Missions Field

Today was Missions Sunday emphasis and somehow, today's sermon reminded me of the time when I went for my first missions trip in 2003 to Chiangmai, Thailand. It was quite an experience to travel further north beyond the Malayan Peninsula. Haha..I could still remember vividly of taking Brunei Airlines to get to Bangkok Airport and then travelled by almost 8 hours plus to Chiangmai. Once we were there, we went up to the mountains and stayed in the village there for around two days, bringing medical supplies and any sort of necessity that the village may need. Seeing the church in the wilderness of a village and people just coming to the Lord in simplicity without the glamour of urban landscape is really a unique encounter. They all do praise God in their respective language and ways :)

Anyways, the weather up the mountains was extremely cold especially in the morning and I could literally see the water vapour coming out from my breath. My time in Chiangmai was spent contrasting between the life in the city there and life in the mountains and observing how the Thai people go about their lives. Ohhh..and I remembered getting Internet there is like getting gold..even with 28kps connection just to get onto Friendster (as it was famous then)..ahaha. On the lighter side, after the mission trip, I kinda had a phobia of Thai food especially Thai Fried Rice and Thai Fried Kway Teow because those were what I had been eating for the one week that I was there..lol.

Overall, I've learned a lot from that trip and it does open eyes to see the world beyond the one which we are comfortable with. For the missionaries that go to the ends of the earth to spread the Good News, God bless you in the various works that you have been doing :) Jim Elliot's quote still rings true ,"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."