harvest force 2015 issue 1

SSS l 物价在上涨盼望待提升

Education: Our Shared DNA! l 教育就是我们共同的DNA!

Moving With The Times l 与时并进

2015 and beyond l 昂首阔步迈入2015 抚今追昔展望未来

Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds

HARVEST FORCE CONNECTS YOU WITH THE METHODIST MISSIONS SOCIETYwww.mms.org.sg l www.facebook.com/mms.org.sg l www.instagram.com/mms.gram

ISSUE ONE 2015 l MCI(P) 023/11/2014

Focus: Student Sponsorship Scheme

ContentsYour faithfulness reaches to the cloudsYour mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Psalm 36:5 (NKJV)

If you have a testimony or a lesson learnt regarding missions, why not send it to us so that we can share it in the Harvest

Force. We welcome your letters, photos, news of mission-related events, testimonies, comments, feedback and suggestion.

Please email or send them to 70 Barker Road #06-01 The Methodist Centre Singapore 309936, together with your name, church

name, email address and contact number. To share your mission trip experiences in Harvest Force, just use this simple

approach – Less Words, More Photos. For more details, please email [email protected]. Please note that your articles

may be edited for length, style and clarity.

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. Hebrews 13:16 (NIV)

09SPECIAL FEATURE (SSS)

• Break Vicious Cycle of Poverty; Build Virtuous Circle of Hope!

• Education: Our Shared DNA!

TESTIMONIES • SSS Beneficiaries • SSS Sponsors

26FIELD FEATURES

CAMBODIA• Methodist School of

Cambodia Dedication Service

NEPAL• Dedication of Wesley Bardan

Methodist Church

THAILAND• Education and Medical

Mission Trip

43 PROFILE• Interview with Rev Dianna

Khoo

44 MITE REPORT

• MISSIONS – A Personal Life-Changing Experience

46 SPECIAL FEATURE 2

• Exploring Innovations, Impacts, and Implications of New Communications and Media Development (Part 2)

50 A CLOSING THOUGHT

• Moving With the Times

Every cloud has a silver lining.

Photo taken in Phulbari Village, Kathmandu, Nepal by Benjamin Lau of Wesley Methodist Church – for MMS Photo Contest #3 (Light of the World).

32HOME HAPPENINGS

• MMS Family

• Memorandum of Understanding

• Mission Awareness

• MMS Photo Contest #3 Results

• MMS Staff Day

• MMS Missions Course 1

• Eulogies

01 EDITORIAL

• Every cloud has a silver lining

02FIRST WORD

• 2015 and beyond

04 WATZ UP!

• MMS Missions Courses

• MMS Photo Contest #4

• Mission Trips

• Opportunities to Serve

07 DO YOU KNOW?

• Do You Know… Student Sponsorship Scheme – Raising Hope despite Rising Prices

15 | HARVEST FORCE

Recently, Sharon and I have become

very fascinated by God’s very own

masterpieces in the sky. They are like

colourful and dramatic paintings on an

astronomical canvas. We are always on the

lookout for a phenomenal rainbow on an

orangey sky after rain, or for a vibrant sunset

in the evening. We tend to look upwards

these days to marvel at the various

incredible cloud formations. On some

occasions, we may even go out of our way

to catch these beautiful ‘masterpieces’ at

different locations.

Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; Your

faithfulness reaches to the clouds. (Psalm 36:5,

NKJV) Looking at these clouds, we are

reminded of God’s faithfulness that reaches

to the clouds. Clouds are far above our

reach, greater and higher than we can

apprehend standing on our two feet. They

are probably the highest things we can see.

They tower over the lofty mountains and

hover over the tallest trees. So great is God’s

faithfulness!

Methodist Missions Society (MMS) is the mission agency of

The Methodist Church in Singapore. In 1997, MMS was given

the mandate to establish indigenous churches supported

by mission endeavours in communities across this region

where there is no Methodist presence. Harvest Force is

published three times annually and distributed free. The

views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and

do not necessarily represent the views of the publisher. All

information published is correct at time of writing and may

subject to change.

APRIL 2015

ADVISOR Rev Philip Lim

EDITOR Kam Leong Heng

CHINESE EDITORIAL Goh Tuan Gee

TRANSLATORS Joshua Ong, Licia Yeo, Thng Pheng Soon

PROOFREADER Wendy Tan

PHOTO CREDITS Angela Sng, Benjamin Lau, Benjamin Lee, Carol Loh, Cheong Chee Tham, Chou Fang Soong, Dianna Khoo, Eang Chanthin, Erica Lim, Erick Tan, Faith Methodist Church, Gloria Khoo, Henry Yeo, Jeremy Tan, May Ng, Melvin Leong, Ong Eng Keow, Phillip Lam, Sabashtain Lepcha

DISTRIBUTION & SUPPORT Eileen Lim, Helen Tan, Nancy Tay & Volunteers

DESIGNER SNAP! Creative Pte Ltd

PRINTER Print & Print Pte Ltd

PUBLISHER Rev Philip Lim 70 Barker Road #06-01, The Methodist Centre Singapore 309936

Tel: 6478 4818 • Fax: 6478 4817

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.mms.org.sg

However, to many children in the developing countries

around Singapore, the sky over their lives is gloomy

and dull, and these skies are a reflection of their daily

lives. Many of them are trapped in the cycle of poverty.

Many of them do not know God personally or have an

opportunity to experience His great faithfulness and

goodness in their lives. One of the ways MMS is helping

them is through a sponsorship scheme. Read more

about the Student Sponsorship Scheme (SSS) on page 7.

SSS is like a little light that shines through the dark

clouds. Through SSS, these poor children can have the

opportunity to see a bright, silver lining on their dark

clouds of helplessness.

This issue contains some testimonies of children who are

or were in the SSS programme. We read of how their lives

are transformed by God through those who sponsored

them. Their clouds are edged in silver because now, they

have seen light breaking through.

Every cloud has a silver lining. We believe that there is

hope for these poor and needy children. Can you see

the potential for them to live under a lovely sky?

Be a sponsor today!

Every cloud has a silver lining

EDITORIAL | 1 15 | HARVEST FORCE

2015 and beyond

and for our pupils to respond. Our hostels

in Cambodia and Thailand seek to reach

out to the youth. And as part of the

residential programme our youth undergo a

comprehensive discipleship process. On top

of this, they are scheduled to lead worship

and small groups. Our children’s homes in

Cambodia and Nepal provide holistic care to

orphans and those from single parent homes.

These children have the opportunity to know

Jesus at a young age.

Indeed, our missionaries work tirelessly to

spread the Gospel. All of them are certain

of God’s call in their life and they have with

them the ambition, “to preach the Gospel where

Christ was not known.” (Romans 15:20, NIV) Please

continue to pray for them.

Let me take this first issue of the Harvest Force

of 2015 to update you on what we intend to

do this year. Firstly, MMS will roll out a series of

short training courses. The first, Building Bridges

with People of Different Religious Worldviews,

took place on 31 January. Please do keep a

lookout for the next courses by going to our

website and registering online.

We are also an official partner of Perspective.

This 16-week missions course is scheduled to

start in 4 July through 14 November 2015. You

can go to www.perspectivessingapore.org for

more details.

“To preach the Gospel where Christ was not known.”

This year is the 130th

Anniversary of The

Methodist Church in

Singapore. Various

celebratory events

have been lined up

throughout the year

to commemorate this

important event.

When Methodist

missionaries, Bishop

James Thoburn and Rev William Oldham, first arrived in

Singapore on 7 February 1885, they conducted the first

worship service the very next day. Since then, our church

has grown to 46 churches with over 40,000 members

today.

Our mission work has grown as well. When MMS was

formed in 1991, our initial crop of a handful of missionaries

made forays into mission work in Thailand and Vietnam.

Today, we have 36 missionaries serving in seven countries.

Our core mission is still Church Planting and discipleship. To

achieve our goals, our missionaries and national workers

are equipped with tools such as Growing a Healthy

Church (GHC), Training Network (T-Net) and Equipping the

Saints (ETS). We also have bible schools to train and equip

our national workers to be evangelists and pastors.

Concurrently, our Community Development projects allow

us to show love through various platforms. Our schools in

Cambodia, Laos and Thailand seek to provide a well-

rounded education to our pupils. Opportunities are

intentionally organised for the Gospel to be presented

2 | HARVEST FORCE

昂首阔步迈入2015 抚今追昔展望未来

“我立了志向，不在基督的名被称过的地方传福音”

2015年是新加坡卫理公会设教的130周年。

全年一系列的活动就为了欢庆、纪念此意义

重大的事件。

1885年2月7日，两位海外卫理宣教士-多

本会督及阿尔汉牧师抵达新加坡，隔天就举

行了本地的第一个崇拜。从那时开始，卫理

教会逐渐增长，至今已有46 间教会，会友

人数達到4万人左右。

我们的宣教事工也稳健成长。卫理宣教会

在一九九一年成立的初期，资源有限，只能

差派少数宣教士进入泰国和越南；今天我

们的36位宣教士的脚踪横跨七个国家。植

堂和门徒培训仍然是我们的核心使命。为了

达成目标，所有宣教士和本土同工都接受装

备，参加“建立健康教会”、“T-Net”和“圣

徒装备”等课程。此外，我们也设立圣经学

校装备本土同工成为传道及牧师。

社区发展也是我们彰显主爱的平台。卫宣

在柬埔寨、寮国和泰国开办学校，提供全面

教育，也刻意在一些活动中将福音信息带给

学生，让他们有机会回应。在柬埔寨和泰国

的学生宿舍就是一个青年外展的场所，除了

分享福音真理，住宿生也接受门徒装备，带

领崇拜或是小组。卫宣在柬埔寨和尼泊尔

的儿童之家也为孤儿及单亲家庭的孩子提

供全面的关顾，孩子从小就有机会能认识

主耶稣。

我们拥有一批竭力传福音的宣教士，他们坚

信神对他们的呼召，并且像保罗般委身－

“我立了志向，不在基督的名被称过的地方

传福音”（罗马书十五：20）。恳请您在祷告

中纪念他们。

让我在岁首第一期的禾丰中发布卫宣今年

的事工计划。卫宣在今年里开始了一系列

精短的训练课程，首开序幕的是一月卅一

日的“与不同宗教世界观者筑桥”。有兴

趣参加者可以到我们的网站上详阅资料及

注册。

卫宣也是普世宣教展望课程的推动伙伴。

这个为期16周的宣教课程预定在7月4日开

课，您可以浏览以下网页以获取更详细的

资料：

www.perspectivessingapore.org

今年另一件盛事，就是8月23日在浮尔顿酒

店举办两年一度的“以我父的事为念”筹款

晚宴。通过这项活动，卫宣有机会筹集各宣

教禾场的事工费，这些费用也是我们最大

的开支与需要。今年的信心目标是筹集一

百万，若您乐意赞助一张桌席，请联络办公

室同工。

最后，还有一项不可或缺的工作是我们不

能忽视的，就是配合事工的成长及未来的

进展，重新检讨卫宣的异象，策略和标志设

计。容我在往后的日子再与您分享更多这方

面的后续消息。

林建隆牧师

卫理宣教会执行主任

Another important event this year

is our biennial My Father’s Business

Banquet. It will be on 23 August

2015 at The Fullerton Hotel. This

event is an opportunity for us to

raise funds for our various field

projects and where it is most

needed. Our faith goal is $$1

million. If you wish to sponsor a

table please contact our office

for more details.

Finally, there is an important

exercise we need to do

throughout this year. That is, we

are going to review our MMS

vision, strategy and logo so as to

prepare us to meet the growth

and changes for the future. I shall

provide you with more details

later.

Rev Philip LimMMS Executive Director

Background picture by Yastremska/Bigstock.com

FIRST WORD | 3 2 | HARVEST FORCE

MMS Missions Courses MMS is planning for the last two courses for 2015:

BIVOCATIONAL MISSIONS

Date: 24 April 2015 (Friday): 7.15pm – 9.45pm

25 April 2015 (Saturday): 9.00am –

4.30pm

Speakers: Mr Kua Wee Seng, Dr Tan Lai Yong,

Mr Kenneth Bong, Juliette Arulrajah,

Rev Philip Lim and Rev Lee Shuit Kuin

Synopsis: Bivocational Missions has increasingly

become strategic in world missions

today. The course prepares Christian

professionals, who use their professional

skills, to become bivocational ministers

in a cross-cultural context. It deals with

essentials such as: Bivocational Missions

– Biblical basis & Definition;Vocational

Paths & Models; Work / Ministry Mix;

Dilemma & Ethics; Relating with the

National Church; Relating with the Host

Government

THE MISSIONAL BUSINESS CHALLENGE

Date: To be confirmed and announced later

Speakers: Dr Stanley Ling, Mr Alvin Tan,

Rev Erick Tan and Mr Ong Teong Hoon

Synopsis: This session challenges the emerging

entrepreneurs to launch Christ-centred

companies that not only make profit,

but meet the physical and spiritual

needs of people they touch.

Registration form is available on the MMS website

www.mms.org.sg. For more information, please call

MMS at 6478 4818, or email [email protected],

or visit MMS’ Facebook page www.facebook.com/

mms.org.sg.

MMS Photo Contest #4MMS is hosting our fourth photo contest

with a twist! It is now easier, more fun and

spontaneous to submit your photo entries.

Simply upload your photos to Instagram,

tag @mms.gram, hashtag

#mmsphotocontestLOVE, and tell a simple story

stating where and when the photo was taken.

The theme of this MMS Photo Contest #4 is

“LOVE”.

You may take photos of any mission field. You

may submit any number of photos. You may

even apply filters to your photos. However, you

can only upload your photos from 1 June 2015

to 30 June 2015.

The prizes for the “Most Popular Photo” ie,

the photo with the most likes, are S$100, a

Selfie Stick fitted with a remote, and a Marco

Lens Band. And for the “Best Photo” chosen

by our panel of judges, you stand to win

S$200, a Selfie Stick fitted with a remote, and

a Marco Lens Band. Besides these two top

prizes, there are three consolation prizes of

a Macro Lens Band each. All winners will be

announced on Instagram @mms.gram and

Facebook.

Terms & Conditions:• No entrance fee. Contest is open for

everyone in Singapore and using Instagram.

• Judges’ decision is final.

• Original high-resolution winning photos will

be requested for.

• MMS reserves the right to use photos in MMS

publications and communications.

• MMS reserves the right to change the T&C’s

without prior notice at any time at its sole

discretion.

• By participating, you agree and accept the

T&C’s.

• Enquiry: 64784818 or

[email protected]

Results of MMS Photo Contest #3 are printed

on page 33. Be on the lookout for our next

MMS Photo Contest #5.

4 | HARVEST FORCE

Continue next page...

Opportunities to SERVEIN THE FIELDThe fields are ready for harvesting

– but there are so few labourers.

In all seven countries that MMS

has chosen, our missionaries in

the field are asking for assistance.

Our first request is for more full-

time missionaries to join them!

They are asking the Lord to

send pastors, church planters,

administrators and English

language teachers.

Our second prayer is for business

people and professional who are

willing to leave the comforts of

Singapore and base themselves in

the region. We would like to train

you to coach national pastors

and co-workers in the market place.

Our third request is for short term

workers who are willing to spend

between two weeks to six months

at their own expenses helping

one of our missionaries.

Our last request is to raise

passionate prayer partners to be

part of our prayer team.

What to do if you sense the LORD calling you into His mission field: 1. Tell your pastor and ask him/her

to help examine your calling to

missions.

2. If your church pastor and

leaders affirm your calling and

are prepared to provide full

financial support – praise the

Lord! Call MMS straight away.

3. If your church pastor and

leaders affirm your calling

but are unable to provide full

financial support for you – call

MMS anyway! Some of our

missionaries are supported

by the combined efforts of

multiple Methodist Churches

and Agencies.

CAMBODIA

• A married couple or mature

female missionary to support

the COSY Hostel.

• Volunteers to teach English for

three months, six months or one

year, and work alongside the

Khmer English teachers in the

Methodist School of Cambodia

(Phnom Penh).

• Volunteers to teach Chinese for

six months in Emmaus Women’s

Centre.

• Volunteers to teach basic

canteen-food cooking skills

and food hygiene in COSEL

(Community Outreach Services

ECO-LODGE)

EAST ASIA

• Church leaders and trainers

to train and equip National

Workers on church planting and

discipleship training in Jiangsu,

Jiangxi and Fujian Provinces.

• A local church to partner and

support the newly established

preaching points.

NEPAL

• A missionary pastor to serve as

Country Director and teaching

staff at Caleb Bible Institute

in East Nepal and equipping

ministry for National leaders

and workers.

• Full time missionaries to support

the church planting and

community development work

and assist in administration

and finance matters in the field

office.

• Ministry staff to serve as spiritual

counsellors and trainers for

Sophia’s Home on short field

assignments.

Cambodia [email protected]

East Asia [email protected]

Laos [email protected]

Nepal [email protected]

Thailand [email protected]

Timor-Leste [email protected]

Vietnam [email protected]

MISSION TripsIf you are interested to organise or join a mission trip, or simply to find out more, please email to the

respective Country Coordinating Officers at these email addresses:

WATZ UP! | 5 4 | HARVEST FORCE

THAILAND

• Full-time teachers with teaching degree or diploma who

are interested in teaching Mathematic and Science at

Vineyard Methodist School.

• A local church to partner and support new MOT

candidates and newly established preaching points in

Central Thailand.

VIETNAM

• Mission teams to visit the Sunlight Shelter and Sunrise

Shelter.

LAOS

• Two experienced teachers to serve as missionaries in

Singapore Mission School.

• Volunteer clerk of works to supervise the school building

project under the MMS Building, Construction and

Maintenance Committee (BCM).

TIMOR-LESTE

• Medical teams to support ministry in Ermera District,

especially to provide training seminars for Timorese

doctors.

• Full-time missionaries or missionary couples to support

disciple training and community development.

AT HOMEYou can also come alongside as Mission Partners and

Volunteers (MPV) at home to encourage and empower

God’s work and workers to incarnate the love of Jesus

Christ to make a difference in the mission fields.

PRAYER COMMITTEE

• Be our MMS Prayer Country Coordinator, intercessors

and supporter to intercede for missionaries and mission

work in various fields.

LOGISTICS

Help to prepare the logistics at Kum Yan Methodist Church

for training courses: audio-visual aids, course notes,

registration, and light refreshments. Please email shuitkuin.

[email protected] to indicate if you can help on one or

more of these dates:

• 24 Apr 2015 (Fri): 9.00am – 4.30pm

• 25 Apr 2015 (Sat): 2.00pm – 5.30pm

COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS

• Be an English-Chinese translator.

• Be a photographer.

• Be a graphic designer.

• Be a web designer.

• Help to set up MMS mission exhibition booth.

OFFICE ASSISTANCE

• Be our MMS Event Coordinator.

MISSION-TRIP COORDINATOR

• Be a Mission-Trip Coordinator to assist in briefing and

debriefing the mission teams to achieve optimal

preparations and mission fulfilment and benefits.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

• Be a sponsor through the Student Sponsorship Schemes.

Please refer to page 39.

For more information about all these opportunities, kindly email

[email protected]. Be in prayer with us as we seek God’s

direction to challenge and mobilise Methodist people to serve with

MMS.

6 | HARVEST FORCE6 | HARVEST FORCE

“Over the past 15 years, SSS has provided educational opportunities to more than 1,200 children and youths!”

How good is your memory? Take this test and find out.

(Answers are provided below, but don’t cheat!)

Fifteen years ago, what was the cost for these items?

❑ A cup of coffee

❑ A plate of chicken rice

❑ A loaf of bread

❑ The starting fare for an MRT ride

❑ The starting fare for a taxi ride

Whether or not we know the exact answers, we would surely

know the costs for these and for many other goods and

services have increased exponentially over the past years.

We also know inflation has had and continues to have a

particularly devastating impact on developing countries,

with families living below the poverty line suffering the most.

In 2000, MMS established the Student Sponsorship Scheme

(SSS) to provide care and access to education for

desperately poor children. This programme has a two-fold

purpose: to share the love of Christ and to help break the

vicious cycle of poverty.

Monthly contribution rates for SSS have remained

unchanged since the programme was created, yet costs

have continued to rise. For example, the actual cost per

month at the Methodist School in Cambodia now ranges

from S$38 for kindergarten children up to S$61 for high

school students. The actual monthly cost to support a child

at COSI is S$134.

In order to provide adequate care and continued access

to education, MMS will adjust the monthly sponsorship

rates with effect 1 August 2015. For non-residential

students, the contribution level will increase from S$30 to S$45, and for residential students from S$90 to S$110.

For sponsors who have already made advance payments

for periods extending beyond August, the increase will take

effect only upon the renewal date of their sponsorship. For

those sponsors who pay on a monthly basis, the increase

will take effect from 1 August. MMS will send letters to

each donor over the coming months to ensure their

understanding and to seek their continued support.

Over the past 15 years, SSS has provided educational

opportunities to more than 1,200 children and youths!

Coming from the poorest families in Cambodia, Thailand

and Nepal, these boys and girls would never been able

to attend school without the generous support of donors

within the Methodist community in Singapore.

For orphans or children from broken homes, SSS provides

food, clothing, shelter, physical and spiritual care, as

well as access to education. Unlike other sponsorship

programmes, 100% of all donations go directly towards the

support of the children; MMS does not apply a single cent

of SSS contributions towards administrative purposes.

By God’s grace and with your continued support, SSS will

soon be expanded to help poor children in two of our

newest mission fields: Timor-Leste and Laos.

If you have any questions about SSS or the increases to

be implemented in August, please contact Rev Teresa

Wilborn at [email protected] or phone 6478 4797.

Rev Teresa WilbornMMS Assistant Director of Community Development

ANSWERS: 2000 (S$ avg) 2015 (S$ avg) Inflation Rate• Coffee 0.50 1.00 100%• Chicken rice 2.00 3.50 75%• Loaf of bread 1.20 2.20 83%• MRT ride* 0.40 0.80 100%• Taxi ride** 2.40 3.50 46%

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_MRT_%28Singapore%29#2002_to_2009** https://www.cdgtaxi.com.sg/mediaviewer;jsessionid=pSnXzI-cjzl4ihqBB94QXA**?mediaid=396

DO YOU KNOW? | 7 6 | HARVEST FORCE6 | HARVEST FORCE

物价在上涨盼望待提升

答案:

2000 (S$) 2015 (S$) 通货膨胀率

• 咖啡 0.50 1.00 100%

• 鸡饭 2.00 3.50 75%

• 一个面包 1.20 2.20 83%

• 地铁起程车资 0.40 0.80 100%

• 德士起程车资 2.40 3.50 46%

您的记忆力好吗？让我们做个测试吧。

（答案在页内，不过请不要偷窥哦！）

列出以下物品十五年前的价格

❑ 一杯咖啡

❑ 一盘鸡饭

❑ 一粒面包

❑ 地铁的起程车资

❑ 德士的起程车资

无论我们是否知道正确的答案，以上物品和

服务的价格在过去十几年里肯定都上涨了。

我们也晓得通货膨胀对发展中国家的影响尤

其重大，特别是那些属于贫困线下的居民。

卫宣在2000年设立了学生赞助计划关怀贫

困的孩子，让他们有机会接受教育。这计划的

目的是分享基督的爱，以及摆脱贫困所带来

的恶性循环。

从计划实施至今学生赞助费维持不变，但是

物价学费却逐年上涨。例如柬埔寨卫理学校

幼儿园的学费已调至每月新币$38，高中生的

学费新币$61。COSI每名孩子每月实际需要

的赞助费则是新币$134.

为了给孩子提供更好的照顾及继续上学的机

会，卫宣将在2015年8月1日调整赞助费。非

寄宿生的赞助费将从每月S$30调高至S$45，

而住宿生的赞助费将从 S$90 调高至S$110。

若赞助者已经预付了8月份以后的赞助费，重

新调整的赞助费将在赞助者更新赞助时才生

效。至于每月付款的赞助者，此项调整将于8

月生效。我们将透过信件通知每位赞助者，希

望这次的调整能得到大家的谅解与支持。

过去的15年，学生赞助计划为超过1200的孩

子和青年提供受教育的机会。若不是新加坡

卫理社体慷慨的捐助，柬埔寨、泰国和尼泊尔

等国贫困家庭的孩子将无法接受基本教育。

通过这项赞助计划，我们为来自破碎家庭的

孤儿或孩子提供了食物，衣服，住宿，以及身

心灵的照顾。有别于其他的赞助计划，所收

到的学生赞助捐款都全数归入支付孩子的

费用；卫宣并未从中拨出任何款项充作行政

费。

靠着上帝的恩典和您持续爱心的支持，我们

将在不久后将学生赞助计划扩展到另外两个

新禾场：东帝汶和辽国。

若你想了解有关的学生赞助计划，或对8月

份实行的新调整费有任何询问，请拨电6478

4797或通过电邮：teresa.wilborn@gmail.

com 联络特丽莎牧师。

特丽莎牧师

卫宣社区拓展副主任

8 | HARVEST FORCE

1 “Essence of Education Report”, Methodist Publishing House, 1999.2 “UNESCO: No Progress in Reducing Global Number of Children Out of

School”, http://www.unesco.org/new/en/media-services/in-focus-articles/unesco

3 “Day of the Girl: US Movement October 11th”; http://dayofthegirl.org/girls-denied-education-worldwide/

4 “Education Plays Key Role in Advancing Women, Girls, and Communities, Report says”, http://www.worldbank.org/en/new/pres-release/2014/05/14

Break the Vicious Cycle of Poverty, Build a Virtuous Circle of Hope!

Education is not ultimately about training people to be

clever or successful, but about discovering what it is to be

the human beings God fully intended for us to be!1

A recent UNESCO policy paper revealed that 58 million

children aged six to 11 are not attending school. As if this

were not bad enough, another 63 million youth aged 12

to15 have dropped out or never attended school.2 Not

surprisingly, girls constitute over half of all children out of

school.3 Combined with a 10% worldwide decrease in aid

“Mission school and student hostel ministries represent by far the largest single contact the Church has overseas, not only with children and youth, but with families as well.”

for education since 2010, the Director General of UNESCO

declares “there is no chance whatsoever that countries

will reach the goal of universal primary education by

2015.”

Poverty continues to be the primary cause for children not

enrolling or not finishing school. Even if schools are “free”,

the associated costs of uniforms, supplies, and transport

are beyond the means of poor families. Dropping out of

school virtually guarantees perpetuation of the poverty

cycle since the income-earning potential of the child is

reduced.

Studies prove there is a direct correlation between

education and quality of life, including overall health and

longevity. As compared with their more educated peers,

girls with little or no education are far more likely to be

married off as children, suffer from domestic violence, and

live their lives in poverty.4

SPECIAL FEATURE • SSS | 9 8 | HARVEST FORCE

Over the past 20 years, MMS has made access to

education for children a priority in developing countries

around Singapore. In 1997, MMS planted the first overseas

Methodist school in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Enrolment

began with 15 kindergarten children, and has since

grown to 1,000 students in K1 to Grade 12. In Chiang

Mai, Thailand, the Vineyard Methodist Kindergarten and

Primary School currently have nearly 300 children enrolled.

In Laos, MMS is partnering with the Singapore Mission

School to provide resources and student sponsorship for

children in kindergarten through to P3. In future, the school

plans to expand to P5 and offer an international school

curriculum.

With God’s help, the next Methodist School will be

planted in Dili, the capital of Timor-Leste. Ravaged by

civil war, disease and unemployment, the literacy rate

in this country is only 58.3%. When the conflict ended

in 2002, few teachers were left and the infrastructure

was in ruins. The past decade has witnessed progress,

but more schools are needed to support younger

generations. As in other countries, a Methodist school will

offer quality, holistic academic education supported

by Christian values. Most importantly, children will have

the opportunity to come to know Jesus as their Lord and

Saviour. (For more details, see Harvest Force, Issue Two,

2014).

Mission school and student hostel ministries represent by

far the largest single contact the Church has overseas, not

only with children and youth, but with families as well.

Christian education enables individuals, instead of

conforming to society, to seek in this world what is good,

acceptable, and perfect to God (Romans 12:2, NKJV).

Your help is needed to break the vicious cycle of poverty,

and to build a virtuous circle of hope for generations to

come!

Bless others as God has blessed you! Sponsor a child today. To

learn how, please visit www.mms.org.sg/sss or www.facebook.

com/mms.org.sg.

Rev Teresa WilbornMMS Assistant Director of Community Development

10 | HARVEST FORCE

Any CSI enthusiast knows

that DNA is inherited.

Members of the same

family share similar

genetic characteristics,

with distinctive markers that

identify their relationship to one another.

In recent years, there have been

references to the “Methodist DNA”,

suggesting there are markers that

identify us as members of the same

family. Indeed, the Social Principles

found in The Book of Discipline

represent a distinctive aspect of our

Methodist heritage. As Methodists, we

recognise and acknowledge our social

responsibilities in community life. Chief

among these is a special obligation to ensure

that children are not deprived of education,

food, shelter, clothing, and health care.

It has been said that John Wesley was as

much an educator as a preacher. During

his lifetime, he encouraged education for

girls as well as boys, established orphanages

that emphasised learning, and promoted

the creation of Sunday Schools. He not only

founded day schools in Bristol, Newcastle,

and London, but also established a model

boarding school at Kingswood which exists to

this day.

Wesley believed that education could help

remedy the spiritual, social and economic

woes that plagued 18th century England.

He wrote, “I preached on the education of

children wherein we are extremely wanting.

Many were deeply convinced of this. I hope

that they will not stifle that conviction.”1 He

was convinced that society could be

Education: Our Shared DNA! “Education should begin

in an infant school and end in Heaven.”

improved by

teaching the

importance

of values and

vocation,

sacrifice and

service.

Wesley

established five

key objectives

that continue to

influence Methodist

educational thinking

today. He felt education

should:

� promote self-discipline;

� promote understanding and wisdom;

� encourage a life-changing encounter

with Christ;

� encourage living according to needs

instead of wants; and

� encourage a strong work ethic combined

with a powerful sense of service to others.2

Wesley held that life-long learning was

necessary to grow in goodness and move

towards Christian perfection. In a letter to

fellow preacher George Holder in 1790, he

said, “It cannot be that the people should

grow in grace unless they give themselves

to reading.” This idea of life-long learning

was reflected 47 years later when the first

Methodist Education Committee pronounced

that education “should begin in an infant

school and end in Heaven.”3

SPECIAL FEATURE • SSS | 11 10 | HARVEST FORCE

Just as John Wesley preached

salvation for all, he urged

education for all. He believed

that every child, regardless

of race, gender or socio-

economic status, matters to

God. When the first Methodist

training college for teachers

was created at Westminster in

1851, Wesley’s desire for equal

access to education was

reiterated by the Conference

President. He addressed the

first class of teachers with this

question: “Is a child less rational,

less capable of intellectual and

moral improvement, of living an

orderly, creditable, and useful

life in society, of serving God

and ensuring blissful immortality

because his parents are poor?” 4

Today, there are hundreds of

Methodist schools and universities

around the world. The Methodist

Church in Singapore alone

has established 14 schools,

including primary, secondary,

junior college, and international

institutions, as well as 17

kindergartens. The Methodist

Missions Society has followed

this rich tradition by launching

Christian schools overseas in

Cambodia and Thailand, and it

is planning future schools in Laos

and Timor-Leste.

With God’s help, may we

Methodists continue this legacy

for generations to come!

Rev Teresa Wilborn

MMS Assistant Director of Community

Development

1 Wesley, Volume 3, p. 270.2 G. M. Best, online article entitled

“Education from a Methodist Perspective” 3, 4 Ibid.

教育就是我们共同的DNA

“教育工作应该始于幼儿时期，终于天堂美地”

对于《犯罪現場调查》CSI这部电视剧的观

众来说，DNA这个名词应该不会感到陌生。

来自同一个家庭的成员都会有相同的基因

特点，并带着特有的标记，显露彼此间的

关系。

近年来人们经常提起“卫理宗DNA”这个名

词，似乎在表示，正是凭着这些标记辩认出

我们原是一家人。事实上，卫理公会法规里

的社会准则，就凸显了我们卫理宗特有的

传统。作为卫理宗信徒，我们确认、也接受

自己在社群生活里所应当负起的社会责任，

这项责任着重在我们特有的义务：确保所有

儿童都能够获得教育、饮食、住宿、衣服、

以及医药照顾。

有人说卫斯理约翰是传道人，同时也是教

育家。在他有生之年，提倡儿童儿童教育不

分男女。卫斯理约翰也建立了注重学习的孤

儿院，更大力推介成立主日学。除了在布里

斯托、纽卡斯尔、伦敦创办日间学堂之外，

他还在金斯伍德成立至今仍在运作中的模

范住宿学校。

十八世纪的英国在灵命上、社会上、经济上

都危机重重。卫斯理约翰深信，教育可以

在这些方面做出贡献。他写道，“我对儿童

教育进行宣导，在这方面我们极其不足。许

多人也被说服了，希望他们继续持守这个

信念。”他也相信透过教导价值观、职业技

能、献身与服务精神等的重要性，社会素质

就会进一步得到提升。

卫斯理约翰设立的五大目标，影响卫理宗

教育思维，持续迄今。他认为教育应该

� 加强自律；

� 促进了解，增进智慧；

� 促使人们经历与耶稣相遇，从而改变生命；

� 鼓励人们生活当根据需要，不是根据要求；

� 提倡强劲有力的职业道德，服务他人的卓

越意念

卫斯理约翰坚信，必需先落实终身学习，才

能够在良善中成长，迈向基督式的完全。他

在一七九零写给布道同工乔治。霍尔德的信

里指出，除非人们勤恳阅读学习，否则无法

在恩典中成长。四十七年后，第一个卫理教

育委员会作出宣布，“教育工作应该始于幼

儿时期，终于天堂美地”，反映了这个终身

学习的理念。

卫斯理约翰向人宣讲救恩的福音，也呼吁

众人接受文化。他相信上帝关爱每个孩童

是不分种族、性别、社会经济地位。一八五

一年，威斯敏斯特成立第一所卫理师资训

练学院，大会卫斯理约翰“人人应该有平等

机会获得教育”的愿望。他向第一批师资致

辞，发出这样的问题：“一个学童是不是因

为家境贫寒，就比别人缺乏理性、缺乏智能

与道德的进取能力？他的生活秩序、诚信

度、对社会的贡献、对神的委身服事及对永

生的确定都不如人吗？”

今天，有数百所卫理学校和大学遍布世界

各地，新加坡就有十四所卫理学府，包括小

学、中学、初级学院、国际学校，以及十七

所幼稚园。新加坡卫理宣教会秉承卫理宗

的优良传统，在柬埔寨和泰国已经设立基

督教学校，并计划日后在老挝和东帝汶开

办学校。

但愿上帝施恩，让我们这些卫理宗传人，承

前启后，把这优良传统世代发扬光大！

特丽莎牧师

卫宣社区拓展副主任

12 | HARVEST FORCE

My name is Pi Leakhena and I am 14 years old. I am in

Grade 8 this year. I have five brothers and sisters. I am the

4th child in the family but from another father.

When I was young, my mother always had this bad

thought in her. She wanted to sell me away. Finally, she

did sell me to somebody. When an old lady, whom I call

her grandmother, in the village came to know about this,

she told me not to worry. She said she would find money

to bring me back. So, she paid some money and brought

me from the person who bought me. I went to stay with

her and helped her with some housework. She was alone.

After some time, I heard my mother was coming to sell me

away again. As my grandmother was getting old, she

was willing to let my mother take me if she were to give her

some money.

Brother Veasna (he is also mentioned in another story on

page 22), from my village, was staying in COSI and he

told Mother Carol Loh about me. My grandmother said if

Mother Loh wanted to take me, she would have to pay

the amount of money she had spent on me. Since Mother

Loh wanted to help me, she managed to convince my

grandmother who allowed me to go with Mother Loh.

I am very happy staying in COSI and I would like to

thank God for the love that He has given me. I am living

peacefully in COSI. COSI provides me with all my needs

and gives me the opportunity to study. I am also grateful

for the love that my friends in COSI have given to me. If not

Testimony of SSS Beneficiary

PI of COSI “COSI provides all my needs and gives me the opportunity to study.”

What is COSI?

COS-Immanuel Children’s Village,

or fondly called COSI, opened its

door in October 2001 for about 150

poor and neglected children, many

of whom have been abandoned or

orphaned. Most are orphans or from

poor single-parent families. These

families have no means to provide

adequately for the children. In COSI,

these children, between seven and

18 years old, are provided with basic

needs of food, clothing, shelter,

education and spiritual guidance.

The aim is to enable them to better

themselves and break out of the

poverty cycle.

You can be involved by:

• praying for the COSI children, staff

and missionaries

• sponsoring the children through SSS

• training the COSI staff

• running programmes for the COSI

children

• running outreach programmes for the

surrounding village

for God, I would not be living the

way I am today. I give thanks to

the Lord.

Thank you!!!

Pi LeakhenaCOS-Immanuel Children’s Village (COSI)

Cambodia

Editor’s Note: Pi joined COSI on 10 November 2008.

2015

2009

SPECIAL FEATURE • SSS TESTIMONIES | 13 12 | HARVEST FORCE

“The hostel also provided a conducive environment for me

to learn to grow in my relationship with God and with others.”

14 | HARVEST FORCE

Mettakij Hostel is a place for about

30 poor teenagers from far-away

villages to continue secondary

school education. Usually there is

no secondary school in their remote

mountain villages and the next

available school is very far away. So

these children will make their journey

to nearby cities in order

to go to school. Most of them are

malnourished. In Mettakij Hostel,

the children can have the basic

food and shelter provided. Most

importantly, they are exposed to a

Christian environment where Christ’s

love is demonstrated.


• praying for the Mettakij Hostel

children and staff


What is Mettakij Hostel?

I am grateful to

God for His bountiful

blessing upon my life

and my family.

In terms of education,

I am thankful that

I completed my

bachelor’s degree

in 2012, with the

benefit of a four-years

scholarship from the

Muangthai Mettakij

Foundation. I have

been receiving a

bursary through the

Student Sponsorship

Scheme (SSS) since

I was in Primary 4. I also stayed at the Mettakij Hostel

for three years from Year 3 to Year 6. Altogether, I have

received financial assistance for my education for 12

years.

The education scholarship has been a very important

factor in making it possible for me to get a bachelor’s

degree. Without it, it will be very difficult for me to even

have any education because my family is very poor.

There are four of us children, and my parents were not

able to afford to send us to school. There was a period

when my parents served at the Santi Methodist Church for

four years.

At Mettakij Hostel, I not only have my education paid

for, but also for other items needed to go to school, like

uniforms, and transportation and meals. The hostel also

provided lodging and food. The hostel was a conducive

environment for me to learn how to grow in my relationship

with God and with others. It provided a platform for

me to learn and grow to be a leader. We also had the

opportunity to serve in the local church linked to the

hostel.

My goal in life is to fulfil the Great Commission of Jesus

Christ for my life. I will go to a Bible seminary to develop

myself to serve in the church.

May the God bless you all.

Metas Khongsukthara Mettakij Hostel

Thailand

Editor’s Note: Metas is now serving at our Shineforth Methodist

Church in Chiang Mai, Thailand. He used to stay at our Mettakij

Hostel for three years.


METAS of Mettakij Hostel

SPECIAL FEATURE • SSS TESTIMONIES | 15

Term Fun Home, located in Chiang

Mai, is a home that reaches out

especially to the Shan children

from six to 12 years old. This family-

style home was set up in April 2011

to provide basic welfare needs for

the poor and needy children in the

Northern provinces of Chiang Mai,

Chiang Rai and Mae Hong

Son in Thailand. “Term Fun” means

“pour dreams” in Thai. And this is

what we hope to do by helping

these children fulfil their dreams

and become useful citizens in the

society.


• praying for the Term Fun Home

children and missionaries


What is Term Fun Home?

“SSS became an avenue for him to realise his dreams.”

2010

16 | HARVEST FORCE

Monri joined Term Fun Home when he was nine years old. He comes

from a family of 4 siblings and he is the youngest child. His father is

a Kachin, and his mother is a Shan. Both his parents are evangelists,

reaching out to the Shan community.

His father, Ah Chan Prasert, serves as a Shan pastor in another village. Ah Chan Prasert puts

the child with us because what they earn is simply not enough to provide for all four children

who are still schooling. As their ministry requires them to stay in another village, they are often

separated from this youngest son. There is therefore little time given to care for and educate

the child. Thus, they hope that by placing Monri with Term Fun Home, he will be able to receive

proper education, and also be able to grow up in a secure, family setting where the word of

God is taught to the child daily.

Today, Monri is already 12 years old. He adjusted well into Term Fun Home from the beginning.

Although he lagged behind in his studies initially, he is now one of the top students in the school.

Monri has learnt to play the guitar well and is serving in the children’s ministry in Shineforth

Methodist Church where he was baptised last December. When he went home during the

school holidays, he was helping his father in worship. We are truly proud of this boy and we pray

that he will continue to grow in wisdom and stature; in favour both with God and men.

Monri hopes to become a doctor when he grows up. The Student Sponsorship Scheme (SSS)

became an avenue for him to realise his dreams.

Angela SngMMS Missionary in Thailand


MONRI of Term Fun Home


Sophia’s Home was set up in 1999

by pioneer missionaries ET and ST.

It was birthed out of the burden

of breaking the vicious cycle of

challenges faced by the Nepali

girls such as human trafficking and

becoming street kids. It is a Christian

girls’ home that houses about 35 girls

between three and 18. As a mission-

based organisation, it provides a

Christian environment for the

children, many of whom come

from broken homes and are in

desperate need for love and care.

Besides coaching the girls daily in

their studies, devotions and Bible

studies sessions, Sophia’s Home

also sends the children to a good

school nearby so that they are able

to receive proper education to help

prepare them for the future.


• praying for the Sophia’s Home girls

and staff


• running programmes for the

Sophia’s Home girls

What is Sophia’s Home?

“I will surely help others who are in need – just

like what God has done in my life.”

2014

2003

2006

18 | HARVEST FORCE

My name is Alina Dong. I am 18 years old and I am

one of the girls from Sophia’s Home. First of all, I

want to thank my Heavenly Father who helped me

in each and every situation of my life. I also want to

thank the people who are supporting me.

Being in a male-dominated society, we girls are

not counted as members of the society. The boys

are given the opportunity to study but the girls are

always left behind. I am one of those girls. I am

from a Christian family but I come from a very poor

background. All my family members used to work

on a farm. My family had no other livelihood option

than farming. To provide for our basic needs, they

used to work very hard. The main problem in my

village is water shortage. To fetch water used to

take us to a place more than two hours

from our home. My parents had no

idea how to provide for our basic

needs but they kept on praying.

Fortunately, my uncle got to

know about Sophia’s Home

through Uncle Saba. This

home was ready to accept

me and this is how I was

chosen. I was only four years old when my family

sent me to a bigger family in Sophia’s Home.

I remember that I used to cry a lot but my new-

found family helped me and comforted me every

time I cried. It was very hard for me to adjust to this

big family. But all of them lovingly cared for me and

helped me to become a part of the big family in

Sophia’s Home.

In Sophia’s Home, I learnt how to live a good life. I

even got to know God closely in my life through our

morning and evening devotions with the big family.

I also got the opportunity to study for a better future

and career. In this big family, I never felt lonely.

Without this opportunity, my life would surely have

been ruined. And my family might have married me

off already. From this home, I got to know that God

has a plan for me. My dream is to be a successful

woman in every area of my life. I want to share

my testimony with everyone and let them to know

about our loving God. Paying forward, I will surely

help others who are in need – just like what God has

done in my life.

I really want to thank Sophia’s Home, MMS

Singapore and all the prayer partners. Thank you for

your continued prayer support in my life. You have

changed my life. Praise the Lord for everything.

Alina Dong Sophia’s Home

Nepal

Editor’s Note: Read about Alina’s

sponsor on page 20.


ALINA of Sophia’s Home


2011

2014

20 | HARVEST FORCE

Testimony of SSS Sponsor

Created for Good Works“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for

good works, which God prepared beforehand that we

should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10, NKJV)

I decided to sponsor a child because we are created

for good works. Having been in the Methodist Church

for a while, I am familiar with MMS. Sophia’s Home is a

ministry of MMS in Nepal.

As a mother, it tugged at my heart as I could recall in

my head this scene of a mother in Nepal asking God

to move the heart of another mother in Singapore to

understand the struggle she was facing. Her daughter

was still on the waiting list to enter Sophia’s Home

because she did not have the finances.

If God speaks to you, you can be a sponsor too. It is

incredible how S$3 a day can help to provide a young

girl in Nepal with lodging, supervision, basic needs and

education.

Most of us are so blessed in Singapore. We worry here

about which dress to put on, while they are likely to

worry if there will be food for the next meal. Here, we

worry whether our kids can get into a better school. For

them, they ask if there is a school to attend at all. Even

“I decided to sponsor a child because we are created for good works.”if there is a school, it is usually far away. And then, can they

afford school?

With a few of us now in Singapore participating in these

sponsorships, we believe we can bring joy to a few families

who now have hope that their lives can be better in a few

years’ time. By then, their kids would be grown ups and, in

turn, they can in future bless kids in the same small area.

If more of us can join in, will we be able to bless an entire

village in time to come?

As God’s love is poured unto us, let us spread it out by action!

NCharis Methodist Church

Editor’s Note: SSS sponsor, N, wishes to remain anonymous. Alina was

sponsored by N since May 2008. Read Alina’s testimony on page 18.

2010


“You should go and experience the joy of the Lord radiating

from the COSI children,” one of my life group members told

me excitedly. That was in 2002 when I first heard of COSI.

I believed, back then, that God was already preparing my

heart to be involved in COSI for a season of my life. Having

never been on a mission trip before, and having no intention

of going (then), I discovered that I could be involved in

mission work by sponsoring a COSI child. And that was what

I did. That first step became the start of my journey with

Veasna, my sponsored child.

Besides visiting COSI to encourage and engage the children

in COSI, SSS sponsorship is the most tangible way to support

the children. I learnt that by sponsoring a child, you become

his or her pseudo parent. Many of these children came from

broken families or are orphans, and many experience living

in poverty and hunger before they come into the comfort of

a safe home they call COSI. Whilst each child has a “house

parent” to look after them, in the young minds of these

children, the knowledge that they are also “adopted” by

a sponsor adds to their security. It gives them the much-

needed assurance that they are wanted and loved. For me,

the SSS sponsorship also provided me and my family with the

opportunity to walk alongside a child of God from childhood

to youth and now, to a young adult.

I am proud to say that Veasna has since graduated top of his

class with a degree in Civil Engineering. Through the many

trips to COSI, I witnessed how Veasna grew and matured

into a God-fearing man. He frequently accompanies foreign

mission teams in Cambodia for outreach and interprets

for them. With his good grades and excellent command

of English, he was very much sought after in talent-scarce

Cambodia’s fledging economy even prior to his graduation.

However, I had often prayed that he will always put God first

in his life after graduation. I believed God has also spoken to

him and his obedience to return to COSI to serve immediately

after his graduation was an answer to the prayers of the

full-time missionaries and all involved in COSI. He is indeed a

good role model for the younger children.

Besides Veasna, my wife and I are also privileged to have

Piseth, Linna and Pich joined the “family”. Piseth and Linna

are now undergraduates in the local university while Pich

is still in COSI. Today, Linna keeps in touch with my wife via

Facebook, while Piseth and Veasna communicate with me

via email. Pich is still a fun-loving child.


My Sponsorship Journey

Chee Tham with Veasna

“The joy this journey brings for us is immense for we are

also just obeying Jesus...”

Chee Tham with Piseth

22 | HARVEST FORCE


My Sponsorship JourneyIt is our prayer that the COSI children will grow up to be

God-fearing men and women. As sponsors, you are invited

to be a part of the lives of these children. You wait in great

anticipation to see them blossoming into youth, becoming

responsible adults and contributing back to COSI. Hopefully

there will be some full time ministry workers, some teachers,

some house parents and some effective role models for the

newer kids. It is also our prayer that some COSI kids will be

able to catch the vision of the pioneer missionaries in COSI,

that is, to build a new generation of God-fearing men and

women in Cambodia.

You can participate in this journey by sponsoring a child. The

joy this journey brings for us is immense for we are also just

obeying Jesus when He said “… whatever you did for one of the

least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me.” (Matthew 25:40,

NIV)

Cheong Chee Tham Pentecost Methodist Church

Editor’s Note: Chee Tham is a member of the Post COSI Integration

Programme (PCOSIIP) committee. It is a programme to help the COSI

kids in Cambodia successfully transit from a sheltered environment

back into society.

Chee Tham with Linna


Looking for a way to contribute to MMS work can sometimes

be reduced to a question of dollars and cents. But the

Student Sponsorship Scheme (SSS) has been, for us, more

than that. Through our SSS journey, we have come to know

the blessing and privilege of participating in God’s work in a

special way.

Our almost twelve-year journey began on our first visit to

the COSI Children’s Village. We were told of a new intake of

children at COSI without sponsors. COSI sponsorship meant

funding the particular child until the age of 18.

We had sponsored children under a non-MMS programme,

and after having been ‘moved’ four times (each time a

project came to a close, we were offered other children to

sponsor), we decided it was not the way we wanted to be

connected to children who needed support.

We wanted to be able to see the child grow.

At the end of our trip to COSI, we took on 13-year-old

Chantha, and we were excited at the long-term opportunity

that SSS presented. Our involvement in Cambodia (as a

family and church) increased correspondingly, and we got

to see Chantha more often. In the beginning, departures

were tearful farewells until she became certain we would

be keeping the connections and returning. By God’s grace,

SSS Sponsor

Worthwhile Journey

“We wanted to be able to see the child grow.”

we saw, even from a distance, how she grew

under the care of the COSI team. After she

reached 18, we continued to sponsor her

under the Tertiary Sponsorship Scheme until

her completion this year. Our sponsorship may

have just ended, but not our relationship.

Chantha now works with street children in

Phnom Penh, more confident, with dreams

similar to other young adults, yet thankful and

knowing God and His purpose for her.

Ours is an unusual journey; it included having

Chantha stay with us (she was selected under

a programme by Evangel Church to expose

the COSI youth to work in Singapore). This

provided bonding opportunities.

Two years after Chantha, we began the

sponsorship of two boys. Just as no two

children are alike, our journey with the

boys was different. As they grew older, they

communicated through email and we ‘kept

tabs’ on Facebook. One of the two, Bora,

was independent, set out to work earlier than

expected, and our sponsorship journey had to

Deborah with Chantha and Missionary Carol Loh in 2014

24 | HARVEST FORCE24 | HARVEST FORCE

end, yet he would still keep in touch until his

passing.

We now have one ‘last child’ on sponsorship,

and he is in his final year at University. Ratana

calls us Uncle and Aunty. Chantha calls us

Mak and Pak.

Perhaps it is time to ‘adopt’ another three –

and we believe it will be another worthwhile

journey.

Deborah ChouBedok Methodist Church

Family photo with Chantha and her sister Chanthon at COSI in 2003

Family photos with Bora, Ratana and Chantha at COSI in 2005

24 | HARVEST FORCE24 | HARVEST FORCE SPECIAL FEATURE • SSS TESTIMONIES | 25

“The focus in the coming year is on excelling in all

that we do.”

The Dedication Service of Methodist School of

Cambodia (MSC) was held on 27 October 2014.

The service was held on the ground level. We

invited parents and the some MMS Missionaries

to grace the occasion.

The programme started at 8am with the

Principal’s welcome and opening prayer.

The students led a simple worship, and Pastor

Khemra shared a short message. The focus in

the coming year is on excelling in all that we do.

Thereafter, Pastor Khemra dedicated the

Principal, Vice Principal, teachers and other

staff members to God. Then, MMS Country

Director for Cambodia, Jacob Cheng,

dedicated the students.

We ended the service with a worship song and

MMS Missionary, Tan Li Diang, closed the service

with a prayer. The whole event took no more

than an hour.

Benjamin LeePrincipal

Methodist School of Cambodia

Methodist School of Cambodia Dedication Service

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Methodist School of Cambodia Dedication Service

Please Pray For MSC:

• Pray for unity with the people

that we are working with.

• Pray for the students to each

have an encounter with God.

• Pray for the salvation of the

non-believing teachers.

• As the students go to their

weekly Christian Education

classes, pray that this will not

be a ritual but they will find

God during those classes.

• Pray for opportunities for MMS

Missionaries involved in school

ministry to speak life into the

students.

What Can You Do:

• Conduct Parenting Seminars

for the parents of MSC.

• Donate simple reader books

for the Library.

• Donate desktop computers for

the Computer Lab. The current

computers are using very old

Pentium 4 systems and most of

them are about to fail.

• Donate New Testament Khmer

Bible for Secondary students.

Do You Know:

• Currently MSC consists of

Kindergarten to Grade 12.

There are 227 Kindergarten

students, 521 Primary students

and 376 Secondary students.

FIELD FEATURE • CAMBODIA | 27 26 | HARVEST FORCE

Dedication of Wesley Bardan Methodist Church On 13 October 2014, Wesley Bardan Methodist Church was dedicated and

officially opened! After about one year of construction, the building was finally

ready. It is also The Methodist Centre for The Methodist Church in Nepal (MCN). At

the cost of S$392,000, the 3-storey building has a main sanctuary, a multi-purpose

hall, the MCN office and a parsonage. Rev Sabashtain Lepcha, the Central District

Superintendent, resides there with his family. The building fund was raised at the

MMS’ “My Father’s Business” Banquet in 2013. MMS would like to thank everyone

who financially supported and contributed to this building project.

The original Wesley Methodist Church was relocated to its current location, which

is very near to its daughter church, Bardan Methodist Church. So it made sense

to site both churches together for better outreach in the area. As such, the new

church was also renamed as Wesley Bardan Methodist Church.

When we arrived at the new church

compound in the morning, many people

were already seated in the front porch,

eagerly waiting for the service to start. People

in the neighbouring houses also stood at their

verandas to watch the whole proceedings.

The Dedication Service started with the

singing of the National Anthem. After the

dance item by the girls from Sophia’s Home,

the congregation praised God together. This

was followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony

and the congregation then filed upstairs into

their brand new sanctuary for the second part

of the Dedication Service. The service ended

with the unveiling of the wall-mounted plaque

by Bishop Dr Wee Boon Hup.

28 | HARVEST FORCE

Dedication of Wesley Bardan Methodist Church

Please Pray For:

• Wesley Bardan Methodist

Church to be a beacon

of truth and light to the

people in the vicinity.

• God’s protection

and provision for the

Missionaries, National

Pastors and Leaders.

• Open doors to reach out

to the community and

to plant disciple-making

churches.

On 14 October, the 6th Annual Meeting of MCN was held

in the newly dedicated sanctuary. Rev Philip Lim (MMS

Executive Director), Rev Tan-Yeo Lay Suan and Rev Philip

Abraham (Field Board of Missions), Rev Lee Shuit Kuin and

Rev Lawrence Chua were present at this meeting which

was presided by Bishop.

The highpoint of the meeting was the ordination of Rev

Chandrakumar Bamjan as an Elder of MCN. Rev Chandra

is the third Elder in Nepal. He is involved in the Church

Planting work in Ilam, East Nepal. He is also the Pastor-in-

charge of Vijayee Methodist Church. MMS is planning for a

new church building for Vijayee Methodist Church, which

will also be a place for the second generation of T-Net

training.

At the close of the Annual Meeting, the girls from Sophia’s

Home put up another dance item to celebrate God’s

goodness and faithfulness.

On 15 and 16 October, there was a “Fire” meeting for all

the delegates who were present at the Annual Meeting.

The focus was on prayer. A call was made for Prayer Bands

in all the churches to pray for the Great Commission

movement to take place in the lives of the individuals and

churches.

FIELD FEATURE • NEPAL | 29 28 | HARVEST FORCE

30 | HARVEST FORCE

From 10 to 15 January 2014, a group of mission

team went to Chiang Mai. Led by Doris Chow

and Erica Lim, the team consisted of Dr

Victoria Lim, Sandra Fong, Peter Chow, David

Lee, Dolly Lee, Christina Tan, Tan Geok Seng,

Elsie Chan, Linda Lim and Lim Chwee Kim.

On the day of arrival, the team went to

purchase medical supplies and toiletries

for the children. The toiletries, including

milk packets, undergarments, detergent,

toothbrushes, toothpaste, shower gel and

shampoo, were packed into 160 gift packs.

The next day, accompanied by Ps Pisut

and his family and Julie (staff of Mettakij

Foundation), the team visited Sanhokafa Hill

Tribe Home in Huey Parai village. This Home,

a project by Ps Somphan, houses about 43

children from the Lahu tribe. Thereafter, we

had half a day of Medical Consultation for

about 31 children and 16 adults.

While the consultation was taking place, the

trippers conducted games and bible study for

the children in the hostel. Ps Somphan’s wife

and her team at the Home prepared dinner,

which was sponsored by The Women’s

Society of Christian Service (WSCS).

After dinner, all the Home’s children

and slum kids were given the gift

packs. We observed that the children

now looked healthier than at our last

visit in 2013.

On the third day, the team attended

the Sunday Worship Service at Ps

Pisut’s Water of Life Methodist Church

(WLMC) at Patungnoi Village. We had

lunch, which was also sponsored by

WSCS, with the congregation after

the service. Thereafter, a Medical

Consultation was set up for the

congregation and the neighbouring

villagers. There were 40 adults and

8 children. While the consultation

was taking place, the children were

engaged with games, origami, balloon sculpting, and Bible study. Gift

packs were also distributed to all the children.

We were heartened to observe that the congregation in WLMC is

growing. Several programmes and ministries have been initiated to

support the spiritual growth of the congregation and to reach out to

more non-believers. They have Leadership Training, Youth Ministry,

Children’s Ministry, Cell Group, and Youth Camp.

For the next two days, the team conducted English lessons for five

classes of Primary 4 to 6 children at Ban Cherng Doi School. We taught

about 50 students lessons on God’s creation, Noah’s ark, and Basic

English Comprehension. We also danced and sang nursery rhymes

with the 42 Kindergarten kids.

At the end of the trip, the team reviewed the goals of this mission trip.

We were glad that responses from the children were overwhelming

and encouraging and that they are healthier now. The congregation

at WLMC is growing with more ministries and there is an increase in cell

groups. Medical consultations were successfully carried out to about

70 adults and 24 children. The school is a good evangelistic ground

where Thai and Lahu children study together.

Lim Chwee KimMission Team Secretary

WSCS, Wesley Methodist Church

FIELD FEATURE • THAILAND | 31 30 | HARVEST FORCE

A warm welcome to Mary Lau to the MMS Home Office. She is our new Accountant who joined

us on 2 January 2015! She has two lovely children and she is a member of True Way Presbyterian

Church. Patrick Quek left us on the last day of 2014. We are very thankful for his friendship, love

and care. May God continue to lead and guide him in all his future endeavours.

We have a new Missionary, Rachel Tan, who is

now serving in our Vineyard Methodist School

in Chiang Mai, Thailand. As she is a certified

Chinese language teacher, she will be helping

VMS develop a Chinese language curriculum

for the lower primary level. Rachel is a member of Queenstown Chinese

Methodist Church. Rudy Wong of Aldersgate Methodist Church is

also a new Missionary. He arrived in Timor-Leste on 31 January 2015.

And he is helping out in an NGO in Dili, which is transforming the social

and spiritual lives of the people through holistic education like English

language skills, computer skills, music and art. Both of them attended

our inaugural missionary training in July last year. ML of Fairfield

Methodist Church is serving EA. Pray for God’s protection and guidance.

Please remember all of them in your prayers as they begin their journey

as missionaries.

We had a MITE participant, Jonathan Kong from Wesley Methodist

Church, who interned in the MMS Home Office for a month from 26

January. He is in Nong Bua Lamphu, North East of Thailand for a year

from 23 March. Pray for him as he offers himself to serve God.

Rev Gideon Choi was

commissioned as a Missionary

Pastor to Thailand by Bishop Dr

Wee Boon Hup on 13 November

2014 at the Closing Service of

the 39th Sessions of the Chinese

Annual Conference. His daughter,

Ps Peace Choi, who is a pastor in

Bukit Panjang Methodist Church,

accompanied him at the Service. Bishop also commissioned JZ to go to EA on 22 February 2015 at Faith Methodist

Church.

Congratulations to our Missionaries, Loong and Gloria, on the arrival of their second child.

Anna was born on 9 November 2014. Indeed, the Lord has “carefully and wonderfully made

each one of us.” (Psalm 139:14) Please pray for Anna, that she will grow up strong and healthy.

Four MMS Home Office staff received their long service awards in December 2014. Thank God

for Helen (40 years), Koh Eng and Leong Heng (both 10 years), and David (5 years). And may

God continue to use them mightily for His kingdom!

MMS Family

32 | HARVEST FORCE

An MOU was entered between Covenant Community Methodist Church and MMS in support of the educational fund

for the children and youth who attend Phoum Chress Methodist Church in Cambodia.

Memorandum of Understanding

MMS Photo Contest #03 Results

Thank you for taking part in MMS Photo Contest #03. We hoped that more mission trippers will share their photos which

express, “Light of the World”. Congratulations to Ong Eng Keow, Benjamin Lau and Melvin Leong who are the top three

winners of this contest. These three winners of S$100 have all been contacted.

A great light brings salvation to all in darkness

Description: On the last day, after our medical camp, we visited a Christian man in Surunga, who generously donated a piece of land to build a church. This church is situated next to a famous religious secret river, Kankai River. Many people come to this river to conduct Hindu religious activities. As we gathered together to pray, a storm was brewing and the sky turned grey and dark, the winds howled and the dust on the ground were flying but the sun shone through giving light to all. We held hands and prayed, claiming this piece of land for God. We prayed that Living Waters Methodist Church, in partnership with Sion Methodist Church, will be a conduit of God’s blessing for all who live there. Whoever believes in Christ, as the Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them (John 7:38), and that they will no longer need to go to the earthly river.

Photographer: Ong Eng Keow

Church: Living Waters Methodist Church

Photo taken: Surunga Jhapa, Nepal on 20 March 2014

Restoring JoyDescription: The radiance of a newly painted yellow exterior makes it more pleasant for the students and staff of the school. Striving for a sincere heart of service together, also shows Christ-likeness which spurred the team on and encouraged us to do our best for the school. It was truly a joyful experience for both the youth and the Lao children.

Photographer: Melvin Leong

Church: Paya Lebar Methodist Church

Photo taken: Keo Ban Dit Primary School, Vientiane, Laos in May 2014 Glory of the LordDescription: God’s love for the world is like what is described in Psalms 36:5, “Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.”

Photographer: Benjamin Lau

Church: Wesley Methodist Church

Photo taken: Phulbari Village, Kathmandu, Nepal from 18 February to 1 March 2013

HOME HAPPENINGS | 33

On 3 October 2014, MMS Staff took time off from our work

to meet in Christ Methodist Church (CMC) for our annual

Staff Day. It was a time for us to review our Mission and

Vision and plan for the coming years ahead, especially

for our 25th anniversary in 2016. Great plans are in store so

please pray alongside us as we carry them out.

We appreciate Rev Edmund George de Souza, Pastor-

in-charge of CMC, for sharing with us during the morning

devotion and allowing MMS to use the facilities in CMC.

To help us understand more about Missionary Care, Ps

Ivan Liew shared with us on this topic of Partnerships between Local Churches and Missions Agencies. He is the Missions

Pastor of Woodlands Evangelical Free Church. He expounded on his research of the intrinsic relationship between the

Church, the Missionary and the Missions Agency, and how each aspect has an impact on another.

MMS had our first of a series of Missions Courses on

31 January at Kum Yan Methodist Church. The topic

was Building Bridges with People of Different Religious

Worldview. Dr Jeanette Hui, who lectures on Asian

Religions at Discipleship Training Centre, shared on

Buddhism and Islam. Her students accompanied her

to give their personal testimonies on how and why they

believe in Jesus. Dr Ashok Kumar, who has been involved

in missions for over 25 years, spoke on Hinduism. About 80

people attended, many were youth and young adults.

It was with a heavy heart when

MMS received news of the

sudden passing of Ps Pushpa

Chaudary, one of our National

Leaders in Nepal. He met with

a road accident on 13 January

2015. On learning about the

mishap, our team from the Home

Office and in Nepal sprang into

action to reach out to his wife

and two teenage children. Ps Pushpa was serving as

the pastor of Surunga Methodist Church which recently

completed its new church building on a piece of land

given by a God-fearing elderly couple. Please continue

to pray for the family, the Surunga congregation and our

team in Nepal.

Ps Pushpa had earlier written a testimony in March 2014.

Here is a short excerpt: “I am now happy in serving the

Lord in a place close to my heart with the Methodist

Church in Nepal. I continue to have challenges but I am

confident that I will prevail because of God’s grace and

His love for me. I believe that I am able to contribute much

more as I look forward to a new beginning in Surunga. We

have received a plot of land that will house His church

and I know that God will prosper this preaching point

of 23 worshippers as it grows and matures to become a

Methodist Church in East Nepal.”

MMS Staff Day

MMS Missions Course 1

Pushpa Chaudary Eulogy

34 | HARVEST FORCE

MMS Founding Executive Director, Rev Dr Clarence Lim, passed on to glory on 2 October 2014.

We thank God for this faithful servant who was full of passion and focus to fulfil the purpose God

has destined for him. During the 39th Session of the Trinity Annual Conference, a Thanksgiving

Memorial Service for him was held on 19 November 2014. Many dedicated long-serving MMS

volunteers turned up.

Here are some tributes from our pioneer Missionaries and Volunteers who served with him for many years:

Rev Dr Clarence Lim Eulogy

Doris Chan:

I remember Clarence as a man who was always very

positive in his outlook, who saw things from a positive

perspective. When I first joined MMS, I had said in my

interviews with him that my commitment was just for

two years to help get the Primary School started, but he

wouldn’t take that from me and said that he knew it will

not be just for two years. How true it has turned out to be,

the two years has now stretched out to 16! Whenever I met

him, he always had a word of encouragement for me. I

appreciate his trust in me which in turn has motivated me

to give my best to God and to MMS.

Carol Loh:

During the COSI 10th Anniversary, the late Rev Dr Clarence

Lim shared from John 6:5-14 about Jesus feeding the

5000. His challenge was for each one of us, in whatever

capacity, to offer ourselves for God’s kingdom. I was

amazed how he could still be so passionate about

missions when he was in such poor health then. He

persisted to offer himself like the broken bread and fish

to feed others. The word of God, ‘He is strong when I am

weak’ holds true for him. Therefore, whenever aches and

pains come my way and I am tempted to call it a day, I

will remember Rev Dr Clarence Lim, and to continue to

serve unceasingly.

HOME HAPPENINGS | 35

Tan Li Diang:

In the early days of MMS, Rev Dr Clarence Lim was very

much with us serving in the mission fields. I remember his

many visits to Cambodia as well as traveling with him

to visit the work in China. I appreciated his love, care,

concern and keen support given to the various ministries

in the fields, particularly the COSI orphanage. He was

even willing to help carry things over to the field for us.

Whenever we were back in Singapore on leave, we would

drop by the MMS Office and he would take us out for

lunch. His personal involvement had drawn us together

as a closely-knitt MMS family. In him, I saw a man who has

truly given his whole life to the work of missions. MMS was

birthed through his tenacity, faithfulness and humility. Truly,

Rev Dr Clarence Lim had left behind a legacy and he will

always be remembered!

Vimala Devi:

My first meeting with Rev Dr Clarence Lim was in 1998,

when my friend, Mrs Heng Gaik Kee took me to MMS. I had

a calling to serve in Cambodia, and I wanted to know

about the work there. Dr Clarence was very supportive

and shared about MMS’s involvement in Cambodia.

He advised me to take a trip to Cambodia and see the

work. In the early days, whenever he visited us, he would

arrange to take us out for dinner. One year, he arranged

for a birthday cake for me after dinner. That was a

pleasant surprise. For me, MMC means Dr Clarence, and

when we visited the office, he would spent time with us

talking about our time in the mission field and he would

always close by praying for us.

Henry Yeo:

The late Rev Dr Clarence Lim had worked tirelessly and

strategically to form the first Methodist Church in Thailand

under MMS. We give all the glory and honour to God

for His grace and mercy in allowing and helping us to

establish the work of the Methodist Mission Society in

Thailand and we are deeply indebted to the man who

had the vision and determination to make it happened.

I remember him as courageous yet compassionate;

competent and yet not condescending. He always

wanted us to do our best and was willing to teach and

support.

Erick Tan and Shanti Merry:

‘I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out;

I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then.

Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised

me that day.’ (Joshua 14:11-12a, NIV) Whenever I look

at this picture of the late Rev Dr Clarence Lim posing in

front of the mighty Himalayas, this verse comes to mind.

Remembering him as a “Caleb” in our lives as a young

missionary couple, our beloved MMS Executive Director

was always challenging us to go further and do more,

to learn even more from our mistakes. It was this very

forward-thinking style of leadership that has provided

us with bearings to navigate through our chosen course

of life and ministry as missionaries. We are often advised

to “come alongside” and serve with people instead of

lording over them. Dr Lim modelled that approach to

ministry and we have benefitted much from the ups and

downs which he journeyed through with us. It was no

36 | HARVEST FORCE

surprise that he was elated when

we proudly reported to him that our

eldest son was participating in a

short-term missions project in China.

‘That’s the way to do it!’ he exclaimed

while lying in hospital bed. It was as

if he was going to step out and join

in the mission trip! In a way, he will

always be joining us, in spirit at least,

our mission trips; in spirit, Ps Clarence

still journeys with us.

Chou Fang Soong, MMS Chairman:

I guess most of us, who have known

Clarence personally, will associate

Clarence with MMS as he was the

Founding Director of MMS at its

inception in 1991. The one thing that

struck me most about Clarence

was his calling at MMS, it was not

an appointment where you serve

for a time and then move on like

appointments in churches. It was

a special life calling; he lived and

breathed MMS and rightly so, as

he had almost single-handedly

pioneered and grown the work

at MMS to what it is today. He

started with a small team and

many volunteers; Clarence had this

persuasive and personable gifting in

mobilising volunteers for MMS. And

you will also find Pearlie, faithfully

supporting him as part of that team,

his partner in life, work and mission, an

encouraging testimony to us.

Even after his retirement in 2005,

he remained an active member of

our MMS team providing support

wherever he is needed and remained

so until his health did not permit him

to come to the MMS office as often

as he had done. He was our prayer

warrior, our encourager in times of

internal challenges, and a personal

advisor that we could turn to for

feedback and input on our planning.

We were particularly heartened

that he continued to pray for MMS

regularly even when he was lying in

bed in the hospital. This is the kind of

unshakable passion and calling he

had for MMS.

I have known Clarence since 1996

(more than 18 years ago), which was

when I first approached him to better

understand the work of MMS. I was

then starting out as a new Missions

Chairman of our Church with no prior

experiences in missions. Clarence

was very patient with me and I was

particularly touched as he took time

to meet me several times to explain

the work of MMS and was very open

even in sharing the challenges in

missions work. He was so personable

and approachable that he become

like a father figure to me ever since.

What caught my attention then was

his faith, passion and excitement

about what the Lord is doing at MMS.

I was even more amazed when he

personally arranged and travelled

with us for a mission trip with our

church leadership team to show us

the work in Cambodia. The energy

and personal time that he invested in

us was something that touched our

hearts and we appreciated this very

much.

However, coming from a business

background, my initial assessment

then was that he had a very small

team with limited structure and

resources. To me, what he wanted

to do was challenging, an almost

impossible task, and that it required

much faith. It was Clarence’s

unceasing encouragement,

optimism and faith in God that kept

us going. As we began working with

Clarence to deploy our missionaries

in Cambodia, it became an

exciting journey of faith for me.

Our missionaries and all our church

members got involved and we all

experienced God at work in our midst

in the mission field.

I am sharing this because Clarence

had made a difference in my life;

being there as God unfolded His plan

and purposes for me. Through this

unfolding, God’s presence was so

real. At MMS, Clarence has make a

difference in the lives of many of our

missionaries, workers and volunteers

whom he personally mobilised over

the years. I am sure many of us can

identify with this.

Today MMS has grown in our ministry

with 36 Missionaries serving in seven

countries, and has an extensive

network of volunteers like us, fulfilling

the vision and mission that Clarence

has help to set up. We are already

raising the next generation of

Christians in many of our mission

fields, and we have much to thank

Clarence for, - being obedient in

fulfilling his part in God’s mission

through MMS.

His life and dedication to missions and

the work at MMS is truly a fragrant

offering and an act of sacrificial

worship to God. He has done what

God has called him to do, and he

has finished well for God. Like Paul,

he has fought the good fight, he has

finished the race, and he has kept the

faith. We praise and thank God for

Clarence and we rejoice for his life.

Pearlie, thank you for sharing a big

part of your husband; Ern-Minn

and Mae-Lynn for sharing your

dad’s life with us at MMS. May you

be comforted at this time; and

encouraged to see the ministry at

MMS continue to grow.

HOME HAPPENINGS | 37 37 | HARVEST FORCE

38 | HARVEST FORCE

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[ ] COSI (Cambodia) [ ] Emmaus Women’s Centre (Cambodia) [ ] Sophia’s Home (Nepal) [ ] Mettakij Hostel (Thailand) [ ] Term Fun Home (Thailand) [ ] Huangshan House of Peniel (East Asia)

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MISSIONOur Mission is to fulfil

Christ’s Great Commission to make disciples of all nations.

VISION 2020Our Vision is to unite

the Methodist Community in Singapore to plant 800 new,

indigenous, financially self-supporting, disciple making and

multiplying churches by 2020.

OUR CORE VALUES Accountability, Integrity, Compassion,

Perseverance, Cultural Sensitivity, Unity and Excellence.

OUR MAIN STRATEGIESChurch Planting and

Community Development

MINISTRIESMMS is dedicated to addressing the real-life needs of the communities and churches, so as to rebuild, restore and reconcile people and communities back to Him.

SUPPORTERSMMS enlists, encourages, engages and empowers Methodists to serve in missions, by praying for, participating in and giving financially to reach those whom Jesus died to redeem.

TEAMTogether with our Partner Churches, Volunteers, Mobilisers, Donors, Prayer Partners, Mission Teams and Missionaries, we form the team involving in Church Planting, Discipling,Teaching, Evangelising, Healthcare, Education, Sponsorship and Livelihood Projects.

MISSIONS IS NOT A ONE-MAN OR ONE-ORGANISATION’S JOB. IT IS A PARTNERSHIP THROUGH WHICH GOD’S WORK IS FULFILLED AND HIS GLORY SHOWN.

We need more PARTNER CHURCHES! Will your church join in to pray for, partner and participate with MMS in establishing new congregation, indigenous churches and mission endeavours?

Interview with

Rev Dianna Khoo

Rev Dianna Khoo joined MMS in January 2014 as an Area Director looking after Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Let’s get to know her more.

“The church exists for missions!”

Tell us a bit about your family and church. I am married to a fellow Pastor, Rev Dr Daniel

Koh, for 33 years now. He teaches at Trinity

Theological College. We have one daughter,

Joanna, who is married with a daughter of

her own and another important member of

the immediate family is our 6-year-old West

Highland Terrier, Genevieve.

I grew up in an essentially Catholic

environment. Went to a Catholic School

for 10 years and followed my aunts to

Catholic Church very frequently. Came

to know the Lord in a more personal way

when my neighbours invited me to Barker

Road Methodist Church’s Methodist Youth

Fellowship (BRMC MYF) gatherings. It was

through the ministry of BRMC MYF that I

accepted the Lord into my life. Was baptised

and received into BRMC’s membership in 1976

and the rest is, as they say, history.

I later went full time and studied at Trinity

Theological College and was appointed the

first full time Youth Worker for the Trinity Annual

Conference (TRAC) in 1981. And later was

called into the Pastoral Ministry with TRAC

which continues till today. I was seconded

to MMS from January 2014 as TRAC sees the

ministry of a Pastor going beyond just local

church ministry alone.

What is your favourite verse?He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.

And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy and to walk

humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8, NIV)

What is your Love Language? (Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, Physical Touch) How we can encourage you?

It has to be the acts of service;

how you treat one another in

everyday life encourages me

more than words or gifts.

How many years have you been serving the Lord? Full time? 33 years.

What were you doing previously? I was helping my dad oversee our

family business.

Tell us about your current area of ministry.I look after MMS’s work in three

countries, namely Thailand,

Vietnam and Cambodia.

What kind of challenges do you face?I believe there has been a

neglect in the training of local

church members, our focus

has always been training the

Pastors. As you and I know, we

need both clergy and laity to

be in partnership in order for the

churches to grow.

There is also the constant need

to look out for and develop local

Christians to assume leadership

in their own churches. Indeed this

is also true for MMS herself. There

is a need for us to bring in and

develop younger leaders in all

areas of ministry.

How do you recharge?I take holidays quite regularly

and intentionally. Whenever I

am on leave I will travel, and

when possible travel with my

husband Daniel. I find that if

I stay in Singapore, somehow

work will catch up with me! I

swim regularly. I also enjoy time

spent watching movies, listening

to music, and playing with my

granddaughter as well as my

dog.

How can our readers support you and pray with you?Pray for God to guide me as I

try to communicate some of

my concerns with the national

Pastors and leaders. There

are often cross cultural and

language issues that cannot be

underestimated.

What is one thing our readers should know about missions?That the church exists for missions!

Jesus embarked on a mission

when he was born in the manger.

He came that we may know how

much we are loved by God. Now

that is a perfect example of what

missions is all about.

PROFILES | 43 42 | HARVEST FORCE

“Going for missions did not teach me anything new, but it did fill some words with meaning.”

Missions

A Personal Life-Changing Experience Publicity for missions has largely been focused on how we

can fulfil the Great Commission according to Matthew

28, and on the fruits of that labour. Yet another aspect of

missions, often less publicised, is a personal one. Today, I

write of the impact missions has had on me.

I was blessed enough to go to Nepal for five weeks. As

a second-generation Christian, I knew all the hymns,

parables, and prayers but never had an experience with

God. To my rational and logical mind, some things still did

not quite add up. After praying for close to three years

about my faith and for an encounter of sorts, one thing

led to another and I soon found myself seven hours away

in Nepal.

The five weeks I was to spend in Nepal I submitted entirely

into God’s hands. No concrete plans were made; my

experience there was for God (and a missionary) to

direct. In the short five weeks, I found myself teaching in

a missionary school, attending a medical mission trip,

training church planters, shadowing a missionary, doing

a home-stay with a member of the deaf community,

and interacting with numerous locals and foreigners.

The activities at hand were, upon reflection, merely

ancillary to what God had in store for me – a display of His

sovereignty, compassion, grace, mercy and love.

Being put in the heart of Hinduism and Buddhism was not,

to say the least, comfortable. Much like muscles, however,

faith has to be exercised lest it atrophies; faith grows when

put to the test. Despite the constant reminder of a lost

country with shrines found every hundred meters, God

shone through every time. I listened as a pastor shared

44 | HARVEST FORCE

Missions

A Personal Life-Changing Experience how God has continually provided for him as he runs an

entire orphanage on his humble salary; I experienced

first-hand how people living in unimaginable conditions

stay healthy and remain grateful; I witnessed spiritual

battles being fought; I felt the joy of those who have

come to know Christ; I interacted with individuals who

put their career on hold to further the kingdom of God;

I was blessed by those who use their gifts to glorify God

in what they do – I encountered God in so many ways

not immediately evident had I been in more familiar

surroundings.

Complacency and the mundane routine of daily life had

blinded me to the wonders that God was doing each and

every day in all our lives. Perhaps getting away from the

distractions in life helped me put things in perspective. If

you are struggling, wrestle like Jacob did. If you are weary,

go and be rejuvenated like King David. So I implore you,

go to the mission field for whatever personal reasons and

ask that God speak to you. Go fulfil the Great Commission,

change the lives of others and ask to be, through it,

transformed.

I went ignorant and indifferent; I was blind but now I see.

Going for missions did not teach me anything new, but

it did, as C. S. Lewis once penned, fill some words with

meaning.

Jeremy TanMount Carmel Bible-Presbyterian Church

44 | HARVEST FORCE MITE REPORT | 45

Part 2

Exporing Innovations, Impact and Implications of New Communications and Med ia Development

This is the second part of a three-part essay that explores the IMPACTS of New Communications and Media

Development. The first part, studying the INNOVATIONS, was published in HF 2014 issue 1. The third part will explore

the IMPLICATIONS.

Although only in its early years, the innovations of the present digital age have already transformed the speed, scope, and scale of everyday human communications. All this has left a profound impact on contemporary life–with new conditions and common spaces introduced which are consciously as well as unconsciously shaping communications habits, behaviours, and lifestyles. In this section, we will explore four realities of life observed to have been introduced and nurtured in the digital communications age. These include the (a) Connected, (b) Empowering, (c) Formative, and (d) Blind Sides that accompany new communications and media technologies.

(a) The CONNECTED side of new communications and media technologiesThe first reality observed is the degree of connectivity that characterizes the digital communications age. The global connectivity that the world is presently experiencing is largely a function of developments in the field of modern digital communications. Today, digital communication technologies increasingly facilitate the rapid diffusion of ideas, images, and interests as well as connect people with places, pursuits, and passions. In Friedman’s assessment, digital, mobile, personal, and virtual communications technologies functioned as the “steroids” which “turbocharged” the shift toward a new level of global connectivity (Friedman 2005, 159-172).

The degree of connectivity experienced today is historically unprecedented with some describing the phenomenon as “radical connectivity” or “hyperconnectivity” (Fredette, et. al. 2012; Rainie and Wellman, 2012, 95-96; and Mele 2013). In their discussion of the impact of hyperconnectivity on organizations and society, Fredette et. al, identify six key attributes associated with the phenomenon. These include:

• Always on: Broadband and ubiquitous mobile devices enable people to be connected to family, work, friends, avocations, obsessions, and more, 24/7.

• Readily accessible: A universe of mobile devices and personal computers links people and organizations together; these connections are increasingly available at any time and in any location.

• Information rich: Websites, search engines, social media, and 24-hour news and entertainment channels ensure that information—from the strategic to the banal—is always on hand, at volumes beyond anyone’s capacity to consume.

• Interactive: Hyperconnectivity ensures that everyone can offer input on just about everything.

• Not just about people: Hyperconnectivity includes people-to-machine and machine-to-machine communications, supporting the development of what has been termed the Internet of Things.

46 | HARVEST FORCE

Part 2

Exporing Innovations, Impact and Implications of New Communications and Med ia Development

• Always recording: Service records, virtually unlimited storage capacities, miniaturized video

cameras, global positioning systems, sensors, and more—combined with people’s desire to document their own activities—ensure that a large portion of everyone’s daily activities and communications are part of a semi-permanent record.

(Fredette, Marom, Steinert, Witters 2012, 115)

These characteristics of hyperconnectivity have thus dramatically reshaped the landscape of politics, economics, media, arts and entertainment, religion, law, and education, and have reordered work, social, family, and personal life. Indeed, this form of radical, non- hierarchical connectivity has now become a given in mainstream culture. With these shifts, the benefits of hyperconnectivity offer new opportunities to be harnessed and profited from. On the other hand, this growing reality comes with disturbing costs that have to be endured and coped with as well as managed or succumbed to.

(b) The EMPOWERING side of new communications and media technologiesThe second reality observed is the degree of personal empowerment that characterizes the digital communications age. While digital environments allow the assumption of multiple roles and identities, existing digital tools offer multiple affordances which augment, amplify, and accelerate. To these can be added the affordances of wireless and mobile networks of empowerment. These networks now feature as this generation’s “new social operating system” (Rainie and Wellman 2012) and function as “a wireless skin overlaid on the practices of our lives, so that we are in ourselves and our networks at the same time.” (Castells 2008, 448) It is this daily experience of feature- and function-rich communications devices and environments that has contributed to the empowerment of the hoi polloi. New communications and media technologies, as well as the opportunity to plug into multiple networks, have thus extended power to the people as well as power to the self.

Central to the discourse on empowerment is the celebration of autonomy and egalitarianism–concepts which have both virtuous as well as disordered sides. While empowerment provides understanding to the uninformed, gives voice to the voiceless, promotes emancipation of the oppressed, challenges narrow-minded provincialism, and fulfills human potential, it also enables excessive consumption, one-upmanship, rumour mongering, violation of moral boundaries, and the pursuit of unholy passions under the cloak of anonymity. Consequently, both the promise and the peril of empowerment are now regularly observed in behaviours in the present digital communications age. What else has been observed as prevalent tendencies include an uncritical confidence in the power of new technologies, the struggle to exercise restraint amidst widespread and unrestricted use of wireless and mobile technologies, a growing anti-authoritarian mood, and the rapid expansion of personal carbon footprints.

SPECIAL FEATURE | 47 46 | HARVEST FORCE SPECIAL FEATURE | 47

These represent a sample of the challenges that come with increased endowment of power and become especially pronounced where actions of the self are motivated largely by values of pragmatism, convenience, and self-indulgence.

(c) The FORMATIVE side of new communications and media technologiesThe third reality observed is the formative influence that media technologies and environments exert on users. A growing development of 21st century life is that mobile communications devices have become inseparable companions and indispensible personal valets. While it would be stating the obvious to say that constant utilization of smart phones, tablets, and other mobile devices develops in users savvy and familiarity with telecommunications platforms and mediatized environments, what is observed goes beyond proficiency and adept know-how. What else is observed includes continual, sometimes obsessive texting, tweeting, tracking of breaking news, searching for information, updating of Facebook posts, video viewing, and video gaming. Often these acts are done simultaneously on parallel communicative platforms using different communications devices. It is the nurture of persistent, 24-7-365 gravitative habits, intuitions, and dependencies as well as the development of openness to disruption and distraction, that constitutes one aspect of the formative side of new communications and media technologies.

A second aspect of the formative influence relates to the nature of globally connected, immersive environments within which an increasing amount of communication occurs. Personal and work-related communication within these environments is often a social experience intertwined with a continuous stream of real-time socio-cultural and entertainment updates. Within these electronic agorae, user experience transpires in a marketplace of images, ideologies, and invitations which appeal to attention, affections, allegiances, and appetites. It is often here in digital communications spaces, that attachments to modern day idols and heroes, the values they embody, the beliefs they profess, and the lifestyles they embrace, are formed.

These two formative aspects reflect the reshaped contours of socialization, social engagement, habit formation, and worldview construction. Today, the words of Meyrowitz, penned in an era when the impact of television, film, radio, and telephone was being contemplated, can only take on heightened meaning:

As a result of electronically mediated interactions, the definition of situations and behaviours is no longer determined by physical location… By altering the informational characteristics of place, electronic media reshapes social situation and social identity. (Meyrowitz 1985, 117)

(d) The BLIND SIDE of new communications and media technologiesOne of the important theses in this field was forwarded by media guru, Marshall McLuhan, is that media technologies are both extensions of human abilities as well as amputations of human capacities (McLuhan 1965). Gordon illustrates and explains McLuhan’s thesis of extensions and amputations in this way:

Whether you are pedalling a bicycle or speeding down the freeway in your car, your foot is performing such a specialized task that you cannot, at that moment, allow it to perform its basic function of walking. So, although the medium has given you the power to move much more quickly, you are immobilized, paralyzed. In this way, our technologies both extend and amputate. Amplification becomes amputation. (Gordon 2010, 109)

48 | HARVEST FORCE

McLuhan’s thesis is of critical importance as it uncovers the lesser-examined underside of a two-sided coin. While the enabling upperside of the technological coin is celebrated, its disenabling, pathological underside is minimized or overlooked. This is the blindside accompanying the increasing technologization of society that is captured in the saying, “The fish is least able to describe the water it lives in!”

This lack of awareness is commented on by Turkle in her insightful, cautionary accounts of the use of emerging technologies in contemporary society (Turkle 2011). Combining insights as a clinical psychologist and an ethnographic researcher, Turkle addresses how the benefits of interactions on networks also bring with them hidden personal and social costs. Two quotes will serve to surface her concerns about the impact of new communicative technologies on personal, work, and social life:

It might seem intrusive, if not illegal, that my mobile phone would tell me the location of all my acquaintances within a ten-mile radius. But these days we are accustomed to all this. Life in a media bubble has come to seem natural. So has the end of a certain public etiquette: on the street, we speak into the invisible microphones on our mobile phones and appear to be talking to ourselves. We share intimacies with the air as though unconcerned about who can hear us or the details of our physical surroundings. (Turkle 2011, 16) Young people are among the first to grow up with an expectation of continuous connection: always on, and always on them. And they are among the first to grow up not necessarily thinking of simulation as second best. All this makes them fluent with technology but brings a set of new insecurities…Their digitized friendships–played out with emoticon emotions, so often predicated on rapid response rather than reflection–may prepare them, at times through nothing more than their superficiality, for relationships that could bring superficiality to a higher power, that is, for relationships with the inanimate. (Turkle 2011, 17)

It is for these reasons that as individuals and their societies increasingly embrace connective, enabling, and formative communications technologies, the question, “What does technology do for me?” must also be accompanied by the other question, “What does technology do to me?” Otherwise, under the illusion of human advancement, uncritical users will glory in countless extensions and overextensions while at the same time remaining ignorant of the

severe amputations and erosions of critical facets of our humanity.

Dr Calvin ChongAssociate Professor in Educational Studies at the School of Theology (English), Singapore Bible College. His teaching responsibilities at SBC and in churches regularly address pastoral, missional, communications, and educational issues encountered by the body of Christ in the age of global connectivity. He worships in Covenant Community Methodist Church.

Editor’s Note: A bibliography will accompany part 3 of this essay.

SPECIAL FEATURE | 49 48 | HARVEST FORCE

Moving With The Times

As with many aspects of life, missions needs to adjust

to the changing world. Traditional missions focuses on

sending out missionaries to distant lands to plant churches

in distinctive communities. However, there are factors

which precipitate change that must alter the way we

carry out missions today.

GlobalisationThe first of these is globalisation, which is the

interconnectedness and interdependence of peoples

and countries. No matter where we are on the face of the

earth, it seems like we are actually close to each other.

No longer do we take months by sea or road to reach a

place. With a few exceptions in the case of the remotest

parts of the world, a vast majority of countries are easily

accessible today. With modern air travel, we can send

out a missionary in the morning, and he can return later in

the evening of the same day should he be refused entry.

Many who are sent out on missions can return to their

home countries several times in a year. This may facilitate

emergency evacuation, but might become a cause for

the “missionary” not growing roots in the mission field.

Globalisation may be a blessing. Short term missions has

been made possible by this accessibility of travel. But

there are also challenges we need to overcome. The

value of such short term excursions might give the false

sense of being in missions without incarnation, a necessary

pre-requisite to effective disciple making.

Rise of CitiesTraditional missions focused mostly on unreached rural

communities. The rise of cities in developing countries

prompts us to re-organise our priorities in missions. Mass

migration of people from the countryside to the cities

has resulted in overcrowding there and the remnants in

villages and farms consisting mostly of the elderly and the

very young.

“Moving with the times

would simply require us

to move as Jesus did.”

50 | HARVEST FORCE

Our outreach into cities is not only motivated by being

where the people are, but also where the influencers

of the nations are. Cities are also where we will find the

financial resources to support ongoing local efforts in

missions. If our goal is to transform the nation by disciple

making, then reaching the power brokers, be they

economic, social and political, may prove to provide

greater impetus than if we had reached those in the rural

areas.

This focus on cities does not mean that we do not reach

the poor, because they will also be found there. Some of

the key influencers are amongst the poor themselves.

It simply makes good sense to go where most of the

people are.

The MarketplaceTraditionally, the market is where people gather to

transact goods and services. Today, we must see

the marketplace not only where products

from farms or factories are exchanged.

Any by services, we must include

those involved in the civil service,

commercial enterprises, as well as

political entities.

With globalisation and the rise of cities,

the marketplace is where the church

needs to be. There we will find the key

players in the society. That is where things

happen affecting all of society. Hence,

modern missions has to take place here as well.

In a way, the marketplace is similar to a church: people

assemble to receive from God and in exchange they offer

themselves to Him.

To have churches in the marketplace requires a

redefinition of “church”. It is not a building, nor is it a

denomination. It is the assembly of people made up

mostly of believers who confess Jesus as Lord.

To have missions in the marketplace also requires a

paradigm shift. We do not plant churches in the traditional

sense. We make disciples outside the regular sphere of the

church. There is less preaching but more of relationship-

building that transforms lives.

In the Manner of Jesus While the earthly ministry of Jesus was confined to a small

parcel of land in the Middle East, he recognised the

inter-ethnic mix of even the small population that existed

then. There were Syro-Phoenicians (Mark 7:26), Samaritans

(John 4), Romans (Matthew 8:5), and many others under

the general term of Gentiles. He moved from city to city,

though thousands would gather to hear him preach out

in the fields. While He did minister in religious places like

temples and synagogues, He was more often seen with

“sinners.”

Moving with the times would simply require us to

move as Jesus did. He was responsive to people and

circumstances. But most importantly He was responsive to

God. The inner drive that enabled Him to do this was His

willingness to do only what the Father asked of Him. He did

that under the anointing of the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:18, Acts

10:38).

It will not be possible to do everything that needs to be

done to face the challenges of a fast-changing world. But

if we keep in step with the Spirit of God, He will keep us in

time and in touch with what is going on, in a world that He

wants us to do something about.

Bishop Dr Wee Boon Hup Bishop of The Methodist Church in Singapore

A CLOSING THOUGHT | 51

与时并进

世界在变化，宣教事工也和生活的许多方面一样，必须做出相应的调整。传

统宣教把重点放在差遣宣教士往遥远的国家，在划定的社群内展开植堂工

作。然而，随着时代的改变，我们今后应当重新制定宣教的方向与路向。

全球化

首先是全球化局面，也就是世界各民族和国家之间，有着相互勾连、相互依

赖的关系。无论我们身在何处，都会有 “天涯若比邻”的感觉。花上一年半

载的陆路或水路行程方才抵达目的地的事迹已经成为历史了。除了少数极

为偏远的地区外，要到世界各地已非难事。现代航空业发达，宣教士早上出

发，如果被拒绝入境，同一天晚上或已返回国门了。万一当地出现状况需要

紧急遣散，也不再是难事。反过来说，往返便利也可能是“宣教士”无法落地

生根的因素。

全球化也可以是一种祝福。旅行成为易事后，短宣活动也就应运而生了。然

而，我们还是有一些挑战必须克服。这一类短宣活动可能带来某种错觉，团

员虽然亲临禾场却没有切身投入；而这种切身投入正是装备立门徒的先决

条件。

城市的崛起

传统的宣教聚焦在未得的乡野社群。现今发展中国家的城市纷纷崛起，促使

我们必须在宣教事工上，重新权衡其中轻重缓急的问题。当乡民大量迁移城

市，造成人口过分拥挤，而遗留在乡镇的，多数是年长和幼小的村民。

另一方面，城市外展事工的推动力，不应该只是人多的所在地，同时也应该

是这些国家境内具影响力人物聚集的所在地。原因是在那里可以找到经济

资源，作为当地宣教工作的支柱。如果我们的目标是要透过建立门徒、给国

家带来转变的话，那么，接触并影响那些在经济上、社会上、政治上具影响

力人物的生命，会比改变乡野地带居民更具事半功倍的果效。

把焦点定在城市，并不等于我们就不顾及贫苦大众，因为城市再繁华，仍然

不乏穷困阶层，更何况有些具影响力人物就在这些人群当中。

哪里人多就到哪里工作，是顺理成章的做法。

52 | HARVEST FORCE

职场

传统上来说，市场是人们集聚进行货品服务交易的场所。当今世界，职场上的

交易的已经超过简单的农业产品和工业商品的范围了。在服务方面，我们也

必须包括进行各种民事、商企、政治活动的相关单位。

在全球化和城市崛起的两大前提下，职场也就成为了教会的禾场，因为这也

是对社会具影响力人物的所在地，这里发生的一切也对整个社会产生影响。

有鉴于此，现代的宣教事工也需要关注这个领域。

从这个角度来说，职场和教会有着相似的地方：人们相聚接受上帝所赐，也把

己身奉献上帝。

要在职场上建立教会，人们就必须对“教会”二字重新定义。教会不是一栋楼

房，也不是什么宗派，教会是承认耶稣为主的而聚集在一起的信徒们。

要展开职场宣教，就必须先转换原有模式。我们不再进行传统性的植堂工

作，而是改在常规教会圈子以外，建立门徒，采取“减少有形传教努力，加强

无形人脉关系，借此改变生命” 的新策略。

效仿主耶稣

耶稣在人世间的活动范围在中东这小块地盘上，祂却深谙即便是地小人寡，

其间却有多元种族混杂，有叙利非尼基族人（马可福音七：26），撒玛利亚人

（约翰福音四章），罗马人（马太福音八：5），以及其他通称外帮人的族群。

祂游走城市之间，也在乡野上千人的聚会就地讲道。祂在会堂圣殿等宗教场

所教诲世人、宣讲福音，然而，我们却发现主更多的时间是和“罪人”在一

起。

与时并进所要求的，就是要我们效仿耶稣。主按照不同的人群和场所，随机

应变，最重要还是祂对上帝有回应的特性。祂所以能够这样做，内心驱动祂

的，就是对天父的绝对顺服，而这是在受到圣灵恩膏之下进行的（路加福音

四：18，使徒行传十：38）

世上事物瞬息万变，挑战重重，有许多事物等待我们去办理，要全方位都做到

是不可能的。然而，只要跟随圣灵的步伐，祂就会引导我们配合时局进退，在

祂认定之处做好祂的事工。

黄文合牧师（博士）

新加坡卫理公会会督

Background picture by KennethKeifer/Bigstock.com

harvest force 2015 issue 1

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