The Week that Was (20th-26th May 2024)

It's been an amazing month as I preached every Sunday, four consecutive weeks, three sermons in Malay and one in English; three in Sabah and one in Subang, Selangor. It was an incredible week, from Monday until Sunday night, full of adventure and activity. It's good to have good friends and fellow pastors who appreciate one's ministry and give honour to one who is due for Jesus' sake. I was met at Changi Airport by one of my good friends in Singapore and the next four hours I had sweet fellowship with him and his wife. He took me to a couple of places, not least to Pasir Ris Library where I managed to donate two copies of my Departure Points to Singapore's National Library.

At 3.15pm we were back to the Airport for my 8pm flight to KL and he parked his car once more and we had coffee at Toast Box until about 4.10pm before I went to check in my baggage with my friend's assistance. He is older than me by a couple of years but he carried my 16kgs bag in and out of his car. May God reward him for his goodness and kindness to the Lord's servant. 

The 5-day long teaching in a College in Nilai (venue changed a couple of weeks ago) went well as most of them except one were pastors and teachers in Bible Colleges in Miri and West Malaysia. One student who drove me back to the Hotel knew I was having KFC and Pizza for a couple of nights, and he took me to a nearby Mall (AEON) and treated me to a sumptuous dinner costing close to RM200.00. He kept ordering more food though I told him not to, sea weed soup plus dumpling (yummy) and the dragon fruit drink cost RM19.00 each. 

I learned many lessons through this teaching trip and one can't simply trust people to do the right thing. If not for the sale of books and the love gift from preaching yesterday I would have returned empty-handed and spent money on myself which in ordinary circumstances should be taken care of by the hosts. Again, I think leadership, admin and organisation skills have much to do with everything in church/Seminary and some human empathy, kindness and hospitality would go a long way. 

In fact, there was one time I rested at the Principal's office for 45 minutes and the BM Dean of the Nilai's College showed kindness by knocking at the door, conversed with me and later gave me two cups of drink. "If you give a cup of drink to a prophet, you shall no wise lose your reward". On the last day, I gave him a copy of "Departure Points" and I saw that he was already reading it over the farewell lunch which he also prepared (beside teaching, his gift is cooking delicious food). 

Out of the 11 students, most took active part in the discussion and one can see a few were there just for the paper qualification in order to maintain their church careers. Praise God that most of the students were eager and engaged with me to the end. There were at two students who stood out, the one who received me at KLIA airport based in KL and another student from Miri.