Eight of us students along with Pastor Richard Ong went to Kuching, Sarawak. We were greeted by Pastor Johnny from Maranatha Baptist Church, where we had a sharing session and a time of fellowship with the local congregation.
The next day, we travelled to a longhouse inhabited by the indigenous Iban people of Sarawak. We arrived at this main destination of our trip after about three hours of travelling. There is a local proverb that says, “If you get lost in the jungle, just find an Iban and you’ll be safe.” As soon as we entered the tribe, we felt the warmth of the Iban people.
We had many cross-cultural experiences as we were greeted by and participated in their traditional music and dance. In the evening, we were able to share the gospel with different age groups and encourage them through sermons, testimonies, children’s Bible stories, worship songs, and dances. It was a challenge as the circumstances were uncertain, but the team rose to the challenge by being adaptable and prepared.
Kota Samarahan Baptist Church
Our night at the longhouse was accompanied by the pitter-patter of raindrops. The rain only stopped just as we were about to leave. Although our time together was very short, we appreciated the sincerity and simplicity of the Iban people. Perhaps being in such a place would feel closer to God than in the modern city!
Back in Kuching, through Pastor Tommy, we visited Agape Baptist Church, where Pastor Richard shared a sermon on Sunday, and the team members sang and shared testimonies. We got to understand and witness how the gospel is being lived out in this city.
In the afternoon, the team went to Kota Samarahan Baptist, a recently established Chinese church. Through the worship in different languages, we saw how the gospel transcends different regions, cultures, and ethnicities, yet connected us all as one big family in Christ. This would not be possible if not for the leading of the Holy Spirit. The team members sang, preached, and shared their testimonies in this ministry.
Toward the end of our time in Kuching, Pastor Richard arranged for a local friend to bring the team around places of interest and to experience the local life and culture. Although the five days passed by in a flash, the team members forged a deep friendship and honed their calling through the various ministry opportunities.
“I’m not afraid of dying young. I am afraid of dying without having served and without giving all of myself”, said Sister Clare Crockett, an Irish nun who was killed in an earthquake in Ecuador at the age of 33. Indeed, there is a call to every Christian youth to reach the lost before we run out of time. Through SBC, we are preparing for the day when each of us will respond to God’s call to a specific mission field and proclaim, “Here am I, send me.”
Samuel Wang
Master of Arts in Counselling (Final year)
School of Counselling (Chinese)
Peter Fachchai
Master of Divinity programme (2nd year)
School of Theology (English)
