Mission Trip to Mae Sariang
21 Nov – 1 Dec 2011
TEAM LEADER’S REPORT
Gwyneth Van…
Praise God for leading our team on our trip to Thailand! Consisting of Joelle Goh, Michael Chew, Daniel Chia and myself, our team’s mission was to encourage Bro Jack in his discipleship ministry by equipping the believers in Mae Sariang with skills for Christian growth and ministry. Our main objectives were to (1) run two workshops concurrently in Mae Sariang Hostel, and (2) visit Jack’s village to encourage his family and fellow-believers by helping them with building their church and repairing a bridge that goes across a stream.
Ministry in Mae Sariang Hostel
We travelled 4 hours by public van to Mae Sariang on Tuesday (22 Nov) and were received by Jack at the bus station. Throughout our stay from 22-27 Nov, we were provided accommodation and meals at the Karen church next to the hostel.
Disciple-making Training Workshop: We ran a Disciple-making Training workshop led by me, assisted by Joelle, Michael and our 3 Thai friends, Jack, Apple and Aof. We trained 11 young people aged 14-18 each night on (i) what a disciple was, (ii) why and how we ought to be disciple-makers and (iii) 8 principles of disciple-making. It was a blessed time of learning and fellowship, will 10 students confirming their salvation and 9 making a commitment to disciple-making. One was absent on the last night.
Music (Worship) Workshop: Assisted by Nick and Bro Nat, Daniel taught the students about the meaning of worship and some theoretical music skills. The purpose of this workshop was to remind the young people of their focus in praising God as well as better equip them in worship-leading. with only about 10 keyboards, the 60 students enthusiastically took turns to pick up skills from the three gentlemen.
After running the two workshops for three nights, we had intended to treat the hostel kids to a good meal, but it turned out to be a heartwarming and well-organized Farewell Dinner Party for the team. The students also put up meaningful song and dance items that really moved our hearts.
On Sunday (27 Nov), we attended Prayer Meeting at 6.30am, Sunday School at 9am and Worship Service at 10am. We had Holy Communion with our Karen brethren. It was a wonderful reminder that no matter where we are, we belong to the same family and body of Christ. We had lunch hosted by the church leaders, attended Youth Fellowship at 2pm before saying our goodbyes and moving off to Jack’s village.
Ministry in Jack’s Village
We began our journey to Jack’s village at about 4pm. However, there was a delay as the motorcyclists Jack had requested help from, did not turn up. By the time Jack managed to ride the 6km in to seek help from others in the village and 6km back out to get us, it was already dark when we made our way in. It was a little frightening for us to travel in pitch darkness – especially for those who knew how rough the terrain was – but God our Protector kept us safe.
We tried helping to repair the bridge but were clearly “inexperienced foreign workers” when we could not even drive most of our nails straight in, and ended up cooking lunch for the men working at the church building site instead. However, we thank God for the meaningful time of fellowship shared with our Karen brothers/sisters during our short stay there. we attended prayer meeting with them on Monday night and had a time of reflection over campfire on our last night. We were also blessed by the delicious food prepared for us each meal by Jack’s mother and sister.
The journey out of the village was a also a difficult one with a couple of accidents along the way. However, God was gracious and kept us from major injuries, bringing us safely back to the Hostel to pick up our luggage, and getting to the bus station right on time for our ride back to Chiang Mai.
The team returned to Chiang Mai on 29 Nov for 1.5 days of Rest & Recreation before returning to Singapore on 1 Dec. While in Chiang Mai, we spent time with Bro Nat & family, as well as our Thai friends who made time to have dinner and coffee with us. It was a blessed time of fellowship and we were greatly encouraged.
i thank God for His guidance and leading in planning and executing this trip. It was by His wisdom and help that this mission trip was a successful one. We thank God also for the privilege of being His instruments in Thailand. All praise and glory be to Him!
TEAM MEMBERS’ TESTIMONIES
Joelle Goh Koon Ling…
I’m so thankful to God for the opportunity to serve Him in Thailand. His sovereign plan has changed me emotionally, spiritually and mentally; I’m still prayerfully seeking His will for my life, especially with regard to being a blessing to people in Mae Sariang.
Mae Sariang Student Hostel (Compassion in Jesus’ Name)
“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him be glory both now and forever. Amen.” 2 Peter 3:18
I can still recall the anxiety that most of us had when we were approaching Mae Sariang – mainly because other than the slides and the information about the music and disciple-making workshops, we did not know what else to expect. Sister Gwyneth had this major objective: to provide basic training to the students in Mae Sariang so that they can impact their surroundings, especially when they enter the universities and influence their schoolmates from other villages as children of God.
We were concerned that the students who were selected to come to our workshop would be too young. We were really glad to hear that most of them are in their late teems and some have deep Christian family background. I’m thankful for Sister Apple who interpreted for me during the small group discussions. God reminded me that no matter how uncertain I am, I should have confidence that His plans would not let me down. (Jeremiah 29:11)
I always mentioned during my stay that the hostel was like a musical mission because there would be singing and worshipping almost any time of the day. It was alarming when we found out that the majority were uncertain about their salvation. I’m grateful to God that the disciple-making workshop helped those who attended to be sure of their salvation. I pray that Brother Jack would follow-up with the group who attended our workshops. Indeed, there’s so much more work to do. (Matthew 9:37)
Another shock we received was when we found out through our daily devotions that the leaders and workers in church were not that well-rooted in the Word of God. This was very disturbing because they would directly affect the students. Thank God that some were willing and eager to learn from Brother Nathaniel, and they asked a lot of questions so that we might think it is common like back home. Seeing that 2 Peter 3:18 is working in our lives, I realized that we should not be complacent and stop growing. I had an opportunity to share my testimony verbally during the YF on Saturday and I am grateful for it because it reminded me about how I came to Christ humbly.
Their Sunday Church Worship Service was extraordinary: 6.30am for prayer meeting; 9am for Sunday School; 10am Sunday Worship Service and then 2pm for Youth Worship. They have women ministry after Youth Worship but we did not join them because we needed to be on our way to Brother Jack’s village. It was a packed Sunday and we were so surprised that many children and youth remained with us throughout the whole Sunday. Their way of testing Scripture memorizing was to call the children out and say out the given references. This occurred throughout the Sunday programs.
Brother Jack’s village
The trip to Brother Jack’s village wasn’t a smooth one. We made our way via truck and stopped where the truck could go no further. There weren’t motorcycles to greet us as expected, so Sister Apple and Sister Aof went to the village with Brother Jack first to find out why no other motorcycles were there as arranged. We were worried while waiting patiently and prayerfully for hours for those who went to the village to return. I was really thankful to God that everything was alright when Brother Jack brought his villagers to bring us to his village at about 8pm despite the risk of having no streetlights.
When we arrived, Brother Jack’s family had a nice fireplace there to welcome us. The peaceful environment led me to praise God for such a wonderful place. There was no superstition to make the place look spooky. The sumptuous dinner that Brother Jack’s family had prepared, the sound from the stream and the stars in the sky helped to calm our nerves from the ride. Sleeping in the ‘tree house’ with natural air-con made me feel more appreciative about the environment – something I don’t get to experience in Singapore. It was an amazing experience and I was really grateful for the breathtaking trip to Brother Jack’s village.
We set out to work the next day. Building a bridge and helping out with the church-building project were indeed challenging for us. They allowed us 3 hours to hammer the nails for the bridge when it actually needed only half an hour to finish the task. Brother Jack later shared that the main purpose was not to dispirit us or to help them physically; rather, it was to encourage the villagers that we as their fellow brothers and sisters-in-Christ cared for them. Although we did not do much for them, their hard work for God encourage me. They really put their sweat in building the bridge and church – something we may not understand because by law we are unable to do it.
The trip back to Chiang Mai was even more challenging because there weren’t enough motorcycles to bring us back to the road. So, three motorcycles had to make two trips even though it was already tiring to make one. My gratitude extends to all those villagers who were willing to risk their lives to bring us in and out of the village. The climax of the whole trip was when we were running out of time to catch the van back to Chiang Mai and one of the motorcycles went off the track. Thank God that the bushes beside the track caught hold of the bike. They managed to pull the bike back before it fell over the cliff. The miraculous thing was despite having hiccups during our return trip, we managed to catch the bus and return to Chiang Mai safely. Praise and thank God for keeping all of us safe and punctual!
Before I went for this mission trip, I was clueless as to what to expect. This trip was truly a memorable one for me because it was my first trip to travel so far without my family and it was also my first mission trip. I thank God for such a wonderful time and am certain that this will not be my last Mae Sariang trip. I also extend my thanks to the Mae Sariang Team 2011 as they were all patient in guiding and making me feel comfortable in Thailand. This trip has changed my perspective in my spiritual walk with God.
Please pray for: (i) Bro Jack as he ministers to those children in Mae Sariang Student Hostel and the church, (ii) Enough sponsors to help these children finish their education, (iii) For those students who have not received Christ or are uncertain about their salvation, (iv) The students about their spiritual walk with God, (v) The workers and pastor at the church as they minister to the congregation, (vi) The villagers in Jack’s village to have enough resources for their church-building project.
Michael Chew…
If one considers Matthew 28:18-19, one could say every believer is a disciple, and that we are not exactly expected to make believers or converts, but disciples. Assuming, of course, we are disciples ourselves who embrace Christ’s teaching not only in belief, but also in lifestyle. In essence, that was what this trip was all about, at least in terms of what I was responsible for. I hope to share some thoughts and testify of God’s Hand at work in this trip here.
I was tasked to teach three young gentlemen, namely Boonsong, Boonlay and Pae, with the help of Bro Jack who faithfully interpreted. Although part of me felt that the interaction time with the youth was a bit too short, I believe God could still impact the youth’s lives in time to come. The youth did not express a lot during the three half-hour-long interaction sessions, but I could see they came earnestly and jotted a lot of notes when I taught. I pray that the Holy Spirit will bring the lessons back to their memory as they read God’s Word for themselves.
The second segment of our trip was a journey of about 6km through thick vegetation, up and down a mountain ridge, and along cliffs to reach Bro Jack’s village. It was a journey like none other, where motorcycles ply 1,-wide dirt tracks, crossing streams and climbing slopes of nearly 20 degrees inclination at some parts. I could see God’s Hand at work when, before the journey, the soles of my boots fell off. In God’s perfect timing, the truck driver who brought us to the foot of the mountain kindly offered me his pair of shoes, which miraculously fitted my feet perfectly. I was astounded at God’s provision.
As I travelled from place to place, I could not help recalling the lines “When through the woods and forest glades I wander, and I hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees; When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur, and hear the brook, and feel the gentle breeze” from the hymn of “How Great Thou Art”. Truly, my soul was singing, unfettered like a bird, as i witnessed creation in all its glory, be it morning, noon, or night. I sincerely pray that just as I felt so happy enjoying creation, the Thais would also find themselves freed from the deadly grip of materialism and the bondage of sin.
Spiritually, this trip was a good refreshing for me in terms of how I view life and more importantly, a time for me to take stock of my own salvation (2 Cor 3:15) before I attempt to disciple others. During the trip, I was constantly reminded from God’s Word and from sermons about the Fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22,23). It was like God wanting me to test myself if I really exemplified it or not. Indeed, it was a timely reminder for myself even as I pray to embark on making a disciple in church very soon.
All in all, God is to be praised for all the experiences, lessons and conversations I had. From the first trip I made in 2004, the people and places have mostly changed and I think the mission station there is also at a state of transition and in constant change. But I am particularly encouraged that the missionaries, full-time workers and leaders have stuck to the larger, more arduous task of making disciples, and not simply going for quantity of converts. May God help us all.
Daniel Chia…
I thank our Almighty God that the team and I were able to leave and return to Singapore safely despite many challenges. Despite our differing schedules, talents, personalities and even pet languages, our Lord has enabled the team to stay united in this missions ministry.
As my exams were prior to leaving for the trip, I did not have as much time as I would have wanted to prepare for the trip but I’m thankful that Dness Charissa was able to guide me and give me more ideas for my preparations for the workshops. We also planned to be as flexible as possible and this put me in the right frame of mind for the trip.
The flight to Chiang Mai was smooth and we were able to meet up with Bro Nat and family as well as some of the Thai friends that I have not seen in a few years. We had a good dinner and managed to catch up on news about one another. We travelled for around 3 hours the next day and met Jack and we settled won at the church and visited the hostel, where we spent the next 3 nights conducting workshops for the youth and worshipping with them. It was a blessing to be able to worship with the children despite our varying languages. They sang with all their heart and it even started to feel a little too loud for me! I was deeply encouraged by the fervent faith these children had.
I am very thankful that they were very enthusiastic to learn music and although there were too few keyboards, most of the children managed to get their hands on lessons on the keyboards. Nick and Bro Nat also helped out and spent time teaching the children the song “Heart of Worship”. We did not plan for this but I am glad it happened. Nick told them the meaning behind the song and taught them how to sing in English and Thai. We also sang it in church with the children during Sunday Worship Service.
It was truly a blessing to be able to spend time with the children and it is my prayer that they will all be beacons of light for God and be a good minister of our faith in the schools and village.
On Sunday, we had the opportunity to experience what church was like for the people there. It started with prayer meeting at 6.30am, followed by Sunday School, Church Worship Service and Youth Service. All in all, most of them were worshipping God for close to 10 hours! It made me wonder how we in Singapore sometimes start to lose focus when the sermon is 10 minutes longer than usual.
The trip to Jack’s village was very eventful and i could really see God’s Hand protecting the team. From a stranger lending Michael shoes when his broke, to nobody getting hurt when a motorcycle fell off the cliff. God’s grace and mercy was definitely with us. We were able to meet and interact with Jack’s family as well as other villagers and it brought back fond memories of my previous trip. My prayer is that the village will continue to look to God to sustain them and that they might have a close relationship with Him, as some villagers seem to be getting jaded, despite the Gospel being present in the village’s history for around 5 generations.
I thank God that were were able to stay at Aof’s place for 2 nights when we were back in Chiang Mai and were also able to relax for abit. The fellowship with the Thai brethren was good and it was a blessing to see their work in Thailand and their attitudes towards God’s ministry. I definitely hope to be back next year and hopefully bring more people with me as well.
