Janice Ha
SINGAPORE
A team of 14 youths and adults went for an 11-day mission trip to the Philippines late last year (8 to 18 Dec 2000) and came back brimming with FIRE and EXCITEMENT!
It was a trip that was made with much anticipation and anxiety! Right up to the day before departure, some of us were still uncertain if we could get the money for the air-tickets. Thank God He heard our frantic cries for help and came through with the money at the last minute! We got our confirmation and were off for a week full of cultural challenges and spiritual adventure. Now who said Christian living is boring?
Ps Dennis made us work like buffaloes. Right from the start, he sent us to CNL-CALBAYOG for 3 days to bless our daughter church. We had the time of our lives! When faced with multiple challenges, everyone just plunged in. We did so many things outside of our comfort zone.
We did street evangelism, house to house visitations and leading families to Christ! You had to be there to believe it — the team had so much annointing and chemistry. Truly, we experienced the Spirit helping us in our weaknesses (Romans 8:26)
Our stay in Calbayog culminated with the evangelistic music concert. We did everything by ourselves — from the welcome at the start to the songs to the drama to the testimonies to the message to the altar call and even to the ministry time. God was with us throughout, nudging us to sing and encourage. Then out of His love for His church in Calbayog, He came and touched many at the altar, leaving a trail of sobbing people on the floor. We were so humbled.
The next day we returned to CNL-TACLOBAN to face our next challenge. Ps Dennis put us through a rigorous schedule. Everyday, he broke us up into small groups and had his pastoral team and youth take us out for street evangelism and visitation. ALL of us LOVED it! You can say we started to develope an acquired taste for it. The secret of its success laid in the 3 hour prayer and intercession we put in prior to going out! After that it was smooth sailing for us, just picking up the spiritual harvest we ploughed earlier on.
From home visitations to basketball games, we went all out to touch lives. The results were mind boggling because many whom we invited to church came!
Every night for 3 days, we also conducted a MUSIC WORKSHOP for the Tacloban music team. Full of practical tips and skills impartation, it was a roaring success! Not only non-believers came for the workshop, many youths from other churches also packed into the church.
According to Ps Dennis, we had helped them gather in close to 100 new contacts within a week! It is hard to believe that we not only survived the trip but made such a tremendously positive impact there. We recognise and acknowledge God’s hand of favour upon us.
You’ve GOT TO BE THERE to believe it!
