ANNUAL REPORT 2018 To nurture our emerging generation to commit in cross-cultural caring mission to do justice and love mercy among the marginalized indigenous people
Executive Director
执行长的话
Shalom. Malaysia is different now! After Malaysia has changed, I am eager to see more Chinese churches could become more forward-looking, and a full-fledged influence groups. Our church needs to be renewed so that our mind can be more aligned with the mind of our Abba Father. In this way, our church can follow the God that we worship, serve and proclaim by His righteous and merciful attributes to minister this generation, lead our ethnic groups, and transform the new Malaysia. The establishment of Micah Centre was one month before the birth of the new Malaysia. Its mission is to raise and cultivate a new generation, help them more willing to deny themselves and take up their cross to go for cross-cultural care mission with more competency. I am excited to witness the establishment of Micah Centre through the confirmations of the Lord one by one. I am grateful to meet this first batch of students as they have responded to the Holy Spirit and enrolled in Micah Centre. We have witnessed God’s faithfulness and His wonderful provision in all kinds of resources during our funding. Our hearts are so amazed with the grace and greatness of our God! On behalf of the team, I would like to say “Ribuan Terima Kasih” to all the Indigenous & Chinese pastors in Sabah for your acceptance and spiritual covering. I would like to thank those who walk side by side with us. Your kindness and love for our staffs and students motivates us to move forward. Thanks to the board of directors of HISTEAM and Micah Centre for working together. Your trust and supervision allows Micah Centre to set sail. Although I missed the first graduation ceremony, I did not miss sharing the happiness and sorrows of each Micah students and fellow staffs throughout the 10-month training. I sincerely congratulate each students for their courageous in the training” Bravo! We are truly proud of you! After having roadshows to churches in various places to share their testimony, let’s continue to pray for these young disciples that they will continue to wait for the Lord and be faithful in their humble service in order to please our Abba Father. We seek for the name of our Father to be exalted and honored in our humble service. Let us share the same heart in unity to promote the vision of “Indigenous & Chinese walk together”. Rev. Andrew Wong Executive Director of Micah Centre
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Program Coordinator
BOARD OF TRUSTEE Dr. Rev. Thu En Yu Dr. Rev. Lee Tak Vui Rev. Andrew Wong Rev. Paul Friesen Dr. Paul Choo
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Dr. James Lee Ps. Michael Liman Bro. Hoh Thian Cai Chiok Ann Nee
FULL-TIME CO-STAFF Isaac Goh Carol Lim Suria Mosidin
Congratulations to the Micah students as you have successfully passed the 10-month training and internship for cross-cultural care mission. Although the whole process is challenging, you have shown your extraordinary perseverance and tenacity. As a result, your life has grown matured. I am thankful to God for such an opportunity to accompany these young people through this extraordinary journey of discipleship. I have to admit that all these achievements are not due to our ability and intelligence, nor from our experience and strength. Frankly, we have not have enough experience in the cross-cultural indigenous ministry, but all these come from our God who grows us. I now understand what apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:7: “So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.� Living and getting along with these students, facing the joy and sorrow, witnessing the true and living God, loving and serving each other, care each other like a family. The bits and pieces of this 10-month journey will be an unforgettable memory of mine. Lastly, dear fellow student, don't forget the abundance grace that God has in you, as He has chosen and called you among many people to be trained in Micah Centre so that your current life is no longer the same, and you has known His heart. Therefore, you must continue to focus on seeking God's plan in your life, and make more disciples for Jesus, be faithful to Him in this broken world: care for the vulnerable that the God loves, do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with your God in your daily life. Isaac Goh
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OUR VISION “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?� (Micah 6:8)
OUR MISSION To equip the emerging generations to be the soldier of Christ to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God among the marginalized indigenous community
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4 Months
Cross-cultural Training
3 Months | Placement in Kampung
10-Month
Training
2 Months | Internship in NGO
1 Month | Testimony Sharing 4
Phase 1 Cross-cultural Mission Discipleship
How to share the Good News
Evening Prayer Meeting
Social Justice & Indigenous People
Spiritual Practice & Character Building During the first 4 months training, we help the students to build a solid foundation on spiritual practice. Through helping them to practise a lifestyle of constant encounter with God, and a daily habit of prayer and devotion, we want them to establish an intimate relationship with God that is built on submission and obedience to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In turn, their inner character will also be transformed – from self-centredness to selflessness, from laziness to diligence, from abhorrence to acceptance, from complaint to forgiveness. Some of the trainees struggled with bitterness, hurt, and guilt, but by the work of the Holy Spirit, they were able to unshackle from the bondage of the past, and experienced true freedom and healing. Micah Centre is located among the most rural of the hills. There are no communication means of the modern convenience, no amenities like running water from taps. Our trainees who grew up in the cities have to learn to get back to basic, to live the most simplistic and independent lifestyle, and to pick up some basic life skills such as doing laundry, preparing meals, cleaning up after themselves, and even weeding and planting, etc. These basic life skills helped also in shaping their characters, as they had to do the things that they had never done or never liked, and to serve others in humility.
Bible Foundation & Mission Concept As our lesson are conducted in Malay, our trainees who came primarily from Chinese-speaking background, had to practice and improve on their Malay language ability – as to read the “Alkitab” (Bible in Malay), to pray in Malay, to preach God’s words in Malay, to sing worship songs in Malay, to communicate with the local indigenous people in Malay. Language fluency is the very basic requirements needed for cross-cultural mission. The trainees were given training on Basic Doctrine of Christianity, the Great Commandment and the Great Commission, Holistic Mission and Gospel, Micah 6:8 (do justice, love mercy, walk humbly), Gospel and Culture, the Identity and Rights of the indigenous people as the Firstborns of the land, Social Justice, Creation Care, etc.
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Basic Skills on Natural Farming
Cross-Cultural Ministry Skills and Approaches The trainees were also equipped with skills and approaches on cross-cultural ministry. This kind of training enabled the trainees to carry out their cross-cultural mission practically and effectively as they go to serve in the indigenous community for 3 months.
Bible Storytelling to Children
Audio Bible: help indigenous people to know God’s word through different versions of audio Bible in their native tongue. Operation Christmas Child: A program that helps to bring the young generation to God and become His disciples using children evangelism strategy and discipleship modules.
Operation Christmas Child Training
First-Aid: by giving basic medical first-aid knowledge and training to the indigenous people, help them to know how to respond in some of the basic and common medical emergency conditions. Community Health: basic health check (blood pressure, height and weight, heartrate), basic health and hygiene education to help indigenous community improve on personal health and hygiene. Community Development: to understand and learn about effective and sustainable rural community development, that they can impart the knowledge to help people preserve their land better.
Making Moringa Powder
Economic Empowerment: understand how to empower the indigenous people in their economy, improve the economy standards and reduce poverty in the rural areas. Islam and Apologetic: learn about the basic teachings of Islam and ways to respond to and defend against them, in order to help the indigenous people to build their faith and knowledge in Christianity, and to reduce the likelihood of native Christian converting to Islam.
Short-term Mission Trip
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Phase 2 Internship Service in Rural Kampung
After successfully completed their 4-month training in Micah Centre, the trainees, by groups of genders, were sent into the interior of Ranau to embark on 3-month placement, where they live and serve among the indigenous people there. It was finally the time for the real test of applying what they have learnt into the real life. The placement ground for the ladies’ team was in Kg. Nawanon, and Kg. Kaingaran for the gentlemen team. There was no electricity supply for both villages, and once entered into the villages, the trainees communication with the outside world were completely cut off. The trainees were arranged to stay with the local pastor in their respective villages, and they were to serve in the local indigenous church and village they lived in.
Kelas Teman Baca
Youth Camp
Adult Sunday Class
The ladies’ team were involved in some of the following ministries: 1. Kelas Teman Baca: To help the children to have a holistic development – academically, physically, emotionally, and spiritually – the team organised a twice-weekly companionship class for the children. During each two-hour session, each trainee helped five children on their school work and learning, and they also had different activities after that, such as Bible lessons, moral education, and lessons on health and hygiene and even money management for the children. 2. Kem Belia: Apart from the young children, the team also served the youths and teenagers by having a three-day two-night Youth Camp to help them to grow in faith, in Bible knowledge, and in character. The team discovered that many of these young Christians actually wanted to learn more about God and experience Him deeper, but lacked many good learning opportunities and quality guidance and training. Through the testimony sharing session during the last day of the camp, the team was amazed to witness how much the young people had grew in just three short days in the camp. 3. Adult Sunday Class: Every week after the Sunday service the team stayed behind to teach the adults. The lessons includes Mandarin and English language class, enzyme-making, financial management, health lessons, etc. 4. Home Visitation & Family Altar: During weekdays, the team would make their visit to different families in the village, to help them to know the villagers better and to understand their life and challenges more, so that they could know how to help and serve the people there in the best way. Through the home visitations, the team managed to encourage and guide some ex-churchgoers to return to the faith community, and helped them to rediscover their belief in God. The ladies also encouraged the local church leaders to start building family altar at their own homes that they may be able to lead the whole family to know God and worship Him, as well as to begin building disciples at home. May the fire from these family altars can continue to burn strong and bright in these homes, and send forth the fire of revival to every home in the village.
Kelas Teman Baca
Tuition Class
Children Outreach
The gentlemen team were involved in some of the following ministries: 1. Kelas Teman Baca: The team noticed that in general most of the native students are not doing well in their studies, especially in subjects like English and Mathematics. The team spent their afternoon helping the younger primary school students from the local church in their school work, and at night, they tutored the secondary school children. Because of their companionship, the team were able to form deep friendship with the young people in the community. 2. Youth Discipleship Class: As the team realised that many of the local young people lacked a passion and thirst for their faith, they decided to start a discipleship class with the youths using Mulai Hidup Baru (a training material published by Campus Crusade for Christ), to equip them with good Biblical values as well as to learn to live out a new life in Christ, and to follow Him all their life. 3. Personal Testimony Sharing: The team members were occasionally invited to share their life stories not only in their local church but also in a few neighbouring villages’ churches as well. It was a breakthrough for these four gentlemen, as it was the first time they stood before a group of native people, using a language that they are not familiar with, to share the great deeds of God in their lives. 4. Children Outreach: The team had an evangelistic event for the children in the village. Using the “Operation Christmas Child” program, the team shared the Good News through songs, games, and skit, and they also led the children to receive Christ through prayer. Every child received a gift at the end of the event. They were also invited to attend a 12-week discipleship course for children, so that they can not only know Christ, but to follow Him, as well as share His good news with their friends.
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Phase 3 Volunteer Service in Kingdom Ministry
Deliver organic goods to supermarket
HISTEAMďźŒOA Organics (YKPM) Trainees: Toh En Ci, Joseph Pei, Z-Anne
Working with local indigenous
Our trainees were sent to HISTEAM as volunteer for 2 weeks. HISTEAM is a Christian Non-profit Organization based in Shah Alam, Selangor. Their mission is to connect, train and mobilize Chinese-speaking churches in Malaysia to reach out to the poor in the society, to promote the application of Great Commandment among the churches. During their service in HISTEAM, they assisted in different departments, so that they have opportunity to understand the operation in each department as well as accompany other staffs to serve the churches. After two weeks, they were sent to OA Organics in Pahang rural village. It is a social enterprise initiated by YKPM with the purpose to empower the local indigenous communities. Our trainees learned to assist the local people in the organic farm. Thus, they have chance to involve in the entire process includes weeding, seedling production, planting, product delivery.
Kelas Teman Baca
Packaging organic goods
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During free time, they conducted tuition class for children. They also served in local churches by teaching children Sunday school and led devotion group among the farmers. They conducted a discipleship class on Creation Care. Throughout their service among the local indigenous people, they had deeper feeling and experience in caring for the indigenous people, especially the social injustice issues related to the indigenous people.
Fellowship with local community
Learn about Social Enterprise
Teaching in local pre-school centre
Assist in teacher training centre
Jabatan Pendidikan Prasekolah (JPPS) Trainees: Albert Chang, Gavril Lo Our trainees were sent to JPPS as volunteer. JPPS is a ministry under Sabah SIB, which is to empower the rural indigenous children by providing better pre-school education and building the next generation to become the disciple of Jesus. In first two weeks, our trainees served in the headquarter office in Kota Kinabalu in setting up pre-school teacher training centre.
Sharing God’s words to youth
After two weeks, they were sent to Kg. Enam in Nabawan area. They were assigned to serve in the local pre-school centre, assisting in teaching the children. They also gave tuition to the local primary students, especially in subject such as Mathematics and English. Besides, they served in Youth Fellowship in the local church.
Hostel Jubilee Tambulion Trainees: Tan Qiu Shun, Tan Xin Yee Our trainees were assigned to Hostel Jubilee Tambulion in Kota Belud. It is a student ministry initiated by SIB KL by setting up a student hostel that accommodates up to 50-60 Christian students who study in nearby secondary school. Our trainees helped the students in the academic. In term of discipleship, two of them took turn to lead the morning devotion before the students depart to the school. They shared and taught the God’s words in order to strengthen the students’ faith by understanding deeper in the words of God.
Group photo with Form 5 students
Photo with warden and students
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Words by Graduates 2018
Liong Z-Anne | 18 years old, Kuala Lumpur 10 months training in Micah Centre was the best journey I ever had throughout my 18 years of life. It gave me the most precious experience. This journey had broadened my sight and most importantly helping me to know God’s will in the early stage of my life. Knowing His will motivates and pushes me seeing and loving the group that God cares. Things that I learnt, saw and experienced helped me to find the purpose and calling of mine. The moment I started to live with the indigenous people in their ‘kampung’ (village), I felt the heartbeat of God. I am so thankful that God opened the door for my parents to support me to go to Micah Centre. Despite being reluctant to leave Micah Centre, I knew I am going to graduate soon and there is more waiting for me outside there. I believe the journey of my life has just begun after these 10 months. I am looking forward for the next stage of my life with more experiences through God’s grace and influence people through bearing more spiritual fruits.
Gavril Lo | 17 years old, Kota Kinabalu I think that joining Micah Centre is definitely a decision I made that I will remember forever, because this decision has changed my life, my perspective and most of all my purpose, which is to accomplish God’s mission. Serving God might not be easy and could be challenging. However, I found that serving God can fill the emptiness of my heart. I cannot do all these, only God can. I believe that God sent me here for a reason and purpose, and I have found what is the next step for me to take boldly so that I could finish God’s mission through my life.
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Esther Tan Xin Yee | 18 years old, Kuala Lumpur I came to Micah Centre with empty-handed, but returned with fullness. My relationship with God has become more intimate. I clearly know my calling and God’s will in my life. I see what the world needs and what we should do as the children of God. There might have tears and joys throughout the journey, but what I felt more was gratefulness. I am grateful for God’s leading and His grace filled upon me. For these 10 months, I could make many other options, but I never regret taking this wonderful journey. This journey is definitely special and precious for me.
Albert Chang | 20 years old, Miri I am now very different if compared to the previous ‘me’. During the training in Micah Centre, I get to know God better. I understand that I need to build an intimate relationship with God. It is because He is not only our God, but He is our Father in heaven. If I do not build a good relationship with God, I will not have faith to achieve many things in my life. I believe this is the life that God wants me to live. Therefore, I will spread His gospel with all the strengths He gave to me. Although I am not fluent in Malay, God helped me overcome every obstacles. Hence, I believe God will continue to lead me in my future path.
Genette Toh En Ci | 19 years old, Kuala Lumpur Micah Centre is a journey of getting cross-cultural training and serving the indigenous people fully with everyone’s blessings. I learned to see God’s kingdom is more important than my own will. Learn to love what God loves and hate what God hates. Although I have met many challenges, but we have overcome everything with God’s love. I wish all of us continued to do our best in future! Do not be afraid, for God’s words never fail.
Joseph Pei | 18 years old, Kuching I would like to thank my family for supporting me while God is leading my way. This brought me to Micah Centre to learn on cross-cultural ministry and to serve the indigenous people in humble. I appreciate the establishment of Micah Centre, which not only allows me to learn to serve but also have the opportunity to grow throughout the journey. The most important thing was that I found the God who loves me.
Tan Qiu Shun | 18 years old, Johor In a blink of eyes, the training had finally come to an end. Despite of rejection from the beginning, I am so reluctant to leave now. There are many indescribable stories and testimonies throughout the past 10 months. I once was lost at the junction of my life, but I am grateful that God has guided me. At least, I know my direction now and my relationship with God is closer. I am grateful to the people I met and things that I have experienced, as they helped me to grow more mature. They have given me a new vision. When I looked back to the past 10 months, although I am 1 year behind than my peers, I never regret to the choice I have made because it was way too fun here!
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Student Testimony Sharing
Z-Anne
Before I join the Micah Centre, I am a person who is passionate and keen to do many things for God. I always hope to contribute as much as I could to the community. As a child of God, I am eager to know how to implement God's word in my life, bear fruits to bless others and please the Lord. I felt like lacking of something that could push me to move forward consistently, something that could motivate me even when I failed. I found out that it is God's calling in my life. Thankfully, I had come over the time of bewilderedness and confusion ever since I went to the Micah Centre. I do not just receive the Great Commandment and the Great Commission as the commands that I should obey and practice in my whole life, but I also realized the importance of living out the Bible scripture in Micah 6:8 where God wants us to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God. After understanding this scripture, I became more courageous and started to treat others and see things differently. As summary, after I joined the training in Micah Centre, I have received the courageous in doing justice and being merciful, taking the initiative to care for others, and willing to take extra steps in loving and serving people. After 10 months of learning and serving, I get to know the difficulties and the challenges faced by the indigenous people. Through knowing God has given the unique identity and calling to the indigenous people, I see the need for the indigenous people to rise up and revive. God has bestowed a special identity to them to be the leader and the defender of this land. However, their rights and lands have been infringed and they are being treated unjustly. During the period where I get along with the indigenous people, I saw their beautiful souls in their hearts. When I lived among them, I felt astonishing of their survival skills, courage, spirit of taking care for one another, willingness to share and the beauty of their arts and culture. I witnessed how nimble they are as they are able to climb up the trees and get a bunch of fruits very fast. I also witnessed their bravery on hunting the giant wild boars and catching fishes with bare hands. I realized that these people who were neglected by our society are actually the hidden heroes who are bold and kind-hearted. Their pain and suffering are not known to anyone unless we discover it. I feel helpless when seeing them often bullied due to less educated and underprivileged. This caused their lands stolen by the wicked merchants and their profits exploited. The government do not concern about their problems. After living among the indigenous people for few months, I was impressed by their respectfulness towards the nature and environment, their deep desire towards God, and their positive attitude of giving and sharing. During the three months I live in the village, the indigenous people took good care of us, they often shared their foods to us generously such as fruits and edible wild herbs even they do not have much. In Micah Centre, I learned an important biblical concept: Holistic Gospel. It concludes proclaiming the gospel, teaching, responding in loving service, doing justice and creation care. In the past, I was taught to only emphasize on proclaiming the gospel and teaching, but I did not realize that being merciful, taking the initiative to care for others, transforming the community by doing justice are also parts of the gospel. I realized that I have to take the responsibility to take care of the environment as the duty given by our Creator. When we are doing so, we are actually showing a good testimony to others. Because when others seeing our efforts on caring for the creation, others will be attracted to know the Creator of all creations, they will find God's wisdom and glory through His creations so that they will honour and fear the Lord. "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8) This vision has motivated me to do justice and mercy. I also believe that there are mercy and love in justice. In the journey of my personal experience with God and serving Him, I have decided to practise the mercy shown by Good Samaritan's and to imitate the example by Jesus in fighting for justice and the poor. Since I knew what the Lord truly requires from us, which is to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with Him, I will learn and practise it in my life so that I would become the person with good influence to others and the Good News to the poor.
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Budget for 2019 : RM155,000 RM121,900 | Administration / Operation (Salary, Transportation, Hardware Maintenance) RM13,100 | Training Program (Love Gift for Teachers, Training Material, Field Training) RM20,000 | Hardware Upgrade / Development for Future