In the first day of Lunar New Year I have come to have completed my 50 days in ministry, halfway from my first 100 days in office. I have not done much in terms of vision setting because it is a new church in a new place and a new cultural environment than what I am used to. So these 50 days have been days and weeks of learning and I hope to make my first vision statement on 1st March when I lead the first elders meeting since I took over from the previous chairman. It has been a steep learning curve when everyone around me speaks Dusun and when they realized their pastor could not get involve in the conversation they switched to Malay. But I told them to use their native language as much as they want and if it is important the Spirit would interpret that for me, I half-jokingly told them. If there is one thing I have discovered in my 50 days it is the notion of intentional community, something I could not find in Singapore in 6 years.
I have not given up on Singapore as I have close friends there and I have not forgotten my vision of setting up Christian retirement villages in Singapore. But if all goes well (and there is no certainty at all in this) I will probably spend the next 10 years in Sabah. Nonetheless it may too soon to commit, knowing previously most of the plans I have for the future have been overturned by God for many are the plans of man but God's decree will prevail. Tomorrow I will return to Ranau to begin my next 50 days in the Year of the Goat or should I say the Year of the Sheep for goats go into eternal judgement but sheep will enjoy eternal peace and life (Matt 25) and as a shepherd of the flock it is my duty to ensure the sheep are fed and enjoy the Peace of the Lord that comes from righteousness.
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