Mission Trip: 24-28 May 2008

Ok... goodness... it's been almost a month since i actually went for the trip and i still haven posted anything about it... you can view the photos at alvin's albums here and here... i hope i can recall all the interesting things that happened...

Day 1
Woke up really really early, not because i was really really brimming with a sense of expectation (though i was)but i think it was cos i haven quite finished packing since the night before... plus the fact that uncle peter was fetching us early to go to the airport cos our flight was really really early... auntie yim toh called me when i was shaving and i still havent changed yet.. she told me to bring my stuff near the cc cos they were about to come over soon... i had the impression that they were on their way and would be soon parked there waiting for me so show up so i sped to quickly get myself ready, grabbed my keys, said goodbye to mom and off i went.. it turned out that i didnt actually have to rush cos it took a quite few minutes more before uncle peter's van showed up...

Ate bk with alvin, his parents, amanda and dot... den off we went.. while waiting to board the plane, my worst suspicions we confirmed! I had brought along with me the wrong keys to the padlock i used for my duffel bag!!! And inside of it was some of our logistics stuff! Haha.. nevermind, we'd settle that problem later... spent a good part of the day travelling, Alvin brought his "Manga Messiah" comic book with him.. its the story of Jesus in the gospels mangafied by Christian manga artists.. it was really amusing.. even Auntie Ivy was sooo intrigued by it that she borrowed it from Al until such a time that she should finish reading it... Anyway, it was my first time travelling to philippines using jetstar.. and my oh my let's just say that it was really different.. the seats were closer together and.. okok.. stop ranting..

Anyway, we made our way there and when we had to make the connecting flight from Manila to Iloilo, i had to switch my register again and forced by circumstances, i had to speak in my (what some would call weird-accented) tagalog.. to cut a long story short, we ended up where we were supposed to be, with a lot of waiting time before we could board the flight to Iloilo.. so i sat there with Alvin playing his guitar.. and we were sharing stuff and the Holy Spirit was in our midst... that's when it happened..

Al started playing "cry in my heart" on his guitar and we started worshipping there and then in the midst of everybody at the airport and Holy Spirit ministered to me.. very soon, there i was sitting at the terminal weeping before the Lord.. then He began to show me several things during that time of worship... I saw God chiselling a way the stone from my heart and He was doing a healing work.. And He showed me how i was like a pearl in a shell before Him... how He treasured me and valued me.. in that time of intimacy, He showed me how He's not like the kind of angry vengeful vindictive God who's always out to get me... and He was showing me again concerning the music gifts He's given me.. How can He give me a gift and i not enjoy it.. cos He wants me to enjoy the gifts that He gives too... There i felt His love, His assurance, His intimacy and closeness with me.. and i was just thankful for that time...

And so we boarded the flight to Iloilo and landed at the new airport.. it was soooo much better than the old one but sooo much more further from civilisation... so when we finally got to Iloilo city, it was dark... (it gets dark there pretty quickly).. then we had to do our "holy shopping".. that is, shop for more logistics for the children's camp... so we went down to SM supermarket and bought lots and lots and lots of items.. (you can see the cartloads from the photos).. probably the cashier hadn't seen anyone buy sooo many items or even spend so much in one go.. cos children camps need lotsa children things.. prizes, sweets and all that stuff and we were deliberately overestimating the number of children that would show up just in case cos it was better to be overprepared than underprepared...

At SM City, i felt glad to be back... as i surveyed the faces of the locals, i knew that God was about to pour forth His Spirit upon them.. i knew that someday, they'd be packed in stadiums worshipping Him, hearing His Word and seeing His power demonstrated in their lives.. God began to open my heart and he began to show me how He needed a dreaming place.. someone who would dream His dreams for Him, with Him.. someone with whom He can share His dreams on earth...

We had dinner at Max's :9 together with Tito Joseph, Tita Jane and Tita Joy... during dinner, i stumped Alvin when i told him that every guy in Philippines is called "Brad"... i then proceeded to demonstrate it by calling one of the waiters "Brad" after which he responded.. hahahaha.. and Alvin couln't get why... hahahaha.. so i told him i'll tell him after we were back at the hotel..

Four Seasons hotel has changed a little after our last stay.. for one, the nice little restaurant serving a nice variety of food was no longer there any more.. instead there was a Bachoy place... i was showing Al that cult tv channel of this guy who thinks he's the messiah and thinks that paradise is where his home is at in Davao... and they "do church" very much similar to how we do it.. i even saw a girl on that channel singing "I could sing of your love forever"... tsk tsk tsk...

Day 2
Ate some Batchoy for breakfast at the hotel before we proceeded to the city church.. it was a sunday so we were supposed to teach sunday school.. and when we arrived, we were greeted by Mai Mai and her warm smile.. it's been a really long time since we last saw each other.. that smile widened and cresendoed into a fuller laughter when i brandished my blue duffel bag and requested for a pair of pliers upon the lock that we may gain access to our logistics inside.. she found out about the fact that in my hurry to leave the house, i brought the wrong set of keys with me..lol..


so we started children's church... i immediately recognised Elton and Boy Boy.. i asked them where was Froilan and they told me he was at home... oh but the both of them were still cute... we had a very entu bunch.. when we taught them the steps and actions to the songs, they were very enthusiastic in joining us and we just had fun there doing the actions with them... then Auntie Mavis led them in memorising their verses and presenting it in a creative way and they were quite happy to do it... it took up a lot of time and before Auntie Ivy could share her lesson, the adult service was already over and the children had to go back.. Auntie Ivy told me she expected the service to be longer... So after the service, i went to talk to Cutie and Roanne.. Roanne looked more grown-up since the last time i saw her... she told me she played the guitar now.. actually she was supposed to play for service but she came late.. :P then Cutie was there too.. there was some sort of pleasantness about her.. i watched her play the drums and she did quite well.. she told me she was taking music education in college so she knew how to play a number of instruments.. she's really talented!

After service, we went straight to Robinsons where we had lunch at Jolibee... we saw a number of interesting t-shirts there with interesting captions.. one was something like "video games ruined my life but i have 2 extra lives" and another one was "i used to think i'm indecisive. now, im not sure" Auntie Ivy, Al and I spent some time rummaging through those t-shirts.. we also brought back some Ensemadas and Cinnamon Rolls from Red Ribbon bakery and some doughnuts from Mister Doughnut. Then we went back to the hotel to pack up before we moved to the campsite in Dumangas.


When we arrived at the campsite in the afternoon, some of the kids were already there running around all over the place. I recognised some of them from my previous visit and they recognised me too. Spent some time surveying the camp site and saying hi to them... and i was just there observing them, i noticed how they were ready to love people, how easily they'd trust and give themselves over to people cos that's all they have.. unlike singapore kids, they dun have all the creature comforts.. and one of the things God was showing me was that the Body of Christ is one.. and when we see members of the Body of Christ in a totally different culture, a totally different socio-economic bracket living totally different lives are we still able to see them one with us? Are we still able to see them part of us? We need to be extensions of His hands and feet and our love has to be a practical love.. as our gospel is a practical gospel... the kids were there needing lotsa love.. and they were just sooo open to receive that.


Interestingly enough, i saw Boy Boy and Elton dragging a shy little Froilan in my direction.. and the shy little Froilan was resisting them, obviously trying to avoid me... no doubt he probably has heard from the two of them how i asked about where he was earlier that morning.. and perhaps having not seen me in a long while, he was too shy to approach me.. i remembered how he gave me a hug the last time i was there and told me how he would miss me.. instead of waiting for the other two to be successful in finally dragging him to me, i took a few steps in their direction and said hi.. :)


That evening during the first session, the kids went wild when Auntie Ivy led them to dance.. they always do... And they were just sooo carefree...especially and including the boys.. on some sessions, they'd even go to up to the front and dance in front of everyone! It was quite a sight.. and the experience cannot be compared to me simply telling of it here.. That evening, it was also my turn to deliver the message.. and it was sharing the gospel through the story of the watermelon.. and i was amazed at what God did that night and the number of souls that were saved.. perhpas for some parts they'd look fidgetty, disinterested, bored... but the Holy Spirit moved them anyway and when the altar call was given, they went up the front fully aware of the decision they were making... i thank God that He was in control as always and that the kids were just soooo primed and easily receptive to His message! :D

Then we had time for art and craft.. and they were even so excited at what we were doing though it was relatively simple.. and many of them were really proud of their work.. we almost didnt have enough materials so different groups made different stuff.. some groups made the paper crane which was like quite advanced for a lot of them that they took some time to learn how to do it.. but in the end we had a fruitful day and everyone had fun.. :)


Day 3
After breakfast and dancing in worship, Auntie Ruth opened the theme with our first lesson on Elijah... after that was the memory verse followed by the some more art and craft.. this time, everyone made masks and some loved their masks so much that they wore it even in later sessions! But it was interesting to see how creative they were in crafting their masks.. some really came up with very beautiful pieces!

Then we had lunch... and they served us coke!!! Coke never tasted soooo good.. i seriously think the coke in Philippines tastes better than the one in Singapore.. or maybe its just put in the context of a warm Philippine summer... anyway, all our meals were great.. if ever i should get married, maybe i'll send my wife there to learn how to cook...


After lunch, we went to prepare for games! And everyone was sooooo excited.. because there was a baptism at 4pm we didnt have enough time to play all the games that we intended to but they sure enjoyed themselves.. they could hardly contain themselves and it took us a little while to get them all settled down before we played the first game.. the first game was about the group collecting the most seeds from a watermelon.. when the ppl checked with me earlier that the watermelons i requested for them to get were for games and not for eating, i was met with a slight pause in our conversation and then i understood the issue, the cultural boo-boo that we've made.. it was my mistake in setting up that game altogether cos the ppl there are soooo not used to wasting food unlike the ppl here.. to them, food is precious and they dun go about wasting it as such.. but there was such a spirit of grace in that place that there wasnt even an issue that rose out of it... and so we carried on with the kids obviously enjoying themselves...


The next game that we played was the telematch.. each team member was supposed to spin himself around a roll of newspaper and then grab a bite out of an apple dangling in midair and then retrieve a white piece of Mentos among a pile of flour using only his mouth.. they really enjoyed themselves with this one.. they went wild, their faces white with excitement, white with flour... and the children really looked very cute as they were chasing the little apples around dwhich were dangling by a string.. when the game ended, those who were wise enough and quick enough helped themselves to the dangling apples...


The last one involved each team dressing their representative in newspaper armor... each team would receive a set number of water bombs (teh bags) and the objective was to be the one with the best armor left standing.. those with nicer armors won for themselves more bombs to attack the opposing team with.. and so you can imagine the riot that this caused us... one team was smart enough to hide their representative behind a tree and the other groups missed him altogether.. everyone went wild pelting each other with water bombs.. and they had such deep respect for us that not one threw a bomb at us.. (the only one who deliberately sent a bomb in my direction was alvin tay but even then he missed :P) so after everything else, since now everyone had to go check out the baptism programme (cos some of the kids were getting baptised too), some of us stayed back to do the cleanup... and my oh my what a task it was... As with every time chris is involved in the planning of games, two things will always happen 1) the games will somehow involve some food in one way or another 2)there'd have to be a great cleanup at the end... thank God that we weren't alone in that...


The whole games thing was quite tiring so i took a little nap late in the afternoon cos i was supposed to teach during the evening session. After that, i went back out into the session hall to join Alvin and Cutie who were preparing for the evening. Apparently we were gonna have live worship after the action songs and Cutie was gonna lead us in the songs while Alvin and i played the instruments.. i took up the Roland keys that VIP left behind for them.. and i loved playing on it once again, especially after Salem Chapel switched to the new Korg with hard, stiff keys... So we practised with Cutie and she sings really really well.. she even sang us some of her own compositions... i told her that if she ever dropped by Singapore that we should like do a recording with her... she's really talented and anointed!

That evening was very eventful. After dinner, i was to lead in the action songs and the crowd of children was brimming wild in anticipation.. there were kids all around me.. most were in front of me but some were behind me, obviously enjoying themselves in all the dancing.. and i felt that we can learn something from the kids in all that wild abandon that they have in just enjoying themselves in the Presence.. they dun religiously try to get into the Presence.. they just come as they are and act as they are... and just being yourself pleases the Father in ways you couldnt imagine.. as the first few beats of "My Redeemer Lives" echoed through the sound system, bright, excited smiles broke out among the faces of each of God's beloved.. of all the songs and actions we taught, they seemed to like that one the best.. and Auntie Ivy did a brilliant job in choreographing it!

Then we prayed and Cutie took over... i took up the Roland as Alvin did his Ovation. And we worshipped God and we worshipped Him and we worshipped. Though some of the kids were obviously restless, we continued on and the glory of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit was sooo thick in our midst. Then Auntie Ivy began to minister to the kids immediately during the worship and got some of the teachers to do so too... by this time, the Holy Spirit had taken over and overtaken us.. we didn't have to do much.. i didn't even have to teach that night!! we just stayed with His flow in worship... many of the kids were crying and weeping in the Spirit as God stirred them and worked in their hearts... and they just couldnt stop! A good number of the boys wept and wept... and some put their hands around one another to comfort them and they wept and wept even more.. God was doing a work of healing in our midst!

As the Presence of God intensified, we met with some warfare... all of a sudden, the power was cut off cos of the blackout. It was pitch-dark, the Roland stopped working, the Amp died with the mic and other electrical equipment, the Ovation went on, thogh it was considerably softer without being amped up... And a din arose as the children were arrested by the sudden blackness and let out a few screams at the beginning... there was some commotion.. a few of the parents came from their session hall to "collect" their children while some used the silent glow of their handphones to provide a bit of light. There was some commotion and confusion (which was perhaps unusual cos the locals should have been used to frequent blackouts by now...) and which further meant that our war was not against flesh and blood as much as it wasn't with faulty electrical equipment. The teachers tried to get people settled down but it was hard getting their atention. But Alvin played on! And we weren't just about to give up...

Instinctively, i began binding all the plans that the enemy made against us... and in that darkness, i went to the children in front who were seated down and i asked Alvin to accompany me with his acoustic... I asked the children "Can we worship Jesus?" And i was met with a resounding "Yes!" and i asked again "Can we sing to Jesus?" and again, their voices resounded "Yes!"... Perhaps their responses were the first few signs of corporate order as the others on the fringes would begin to look towards us to see what was going on... Holy Spirit was in control... and we joined together.. over the mountains and the seas, Your river runs with love for me so i will open up my heart and let the Healer set me free... and we sang.. and we worshipped.. we worshipped on handphone battery and candlelight as God began to restore order... once again, the music (or lack thereof) didn't matter... the problems and surrounding circumstances didn't matter.. what mattered was that we gave our heart to Jesus.. and as we focused on Him, as we lifted our eyes to Him, as we delighted in Him and as we began to lift His Name up, we were claiming victory even before we began to see it... and after some time, the lights came back on to the tune of I could sing of Your love forever... and the people resounded with a quick cheer on what God has done and we continued worshipping...

Cutie went back to the mic while I went back to the Roland and we continued... the children were still getting touched by God and the Holy Spirit was still moving.. no weapon formed against us had prospered... Cutie sang a few other songs, some of which were in Hiligaynon... and as good as she sounded previously, i think she sang those songs better than English songs.. cos apart from the intonation, the local language was closer to their hearts and they were more used to it.. the children even sang louder.. She sang the Hiligaynon version of "You Alone" and it was really touching (i think it was better than the English one)! But beyond the heart-rending sound, the worship was heartfelt and passionate and sincere...

As the Holy Spirit continued to move, it was like an atom bomb had exploded in our midst... i felt that there were chariots of fire coming down even as i knew that there was literally open heavens upon us.. there was just such a free access to God... i knew that what we would present before Him that evening would be heard and answered quickly because of the open heavens.. whatever problems or hardships we petition Him with... when a congregation experiences an open heaven, we must know what to do with it and how to access God through it so that things are not left the same way again... and even after the adults had ended their session, some came by to worship with us cos we were not done yet... and God touched some of the adults too and ministered to them.. Though there were some children who were beginning to get restless, Auntie Ivy asked Mai Mai to tell them that if they wanted to go off they could but those who wanted to stay and carry on worshipping could continue and a good majority of them stayed back in the Presence... That evening, something broke open in the Spirit as God opened His floodgates... He was doing a new thing to them... In the history of the childrens camps that the compassion ministry kids had yearly, this was the first Spirit-filled camp where they experienced a Holy-Spirit breakout! I was contented to be worshipping at the keyboard where the Sovereign Lord began to deposit things in my spirit...

I heard the words "unveiled faces" and it was God speaking to me out of 2 Cor 3:18 about worshipping Him with an unveiled face, not coming to Him in pretension or putting up a front but coming to Him just as i am... He was changing my identity there and then... I was moved when i saw Jesus with His nail-pierced hands.. He was asking me to give Him control of my spiritual and moral life.. He gave me the verse that unless the Lord builds the house, the labourers labour in vain... Which means that unless He takes control of my spiritual walk, then the things i do to better myself will be in vain.. I saw Jesus holding a lam and He said "let Me be a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path" and I responded by telling Him "Strip everything away but leave me with You"... And the Holy Spirit spoke to me inside and showed me that even as i was willing to surrender, that i would experience a resurrection, His resurrection power in my life. I also saw Jesus holding the reigns of my heart and Holy Spirit showed me the work that He was doing.. that Jesus was founding my heart, my life upon the seas and establishing it upon the waters (Ps 24:1-2)...

After we ended that night, i was really thankful for what God had done the whole day... how we saw Him move and how we ourselves were moved and touched by Him... there was a marked difference in the atmosphere that evening.. deep inside i knew that Holy Spirit had done a work...

Day 4
That morning after breakfast, Auntie Yim Toh wrapped up the teaching on Elijah.. i didn't have to teach my part cos of what happened the night before... After Auntie Yim Toh had finished, Cutie, Al and I were back on our instruments for Round 2... we worshipped again and the presence of God fell again.. the young children were touched by God again and they worshipped and stood still in His Presence weeping before His holiness... and this time we needed to minister to the teachers so the local teachers and the helpers were anointed with oil and were prayed for! They wept and wept even as God began to deal with them and minister to the inner issues within their hearts... as Auntie Ivy gave them indiviual personal attention and spoke and prophesied into their lives, it took quite a while...

some of the children in front were becoming restless so we sang a few more songs and just rallied them to worship even as God was ministering to the adults.. and some children who were sooo deeply touched by God stayed and tarried in the spirit of worship with tears streaming down their lovely faces... each one was precious... finally when the time came for th young ones to be prayed for again, this time, it was the local teachers who ministered to them and they were again deeply touched by God's awesome power, by Holy Spirit moving among them.. some of the boys who were getting restless and had stopped crying started again... it was lovely seeing God move among them.. :)

At the end of it all, we gathered them and presented to them their goodie bags... we sang out final songs even as we had to break camp that afternoon but no doubt, an indelible impression was made on their lives and as the Holy Spirit maked them as His.. this was just a start in their preparation for Jesus' 2nd coming as they're no doubt gonna be part of the army company that's gonna usher in His return!

After we broke camp, several of us did different things... Auntie Ivy and Alvin went back to the hotel.. Auntie Ivy slept while Alvin came back out and went to Robinsons.. I went to SM city with the other Aunties and left them shopping.. i went around on my own for a while but din see much to buy except for a polo shirt... then i met Tita Lisa, Tito Boy and Ate Pikey for fellowship and to talk over pizza... the size of the pizza we ordered was beyond the size of anything i'd seen in Singapore that i had to take a photo of it.. but i didn't eat much cos i ate a good deal for lunch while i was at Dumangas... and besides, we still had dinner with Tito Joseph and his family...

Went for dinner that night at this Inasal chicken place near the hotel.. the food was really good... and we ate really well... Mai Mai, Tita Jane, Alvin, Auntie Ivy and myself were at the same table sharing stories. we had a good laugh over several things, one of which was Auntie Ivy and Mai Mai trading experiences of dealing with naughty kids.. and we all listened to Auntie Ivy give an account of me and how i was (not) dealt with when i was naughty in my sunday school days... i also had fun playing with little Kimmy.. throughout the entire camp, i've been trying to play with her but she always shies away from me.. but that night seemed to have broken the ice and she was in quite a good mood.. she would come and disturb me over at my table and i'd go and play with her.. she's sooo cute lah... i carried her and took her over to see the live chickens and she was sooo amused by it and by me imitating the chicken sound that she tried making the chicken sound too... that was soooo cute... after the warm fellowship, we went back to the hotel.. we had to wake up early the next day cos we had an early flight..

Day 5
Spent most of the day travelling... we headed out from the hotel as the sun was coming up (believe me, it comes up really really early) and we went to the airport early.. we checked in and left again to eat breakfast at the cafe.. so we had our final time of fellowship over our meal until we had to go in... apparently, we took our own time at the cafe that we were the last ones to board the plane.. and they even had to call our names and page us through the public address system to get us up there... and since my name was the first one on the list when we checked in, it was my name they paged several times.. :P and so we rushed up there and they were kind enough to wait for us... after a while, we were well on our way back to Manila and from Manila to Singapore...

At changi airport, i was soooo starved from the budget flight that i eagerly devoured a few-day-old cinnamon bun i had saved from Red Ribbon.. uncle peter fetched us and we ate lunch and he sent us home... all in all, there was one thing that i kept echoing concerning the mission trip...

THE TRIP WAS TOO SHORT!!!!

mabuhay! :D