This day was a test of endurance -.- First, we took a 5hour flight from Singapore to Nepal. Next, we met up with Ps Shwu Eng and took a mini bus all the way to Pokhara. Did i mention the trip took about 9 hours?! Thank God we had 1-2 breaks in between. Maybe lasting only about 5-15 minutes each time? However, we finally reached the hotel! YAY! These are the people that went on the trip too!
Ps Judy - Leader
Matthew - Doing his ACTS programme
Cindy - dancer 1
Stephanie - dancer 2
Joon-yan - dancer 3
(They dance really good! You should really see them dance!)
Wallis - aka Wall-E (HAHAHA! Hope he doesnt see this >.<)
Ivy - Spiritual Mother! =D
Loo-See - Spiritual Mother! =D
(i got 2 mums after the trip ^_^)
Christine - See the pictures!!! (wink)
Brenda - SUPER LIGHT SLEEPER
Eugene - THE cute one! Haha!
Sarah - My sister!
Samuel - Me!
Day 2
We went to the church to do a full day children programme from 9am-5pm. It was tiring but very rewarding! Ivy and Brenda went to do the teacher's training after lunch, while the rest continued with the children's programme! After which, we quickly packed up and left for a children orphanage. We did a 2hour programme over there. We taught them a dance, i did a magic show (yes, i am a qualified magician) while Matthew did a short sharing. We prayed for them, gave them a few sweets and left for the hotel. It was a very fun day!
Learning points:
1) Always be flexible during missions
2) Bring as much resources as possible as unexpected changes may happen
3) Teaching is to guide, not to force feed
4) God is good all the time, and He is always there!
5) We are immortal until God's Work for us is done
Day 3
We had a short devotion by Brenda.
Lerning point:
Job and Moses did many great things for God even when they did not have Jesus. However, we now have Jesus. This means we can do even greater things for God!
Next, Wallis, Brenda, Ivy and Ps Judy went to the church to do a teacher's training while the rest of us went to a secular school to have a 2 hour programme there. Matthew, Cindy, Stephanie and Joon-yan took the older group while Christine, Samuel, Sarah, Loo-See and Eugene. We taught them songs, and played games with them which had moral values in them. Christine told them a story about being a good friend before we broke them into groups to do colouring. The amazing thing is this school opened up to foreigners for the first time! We were the FIRST group to do a programme with them! (A Christian group) I believe more missionary groups will be allowed in and the Word of God will be spread to them in one way or another eventually. Praise God! The other group had extra 10 minutes to spare, thus, i did a short magic trick for them. Hope they enjoyed it! =D Next, our group went back to church. Cindy, Stephanie and Joon-yan taught the teachers a dance while Wallis, Ivy and Brenda did methods of counselling. The rest... we just nua~~ HAHA! I sat in the lesson for methods of counselling. I also learnt DISC in there ^_^ A chime topic wor~~
Learning points:
1) Treat every patient uniquely! They are not just another patient!
2) Be personal with them, try to know more about them
3) Do not focus on the problem, focus on the overall situation
4) See the people around the patient to identify the problem
5) Ask what methods have been used and try new methods! Best not to re-use!
Next, our whole group headed down to another orphanage. When me and Loo-See where trying to cross the road, we almost experienced a near death/serious injury experience. Woah! THANK GOD! God has really been looking out for us and keeping us safe. We actually planned to do a few things, however, due to space limitation, we scraped everything and impromptu-ed on the spot. I played balloons with them while Sarah taught them balloon sculpturing before i did a gospel magic trick.
Learning points:
1) God is in control
2) God creates everything
3) Do not hide Jesus in your pocket
After we prayed and blessed them, we did "I got peace like a river" game. It is very fun and addictive! Hehe! Next, we went back to the hotel and ate dinner before zzzZZZzzz =D
Day 4
Next, we had devotion by Loo-See before Sarah, Christine, Matthew, Wallis, Eugene and me left for another secular school. The rest went to the church and did the teacher's programme. Me and Christine did the programme for the younger group while the rest did the programme for the older group at the secular school. Me and Christine taught them 3 things...
1) Do not cheat
2) Do not say bad things about people
3) Be a good friend/true friend
After the programme at the secular school, we went to meet the rest of the team at the church. At that time, Cindy, Stephanie and Joon-yan did the dance workshop while Loo-See, Brenda, Ivy and Ps Judy did the "How to manage a classroom". Loo-See was teaching the lesson. I sat in and learnt a few things.
Learning points:
1) Respect every kid
2) Take all discipline offline
3) Be earlier in class than the kids
4) Show that you care before they will learn/listen from you
Next, we went back to the hotel to pack our ministry stuff and took a day pack before we left for Serangkot mountain. It was a little scary on the way up, due to the recent rain. The driver did not dare to drive us all the way up as he was afraid the van might get stuck. Thus, we took all our belongings and trekked further up to the motel/guest house. We had dinner before some of us stayed back for fellowship. After many days of ministry, we finally got to have 1 day off tomorrow to allow God to minister to us. Thank you God! =D
Day 5
Today is day off for the team. There is no ministry today. Some how it makes me happy yet sad. I cant do God's work today yet i am allowing God to minister to me =) Praise God! We trekked up early in the morning to catch the sunrise. It was beautiful! We saw the Himalayas and the sunrise. Praise God for God created all these. We took pictures and more pictures and more pictures before we trekked back to have our breakfast =) My sister and I went to buy a few things before we joined the rest of the team for breakfast =) Next, our team splitted into 2 groups. 1 group did paragliding while the other group did trekking. I was in the trekking group and we trekked trekked and trekked for like 1-2hours? Gosh! No joke! After FINALLY trekking for so long, we cabbed to town and ate at KOTO restaurant. It is a very nice japanese food and the miso soup was SHIOK! Very nice, better than singapore's japanese restaurants! =D After lunch, the trekkers walked back to the hotel and rested for about 1 hour. During that period of time, i saw a preaching done on television by 3ABN. I learnt a few things from it.
Learning points:
1) The wind, trees, universe and much more obeys every single command from God. Yet we human, supposedly to be more superior then them, are the only ones giving God so much trouble. We humans are the ONLY creation who disobeys God.
2) Luke warm Christians are the best tool for the devil! We can only be on fire for God and never luke warm!
After which, we went to a nice chinese restaurant to eat with an elder at the church. It was sort of a farewell dinner. =(
Day 6
We set off early that day around 6am to travel to Kathmandu, another place in nepal. It was a few hours journey, maybe 6-8hours? After which, we checked in to MANANG Hotel and drank onion soup. It didnt look appetizing yet it was YUMMY! Did i mention the momo there was nice? (momo is a delicious local delicacy). After 1 hour break, we head off to the believer's meeting at the church. Matthew shared on Good Grace while Wallis shared his testimony
Learning Points:
1) We were given everything by God's grace
2) We must be thankful for everything given to us
3) We are blessed because we are to bless God's people, NOT because we deserve it
After that, we went to KOTO restaurant AGAIN to have dinner with Ps Shwu Eng and her husband. We also celebrated Wallis and Sarah's birthday =) There was even a chocolate cake! Hehe!
Day 7
Today, we gathered early in the morning and went to a buddhist temple for prayer walk. I realised i need to continue to train my spiritual antenna! Its not sharp enough =( After the walk, we went to Fire & Ice Restaurant for pizza! A super yummy lunch! And its in our budget! Super YAY! After that, we did some shopping while we headed back to our hotel. It was fun, in a way =O After reaching the hotel, we prepared for ministry. The whole team went to the church. Christine, Ivy, Sarah, Eugene and me were doing the children's programme while the rest did G12. It is like a cell group. A more intense and close one. We repeated the programme we did in pokhara. It was super fun as Eugene met his match! There was this hyper active kid and i got Eugene to play with him! Super funny!!! You should have seen both of them!
Day 8
That day was a little hectic but me like =D First, our team splitted up into 2 groups. We both headed to 2 different secular school and did a children's programme again =) We basically just repeated the same programme while Matthew and Cindy took the older group and did many funny time-wasters which he managed to add in a moral. Not bad! Next, we met up with the team and had lunch. Ps Shwu Eng ordered more so we could pack some to the orphanage to bless the kids. In the end, i was responsible for bringing the food safely there... LOL! So we splitted up into the same group, Christine, Matthew, Brenda and me went to a children orphanage. Cindy, Stephanie and Joon-Yan went to do a dance workshop while Ivy, Sarah, Eugene and Wallis went to the same study centre and did another programme. =) Loo-See and Ps Judy went to the money changer to settle some accounts. The orphanage i went to was a little different.
1) The children are all musically talented
2) They have been really blessed and well provided by God
Next, we all met at the hotel by coincidence and we splitted up to eat dinner. Some ordered room service, some went out to eat and so on =D All within the church budget! Hehe =P
Day 9
I shall not blog about this day. I have my reasons =D After the morning programme, we headed to the airport and flew home! HOME SWEET HOME!
