Sarawak Adventure 2007 - Day 6 - Day 7!!!
So I guess not many Ho Ho Ho's anymore eh? By now all the presents should have been opened...all the mysteries in the gift box unwrapped...no more Santas climbing down our chimneys...and getting stuck there...This year, I got some pretty interesting gifts. Some were quite unexpected, some just made me laugh...and some made me go 'Awww...' Many thanks for your thoughtfulness, friends!
And so, our adventure carries on. After leaving Lubok Nibong longhouse, the team then travelled to a nearby jetty, about 30 mins drive away. Due to our lack of transportation, the group had to be split up into 3, which means...bad news. :) Basically, the 1st group that left for the jetty had to wait for almost 3 hours before the all the members could arrive at the jetty! And so, being on the first group...we were praying that there would be shelter or probably even some minimarkets around the jetty...and to our surprise...there WAS NONE!!! No shelter...no minimarket...only the river, and our good ol' friend, the sun! It seemed pretty happy to see us, judging from how bright it shined on us! :)
Anyway, remembered how animals go crazy when you tie them under the sun for hours? Well...not much different from us humans too! Carry on to find out our story...
The 1st team that travelled to the jetty...here seen posing at the jetty with our Tiger Biscuit...the only source of food at that moment. Everyone was dreaming of getting our hands on Alison's packet of Chipsmore!!
And so...when there's nothing much to do for the next 2 hours...and you're all alone at the jetty, what do you do? We tried story-telling, staying in touch with the latest Hollywood gossips from Klang, even tried to earn some money playing the guitar...but hey, nothing beats posing for the camera! Here's Dan doin the one-arm guitar, armpit-exposed, pose!
Hey hey...check this out...It's the SPB! Sarung Party Boys...and err..Shaun, what are you doing with my towel, young man???
To be honest...I have no idea who this fella is. Judging from the possibility of hair on the leg, I'm thinking its one of us guys...*fingers crossed*
Guess what...from the moment these 2 arrived, they immediately got into the act. This is one of those Canon 'emo shots' moment. How often do we get to play on the roads, pose for pics all day long, without getting smacked by some passing vehicle???
Natasha, Cheryl, Letchumy and Tryphena getting their girl band CD cover shot done...
Thank God for the car that was parked at the jetty. Gave us just enough shade for our head. Rest of our body...its sun-tan time!! Woo hoooo...more chindian friends in the making!
The Bering sea...a vast ocean of the some of the world's most dangerous waters...and home to the deadliest catch......
Missionaries!! Here's the team heading towards the ferry that will take us across the river.
More shots of the group on board the ferry. Surprisingly, Cheryl did not do her trademark pose for ONCE! :)
Once we got across the river, it was an hours hike to the next longhouse. Started off on tar road, but then detoured into the jungle for a mosquito-invested hike. Here's Connie and CJ taking the word umbrella to a whole new level! Must be the heat....:)
And so, after a long and muddy hike, we finally reached the next longhouse, Sg. Kali! And for some...its been a really dirty hike. Due to some unavoidable circumstances, some even decided to take a dip and dive into small pools of water along the hike. Why? I dont know. Maybe the stinking water seemed tempting. If you wanna know the story...go ask the victims themselves. Namely Agnes, Chiew Hoe, Sheila...Reuben....:)
And so, after arriving, the team had lunch, washed up and had a time of rest. It was good to be with the people. We were so blessed by their warm hospitality and their generosity. After non-stop eating, it was time to begin the night service. Let's get this party started!! Here's Reuben introducing the team to the longhouse people.
The kids were having a good time too! Had lots of fun and exercise during the praise and worship session.
Here's our Mr. 'Anak Aku Raja' Chiew Hoe, sharing his testimony on how God made it possible for him to be here in Sarawak. Point to note: Notice his hands??? Dude...top half is Chinese, bottom half is BBQ chicken...
Wei San's turn to share her testimony on how God transformed her life and her family...such a blessing to hear her testimony!
Our man of the night, Jon Lee sharing the sermon during the service together with our one and only translator, Sis. Ruth.
More pics of the kids at the longhouse. Not a very big one though. Sg. Kali longhouse has only about 7 families. This is one of the smaller longhouses we've visited.
Jon praying for the people during the alter call time.
After the night service, we then went from house to house to pray for the families at the longhouse. At this particular house, the mother in the pic shared to us about how she wants us to pray for her son. When she saw us perform the skit about the Prodigal Son, she said that her son was exactly like that character portrayed. After some time of sharing with them, we finally led the son in saying the Sinner's prayer. Praise the Lord!
We want to thank God for the many lives that turned back to God and also for the family that came to know the Lord that night. We believe that God brought us all the way to that longhouse for a very purpose, and that is to share of His love for His people. Truly, we thank God for the opportunity we had to share God's word with them. And to see an entire family receive Jesus as their personal saviour was itself an amazing experience for all of us.
This concludes our adventures for Day 6. For some, its been a physically-draining day. Its been tough emotionally for some too. But nevertheless, everyone was looking forward to another day...another day to bless His people. As for now, its time to pay my sleeping bag a visit...zzzz.
~* Day 7 *~
Day 7...wow! The days are fast...and the best part is, we have no idea what's happening out there back home! What's the latest in world news? We can only wonder...as they say, no news is good news! :) Eveyone was up and running by 6.30am. Washed up, changed, got together for a time of group devotion and then it was time for some morning exercise...for the tummy, that is! BREAKFAST!! Yummmmy...
Here's how the toilet area looks like...nothing compared to a 5-star hotel eh?
I've come to a conclusion...I believe every longhouse has sort of a 'penjaga' or watchdog near the toilet area...and in this case, its a rooster! One over-sized, mean-looking rooster! Whenever you wanna go to the loo, you gotta keep a close eye on this fella. You'll never know when he's gonna start flapping at you or even take a peck at you! For the previous longhouse, it was the pig. Now that fella's a different class of its own.
Here's Alison having some girl talkwith some of the kids. They seem pretty happy to be around her. She's like the big sister they never had...:)
Presenting you...Sg. Kali Baptist Chapel. And oh...the design for the Baptist Church is exactly the same as the one we saw in Lubok Nibong longhouse. Interestingly, both the Baptist church in Roban and Betong also have the exact same design also! Must be the same architect eh?
After breakfast, the people then gathered at the chapel for our morning service. The air was fresh, the weather was perfect..and everyone was ready to hear God's word!
Here's CJ leading the people in a time of praise and worship. I'm telling you...he's probably the cutest songleader I have ever seen! Esp when he did the song 'Manjong Meh Halelujah!'
This morning, it is our pleasure to have our dear Sheila-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-laaaa to share God's word. Take it away, sister!!
A time of ministry and praying for the needs of the people. It was good to see every team member, from the young to the not-so-old laying hands and praying for the people. This is what I call...On-the-job training!
Shaun praying for the son who accepted the Lord the night before.
And so, after morning service, it was time for us to pack up and leave. But before that, its time for more photos!! Cheryl and Natasha with the kids...
Sg. Kali family photo! It was great to be with them...and to encourage them in their faith and strengthen their walk with the Lord. Even as we left, our hearts and prayers are with them.
So long, farewell...I wish to say goodbye...given a choice, I think they'll want to keep us! Haha...
Alison, Tzi Li and Cheryl doing the starfish pose. They've got potential to become good goalkeepers...
Not too sure what Letch (Letchumy, for short) is up to this time. But whatever it is, she makes mud-hiking look real fun. :)
More of Cheryl and her fan club members. This pic was taken just before we left the jetty and headed back to Roban Church.
Hey hey...guess what? That's all for today, folks! Its lunchtime!!! Anyone wanna BKT? Fancy some power soup?? Or perhaps something more sacred...like banana leaf rice? Anyway, have a great weekend, friends! So many things happening, so many celebrations going on....
A happy belated birthday to our dear Cmdr. Sheila Yong, who celebrated her birthday yesterday (28th Dec). God bless yea!
Also...a very happy birthday to Cmdr. Alison who turns 21 tomorrow (30th Dec)!! Wow...this truly is a season for celebrations!
God bless...
Sarawak Adventure 2007 - Day 4 - Day 6!!
And so, after many rounds of stuffing myself with food glorious food...its time for me to get my fat belly moving...and continue with the next post, which I know all of you out there have been waiting for days...sorry la dudes. Christmas break for me! :) Putting on weight too...bet you've been doin the same eh? Cheers!
This next post will focus on our time at the next longhouse, which is called Lubok Nibong. Its about an hour's drive from Roban Baptist Church...30 mins of tar road, followed by another 30 mins of bone-crunching, bum-aching ride over gravel and mud road...what a ride, I'm telling ya! Due to the fact that we only managed to charter one 8-seater van, it took us about 6 hours to get the entire group from the church to the longhouse...its been a long wait for some, but nevertheless...what was about to happen over the next couple of days was definitely worth the wait!
We spent the next 2 nights in this longhouse, so you can expect a long post from me...and oh, just for your info...the time now is 2.50am. I've just spend the last hour selecting and uploading pics for this post. Attempting to cram in 3 days of stories into one post is no easy task, I must say. But hey...you know me la...:) Anyway, if do start sounding a lil' cuckoo...do forgive me. Its hantu hours wei...
Do enjoy the story and pics...through the eyes and lenses of Daniel and Jon!
The cross before me...reminding me of my Saviour's love for me! As you can see, its getting dark and late. Driving through swap roads can be quite trecherous at nights...the final team arrived at the longhouse at about 7pm.
Even though everyone was feeling a lil' tired after the travelling and waiting, glad to see that we were all really happy, eager and looking forward to enjoy our time with the longhouse people, as displayed by Alison...:)
Here's Reuben getting the night service started off by introducing the team. Everyone was curious to know our names and our age especially!
The Tuai Rumah giving his welcome speech and making us feel really welcomed...the people there were genuinely excited and looking forward to what we had to share with them!
Songleaders for the night: Cheryl and Tzi Li! Double team...
Glad to see the adults together with the entire family turn up for the 1st night service!
Awww...now isn't she simply gorgeous???
Fantastic to see the kids worship the Lord...here's Richard Loo. The most popular kids in town (who happens to have a Chinese name). I'm still wondering where he got the Loo from...
Here's CJ sharing his testimony about how he used to be (and still is...) the taiko of his family!
Kevin too was the chosen one to share his life story of God's goodness and faithfulness...
The team acting out a skit based on the Prodigal Son story in the Bible...I'm telling you...these actors are simply natural. Put a bottle and ciggie in their hand, dont really have to tell them how to make good use of it...:)
Wei San sharing about the moral and lessons behind the story of the Prodigal Son, translated by Sis. Ruth.
The man of the night...Eric sharing the sermon, speaking about how God healed his mum. Another one born to preach...Preach it, brother!
The group then proceeded to pray for those who came forward during the alter call time. Everyone had an amazing experience praying for the sick, praying for the needs of the people, and praying for salvation for those who did not know Him.
Reuben praying for a lady with medical conditions...
Eric praying for a youth from Roban Baptist Church that followed us on our trip to the longhouse. Had he some difficulty speaking and forming words since birth, and so we spent some time praying for him. The next morning...he just wouldn't stop talking! Amazing!!! God is simply awesome....
After praying for the people, and having some supper after service, day 4 finally came to an end...everyone was tired out, and desperately needed sleep. And so, sleep well, we did. Snore loud too, we did...am I beginning to sound like Yoda??
*~ Day 5 ~*
And so, as always...day 5 started out bright and early. Everyone still seemed a lil grogy and aching bodies were becoming a norm, esp in the mornings. But hey, we got a mission to accomplish, and so that kept us going. Got up, washed up, spent some time having a group devotion...and then it was time for some well-deserved breakfast. More tiger biscuits, I prayed...
Ever heard of the term used by pirates called 'Walk the plank'? Well, everytime we needed to do our 'bank transactions' and 'deposits', we had our own 'walk the plank' experience...can be quite a challenge...trying to walk straight in the morn, esp when our head is still spinning. Trust me...the last thing you want is to fall off the plank! Looking at what crawls and grows at the bottom is really....*indescribable*
At the end of the road, here's the local bank where ALL transactions are done. Open 24 hours. And oh, just to add to the experience...you'll pass by an entire farm of animals after reaching the end of the plank. How cool is that??? You get to say your good mornings to some of the creatures that kept you awake all night...
The morning view is absolutely B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L! Very peaceful and soothing sight...
Here's Adrian. about 7 years old. Booked by Cheryl...she nicknamed him 'Sigat', which means Handsome in Iban. Fyi, my middle name too...what a coincidence! :)
These 2 kids are probably the most outstanding duo...from the moment I saw them and how they played and ordered each other around, they immediately reminded me of Eric and myself, and also how we would have been when we were younger ourselves. Cute fellas...dont you think we look alike?
The kids learning to do the Cheryl pose...seems to be getting lots of followers these days!
Here's Connie showing us how similar she is to frogs and lizards...she's got a tongue that's able to reach her nose and the bottom of her chin!
According to Cheryl's theory, the best time to do some emo posing is in the morning, when the emo-factor is high in all of us. This one is good...
Seems like the kids are catching up fast...
Cheryl's Emo-pose Fan Club members...
And so after some time of bring all vain in front of the camera lense, it was time to head to the nearby chapel for morning service. Here's the kids leading the way...
Such a beautiful sight...the chapel situated right in the middle of the paddy plantation!
As expected, all their houses and structures are evelated on stilts. Seems to be patches of water and puddles of it everywhere we look!
Once again, the entire longhouse turned up to worship together and hear God's word, with the team. To be able to share with them God's love is such a priviledge....
Our songsheet boys in action. This was the morning where Alwyn made a name for himself when he songlead. According to him, this song is actually sung 'Anak Aku Raja'...which means 'his son is a king'. Steady la bro....thanks for the morning entertainment! :)
Here's Cheryl sharing her testimony on how she overcame her fears...powderful stuff!
For the adult's service, a few of us took turns to share to the people concerning on the 5 key points of Evangelism Explosion, and to explain to them the our beliefs as a Christian and the principals behind receiving the gift of Salvation. Here we see Shaun speaking about the GRACE.
Daniel then proceeded to speak about Man, from creation, to the fall of man, sin, and how man cannot save himself.
Jon wrapping up things at the end by opening for a time of re-dedication and receiving the gift of Salvation.
And so, while the adults were busy with EE, guess what the kids were up to? Yup...you're right. FUN FUN FUN! Always a joy to see the teachers themselves having so much fun in the teaching process!
Oh boy...the kids simply loved the action songs session! High-energy and muscle-aching for some! Noticed that Tzi Li seemed to be everywhere at the same time???
Then the kids got started on their craftwork and name tags...loads of fun, I'm telling ya! f only I was a kid again...
Some kids were just plain hungry...and would resort to eating anything...like this lil' cutie...
"Mama, I'm hungry. Can I eat this stuff? Looks like banana to me...or prob a big piece of cornflakes! *chew*munch* Taste good too! Wanna see magic? Now you see it....
Taa daaaaa...now you dont! *Burp* After gobbling down half his name tag, she's one happy child!
Lovely shot....craft work just about to begin! Tzi Li and her team on screen...
Eric, Alison and Connie with their team of kids...sharing a lighter moment.
Sometimes kids can be so blurr...and duhh...like this shot. So candid and yet so cute...Robert introducing his friend Andran to us...
Tzi and team proudly showing off their latest hand-made, home-made Christmas deco...
Here's Alison together with Abby and her finished product....a 3-D Christmas Tree!
The birth of Apu. The tale of an Indian man trapped in a Chinese man's costume...
Sis. Ruth together with some Iban kids she found along her way...
And so, after a hectic morning, we had some lunch, decided to spend some time relaxing on the jetty, hoping to catch a glimpse of some crocodiles along the river banks, enjoy nature's beauty, those sort of stuff....
Such a classic and beautiful scenery. Surprisingly, the river looks very similar to Klang river...including the river banks. Swampy and muddy terrain. The water is slightly salty...perfect for crocs to chill out and take a dip....
The group just chillin out and lazing around the jetty...taking tons of pics!
The river currently at low tide...nice to see so much mud around the place. Feels like home...
Sheila and Connie...SMILE!
In the afternoon at about 3.30pm, the team headed up north by foot. We were to go to a nearby school and also visit some families to spend some time praying for them and to encourage them with God's word.
"There is no one like the God of Jeshurun, who rides on the heavens to help you and on the clouds in his majesty." Deut 33:26
I love this shot...you'll never walk alone, brother.
The longhouse kids who accompanied us to their school to pray for the teachers, classrooms and their headmaster.
The group praying for the headmaster of the school. We prayed a prayer of blessing and fruitfulness upon his life and the school. We pray that this school will continue to bless and build up God-fearing leaders of tomorrow...
We then proceeded to some nearby longhouses and spent some time praying for the families there. He we see a lady and her daughter who is suffering from a certain skin disease that is common with a few other families we visited. We prayed for God's healing to be upon them nd asked God to break every chain of this disease.
After praying for every family, surely got drinks...and more biscuit to consume. Someone's obviously happy...esp with food and drinks in the hand and mouth.
Some of the kids that followed us from house to house.
Prayed for this family, the mother and her 2 daughters. They live simple lives...and what they generally want is good health, good yield of their crops, and protection for their children.
Eric praying for this family. Notice the interesting decoration hanging above or heads? Would you believe me if I told you that those decos were made out of junkfood packets? So next time when you gobble down a pack of potato chips, find something interesting to do with the empty packet. Go make a shirt out of it or something cool...
I was definitely amazed by their creativity...man..that's a lot of junkfood consumed!
"Everything's cool!" Adrian assures them.
One of the best candid shot...pic by Dan Seliong.
The final house we visited. We were tired, we were stuffed with tea and biscuits...and it was time to go home. Thank God for the walk...helps the digestion.
Have you ever seen a rainbow this complete and this beautiful? "Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth." Gen 9:16
"I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands." Psalms 63:4
Worship, through the eyes of our ever-faithful Kapok guitar...
The kids enjoying and participating in our 2nd night service during the praise and worship session. As a child, we must learn to worship, believe and trust in Him. Faith like a child...
Worshipping Him...for He deserves our worship. This trip, we learned that we will not offer unto the Lord an offering that costs us nothing.
After a time of worshipping Him, the kids then presented us a short mini-epic staging of the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Here we see a pregnant Mary and Joseph in a stable.
And lo and behold...baby Jesus was born!
The animals went crazy...everyone began to celebrate the birth of Jesus!
We even had a visitation from 3 angels, just as written in the Bible!
And behold...a star will be the guiding light for the wisemen who came from country afar to visit baby Jesus.
All the animals, angels, star, wisemen, Mary and Joseph then had a blast of a time singing and dancing to the song 'Soraklah Halelujah'! What a spledid performance by the kids! Thumbs up to them and Alison's team for the effort in staging this mini Christmas play.
And so, after we finally cleared the entire Bethlehem scene, it was time for Agnes to share her testimony.
Tzi Li too then shared about her life's story and how God made all the difference...
Reuben then shared the sermon for the night. He spoke about 'Running The Christian Race'. Using the bag as an illustration, he showed that we need to throw away every burden that hinders and slows us down...
After the sermon was shared, we then proceeded to pray for the people. Many re-dedicated their lives unto God that night. Praise the Lord!
Agnes praying for this lady who had pain and complication all over her leg and wrist.
And so, after praying for the people and praying for the entire longhouse, we finally called it a night...after supper, that is. Everyone needed a good night's rest, and was looking forward to another exciting day ahead! God bless...
~* Day 6 *~
Waking up to the sound of roosters, doing their mating call... is definitely no fun, especially at 5.30am. Somebody's gonna' get hurt pretty bad...Woke up early, washed up, and got ready for group devotion. Time for breakfast!
Everyone, say hi to Mr. Pig...a close relative of Saw Phaik Joo, according to Cheryl. This dude...every night when we had to walk the plank to get to the loo, he'll stay low, and when you least expect, he'll suddenly pop up and make a loud grunting sound to scare the heavens out of you! Grrrr....Don't you think he'll look good floating in a bowl of soup???
After breakfast, we had a mini Sunday School session for the kids. Sang more actions songs to get them pumping. Some morning exercise for us too!
This was the coolest...here's Alison teaching the class about sin and how God's makes everything clean again by forgiving us. Using Iodine and some 'magic' salt, this cool illustration got the kids scratching their heads and wondering "How in the world did she do that???" Haha...
And so...after lessons, we spent some time ballooning with the kids. It was pretty sad for us...knowing that in a few hours time, we'll be leaving them. They knew it too...and the tears in their eyes said everything....Here's some of our girls taking a pic with some of their girls.
Cheryl and Mr. Sigat...they'll make a good family. More like mother and son...:) What's with the Mohawk??? I think they got the inspiration from their roosters...
More group pics with the kids...such a happy bunch, I'm telling ya! Made it very very very difficult to say goodbye to them without having tears form in our eyes too...
And so, finally out time at Lubok Nibong has come to an end. After spending 3 days and 2 nights with them, it was difficult for many of us to leave. Harder for them to see us go, I would say. Almost every kid cried when we said our goodbyes...these memories will forever be with us. We said a prayer for each child, that God will always watch over them and keep them close to His heart. Truly, its been an adventure never to be forgotten. The friendship made, the hearts touched, the lives changed...we thank God for this opportunity to be a part of their lives, and for them to be a part of ours.
My journey stops here for now. Its almost 5am. When you start seeing stars and birds flying around...you know you need sleep. Goodnight friends...goodnight world....Zzzzz....
God bless America...and God be with us all!
Sarawak Adventure 2007 - Day 4 (Part 1)...
Ho Ho Ho...greetings from Santa and his reindeer friends...and me too...
More updates! This time for Day 4 part 1...
This is where the REAL adventure begins...the stuff that we came over for...our team's main objective...to be a channel of God's blessing to His people! And so...we rose up early on Tues morn, got ourselves prepared and started our hike to a nearby longhouse. The agenda for the morning was to visit a couple who had recently accepted Christ, and to encourage them in their walk and faith in God. How amazing, friends! We flew all the way from KLIA to be with this couple on that very morning...isn't God good? As always, I'll let the pics do the story-telling...
Our first hike during the trip took us about 30 mins to reach the 1st longhouse. Its good to be finally going out to the longhouses after almost 3 days...
Here's the group posing in front of the longhouse...everyone's pretty excited and can't wait to get started and meet the people in there!
This longhouse has about 17 pintu (families) and the couple we ministered to stayed all the way at Pintu 1, right at the other end of the longhouse. Interestingly, that always seems to be the case! :)
Alison and Tzi doin their thing...checking out toe-nails and big-eyed pose!
The group seated around the meeting place...this was officially our first meeting in the longhouse!
"I'm telling you...we're hoping to see some really big CROCS along the way..."
The legendary...Bujang Senang...
I love this shot...seems like Wei San has caught the emo fever...:)
Shaun and Eric given the honour of being the Songsheet Boys...happy eh, Shaun?
The group getting things started by singing some Iban praise & worship songs...
That morning, Jon Lee shared a short message to encourage the couple, and to persevere on in their faith, and how God has been faithful to him. Its not a coincidence or by chance that Jon shared that morning...God has a purpose for everything...I'll tell you why soon...
Both Reuben and Kevin looking guilty and convicted...
Cheryl taking it a step further by weeping...:)
And so, after the sermon the team proceeded to pray for the couple and their home. Their kids have all left home and are currently working outstation. So it does get lonely for them at times, especially the feeling of missing their kids...so, it was good for us to be there to share our joy with them, as we've got loads of it!
The couple that we ministered to. His name is Renggi. Didn't manage to get the wife's name. Apologies. They certainly look like a sweet ol' couple...
Believe it or not...after praying for them, both Renggi and his wife couldn't help but stare at Jon and wept. According to them, Jon looked so much like one of their son, whom they miss very much. And to see Jon was like seeing their own child coming home...
Eric praying for Renggi and his wife...
Daniel too found someone that reminded him of someone close back home...
With tears in her eyes, she watched us make our journey back to the church. Truly we have been blessed with this opportunity to bless others...
Two other old ladies trying to copy the emo pose in the previous pic...
And so, with heavy hearts, we made our trip back to the church. Many stories to share along the way, many laughters shared and smiles exchanged. Cheryl even accepted a challenge to remain silent throughout the 30-min hike back. Amazingly, she did it. Miracles STILL do happen...there is a God...haha!
The day's not over. Its just the beginning. Our next destination: Lubok Nibong Longhouse in the afternoon. But I'll save that for the next post...stay tuned, friends!
Have a fantastic weekend, and I'll see ya at the partyyyyyyy!! Puji Tuhan!
Sarawak Adventure 2007 - Day 3...
Once again, good evening my beloved readers. Apologies for the slight delay in the post...not feeling too well lately. Feelin' pretty worn out and tired after an adventure-filled week. Age is catching up...and so are the body aches! Nevertheless, as promised, here I am with the next episode of our mission trip to Sarawak 2007. Once again, for those of you who dont read the blog post (ignorant), this post is about Team 2's journey. Simply because I was with Team 2...would be good if we could get someone from the other mission teams to do a write-up about their adventure! :)
Day 3 (10th Dec) started off slightly later than usual. We began our trip to Roban at about 11am in the morning in 2 vans. This journey took about 6 hours for us to reach the Roban Baptist Church. Stopped for lunch along the way and as always, we had our tasty glass of Teh Si Peng Special! See the pics and read the story below for a feel of things....
Here's the China man of our team. Apparently, only Chinese food will satisfy the rumblings of his belly. All others gives him a certain look on his face...haha
The stuff that dreams are made of! The 3-layered Teh Si Peng Special! Looks really authentic eh? Try it ppl....good stuff!
After some chinese food for lunch, we continued our journey towards Roban. Met some familiar friends from Klang along the way...Always a pleasure to see fellow Klang-ites in a foreign land. Looks like they're on a field trip too...
We finally arrived at Roban Church at about 5.30pm, much to the relief of our posterior ends. Man...they felt numb! Haha...and so, the group project for the night was to prepare our very first meal together! Instantly, all our culinary skills and Chef Wan within us began to spring out. We had the Jamie Olivers...the naked Chefs...AFC...you name it, we have it. Pretty interesting to see everyone getting their hands dirty and getting things prepared for dinner.
CJ was dying for some action in the kitchen...
While some decided to consume some spiritual food to take their mind off the physical hunger...:)
Some entertained themselves with music and singing...I like this shot very much!
"Grrr....People call me China Man! Beware...I eat pork!"
Everyone looking bright and happy at the start of the dinner preparation...
Now here's a sight any mum would be proud of! Tzi Li and Cheryl ripping off the heads and guts of these poor ol' Ikan bilis...
While some just love being emo and posing for the cam all day long...
"Oh if only I could take a bite of you right now!" Chicken never looked this good, I tell you...
Just look at her...any bigger, and her eyeballs would just pop out from its socket! :)
Looks like we're safe from Dracula tonight..."Dont worry honey, I've got the garlic," Jon assures us.
These two jokers (Eric and Shaun) were having a fun time folding their arms, laughing at us, and giving us instructions of what to do and how to do it...
But then...hahaha...looks like someone was forced to join the circus! I TELL YOU....
Our very own Chopper family...Alison looks oooo so nasty holding that biggie chopper. Check out my miniature toy...
The reason why it rained so much....who says God doesn't have a sense of humour...
Here's Dan ripping his way through the chicken thigh...this boy packs a mean chop, I must say...
At times, it felt like an indoor Survival Camp...chicken guts all over the place, everyone had this funny odour about them...but definitely loads of fun!
And so after a hearty dinner...it was time for the group to have our regular team prayer meetings at night. Remember friends...Always pray together as a team, because a team that PRAYS together STAYS together! It build unity, builds up our team spirit and definitely keeps everyone focused on the task ahead. Always good to cover each other in prayer for God's protection.
After some tie of prayer, skit practice, sermon and testimony checking & runthroughs, it was time for us to call it a night and get some rest. Tomorrow morning we will be taking a walk to a nearby longhouse and have a short service with a family over there who needs some encouragement. Hoping for a fantastic day ahead! Will share with you the story once the sun rises again...
Till then, its time for me to turn off my own lights...Good night and God bless! Pray for me, yea? *sick*
Many thanks to Jon and Dan for the lovely pics...these guys are like the eyes of our mission trip!
Sarawak Adventure 2007 - Day 1 & 2...
HONEY, I'M HOMEEEEEEE!!!
Ahhh...what an AMAZING trip we've had! Rangers, Youths, Friends and fellowmen...Good evening! Boy oh boy, I'm excited as ever! Just like a little kid waiting to pop open his Christmas gifts! Alison sums it up best with her quote of the week..."I'm so excited I feel like tap-dancing!" Amen, sister! We've got so many stories to tell, I'm sure I'm gonna have a fun time tellin' you all about it...
This post and the following ones will be about Sarawak Team 2 and the adventure that we've just had. My apologies for not being able to write much about Sarawak Team 1 and the Thailand group's adventure, unless if there'a a kind soul out there willing to tell me their story. I'll be more than happy to write all about it...! Do let me know yea? If possible, I would love to write and share about each team's experience in Sarawak and also those who went to Thailand. I'm sure we'll all be blessed...
The mission trip for Sarawak Team 2 started off on the 8th of Dec and concluded on the 16 of Dec. I'm telling you friends...I just had one of DE most EXCITING week of my life! Our team comprised of a total of 15 members from GT Klang, 3 members from Betong Baptist Church, 2 members from Roban Baptist Church, and our ever faithful Sis. Ruth! This team had it all...I'm telling you...good looks, style, whacko-jacko dudes, mysterious characters, sock-rockers, downright crazee, stress-relievers, button-pushers, whoop-de-doops, 7-eleven, 2-and-a-half Indians...:) You'll find out more along the way...these peope, I TELL you...they drive me up and down the wall, and gave me such a good time that it hurts laughing!
And so...after a hectic and busy week, the team finally gathered in church at 4am on 16-Dec. Looking at them, I'm pretty sure most of them had a tough time sleeping that night...but nevertheless, spirits were high and everyone was raring and ready to go! Uncle Stewart prayed for protection over the team throughout our journey and time over there in S'wak and blessed before we left for KL LCCT. Many thanks to our faithful van drivers, Uncle Geok Ling and Uncle Cephas. Not easy staying awake during the hantu hours of the morning...
A time for togetherness and unity in prayer and in spirit.
Checking our bags in in KL LCCT. Air Asia...now everyone can fly. Heh!
And so, after a smooth check in and settling all our luggages, it was time for some sugar-rush! Time to head over to everyone's favourite... McDee! Actually, not much choices over there...anyway, the Breakfast Set looked pretty appealing at 5am! Eat on, boys!
Kevin was feelin emo all morning...with tears in his eyes, he kissed his momma, bed and pillows goodbye...
Alright boys...the party just got started! Here's the guys having a mini Men's Conference over a cuppa' Coffee...always good to have your fellow boys around to support you during times like these. I'm just so blessed for the guys that came along in this trip. Really had such a wonderful time together with 'em...
Now that's what I call a smile!! Once you've had all the sugar in the world, there's no reason to NOT smile...here's Alison - the bubble of the team! Never fails to make us smile with her cute lines and almost dance-like moves...:)
After some morning drama at the flight gate, we finally made it to Kuching at about 8.55am. The cool part was that we almost missed our flight (due to McDee). When we arrived at the gate, the sign said 'Closed'. Someone said "Of course its closed la. Not opened wat!". Haha...next thing we know, an Air Asia staff comes running to us hurrying us onto the plane! Apparently, the wanted to fly out 10 mins earlier! Can you believe that??? Delayed flights are a norm...but taking off earlier than planned???? What's up with these dudes?
We were greeted by Sis. Olivia from Kuching Baptist Church, who picked us up from the Airport. Headed straight to a nearby restaurant for MORE breakfast. Meal of the morn: red-coloured Kolo Mee. From what I heard, the noodles got its colour from the Char siew meat...Hmmm, not bad, actually...and oh, you gotta try their Teh See Peng Special! 3-layered...authentic Sarawak stuff! Obviously, its nothing compared to our very own Lapan Macam! Steadyyy la...
Reached thr church around 10am, rested and just lazed around. A youth Rally was scheduled that night an the event was anchored by our church. Team 1 arrived at the church at around 2pm and boy, were we glad to see them! They've been gone for a week, ministering at longhouses and blessing the people over there, and it was great to have them back in civilization. They were just so excited to share their stories and how God has been good to them. After a time of music and skit practice, it was time for dinner.
Here's Alwyn, Reubs, Connie and Jon sharing a moment together during dinner...we had our favourite dish that night: Bamboo Chicken! Gotta try it someday soon, people...
Cmdr. Gid wasn't feeling too well and so the boys gathered to pray for Him that evening. He was scheduled to preach that evening for the Rally...and certainly, both God and Cmdr. Gid did not disappoint!
Chan Chiew HOEEE and his emo pose...these guys are getting pretty good at it too...
Looks like one of our usual YA meetings eh? Haha...well, our youths gathered together for a time of prayer before the Rally. We had a powerful time praying together, ushering in God's presence into that meeting hall.
Here's Mel doing what he does best on the keyboard...
And just in case you forgot...Christmas is NEXT TUESDAY!!! Somebody please ask me what I want this Christmas, yea?
Lee Yee and Kelly, during the time of prayer...
Olivia, Andy and Seaw Chin leading the pre-service prayer worship...
Here's Pas. Greman, the Chairman of the Baptist Church. I'm telling you friends...when this man speaks, ppl listen and get inspired! This man was BORN to preach! :)
With our hands lifted up Lord, we surrender all that we are to You...
"Do I look fat? I think I have fatty cheeks", Daniel asks Lisa, who can't help but agree...:)
Here's Tzi Li, Cheryl (with one of the MANY signature pose) and Daniel...
Ahh...our favourite Sis. Ruth! Going strong as ever...
We had an amazing time during the Rally. A wonderful time praisin' & worshipping the King, blessed through the testimonies by Sherlyn and Anna Joy. Certainly God has been good and faithful to them. Team 2 then presented a skit aptly entitled 'Everything', by Lifehouse. This skit is basically about God and man...and how much we need Him. Created by God, and then distracted by the pleasures of this world...it depicts a man's struggle to run back to God. Ultimately, it was God who reached out to us. Powerful. Unfortunately we do not have a recording of the skit, but to have an idea of how it went, have a look at the video below...believe me when I say it was just as good! I could see people with tears in their eyes as they watched us present this skit...Here's a couple of pics from the skit! Really loved the intensity and passion put in by our members...
Here we see man fighting his way back to God...not an easy task as he's gotta fight his way through past Eric and the rest....
In this scene, we see man being rescued by God...if you look behind him, you can see someone in white with his arms outstretched, protecting man from the evil of this world i.e. Eric, Wei San, Cheryl, Tzi Li and of course, Daniel...total evil...:)
Next up was da man himself, Cmdr. Gideon! Cmdr. Gid preached from the life of Daniel and how Daniel never compromised his stand and beliefs in God. We spent the night praying and ministering to the youths that came and God never failed to show up! Powerful stuff, I'm telling you. See, I did listen to the sermon! :)
Enjoy the vid!
We will be presenting this skit again at our YA! Christmas Party on the 22nd Dec in HCIT, Klang Parade. Don't miss it, people...
A time for refreshments after the rally...lots of drinks and Tiger biscuits!
What in the world has gotten into Mel???
With food in their mouths, everyone's happy! Cheryl and TL...
Ian, Anna, Lee Yee and Cheryl (again.....). She seems to be popping up in every shot, eh?
Family photo time! Everyone was really excited and looking forward to an amazing week ahead! For some, it was time to go home..and for the rest, it was time to march on!
Jason Ong showing you how thirsty he is...while Dan can't seem to get rid of his bad habits...haha...dont our props for the skit look really authentic??? Or are those things real? :)
Three's a party! Ker Shin, PJ, and Su Vien doin their monkey thing...what's with SV's face?
A ranger is ALERT! Always keep your sleeping bag closeby...never know when you're gonna need it, especially with friends like Daniel around... better safe than sorry!
And so, after a long and fruitful day, it was finally time to call it a day and get some long-overdue rest...
~* End of Day 1* ~
Day 2 (9th Dec) started off bright and early...as you know, in Sarawak, the sun rises at about close to 6am...and therefore, everyone had an early start to the day...washing up and getting ready for breakfast and then Sunday Service in Kuching Baptist Church. Oh boy...best time to sleep is usually the time when you gotta' wake up! Haha...
Always good to see a smile early in the morning... A smile a day keeps the baddies away...
Check out our guest preacher looking all fired up and prosperous! :)
The 4 Non-Blondes...Shawn, Reuben, Kingsley & Shaun...
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Here's Eric together with one really cool character we found in the Baptist Church...Danny! I'm telling you friends...this dude has got loads and bags of energy...hardly ever sleeps, always up to something, and definitely a fun-loving kid! Loves dancing and being entertained by the ladies...
Jon doin his 50-cent trick on Danny...50 CENTS in Da House, Yoooo!
Ahhh...what a waste! Almost caught TL doin the kapal korek...toegther with Alison, who takes the colour Red to a whole 'nother level! If you could only see her shoes...Little Red Riding Hood would probably cry...
Here's Adrian sharing his testimony during the morning worship service. Alongside him is Pas. Greman, who translated his testimony.
Team 1 presenting their skit during the morning service...I particularly liked their face paintings and the magic bag that Ernest is holding...you can practically hide anything in there and make it vanish! How cool is that??
Here's our indestructable Andy presenting a song in Bahasa to bless the people. It sounds pretty good and its got a lovely tune to it. Let's hope to sing it one day in church yea?
And so, after a good morning service and a powerful sermon by our very own Pastor Gid, it was finally time to say goodbye to Sarawak Mission Team 1, who had to catch their flight back to KL at 3pm. It was a sad feelin seeing them go, after having so much fun together just for 2 days. Imagine a whole week together!!! But nevertheless, they deserved their rest after almost 11 days in Sarawak...and now it was time for Team 2 to begin their own journey to the longhouses...
And so...agenda for the entire day: REST & RECUPERATE!
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Now that's what I call chillin out...Cmdr. Eric feeling one with the matress and pillows!
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Ahhh...the good life! Much rest was needed for the long journey ahead...haven't really slept well since we arrived at Sarawak...
And so, we spent the rest of the evening preparing our skits, songs, sermons, testimonies, and also spent lots of time praying together as a group. Everyone was really looking forward to a fantastic and exciting week ahead. On Monday morning, we'll be travelling to Roban, which is about 6 hours drive away. Its going to be one loooooooong van ride. And so, this is where my story for the first 2 days stop. For the following day's adventure, do keep a lookout for my next post. I promise to update you guys daily, ok? Better get the stories out while its still fresh in my mind! Still got loads of stuff to tell you about...juicy stuff, definitely! :) I see some worried faces out there...haha...
Till then, continue to live the adventure and keep the fire burning for Him. Live this life for Him, cause everything else ain't worth it...
*pics courtesy of Dan Seliong*
Send Me, And I Will Go...
G'day mate!
I dont know 'bout the rest of you...but I'm feelin' kinda Aussie and down under these days. Its probably due to the fact that most of our Aussie and kangaroo friends are back...Daniel Pua, Lup Tuck, Ernest, Hui Li...and a couple more waiting to catch a flight home. Not forgetting our AllBlacks yellow dude..Keith! Welcome home boys and girl. Always great to have our fellow Klang crows back for Christmas and New Year...Party on', mates!
Well...what's been happening? Apart from the freedom from the bondages of exams and school life for most of ya, I guess everyone's having a splendid time enjoying the hols eh? Lots of stuff and activities happening these days...I'm finding it hard to keep up with most of it. But hey, its the season to be jolly. So go ahead and fa-la-la-la-la and sing along...(whatever that means). Anyway, its been almost a week since I posted anything, and yes...there's this voice in me that keeps going "Blog post! Blog post"....so here I am. Doing my bit for society...:)
Traditionally, the month of Dec is usually set aside for youth mission trips, focusing on Sarawak and Thailand. And this year, we've heading back to Thailand and Sarawak for an amazing and awesome time ministering to the people over there. Another amazing point to note is that this year, we have the biggest ever number of youths signing up for missions...a total of 50! Praise the Lord! Its just so awesome to see the young ones getting all fired up and excited about what God is gonna do over there. Its amazing times, my friends...not by our own strength and abilities, but by availing ourselves to be used by God in every way possible! Its going to be one awesome adventure for the 50 of us!
Just to give you some info on the missionaries (chewahhh!) that will be going this year...
Sarawak Team 1:
Date: 28th Nov - 9th Dec
Destinations: Kuching, Sibu, Selangking & Gerugu Longhouse, Jelang & Luing Longhouse, and finally back to Kerapa Longhouse.
Team Members: Pas. Gideon Lee aka Lee Wee Yong, Tan Seaw Chin, Ker Shin, Sherlyn, Adriena Ng, Michelle Ng, Adrian Ng, William Ong, Andrew Lee, Ernest Tee, Jason Ong, Saw Phaik Joo, Tan Pei Jy, Lee Huei Lin, Simon Kong, Melvin Lee, Jason Ponniah, Samson Yap ( my buddy), Kelly Yap, Angeline Yong, Ian Teh, Anna Joy, Su Vien, Rachel Low, Low Lee Yee, Sean Yong and finally, our indestructable Cmdr. Andy Gan!
Sarawak Team 2:
Date: 8th - 16th Dec
Destination: Kuching, Roban, Lubok Nibong longhouse, Nanga Ibus longhouse, and Sungai Kali longhouse!
Team Members: Reuben Ponniah, Wong Tzi Li, Alwyn Chan, Sheila Yong, Alison Seow, Eric Teh, Jonathan Lee, Khoo Wei San, Connie Tan, Shaun Lim, Chung Jin, Agnes Ng, Cheryl Lim, Kevin Chin, and the only true Iban in our team, Daniel Seliong!
And yes...we're going International these days too!
Thailand Team:
Date: 7th - 14th Dec
Destination: Thung Wa, Thung Song, Suratthani, Ko Rat & Pumphin. Cute names eh? :)
Team Members: Cmdr. Jeffrey Lim, Stephen Ponniah, Anthony Lam, Yap Zhi Fung, Amy Tan, Tan Su Ann, Stephanie Tan, and our Aussie friend...Daniel Pua! Man, its going to be one party!!
For every team, its going to be a different adventure but altogether exciting and trusting God to do amazing things this time around! Every year promises different experiences and surprises, so we're all really putting our trust in Him to see us through. Its going to be tough, both mentally and physically and spiritually, but no matter what, our faith is in Him and we know we've got many of you back home praying for us during this trip. Its going to be an awesome ministering to the Iban people in the longhouses and city churches, running children and youth workshops, longhouse services, boat rides through the Rejang River, feasting the Iban style (can't wait for that, man!), and of course...experiencing the difference in lifestyle during our stay in the longhouses. Trust me friends...these are experiences that will stay with you a lifetime!
Hopefully we'll be able to bring one of these fellas back home...would be cool to go to the mamak stalls with one of these dudes! You'll probably get a free piece of chicken...
If you're like me, you'll definitely love the boatride adventure...wading through the forest in a longboat for hours till we reach the longhouses. Not forgetting the ocassional jumping out of the boat for a quick dip in the crystal-clear river....ahhh, the good life!
Nothing quite beats the experience of staying and living together with Ibans in a longhouse, experiencing their daily lifestyle and seeing their simplicity and dependancy on God, which in returns strengthens our faith.
Being able to bless and minister to the children, its such a wonderful opportunity not to be missed! Such an amazing and hyper-charged bunch of kids!
Meet some old friends...talk about the good ol' days...
For those of you back home, we have one request...would you please keep us in prayer? Pray specifically that God's hand of protection and guidance will be upon the team leaders and upon each member throughout the mission trip, and also please pray for our families back home. Pray also that God will keep each team member healthy and strenghten our immune system that we will be able to minister to the people without hindrances. Thanks yea?
Till then, I pray that you'll have a wonderful week ahead and do stay out of trouble ok? Will update you and share our mission stories once we're ALL back safe and sound. That's my promise to you...
God bless! And see ya', mate...dont wait up for me, honey!
And so...when there's nothing much to do for the next 2 hours...and you're all alone at the jetty, what do you do? We tried story-telling, staying in touch with the latest Hollywood gossips from Klang, even tried to earn some money playing the guitar...but hey, nothing beats posing for the camera! Here's Dan doin the one-arm guitar, armpit-exposed, pose!
The Bering sea...a vast ocean of the some of the world's most dangerous waters...and home to the deadliest catch......
More shots of the group on board the ferry. Surprisingly, Cheryl did not do her trademark pose for ONCE! :)
Once we got across the river, it was an hours hike to the next longhouse. Started off on tar road, but then detoured into the jungle for a mosquito-invested hike. Here's Connie and CJ taking the word umbrella to a whole new level! Must be the heat....:)
And so, after a long and muddy hike, we finally reached the next longhouse, Sg. Kali! And for some...its been a really dirty hike. Due to some unavoidable circumstances, some even decided to take a dip and dive into small pools of water along the hike. Why? I dont know. Maybe the stinking water seemed tempting. If you wanna know the story...go ask the victims themselves. Namely Agnes, Chiew Hoe, Sheila...Reuben....:)
And so, after arriving, the team had lunch, washed up and had a time of rest. It was good to be with the people. We were so blessed by their warm hospitality and their generosity. After non-stop eating, it was time to begin the night service. Let's get this party started!! Here's Reuben introducing the team to the longhouse people.
The kids were having a good time too! Had lots of fun and exercise during the praise and worship session.
Here's our Mr. 'Anak Aku Raja' Chiew Hoe, sharing his testimony on how God made it possible for him to be here in Sarawak. Point to note: Notice his hands??? Dude...top half is Chinese, bottom half is BBQ chicken...
Wei San's turn to share her testimony on how God transformed her life and her family...such a blessing to hear her testimony!
Our man of the night, Jon Lee sharing the sermon during the service together with our one and only translator, Sis. Ruth.
More pics of the kids at the longhouse. Not a very big one though. Sg. Kali longhouse has only about 7 families. This is one of the smaller longhouses we've visited. 
Jon praying for the people during the alter call time.
After the night service, we then went from house to house to pray for the families at the longhouse. At this particular house, the mother in the pic shared to us about how she wants us to pray for her son. When she saw us perform the skit about the Prodigal Son, she said that her son was exactly like that character portrayed. After some time of sharing with them, we finally led the son in saying the Sinner's prayer. Praise the Lord!
Here's how the toilet area looks like...nothing compared to a 5-star hotel eh? 
I've come to a conclusion...I believe every longhouse has sort of a 'penjaga' or watchdog near the toilet area...and in this case, its a rooster! One over-sized, mean-looking rooster! Whenever you wanna go to the loo, you gotta keep a close eye on this fella. You'll never know when he's gonna start flapping at you or even take a peck at you! For the previous longhouse, it was the pig. Now that fella's a different class of its own.
Here's Alison having some girl talkwith some of the kids. They seem pretty happy to be around her. She's like the big sister they never had...:)
Presenting you...Sg. Kali Baptist Chapel. And oh...the design for the Baptist Church is exactly the same as the one we saw in Lubok Nibong longhouse. Interestingly, both the Baptist church in Roban and Betong also have the exact same design also! Must be the same architect eh? 
After breakfast, the people then gathered at the chapel for our morning service. The air was fresh, the weather was perfect..and everyone was ready to hear God's word!
Here's CJ leading the people in a time of praise and worship. I'm telling you...he's probably the cutest songleader I have ever seen! Esp when he did the song 'Manjong Meh Halelujah!'
This morning, it is our pleasure to have our dear Sheila-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-laaaa to share God's word. Take it away, sister!!
A time of ministry and praying for the needs of the people. It was good to see every team member, from the young to the not-so-old laying hands and praying for the people. This is what I call...On-the-job training!
Shaun praying for the son who accepted the Lord the night before. 
And so, after morning service, it was time for us to pack up and leave. But before that, its time for more photos!! Cheryl and Natasha with the kids...
Sg. Kali family photo! It was great to be with them...and to encourage them in their faith and strengthen their walk with the Lord. Even as we left, our hearts and prayers are with them.
So long, farewell...I wish to say goodbye...given a choice, I think they'll want to keep us! Haha...
Not too sure what Letch (Letchumy, for short) is up to this time. But whatever it is, she makes mud-hiking look real fun. :)
More of Cheryl and her fan club members. This pic was taken just before we left the jetty and headed back to Roban Church. 
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