It has been 6 days since I last blogged. I have been away on a mission trip to Cambodia. Throughout my stay in this land that my church has adopted, I was unable to get internet access. Well, I guess it was good not to have it available - at least I could concentrate on the plans of the two teams: one a Mission Team and the other a Vacation-With-A-Purpose (VWAP) Team.
I was supposed to be on last night's flight back to Singapore but I was told that the flight was overbooked. Initially there were two of us who were unable to secure a seat home but just before the gate closed, the staff managed to find an available business-class seat.
Initially they wanted us to pay the difference but after telling them that this is not a fault of the passengers for the airline adopting an over-booking policy so as to maximise profits (by minimising chances of empty seats), they agreed to upgrade my sister-in-Christ for free. Praise the Lord for that!
I had no choice but to stay on for another night at a dear sister-in-Christ's place. It did not help that I was unwell. When I got to the missionary's home (thanks to a lift I got from a dear Khmer brother-in-Christ who came all the way from his office to pick me up), I took my temperature and it was running at 39.1 degrees Celsius. I was also down with food poisoning where I purged several times. The fever is gone but the diarrhoea is still there, though not as bad. I sponged myself the whole night through with several cooling gel pads that I bought from a pharmacy before I left. I pasted them all over my face and that caused the fever to subside. It would have been so funny if someone got to see what were on my face. Anyway, thanks be to God that I am better. This is the first time I have fallen sick in the many trips I have made to this country.
Initially I was angry with the airline (which I will not name) for being so irresponsible but as I reflected on it, I saw God's hand in it. I guess it was better for me to stay over in Phnom Penh last night due to my weak bowel. If I had been on the flight, I probably would have to go to the toilet several times.
Moreover the two ground staff working for the airline tried their very best to secure for me a flight back this morning. One was a Singaporean and the other a Khmer. They were very apologetic for the inconvenience caused and it was for this reason that I decided not to name the airline responsible for the delay of my return. It is sad that a company regards profits more than the welfare of its customers. Well, I guess that is what the world is about.
Anyway, the trip throughout went well. Praise the Lord for that! Members from both teams had a great time ministering to certain groups of people: two orphanages and a church that mine is supporting. I am glad some expressed interest to serve further in the mission ministry and I pray the Lord will move these persons to encourage others to go into the harvest fields.
While I was talking to a sibling-in-Christ regarding this ministry, I was reminded that missions is for every Christian and not some. Many times, the majority feels that they are not up to it when in actual fact, they have been commissioned by Jesus to go and make disciples of all nations.
Missions is not about being ready. It is about being available. Once that individual avails himself to God, he will be equipped accordingly. Many times, we did not consider the faith factor where God can work wonders through someone who is willing to just take a step of faith and says, "Lord, here I am, use me." It may sound illogical for someone to go to an unknown land if he is not ready but I guess the Christian faith is about going against human logic. I mean, who in the world would have expected God to send His Son to die for the sins of man when He could have wiped out the whole world just by a snap of His fingers?!
Well, four children went for this trip. One in the Mission Team and the other three in the VWAP Team. God used them to touch the lives of both the young and the old and in a debrief session that I attended, they shared about how God has ministered to them. They were also able to share what are some of the other things that they can do in future when they go again. Yes, these four young lives want to go again because they saw God moving throughout the 5 days.
I also thank God that the members of both teams got to know each other better through doing things together and also through conflicts. Yes, there were conflicts but they were resolved through honest sharing and these situations allowed one party to understand the other deeper. All praise to the Lord for that!
Oh yah, the extra night I spent in Phnom Penh also allowed me to understand the pains of the life of a missionary - remarks made by fellow Christians which were unedifying; the red-tapes of the leadership in churches; financial issues where churches sometimes focus too much on money matters rather than the human needs.
Anyway, I left Cambodia with a tinge of sadness - missing all the friends I have made in this beautiful land once torn by atrocities created by their own people.
I was also affected when I heard about the news of the tragedy faced by the Singapore's Dragon Boat Team who lost 5 of their rowers to a freak accident caused by strong undercurrents. They were in Cambodia to participate in the dragon boat competition - part of the country's Water Festival Celebration. Yesterday I was at the river (Tonle Sap) where the accident happened and I said a prayer for the families of the 5 victims. May the Lord comfort them at this time as they mourn the deaths of their loved ones.
After touching down, I headed straight to church to settle the items I bought for the Christmas Bazaar this weekend. I also needed to prepare the songs for this Sunday's praise and worship at the 11:15am service. Praise the Lord I was able to get both done. I just need to send the songs out to the Worship Team by tomorrow.
The next few days will be very busy for me, both at work and in church. My project team updated me of the things we need to do - just reading the email overwhelmed me. I also need to prepare for this Sunday's commissioning of the missionaries that my church is supporting. This includes a newsletter that I need to do.
Anyway, one thing at a time and eventually all would be completed with God's help.
All glory be to God for the time spent in Cambodia!
"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20
"Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matthew 21:21-22
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1
I was supposed to be on last night's flight back to Singapore but I was told that the flight was overbooked. Initially there were two of us who were unable to secure a seat home but just before the gate closed, the staff managed to find an available business-class seat.
Initially they wanted us to pay the difference but after telling them that this is not a fault of the passengers for the airline adopting an over-booking policy so as to maximise profits (by minimising chances of empty seats), they agreed to upgrade my sister-in-Christ for free. Praise the Lord for that!
I had no choice but to stay on for another night at a dear sister-in-Christ's place. It did not help that I was unwell. When I got to the missionary's home (thanks to a lift I got from a dear Khmer brother-in-Christ who came all the way from his office to pick me up), I took my temperature and it was running at 39.1 degrees Celsius. I was also down with food poisoning where I purged several times. The fever is gone but the diarrhoea is still there, though not as bad. I sponged myself the whole night through with several cooling gel pads that I bought from a pharmacy before I left. I pasted them all over my face and that caused the fever to subside. It would have been so funny if someone got to see what were on my face. Anyway, thanks be to God that I am better. This is the first time I have fallen sick in the many trips I have made to this country.
Initially I was angry with the airline (which I will not name) for being so irresponsible but as I reflected on it, I saw God's hand in it. I guess it was better for me to stay over in Phnom Penh last night due to my weak bowel. If I had been on the flight, I probably would have to go to the toilet several times.
Moreover the two ground staff working for the airline tried their very best to secure for me a flight back this morning. One was a Singaporean and the other a Khmer. They were very apologetic for the inconvenience caused and it was for this reason that I decided not to name the airline responsible for the delay of my return. It is sad that a company regards profits more than the welfare of its customers. Well, I guess that is what the world is about.
Anyway, the trip throughout went well. Praise the Lord for that! Members from both teams had a great time ministering to certain groups of people: two orphanages and a church that mine is supporting. I am glad some expressed interest to serve further in the mission ministry and I pray the Lord will move these persons to encourage others to go into the harvest fields.
While I was talking to a sibling-in-Christ regarding this ministry, I was reminded that missions is for every Christian and not some. Many times, the majority feels that they are not up to it when in actual fact, they have been commissioned by Jesus to go and make disciples of all nations.
Missions is not about being ready. It is about being available. Once that individual avails himself to God, he will be equipped accordingly. Many times, we did not consider the faith factor where God can work wonders through someone who is willing to just take a step of faith and says, "Lord, here I am, use me." It may sound illogical for someone to go to an unknown land if he is not ready but I guess the Christian faith is about going against human logic. I mean, who in the world would have expected God to send His Son to die for the sins of man when He could have wiped out the whole world just by a snap of His fingers?!
Well, four children went for this trip. One in the Mission Team and the other three in the VWAP Team. God used them to touch the lives of both the young and the old and in a debrief session that I attended, they shared about how God has ministered to them. They were also able to share what are some of the other things that they can do in future when they go again. Yes, these four young lives want to go again because they saw God moving throughout the 5 days.
I also thank God that the members of both teams got to know each other better through doing things together and also through conflicts. Yes, there were conflicts but they were resolved through honest sharing and these situations allowed one party to understand the other deeper. All praise to the Lord for that!
Oh yah, the extra night I spent in Phnom Penh also allowed me to understand the pains of the life of a missionary - remarks made by fellow Christians which were unedifying; the red-tapes of the leadership in churches; financial issues where churches sometimes focus too much on money matters rather than the human needs.
Anyway, I left Cambodia with a tinge of sadness - missing all the friends I have made in this beautiful land once torn by atrocities created by their own people.
I was also affected when I heard about the news of the tragedy faced by the Singapore's Dragon Boat Team who lost 5 of their rowers to a freak accident caused by strong undercurrents. They were in Cambodia to participate in the dragon boat competition - part of the country's Water Festival Celebration. Yesterday I was at the river (Tonle Sap) where the accident happened and I said a prayer for the families of the 5 victims. May the Lord comfort them at this time as they mourn the deaths of their loved ones.
After touching down, I headed straight to church to settle the items I bought for the Christmas Bazaar this weekend. I also needed to prepare the songs for this Sunday's praise and worship at the 11:15am service. Praise the Lord I was able to get both done. I just need to send the songs out to the Worship Team by tomorrow.
The next few days will be very busy for me, both at work and in church. My project team updated me of the things we need to do - just reading the email overwhelmed me. I also need to prepare for this Sunday's commissioning of the missionaries that my church is supporting. This includes a newsletter that I need to do.
Anyway, one thing at a time and eventually all would be completed with God's help.
All glory be to God for the time spent in Cambodia!
"Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20
"Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." Matthew 21:21-22
"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1
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