Return to Base

After a 5-day foray into Namaus and Nahaba, I returned to base today. It seems that KK is like an army camp mahanaim where I rest for a day or two before joining battle again. This time I have a few personal things to settle tomorrow and by Tuesday I hope to write my papers for Seoul's SBL International meeting. Early Friday morning I will set out on the longest journey yet, 7 hours from KK into the border of Sarawak and Kalimantan. I will reach the last outpost of SIB just a few kms from where the District level meeting will be held. It will be the first time since I returned from Singapore that I will be preaching 4 times but at least the titles and passages are already set by the organizers. It will be among Lundayeh and Murut communities and we are going to have a ball (if I am not preaching).
Yesterday morning I took with me three students to Kota Belud as it happened that I was preaching at a nearby district last night.  We had a brief welcoming ceremony for students going into the field for 2 months and it touched my heart to see church leaders coming from their respective villages to receive the students. Well done to the District Superintendent for organizing it and I was asked to give a short speech on behalf of the sending College. Later I was taken to the town centre for lunch and we parted ways at 1.30pm.  Kota Belud or KB is the town where I started my ministry 22 years ago in Melangkap village. I remember how at 5am on Saturday if we were to go to town we would wait for the pickup and hard seats at the back with chilly wind at your face for the 1.5 hours ride. But the roads are a lot better 20 years on. But the faith of believers needs to be revitalized. We have a rare Indian brother this morning in a majority Dusun village and he told me that when he joined SIB 22 years ago his non believing friends were all praising the Christians for their commitments to attend church and the conduct of their lives. Wow but now he said it had all changed and he pleaded with me to do something about it. It is with You O Lord that we shall do valiantly.