BUILD YOUR KINGDOM HERE

Mission trip was the bombxzxz.

I travelled with good friends and i think we make a great team (Don included even though we've only briefly met 2 times before flying). It was so much fun and we had a lot of laughter and jokes along the way. We definitely had great chemistry and it made working together such a breeze!

Companionship aside, i love the fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Hope Yangon. The dynamics and problems they face are so different from Singapore's but the fire they have for God is undeniable. I was moved, inspired and encouraged through their hearts for God and His Church. We also had pretty memorable moments - the guys cramping in the boot of the car, laughing and discussing over ministry problems on the last night, impromptu worship and such. I am SO excited that some of them will be flying over to Singapore in May for Uni Leadership Camp and for Alpha Conference although I suspect i may be in a one-sided affair with my own excitement haha.

There was one night in bed when Joy and I talked about our feelings for this trip. Both of us agreed that we enjoyed the trip and we see the value of helping to build the church in Yangon. We are inclined to go back to Yangon again though we have to see how our finances, our commitments, our families can work out. I wonder if it's God's plan all along. When the slots for STM first opened up, i wanted to go Harbin due to personal biases. But in my heart, i felt that it was not right. So i committed to God that i will go wherever it is necessary for me to go. I texted Tracy and I told her i will join the team with the least amount of people except Christchurch because it is waaaaaay out of my budget. She suggested Myanmar not only because the team needed people but also because it fitted into my schedule as a leader the best (although we had to postpone the trip eventually lol). So I signed up alone, feeling disappointed, not knowing who would join and having no feelings whatsoever for the country and with zero knowledge about what we were going to do there (i didn't even know we had a Hope Myanmar!). It was only after i signed up that i realised Brian and Joy would be flying to Myanmar too. They had also signed up individually with no consideration of who would be in the team. It was under such circumstances that the team was formed. No other motives nor any other motivation except for one: to serve God wherever we are.

And now, after the trip is over, i wonder if it was God who orchestrated the whole set up. We went not expecting our parents to agree to a controversial country but they gave us consensus to go. We went not knowing anybody and ended up having great team dynamics. We went thinking we were going to outreach and it turned out to be a discipleship mission (and just nice, our team was fully made up of LGLs and above and all of our strengths and passion lie in discipleship). We went not knowing what to expect and ended up having such a good experience and getting so inspired. It felt like everything fell into place neatly. I don't know if my sentiments would be the same if i had gone to any other country. Perhaps i will be equally passionate and motivated but now that the Uni ministry will be adopting Myanmar under their wings, i wonder if this is the start of something new and God had made a beautiful thing bloomed out of something unexpected. I guess only time will tell.

It was a good experience nevertheless and i am glad that i chose to go on a mission trip! I had fun playing with the kids at the orphanages. They were all so cute! And though there were many last min bombs like preaching, sharing and games, the team covered each other in our strengths and weaknesses. Everything concluded pretty well in the end. Mission has also opened my eyes to see that there is something bigger that God has planned. It was overall a fruitful trip and i would love to embark on another soon - be it to Myanmar or to anywhere else.