Our 1st entry!

Hello to our care group members, sheeps, our leaders,
close brothers and sisters whom we love to share our life with, and members of the public,

Before leaving for the Cambodia mission trip, I thought of involving
you guys more, in terms of what the team is going to do and how you can
support us in prayers in Singapore.

Who is in the team?
Myself, Calyn, Weiling, Serene Ho, Joyce Peh, and Timothy is leading this team.

God has formed this team filled with people who are equipped with skill sets which complements with each other.
At this juncture, I see many things that we are planning to do are things which God has been preparing us.

Eg. Outreach, discipleship, service support, teaching the WOG, guitaring, singing, deco, acting.
Actually, mission starts here in Singapore.

Where are we going?
We are going to Cambodia (duh?) and visiting the orphanages in the city and village.

Duration:
3rd Jan - 10th Jan 2010

Time Zone Difference:
Cambodia is 1 hour slower than Singapore.

Flight Details:

Departing
Singapore(SIN) on Sun, 03 Jan 2010, 0815 hrs
Arriving
Phnom Penh(PNH) on Sun, 03 Jan 2010, 0915 hrs
Flight: MI602 Economy Class

Departing
Phnom Penh(PNH) on Sun, 10 Jan 2010, 1810 hrs
Arriving
Singapore(SIN) on Sun, 10Jan 2010, 2110 hrs
Flight: MI607 Economy Class

Briefly what this trip is about:
We are going to interact with youths living in a place we named as "JOKO"
We are going there to impart life skills thru activities and conducting workshops, helping them to make decisions in life. We will be doing an outreach service to share about God's love for them, that they might come to experience hope.

Background of Cambodia:
Cambodia is one of the poorest country in the world.

This country is crippled by decades of wars, international embargoes, political and economic stagnation. Majority of the Cambodians live in rural areas. During the extension of the Vietnam war into Cambodia, around 2 millions Cambodians were killed, followed by the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge.

Even now after 30 years, the effects are still very much present in Cambodia as the children had lost their parents since young.

This image was originally posted to Flickr by cambodia4kidsorg
at http://flickr.com/photos/58428285@N00/10889253.

Over half the population is under 18 years old. They are concerned of their survival, in terms of social and economical well-being. Those luckier ones are brought into the orphanages, while
the rest had to roam around the streets, begging, even exploited and become victims of sex trade.

Many die, unknown, unloved and unaccounted for.

What is the main thrust for this team?
We are having an opportunity to conduct an Outreach Service for about 100 Cambodian youths on 7th Jan 2010, instead of the previous 200-250 pax.
We will be linking up with another team (bros and siss from adults group) to put up this service
together. It is something like our ESS - we will have games, praise, testimonies, a skit, sermon, and lastly a time for response to receive Jesus into their lives.

Challenges we are facing:
Haha! We are left with very few days for our prep phase and all of us are managing pastoral roles and prep for UNI-YA anniversary at the same time, before we finally leave on the 3rd Jan.

We are going to meet language barriers there, but that also called us to rely on the universal language - LOVE! Even if we cannot speak their language, our team believes that God's love will cross all boundaries. We will use alternate means to bridge the gap - using pictures, simple english and music to drive across the Message of the Cross.

Huge responsibility which God has given us, to be used as a vessel to bring His love to these people who are in need of hope - the True Hope.

What a honour to be selected to be part of this team!

What can you pray for us?
1) Pray for the team to be united in spirit, to move according to God's prompting.
2) Pray for the team to experience renewal of God's love as we enter into this land.
3) Pray for God's hand to reach into the hearts of the Cambodian youths whom we will be interacting with, during this 8-days trip. Let not the dark forces in the spiritual realm keep this children from coming to Jesus.
4) Pray the message of the cross will be proclaimed as clearly as it should, to bring salvation onto this land.
5) Pray for protection for this team - physical and spiritual and emotional.
6) Pray that the team can handle sudden changes in plans and be flexible to them. This happens a lot of time in missions.


Conclusion:
For myself, I hope not just that I can learn and be broken by God through this trip, but ask of you to experience with me the journey of someone going on a mission. I will continue this sharing with you when we come back. Please pray for us, ok?!

Whenever we have access to the world in our guest house in the evening, we will bring you the latest updates (prayer points, pictures, journals) on this platform and we really appreciate your prayers and encouragements through sms/on this blog page throughout the trip :)

Thanks thanks!
May God move so mightily in this trip!
Guan Rui