SOT Mission to Manila - #1

Thurs 14 July
We left on the day of our last preaching test.
Definitely “no joke” but memorable indeed.

Eventhough there was delay in our flight but thank God everything else went well - from the checking in to the boarding to the arrival @ Manila and to the checking out (since our team consists of many nationality).

We were welcomed and picked by the great people from the “TEAM Ministries International”.
After a quick supper bite @ Mac where it was the first time we used our peso and so interesting to see Mac meals at such cheap price. There was even “security guard” at the Mac.


It was already way past midnight when the sisters were sent to hotel and brothers to a nearby apartment. Shortly after, few of us went down to meet Pst Joel and Jaslin who were in-charge got into 4teams and then to plan for the schedules.

It was already 3am plus after we bath and gathered to pray together. At 5am plus, Assistant Team Leader went out with Pst Joel to pick another three teammates who came on a different flight.

To be continued...

SOT Mission to Manila - Opening

WARNING! WARNING!
Whenever you see the above title, you are strongly encouraged NOT to read if you are feeling sleepy. If not, just do a speed-read.
Is more than a “summary”, is a “composition”. Haha!
Very detailed. Is just my way of keeping as memory.

Our very FIRST mission trip. July 2011. 5 days 4 night.
Encountered few “obstacles” before the trip.
First was the country - from Indonesia then to Philippines.
Then was the date - from this week to next week.
Coincidence? God’s timing?
I thank God we settled @ Philippines.

Not forgetting “headache problems” just settling the China & Taiwan’s teammates’ VISA. That I think I can create another post on that. Haha!

Ever-First Part 2

Not forgetting on a whole as a team, we stood by, encouraged and cheered each other.

Beside super attentive crowd, you will be able to hear the most numbers of “Yes!” and “Amen!” during preaching and able to see the most numbers of hands during altar call. Haha!

Of course this may not be realistic cause if we ever have a chance to preach whether in the mission field or church, this may not be the kind of response we will get.

But for “practice” and being many of our first time preaching, this kind of environment important. It helps to build up your confidence instead of quenching your desire to want to preach again.

I supposed it was this kind of “comfort” that enabled you to stand in front to preach without much trembling. I’m sure not just myself but for many of my teammates. Like mock cg, we may have started the first two rounds trembling but when it comes to the last rounds, you could see everyone in better form and preached with confidence.

We received valuable and great tips and feedback from the different evaluators too.


It was also a time where all of us were stretched - to burn midnight oil to birth out the sermon, to practice in front of mirror, to practice preaching within 7mins and to ensure our sermon alright etc.

For myself, two unforgettable moments…
First was that as I not only had to print my own but also my teammates’ sermon outline and “script”. Sometimes due to some agenda, they sent me pretty late thus either I had to wait till quite late or I had to wake up early in the morning to print. Few times I actually jumped up from my sleep cause I know I will be dead if I forget.

Another was the night before our last preaching test, it was also the night before our mission trip. As there were quite many things not finalize, I was in contact with our Assistant Team Leader as she was asking me questions/opinions etc.
So on one hand, got to discuss and be there for her, on the other hand yet to pack my luggage and on the other other hand, I got to change my entire sermon. But I really thank God for the peace~~~~

All in all, though preaching test been “stressful” but been unforgettable and valuable.

Ever-First Part 1

How you know that the hands of God are moving?
When you did something you know you can’t if you are on your own.

Though I “escaped” preaching during mock cg, I had my try @ preaching test.
I have never preached before, not to mention even to write a sermon.
So besides preaching in front of my team, another fear I have was to birth out a sermon.

10sermons but only four to be preached:
Faith, Prayer, Prosperity and Healing.
With the pointers I learned in Homiletics, I started my very first ever, sermon writing!

The whole process is so amazing. I really thank God for the wisdom, the flow and the ideas.

Seriously most of the time, I didn’t think hard for the ideas or points.
It came sometimes when I was in thoughts, walking and/or in worship. And there were times when I was looking at one point, illustration/story just came and I was able to better expand the point.

For “Faith” - Two points and I chose to use my personal testimony.


For “Prayer” - though I already had the three acronym points, I struggled to come out with illustration/story to continue. But amazingly not only did God reminded me one of my bus students, He gave me the idea how to slot my three points in.

“Prosperity” - Two simple points with my life testimony as backup.


“Healing” - the most amazing! Just the night before, I emailed my sermon outline to Pastor. And because I was busy settling some stuff with a teammate for the following day’s mission, I only managed to email her quite late. For the first three I sent her, surprisingly she didn’t find any “mistakes” or feel I should change them etc. But at this fourth, she shared that the title I had was not very “positive” and because my points are related to the title, I don’t feel the peace so then I decided to change the ENTIRE sermon.
Whew~~~ I really thank God for the peace that I didn’t panic since it was already quite late.

So that morning, with the little sleep that I had + the freshly-baked sermon, I went in faith (without showing Pastor) and preached my heart out. Whew~~~ thank God it turned out well, received good comments.


Other topics include: Holy Spirit, Evangelism, Revival, Praise & Worship, Discipleship and Leadership - which we just submitted our final product online.

What surprised and encouraged me was that I received good comments from the evaluators. Simple message with good points and good illustration/testimony. During one of the sessions, the evaluator even used my points to show the rest of my teammates the so-called short but easy to remember points to have. Haha! But throughout the four sessions, I have ONE common problem - spoke too fast! The only difference was "How fast?" Haha! The fourth evaluator joked that my 3rd session was gear4 and 4th session was gear3.

Despite trying hard to slow down - my teammates and I even wrote on my sermon outline to “remind” myself and I even have my teammates to signal to me if I’m too fast. But that probably only helped for the first 1min and then off I zoom zoom again. Haha!
Hmm.. actually not really nervous thats why zoom zoom.


to be continued...

Amazing

I ever heard about it BUT this my first time I witnessed it right in front of my eyes!

We were on “Gifts of the Holy Spirit” one of the weeks @ SOT.
A day before, Pst Ming had all of us to go back and “check” whether we have long/short hands and/or legs. The following day, everyone came with excitement, showing each other their hands/legs and of course awaiting with faith to see the miracles.

The moment came. We gathered into our team to pray for those teammates who needed prayers.
1st and 2nd round we prayed for teammates with long/short leg.
There were growth, testified by the person themselves but seriously then I wasn’t able to see the growth with my physical eyes.

At the 3rd round where we prayed for a sister who had a hand shorter than the other, I stood very near her and I was able to see the hand STRETCHED! That’s simply amazing!

What really amazed me was there was this teammate of mine whose one hand was very OBVIOUSLY shorter than the other.. not by a bit but literally half a palm. We all saw it before the healing session. And then at the end of the healing session, both her hands were EQUAL length! At the end of the day, Pst Ming got all those who received forward to testify - Amazing!

Seriously I started the session a bit faithless, even when we started praying at the first and second round, I just found myself speaking in tongues. So much wanted to pray out in words but don’t have the faith to. That night during my QT, I repented of my lack of faith.

At the end of the session:
Just like what I have read in the book “Surprised by the Holy Spirit” that we should not let our experience limit God - just because I never see it before does not mean God wont heal. I really thank God for the experience and “awakening” and thank God that it happened before my mission trip.

With that, it not only challenged my faith but changed my perspectives. As I have heard many testimonies about healing and miracles at mission field so then I prayed that I will and can be a vessel God use.

The Journey

“Should I or should I not?” and “Can I or can I not?” - before SOT
“Will I or will I not?“ and “Must I or must I not?” - during SOT
“Yes! I did it! I did it!” - after SOT

School of Theology - a school I never ever thought I will attend.
Ever attended friends' SOT graduation, went as supporter but I never thought I will be one of them.
I always thought that I am not ready financially or spiritually.
Today, I’m grateful to God that I am a graduate of SOT 2011!

I know that there are few “milestones” in SOT I need to look out for before graduation.
Deliverance session. Mock cg. Preaching tests. Mission.

Beside all the theology, what makes the 6mths all worth it are...
#1: God-moments and the God-encounters
#2: Valuable lesson learned outside class.. through people/circumstances
#3: The people I met.. both teammates and schoolmates

How am I coping after SOT?

I heard from many, especially the ex-graduates that we will feel “lost” when SOT ends, especially that Monday or that week after graduation.
I never thought it would be so “serious” until I’m really in it. -_-
No daily morning praise and worship, no daily feeding of the Word of God, no daily hanging-around with Godly encouraging people etc etc.

Seriously I was still coping well during the 1st week without SOT, maybe cause that week was busy with sendoff of teammates. Was at the airport almost everyday.

2nd week without SOT, I had my wisdom tooth done so despite overwhelmed by the fear and pain, I could feel little “lost-ness”.
It was also the week that many of our international teammates settled down at their hometown thus they have access to internet and update us on their lives etc.

3rd coming week without SOT.. How will it be?
It will also be my last week of “rest” before I get back to work.

Ah Ni JIAYOU JIAYOU!!!

24 wks - Precious Moments #14

Graduation rehearsal @ Suntec…


Photo-takingssss @ JW…


Last few lesson in SOT…


LAST, LAST day @ SOT
… Pastor Kong & Sun came to lay hands on EACH sot student


A tour @ Sentosa...
+ great feast @ Chinatown


“Last” dinner for teammate returning home…

24 wks - Precious Moments #13

Team8 @ Manila for ever-first mission trip!


&*#&$% things we do in class
… to keep ourselves awake? Haha!

Team Leader and teammates being nominated for awards...


Team8 fellowship on National Day!


FINAL exam in SOT!!!


Team8 Come Together!
… we gathered for fellowship again just three days later

24 wks - Precious Moments #12

Gown-trying! We are graduating soon!


Study! Study! Study! Study!


Overnight PM - 1st and 2nd

2nd last exam in SOT!
... bought each of them a can of coffee to cheer them up


Pre-Graduation shots!
... hit by reality that we graduating soon

the END (really the END)!

6mths. 24wks.
10 book reviews. XX exams. Bible readingsss. 1 mission trip.
10 sermon. 4 preaching tests. 4 mock cg.

EVERY morning’s praise and worship.
EVERY day soaked in His presence.
EVERY day fed on His Word.
EVERY day hanged around with Godly people.
Experienced God in the very real and personal way.

Countless sleepless nights. Uncountable late nights.
Long hours spent @ Starbucks.
Rushed through assignmentsss and readingsss.
Stressed when prepared for examsss.

Traveled to the far far and wild wild west.
Squeezed in the morning train/bus.
Rushed for makan/toileting in 30mins.
Hanged around @ JW after overnight prayer meeting.

Stayed awake and not “fishing” during lesson.
Learned the skill to eat secretly in the hall.
Mastered the “art” of talking and listening to lesson at the same time.

Breakfast/Lunch with Team8.
Birthday celebrationsssss and outingssss with teammates.
First mission trip with Team8.

Met many international schoolmates. Meaningful friendship built.
Every moments in SOT are sooooo precious, sooooo memorable, soooooo priceless!

I may have started SOT with worrysss and fearsss.
I may even be “swimming” during SOT, especially in the area of $$$.
But given the choice again, I will still choose to go for SOT.
A decision that I never regret making.

I ran the race and reached the finishing line!
I have completed School Of Theology!
I am a proud graduate of SOT 17th intake!

It been a month since I last blog.
I posted more photos than words actually.
So dear readers, please bear with me in the following blogsssss.
It will be nothing else but my 24wks journey in SOT.

There are sooooo many things I want to blog about… from healing miracles to mock cg to preaching test to mission to graduation to sendoff of teammates etc etc which I didn’t get to do it right from the beginning. Opps! Haha!