Take a Trip…to Do God’s Work

HVMC Team with SPMS students

HVMC last visited Timor-Leste (TL) in 2019, so it was with some excitement that a team from our Church travelled there on 19 February 2023, to “taste and see” what the Lord continues to be doing, and to find out how we can support Methodist Mission Society (MMS) missionaries.

Pastor Jeremy & Michelle sharing with student hostelites from Sundermeier, Gleno

We had the privilege of visiting different ministries in TL. At Sundermeier Hostel at Gleno, we met up with 75 years ‘young’ Uncle Joseph, and Aunty Grace, who had been serving for the past 10 years. They host students from remote villagers who attend school close by; without their hostel, students would have to travel for hours, or miss school altogether.  Apart from shelter, they also provide spiritual food and comfort, and we had the privilege of ministering to the students who were hungry for God.  The hostel is set in Gleno, a beautiful part of TL, with vegetation and flowers planted and nurtured by the students.

The Team with Rev See Swee Fang, Jin Hoe and hostelites from Dunamis Hostel in Dili

In Dili, we saw  Rev See Swee Fang and Uncle Jin Hoe, faithfully ministering to the university students through Dunamis Hostel, creating and re-imagining a sustainable future for them through farming. We had the opportunity to share a meal and to fellowship with the students who were passionate about taking up God’s plans for their lives.

Lunch with missionaries – David Chan, wife Jessie, son Isaac and Jin Hoe

In Metinaro and Hera, we connected with the Chans, who had been faithfully serving for over 10 years, through education. We prayed over the ground that was being prepared for the new St Paul Methodist School (SPMS) building, and ministered to the students there, to encourage them to study and to walk faithfully with God. David Chan shared information on the current season of ‘gathering harvesters to the field’ and the need to continue to pray and to engage with the ongoing work of pouring into the ministry;  to be salt and light, and to raise the next generation of believers who would then go on to be salt and light to the rest of the world.

Visiting and praying over the SPMS campus site

“Then He said to His disciples, ‘The harvest truly is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest.’” (Matthew 9:37-38).  We were indeed greatly inspired, and encouraged by our missionaries who were actively living out God’s Great Commission. It was an eye-opening experience, and we returned refreshed and eager to continue to actively partner up with the work on the ground in TL. We would like to encourage any of our members who are keen to engage with the ministries, or would like to know more, to get in touch with us. We are looking to participate in the areas of youth ministry, education, healthcare and business. All enquiries are welcome!  Please contact Sapphire Daogas at sapphire@hvmc.sg, if interested.

Traditional Tais presented to Michelle (LCEC Missions) & Sapphire (LMS Missions)

Michelle Ting, Sapphire Daogas, Mun Kwok On