Harvest 2011

K a j a n gA s s e mb l yo f G o d

ADD52J a l a nTi mur , 43 000Ka j a ng POBox20, Ka j a ng Se l a ngorDa r ulEhs a n, Ma l a y s i a TEL03 87 3 61 890FAX03 87 3 693 96 EMAI Lof f i c e @ka og. or g. my www. ka og. or g. my

Jul y201 1-Jul y2012

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Kajang

Assembly of God

Celebration Services KAOG@Timur 52, Jln Timur, 43000 Kajang

ENGLISH SERVICES Adult Services Sat 5.30pm Sun 11.00am Powerhouse Youth Service Sun 11.00am Sonshine Kids Children Service Sun 11.00am CHINESE SERVICE Sun 8.30am BAHASA MALAYSIA SERVICE Sun 8.45am TAMIL SERVICE Sun 4.30pm NEPALI SERVICE Sun 10.30am All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without express written permission is prohibited. Opinions and views expressed do not necessarily constitute the official stand of the church.

Printed by Sun Graphic.

WHAT IS OUR VISION? “We are a worshipping community of God’s people declaring God’s Glory.”

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

WHAT IS OUR MISSION? What we intend to do to fulfill our vision.

Each of the mission statement below seeks to fulfill one and at times two out of the three components of KAOG’s vision statement.

To reach out to the different language, ethnic, age and social groups in the Kajang area with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

KAJANG ASSEMBLY OF GOD Tel: 03-87361890 Fax: 03-87369396 Email: office@kaog.org.my Website: www.kaog.org.my KAOG@Timur 52 Jln Timur KAOG@Metro 2-1 & 2-2, Jln Metro Avenue 2, Metro Avenue 43000 Kajang, Selangor

To disciple and equip every believer for maturity in Christ, success in life and effective ministry.

To evangelize, nurture, disciple, care and develop ministry and leadership through care cells.

To bless our society and our nation through our community services.

To raise up and send Christian workers, pastors and missionaries beyond Kajang.

To plant churches in the regions beyond Kajang which will share a similar vision and sense of mission.

To bless the body of Christ at large.

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MESSAGE FROM the Senior Pastor z

Thankfulness I’m filled with gratefulness as I look forward to our missions weekend for 2011.

There is no greater cause than God’s cause to bring His message of salvation to the least reached. Thank you Lord for:

Be an Esther

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish." (Est. 4:14-16)

• The souls saved and blessed through our missionary efforts.

As you read the testimonies inside and pray over how you may respond to the messages on missions over these few weeks, think through these thoughts from the Old Testament story of Esther.

• The increase in giving and every Ringgit given and invested into Your harvest field.

1. We have come “for such a time as this." (4:14)

• The prayers prayed by our people in KAOG for the lost and the words of encouragement given to the workers in the frontline.

God has His own timing for everything and there is no better time to live and serve God than NOW! We are living in the closing chapters of history where God is pouring out His Holy Spirit and fulfilling the prophecy that “the earth will be filled with the

• The pastors, missionaries and workers who have gone into Your harvest field.

nnn In Him,

z

Pastor Chan Nam Chen [3]

knowledge of the glory of the LORD”. The Holy Spirit is moving supernaturally so that entire groups of people are coming to the saving knowledge of Christ. Around the globe every day, 53,973 individuals (1.64 million every month) from non-Christian homes accept Jesus. If the Holy Spirit is stirring us to personally go to the unreached or to support His cause by praying more faithfully, giving more sacrificially and caring for the missionaries more lovingly, we must do it. For such a time as this, God has caused us to be born, to know Him and to experience His love and power.

2.

If we remain silent, “relief and deliverance… will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish.” (4:14)

But what if we do not obey and do nothing? This is where we must know that we disobey at our own peril. First, God’s purposes are not dependent on man and God is not beholden to man. If as individuals and as a church we do not rise in obedience, God will simply raise up other individuals and churches for His cause and we lose the privilege of partnership with Him. Then, we also risk losing the blessing of God and risk

spiritual decline, dryness and possibly spiritual death. I’ve seen it happen to Christians from older churches and it can happen to us.

3.

We must have a “if I perish, I perish” spirit in furthering God’s cause.

This is a big difference between wishful thinking that produces nothing and a perspective of life that will bring advance to God’s kingdom. Queen Esther was willing to act regardless of the risk of losing everything. Jesus said: “… unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.” (John 12:24)

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by Rev Chan Nam Chen

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Simply Spirited f you are a person who always has at the ready a laundry list of reasons for not connecting with people for Jesus, you should speak to Sybil Sinniah. She'll put it right; no condescending remarks, just a dose of simple faith that will be sure to move you.

I sat with her one hot Tuesday afternoon in church, and came away thinking how cool she was.

For her is not the discourse of the so-called intellectually minded. Not for arguments nor debates. No, she speaks about the Lord and the Cross matter-of-factly, no airs about her, but with a sincerity so palpable you cannot but feel it. And the thing is, she shares with anyone and everyone.

What is it that drives this ex-TNB employee to speak up when so many others prefer to stay low, reasoning and analysing and then dismissing an opportunity to spread the word about Jesus and all that he means?

To be sure, Sybil doesn't think herself special. She is humble to the core and you can see it in her eyes. "I have no ability," she confesses, "but every day I submit to God and ask him to use me in any way to reach out to people". I knew at once this woman is anything but "not special".

Therein is the unvarnished truth; it is her intimacy with God every moment she's awake that makes her do what she does.

This disciplined prayer life and unshakeabale faith in her creator have developed a love for people that sets her breed apart from the rest of believers.

Not all of Sybil's encounters culminated in a sinner's prayer, though. Many were not easy as numerous hearts had become hard.

Like us, she probably can come up with a list of reasons for not connecting for Jesus. But her daily walk with the Lord precludes this path from her.

What then shall we say about ourselves? If we continue to omit Christ in everyday events and conversations because it is "hard and inconvenient" to do otherwise, can we really say we are walking with God? [5]

by David Christy

When Sybil met Chuk Moi (as told to David Christy)

THIS

IS SYBIL'S STORY. YOU MAY THINK OF IT AS A STRING OF COINCIDENCES, OR A DIVINE ACT OF GRACE. SURELY, YOUR FAITH WILL COLOUR YOUR VIEWPOINT. I met this Chinese lady once in a while during my A few days later I met her, again during my morning walks near my home in Seri Kembangan. I morning walk. I asked her how she was doing and she didn't know her personally, though. We passed each said, "Itu Yesus banyak bagus". Apparently, except for other and smiled. That's all. a moment or two of discomfort, the 50-something was sleeping like a baby now.

One morning last year, I noticed she was sighing quite a bit. I summoned the courage to ask her what I was gratified. I had never stopped praying for was wrong and she told me she had trouble sleeping her after our first encounter. for many nights.

Chuk Moi was excited. And thankful. So thankful Without asking, I almost immediately put my she wanted to know what she should buy for Jesus. hand on her shoulder and prayed. And that was that. "Perhaps some fruit? Meat?," she asked me.

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Pastor Simon is the 'captain' of KAOG's Nepalese flock.

Q: Do you have an unfulfilled dream? What is it?

A: Yes, I do. And it is about the numbers 40, 400 and 4,000. These are the people I want saved.

Q: What is the biggest problem you faced while evangelising in Malaysia?

A: Transport.

Q: What is the single most important thing lacking in Christians you know?

A: Wisdom of God, knowledge of the Bible and not being led by the fullness of the Holy Spirit. Sorry, three things.

Q: If there's one piece of advice you want to give to our youth, what would it be?

A: Be serious about God and God's work.

I explained to her Jesus did not need things from her. But he wanted her obedience. I asked if she wanted to accept the Lord as her saviour, but she said she needed to ask her family first.

her to a church that very moment. I had to put her in touch with someone.

Then we walked down. As we turned out of the staircase, I saw out of the corner of my eye, a man It was still very walking on the fivedark when we walked footway in our up the stairs to a direction from the far Chinese church in a end of the row of shoplot about 10 shops. I told Chuk minutes' drive from Moi we should wait. the fateful tree. The door-grille was When he reached Days later, by the locked. At first we did us, something stirred hand of providence, not know what to do. in me, and I told him, we met again. I put I prayed desperately, not knowing who he the question to her asking God for was, about how Chuk once more, and this direction. Chuk Moi Moi had accepted the time she said yes. So, was on the doorstep Lord and her need very early in a of the church, yet I for guidance and a windless morning still couldn't make the church. I asked him if under the shelter of a connection for her. he knew how to help big tree, I led her in This opportunity for her. reciting the sinner's God could not be The Lord worked prayer. lost, I thought. another miracle that There and then, I asked Chuk Moi day. That man was too, I urged her to to have a look at the Pastor Kong. It was join a church so that many posters and his church we had she would grow in the brochures in Chinese just gone to. I was Lord. I asked her if pasted on the wall for exhilarated. Chuk her daughter would some information; Moi had found her take her to church. perhaps they'd show Home.

She wasn't sure. I the time of the decided I had to take church's service.

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Walking The Talk

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UR God is a God of faithfulness. He has blessed our outreach ministries in Nilai and Sepang tremendously. We also have a Nepalese gathering every Wednesday where they have Bible studies and prayer.

We run social services among the needy where we have been giving free tuition in Abaco Estate, Beranang, for the past 8 years. There are about 15 children in the tuition classes. Our main target is to reach out to the poor and to nurture them to be strong in the Lord.

In February 2011, we started a project called Pusat Komuniti Praise Kesuma. This centre provides English tuition to primary school pupils. There are about 27 children enrolled in the centre.

In the same month, our youths went for PCC Semenyih's first mission trip to Taiping and Selama.

We ask God to strengthen and supply us with resources so that we will be able to help people who are unsaved and proclaim the Good News.

Children from the Abaco estate with the teachers.

A care group meeting in Nilai.

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by PCC Semenyih

Wow! What a Hornbill Experience!

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TEAM of KAOG youths went to Sarawak recently on a 2-week mission trip. We were in Kuching, Lundu, Kampung Pasir Hilir

moved to Selangor when I was 13 years old. Naturally, I had to be the tour guide during the mission trip.

After being away for 5 years, I had to depend on God for directions and also on where to eat!

youth concert and trained the youth on evangelism techniques.

and Kampung Hulu, where we handled the children ministry, did street evangelism, talked and prayed for villagers, shared in a cell group, organised a

Empower mission trip, we learned to totally depend on and trust God for strength and What we learned: boldness in sharing the Acknowledging that gospel. I'm from He is God: During the Sarawak and my family

New Testament within 6 days! During our training in Kampar, we learnt to see visions, prophesy and also discern Bible verses to encourage each other.

It turned out that most of the scriptures used were from the New Testament. This simply Bible reading: tells us that the Word of Believe it or not, thanks God is engraved in us to Pastor Nicky's when we earnestly seek training, we managed His Word. to finish reading the

Counting on decisions I've ever made. each other: A great experience was during our trip to the interior.

We were fortunate to experience bathing in the river, buying groceries, cooking our own food and building a toilet. Not only did we grow closer to God, we also grew closer to one another. Joining the Empower Programme was one of the best

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by Geraldine Bong Chia Ing

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The River Of Life Christian Assembly church in Svayrolum .

Children attending English lessons.

I Love This 'Mango' Village

BY SIS MOK YEN CHING

M

y burden for Cambodia started way back in 1996. I had visited many universities and spoken to students there, most of whom had lost their family members in the war during the Khmer Rouge regime (1975-1979). There was so much unforgiveness in their hearts as some of them had witnessed their loved ones being killed by the soldiers. The Lord opened my eyes to see that only Christ can give them complete healing.

With that in mind, I started to pray fervently for Cambodia. On Nov 16, 2010, I stepped out by faith to serve the Lord in Cambodia as a tentmaker. I trusted the Lord for His guidance as I believe He who calls is faithful. Indeed He is faithful, as I found a job at an international school just 2 weeks after my arrival in Phnom Penh.

Though it has been 35 years since the civil war, the country is still in the process of healing. I spoke to an elderly couple in the village about the love of Christ. They were struggling with unforgiveness as they had lost 7 children in the war. Tears welled up in their eyes as they related how their children were killed by the Khmer Rouge. They still can't forgive those who took the lives of their children. For them to forgive is a miracle that only the Lord is able to do.

Currently, I am serving at the River Of Life Christian Assembly in a village called Svayrolum. ''Svay" means mango in Khmer. So, the village is full of mangoes. The church consists of 20 adults, 40 youths and 50 children. Last year, the church bought a piece of land and built a single-storey building. We moved into the building in March. I am helping the church to train up cell leaders. I am also helping in the youth ministry. The youths are very vibrant and committed.

Church members taking part in a community project to clean up a street.

We started a community project in April, cleaning up the street in front of the church. We did it for a month. After the 3rd week, the villagers living along the street started cleaning the area too! They have stopped throwing rubbish.

The members of the church were deeply encouraged to see that the project has brought about a change in the villagers, especially their attitude towards cleanliness. Now the street is clean.

Most of the older generation are still tied down by ancestral beliefs. The younger generation is more open to the gospel. The church gives English classes to youths and most of them attend Bible study on Fridays. 90% of those attending English classes have accepted Christ.

Truly the harvest is plentiful but the labourers are few. Let us continue to pray for souls. I'm grateful to my supporters and the church for their continuous support and also for the love offering for my language study.

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The children, too, are involved in the community project.

BERKAT TUHAN AKAN MELIMPAH

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OLEH THANA

AYA bersyukur pada Tuhan kerana kasihNya tak pernah kesudahan terhadap setiap manusia begitu juga terpancar di Kampung Tekir dalam pelayanan Orang Asli.

Pelayanan di kalangan Orang Asli ini merupakan salah satu pelayanan misi bagi gereja KAOG. Dalam pelayanan ini terdapat lebih kurang 25 orang dewasa dan 20 orang kanak-kanak.

Mereka ini adalah jemaat Tuhan yang tekun beribadah di rumah Tuhan setiap minggu.

Dalam pelayanan ini juga adanya pelayanan sel dan pelayanan kelas tuisyen bagi anak-anak sekolah.

Jemaat di Kampung Tekir juga mula melibatkan diri mereka dalam pelayanan seperti pelayanan muzik dan pelayanan kanak-kanak.

Di sana juga kami mulakan projek

kraftangan bagi ibu-ibu di mana mereka diajar buat kad buatan tangan dan hasilnya dijual di pasaran dan di gereja. Kami juga jadikan kraftangan ini sebagai jambatan untuk mencapai jiwajiwa baru. Kami mula mendidik ibu-ibu ini dalam firman Tuhan bila bertemu untuk membuat kraftangan.

dan dorongan dalam Tuhan kerana latarbelakang mereka yang kurang pendedahan dan inferioriti yang ada

KAOG memainkan peranan yang penting dalam pelayanan di Kampung Tekir kerana tidak ada pastor di sana. Pelayanpelayan Tuhan yang setia dan juga mempunyai kerinduan untuk melayani Orang Asli dari KAOG banyak menyokong pelayanan di sini.

Kalau kita perhatikan dengan teliti hati Tuhan bagi Orang Asli ini dapat rasakan begitu besar dan

Orang Asli perlukan banyak sokongan moral

dalam mereka selalu menjadi penghalang bagi pertumbuhan rohani.

Namun kami percaya di saat firman Tuhan di taburkan pasti ada perubahan dan pembangunan rohani terjadi.

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seperti mana firman Tuhan dalam Yoh 3:16.

Saya percaya bahawa satu kebangunan rohani yang besar akan terjadi dan generasi yang akan datang akan menjadi generasi penerus kerajaan Tuhan.

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LOOK WHAT’S HAPPENING IN VIETNAM B Y PA S TO R DAV I D WAT E R S

Dien Bien and Son La Leper Centres After five years, I finally had the opportunity to visit these centres in the mountains again. These two centres are far away and there are few people who visit them. The weather was harsh; hot in the day and cold at night. In the morning, there was thick fog. Some of the people lived in houses made of brick, but most lived in houses made of bamboo, which allowed the wind to blow through, making it very cold. It is a hard life compared with those in the lowlands/deltas. Because of the difficult journey, very few charity teams come to visit them. We had the opportunity to share God's Word openly with the patients in Dien Bien Centre. A Thai Christian brother acted as our translator.

Thai Nguyen Leper Centre During the Vietnamese New Year, we brought gift packages that contained foodstuff such as sticky rice cakes, preserved fruits and cooking oil. These gifts brought joy and encouragement to them. We were truly happy to hear the leaders, on behalf of the patients, giving thanks to God for the love shown to them by God's people. We prayed for some people, including a woman who had an infected leg and was close to dying. God is truly good and powerful; a few days later, she was healed.

Phu Ly Leper Centre We visited this centre during the Vietnamese New Year and met Dr Dang who was newly appointed to manage the centre. He was very open and thanked us for the gifts that we brought for the patients. While we were sharing God's Word with the patients, another doctor stood up and said: "Thanks to God for bringing you here and sharing these gifts." God has given us favour and we believe that the work of God will touch this centre.

Quang Yen and Thanh Hoa Leper Centres During the Vietnamese New Year, we sent love gifts to the patients in these centres and prayed that they would continue to experience the love of God. Local Happenings We continue to encourage local believers to use more reproducible methods of church planting and leadership development. I am involved in coaching and training the locals, and also giving church-planting training to expats.

In April 2011, Dr Luis Palau and worship leader Don Moen visited Vietnam as part of "100 years of Protestantism" in Vietnam. They planned large rallies in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, but the one in Hanoi was cancelled by the authorities at the last minute. This was a first for Vietnam in allowing a foreign evangelist and his team to minister in the country.

Pastor David Waters is in Vietnam with his wife Pushpa, and daughters Hannah and Abigail [14]

DUNG OR NOT, TRANSLATION CONTINUES

BY REV ELISHA CHUA

"KAINYI Zany". This is how a Tennet greets another person and it means, "I wish you prosperity."

The Tennet are a people group from South Sudan.

Tennet literally means "I give you cow dung." You see, the cow is a very important animal to the Tennet. The cow provides milk, meat and status, and is regarded as a form of dowry for the bride. A dowry can range from 50-300 cows (US$500 per cow) depending on how tall the prospective bride is. And the dung? Well, the dung has many uses, such as plastering the walls of houses. So, they mean well when they say, "I give you cow dung."

I visited Khartoum recently. The Episcopal Church of Sudan hosted me. I conducted seminars for staff of the church's Bible translation department and for pastors and other staff. The department is translating God's Word into 8 languages in Sudan.

We have many partners like the Episcopal Church of Sudan. They are found in South America, Africa, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. Together, we are now translating more than 2,000 languages and these languages impact about 1.2 billion people. With your partnership and prayers, we believe we can reach out to the remaining people groups who do not have the Bible by 2025.

Elisha Chua with Sudanese Bible translators.

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Elisha Chua and his wife Phyllis are with Wycliffe Global Alliance

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Currently, the Tennet have the Gospel of Luke, Acts, I & II Thessalonians and Genesis in their language. Wycliffe partners are continuing the translation despite difficult circumstances in Sudan.

Elisha Chua with Chinese leaders of a government-registered church.

RIGHT after finishing high school in Cambodia, Sok Nouern began a oneyear stay in Malaysia for preschool education training. She shares some of her thoughts here.

Q: What's your best experience in Malaysia?

A: Dealing with the kids in KAOG's preschool and daycare centre! It is a great experience learning how to handle them.

Q: What have you learned here so far?

A: Oh, so many things...I've learned to speak different languages and understand different kinds of people. I've also learned how to teach young children.

Q: How are you going to apply what you have learned here in Cambodia?

A: Whatever I've learned in the children church, care cell and preschool, I will share it with my church members back home. I'll try to apply those creative ideas as much as possible in our Cambodian preschool and make lessons interesting for the children.

Q: What's your advice to KAOG youths?

A: Be grateful as you are really blessed. You have good food, good accommodation, nice clothes, etc, so you should enjoy what you have and learn to bless others who don't have enough.

Academic Excellence Meets Fervent Spirituality

BY REV YEE THAM WAN

OUR main purpose in going to the mission field six years ago was to teach at the Asia Pacific Theological Seminary (APTS) in Baguio. But our ministry on the mission field has expanded a lot since then. It now covers the pioneering of an international church in the city of Baguio (of which Moon Tee is the senior pastor), distribution of scholarships to children of mountain pastors and the training of mainland Chinese leaders, etc.

However, our role at the APTS continues to be the mainstay of our calling. I am the president of APTS and the first Asian to take the leadership role. We travel a lot to raise funds for the seminary and also to recruit students.

We have cut a beautiful plot from the side of a ridge on our campus to put up prayer closets. So far, we have funding to build only 5 prayer closets and a toilet. (A lot of money had been spent putting up a retaining wall.) A team from a church in America provided the initial funding and workers to start the construction. We are seeking more funds to build more prayer closets. We hope APTS will not only be a centre of academic excellence but also an international prayer centre. We invite you to come for a spiritual retreat at our prayer mountain.

Rev Yee Tham Wan and his wife Rev Ngoh Moon Tee are Malaysian Assemblies of God missionaries in the Philippines

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The construction team from America and the half-built prayer closets. Note the huge retaining wall at the back [16]

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One of the big achievements this year is the building of a prayer mountain on the APTS campus. This is part of our vision to marry academics with spirituality.

Rev Yee Tham Wan standing inside one of the prayer closets, which is just big enough for one person.

FRESH out of the Asia Pacific Theological Seminary in the Philippines and armed with a Masters of Arts in Intercultural Studies (and TESL qualification as well), Pastor Bernard Ong is ready to take on the world.

Q: What's your next step?

A: I'll be doing exploratory trips to China this year and Bangladesh next year.

Q: What will you be doing on the mission field?

A: I plan to teach/train/build up church leaders.

Q: What have you learned in APTS? A: Character building (having patience, love and concern) and being a role model to younger students.

Q: How have you changed in the past year?

A: I've come to see issues in a different perspective. I have a more balanced view now, say for example, about healing and suffering, where sometimes suffering cannot be avoided.

Q: What's your advice to the people of KAOG? A: Learn to focus on the major rather than the minor.

See the bigger picture and God's purpose.

Dream and Do!

BY REV KALARANI

WHEN God calls, He will equip us and be with us. That is an awesome truth.

I started the ministry in 2007 in Kg Speu, Cambodia with one church and today after 4 years, the Lord has given us 4 more churches and 2 preschools as well as microfinance projects (which involve about 30 families).

Souls have been saved and discipled and we are raising many young Cambodians into leadership.

When I first stepped into Cambodia, I asked the Lord to give me 5 "champions" for Him. Today, God has raised and is raising many champions for His glory.

Reaping the Harvest Testimonies by two Cambodians

SOMBUH

I AM 19 years old. I was born a Buddhist. About 2 years ago, I received Jesus as my Saviour in the Mahasang Church. Since then, my life has changed.

Where we are today is because of the partnership Before that, I did not between God and you. Thank you for your support, understand the meaning of life. I was very hotsponsorship, prayers, encouragement and visits. tempered and never liked to be corrected. As a result, I got into fights.

But praise God I met Jesus. Today I am a happy person. Jesus has given me a new life. I love to serve God with all my heart, soul and strength. I lead worship in church, I play the guitar and also teach others. I can speak English too. Thank God for Pastor Kala, Pastor Somanang, Curly, Vuthy and Sirim who were/are responsible for my faith.

SOVAN I AM 40 years old and married with 4 children. I work as a farmer. I used to be a drunkard and quarrelled with my family and had many problems.

One day, Pastor Lakshmi from Kambol Church came to my village and shared about Jesus. I accepted Jesus as my Saviour last year. Pastor Lakshmi always visited and encouraged me. Jesus has changed my life.

Now I have stopped drinking and quarrelling with my wife. Today, I and my wife go to church. We still face problems but I know Jesus is with us. Nowadays, I experience peace and I trust God to take care of my [17] family.

I have not stopped dreaming for even more because I have an extraordinary God. There are numerous challenges and much hard work but we serve an extraordinary God. So why not dream and step out?

Laporan Dari PCC Brayan D A R I P D T. S A L O M O S I N A G A Kami sangat bersyukur kepada Tuhan, karena senantiasa memberkati pelayanan kami di Medan.

Tahun 2011 pelayanan kami di Medan berjalan dengan baik walaupun ada berbagai tantangan baik dari dalam maupun dari luar tetapi Tuhan terus meberi kekuatan sehingga pelayanan kami bisa berjalan dengan baik.

baru sebanyak 8 komsel dirumah orangtua anak PPA (bukan Jemaat).

Pelayanan baru juga kami buka yaitu ibadah minggu gelombang II yang kami adakan jam 16.30 sore dengan kehadiran antara 20 – 25 orang.

Sedangkan ibadah minggu gelombang I yang diadakan jam 10.30 pagi dengan kehadiran antara 40 -45 orang. Dengan adanya pembukaan konselkomsel yang baru ini saya melihat semakin bertambah jemaat-jemaat yang terlibat dalam pelayanan komsel. Kami terus gumuli dalam doa agar Tuhan memberikan pertumbuhan kepada gereja kami dalam segala aspek.

Tahun ini kami sedang fokus kepada pelayanan komsel dimana sesuai dengan visi gereja kami membuka 15 kelompok sel tahun ini dan 90 orang hadir setiap ibadah raya. Dan sampai bulan april 2011 kami memiliki 8 komsel, kami terus menggumuli pembukaan komsel-komsel yang baru dan bulan Mei ini kami bisa membuka komsel yang [18]

Blessed Are The Poor

BY REDXONA BOO On Nov 13, 2010, our care cell travelled to Pusat Jagaan Beribuan Kasih in Kajang. It is a home for the underprivileged established in 2006 with 35 inmates, including special children.

The inmates range from the ages of 1 month to 75 years. These are the neglected and terminally ill people as well as patients recommended by hospitals.

The inmates receive shelter, food, clothing, schooling and medication.

Nobody ever gets turned away.

The home has 2 bedrooms, a living area which doubles as a sleeping area, a kitchen and bathrooms. The able-bodied

residents help with the daily chores.

month. Our care cell donated groceries, which were received with much joy.

Our group was welcomed by Kavitha, who takes care of the We also prepared dinner for home and Maganteran, who is the residents, who sat down together to eat after a thanksgiving prayer and song.

We then spent time talking to the elderly folk while the children gathered to watch a short video on the birth of Jesus.

Our leader later explained the gospel message in simple language to the inmates before we prayed for the sick. Finally, we distributed some sweets which were accepted with the driver. Incidentally, both of much pleasure. The visit left an them have outside jobs to help impression on us; we left with meet the monthly expenses deep gratitude for the blessings which can run up to RM5,000 a which we receive every day.

Redxona Boo belongs to the Sungai Chua care cell

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Manna Just Enough For the Day

B Y TA M I L S A LV E E

W

HAT do you do when you are thousands of miles away and you receive a phone call from your siblings saying that your mother may be dying?

It was 8th January, the first day of college. My mother had sudden fits and her body had turned cold. All I could say was, "Father, I need your strength!"

My mother was sent to hospital and recovered after a week. Just as we thought everything was all right, she had a second attack after two weeks. At the same time, my father in Seberang Jaya was admitted to hospital for breathing difficulties.

While my sisters looked after my mother in a hospital in Kuala Lumpur, my brother was with my father. We were mentally prepared for two funerals. I was making preparations to go back to Malaysia in the event of the death of either of them.

My father is the greatest concern as he doesn't know the Lord yet. My mother is a believer.

Thank God my parents recovered but their health is frail. It has not been easy trying to concentrate on my studies. In the midst of going through these "storms", I was reminded of the house that was built on the rock (Matt 7:24-25).

My tutor Kate, who is battling latestage lymphoma, says, "The Lord will give the needed manna daily. Not less or more, just enough for every day".

That is all I need. My Saviour who is the "bedrock" will hold me firmly when the waves come.

Tamil Salvee (Interserve Malaysia) is studying at All Nations Christian College in Hertfordshire, England

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When A Farmer Despairs

W

HAT do you do when the ground is hard and unyielding? When all the digging and turning of the soil, the watering and nurturing, bring nothing out except perhaps the nettlesome weed.

fact is, journalists see everything and nothing. On the frontlines of the news cycle, they are the early witnesses to treachery, deceit, murder, thievery and scandals. They see the moral facade of men (and women) torn down by egregious conduct common to all, differing only in degree.

This is precisely my experience at the workplace; connecting for Christ with colleagues is Being close enough to the news event (or as backbreaking as it is to the farmer on the not-so- person), they have developed this deep mistrust of fecund land. authority (more than the common folk, I venture), and so when you speak to them of heaven and I have, as colleagues, a motley bunch of Jesus, they respond with a generous smile and religious folk representing the major persuasions of nothing else. our day; the sceptics (is there really a God?); the atheists; and those who don't believe in anything Such are the thoughts of this breed of except the number of zeroes on their paycheck. hardened professionals. Too many people in high places have let them down, in this country and One thing binds them all. Scepticism. It could elsewhere. be a peculiarity of my line of work, or not. The [21]

by David Christy

A painful example; the oft-reported abuses by Catholic priests in the US and Europe. Granted, the sins of a few should not be made the burdens of many, and among the brethren this is quite clear. However, non-believers tend to think the worst, that perverseness and injustice are institutionalised in the church, and there cannot possibly be a God who allows all of these to happen for such a long time. (By the way, to most non-believers the terms Catholic, Protestant, Methodist are inconsequential. "They are all Christians".) So, honour, truth and goodness become out-of-place traits, not really "practicable" and "profitable" in the marketplace.

Only if you can cleverly blend them with the ways that can advance your cause -- nothing "terribly evil", just a bit of deceit, some backbiting, working smart (making sure you do as much as the slowest and weakest) -- will you thrive, so goes conventional wisdom.

I don't believe my workplace is incredibly unique.

Non-believers of all stripes are everywhere. But especially in places where people believe themselves intellectually "ahead", the nut is harder to crack.

How does one connect for Christ in this environment? As daunting as it is, there is still a way.

1) Wear your faith on your sleeve -- don't be afraid to associate Christ with the good you've experienced. Verbalise it. People must be made aware of who you believe in.

2) Act out your faith -- be kind, compassionate, hardworking, conscientious. If we do these things in Christ's

name, we honour Him. Just like the apostles who strove to do good. They received hardship and persecution in return, but they carried on in faith. If we capitulate and act like we deserve the paycheck no matter what we do (or don't) in the workplace, we become a terrible ambassador for Christ.

3) Share about Jesus no matter how little. Bill Hybels says it may be our lot in life to meet a person at some point in his mortal existence, and to nudge him a few steps closer to the moment when he'll accept Christ. So, don't wring your hands in despair if your colleague doesn't respond immediately. You may not have front-row seats on the day he is baptised. In fact you may not even know he's become a Christian. But you have played your part, as God intended.

My father taught my brothers and I how to plant vegetables and maize when we were little. I secretly complained about the labour. My seeds didn't germinate. My brothers had better luck. I blamed the unyielding soil, but the real cause was an unteachable spirit, who despised labour and wanted immediate gain. Our farmlands (workplaces) need Christ; do not forsake them.

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