Thoughts Down Under

It has been an awesome trip to visit the Iban people in the interiors of Sarawak.I have gained many valuable lessons and experience that I have learned both individual and as a group. Now, I return to a place that seems familiar to me. Its different. I am beginning to miss the time spend during missions especially the time when we would gather as a group for devotion and prayer. I felt energise and full.

I am a day to leaving to Australia for Hillsongs Conference. It would be a totally new change for me, from going on a mission to the interiors of Sarawak to attending a conference in the hustle and bustle Sydney. I thank God for this oppurtuniy to experience God in two totaly different surroundings. Yet as I begin to think about it, I should be excited. But I'm not. I feel emptiness. The feeling of being alone. I do not know why I am feeling this way. I am puzzled.

I believe that God is working in me. He is taking time to be alone with me. There are issues in my life that need attention. An attention that only God can give. I asked of him things I desire to have. Yet, impatience at times drive me up the wall. Where is God taking me? What am I to do? I feel fear. Fear to change. Fear to trust God that He is control. Fear of not having my prayers answered. Uncertainties surround me.

As I prepare to leave for Australia, I pray that I can spend some time alone with Him. Some time for God to reveal Himself and His plans for my life. My purpose of living. I believe that this is a sabbatical for me before I begin my journey from here onwards as a young working adult. TO get my act right before God and really believe that He is God.

Mission Get Together

We congregrated three days after our return from Sarawak. It was more of a sharing session than a post mortem. Besides, we had a chance to see the vids that we had taken on Szu Li's camcorder. Some of the moment really showed us how silly we were but it was those memories that we would remember. My take on the slaughter of the wild boar was also in it, just before the battery ran out. It was great to hear each of our views and thoughts about the trip. I would miss the devotion and sharing sessions during the trip. Truly have been blessed by this group of people.

Makan Time!

From left: Szu Li, Kat and Kevin

Clockwise from left: Kevin, Jane'nette, my sis, Su Chen, Joash and Chris

The girls in their teary departure.

Su Chen bidding farewell as she leave for Intel Penang.

Get Together In Cyber

I initially went to cyber to visit some friends and at the same time celebrate Andrea's birthday. Neither did I realise that Poh Yee and my sis had something up their sleeves and colaborated to celebrate mine as well though it was one week ahead of time. It was good to meet up with all of them especially those whom I had gotten to know better during my Ipoh and Penang trip. Great to see you all!


Me and Andrea


The Cake


Uncorking the bottle of "wine" with Andrea and Siva


A group picture

I got this when I was on my way to Szu Li place for mission team get together.

Sarawak Mission Trip : Sibu (Day 8 & 9)

Our visit to the long houses has come to an end. We had finished visiting all the four long houses that we had set out to do. Its funny how time pass so very quickly. Five days just gone by like that. Time and days are insignificant when in the jungle. Though I hope these insignificance would remain as I would be missing all of this. My last boat ride would be from Langok to Entabai. There we would unload our belongings after spending 5 days in the wilderness and seeing again roads instead of waterways. While we were there, we managed to meet some fellow long houses whom we had met. There were people from Engsiring, Masit, Rantau Rimau and Masit. It was good to have met them again and say our last farewell. Some were begining to shed tears as we left and the sight was an emotional one.

We travelled to Julau to meet pastor Paul's wife and then headed to Sibu where we would be staying at the SIB church there.









We reached Sibu town in a span of one hour and a half and soon made our way to the church where we took our bath and rested.







John left us there to be reunited with his wife, Charlene. I finally got to meet the woman who has been sending him letters throughout the entire trip. She strike me as someone tall and quite pretty. The group were treated dinner at night by the Von Tunder.





When we went for dinner, John had to go on two trips from the church to the restaurant. However, we decided to be adventurous and had all of us go in the Pajero in one sitting. We were on our way to visit the Von Tunder residence. Here is how we sat in the Pajero.





I was in awe as we reached John's place. It was quite a big double storey terrace house. I was shocked when he told me the rental of the place was only RM400 for such a big property. He mention that this was all God's blessings and that God provided for him all, from the Pajero to the house to the furniture within the house. We sat at his place listening attentively to his love story of how he and Charlene met. It was all God's plan that both of them would to meet and how both of them actually dreamt of marrying one another one day. It soon came to pass after 8 months of courtship and they were married in Penang. Parents from South Africa and Canada met in this tiny island where both of them spend most of their time together. It was very encouraging to hear the love story of missionaries and how God brings two total strangers from two different nation in holy matrimony.







We made our way back later on though I had wanted to stay on longer for more stories. There were some preparation that were needed to be made for tomorrow service. The team would be divided into two teams where one will take the Iban service and another the BM service at two different venues. I was choosen together with Kevin, Jane'nette and Szu Li to attend the BM service together with John and Charlene. There, I decided to share my testimony hich I had shared in Langok. I did not feel after it that I had conveyed what I had intended to say. It could be due to overconfidence that sometimes we rely on our own strength and find that there is no results. I just hope that whatever that comes from my mouth would be understood by the congregration. The church comprise of many different ethnic groups such as Iban, Lun Bawang, Kelabit and even Chinese. I managed to get to know some of the people there though was hoping there was more time to know all of them.





During lunch, we had a priviledge to meet Pastor Jeffrey. I found out that he is the son of the prophet that was responsible for the revival in Gunung Murut. Initially, he seem quiet but after he became to speak, it was an endless conversation. We had lunch at one of the big malls in Sibu and he began to tell about his love life as well which I didn't have the oppurtunity to listen as I was sitting on the next table. It was interesting to hear from the others about it.





We tend headed back to church for some rest before we headed to the airport for home. Before that, we stop by some shop to get some mini buns which I heard is famous in Sibu expecially among the Teochew people.



Time to relax and unwind before we depart...



Our last dinner in Sibu and Sarawak...





Awards or some love gifts presented to...


Pastor Paul


Pastor Kanyan


John...I mean Pastor John

So Long Farewell, Are We to Say...See You Again! Baier Donkie!



Home Sweet Home....







All in all, it was a great trip. God was with us throughout the entire trip. I was truly blessed by my visit to the long houses, sharing with them and spending time with them. Not forgetting my wonderful mission group mates whom I had gotten to know them a lil better. I will truly missed this trip and will have fond memories. Hope we are able to return back again next year, now it would be time to take leave to go. Thank God!

Sarawak Mission Trip : Langok (Day 7 & 8)

This would be the last stop of our visit to the four long houses. As compared to the rest, it was all situated along the river channel. However, as for Langok we had to travel up to Entabai, the place where we started and proceed to the other side of the river. It took us about an hour and a half to reach the place. We had to go in through the back door of this long houses. Imagine, they even had an alternative route. This was because it was easier to disembark from here rather than the front which had a long row of stairs leading to the entrance.





The place was rather modern as compared to the rest. This could be seen by the structure of the house which was equipped with modern equipment, kitchen cabinet, aluminium doors and windows. Besides that, the floor were all tiled as compared to the rest which had wood or planks. I had gathered that many of them were able to afford this due to high prices of pepper a few years ago. Other than that, it was easier now to build the houses with bricks than wood as it is more lasting. However, the prices of pepper has gone down and many are still waiting for it to go up again.



During the time here, I managed to help out in the children session. Kat and I finally got to get our hands in the puppet show which we had practiced before. It was interesting to bring laughter to the kids there, though they were not many who were there. Kat was more frantic than I was behind the scene but we managed to pull it off despite feeling the heat behind the sleeping bag.









Here are some of the other images taken from the visit here.











One of the interesting thing about this place was the oppurtunity to be able to be with the people of the Tuai Rumah. He had followed us during the entire trip and it was good to see where he live and his family. Though there is some feud between the people in this long house, but I believe that what we had done here would be able to bring the relationship of the people closer. There were other things which I did that I did not manage to capture on camera which was the fishing trip that Apai Dennis brought us to. It was situated in one of the river channels and overlooking a beautiful pepper plantation. The fishing experience was fun though I did not catch anything but still manage to eat the catch of the day.

As a closing, I would like to share a testimony. It was during this place that God reveal something to me. I was chosen to give a testimony but had none in mind. It seems awkward not to have a testimony but at that point of time, I couldn't recollect any. But God was good and He gave me one. He brought me back to the previous long house when we had gone for a swim in the river. We had decided to be adventurous and tried something interesting which was to allow the current to carry us from the higher ground to where our boats were. As we had gone into the water, the current was getting stronger. Many of the girls were frantic and were clinging on to the people around them. I had Kat behind me and behind here was Su Chen. Being a novice swimmer, I was also panicky. Frightened that I would not be able to support the girls who were in the water let alone try to support myself. There was this part of the river that went deep. We all submerge in the water. I was trying to get up but the current was strong. My head was going into the water and Kat was clinging on me. I tried to cry for help but no one heard me. However, as I was struggling through the current, I was able to catch hold of one of the rocks at the bottom and was able to stay upright while supporting Kat who was clinging onto me desperately. I was hurt while trying to support myself through the current and had scratch my hands while at it.

As I recall that incident, God reminded me what sin is. Sin may look like a very interesting river that we may be tempted to jump in and let the current take it through it. Initially, it is fun as the water is shallow and we are able to support ourselves. However, the current gets stronger and it brings us deeper into sin. This is the time when we realise that we cannot support ourselves and find ourselves submerge into sin. We cry for help to the people at the bank of the river but no one can hear us, no one is able to save us. We go under hoping to find support. Thank God that as we go through sin in our life, God places rocks at the bottom of the river of sin for us to stand and support ourselves. We rise up and walk towards the bank of the river where it is safe and where God wants us to be. God is our rock in which we stand. No matter how deep you are in sin, always look out for the rock that would bring you out of the river of sin.