This week, we had a fair bit of learning about missions in a comfortable setting and also participating in missions through our visits to Onesimus Garden and Healthserve. The sharings by various pastors and lecturers helped us to understand the mission of God on a broader perspective by remembering that we are all called to share the good news of Jesus Christ. I also learnt that we need not become a full-time missionary in order to participate actively in the work of God but we can also proactively reach out to the neglected communities within our midst and serve them according to their needs.
Pastor Andrew Choo shared an impactful story with us about how he prayed for the Lord’s guidance in his ministries and the Lord opened his eyes to see the needs of the people in Singapore. He saw the poor, rejected and neglected and took action to help them while being sensitive to God’s calling and direction. It was amazing to see how much his ministries have developed over the past decade.
I personally feel that we always use the excuse of "ignorance" to the answer of why are we not participating in community service and evangelistic work. This is a sign of laziness, that we are unwilling to work actively for the Lord, to actually observe and be sensitive to the needs of others and serve them.
The visit to HealthServe exposed me to a community that I only hear about and yet do not dare to approach. The sharing by various volunteers of HealthServe led me to question the obstacles that prevented me from reaching out to these communities and I came to the conclusion that societal perspectives and judgment are the main causes. Almost every society despises the poor, especially the capitalist society and it is the same for prostitutes, the lepers and others who are ostracized. Jesus was a radical man, eating with tax collectors, speaking with prostitutes and healing all who were spiritually sick.
I wish to become Iike Him, a person that reaches out to the helpless and bring the gospel into their lives.
Lim Min
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