose to reveal His plan in His time. Many a time, we do not see the full picture of God’s plan for us. Sometimes we might just get a little glimpse of a foothill of what God had

in store for us, but truly, God has a beautiful and unique plan for each and every one of us. Our God, who loves us so much, will only give us what is best for us. TIME-RICH NEPAL VS TIME-POOR SINGAPORE

While we often think that we are so blessed in Singapore for our luxurious living conditions, we are sadly “timepoor” as compared to the Nepalese who are “time-rich”. This was a concept that took us a while to understand. In Singapore, life operates like clock-work. We become impatient when we are made to wait. We complain when things do not happen the way it should. In Nepal, a 5-hour journey could well stretch into 7 hours or more as there could be traffic jams, road blocks and many unforeseen events, but the Nepalese took all these in their stride and still continued to be happy and contented. Their humility, self-reliance and heart of gratitude are some of the things for us to emulate. Many times, our busy schedules have caused us to fall away from God. This trip reminded us the importance of “slowing down” and spending more time with God so as to hear Him better. We thank God for His protection during this journey and for His abundant blessings throughout this trip. It is indeed such a privilege to be able to serve the Lord. We look forward to going back to Nepal again very soon.

HARVESTFORCE 2017 • 3

THAILAND

TESTIMONIES from Mettakij Hostel M

ettakij Hostel (MH) was established by the Muangthai Mettakij Foundation in May 2004. It is located in the same compound as Shineforth Methodist Church (SMC) and Vineyard Methodist School (VMS). The maximum capacity of MH is 30 students. Currently, there are 29 students. And it is managed by a married couple. Many students from rural villages are unable to continue beyond primary education because of poverty and also the lack of secondary schools within walking distance (5km). Hence, MH allows these students

to stay until they finish either Secondary 3 (Grade 9) or Secondary 6 (Grade 12) or equivalent (Vocational Institute). They receive free lodging, food, transportation to school and also financial assistance for tuition, school uniforms, and other educational expenses through our SSS (Student Sponsorship Scheme - Residential) at S$110/month. Here are some testimonies from former students who had stayed in MH. Jack, Jeerada, and Sunthon are working in VMS. Maam and Meta is serving in SMC.

JACK Retchai Jorse, aka Jack, came to MH with his sister, Oraphan (aka “Lukmee”) in 2004. They are from the Karen tribe. Jack and Lukmee are the first batch of students in the hostel - seeking for shelter and a chance to continue their secondary education. They were accepted to the hostel because their mother died when they were very young and their father was too sick to work on a regular job, thus leaving them too poor to continue their secondary education. In 2012, Lukmee completed her tertiary education and is now living in England with her English husband and they have two boys. The cost of her education was sponsored by Mr Suchad Chiaranusati. Jack, 30 years old, has been employed by Vineyard Methodist School as an Administrative Assistant since 2010. He will complete his tertiary education with a bachelor’s degree in educational management. Jack is married with a boy and recently bought a new house. Jack’s tertiary education was fully sponsored by Barker Road Methodist Church.

JEERADA Jeerada Modsri came to the hostel when her father unexpectedly died of a mysterious death in 2009. Her mother passed away when she was only a toddler. She completed a bachelor degree in Business Computer in 2016. She is currently teaching computer skills at the VMS.

SUNTHON

Suntorn Khunkunakorn, 31 years old, is one of the first to stay in MH from 2004 to 2007. He is now working as a Physical Education teacher at our VMS.

FIELDFEATURE 25

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ict,

PRAY

What is Mettakij Hostel? Mettakij Hostel provides a place for poor and needy children from remote villages to continue their school education and be exposed to a Christian environment. For more information on SSS, please visit http://www.mms.org.sg/sss.

• Pray for the 14 new students. One of them is not a Christian yet. Pray for them to adjust well to the hostel in terms of routine and disciplines. • Pray for the students to grow in the faith and relationship with God, and with one another. • Pray for the house parents to be able to look after the students (including their own two teenage daughters).

MAAM Wanida Somchitkaeow, aka Maam, went to the MH in 2006 when she was in Secondary 3. She was accepted because her family was unable to support her through higher secondary education. She completed her higher secondary education in 2009 and went on to obtain a bachelor degree in Humanity (English and Mathematics). She served in our Shineforth Methodist Church for three months after getting her degree and also served at the Lanna Bible School, Chiang Mai for another three months until she was accepted in the Border Patrols as a volunteer teacher in schools along the border since 2013. She is current a Police Corporal. And she is married.

META

Metas Khongsukthara, age 30 years old, is now studying for a Master in Ministry at the Bangkok Bible Seminary and will work at the Shineforth Methodist Church. His wife is also pursuing the same degree. He stayed at the hostel from 2005 to 2009.

Read about God’s goodness and faithfulness in these MMS Books.

These DVDs present an overview of MMS work and ministries. And they are free of charge. Get your copies now.

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MMS DVD – Simple Faith Amazing Grace (2005 @ Cambodia)

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MMS DVD – Of Miracles and Grace (2007 @ Nepal)

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MMS DVD – MMS 20th Anniversary Videos (2011 @ China and Nepal)

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MMS DVD – MMS at a glance (2013 @ Nepal)

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MMS DVD – Education Opens Doors (2015 @ Cambodia)

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MMS Executive Director Methodist Missions Society 70 Barker Road #06-01 The Methodist Centre Singapore 309936

HOMEINON... 29

MMS Vice-Chairman We are pleased to announce that we have a new Vice-Chairman of the MMS EXCO. REV DERRICK LAU was elected at the EXCO meeting held on 20 July 2017. He is currently the District Superintendent of District Two of Trinity Annual Conference (TRAC), on top of being a Pastor in Faith Methodist Church. He has a deep burden for missions and has been an MMS EXCO member for many years. We look forward to his involvement as he takes the lead in our church engagement initiatives.

Dear Lord, we pray for the Spirit of the Lord, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, and the spirit of knowledge to rest upon Rev Derrick Lau. May we stand with him and undergird him in prayer. Amen .

MMS Family We have a new Missionary couple. Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung has appointed WT and CT with effect from 1 August 2017. Based in EA, their work includes training and equipping of the national workers. WT graduated from TTC last year. He is a member of Covenant Community Methodist Church. Bishop Dr Chong has appointed another Missionary and his family with effect from 1 August 2017. VINCENT, PHYLLIS and their two children left for Thailand on 23 September. They are doing language studies while helping a church in Bangkok. Before joining MMS, Vincent was a staff member at Faith Methodist Church.

Dear Lord, we pray that You would strengthen these family bonds and draw them close together. May You supply their every need. We pray for physical strength on a daily basis and long-term good health. May You cause them to speak with clarity and precision as they declare Your Word. Amen .

HARVESTFORCE 2017 • 3

MY FATHER’S BUSINESS Banquet 2 T

Noel Tam is the MMS Home Director and also the Country Coordinating Officer for Nepal. He worships in Pentecost Methodist Church. The love of his life are his two grandsons, Elliot and Ethan.

LET US RESPOND LIKE JESUS, AND FULLY COMMIT OURSELVES TO OUR FATHER’S BUSINESS.

Editor’s note: This article was first published in the October 2017 issue of Methodist Message.

he 25th Anniversary of MMS culminated with a banquet held on 27 August at The Fullerton Hotel. The theme of this banquet highlights the commitment of MMS to carry out our Father’s business by being a disciple-making movement that transforms lives. My Father’s Business banquet has been held since 1996 as a biennial fundraising event to support the ministries in our mission fields. Generous support from Methodist churches, members, and friends has enabled MMS to nurture disciples, develop national leaders and provide for the needy by establishing schools, homes and hostels that shape lives and help transform communities. A beautiful and inspiring book entitled, “Wings of Grace: Proclaiming 25 years of God’s Wondrous Works”, was presented at the banquet. It is a compilation of 265 testimonies from missionaries, national workers, and volunteers who have supported MMS over the past 25 years. In his message, Bishop Dr Chong Chin Chung reminded us that “we should not rest on our laurels by just doing what’s good enough; we must continuously strive to do more than just what we can”. Indeed, the work and challenges of MMS are ever increasing. MMS aims to achieve sustainability in its mature mission fields, while pioneering new ministries in younger mission fields. To

MMS25thANNIVERSARY 31

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accomplish this, proceeds from this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s banquet will go towards key ministries in all our mission fields where it is most needed through the MMS General Fund, with particular focus on building a Methodist School in Timor-Leste. Timor-Leste is a young nation with more than 60% of its population below the age of 18. Many children drop out or never even attend school. Two years ago, MMS established a hostel near a district high school to help up to 40 students finish their education. This project was made possible by the generosity of a single Methodist donor. Today, these students are being discipled and equipped by MMS missionaries to become change agents who will one day transform lives within their own families and communities. Realising the need to provide quality education in a Christian environment, MMS also plans to build a Methodist school for more than 700 students in grades 1-12.

HARVESTFORCE 2017 • 3

The mission of MMS is to mobilise the Methodist Community in Singapore to establish disciple-making and multiplying indigenous churches. As it looks ahead to the next 25 years, MMS will continue to promote opportunities aimed at helping to meet both the spiritual and physical needs of those in our mission fields. We affirm God’s faithfulness by helping to fulfil the Great Commission through our service and financial support. Together, let’s bring the gospel to unreached peoples and exemplify the Great Commandment of loving God and loving others! In Luke 2:49 (NKJV), Jesus

MMS25thANNIVERSARY 33

responded to his parents by saying, “Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” Let us respond like Jesus, and fully commit ourselves to our Father’s business. Pray for God to guide and strengthen us as we carry out our Father’s business and seek to glorify His name in all that we do! You could make a one-time love gift or make a monthly pledge to support the ministries in MMS. For more information, visit www.mms.org.sg or call 6478 4818.

HARVESTFORCE 2017 • 3

Ting Siew Lee is the Executive Director of COCOON. She believes that good dark chocolate is the answer to every question.

What Missionaries Wish SHORT TER PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS MORE IMPORTANT THAN PROGRAMMES

Editor’s note: Due to popular demand, after her earlier article in HF 2017 issue 1, Siew Lee has written a few more articles on missionary’s honest take on some issues that are usually not discussed.

ven though we have spent many years of our lives overseas, we are still Singaporeans at heart. Efficiency and productivity still flow in our veins. We know that short trippers have spent a lot of time and money to come and participate in our work. We also know you’ve put in a lot of effort preparing programmes for the nationals. So even after you arrive, you work around the clock, holding team meetings and making last minute preparations so that everything will go well. In the midst of your busyness, you do not notice that a local youth has slipped into the room. You do not see that he is curious, and that he would like to come closer and look at what your team is doing. It does not cross your mind to go over and say hello, and to invite him to join in what you are doing. After a few moments, he leaves and sits outside. Other local youth join him out there, while the foreigners are huddled inside a room. There is no connection. The missionary watches on and sees all these dynamics. He feels sorry to see the divide between the nationals and the foreigners. What we really want short trippers to know is this: People are always

RM VISITORS Knew more important than the programme – they are the very reason why you came. By all means, prepare well, but do so beforehand. Once you arrive, give your full attention to the local people at all times. Reach out to them warmly. Connect with them. Honour them. After all, we are guests in their home country. They are the true hosts. WE DO OUR BEST TO SERVE YOU, BUT WE HAVE BAD DAYS TOO

I sometimes joke that two things make me lose my sanctification in Timor-Leste – applying for a work visa, and driving. I too wish it was true that missionaries are holy and special people. But we aren’t. The truth is, there are days when it is nothing but the grace of God that keeps me from losing my temper and yelling at someone. There are times

when I feel down and discouraged, and I don’t manage my emotions well. It may be because I’ve received bad news from home, or I’m sorting out a major conflict with my team. Trust me, missionaries have fierce disagreements among themselves! If you visit us at these low moments, and we are not as warm or patient as you had imagined a missionary should be, please accept our weaknesses without judgment and show us some grace. We do appreciate your visit and we try our best to serve you, but at times, we fall short and we feel bad about it too. And we do want to ask a favour: please don’t stereotype us after one short visit. What you observe about us in a week isn’t anywhere near the totality of our personality, nor a good indicator of who we are as unique and complex individuals.

HARVESTFORCE 2017 • 3

Mission Fields NEED YOU M

Rev Dr Chong Chin Chung 新加坡卫理公会会督 is the Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore. He enjoys brisk walking five times a week to rest his mind, pray, and meditate.

ission work requires resources of many different kinds. They may be spiritual resources which include fellow workers such as prayer partners, the power of the Holy Spirit, and a vision for missions. They may also be material resources like finances, medicines, food, equipment, and necessities. Among the needs, human resources is the most important. It is often said that in the work of the Lord, our concern is not the shortage of funds, but of people. This is especially true for mission work of church. Even though we may not be in the league of corporations or profit-making companies, there is no serious shortage of material resources as believers and pre-believers alike contribute readily when required. The only difficulty is finding people who are willing to be sent to the harvest fields to devote long periods of time, or perhaps even their whole lives, in a foreign land working among the nationals. The work of Jesus on earth was not accomplished by Himself alone; he mobilised his twelve disciples, and then seventy of them. He sent them into the towns and villages of Israel to preach the gospel of the kingdom of heaven. He gave them the authority to heal the sick and cast out demons. The chosen twelve left their parents and families, and gave up their occupations as fishermen, a tax collector and so forth to follow Jesus. Not only did they follow Him during his three years of ministry on earth, but they also continued preaching the gospel throughout the land - even after His death and resurrection, until they became martyrs for the Lord. The gospel was not spread to the ends of the earth during the three years of Christ’s ministry. This happened only after He had left this world and sent his disciples to preach the gospel far and wide. The mission of spreading the gospel requires workers, but they must be the right ones. Jesus carefully selected twelve people to be His disciples even though one of them, Judas, betrayed Him. John Wesley said, “Give me one hundred preachers who fear nothing but sin and desire nothing but God, and I care not whether they be clergymen or laymen, they alone will shake the gates of Hell and set up the kingdom of Heaven upon Earth.” The Holy Spirit has blessed churches with many different gifts. There are those who are suited for spiritual responsibilities such as our prayer partners or administrative staff in MMS. There are also businessmen who work in the background, giving support in terms of providing resources. Then there are our missionaries, who are the right people to be sent to the mission frontline. Hence, human resources is the most important in mission work. When we have the right people in the right positions and when we have the right people in the harvest fields, we will see results in our mission work. The mission fields need you. Consider and pray to be a part of our team.

禾场需要你宣

教事工需要不同的资源，无论是属灵层面的同工如祷告伙伴、圣灵的能力、宣教的异像……或者物资上的供应如资金、材料、粮食、医药、器材、用品等。在诸多资源中最重要的恐怕是人力资源。我们常听人说：上帝的w工作不怕没有资金，最怕没有人！这句话对教会的宣教事工特别真实。虽然我们不是财团，不是盈利机构，不是赚钱的研发中心，但是当需要用到物质资源时，信徒们甚至教外人士，都会积极、乐意地提供资助。唯一艰难的是谁愿意被教会差遣去宣教禾场，全力投身於异地与当地人一起度过相当久，甚至一生的岁月？主耶稣在世上的工作，不是单独一人去完成，他需要动员门徒，十二个、七十个门徒。耶稣差遣他们到以色列各城、各乡镇传天国的福音，又赐他们权柄医病赶鬼。耶稣所拣选的十二个门徒，更是放下父母家人、舍弃渔船职业，跟从了耶稣，不止是跟着耶稣在世上的三年，在耶稣复活升天以后，还继续成为在各地传福音的人，直到他们都为主殉道。

福音得以传遍天下，不是在耶稣出来传道的三年内，而是耶稣已经离开世界后，差遣门徒到普天下把福音传开。宣教传福音需要人，但是需要对的人。耶稣挑选十二跟随他的门徒，一定有所筛选，虽然当中出了一个犹大出卖了耶稣。卫斯理约翰说：给我一百个除了罪恶别无所惧，除了神别无所慕的传道者，我不在乎他们是正式的传道人或是平信徒，就靠他们这群人，必能够震动地狱之门并且在地上建立天国。当然，圣灵赐给教会各种不同的恩赐，有的适合做属灵层面的同工，是最佳的祷告伙伴或宣教会的行政同工。有的是企业家，能在后方协助动员物资的支援。有的是最适合被差遣到宣教前线的宣教士。因此，我们说宣教事工最重要的是人力资源！把对的人放在对的岗位，把对的人差遣到宣教禾场去，你就会看到工作的果效！宣教禾场需要你！祷告，加入我们的宣教会吧！