(Left to right) Theresa, Mei Yee, Melissa, Gina, Yew Lee, Ivy Lim, Catherine, Philana Emily, Ivy Loh, Keng Lim, Lai Cheng
The team left Singapore from Changi Airport’s Terminal 2 on June 13, 2014. The purpose of our trip was to partner with Jesus Christ Saves Global Outreach (JCSGO) in their outreach and community blessing to the Barangay community, operation centre and offices, and kickstart a marketplace ministry and cell group among parents of special needs children
We touched down at Manila Airport at around 3.55pm and were warmly welcomed by Pastor Lerma and Pastor Weng. Due to being stuck in traffic, the team reached JCSGO at around 7.15pm. After dinner, Pastor Vicky delivered the opening address and prayer of blessing, followed by an opening greeting by our team leaders, Peter Chung and Keng Lim. We checked into our hotel to rest for the day at 9.00pm that night.
Barangay Outreach
At around 10.00am the next day, we arrived at JCSGO, all ready and dressed in red, to pack the goodie bags for 100 families, which consisted of household amenities, and some stationery for the children. It was a pleasure to work with the Philippines team efficiently hand in hand.
In the afternoon, we had an outreach programme with 100 families of the nearby barangays. The programme kicked off with an ice-breaker led by Yew Lee. For worship, the team led in song and dance with “All Praise and Glory only unto You”.
This was followed by a picture-story telling by Lai Cheng and Keng Lim. Lai Cheng narrated the story “Daniel and the Lions” while Keng Lim drew pictures there and then, bringing life to the story
We had an altar call after the picture-story telling, and the response was overwhelming. Glory to God as we saw more than 100 salvations that day.
The new believers were divided into smaller groups where the JCSGO leaders ministered and prayed for them. Our team also joined in to help in whatever way we could, although we could not understand Tagalog.
As the adults were being ministered to, a children’s drawing competition was running concurrently that was led by the children’s team. As the children paid close attention to Keng Lim’s drawings earlier, many were able to replicate the lion and other characters that Keng Lim drew. Attractive prizes were given to the children with the best drawings.
Marketplace People Fellowship
In the evening, Keng Lim spoke to marketplace professionals on “Leadership – A Study of Nehemiah”. His key passage came from Nehemiah 4:20 (NIV), “Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet, join us there. Our God will fight for us!” He urged the professionals to always be alert to the sound of the trumpet (Communicate), to join us there (Congregate), and that God will fight for us (Conquer).
Philana Emily shared on how God changed the attitude of her Human Resource Director towards her, and transformed her to be bolder. Ivy Lim shared on God’s protection, provision and promotion through prayer – from a homemaker, to a worker earning $5.00/hour, to her current post as Restaurant Manager overseeing three branches.
Lai Cheng wrapped up with the encouragement with “To transform your office/boss/yourself to become an excellent worker”. She challenged the professionals to start an open cell in the office and have a marketplace celebration two months later to share the wonderful things that God has done in the marketplace as His people pray.
Sunday Service
Keng Lim preached a sermon called “Burning Coals” from 1 Samuel 26:1-12 about the difficulties that David went through with King Saul and how he triumphed over his enemy. He encouraged the church with these three points:
(1) God is Sovereign – He is in Control
(2) God is Stronger – He is our Confidence
(3) God is the Saviour of our Heart – He is Compassionate
Praise the Lord for the salvations, and willing people who came to the altar to be prayed for.
At the children’s service, we wanted to host an acting competition. But as the children were too young for this activity, we changed it on the spot to a dance competition led by Melissa, Ivy Loh, Mei Yee and Theresa. All the kids participated and enjoyed it. After the session, we had a report of a miraculous healing of a boy who had a cataract in his right eye. By the end of the session, the white spot that initially covered his eye, and restricted his vision, shrank. Praise the Lord!
In the evening, Lai Cheng issued a challenge from Luke 5:4-5. Her message was called “Are you casting the net where the deep waters are?” She shared that we should not be discouraged and obey the Lord even if like the disciples, we toil and toil but there are no visible results. We need to identify where the deep waters are and be diligent in casting the net.
Visit to the Barangay
Flag raising ceremony
Photo with Barangay office staff
Keng Lim shared at the flag raising ceremony at the barangay the next morning, and prayed for the chief and staff.
(Left to right) Keng Lim’s sharing, Gina’s testimony, Chief Felipe’s closing
Later at the barangay’s head office at Quezon City Hall, Keng Lim shared about excellence in the work place based on 1 Timothy 6:6-10 that writes “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil”.
He shared that prayerlessness (self-dependence), pride (seeking recognition for oneself) and procrastination (delaying work) hinders work excellence. Followed by the remedies towards work excellence, which are prayer (being dependent on God), praise (complimenting the people we work with) and prioritisation (recognise importance and urgency to work effectively).
Gina took over with the sharing of her testimony on proclaiming God’s Word with her life, based on Luke 12:31.
To close, the chief of the barangay head office, Mr Jorge P Felipe, shared that “we need to put God first, and declared the fifth floor of their head office as Holy ground”. This was a great encouragement to the local pastors who had been ministering in this office as they finally witnessed the softening of the spiritual ground of this office and its chief.
Ministering to Parents of Special Needs Children
For this session, Yew Lee started with a widely known ice-breaker of “Musical Chairs”. Keng Lim and Lai Cheng followed by engaging the parents of the special needs children through a parenting talk, while the rest of the team helped to entertain the children. It was amazing that the children were receptive to drawing quietly, and hence the parents were able to pay full attention to the sharing.
Our princess Mei Yee, who has Down’s Syndrome, performed a dance item called “I Shall Not Want” to encourage and give hope to the parents of these children. Seeing that Mei Yee, a special needs child too, filled with God’s presence in her life that she shall not be in want. Some of the parents were so inspired and touched that they wept.
After the talk, we ministered to the parents and prayed for the couple who organised this talk. They are currently working on fostering relationships with these parents. They hope to establish a cell group there.
Final Visit to the Barangay
For this final visit to the barangay, we distributed gifts and sweets to the children. As the children rushed out to receive the treats, it gave us great joy to see the smiling, appreciative faces of the children.
We also visited and prayed for the chief and staff of another barangay office before we returned to the hotel to get ready for a thanksgiving dinner. At the dinner, as a show of appreciation to our Filipino hosts, the team presented a dance item.
The next day, we checked out of the hotel at 8.15am and went for a spot of shopping before taking our flight back to Singapore. We were tired, but fulfilled and contented.
During the final debrief, here are snippets of what the team shared:
“God is in control of everything – the weather; place; food; our coming in and going out.”
The Power of Prayer - Gina
“God’s anointing – through this trip, I have been changed from an introvert to an outgoing person.”
The Power of Confidence – Philana Emily
“Need to minister to the autistic children – but no stress!”
The Power of God’s Grace – Yew Lee
“A year later, hearing the chief of the barangay head office declare the fifth floor of their office in City Hall as Holy ground – it was unbelievable.”
The Power of Perseverance – Lai Cheng
“Felt like going on a holiday!”
The Power of Resting in the Lord – Ivy Lim
“Although we had fewer people and more preparations to be done for this trip, I did not worry.”
The Power of Submission – Theresa
“We cooperated and helped each other; we united as one!”
The Power of Unity and Cooperation – Ivy Loh
“I always wanted to hug the children and talk to them; I enjoyed being with them.”
The Power of Compassion – Melissa
“It was amazing when we laid hands and prayed for a boy suffering from cataracts, we saw the white spot in his right eye shrink.”
The Power of Healing – Catherine & Mei Yee