Mission Pangasinan 2023

Elder Mah Chin Kwang

All of us praise and thank the Lord for His grace and mercy in bringing our lives a little closer to what they have been in early 2020 before the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The sudden surge of the virus upon the shores of our little island resulted in 2.2 million confirmed cases and 1,700 deaths, thus far. In our church, many brethren and friends, together with their respective families, were infected, but none succumbed to the disease. All glory and praise to His precious Name!

We praise the Lord that after 3 full years, the Lord is pleased to ease His hand of judgment and chastisement upon our sinful world, re-opening windows of opportunity to serve Him. Like God’s people of old (as we read in Scripture), we too would be guilty of gross negligence and disregard of Him if we do not seize every opportunity to share the blessed Gospel once again, near and far. And thus, by God’s singular grace and pleasure, with the unanimous support of the Board of Elders of our church, Mission Pangasinan 2023 shall be held from 8th to 12th February, God-willing.

Owing to the opportune short school break this week, Rev. Donald dela Cruz, our missionary in the mission church in Pangasinan and his co-workers have worked extremely hard to organise and facilitate the upcoming event. Not all in the 25-member team of 2020 are able to join us this time, owing to the date of this mission and other personal constraints. Nevertheless, all praise to the Lord that despite the present smaller team of 16 brethren, the scope of this short-term mission was not curtailed.

The evangelistic fervour and brotherly care of the apostle Paul and his co-labourer Timothy set for us an enduring example, as we read in Colossians 1:9, “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding”.

Truly, not all can be with us on this mission, but all can be engaged in prayer for the Lord’s outpouring of His blessings in the learning of God’s Word, and through the fellowshipping with the saints in praise and prayer. May the Lord bring salvation to many, and grant strengthening to all saints, during the following planned spiritual activities:

• Visitations of 8 homes on Thursday (9 February) and Friday (10 February), with devotions to be shared by Pr Jeremiah (at 2 homes), Pr Samson (at 2 homes), Elder Mah (at 4 homes)
• Street evangelism on Friday (10 February)
• Prayer Meeting on Friday (10 February), with a message by Pr Jeremiah
• Adults’ Teaching Meeting on Saturday (11 February), with 4 messages by Pr Samson
• Children’s Vacation Bible School on Saturday (11 February), with 3 lessons to be taught by Pr Jeremiah, Dns Diana, Sis. Aileen, Sis. Gina, Sis. Kim Lei
• Worship Service on the Lord’s Day, with Rev. Donald delivering the sermon 
• Junior Worship on the Lord’s Day, incorporating a lesson by Sis. Aileen, Sis. Kim Lei.

May the Lord Jesus Christ be highly exalted in these spiritual endeavours.

Things That Wreck Short-Term Missions

Prabhudas Koshy

Our self-conceited attitude, unreasonable expectations and hypocrisy can disrupt, or even ruin the short-term missions organised by our church or fellowship groups. To maximize your contribution to the missionary, mission church and the mission team, please avoid doing the things mentioned below:

1. Negligence of personal daily devotion. Some have neglected their time of prayer and meditation of God’s Word because they have to pursue a busy schedule. It is inadequate just to rely on group devotions and the preaching of the Word during the mission activities.
2. Unwillingness to do any menial work. To make a mission trip successful, everyone in the team must always be ready to take up any task or challenge. It is absurd to refuse to do any menial work, saying that your only duty during the missionary trip is to win souls. It is false to think that doing menial work (like data entry, loading trucks, cooking, etc.) will distract you from your primary task of winning souls. Not everyone is called to be a preacher. For example, younger Christians in the team who are not equipped to preach and teach can contribute by helping in the physical aspects of the ministries.
3. Pick on the missionaries and their mistakes. Do not jump to conclusions quickly when you notice something that appears wrong. Be patient and careful not to make an unjust and erroneous judgment.
4. Disagree, criticise and murmur against your team leaders. Normally, leaders of mission trips are Christians who are experienced and mature. They make decisions based on their best knowledge and judgment. It will be far better to prayerfully cooperate with the leaders in whatever way you can, than be a “dissident” in the mission team. If you complain and murmur, it will affect the team’s unity and effectiveness. 
5. Harshly deal with team members who make a mistake. Unkind remarks and discourteous behaviour can lead to much grief and problems during mission trip. Be gracious and affectionate to one another.
6. Being too suspicious or too trusting of everyone you meet during the trip. It is wrong to think everyone in poor countries is out to get something from you. Also, it is dangerous to think that everyone who appears to be friendly is safe to trust. The best is to follow the instructions given by the team and local leaders.
7. Refuse the local food, as it might not have been cooked well to your taste.
8. Keep your distance from team members who cannot raise their full support. Be kind and generous towards one another.
9. Get involved romantically with someone or get into a quarrel with your friend. Though there is nothing wrong with getting to know someone closer, you must not lose focus of the nature and purpose of the mission trip. Also, avoid getting into petty quarrels with your friend.
10. Scold your home church upon your return from the mission field for their lack of commitment, their weak prayers, or their inadequate giving to missions. One or two mission trips do not prove that you have become the “perfect” evangelistic Christian. Instead, encourage the home church by your example in supporting the missions, since you have witnessed the needs and struggles of the church’s overseas missions.