Pua Mission Trip – Sep 2023
From 14–18 September, a team of 10 conducted an English camp at Kathy’s Home in Pua. Read how the camp went and sign up for the next trip from 16–20 November 23!
Ten members of our church were at Kathy’s Home in Pua from 14 to 18 September to conduct yet another English Camp. We spent Thursday night in Bangkok, and arrived in Pua the next day with plenty of time to recover from having to wake up early to catch the domestic flight.
William and Karen joined us in the afternoon after having driven for more than five hours from Chiang Mai. We could not be more overjoyed to see them again.
Our first session started in the late afternoon in the sanctuary with Grace and Agnes teaching the children a new song, “Psalm 150 (Praise the Lord)”. It was slow-going initially, as they had to explain the meaning of many of the words. By the end of the camp, most of the children could sing the song, especially the chorus section which is catchy and easier.
Before the trip, Kim Song had requested to lead the devotion on Saturday morning. It turned out that his exhortation from 2 Timothy 1:1–12 could not be more appropriate. “We should pray continually for our young and senior pastors as they are carrying out God’s work in our church,” he said. “They need more mercy than most people, because they will be bigger sinners than the hearers of the Word they preach to if they get it wrong. They will also need more mercy to cover their shortcomings and, therefore, we must always carry them on the wings of prayers.”
We had three sessions with the children on Day 2. We also had the opportunity of meeting Noel Candice Du (right in photo) from Team New York who is interning at Kathy’s Home. Many of us are encouraged by her story of how God has instilled mission into her heart, and the way she has responded to His calling. We will certainly be hearing more about her in the future.
At the start of Day 3, Kit Wan shared from Proverbs 30:24–28 about humbling ourselves before God and His infinite wisdom. Nature is full of His confounding creation: the tiny ant and his vast network of underground storehouses; the leaderless locust who marches in formation; the badger who is wise enough to build his home in the crags; and the lizard who is shrewd enough to enter the kings’ palaces. They may all be small, but they bring disgrace to those who think they are strong. There is no place for pride in our lives. Humility will be mysteriously and ironically rewarded.
During the worship service, Beh shared God’s Word from the Parable of the Sower in Luke 8:4–15 which resonated well with the children as most of them come from an agrarian background. He challenged them to sink deep roots and hold fast to the knowledge of God, and never to give Satan the slightest opportunity to take them away when they are given to distractions and the ways of the world.
At the farewell session, the children reprised a play from the story of Noah’s Ark which they first enacted during Team New York’s visit in July. Remarkably, the script was written and performed by the children totally in English. This shows the linguistic confidence they have built up since the pandemic.
Throughout the camp, the children were responsive and enthusiastic, and we had ample opportunities to share the gospel. As always, the fellowship amongst the participants was great. The weather was a lot kinder this time, with passing showers always a welcome respite. We were blessed in many ways throughout the trip.
We thank God again for His faithfulness in giving us the opportunity to taste the joy of serving Him at Kathy’s Home, and for sustaining our mission trips to Pua for this long (17 years and counting). We also thank Him for Mak and Narola for their more than 22 years of faithful service at Kathy’s Home. We have learnt so much from the way they trust Him for all their needs.
Let us continue to pray for God’s mercy and grace for this mission, the house parents, and continual good health for Mak and Narola. Let us also pray for God to reveal His succession plan for Kathy’s Home in good time.
The next trip will be from 16 to 20 November 2023 inclusive of travelling. If you are interested, contact Beh Soo Hee (9788 6171) or Ngiam Siew Kim (9752 5589) to register your interest or get more information. You can also read past trip reports here.
Visit the facebook page of Kathy's Home for more photos and updates!