Mission Pangasinan 2016 20-24 May 2016
Dear Pastor, We praise the Lord for the recent Mission Tripcum-Church Retreat. It was a time of spiritual refreshing for my family and I. We are thankful for the presence of the Gethsemane Mission Team; seeing their labour and love for the work gave us additional strength to press on. The Lord sent a reminder that we have many brethren who have been praying for us and we are not alone in the battle against the world. Praise God for sending the mission team to renew our strength! I have, from time to time, encouraged the local brethren to consider God s work that is being accomplished by Gethsemane B-P Church around the world. Admittedly, some of our people here may think that the ministry in Dagupan, Pangasinan, is too humble in terms of size and capability, but I exhorted them to press on, because we need to be first strong spiritually before the Lord will give us increase. Our faithful and more established churches serve as an example for us to emulate. God s promise is for our small church too; it is an assurance that if we will be faithful like them, the Lord is ready to multiply our humble efforts. I mentioned to the brethren that we have a big harvest field waiting for labourers to cut the sheaves. In the recent Mission Trip-cum-Church Retreat, I have seen the big harvest field. Brethren from different provinces came to worship the Lord with us. A total of 5 provinces were represented La Union (3 hours ride), Valenzuela (4-5 hours ride), Nueva Vizcaya (5-6 hours ride), Pangasinan and even Isabela (a gruelling 12 hours ride!). These brethren endured the travel because they heard that the Gethsemane Mission Team would bring God s Word in our midst. They are hungry to hear what God has for them. Outside of Pangasinan, we only have one ministry among these provinces. We are currently visiting Nueva Vizcaya on a quarterly basis, and as the Lord leads us, it is our prayer
to share God s Word with the other nearby provinces as well. I praise the Lord that Preacher Dennis, together with other brethren, were able to visit Pugaro and La Union. We went to Pugaro after sending the mission team to the airport on Tuesday, 24 May. We took a boat ride from the mission station to the area of the brethren. Preacher Dennis preached the Word. After the Bible Study, we went home via boat again. Soon after, we went to La Union to visit the parents of Bro Jordan and Sister Ara. Two families stayed in the mission station to have fellowship with us and attended the worship service last Sunday. They are the family of Bro Renato from Valenzuela and that of Sis Ever from Isabela. Thank God for the extended fellowship and they went home after the worship service. To Sejin and I, everything was like a very good dream full of memories. These past days were full of joyful memories spent with like-minded brethren, which will linger in our mind for many months and even years! Truly, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (Psalm 133:1). Indeed, it is good for us to be in the midst of Jesus and we can experience our Lord through His Word and in the fellowship of His people. Pr Donald dela Cruz Trip Report by Sis Peggy Lee The theme of Mission Pangasinan 2016, held from 20-24 May, was Relying on God s Promises, with the Scripture text taken from Hebrews 10:23b For He is faithful that promised. The theme song selected was Standing on the Promises of God. The 5-day trip included primarily, home visitations and a Bible Retreat for both adults and children. Preparations for the mission trip to Dagupan City, Pangasinan, the Philippines, began in earnest as soon as we signed up for the trip, although many other aspects of the planning for the mission trip had started in early April. Besides being regularly informed of brief background details of the mission church, its preacher, Donald dela Cruz, his family and the brethren in the church, we were also prepared spiritually with God s Word, accompanied by devotional
materials and encouraged to pray often for the mission trip. We had several singing practices on the theme song as well as the hymn To God be the Glory in Tagalog. Meanwhile, preachers and teachers of the children prepared their messages and lessons. There was much to prepare for ahead of the trip, and to undertake for the Lord during the trip, within the tight constraints of time. We were much blessed to experience a foretaste of God s goodness in our preparations and throughout the mission trip, as we relied on God s promises. Reflections As with all in the mission team, I was much encouraged by this mission trip. I was touched by the tireless efforts put in by Pr Donald in coordinating all the logistics of the programme while we were in Pangasinan and the kind hospitality and care for the mission team and all participants. He, together with his wife, Sis Sejin, went about their tasks humbly with a smile on their faces all that time. Their joyful labour showed us their love for God and His flock, amidst the many challenges they face. It is their great passion and hope that the people they minister to, would know God s Word better and grow in faith. As most of the regular worshippers live far from the Mission Church, Pr Donald, his wife and infant child in tow, visit them on a regular basis to have Bible studies (in Binday on Fridays, and in Pogaro and Gueguesangen on alternate Wednesdays). How the brethren in Pangasinan get to church put us to shame when we see that some of us in Singapore are so easily discouraged by little inconveniences in life. As Bro Anthony put it well, Christians need to be thankful for all the modern facilities and amenities we have in Singapore, especially in our worship of God. Some Christian participants living in other provinces had to travel many hours to get to the Retreat. It was humbling to witness their joy and desire for God s Word. Their conviction and fervent wish to have a true Biblebelieving church in their provinces encouraged the mission team greatly. It was a great joy to experience the brotherly love, care and concern among the mission team. The meeting of fellow Gethsemaneans (saved through the ministry of the Gethsemane Filipino Fellowship)
showed me that God has abundantly blessed Gethsemane s efforts in reaching out to others through the preaching of the Gospel. I thank God for the many lessons learnt on relying on His promises in my Christian walk from this mission trip. The Trip The sense of joyful service to the Lord and love among brethren, was evident right from the start. We met at 3.15pm on 20 May, Friday, at Changi Airport Terminal 2 to check in our luggage and other belongings together. Some of us repacked and personally carried our belongings on board to offer the extra checked-in baggage space/ weight available. This enabled us to bring some Bibles, Bible Witness magazines, tracts, songbooks, craft materials and some love gifts on behalf of brethren to the missionary family. We are thankful to the Lord for Pastor Koshy and many brethren who were at Changi Airport to render prayer support. After Pastor led in prayer for the departing team, as well as for other Filipino brethren (including those already in the Philippines and those yet to travel), we entered the departure hall. Though the flight was delayed, no one complained. We arrived safely at Clark International Airport at about 10pm. The Lord was good to us in answering the many prayers of brethren as we went through immigration and customs quickly and smoothly. All glory to His Name! Pr Donald and Bro Mario Naranjo were waiting patiently for us just outside the arrival hall. The land transfer to Dagupan
City (where the Mission Station is situated) was fast via a newly constructed highway. We had a short pit stop for dinner along the way, and arrived at the hotel at 1.30am. The Programme Early Saturday (21 May) morning, we started off at 7.30am after a sumptuous home-cooked breakfast, lovingly prepared by Sis Sejin and some sisters to visit 3 families (one of which was Bro Mario s family) in Binday, a village on the outskirts of Dagupan City. At each home, the brothers led in the singing of songs and Elder Mah shared God s Word. Although the weather forecast was that the temperature would be in the high 30 s with thunderstorm, the weather turned out to be very pleasant, and we were able to hold the meetings under the shady trees or porch outside the homes. Sis Elizabeth testified of God s goodness, God gave us good weather as we moved from home to home to share the Gospel in the open, with cows, barking dogs, noisy geese, running chicks and cockerels in the background. The noise did not matter as the families were listening to God s Word with great interest. On Saturday afternoon, we began the Bible Retreat held in a rented meeting room from the adjacent military college. Eld Mah preached the opening message entitled God s Word in a Troubled World to the adults, while the group of 17 children were taught by Sis Dorothy Ng in the first of 7 lessons on God s promises drawn from the Beatitudes, taken from Matthew 5:3-9. This was followed by a time for the children to work on their handicraft. After the refreshment
break, both adults and children attended an interesting briefing by Sis Elizabeth Poon on oral hygiene, accompanied by actual brushing of their teeth (in the correct way) by the riverbank. With the arrival of Pr Dennis and other brethren on Saturday night, all the participants, numbering around 80 (except a family which could not come owing to the passing away of a family member), worshipped the Lord on the Lord s Day (22 May). During the worship service, Sis May shared her testimony, followed by Bro Jomart with his testimony in Tagalog. The entire mission team of 19 brethren then rendered the two hymns of praise joyfully. After the Worship Service, we had a Question & Answer Forum, where Pr Dennis answered two questions relating to the Christian life raised by the local brethren. Throughout the remaining 2 days of the Retreat, Pr Dennis shared 4 messages on the theme Relying on God s promises while concurrent classes were held for the children. The participants interest to learn from the Word of God, sacrificing two days of labour and earning, left a mark on us. Sis Jenice Choy sums it up well when she testified, Thank God for the faithful attendance of the people from Pangasinan, despite their tough daily living. Some left tending to their crops or fishing nets just to hear the Word of God! Sis Kim Lei s joy in teaching the children was certainly shared by the other 4 teachers, namely Sisters Dorothy, Melissa, Lean Choo and Aileen. She testified, I was much blessed by the Lord in teaching the children in the Junior Worship class and the final lesson in the retreat. We were initially concerned with the children s understanding of the lessons taught in English. However, when I reviewed the 7 promises taught in earlier classes, I was pleasantly surprised that they remembered and 4 of them could even name the 7 characteristics of the godly Christian and God s promises. Praise the Lord. The Retreat ended in the late afternoon after the prayer meeting on 23 May, Monday. We left Dagupan City for home on Tuesday
morning, 24 May. The plane landed at Changi safely at 3.30pm. Praise God for this mission trip and all the lessons that we have learned. They have left some of us with a great desire to participate in more mission trips to the Philippines and beyond! Testimonies from Team Members The Pangasinan Mission Trip allowed us to experience God s goodness and bountiful blessings of His care and provision. Witnessing the work in the mission field encouraged members to walk closer to the Lord and increased our desire to serve Him more. We are thankful for this experience. It is our prayer and hope that all would continue in our Christian walk, Relying on God s promises. Sister Jenice Choy: I thank the Lord for a blessed time in Pangasinan, for truly the Lord is very good to bless us with good weather, so much so that the home visitations were comfortably held in the open spaces outside the homes. Thank God for the faithful attendance of the people from Pangasinan, despite their tough daily living. Some left tending to their crops or fishing nets just to hear the Word of God! How ashamed I was to find myself so pampered with such modern conveniences in Singapore (which I so often take for granted), and yet still full of discontentment! I thank the Lord for His bountiful blessings which I could not have experienced if not for this mission trip. God willing,
I pray we shall have more mission trips all over the Philippines and beyond! Sister Dorothy Ng: I thank God for granting me good sleep in the night and strength throughout the mission trip. I had the opportunity to meet and fellowship with 3 college girls and a young man in the Senior High School. My prayer is that they will continue to walk in the Lord. I thank God for the opportunity to share the Gospel and teach two lessons on His promises to the children. Praise God for His goodness. Sister Lee Kim Lei: I am very thankful to God to be one of the 19 mission team members. I am very moved by God s goodness and work in our midst. I was very touched by the warmth and hospitality of the brethren in Pangasinan, including their readiness and joy in bringing and serving food, clearing the rubbish, sweeping and mopping the floor immediately after we left the meeting rooms. I was much blessed by the Lord in teaching the children in the Junior Worship class and the final lesson in the retreat. We were initially concerned with the children s understanding of the lessons taught in English. However, when I reviewed the 7 promises taught in earlier classes, I was pleasantly surprised that they remembered and 4 of them could even name the 7 characteristics of the godly man and the promises. Praise the Lord! My heart was moved. It is my desire, God willing, to come back to see them again at least once a year.
Sister Elizabeth Poon: I am thankful to the Lord for His love and grace. The morning before the trip, I was down with a bout of slight diarrhoea and even vomited once. I prayed and trusted God for healing. Thank God for His sustenance during the trip! Truly, let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice (Psalm 5:11a). God gave us good weather as we moved from home to home to share the Gospel in the open, with cows, barking dogs, noisy geese, running chicks and cockerels in the background. The noise did not matter as the families were listening to God s Word with great interest. There were many families (some with very young children), who had travelled from different parts of the Philippines by boat or bus, travelling more than twelve hours to Gethsemane Bible-Presbyterian Mission Church to hear God s Word. Many were blessed by the messages. I felt their joy and conviction, heard their testimonies and their fervent wish to have a true Bible-believing church in their province. While I had gone on the mission trip with a heart to minister and share God s truth, God had ministered to me too. He made me see the flaws in my life. Do I have the same type of conviction? Do I walk in His way as commanded? There are many things for me to reflect on so as to serve Him faithfully. God had spoken to me through this mission trip. Lastly, I would like to thank Elder Mah for his meticulous planning for the mission trip. It s a joy to see his conviction in Relying on God s Promises, and the love and support of the team in labouring in His work. Sister Aileen Tan: I thank the Lord for this privilege to be part of our Pangasinan Mission Trip. I am very blessed and much encouraged to have met Sis Cecile s cousins, Mario and Rowena, and their 2 children. I thank God that this family are in the kingdom of God and serving Him fervently.
Mario is a farmer, and his family trust in the Lord from day to day. I have much to learn from their sincerity, simple life, happiness in their livelihood and contentment in God s daily provisions. Their unconditional love for the needy is demonstrated when they adopted 5 children from three different families, besides having 2 children of their own. These 5 little ones have lost their natural parents love and care. Each child has his/her own peculiar difficulties and struggles. I witnessed how Mario and Rowena showed parental love, care and patience to the adopted children. Let us pray for them, that they will receive Jesus Christ to be their Lord and Saviour. Mario and Rowena s love for God and their exemplary conduct reminds me of God s commandment to us to forsake vanity and pride, and be soldiers of Christ. While we are still on this earth, we are to share the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature (Mark 16:15). All glory be unto God! Sister Melissa Mah: Thank God for the Gethsemane Filipino Fellowship (GFF) ministry in Singapore, which reaches out especially to the Filipinos in Singapore. While we were there, one sister, who used to attend our GFF, shared how blessed she has been to know Christ through the evangelistic efforts of Preacher Dennis and the Filipino brethren at Paya Lebar. Besides Sis Cecile s family and friends, a few others who attend the church in Pangasinan have also come to know the Lord because of the GFF s work. Praise the Lord for such a ministry He has raised in our midst! Brother Anthony Lau: Firstly, I thank God for granting me vacation leave approval even though I have not been long in my new job. I also thank God for the opportunity to get to know 20 more brethren of Gethsemane and
fellowship with them. 2 key lessons I have gleaned from the trip are: - Gospel outreach in a non-urbanised setting entails tremendous struggles and challenges. - Christians need to be thankful for all the modern facilities and amenities we have in Singapore, especially in our worship of God. Sister May: The mission trip has taught me how and what to pray for our brethren in Pangasinan as they live for the Lord and serve Him joyfully, in the midst of humble surroundings. I recall one occasion when Sis Dorothy asked who, among the children, had a Bible. Not even one child raised his or her hand. It seems that not every worshipper in Pangasinan has a Bible. The Bibles we brought were distributed as pew copies for use during worship services and meetings. It caused me to wonder how these brethren could grow spiritually without a personal copy of the Bible. They did not get to read the Bible daily but only hear God s Word once or twice a week. (Some are even unable to read.) Despite their lack due to poverty, I am touched by the Pangasinan brethren s eagerness to learn. It would be so wonderful if we could provide them with a simple device which could store an audio-bible, sermons and hymns. It saddens me to think many of us in Singapore do not appreciate and make use of the ready access to the faithful preaching and learning of God s Word through the many avenues available, e.g. the BWWR, our church websites, GBI or FEBC evening classes. I pray that God will send more faithful and diligent labourers into His bountiful harvest field. I also pray that the Lord will enable those who have heard the Gospel to have faith in Him, and trust Him with their needs. With God, all things are possible.