TUAO MISSION – DECEMBER 2015 This trip was a combined Medical Mission & VBS Venue: Taribubu Tuao East Church of Christ Date: 3rd-9th December 2015

Medical Team: Dr. Char Li Shing, Lim Soo Lang, Peggy Phua, Lee Mee Geok VBS Team: Marissa Law (I/C), Jesse Bestre (Youth I/C), Joemar Recomono, Darren Teow, Kweok Zheng Wei, Tay Si Yuan, Christine Lim, Rachel Teow, Vanessa Ng Leader & Chaperone: Patrick and Judy Ong, Mission Objectives: 1. To train and equip adults & youth in mission fields 2. To expose Christians to the various outreach channels in sharing the Word of God 3. To conduct a medical clinic for the Taribubu community 4. To develop a spirit of sharing God’s word 5. To plant seeds of the Gospel in the people of Tuao

SUMMARY OF MEDICAL MISSION Our objective was to reach out to the Tuao community through this medical mission, to share God’s love with them and to get them to know the church. The medical mission was conducted for 1 day only on 05/12/15, but the response was overwhelming. There was some rain but that did not stop the villagers from coming to seek medical attention. As we had only one doctor, Dr Li Shing, to handle the consultation, sister Mee Geok suggested having two different queues, separating those who just wanted to obtain multivitamins from those who wanted medical attention.

This lightened the doctor’s load, as there were many who just wanted vitamins. In this

way, we could reach out to more people without tiring Dr Li Shing.

3 registration stations were set up outside the church building where the nurses and locals triaged and separated the villagers into two queues. Sister Marissa controlled the patient flow at this pre-consultation area. Brother Patrick assisted with the patient flow within the consultation & pharmacy inside the church building.

Soo Lang, Mee Geok and brother JoJo manned the pharmacy, dispensing, labeling & translating instructions to the patients. Sisters Judy & Peggy assisted with the multivitamins section alongside us. We had prepared a fairly wide range of medication including multivitamins, antibiotics and topical creams. Dr Li Shing did a marvelous job. He patiently screened & examined all his patients. Our Filipino interpreter assisted him. Many came with cough & sore throat. Some were newly diagnosed with hypertension and some were already diabetic. Sister Babes & her team prepared lunch to feed the villagers who were waiting for the medical consultation. The medical mission went on from 8.30 am to after 5 pm.

We saw almost 316 patients on that day of which 180 patients went thru the medical consultation and 136 patients came for the multivitamins.

The patients who came for consults were mostly the elderly, women and young children. Most of them were malnourished and debilitated. Some of them had poor control of their chronic conditions e.g. high blood pressure and diabetes as they were too poor to seek any forms of medical help.

REFLECTIONS - Lim Soo Lang I thank GOD for giving me the opportunity to be part of the medical team. Though we were tired with the day’s work, our spirits were uplifted with the ability to attend to the needs of the villagers.

Our VBS youth are a capable lot with many talents. They were able to engage the children with their singing, skits & craftwork led by sisters Judy and Marissa. Our youth served on the Sunday worship team together with brother Patrick who delivered an uplifting sermon, illustrated by using two coins going through a hole in the paper to bring forth the message “WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE”.

I would like to thank Patrick for his patience and humble attitude, lovingly leading us to successfully accomplishing this mission. I am grateful to the whole team including our Filipino brethren who were committed & united as a family church.

Thanks to brothers Jhun Ma, Oscar, JoJo, sisters Joy, Janet, Grace & Babes who worked very hard behind the scenes. Also thanks to sisters Babes & Judy and brother Saul for their hospitality in providing us with nourishing meals & transportation.

A final note of thanks to the PP church for praying for our safety & success. Praise GOD for His everlasting love & kindness. REFLECTIONS - Peggy Phua First, I must thank the Alimighty God who gave me another opportunity to serve Him in this area, especially for my good health and strong legs so that I could climb in and out of the Jeepney. Thanks also for protecting us from luggage scam and good weather. I must give credit to our young brothers and sisters who were vibrant and full of enthusiasm in their singing and performances at the schools. Every morning when we set out on our journey, their beautiful voices serenaded us with their songs. When the day was over, on the way back to our accommodations, they were again singing, making the bumpy journey much, much easier. Each of them did well. Their teamwork, the bonding and co-operation were incredible. They were just a group of awesome young talents. Our Filipino brothers JoJo and Jesse and sister Marissa really made a difference.

REFLECTIONS - Lee Mee Geok This was my 2nd medical mission to Tuao. The team comprised of Li Shing, Soo Lang, Peggy Phua and I, but the mission was not possible without the help of others like Judy & Marissa from Singapore, Babes from Tuao , Janet & JoJo Ramos from Baguio and other local brethren. Many of the villagers were too poor to seek any form of medical help. It dawned on me that we Singaporean are so blessed to have easy access to medical care and more than enough food daily. I was touched by the local brethren, who showered us with so much love, hospitality and help during the event. More importantly, we give praise and glory to God who used all of us with different gifts to serve Him in the VBS & medical missions. “For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.” 2 Cor 4:15

REFLECTIONS - Rachel Teow This year’s mission trip experience was a really different from my last Tuao mission in 2010. Each of the 6 days was very meaningful and filled with many things to learn from through the devotions, activities and interactions with the people there. Every day was like a new challenge for us, as we reflect and feedback on our experiences each night and

how to better improve the next day’s events. This trip for me also had several unexpected but impactful moments where we could see God working. Our VBS Team was a diverse yet dynamic team, which consisted of a mix of young people from Singapore and the Philippines. Abi and Grace from Baguio joined us in Tuao and they were able to stay till after our last VBS on Tuesday morning and was of great help in the VBS activities. Thank God for His providence for He provided more hands for us for the VBS when we thought we would be short of manpower when the medical team left. Jesse, Joemar, Abi and Grace interpreted for us, helping us to engage with the children. We also learned to introduce ourselves in Tagalog to the students. It was encouraging to see that our presence and VBS lessons had an impact on the children because they were singing the songs our team presented and talking about our VBS lesson of “Cautiousness” days after we visited their school. There was also a new element to our VBS, which was to start the VBS with a prayer together with the students in the school. The short prayer led by Jesse was really impactful as it helped to teach the children to be thankful for the things that they have in life and at the same time for God to guide us all during the VBS activities. I was grateful and amazed at how our team worked well together when we had to familiarize ourselves with a whole new skit the night just before the VBS at the high school and was able to deliver the lesson and the skit smoothly to the students the next day. The people there willingly shared their life stories with us and were very hospitable and friendly. My homestay host, sister Jeanalynn shared about how she really loved having her family and church near her even though life in the village may be tough at times and she is happy living a simple life in Tuao. It made me think about how sometimes we always strive to achieve more in life that we fail to appreciate the God-given things in life that mean much more. Peace and joy from God is what can sustain us through the tough times in life. There were also many moments of singing songs of praises to God, such as during our Jeepney rides and also during our home visits. The singing was uplifting both for our team and the people there as well. The effort by our team to learn to speak and sing songs in Tagalog/Ilocano helped us to relate and connect better with the people there. The mountain hike in the rain was really challenging. However, God’s protection was indeed over us as we managed to finish the hike safely. What was encouraging was falling together and supporting and helping one another up throughout the hike. The devotion by Brother Joemar about standing firm in God (Phil 4:1) was a timely reminder that though the road may be difficult and tough like our mountain route, we will be able to overcome it by being grounded in God. Towards the end of the hike and after the rain, we were greeted with a beautiful rainbow. It was like God revealing his covenant of everlasting love, reminding us of how amidst all trials, God is always faithful and at the end of it all, we are conquerors for God.

REFLECTIONS - Vanessa Ng This was my first mission trip and I really enjoyed myself there with all the fellowship. I learnt a lot about the life as a Christian in rural areas, which is actually quite different to being a Christian in Singapore. In Tuao, things are very different. The lifestyle is extremely simple and the people there are so welcoming and loving. I really like the fact that they have really close relationships with their neighbours, almost like one big family. This really reflects the verse Mark 12:31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." However in Singapore, we barely know our neighbours, yet after this trip, it is still hard to take the first step to talk with our neighbours.

In Tuao there is no haste and no worries, they really depend on God to provide rain and shine for their crops. With Singapore's lifestyle it is hard to believe that God is the one providing our needs when everything we do revolves around money, our hard work is what pays. This has allowed them to walk really close to God. I really hope to depend on God in more things in life. God will provide for us as mentioned in Luke 12:24 “Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” At the same time, the Bible also mentioned in Proverbs 10:4 “A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich.” There is a need to learn how to balance between dependency on God and hard work. Whatever we do, it should eventually be for the glory of God from the heart. Col 3:23 “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,” REFLECTIONS - Darren Teow This is my second trip to Tuao, Philippines, yet it was another new experience for me. I got to work with lots of people: with our leaders, Jesse and Jojo (Joemar), who are both from the Philippines and are currently studying in SIBI. There were three first timers: Vanessa, Si Yuan, Zheng Wei. I got to step out of my comfort zone and was able to work together with my sister to teach the interactive songs for the VBS.

I felt really energized whenever I looked at the beautiful scenery, mountains, padi fields and villages that God has given us. We had our first Vacation Bible School (VBS) programme at Taribubu Elementary school on Friday morning. I could tell that the students were very curious and were looking forward to our performance. We prayed with the children and introduced some interesting cheers to get their attention. We also introduced ourselves to them

in (Tagalog). The funniest part was that two of my friends had to change their name as they do not have any English name. We changed Si Yuan to Sean and Zheng Wei to James which were easier to pronounce.

Our team and some of the local children hopped onto the Jeepney and went to Brother Arial's mountain for a hike. We hiked up the mountain, passing padi fields, walking on mud and river streams. As we hiked up the river, some of the local children were catching crabs even as we were trying not to get our shoes wet. Then we came to a steep slope with an inclination of 45 degrees. We were so shocked! We had to crawl like spiders on rocks with less algae. Once, I tried holding onto a plant to pull myself up, but the plant had thorns and caused small cuts on my hands.

We stopped along the river for lunch and a short devotion. After a prayer, we continued hiking. At times, we could only hold onto tree branches and sharp roots, using them to pull and help ourselves up the mountain. It was actually quite challenging and treacherous. I kept on praying as we went up the slope, climbing through the woods using my hands and legs. Thankfully we made it to the top of the mountain. It started to rain and we had to put on our ponchos. We rested at a small hut and caught a good glimpse of the scenery before starting our journey down the mountain. As we were walking down the mountain, there were many times when I fell because of the slippery mud. It was quite tiring to walk on the mud down the hill. Thankfully, the rain abruptly stopped. It took us about 2 hours to reach the bus. When we reached the bus, we stopped and posed for a picture to mark our accomplishment of conquering the mountain hike and went back to church with our muddy shoes. We were very thankful to all the helpers in church who were very hospitable and quickly offered to help us wash our muddy shoes.

The next morning it was Sunday. After breakfast, we had our worship service. It was actually my first time being a song leader in church. The lesson of the day was "Everything is possible with God".

After the lesson we broke into our own discussion groups, as we shared our experiences with God and ended the service with two of our songs that we had prepared for the Tuao congregation. After lunch, we headed back to the resort to witness two baptisms by brother Oscar and Uncle Patrick. We spent the rest of the time playing ‘deal or no deal’ with the other youths in Tuao. We got to know a lot of people through the games. We played until it was about 4.30 pm.

As the sun began to set, we boarded the jeepney bus and headed back to church. We had a delicious dinner at sister Judith’s home and the youth played some interesting games that engaged the adults as well. Sister Judith’s home was the homestay home for Jojo, Zheng Wei and I as well. Grace and Abi also joined us in the same house for homestay as well. We then spent the night talking about the gospel with Brother George and I felt that it was very meaningful though at times I could not really understand what they were saying. Thanks to Abi for being the translator so that Zheng Wei and I could understand the sharing too. We ended the sharing with a prayer and it was indeed a fruitful and heartfelt sharing session for all of us.

I want to thank God for this trip. This trip was different compared to the previous trip yet interesting and fun as I got to work with different people from other countries and also learnt some of their language too. I also want to thank God for watching over us and protecting us throughout the trip especially during the hike. I also got to try out "baluk" which is an egg that contains an embryo that is 14 weeks old. REFLECTIONS - Kweok Zheng Wei This is my first ever mission trip. I am really thankful and grateful for this trip and experience although I was quite nervous at the start of the trip. However, I became overcome with joy in the end as God has showered blessings upon us during this trip by guiding and blessing us. It was raining during our 7-day trip. However, the rain did not really affect us badly. The only event that really affected us badly was the mountain hike as we were usually indoors. I was able to sleep quite well except for one day, during our home where dogs are constantly barking. I am grateful for the great rest and weather. This trip was fun and enjoyable because I was able to learn a lot of new things from the people in Tuao. I got out of my comfort zone and experienced things that I never experienced in Singapore. For example, the toilets in most of the village homes in Tuao are not automatic I really liked the life in Tuao, it is much simpler. I felt more relaxed and there are less distractions like the phone.

This trip has enabled me to know more and make new friends, for example, the medical team members, Jesse and Joemar. Our VBS skit was also a success as it was able to capture the students’ attention and help them to understand the main key point of the the attitude of Cautiousness. Although we had to make some last minute changes to our skit for the high school, God was there to guide us. It turned out to be a success too! Hopefully, more youth will be able to go for the mission trip next year where they will be able to experience new things. Ultimately, we are not here just to have fun but to spread the gospel of God. I remember a verse shared by Darren during his devotion that really touched me. Acts 20:24 "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me―the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace."

REFLECTIONS - Jesse Reuben Bestre Generally, I can say that the Mission Trip in Tuao, Philippines was fruitful, enlightening, and fulfilling. It was filled with experiences and lessons you cannot learn or gain at school. The mission trip was fruitful because I was filled and reminded of many lessons such as patience, understanding, and endurance through the different activities such as the hiking and home stay. I was reminded of the timeless truths during the daily devotions shared by the brothers. Finally, it was fruitful because we were able to accomplish the things that we wanted to do in Tuao, which was to share God’s word and love through our acts, deeds, and words. I was enlightened because I had a better understanding of the faith of other people. That people have different spiritual maturity and that Christianity should not be enforced on people by us because it is still God who converts. I also had a better understanding of mission work and how it is done through dedicated and willing Christians. I am fulfilled because of the mission trip. Personally, the best parts of the mission trip were the moments wherein we were able to be a blessing to others and they were also a blessing to us. In the VBS, we could simply help the students as we taught them through singing, acting, and creative presentations. Also, working with other Christians was also a fulfilling experience for me. I saw that through unity, we were able to accomplish His will for us during the mission. Doing these things for the people of Tuao, I am blessed by their hospitality, kindness, guidance and more than that, their love and the happiness shared within. I rejoice and give thanks to God that I was given this opportunity to do mission work in my home country. If I am given a chance to join a mission trip again, I would be glad to do so, in order that I may be able to lead, learn, and serve for God’s greater glory.

REFLECTIONS - Tay Si Yuan Overall, this will be one memorable and enriching trip that I will never forget. Their warm friendliness towards us has improved our relationships with the people over there. They have put through a lot of effort to make this trip possible. This trip has helped me to learn more about: • Being able to adapt to new places and being independent, e.g. taking care of keeping my items secure and safe.

• The language, culture of the people (the children) who live there, including speaking in their language, and their living environment, and during the home stay, the problems that they face. • The friends that go for the VBS together, such as their personalities (some cheerful and talkative) and character. • My spiritual walk, that is, how God is there to always help us, strengthening our faith with him, and knowing more about his word. This trip is an eye-opener for me. On this mission trip I experienced new things such as:

• my first visit to the Philippines, including the church. • Riding on a jeepney, including its rooftop, and the tricycle. • Going through difficult times, such as scaling the mountain up and down and through the river. • Being able to make use of my musical talent, such as singing, to help my friends out for the VBS trip. • The VBS, allowing me to gain new insights on how to perform better the next time and plan in advance.

Thank you for each and every of you guys that have come for the mission trip and also for the people in Tuao who warmly welcomed us there. Everyone contributed to the effort of making the trip and the VBS successful. This trip would not be possible without all of you. I really enjoyed myself for this trip and I hope that I will be able to go back there next year if possible.

Summary (Patrick): Don’t take anything for granted—be grateful to God. Ecclesiastes 7:14 (The Message) “On a good day, enjoy yourself; on a bad day, examine your conscience. God arranges for both kinds of days so that we won’t take anything for granted.” Life is full of twists and surprises—some good and others not so good. Small and simple things often have a great impact. In the seven days together, the team was faced with emotional, physical and spiritual problems. Life doesn’t work according to plan. Though human promises often fail and disappoint us, thank God for sustaining the team by providing daily wisdom, guidance, teaching, encouragement, forgiveness, joy, and the confidence that the team can overcome the challenges to conduct the medical day and the three days of VBS at 2 Elementary schools and 2 High schools.

All praises to God Almighty for leading and guiding the team. It was a challenging but joyful and fruitful experience as the team got to interact with young and elderly people and give hope to all of the members of the Lord’s kingdom in Tuao.