Sharing ^.^: Diaries of Mission Trip to Pengkalan Hulu and Pulau Banding.

I had been in a mission trip to Pengkalan Hulu and Pulau Banding for few days. It really a good experience for me and all the member of this mission trip. I had been there for the second times already. I decided to go there at almost the last moment because the strong feeling in my heart kept urged me “You got to see more”. Therefore, I was there just by faith without knowing what I need to do for this mission. Thanks to Lord as I managed to contribute some by sharing and involved in Sunday school with the native kids there.

Yet, i‘m not regret for going there, because I really bring back something priceless, invaluable deep down in my heart. Thanks to Lord for making us to be able to complete this mission finally.

Pastor Loh, a pastor there is committed to lots of services like Hokkien, Cantonese, Bahasa and even had services in the Pulau Banding for the natives there. She really tough, compassionate, loyal and very capable yet faithful server of Lord. She alone needs to handle all the services without any helpers. It really not easy to handle all these alone and we found it hard and even trembled though we have 21 members in this mission for only this few days.

The Cantonese service started a while after we arrived...
27/2 - The night we reached there and directly involved in the Cantonese Service without having any dinner. I managed to talk with a Thai Chinese grandma of 62 years old yet she looked like only 50++. She told me that all her sons and daughters worked in KL and Singapore. She was living there with her husband of 70++ and she still fit enough to tape for rubber as from 3am to 10am daily. She said that she had nothing to do if she didn’t tape for rubber. Her family only managed to come and visited her once every year during CNY. I asked her whether she called to them very often and she seldom doing so. She didn’t has anyone to communicate or speak to her. So, she would just spend her leisure time to watch tv and sleep at the time as early as 8.30pm. I wonder if I would be having no one to talk to when I’m old.

The Thai Chinese grandma sit beside me ^.^

After the Cantonese service, we only managed to have our dinner by the time almost ten I think in a Malay restaurant. I considered the food there fair taste only. My friend, Grace kept mumbling and complaining me that night that she also wanted to be like me next time as I participated at the last moment and not doing anything or preparations for all the tasks. She needed to share and involved in sketch.

Our delicious dinner as late as 10pm that nite... ^.^

That night, I really had a strong desire deep in my heart to write out my testimonial to share. Then, I picked up my mechanical pencil and try to work out with my things until 3am. I told Grace I wished to share and she decided to let me to share after her sharing.

28/2 – I managed to wake up by 6am and only had a 3 hours sleep. Then, I helped out in the Kitchen with Richard and Steven to prepare the breakfast. We’re having the devotion time together by 7.30am. After having devotion and breakfast, we prepared to go to Pulau Banding.

Then I committed to the duty of driving the van to Pulau Banding by Joshua P and then fetched the people went and back to Pulau Banding. The road was really not easy for driving since it had hills, needed to climb up and down along the way. This was really an energy consuming task! Then, we took boats to the two settlements or islands. The two settlements of the natives really had improved a lot as compared to last time when we were there. There got a clean water supply of pipe from hills already at the first settlement. The natives there also have nicer look or more cleaner as compared to the first time I saw them. Then, we chatted, performed some singings and sketchs for them to bring up the message of the love of God.

Heading to Pulau Banding...

Arrived there and started to greet natives there...

A sleepy baby on the back of her mom... ^.^

Hooi Keng and i managed to share the stories of Jesus to them...

Having singings together... ^.^

Able to have a group pic when we reached d jetty.. ^.^

At the night, I was in the package of “Hokkien service” in Baling at the same time there was another youth service at Pengkalan Hulu. I was quite nervous because I needed to share my testimonial. I prayed to Lord to gave me strength to be able to share my experiences with Lord without any strong emotions. And I managed my emotion and able to share smoothly. I didn’t know how others felt but I tried to open up myself sincerely and truly that night.

At the night time, Zhi Ling, Joshua P and I prepared the script of story-telling for the children for the next morning until very late. We had lots of fun and laughed too during the preparation. Again, I only managed to sleep for a very short time.

1/3 – We had the Bahasa service in that morning. We didn’t have our devotion since all of us were so rushing and started to set up everything for the service. After the sermon, praise and worship, we in-charged for the Sunday school for the children there. After having some singings, I read up the story of “Yunus (Jonah)” for them and the others acted for the story. Then, we had a Q&A session and treated them with candy and chocolate.

After that, I led them a song with actions. They turned the rounds for “Datuk Nenek” until dizzy. They seemed enjoyed the song very much. We had a really wonderful time with the children. The children were really obedient and happy yet didn’t make much noise as compared to the town kids. I called my friend in Sabah to recall back for that song. The song is like following:

Tuhan Cinta:
“Anak-anak kecil, Tuhan cinta,
Anak-anak besar, Tuhan cinta,
Pemuda-pemudi, Tuhan cinta,
Ibu bapa, Datuk Nenek, Datuk Nenek
Datuk Nenek, Datuk Nenek, Datuk Nenek,
Tuhan cinta.”

It's really a simple song that bring up the message of the love of God for everyone.
Then, we packed our luggages and went to a lake garden to have the sharing together before we left there. After the sharing, we started to move and had the lunch at the famous duck rice at Kulim there.

Managed to chat with few youths here.. ^.^

Yeah yeah... My "peace group" members in Chinese cell group..
I'm proud of u guy... hehe..^_^

This time, feel a bit disappointed because I didn’t have much time to meet the congregation in Pengkalan Hulu since I involved in Service in Pulau Banding, “Hokkien Service” in Baling and “Sunday School”.