CheL's story telling: November 2008

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Pos Sungai Raya - Gopeng Mission Trip

a day before the mission trip..we have a prayer meeting at church specifically for the mission trip...after the meeting, i was supposed to have a short discussion with Auntie Lim Oi Lan (from Sabah) on the material which i have prepared. But i notice that i left the material back at office. Thank God, my housemate was there to drive me back to office to pick it up (by then is almost 10:30pm)...no one at my floor *of course*... later then i was still bz prepare the material for the kids...man, tell you at the time i really have mix feelings...excited / kamchiong -> you name it.

then next day, i was picked up by church friends...when we reached St Mary, everyone was there...packing their stuffs into 2 vans, we start our journey about 8am...the weather was just nice...no hot sunshine...no rain...we reached tanjung malim to buy our *main food* -> babs hutan...hehe... then we went to nearby foodcourt to have our *brunch*...tell you the food there is really cheap (2 meat + 1 vege -> RM3)...just the slow beverage service...then we proceed to Pos Raya...it felt so nice to those green scenes along the way...so refreshing! when we reach the church, our van got stuck in the mud...gary the drive ask us to *move it move it* in the van...haih, so funny. Compare to Ulu Groh, the place is much bigger...let you see some of scenery...

The mountains

The boy's sleeping camp

From the 1st day, all 11 of us start bz prepare for dinner, registration card & others...really enjoyed as all of us work together regardless what are the task which have been assigned earlier. That nite, we have short meeting with Gopeng AJK on what are the task we going to do...

Overall, this time around the youths are quite naughty with stubborn heart compare to last year. Can see that some of them come was not because of the word of God but to meet their friends & musics. (which is quite dissapointing). From this, it teaches me about the important to emphasize the Word of God rather than P&W...to work in humble way so that when people advice us we will listen to it....not just based on our own judgement which mostly can be quite selfish. This what i see in some of my own friends around, as they've been involved in church activities for quite sometime, they tend to think they are better / very good / experienced in doing it, and when people advice them...they tend to argue back or won't listen & eventually become the opposition of whatever other people are doing as it is against their own way. Very sad to think about it, but that's how satan attack (spiritually).

But overall, from what happen it teach me a lot...

1. Always remember to be humble in work

2. Silent is way better than arguing, Prayer is the best way than ignore them

3. The temptations / trouble that we face while working for God, is a very value learning experience to grow & remind us to always work in humble..

4. God sent me (where i am rite now) away from my family is not by coincident, but because there's something He wants me to do for Him here in peninsular...i really appreciate i got the chance to joined & grow more in this children ministry & now i'm able (although still learning) to teach the kids about Word of God...

Ohya, this time around, meet a few kids which i've met at Ulu Groh...Thank God, the kids are ok compare to youth, they listen & willing to follow the activities *games, songs, coloring etc* here's part of the kids which i able to take photo with...

They really have good memory, they can easily remember the memory verse easily after a few time, and next day when i try to asked them again, they still able to recite it corrently...The word of God that share with them was the story about a boy gave (5 piece of bread & 2 fishes to Jesus to fed 5000 people) Memory verse: Rome 12:1 "Persembahkan tubuhmu untuk Tuhan" ...another story that i share with them is wordless book ( this time around, Auntie teach me to use shoe to teach the kids : Black - sin, Red - Blood of Christ, White - Cleanse by blood of Christ, Yellow- Heaven, Green - to be a christian that grows .:. read bibles, pray, do good things to others)...simple message to the kids but a very good way for them to tell their friends about Christ. The Memory verse: Hebrew 13:6 "Tuhan adalah Penolong ku. Aku tidak akan takut" teach the children, what ever problem that they face, they should not be afraid, as God will be there with them. Overall, i learned a lot as i teach the children about the word of God and Auntie also teach me a lot about the kids too (as she's been very active in youth & children ministry)...

Really love the experience that i gained from this mission trip. A lot!!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Now...a day before tommorow's journey

Finally, tomorrow all of us will start our journey to Pos Raya (huh.. i have mix feelings right now). Tonight, we will having prayer meeting again...

So far, up to now, how's my preparation? Still A-OK...Praise the Lord!..so far, all the materials are almost completed...just hope everything will be ok. For the last 3 nites, doing last minute preparing the crafts for the mission & goodies....here's some of the pic

1. This is not rubbish place...we're doing packing for the goodies

2. The shift worker .... kekeke

3. tadaaa..red big ang pau

4. Shoes with wonderful stories to tell..

Last year mission trip

Ulu Guroh, Gopeng Perak Mission Trip

The whole week before the trip can say as quite hectic moment for all of us. We have our prayer meeting on 20th November 2007 (Monday) as our final preparation (even though, to be honest, I have not finished my own children ministry materials yet). I was having hard time in terms my own self confidence to teach and what materials for the sessions. But I’ve placed all the worries to God, cause I believe Lord will guide me & my friends during the trip.

The rest of the day, me & housemates were busy bought stuffs for the mission. As it is near to end of the month, all of us have limited cash in hand to bought stuffs. Credit card is for sure out of the questions to buy stuffs from the warehouse. But thank God, for His grace, we still have enough cash to buy prizes & gift.

On 24th November 2007, we are supposed to be start the journey early in the morning, but due to my housemate’s job commitment we are not able to do so. On the other hand, it sounds good to me as I have time to do more preparation for children ministry. The 5 “RED” crew members journey starts around 11am from KL.. Before we proceed with our journey, we have our lunch at Jalan Gasing. (Tell you, I was terribly hungry that morning). So off we start the journey. In the car itself I was blessed with “warm sunshine”, which I have to hide myself below my comfort pillow, almost drifted away with dream.

The journey to Gopeng Perak took us almost 3 hours compare to usual 2 hours drive because there’s some road maintenance on going at that moment. But overall the journey still felt smooth for me as compare to Sarawak’s borneo “high way”. We reach Pekan Gopeng around 3pm. We left the car behind as the journey to Ulu Guroh village is very bumpy & “bouncy” as what I called it. So we took off the rest of the journey on Church’s van. Really love the environment in the jungle, so cooling! The tree’s, the jungle smells, the river flashing sounds…fulamak…just amazing. We reach the village about ½ hour later.

When we arrive, the youth conference still going on in the chapel. We just unpack our luggage from the van and proceed to the chapel. The whole chapel was occupied with teens and young adults. That night, we have amazing time dance and sing praise & worship to God. But most importantly, the sermon by Pastor Iben on How to be a transformed Christian.

On 25th November 2007, we “girls” namely me, edina, collin, rose, lilix & Sharon wake up around 6am preparing for breakfast. Wow, it is amazing I can wake up so that early. J During the breakfast time, I get myself talked with some of the kids to invite them to children ministry. At that moment, they are mostly shy kids, hardly to tell their names. So the children class started at 9am. There are about 30 children that morning. Thank God, language is not a problem for me & orang asli’s children. Praise God for they are actually being expose & introduce about God through their Sunday school too so there’s not much problem for me to guide & talk to them. Plus, I have a helpful helper name Auntie Edina with me J. That morning, we do some craft & coloring activities. The kids really enjoy craft & coloring activities. We bribe them with some sweets to make sure they pay attention to the class though. Hehe.

That evening, we have a sports activity for the kids while for the youth they have their own games. The activities was held at near by football field which we need to cross a river without a bridge!!! I have to laugh myself as I’ve experiencing embarrassing moment while try to cross the river I’ve fall into it. While the kids set their foot so easily on the rocks. Damn…my collapse even caught in video too. This gonna make other team mates laugh out loud. I was totally wet up till my thigh… luckily not my whole body. Actually for the kid’s sport activities, I do not have much idea of what to do. As I was last minutes informed about it. But overall, I enjoy myself a lot during that time and really put all my energy to play with the kids.

That night, the session proceed with Deacon Julih sermons and then proceed with altar call. Many youngsters came forward for the calling. From there, I can felt how these youngsters yearn to be renewed and forgive by The Lord. This urged me to continue to pray with them. It is an amazing experience for me. That night after the session, I was informed by other team members there is something weird happen up in the clouds. That night was a full moon night, but the moon is not a round shape but symbolized something which I still could not understand from what I see through the video. The weird shape moon was slowly covered by black clouds but the light of the moon shine brightly stills. It do makes me goose bump though.
The next morning, it’s Sunday. That morning we have a morning service at the chapel. While me & edina proceed with Sunday school after the praise & worship. I was in blurry situation though as their service protocol is different from what we used to. But then the Sunday school did start at the time it should be. That morning, I’m using Wordless Book material which I’ve learned from Gretha (our KBM Sunday School coordinator). The teaching goes well but during the craft time, that’s the most uncontrollable situation for both of us. Basically the craft activity was hard to be conduct, need to have more helper to really helping the children on hand with the craft. The funny thing is I myself confius, seems like I’m colour blind at that time, black become green colour, yellow become white (what da!)…get confius what the colour which I’m holding, makes the children more confius for sure at that time too. J Lesson learned: get more helper on sophisticated craft! AFTER THAT, I was informed by edina that it was announcement time in the chapel, so we all RUSH to the chapel as we should be ready for goodies giving to the children in the chapel. Gosh, how I’m so “Kam chiong” as the emcee for the announcement for Sunday school. Honestly, I’m not good at public speaking. But Thank God everything goes well, though I know my word really kelam kabut at that time. But one very big mistake which I’ve made is I forgot to give away the “certificate” which me & edina have cutely design! OH MAN! Such a waste, by the time we remember about it, the children is not around. All have went back home with their goodies. J Hopefully they’ll love it.

After that, all the team members do their task such as sweeping, cleaning, washing and etc to clean up the place. By the time we finished the cleaning, we’re damn hungry. That day we have Mee Goreng @ Fried Mee as our lunch menu. After that, 2 hours later we all set to go back home. Well, still going through those bumpy road. It was a tiring day for me, I was asleep along the way. Can’t help my eyes no more zzzZZZzzz.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

7 days to go....

7 days to go....counting the days before i'm going to Gopeng , Pos Raya for a mission trip. So far, i'm yet to have specific time to gather all the materials & syllabus for Sunday School. Thank God, i will have partner with me in sunday school. Really hope that we can get along well with the children.

Can't wait this saturday...as i & other sunday school teacher will attending a sunday school workshop...hopefully i can used what i've learned from this workshop for upcoming mission trip soon!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Yesterday

Last Friday evening, i was feeling unsure whether i'll be going to latihan or to amcorp for sony exhibition. Couldn't make fast decision that evening (not the usual me) as i was too occupied with office work...until most of my colleague was not around about 7pm, only then i can think about i'm planned to do...thinking that i won't have the laptop for the latihan anyway...so better still i follow my housemate back home...

That nite, my housemates plan to do surprise bday bash to 1 of our friend, Dwin (polite lil bro)...we went to amcorp, aside from the sony clearance sales, me & my roomate *secretly* bought cake for him, while my housemates took the bday boy to "padang" ->don't know what they doing there....So that nite, while waiting the clock to stroke 12 midnite, we playing UNO *as usual*...then we asked the bday boy to go down to buy some ais & carbonate drink...we quickly took the cake & went to the pool side, waiting for him...then my housemate "tipu" him by saying we playing UNO at the pool side...Now this is the funny part...my housemates says they want to take photo with him by the pool side...so the 3 guys, stands beside the poolside with the bday boy stands in the middle....then while my roomate took the pic...on the 3rd count, the 2 noty guys push the bday boy to the pool. What a terrible awful *girly scream* that the bday boy did! Beside our table, there's a group of guys *lepaking*, how they surprise & jump up from their chair after listening what happen at the pool side...later then they LOL knowing that we only fooling him for his bday. Now, this is what we call a bday bash!

The next morning, met my bro to buy his stuff...but more story abt the stuff -> shall write in the next entry as seems have some problems...Really hope it is not a big problem...

And the next morning (Sunday), we went to church for sunday service...having not so *pleasant* incident actually that morning...not a big deal anyway...but overall, very blessed with the sermon presented by Pastor Iben on Maranatha *which came from aramaic acient language* which is related to hope & consolation...For Christian, it is written in the bible that there will be 2nd coming of Christ...that when the Christ loyal children will be united & "dibangkitkan" with Christ. In 1 Tes 4:13-18, it is everlasting reunion with Christ....as the time comes without our knowing(Matthew 24:43 / 1 Tes 5:3), we must prepare ourselves from the earthly wrong doing...if we keep on with wrong doing, we will be forever sleep in sin *1 Tes 5:6-7* In what way, that we are not prepare of Maranatha -> when we neglect our spiritual life, too occupied with work, family, money, problems until we neglect church, never spent personal time with God, spent time on God's word. Yes, it is not easy becoming a christian...but nothing we can compare of what Christ sacrifice for our sin/ the blessing...
Maranatha will be coming soon, where we reunited with our Father in Heaven & it's time for us to be awake from our sleep!!

That evening, we have another sports day for the church member...not much people turned up *maybe the it was raining* but it was a happening...For the guys, they're playing football..while for the ladies as there's not much team member to play netball, so some of us joined the basketball *with the kids* & some joined the volleyball game. Me? of course, i'm not joining the volleyball *try not to torture my hands*...so i play basketball...then after tired of playing the game, some of us play badminton...Thank God, one of the member bring along shuttercock as initially we only have *newspaper ball* as the shuttercock. It has been quite a decade i last played badminton *back in primary school, i usually play it with my neighbour*..so i was not really good at *opening* the ball...but it was fun indeed...jumping/stretching/screaming...started to love play the game *we play it almost 1 hour...really get all my sweat out, as i hardly get sweated though* Loved it...