Pre-reflections on Cambodia Mission Trip 2012

From tomorrow morning onward,  26 Dec 2012 to 1 Jan 2013 I will be going for my first ever "Village" kind of Mission Trip under YM Ymove. If you know me well, i'm someone who always talk about the importance of being "Kingdom-minded" and "Mission Minded". And the whole of 2011-2012, been trying to study and embrace what it means to "SHINE FORTH, Light Up the World" from our YM Camp theme in 2011, and YM Theme for the whole of 2012. And to continue the vision and not be a "hypocrite". So I did as much as I can to coordinate as many local community projects for YM and also to participate in some to get a taste on the ground of it. Even read up books and articles about Social Justice and trying to understanding the heart behind reaching out to the least, the last and the lost. Despite doing all these, I can say I know somewhat the theological understanding of missions in my "mind", but to really have a "heart" for these people out there is an area i'm still have much to learn and grow from. I've been praying for God to break my heart for what breaks His. And for him to give me the kind of compassion that Jesus had for these people. Not all the time, I say is easy to love these people. But I know these are children out there which our Heavenly Father Loves and cares for as well. 

Having said that, going overseas and participating in Cross cultural missions has never been an area i'm actually comfortable with. I know God's heart is for the people in this countries as well, but as i've never been there before, I do not know the people there enough to actually care for them. And if i'm really honest, I'm actually apathetic about the people there at this present moment. The last time I went for a Mission Trip was under SCCC to Selangor, we spent 2 weeks there doing campus ministry. Yes we did share the gospel to some students there & prepared an Evangelistic Easter play for the students there, but how much impact did we actually make to the campus students there in the long term? Not t to get me wrong that Short term missions is useless, I still took back much from the time interacting with the campus ministry students there, serving along side a team of fellow like-minded campus students and just seeing God's hand as we serve there, but we can only do so much to the people there in such short term missions trips. 

This time i'm going to Phnom Penh, Cambodia for the first time,and this is a country where I've heard countless of testimonies at how individuals who went for such short term mission trips have suddenly caught a burden for these country and wanted to go back there again. I've yet to catch the heart for these people yet, but I chose to go for this trip mainly to learn and for the exposure for such village missions. 

I've never imagine myself as a cross cultural missionary on the ground, but I know God has called me to be in a local church as a "Sender". But how can one sent others to cross cultural mission grounds without going down for one. So I thought I should get out of my comfort zone and to get exposed to this kind of "village" missions, to interact and learnt from the missionaries there first hand. And another reason I see in such short term trips is, I always believe one of the best form of Discipleship can always take place in an actual Mission Team when we serve together either locally or overseas in an extended period of time! 

You have heard my pre mission trip thoughts, now would like you guys out there to keep our team "WWW.TBG.CO" in prayer. If your wondering how we got that name, that's from our initials of Wen shien, Wanlin, Wesley, Tiffany, Ben & Gan chai.  

Our Team Prayer Request : 

(Spend the whole night on Christmas day packing for my first ever YM Ymove mission trip to Phnom Penh, Cambodia from 26 Dec 2012 to 1 Jan 2013!)

Goodbye Singapore! And seeyall next year in 2013! :)

YM Camp 2012- "Roots to Fruit" Reflections

This has been my 8th YM camp since my life transforming ym camp in 2005. And yet again, I looked back these wonderful 8 years with such joy to see God doing what He needs to do in the lives of all these youths year after year!

This year was serving at a different capacity compared to a more administrative/planning level as a camp commandant the year before. And got back to familiar grounds again as a camp group mentor of Blueberry camp group & a Blue tree "farmer" (aka tribe leader) of the Blue Tree Tribe which comprises of 70 youths in 5 camp groups! 

Thoughts from a Blue Farmer

In the countless times as a camp leader,  I've never prepared so much prior to camp with my own camp group leaders compared to this year. We even had time to plan cheers and set directions for our tribe dynamics. Even seeing other tribes doing so much with their leaders through the full day camp trainings & meetings prepared the leaders to serve more effectively when camp come! And I'm thankful for this year camp comm to focus their efforts on the camp leaders! This is where the start of discipleship can happen! Our leaders  modelling out the faith! :)

Had great fun with my blue tree tribe comprising of the 5 blue fruits camp groups, Blueberry,Blackcurrant,Elderberry,Gooseberry & Boysenberry. As we practice our tribe cheers with the leaders prior to camp & later bonding with the entire tribe & groups in the war games & group times! :) ...."BLUE TREE... WhooHaa!"

God's Message to us!

Beside the "rah-rah" part of camp in the games & tribe dynamics! God had a strong message to each of us through the sermons by our Pastor In Charge, Rev Melvin Huang who spoke at our YM Camp for first time before he goes on his sabbatical next year. His also our first in house camp keynote speaker since the past 10 ym camps too! He spoke on the Kingdom of God, the body of Christ & the work of the Holy Spirit.

If I can summed up my biggest take away message wld be this statement he made. "We will never believe all that he has promise until we have given all we have".

Are you able to be in full surrender of your dreams and ambition right now today?

Matthew 6:33, "Seek first His kingdom & His righteousness & all this things shall be added on to you"

Other Reflections

This year was also involved in speaking at one of the camp workshops together with Hans, Xunliang, Amanda & Elizabeth. On a forum on "Living that Christian life", and it was amazing seeing how God work through us & ministering to so many of the campers who attended that workshop that day. As the Holy Spirit just came and did what he needed to do to so many of the youths after our sharing & testimonies.

The building of the YM Tree was one impromptu plan by the 5 tribe leaders after the epic fierce war game, where we decided to share all our individual tribe money earned & bid for items in the auction to have a common fund instead to buy all the resources available such as leaves, masking tapes, cardboard boxes etc, to build one YM tree instead of the original plan of building 5 different tribe trees. This decision reminded me of Acts 2:37-47 of the fellowship of believers in the early church where they shared all their resources & there was no division! :) Acts 2:44-45 "All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. "

Fast forwarding all the way to the last night of camp, saw God move so powerfully in the lives of so many youths yet again. Praying for the youths and hearing all the wonderful testimonies from my camp group blueberry & my very own sec 4 group, GEL has been one of the highlights. This beloved group of 15-16 year olds has step up & matured so much over the years. And it makes my heart melt just thinking about it, and it reminds me yet again why I decided to give this 2 years to focus to serve full time in youth ministry before I entered seminary next year. Like what Ronda & josh said, they are so heartened to see so many new sec 4 leaders stepping up to serve as camp leaders this year. And I'm glad I made the decision to sent half my group to be leader!

Conclusion

Wells another amazing ym camp has ended, but like what Rev Melvin said, what really matters is we take our M.E.D.s (My Everyday Decisions) after camp & make that commitment  to be His Kingdom People & to keep both feet into the kingdom of God each and everyday! :)

Post YM Camp photos with this lovely people! :) My wonderful blue berry leaders, Ian & Claire, The blueberry camp Grp, my beloved sec 4 youths, GEL, “Sam, Ben & Ben, with Josh missing” & we finally did our first ever Team Wesley goes to hillsong pyramid in Singapore!”

What's Missions to you?

Below is a pictorial diagram which I did in our recent YMOVE activity, of what I hope to see Missions in YM one day! This is a simplified mindmap of my recent theological framework!

My dream one day is to see us being Kingdom Minded people who would want to serve in a church “without-walls” where we see outward of God’s Kingdom plans & we each desire to create movements everywhere so that everyone will know someone who truly follows Jesus! :) (Part 1/2)
And eventually this dream is to see God’s Glory throughout all areas in this Kingdom Cultural Mandate redeeming the church, business, government, family, arts & entertainment, media, science & technology & education! (Part 2/2)

God Encounters

Paraphrasing what our former YM Chairman would response when asked why we normally experience God so real at camps?

When all the conditions are set in place when one gather with likeminded believers in one same place, away from distractions, with constant worship, bible studies, fellowship, prayer and all this just create an environment where it leads our hearts and minds to be so open to meet God! And with such a desperate HUNGER to meet God! GOD WILL SHOW UP!

Jeremiah 29:13-14 

"13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD..."

Hebrews 11:6

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

Decided to share this note of 3 amazing God encounters of His Holy Spirit coming upon us in a community of believers!

This 3 points based on my youth small group acronym of G.E.L came to me when we were praying & listening to God on day 0 of our GEL ysg retreat from 27-28 Nov last week. 

 1) Gathering together 

  

Below is a picture of an ideal beginning of what I see in an ideal small group, and this is based from the recordings of the early church in Acts!

Acts 2:42-47

The Fellowship of the Believers

42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. 

This fellowship of believers gathered together in groups and were Devoted to God & to one another. They were willing to takerisk, learn to be vulnerable. They practice Honesty & build trust in relationship

But before these fellowship of believers came to this ideal state of what a small group should become! It all started with a deep encounter of God in the upper room in Acts 2! But flash back abit more in Acts 1:8, Jesus promised this to his disciples!

Acts 1:8 (NIV) 

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." 

2) Encountering God

We need to first HUNGER for God! And when a community of believers come together in this desperate HUNGER! Expecting God to show up! God will! If we come to him in a state of absolute Surrender and repentance to Him! 

And this is how the story of the Day of Pentecost came!

Acts 2:1-4 (NIV) 

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them...

Acts 2:16-17

16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

17 “‘In the last days, God says,     I will pour out my Spirit on all people.Your sons and daughters will prophesy,     your young men will see visions,    your old men will dream dreams. 

18 Even on my servants, both men and women,     I will pour out my Spirit in those days,     and they will prophesy. 

19 I will show wonders in the heavens above     and signs on the earth below,     blood and fire and billows of smoke. 

20 The sun will be turned to darkness     and the moon to blood     before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 

21 And everyone who calls     on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 

Acts 3:19

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,"

This is the revival of Jesus! 

After sharing on point 2, Encountering God... God showed up! In the midst of worship, sense the presence of God so powerfully and it led to one by one my youths responding to the Lord. Some went on bended knees on the floor in the room in a posture of Surrender to our Lord! Some was so touch by the Lord that tears flowed from them, and one suddenly even spoke in tongues. Everyone started praying for one another, and as I just looked up and see them praying for one another, my heart melt to see how much each of them have grown up since 4 years being in this group. They have finally matured to the kind of youths I hope too one day when I took them at Sec 1. And this love they showed for one another is what a small group should be!

Below are 2 images of 2 other God Encouters at the GAP retreat on Day 0 of Submin retreat & at the post sharing from Ps Raymond at YM Combined Submin retreat...

Recording of the spontaneous free-worship session at our recent GAP retreat  

After Encountering God! We shouldn't just leave the experience to ourself. We need to allow GOD's LOVE to OVERFLOW in our LIVES to ONE ANOTHER!

3) Love one Another

John 13:34-35

New International Version (NIV)

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

I believe the love for one another within a community of believers is the greatest form of evangelism when a pre-believer visit such a small group and see such a vibrant community! This will prove to the world that we are a disciple of christ when we have love for one another!

If I can summarise this! When we 1) Gather together to that desperate hunger to seeek God. He will find us and it will lead to us having an 2) Encounter of God,  and that will transformed us from the inside out to 3) Love one Another! 

(Got this 3 questions from Ai Mei's sharing on a Vibrant community) 

Are you that friend who facilitates the encounter of Jesus ?

A community that learns to trust 

Is our small group that Faith filled awe filled relationship with others today?

Hebrews 10:24-25

New International Version (NIV)

24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. 

At the end of the day! Let's form spiritual friendship, aka "friendship discipleship" where we always ENCOURAGED, EXHORT & EDIFY one another whenever one meet up! This is what will keep one PASSION for Christ! And it is my dream to see such KINGDOM Minded communities coming together to support one another and to look outward to others beyond the 4 walls of their church!