Family Missions Impact Team to Jakarta

FAMILY MIT TO JAKARTA

FOR FAMILY, BY FAMILY

BY KOH ZHI GUO DANIEL

The Sun’s rays danced off the aircraft port wing as it soared into the sky from Changi Airport before heading south to Jakarta. Aboard were four families on a mission – a Family Missions Impact Trip (MIT).

For this intrepid team of four families, it was from taking a step to a journey of faith. It was the first on-site MIT since the pandemic began, and the first Family MIT in more than a decade. This team collaborated with Trinity@Jakarta to conduct a camp that incorporated a youth cultural exchange and a parents’ dialogue for a local elementary school in Jakarta.

“My mom asked me whether I wanted to join her on this MIT. At first, I was really hesitant and unwilling to go as it was during the school holidays. I was sure I would not pass the interview. But after praying and asking God, I decided to take a step of faith and trust that God would help me through everything,” said Esther Leow, 15-year-old IGNYTEr who stepped out and up with her mother Nancy Ang.

For Hansen, who participated in his first MIT with his entire family of four, it was

“But as for me and my household we will serve the Lord.”

– Joshua 24:15

a transformative experience getting out of his comfort zone. “I had to do a lot of things I was not comfortable with,” shared the self-professed “non-techie” who was tasked to prepare presentation slides.

“I would normally be impatient working on something unfamiliar, but I was assured by God’s peace, and knew everything would be alright as long as I trust Him,” added Hansen.

Hansen’s wife, Nancy, a MIT-veteran, shared how the timing was perfect for their family to serve together in this Family MIT. It coincided with their elder daughter Sarah’s Alpha-track MIT, and it would happen before their younger daughter Evangeline’s university began.

Playing games is not wrong, but the timing must be right. Just like how parents only want what is best for us, so does God. For He has plans not to harm us, but to prosper us.

TITUS CHEW

AGE 11

Another MIT-veteran, Caleb Joshua, had been looking forward to bringing his 15-year-old son, Samuel, for a MIT since he was in Primary Two. “I wanted to show him the needs out there,” he explained.

Samuel recounted, “We did a recce at the school before the camp. And seeing the names of the children on their tables, I felt a heavy heart for the children who did not know God yet.”

As the father-son duo was responsible for logistics, they witnessed how God provided miraculously when a sudden need for 300 pens arose for the children to write personal letters to God.

Samuel was amazed also at how he could serve by just simply availing himself. He happened to walk into the nursery before the service at Trinity@Jakarta to find a little girl with separation anxiety. Together with another team member, they spoke and played with her for almost three hours so that her parents could serve in the worship team for that service. Another young warrior for God was the youngest child on the team. Titus Chew preached to more than a hundred upper level elementary school children. The 11-year-old humbly conveyed his testimony of how he was addicted to playing computer games, and turned a deaf ear to his parents’ exhortations to focus instead on his studies.

He was gaming even on the eve of his Chinese language exam, and that resulted in him miserably failing the weighted assessment. Titus realized his folly, and after much effort, attained his class’ highest score in the next assessment.

“Playing games is not wrong, but the timing must be right,” said the child evangelist in the making. “Just like how parents only want what is best for us, so does God. For He has plans not to harm us, but to prosper us as the Bible tells us in Jeremiah 29:11.”

In his message on obedience, Titus shared how the children could hear from God through worship and prayer. He proceeded

to lead the children in a time of reflection, and to pen down what they heard from God.

And how precious it was, hearing how God has spoken to the children. A child wrote, “I hear Him say that if no one cares you, I care you.” Pastor Alana, Center Pastor, Trinity@Jakarta recounted a boy who felt so touched by how much God loves him, that his tears started flowing. “It was his birthday and he was a little embarrassed at having cried in public,” Pastor Alana related.

Another child was tearing as he wrote a letter to Jesus telling Him about his grandmother who was in hospital due to cancer. Pastor Alana shared other letters penned by the children asking God to forgive, and to help them forgive. “We knew it was God speaking to the children as we didn’t share about forgiveness.”

God impacted the lives of these four families even before they boarded the aeroplane for this Family MIT, they prayed as a family and underwent training together, planning devotions. While sharing as a parent-child pair during MIT, they blessed one another with their family devotions with the other families.

“It was beautiful seeing children and parents sharing, praying and growing together,” affirmed Pastor Ong Hui En, the lead of the Family MIT. “There were a lot of laughter and fun as they worked hard together during the trainings. The parents’ sense of responsibility aided me greatly; while the children brought energy and freshness that sparked and renewed the adults’ joy and passion weekly. I thoroughly enjoyed the synergy and unity that I had the privilege to witness. The unity was special and different from the usual MIT,” she added.

Pastor Hui En felt heartwarming to witness how the children stepped out of their parents’ shadows, took up leadership roles, and were not shy at demonstrating their gifting or ideas to the team. “I wanted parents to witness these breakthroughs and see their children not as little boys and girls, but as partners in the mission field.”

When Titus’ father, Ben Chew, was asked how he felt seeing his son preached and reached out, he beamed, “I’m amazed at his willingness to just go and go. He encouraged everyone at the MIT. I’m so proud of him.”

And so is everyone at Trinity Christian Centre – for every family and everyone who was deployed, and the many who supported the team behind-the-scenes, planning, coordinating and praying relentlessly for this Family MIT – for family, by family!

Children in the MIT team penning down what they heard from God during worship & prayer