HCMC trip (27/11/25 - 2/12/25) debrief 5/12/25

By -
Six of us (KH, Joyce, Grace, WJ, Joe, Gibson) went to visit Qin and to see what we could do to be involved in her ministry.in HCMC. Silas, Joanna and Sophie joined us because Silas was there for work. Everybody carried things there, including books, coffee, games and Bibles as well as things for flood victims in central Vietnam.

KH and Joyce attended their young leaders' Life Group on Thursday night, Joe, Grace and WJ attended the younger Christians' Life Group on Friday night. On Saturday morning and afternoon, WJ and Grace spent time witht he orphanages teaching football.  KH and Joe joined the Lohs to rehearse with the International Christian Fellowship worship team. Gibson arrived in HCMC on Saturday night after his final exam pape. All of us attended the ICF worship service on Sunday morning. KH gave a talk on "The Christian and anxiety and depression" after the service.

The 6 of us from the Cell then flew to Da Lat on Sunday afternoon to chill for the next 2 days before flying back to SIngpaore on Tuesday evening!

 1. What did I think I was supposed to do there? What did I actually do? How did I feel about any difference between the two? How did I feel about what I did?
Gibson: “roller-coaster”
Joe:  “Gibson lent me his collared shirt!” Thought had to actively direct the worship team, but was able to jam and relax. Thought it was nice to share “Child of Bethlehem” with the church.
Grace: football experience in morning vs. afternoon was different. Afternoon group smaller, more interactive. Heard the story of the gynaecologist who started the orphanage. Enjoyed seeing Qin’s work
WJ: wanted to see and observe Qin’s work. Able to link football to life values, Enjoyed the trip. 
J: felt had “no function” but could join the life group Bible study. Enjoyed their enthusiasm. Saw Ps Leslie and Linda’s heart and how God blessed the church. Had time to settle situation at home. 
KH: felt that things pretty much went the way he expected.

2. What did I learn about myself there?
KH: I love teaching…
GIbson: learned should follow guidelines and rules. Not embarrassed to share about fear of dogs and cats
Joe: doesn’t like it when strange things happen (like when name called in Da Lat airport) 
Grace: doesn’t like to leave comfort zone in meeting new people. “I still can’t play football”
WJ: realises she really likes working with children. Felt energised. 
J: felt she had another perspective about mot being too protective. 

3. What did I learn from my interactions with the people I met?

Gibson: felt encouraged by prayers in the service, with Christians all over the world. 
J: inspired by people who just gave what they could - we don’t have to be eloquent or gifted
Joe: the wordless musical interactions was good. Good to help the worship team take a break
KH: enjoyed the international mix of people. Really like Revelation. Very impressed by the relationships Qin and Leslie/Linda have built up. 
Grace: appeeciated learning rather than going to do things. 
WJ: encouraged by how enthusiastic and open people were, unIike how she would behave. 

4. What did I learn about my team members?
Joyce made everything smooth, made people buy things when cheap 
WJ is scared of heights, animals. Wakes up early. Grace learned what WJ did. 
Grace likes shopping and food. “The tourist”. Asks a lot of questions
Joe: leadership in ordering food, moving around. Also loves food 
Gibson is scared of animals. Didn’t give up coming despite exam date.
KH: I liked seeing the cell members take the initiative to do things on their own. “does not listen to auntie Joyce”

5. What was good and what was not so good about the whole experience?
Gibson wished he could have come earlier.
Joe wishes we could have some more as a cell instead of splitting up.
Grace thinks Qin was really hospitable. Would like to plan more. And do cooking. 
WJ: translation issues in the first session.  
J:  nothing in particular
KH: good to be informal settings with team

Everyone of us felt we would go again, maybe with Ruth and Lin Ping to do the cooking classs 


 

 Thursday night Life Group 

 
First dinner together  on Friday night
 

After worship team rehearsal Saturday afternoon
 
After ICF service Sunday noon
 

 
Dalat night market shots 

View of the lake from our hotel
 
 
The 'Crazy House' at Da Lat. We did not pay to go in :) 

On the roof of the King's palace in Da Lat
 
Another shot in front of the palace
 

Above shots of cell wandering around market before lunch
 
 
 A nice banh mi lunch

One last shot on return to Changi Airport!






Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

QC and accountability (29/4/16)

By -
Joyce and I shared about our attending the wake of a son of a Christian couple I had known from my JC days. This young man had been having problems at work and had just broken up with his long-standing girlfriend. We saw the broken hearts of the parents and remembered also our own bereavement when Doreen died. Suicide is always the hardest way to die in how it affects the family of the deceased. I know we have spoken on this issue before, but we again affirmed that suicide is not an unforgivable sin - but one in which the sinner has no chance to repent. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which is truly unforgivable, is when the sinner has no desire to repent.So the believing Christian who is truly saved should be saved even if he/she sins and takes his/her own life. Not every one of us will have the opportunity to confess our sins if we die suddenly, after all. We also did a brief recap of "why bad things happen to good people". Our response then is: 1. There are no good...
Read more

Study 42: "Self Dependence" 29/1/16.

By -
We discussed the difference between 'pride' and confidence'. Pride is thinking highly of ourselves in a self-centered way. It is wanting to take credit for what we do, whereas confidence does not need to take credit for our achievements. Pride is lifting up our self esteem. Confidence is the assurance of our own capability. Confidence that rests in God is appropriate. We said that we should be speaking an interacting with others in a way that affirms their effort rather than their nature or character when they do well  or need encouragement. This balance is especially difficult when we interact with our own children. Self-dependence, lukewarmness and loss of spiritual insight are linked (Rev 3:15-20). Christ's reproves and disciplines the lukewarm believers that He nevertheless loves. His prescription for lukewarmness is to  have us be zealous and repent. We cannot earn the gold and garments He urges us to buy - we can only receive them by responding to His knock on...
Read more

Paradigm 29: Discipleship and absolute surrender (31/7/20)

By -
Image
In this chapter Edmund Chan asserts that we have "substituted commitment for surrender". The committed life emphasizes what we must do for Christ; the surrendered life, what He has done for us. The Christian life "is not try, but trust". The first emphasizes what we can do, while being surrendered means we know we can do nothing apart from God. One is 'doing', the other is 'being'. One exalts our competence; the other, our character. One centres on operations, the other, on obedience. One issues out of good intentions, the other, out of God's intention.  We can be outwardly committed, but not inwardly consecrated and surrendered to the will of Christ. We must see that it is not we who work for God, but God who works in us. We said that commitment involves a choice, whereas surrender meant giving up choices. One was active, the other, passive. Commitment is to have a purpose with an end in mind. Surrender is to give up purpose. The word 'su...
Read more