This is my sharing to the team about my mission trip to Sabah. I wrote this yesterday in the evening and at night I was at the Power to Create Wealth conference and Dr Pat Francis made a remarks which so resound in my heart, "it all start with desire, then God will give the ability, availability comes before ability. Her example of how she asked God for the poor and deprived youth, and how God provided was so good, this is what I face now, the students are poor but not because of the environment is notorious but just they are not exposed and taught the way it should be, and I have always asked, what am I going to do, how do i creatively stir their talent and allow them to be groom? The answer is Ask, Ask the Lord of the harvest !
Blessed Assurance
As I am writing this, God brought me back to the memory of my first mission trip with KL First AOG to Cambodia almost 3 years ago, the prophesy I heard and the vision that God had placed in my heart…and now itseems that it had fallen into places. I believe there is no such thing as co-incident and things just happen, but all our steps are ordained by the Lord (Prov 20:24). Never knew that very first connection I had with mission team in KL First AOG to Cambodia became a divine appointment that leads me this far to a full time calling in Penang.
The trip this time round was a bit different in a sense that I am already a full time staff in a church. It was also a last minute planning and decision for me to join the team after getting blessings from my pastor. It was also the first time we are having Children Camp in the 2 villages, and children have always been precious in my heart. I went with much anticipation and confidence this time, praying that Abba would minister and allow the children to absorb whatever that they have learned.
On the first day when we were making journey up to Kota Marudu, there were some hiccups as the villager who was supposed to pick us up did not turn up due to vehicle issue. I was not at all concern, because I know Abba will take care of it because we are in His business, and my experiences of long term stay in the village last year have taught me that everything going to be all right ultimately. Then we managed to get the Ketua Sidang in SIB Tagaroh to fetch us up to Kg Gontoi. When we arrived at Kg Gontoi, my luggage was missing from the vehicle. Of all the things, my luggage dropped on the way up, probably due to the bumpy road that makes room for my luggage to slipped from the ropes and fell. My first reaction was, “Praise God, I just separated out my childrens materials from my luggage into one plastic bag before we went up to village, and it won’t affect my lesson”. Despite the bad news, my heart is totally at peace, because I know ultimately He is in control. Just that my concern is my eyes because my spectacles, contact lens case and saline are all in my luggage, and without it, I couldn’t see as my short-sighted is quite bad.Well, I do not have choice, I just have to make-do with whatever I have, so every night I would be putting my lenses into a bottle of mineral water and the next day I would wore it back again. I praise God for supportive team, one of my funny team mate, Ivan prayed on the first night, “Lord you turn water into wine, now Lord you turn water into saline for Celina”. It may seems like a funny prayer, but yea, I caught the miracle that God performed in Cana 2000 years ago and proclaim as what Ivan had prayed. The next day, I wore back the lenses, and it was all fine and that went on for 4 nights. The first night I was abit cautious on cleanliness of my hands, after experiencing His favor for 2 nights, the 3rd night, I am more relaxed because I know I am in good hand. I have never ever dare to risk anything especially with my eyes, and I knew the hazards of wearing contact lens for long hours, but in the village, without much choice, I knew God will see me through and indeed He preserved my eyes from any harm.
When I came down from village, I checked with one of my friend who is an optician, she was saying it is truly not advisable to do that, and the many articles I read about soaking contact lens properly and its risks, again it proof that God indeed had perform that miracle for keeping my eyes in perfect condition. On a normal days,there would be times when I would had eyes irritation even when I had proper care of my lenses, but throughout the 4 long day, my eyes is in perfectcondition. Indeed God is good.
Of course, needless to say about all other things, clothes, innerwear, toothbrush, towel, etc, all other toiletries, Ithank God for good team mates who willingly lend/giveme some of their belongings despite them needing it for themselves. I am really encouraged with the team spirit that we had throughout the mission trip, despite no clear leader leading the team. It is like we are all leaders, handling different roles at different times, each contributed their best for the people in the villagers.
God have never fail to re-assurance me, the questions and doubts I had in my mind, with this incident, and my calmness of heart, I know that indeed I had grown in my faith in Him and my God is so much greater than my problems. When I thought back the whole incident, and how can my heart be at peace, I am amazed, and I know Abba is with me and I am at right direction, I am made for missions and the reassurance of its not about my ability, but what it takes is just a willing heart, being a vessel used by Him. I really could not find any excuse not to serve Him.
- the end -
24th June 2016
Sitting by at coffee bean after meeting with pastor, again, thanking the Lord for His faithfulness.
