在达沃的14天 (14 Days in Davao)

今年三月，我参与了一个由十人组成前往菲律宾达沃十四天（26/3 –  8/4）的短宣队。短宣队里除了贵兴干事夫妇以外，还有三名来自新加坡理工学院和五名来自淡马锡理工学院的学生。抵达达沃后，我们一行人被安排住在达沃关怀农场里。在那里, 我们非常荣幸地能与国际关怀频道（CCI）的宣教士: Dave牧师,和其他同工包括：Ate Aimee，Ate Jen，Ate Mimi，Kuya, June一起服事。

我们的第一项任务是在Mulig中学为中一的学生主办为期两天的英文阅读营。阅读营的节目包括了通过圣经故事和游戏来学习英文和道德教育。我们也在阅读营的尾声举办了一场迷你学生颁奖典礼，为营会划上句号。在短短的两天里，我们经历了许多从上帝而来的惊喜。大伙儿都不时要与我们合影留念，让我们有许多互动的美好时光。我们甚至被邀出席新校园建设开幕礼以及为中六学生的毕业典礼。

接着，我们也拜访了两间当地教会：Living Hope Church和Tagaytay Alliance。短宣队也把握机会，通过圣经信息、诗歌敬拜与各自的生活见证分享来服事教会。然而，当我们目睹Living Hope Church的年轻人如何不惜一切，全心全意地敬拜与服事神时，我们也上了一堂谦卑爱神的宝贵功课。相对来说，TagaytayAlliance教会的人数较少，且由来自山上村庄的各阶层人士组成，英文沟通能力有限，所以我们在那里遇到的的语言障碍较多。但是，因着上帝的带领，我们得以透过灵歌圣乐来一起团契。

大伙儿在工作之余也不忘娱乐。我们前后有三次机会在Waan 这个地区尝试有趣蚯蚓堆肥(vermi-compost)的工作。第一次是在达沃关怀农场（Davao Care Farm），另两次是在Waan Barangay的社区。虽然整个过程让人觉得很累，但我们都很感恩能够亲身体验堆肥的过程，这是我们在新加坡体验不到的。我们也很高兴能与当地居民一同制作美味的香蕉片。在当地，他们每周都会制作香蕉片来贴补生计。回到农场，我们也尝试了制作压花瓣卡片。整个过程除了让人感到很疗愈之外，也非常酷哦！

短宣队最后的行程是为CCI教育赞助计划下的青少年组主办为期三天两夜的领袖训练营。感谢主！通过丰富的信息，诗歌，影片，与发人深思的讨论及感动人心的分享，整个营会都充满了喜悦和感恩的眼泪。

我为着这次短宣旅程的经历和所学到的功课而感谢神。一开始的时候，我认为一个人必须在某种属灵程度上“预备好”了或到达某种灵命成熟度，才有资格参与宣教事工。说实话，在出发之前，我实在感到毫无准备和不足。然而，在短宣期间，上帝向我显明宣教事工其实就是让上帝在我们里面工作的同时，透过我们行出祂要成就的善工。我也意识到，作为个体，我们都是不完美的，并且在我们做任何事之前，都应当学习在祷告中将一切都交托给神。

在此，我感谢神一路来所赏赐的美好时光，新生的友谊，领受的功课与各样能力的充满和带领。虽然两所理工学院位于新加坡的两端，但我感谢神的带领，将我们呼召在一起，在短宣旅途中同心服事和彼此扶持。

愿一切荣耀都归给我们的神！

This March, I had the opportunity to spend 14 days in Davao, Philippines with a team of 10. The team were three students from Singapore Polytechnic, five from Temasek Polytechnic, and two FES staff workers. We stayed at Davao Care Farm, where we had the honour to work alongside missionaries and staff from Care Channels International (CCI) – Ate Aimee, Pastor Dave, Ate Jen, Ate Mimi and Kuya June.

Our first assignment was to conduct a two-day reading programme for Grade 7 studentsat Mulig High School, primarily mixing English and moral lessons through Bible stories and games. Amazingly over two days, God allowed us to connect with the students particularly through many photo and we-fie requests.

The team next visited two churches, Living Hope Church and Tagaytay Alliance, and ministered by sharing our life testimonies, messages and leading worship. At Living Hope, we were humbled as we witnessed how local youths loved the Lord through their wholehearted worship and service. At the mountaintop village church of Tagaytay Alliance, even though we had difficulty communicating in English to them, God still connected us with the villagers through spiritual songs and music.

Yet it was not all work and no play. We had great fun creating a vermi-compost system – once at Davao Care Farm, and twice at communities in the barangay of Waan. Although the process was tiring, we were thankful to have first-hand experience in making fertilisers since we don’t do this in Singapore. It was joyful making banana chips with the locals in Waan who then sold them to supplement their livelihood. We also tried our hand at making pressed flower cards which was both therapeutic and really cool!

The last part of our trip was to organise a 3D2N leadership camp for youths under CCI’s education sponsorship. The camp was filled with lessons through messages, songs, movies, thought-provoking discussions, heart-moving sharing, tears and joy.

I thank God for the experiences I had on the trip. Initially, I thought that one has to be “ready” or spiritually mature in order to be involved in missions. Honestly, I felt unprepared and inadequate before the trip. However, God showed me that missions is all about letting God do His work in and through us. I also realised that we are all imperfect and need to commit everything to God in prayer before doing anything.

I thank God for the time spent, friendships forged, lessons learnt, and the strength and guidance He granted us along the way. In addition, though both polytechnics are situated at opposite ends of Singapore, I thank God that He brought us together to work and support each other throughout the entire trip.