Nias Mission Trip Testimonies
Written by: Elder John Leong
The Nias mission trip was conducted with a 3-day VBS for children and youth from 1-3 July 2015 (Wed-Fri). Thank God for 6 members who went for this mission trip. We departed on 30 June Tuesday and flew from Singapore to Medan and then a domestic flight from Medan to Nias island. Upon arrival, we took a car journey of 2 hours to reach our destination which is the kindergarten and primary school run by Rev and Mrs Famachoi. Rev Famachoi is a graduate of FEBC. We stayed with the family throughout the mission trip. Thank God for safe journey despite the long and tiring journey.
On Tue night, we attended a prayer meeting of a church in which I preached the Word of God. Thank God that we could be an encouragement to this small church.
The VBS started on Wed at 1pm. We cleaned and prepared the place for the VBS on Wednesday morning. Thank God that we have 4 big rooms for the 4 different classes. The Lord brought about 200 children and youth to attend the VBS. We thank God for the strength and grace to teach so many students and that they could hear the Word of God. We taught on the Life of Joseph with 5 messages for the 3-day VBS. Each message comes with a memory verse that the student was asked to memorise. We can see many enthusiastic students learning and memorizing the Word of God.
The VBS would stretch till the night to end at 8.30pm. After which, the parents of the children would come to fetch them home. After all the chil-dren departed, we would need to prepare ourselves for the next day VBS activities. In Nias, we have to bathe in cold water with mosquitoes flying around the toilet. The Lord is good to preserve all of us with good health and strength to serve Him. We were very tired as the weather was hot and there was no fan in our classrooms. As we serve the Lord, we experience that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Neh 8:10b).
The VBS ended on Friday around 4pm. Thank God for the blessings in the VBS to enable the programme to run smoothly and grace for each of us to do our duty for Him. We pray for the students that they would truly believe in the Lord Jesus and grow in Him. Thank God for safe journey back home to Singapore on Saturday. The Lord is good!
Written by: Brother Bo Hao
All praise and thanks be to God for seeing the mission team through the mission trip to Nias where we conducted a three-day Vacation Bible School (VBS) for around 200 children and youth. It is always a privilege and joy to serve God in the mission field. By God’s grace, this was my fourth time going to Nias for mission. As I reflected, I realized how much things have changed. Yet, amidst the changes, God proves His faithfulness and unchanging character.
Our unchanging God prepares the location. This year we were able to use a new classroom as our main meeting place. I remembered how the meeting place last year was too packed and stuffy due to the number of children and youth. This new classroom is bigger and able to accommodate all the participants for singspiration and art-and-craft les-sons. God knows our needs and pre-pares the place so that all the activitiesand lessons can be conducted in a conducive and orderly manner. He knows what is best for us. Thank God for His kind and timely provision. Philippians 4:19, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Our unchanging God provides the labourers. Every year, the mission team was made up of different people. Every year, the group of interpreters for the VBS also changed. We never had the same teachers and interpreters but God always graciously provides labourers to work in His field. Thank God there are labourers who willingly avail themselves to serve Him in this ar-ea. It is God who puts the burden for souls in our hearts and sends us forth to do His work. We are only humbly responding to His call. God never fails to provide the answer to our prayers. Matthew 9:38, “Pray ye there-fore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”
Our unchanging God prospers the labour. Many of those who attended for the VBS also came the previous years. However, there were also those who came for the first time. Four years ago, we had 70 participants and as God sees fit, the numbers increased with each passing year. God is the one who preserves His gospel work and He also grants us His all-sufficient grace that we may serve Him. Though we may be few, and feeble in our efforts, God can still bring forth fruits through our labour. Thank God that He can work mightily despite our weaknesses. 1 Corinthians 3:7, “So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.”
All these are true not just in Nias, but in all parts of the world. The reason is God is faithful and He does not change. I have learned through this mission trip that our trust and reliance on God must not change too. Many things are out of our control in the mission field (like blackouts and flight delays) but God is in control. We simply need to depend on Him and do our best for Him as we serve.
Ephesians 3:20-21, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.”
Written by: Sister Tammy Ho
Thank God for this opportunity in which I was given the privilege to serve in the Vacation Bible School in Nias. The time spent serving there was a blessed one, and this has served as a wonderful reminder to me once again, even from the words of our Lord Jesus in Mark 10:14, “Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” Through it all, the Lord’s wonderful hand could be seen by way of His enabling during our preparation for the VBS as well as the process of it. The Lord is good and had led the team every step of the way. It is realised and acknowledged once again, that without His strength and enabling, we really can do nothing.
Having been given the opportunity to teach the little ones in the Pre-Primary level, I thank God for how He has seen both sister Rachel and myself through the teaching of the youngest group. Though the challenge in teaching this group, was to bring forth God’s Word in the simplest and clearest way possible, thank God that He is our Helper. Each time when God’s Word was delivered, the Lord never failed to enable us.
Thank the Lord for the new children too, who came progressively during the few days of the VBS. One of the encouraging moments during our service in Nias, was seeing the eagerness of the children as they learnt the Word of God, and their diligence in completing the work which was given to them, such as memorizing the memory verses.
As we are reminded that the Lord loves these children, His Word too would not return unto Him void. May we remember to commit the children and their salvation in our prayers.