From 17-24 July, a group of Christians from LAPCOC flew to the Philippines for our mission trip to Bontoc, Southern Leyte. This is the 2nd year that we are organizing this mission trip to Bontoc, where bro Nove Aguilar has been serving as its preacher. Bro Nove is one of the foreign preachers that LAPCOC is helping to financially support. Honestly, preparing for this mission trip was a lot of work, but with this trip comes a lot of things to be thankful for!
1. Thankful for the opportunity to do mission work
Why do we do mission trips? This is because we realize that the Lord’s kingdom is bigger than Singapore. The Great Commission of Jesus extends to all the world (Matthew 28:19). There is so much to be done in the Lord’s vineyard: the harvest field is worldwide! This is why we put in resources to support missionaries in different countries. Other than financially supporting them, it is also beneficial to visit their work to see what is happening on the ground. Concurrently, we can help to contribute to their local work by organizing various activities that may be of benefit to their congregation and also to the surrounding community.
Although we were only at Bontoc for a few days, nevertheless it is a blessing to contribute to foreign mission work, even in a small way. We only spent 4 days at Bontoc, but it was 4 full days jam-packed with activities that, hopefully, will bring encouragement to the church, and will also leave a positive impact on the community. Lord willing, the short time spent at Bontoc will leave a lasting influence for the glory of God.
It is often said, by those who have participated in mission trips, that they had set out to encourage the overseas brethren, but instead, they themselves received encouragement. It is true even for this particular trip. It is heartening to see brethren standing steadfast in the faith, even though they live in poorer conditions and have fewer resources to work with. It reminds us of how much more blessed we are living in Singapore, and it also encourages us that we ought to do so much more for the Lord, since we have more resources in our hands.
2. Thankful for dedicated team members
It was a long and tiring journey from Singapore to Bontoc. We met up at Changi Airport at 10.30pm on 16 July (Tuesday). Our 4-hour flight from Singapore to Manila went through the night. From Manila, we had to transit and take a 1.5-hour connecting flight to Tacloban, before taking a 3-hour van ride to Bontoc. By the time we reached Bontoc, it was past sunset on 17 July (Wednesday). Along the way there were flight delays, an arduous transit at Manila where the terminal air-con was malfunctioning, and long windy roads to navigate. Nevertheless, none of our team members complained, but were dedicated to be there at Bontoc for our mission.
It was also a long 4-day stretch of activities at Bontoc. We had a visitation cum food distribution program, conducted a cradle-roll workshop, a preaching workshop, 2 days of Vacation Bible school (VBS) for the children, teenager’s classes, bible seminars, and on Sunday we had worship and bible class together. Each day, our activities began after breakfast, and by the time the day was done, it was dinner time. Nevertheless, every team member completed their individual roles and responsibilities purposefully and diligently. It is no surprise we all slept soundly during the night.
The preparation for the trip did not begin on 16 July, but long before. Everyone had assignments to prepare for, and most of the team were involved in teaching at least one lesson, or to assist in the classes. Everyone worked hard to ensure that they were prepared by the time July arrived. I am thankful that our hard work has paid off.
3. Thankful for the Bontoc brethren
Behind the scenes, the brethren at Bontoc had also been working hard to prepare for our arrival. They had been actively canvassing around the community to invite the neighbors for the events. They had to prepare the food bags for the distribution, the necessary materials for all the activities, the colorfully printed banners that were hung outside the church building, the catered lunch for each day, and more. By the time we arrived, all things were ready.
They also worked hard during the mission trip. On our arrival, the ladies had prepared a home-cooked dinner for us to enjoy. During the 4-day program, they were actively participating, helping to translate lessons, helping to serve food, cleaning up, and more. It is heartening to see the young ladies of the congregation taking the initiative to help with the washing of dishes and the cleaning up.
Outside of our mission trip, the brethren at Bontoc have been working hard on a regular basis, organizing many different activities for the congregation, and also to outreach to the community. This is evident from the photos that are posted on their noticeboard, as well as their printed calendar of events. It is heartening to see that, despite the limited manpower available in their congregation, they are striving their best to be fruitful in the Lord’s kingdom.
4. Thankful for God’s blessings
Most importantly, our mission trip could not have been successful without God’s help. We are thankful that, despite the ups and downs of our travels, God kept us safe throughout. We are thankful that, despite the daily rain (including one particularly blustery thunderstorm), the weather was generally merciful, our activities were not hampered, and we managed to complete most of what we set out to do.
We are thankful to God also for the great turnout for our activities. We may plant and water, but we know that ultimately it is God who gives the increase (1 Corinthians 3:6). We had about 55 in attendance for the bible seminar, where 40% of the attendees are visitors from the neighbourhood. We had more than 100 children who attended the VBS, whereby more than 80% of the attendees were from the neighbourhood! The ladies certainly had their hands full during the VBS, but what a joy to be able to teach God’s word to all the children! On Sunday, we hit a record 140 attendees for our worship service (including both adults and children). By way of contrast, their average Sunday attendance is about 30. We are thankful that our mission program was able to reach out to many in the community.
We are thankful to God that He is working by His providential hand throughout the world, so that even a far-flung place like Bontoc has a sound congregation, and so much good is being done for the lost souls here. We continue to pray that the Lord will bless this work abundantly, and even throughout the world, so that the kingdom of our Lord Jesus will flourish for His glory.
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