DVBS Jaffna, Sri Lanka from August 1, 2014 August 10, 2014

Transcription

1 DVBS Jaffna, Sri Lanka from August 1, 2014 August 10, 2014 Thank God that this trip was successful in that the Gospel seed was clearly sown. We prepared for about 4 months and were all excited to be there in Jaffna. We prepared for the lesson and how to deliver the gospel, the craftwork and the material and the details on the games. Colombo. It was good to have Pastor VJ waiting for us. All of us slept over at the church in Colombo. We roughed it out with all the 6 men sleeping on the floor in a big fellowship hall while the 9 ladies slept in the rooms. The following day we witnessed the Trinity Kindergarten Games Day. We worshipped together with the local brethren and rejoiced with them on 3 adult baptisms and 2 transfers. We detoured to visit the 3 churches at Trincomalee; Kapalthurai, Thamblagamam and the Town Church. The pastors and workers were joyfully serving despite the spartan living standard in these areas. Jaffna. Early in the morning, all the children were already seated, waiting for us. They were more eager than anyone of us. We taught from the Book of Jonah, punctuated with the gospel message. It was lunchtime that Elder Foong had a lump in my throat when I saw the kids sniffing at the food packages (with strong curry fragrance). He realized that most of them have gone through the war and that during that time any meal could be hard to come by and if it comes, it could be their last. We have been reminded not to ask about their parents since many of them either have a single parent only (usually the mother) or that they could be orphans (as a result of the war) under the care of some relatives. The message of Jonah came in so appropriately because God would exterminate the people of Nineveh unless they repent. Death was so real to the students. They have witnessed it many times during the war. They were not sure though what would happen after death. There is hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ! We also like to thank God for providing such a wonderful team who were both serious in the work and yet playful when it was time to be so. They also contributed generously to cover all the costs so that we need not use any money from Calvary. All Glory to His Name. Elder Foong & Maggie This mission trip was a first for me. I now fully understand why others have testified that we are more blessed than the people we minister to. Ministering God s Word to the poor but happy children was a joyful experience. I also enjoyed the sweet fellowship of Calvarians as we co-laboured joyfully with the brethren from Sri Lanka. Having met our Sri Lankan brethren face-to-face, I will henceforth be able to pray for them with greater understanding and appreciation of the challenges they face during our prayer meetings. Dn Lam Chun See 1

2 I would like to thank our Gracious Heavenly Father for giving me this great opportunity to be involved in the SLDVBS mission trip organized by Calvary BP Church. Much thanks also to Brother Lawrence Tan and Sister Linda Siong for introducing me to this team. I also like to thank them and Sister Jessie Heng for highlighting and encouraging me to join this mission assignment. Thanks to Elder Foong for his great guidance, great leadership & great care for the whole entire team. It was such a great experience that I have to say that I had a very enjoyable fellowship time with our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. It was also such a joy to share the story of Jonah and to preach the Gospel to the children over there. I was filled with joy to see the kids so eager and attentive during lesson time. Their facial expressions portray their keen and eager yearning to learn. I pray that our Lord would move their hearts to accept the Lord Jesus as their personal Saviour. Great thanks also to my team members especially Dn Lam Chun See for his great leadership & fellow team members, Brother Lawrence Tan and Sister Sally Chin for all their great efforts as co-workers. Lionel Chia Lawrence was hesitant to go as he had encountered stomach problem in the previous trip to Hatton. I did not confide to the rest of the team members as this would discourage them. Instead I committed to the Lord to give me strength and faith. As we met often to make preparations for the trip, I was very encouraged by their enthusiasm. We thank God for His faithfulness to see Lawrence through this trip. Lawrence Looking back I felt like I'm like Jonah, running away instead of going to Nineveh. There's much work to be done not only at Jaffna but also the other 4 churches in Sri Lanka. We know because we visited all of them. We strongly encourage members to be involved in the great commission commanded by our Lord Jesus either by going or praying. Love in Christ. Lawrence & Linda Tan This is our second trip to Sri Lanka DVBS and we praise God for the amount of blessings he showered upon us is no less than the previous year. Despite our very tight secular schedule, we managed to complete our various preparations in time for departure. How true it is that God made all things work together for good to them that love God. Pastor VJ was at Colombo airport to extend his usual warm welcome to the team at midnight. The next morning, we were invited to the TRPC Annual Kindergarten Sports Day. It was heartening to see little children performing a musical item and playing friendly matches in front of parents and guests. Thank God for caring and faithful teachers serving in this ministry. The Bible reminds us to train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6). We had the opportunity to witness 3 adult baptisms, a transfer and 2 children baptisms during Sunday Worship service at TRPC. Praise God for granting His grace in this part of the country. We pray that God continues to bless and strengthen the faith of these new members in God s family. On our way to Jaffna, we visited our three other churches located at little towns of Thamblagamam and Kapalthurai, as well as the one in the city of Trincomalee. It was good to meet Rev Vijendran, his assistant, Ravi, Rev Thayananth (also known as Pastor Thamba) and his wife, Rathi. We were humbled and are thankful to God for His abundance providence after learning how our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ worship and serve the Lord in cramped and simple buildings. We thank God for godly men and women who presented their lives to serve God in difficult and rural and isolated areas, so that the gospel of Christ be preached and souls are saved. After several hours of travelling on the road, we finally reached Jaffna, our destination for DVBS. The 3 days of DVBS was filled with surprises and challenges in adapting to various changes at short notice. However, teamwork, together with the Lord s answered prayer made all things all possible. All glory and praise to God with each smile and happiness shown from the children. 2

3 Despite language barrier, we had warm fellowship with the children and local teachers. The children were attentive and intelligent, so it was a breeze delivering God s word with the help of 3 effective translators. Man shall not live by bread alone. Thank God for Elder Foong and Deacon Lam who ensured we had daily spiritual food before we start each day s activities. The study of 1-3 John was very appropriate for our mission trip. We were reminded to be joyful in our fellowship with God and to walk in truth at all times. We count it a blessing to live and work with God s family members for eight full days. God as always, watched over us, teaching us to love and appreciate one another s strengths and weaknesses. Looking back at the seemingly tedious long journey on the road, we actually had the most fellowship inside the coach. The singing of hymns sounded especially sweet and there was a sense of unity amongst God s people. The blessed trip ended with an encouragement from Colossians 3:23-24: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men: Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ. At the same time, thank God for Pastor Isaac s reminder that Godliness is more than attending church service on Sundays. Let us go into the field to do more: to share and show gratitude for God s love while we can. God bless. Dn John & Doreen I heard about last year s Sri Lanka mission to Hatton from Doreen Chan and it was all about excitement and a totally different experience in serving God. So I decided to make myself available to be part of this year s mission not knowing what lay ahead. Our group of 15 was led by Elder Foong. The preparation, logistics and division of work was smoothly organised before our departure. Our theme for DVBS was the Book of Jonah and the morning devotion was books of 1 3 John. Both complement each other focusing on exhortation to love God and share the love with the world. God desires all people to be rescued from the destruction that sin brings into a person s life. We love him, because he first loved us (1 John 4:19). Prior to the DVBS from 6/8/14 8/8/14 in Jaffna, we attended the Sports Day by the Kindergarten, Worship service and enjoyed sightseeing in Colombo as well as visit to the churches namely Thamblagamam & Kapalthurai in Trincomalee. Our Gracious God has been so kind to us of which I would like to give thanks for: 1. Watching over us during the whole journey. 2. Opportunity to be in the team serving and glorifying Him. 3. Unity and staying focused with our counterparts from preparation and delivery of the whole DVBS event. 4. Good fellowship among the members with much laughter and getting to know one other better. This experience was enriching for me and I pray that the children who came for the DVBS will receive Jesus as their personal Saviour. I hope that they cherish the blessed time during DVBS and remember the verses we shared with them. Jonah 4.2:. for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of the evil. Sally Chin Thank God for His Grace and Mercy in making arrangement for our overseas mission. He protected, guided us all along the journey safely through His mercy. He indeed is the provider of all knowledge and strengthens each one of us. 3

4 Thank God for the 153 children who joined the DVBS. We were supposed to teach but instead we learned great lessons and were encouraged by their interest. Physically it was a tiring trip but there were no complaints! We enjoyed fellowship with one another and with God. All Glory to His Name. Peter Wan Thank God for His goodness for making it possible for me to be in this SLDVBS mission trip. Initially, I was quite apprehensive about going as I was not sure what I could contribute to the work of the mission. I felt inadequate. After attending the briefing & discussion led by Elder Foong, I gained a clearer understanding about mission work. The night before departure, I had butterflies in my stomach but our good Lord filled me with His peace. I drew strength from the words of our Lord in Joshua 1:9 and it help me cast away my fear and anxiety. I was humbled and filled with joy upon seeing the little children attending with happiness and beaming faces dressed in their best attire. Some came in their worn and tattered footwear. During lesson time, they were very attentive and responsive. It was a great encouragement to see the children so keen and focused during craft & lesson time. The time spent with these children during this SLDVBS is very fulfilling and joyful for me. My great appreciation and thanks to Elder Foong for his great leadership. Thanks also to Dn John and Doreen for their leadership & guidance. Thank God for using me and the rest of us to be part of this mission. All glory to God for this DVBS. Blessings, Jessie Tan This testimony is my humble thanksgiving and remembrance unto the Lord for He has yet again allowed me to serve Him in Sri Lanka. I wish to categorically state how the Lord s heavenly hand has covered me with His divine providence. His blessings came in the form of manpower, His infinite mercy, wisdom and joy. Manpower This trip would have been impossible if not for the people holding on to the other end of the rope. I thank the Lord for: - giving my ever supportive spouse, physical endurance and mental strength as he held the fort at home, juggling between work and being Mr Mum to my family; - my mother-in-law, who was on standby to fetch my children at a moment s notice; - my wonderful children s help in the preparation of craft materials and many more; - my girlfriends and classmates, though non-believers, cheerfully cut endless numbers of sea creatures (for the craftwork).; - my helpers at home who cared for my family; - Mrs Mak and others who one way or another helped with the team s preparation work; - prayer warriors of Calvary who faithfully prayed for the team and for the Lord s work in Sri Lanka. On the other end of the rope, - our brethren in Sri Lanka setting things in motion for the DVBS; - the local interpreters, especially Teacher Janani, who faithfully and tirelessly taught the lessons from Jonah to the children, from 9am to 4pm daily, over the 3 days; - local volunteers, some of them in their late teens, came from all over Sri Lanka to help in the DVBS. Our Lord is so gracious to provide unseen hands to render help and support so that I could go to Jaffna. 4

5 Mercy During this period, Our Loving Heavenly Father, ensured safety in travel to the following: - my beloved family and our team members loved ones in Singapore; - DVBS participants, local teachers and volunteers who commuted to and fro home to the venue; - the Singapore team as we traversed throughout Sri Lanka visiting the churches and their outreaches enroute to Jaffna and back; - the advance party (Joshuva and Siva) from Colombo to Jaffna and back; - the Singapore team as we landed in stormy weather early Saturday morning in Colombo; - excellent weather throughout our stay in Sri Lanka, especially during the DVBS. My children in Singapore, as well as our team enjoyed good health too. There were some aches and pain and occasional discomfort but none was seriously ill. Throughout the DVBS, there were no incidents or accidents, especially during games time. Praise the Lord for His protection during the whole time. Wisdom Thank God for bestowing His Infinite wisdom upon: - our overall team leader Elder Foong, who ensured that everything functioned like clockwork, and who literally took care of the team by cooking dinner for us; - our Sri Lanka team, who under the leadership of Pastor VJ, organised a fantastic DVBS. Everything was efficiently and professionally done, from the banner to the handbooks to the choice of the venue. - Elder Foong and Dn Lam, who led us in the morning devotions on I, II and III John, for our own edification. We were reminded again what the certainty of our salvation means to us, to live a Christian life in Christ, to share the gospel of Christ with others having experienced His saving grace, and to guard ourselves against the heresies of the end times for The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning (I John 2:7); - my leader Doreen, and my team mates, from whom I have learnt much wisdom in service for the Lord; - myself, as I had to adjust the craftwork to the ages of the children. Joy What a privilege to have taught the children in Jaffna. They are highly literate, intelligent and disciplined. Even the youngest child in the class, a 4-year-old, could read the Book of Jonah. These children were so enthusiastic in learning, singing and doing crafts. The kids had a unique way of showing that they like a person by pinching (gently)! Anna Joy was pinched on the first day while I, thankfully, on the third day. It was so heart-warming to see their faces when I addressed some of them by their names. Despite not knowing English, they presented two songs at the closing ceremony of the DVBS (in English of course). Five girls also recited verses which they have learnt. It was especially rewarding to see their faces beaming with pride as they sang the songs. Indeed, it is a privilege to co-labour with my team-mates in this mission trip. Thank God for giving me this opportunity to learn from these faithful veterans. Praise God for His love amongst us. I have never packed in so much laughter in seven days of my life as during this trip. I was so joyful because I knew that I am a companion of all them that fear the Lord (Psalm 119:63). For that little bit of work that has been done, I have been immeasurably blessed by the Lord. Such was my reward. The Lord is unsparing in His blessings towards us and words cannot express my profound gratefulness and thanks to Him for supplying my needs and upholding the whole team. This is my humble encouragement to you. If the Lord calls you to go, then go forth to share your love and support to our brethren in Sri Lanka, North Thailand and beyond. HE is faithful in His promises. Do not worry about being clueless or fret over what needs to be done. God will dispense His wisdom in His own time. For me, wisdom from the Lord for my craftwork came at the most unexpected and unlikeliest of times in the midst of a soccer match (World Cup). Therefore all that is required of us, in a nutshell, is to obey, be faithful, be courageous and trust that He would use us for His glory. So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I send it (Isaiah 55:11). 5

6 I am confident, because I know I am serving the One True Living God. Praise God from whom all blessings flow. The Lord s glory shine like the sun which He had created and His precious Name be manifold magnified. Joan Cheng Last May, God had laid it on my heart to step out of my comfort zone & experience life-changing to another mission field, Sri Lanka where I least thought of. This mission trip to Sri Lanka was awesome and truly marvellous with a diverse team who enjoyed each other; all on different paths, all concerned, all prayerful through God s merciful blessing and by His Grace abundance showered onto each of us during the journey. During the 3 days of DBVS, I was absolutely inspired by the children s eagerness and was captivated during Bible stories sharing and verses recited/memory, their creative ideas they had exhibited on the craft and every agility reaction while participant in the games session. One of the favourite parts was to nestle into the laughter and giggling with the children, deeply embraced by their innocence shone through the faces and meek words whispered among each other as when they just pop-up from the chair where I was completely enamoured by their flowing love even though they come from difficult background leading a diversified way of life. Nevertheless, the beauty of the journey was amazing while the visitation to God s houses situated at Colombo, Trincomalee and Jaffna; the exotic panorama of the landscape s scenery along the driveway and bird s-eye viewing of the seascape by the Pacific costal; humbly taken aback by simplicity demeanour countenance and poverty of the people s livelihood while recovering from warfare; but outmost was self-experiencing God s strength & goodness amazingly fills every moment in everything we are reaching it in His Name. Annie Teo This trip has blessed me in ways that I wasn t expecting it to, and it has taught me a plethora of things, but I only have so many words to talk about my favourite parts. Everyone knows that a mission trip should have the same top priorities: to bless others, to sow the gospel seed, to glorify God, and to share the love of Christ. These priorities should be the reasons for the excitement and anticipation of the experience. A huge lesson that struck home with me was the reminder of the true purposes of a mission trip. I realized that a large part of my excitement was always due to a social aspect. This time, I didn t go with any of my peers or any of my family members. I had time to set my focus on the work God had called us to do and the opportunity to sow the gospel seed the real source of blessings in any mission field. I had time to be with God and in His word, to reflect on His work and faithfulness and in the little things I often take for granted. The sweat, hours of preparation, and hard work it was all worth it. The smiles on their faces? Priceless. The faith, the fire, and the perseverance of those who are constantly on the mission field are nothing short of inspirational. Every trip for me always ends in a spiritual high; it s like a mini revival in my heart, as if God is using a little spark to rekindle that flame in me. But that spark? It isn t supposed to die out when you get off the plane. That spark is supposed to light a fire in you to continue your own mission, at home. Maybe we don t see the effects of poverty and war among us every day, but that doesn t mean that the people we already know don t need the love and saving grace of Jesus in their lives. If you re planning or even thinking about going to see God s work in a mission field, let the kids break your heart. Let all the work leave you exhausted, but inspired and in awe. Let that trip become a living memory of the work that God calls all of us to in Mark 16:15. But don t feel like that is the only way you can be serving and reaching out to others. Mission fields are wherever YOU are. Don t pull a Moses, and undermine yourself. Let God s light shine through you. If you are willing, He will use you for things a lot bigger than you can imagine. There s also a cherry on top of all of this: while you busy yourself with blessing those around you and putting all of them before yourself, God has promised His blessings and His rewards for YOU. Anna-Joy 6

7 I thank and praise God. By His Grace, the Sri Lanka mission trip, planned a year ago has finally materialized. This particular trip was different. Unlike my other missions, this time I was supposed to conduct the lessons in English. Having worshipped in the Mandarin Department for three decades, it was tough to teach in English. But God s Grace is manifested in man s weakness (2 Cor 12:9). Praise the Lord! All praise and glory to the Lamb on the Throne! Praise and thank God for His differing gifts to different individuals according to His Grace; such as the gift of missions, exhortation, comforting etc. One gift that the Lord has blessed me with is a big throat. Coupled with Elder Foong s thoughtful gesture he undertook to conduct all the lessons in our group my only responsibility was to lead in the singing which happens to be something I thoroughly enjoy doing! Hence, over the three days of the DVBS, I had to lead the hundred over children in singing in a large hall without a microphone. But, by God s Grace, I survived the three days, without any adverse effect on my throat and loss of voice. Indeed, all Glory to God. I have participated in many mission trips before. But this time, the group was really big. The original plan was for a group of 150 children; divided into 3 age groups of about 50 each. Add to that about 20 local helpers, and our team of 15 from Singapore, the group was almost 200 in size. But at the event itself, only about 140 children turned up. Jaffna, the venue of our DVBS, was very hot. One can sweat profusely even when all you do is sit. Nevertheless, despite the tough physical conditions, everyone served joyfully. Although there were some minor clashes of opinions, by God s Grace, we all co-laboured with mutual love and forgiveness, and successfully carried out the tasks that the Lord had entrusted to us; each giving of his best to the Lord. Indeed, all glory to our God. This year s DVBS focused on the Book of Jonah; and the theme song was, Seek Ye First. Witnessing the kid s enthusiasm to learn God s Word, our team was much encouraged and would gladly have endured more inconveniences. Nevertheless what we could accomplish on our own strength was truly limited. We can only pray that God would satisfy the children s spiritual needs. May the Lord speak to our members that more would step forward and join in the work of Missions. Jenny Yip 7

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