Yes indeed, this ministry oddinary camp has strengthened me! It helped me to find rest in the Lord and to put my fears in the Lord because He is the only one that see me through my life and from Him, i can draw strength. "cast all your enxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 peter 5:7
Before i went in the camp, i was tired and weary, worried about the things on earth and went into the camp with a fearful heart. This camp has taught me "if you are saved to be strong, you will be strong." "if you are settled in your mind to be strong, that is your will to be strong." As said in Joshua 1:3-11. To be strong and courageous. We went through many trials and difficulties as a team. Being team leader, I sometimes felt incapable when i needed my other group members to encourage me especially during the long march, when i wanted to give up as i really felt the burden, carrying all the bags and walking a three hours distance around the same place. Knowing that we will return back to the same destination, at one moment, i felt that it was a meaningless activity. I wanted to give up and felt a sense of regret, but my group members pushed me to carry on the journey. In the end, we reached the destination as the first team together and the sense of satisfaction was great. I began to reflect and yes indeed, my christian life is not an easy one. This long march displayed the picture of God putting responsibilites in our lives, we feel the burden and we need to perservere and to constantly be reminded of the strength God provides us to carry on our difficult journey. Especially when i was chosen to be a leader in the poly ministry, leading the other christians to fufill the purpose that God had sent us, to share His word, to bring the other non believers to salvation. 1 Timothy 2:3-4 "God..wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." I go through rejection, setbacks and trials along my way in gospel sharing. But James 1:2-8, Hebrews 12:1-12, Matthew 11:28-30, 2 corinthians 6:3-10, 12:9-10 tell me the answer.
The pastor in the camp said that in order to be like Christ, we need to be familiar with sufferrings, pain. God sent inflictions to serve the purpose in our lives to strengthen us. We were made to think about the priorities we had put before God. When i reflected, i felt that i had put my studies and friends and other committments like cca before God. Am i more burdened about pleasing others or pleasing God? Having to balance all my committments, be it in poly ministry, teacher in sunday school, church committments, school committments, studies, friends, family, it seems tough, seem unmanagable. But after this camp, i would say "why not?" For with God, nothing is impossible.
The highlight of the camp was "war of the worlds", whereby one person in the team has to guard the ball and others from the other teams will bound to attack the person with the ball. I was the one holding on to the ball and when i was holding on to the ball, i felt uneasy, i always had to be on guard, alert, afraid that others will throw the water bomb at me and if they do, my team will lose the bible verses we had found. I did not want my group to lose and so i was very careful in guarding the ball. When the game ended, we were told that the ball is like the word of God. Around us, is like the devil who is often preying on us, each individual of us. So we need to be alert and be on guard always.
At the last day of the camp, we were divided into two groups, one group for the leaders and the other for the rest of the people. The leaders went into another room and we were told that this camp is actually meant specially for us as ministry leaders to strengthen us. We were asked to raise concerns we have as we lead. Many leaders asked about what happened if we are like doing a mechanical job like doing for the sake of doing it, not feeling the joy as we are so busy everyday. The answer is in Psalm 23, Jude 20-21, Ephesians 3:12-19. Glorify God by enjoying Him forever. I pray for all the leaders that we will find the joy in serving God and to remember that we are living as children of light, as in Ephesians 4:17-32. We go through pains, we go through trials, but BE STRONG AND STAY STRONG! As we will be doing evangelism this thurs at orchard, pls pray for us that God will grant us with courage and wisdom and that we will not fear setbacks, pray that the Holy Spirit will open the hearts of the non believers and God will use us as His instruments to bring the people to salvation and to His glory.