I received an SMS from Pastor Richard in
early February, 2007, asking me to join him for a trip to Yangon, in
March 2007. I left this matter aside without much thought. It was one
of those SMSs that I wished not to receive. As the main objective of
the this trip was to conduct the Million Leaders Mandate (MLM) training
for Myanmar leaders, I was not at all interested, the reason being I
had not taken the role of a facilitator since participating in the
program in June 2005. I thought, well, I am not one of those really
meant for this sort of training stint. However, on February 9, 2007,
Pastor Richard SMS again, seeking my answer immediately as the special
airfares and hotel package offer ended that day. After a couple of
hours of consideration, I replied saying, yes.
Having done the necessary visa applications and travel bookings, it was time for me to familiarize with the task. We were to conduct the MLM program there starting with book 1. Our second objective for the trip was to appoint a country co-ordinator to represent the MLM training in Myanmar. Pastor Richard, Pat Toh and I discussed which lessons each should teach. I chose two sessions and was given the necessary power points by Pastor Richard to help me prepare the lessons. This happened just before my company’s board of directors meeting for which entailed my spending lots of time to prepare. I left the preparation aside until Chinese New Year, when Pastor Richard and Pat Toh dropped by for a visit to discuss the program details. It was then I realized the difficult task ahead of me. I have never taken the role of teaching since my 4 months stint as a temporary teacher right after my HSC examination. Pastor Richard, Pat and Sally, encouraged me. One week later, the number of lessons that I was to teach increased to three as Pastor Richard wanted to concentrate on two other lessons over and above the usual six lessons contained in Book 1. After that, I devoted whatever free time I have to the preparation of the lessons.
Time flew by and soon, we found ourselves in Yangon (formerly known as Rangoon.) For the uninitiated like me, who has not been there before, Yangon is the old capital of Myanmar. The country of Myanmar is ruled by the military junta and restrictive policies are in place. For example, there are no reciprocal mobile phone services with our Malaysian telephone companies, meaning that our mobile phones would not work there. Secondly, internet access, a necessity taken for granted by many, is restricted in Myanmar. Access to chat room and web based emails, like hotmail, are curtailed. So, we cannot be reached easily by people outside Myanmar. This turned out to be a blessing for me as I don’t have to take calls from my office nor answer emails from my Blackberry. I found this helped me focus on the main task of the mission.
After checking into the hotel and having some rest, we met up with Rev Van Peng, Pastor Richard’s contact. He took us to lunch and later by taxi to the Myanmar Council of Church premises, located about 15 minutes away from our hotel. We re-arranged the chairs and tables, tested the projector, our laptops and other necessary logistics. We then sat down and asked for the participants list. I had a quick look and immediately felt inadequate! Some of the attendees are ordained pastors, seminary lecturers and principals of seminaries. They have prefixes like Reverend and Doctor to their names. I was shocked. For a chap who has not stood in front of our local congregation to teach, here I am, confronted with a bunch of learned people. That night, I spent time reviewing the lessons for the next day.
Group photo of the participants, taken from the balcony of MCC
After breakfast, we had a time of worship and prayer before heading for the MCC. I tried to remain calm and not show signs of nervousness by walking around and introducing myself to the participants before the session started. Pastor Richard took the first slot after the introduction and prayers. He conducted his session the normal way, fast and steady. Next was my turn. I started with a bit of nervousness but that went off soon. However, I was not finding the right words; my words did not synch well with the slides and I did not demonstrate much skill in engaging the participants to interact with me. It was very much a one way discourse. The 90 minute allocated to me was dispensed in 70minutes or thereabouts. The rest of the first day was taken by Pat Toh and Pastor Richard. During the lunch, we shared our purpose to those around our table as much as we could, emphasizing that we were there to initiate and continue the MLM program. As the MLM program consisted of a six-part classroom training, spread over 18 to 36 months, we needed a country coordinator. By the first night, it became clear that probably a committee would serve our purpose better instead of just one representative. We then began to focus on selecting a few people.
The next day, I felt much better and my delivery was more natural and spontaneous. I managed the two sessions with more ease than the first day. I knew the intercession by the various CBC members at the Tuesday night prayers helped me. During the coffee and lunch breaks, I sought out more candidates for the working committee and managed to speak to a few interested candidates. At the end of the second day, when Pastor Richard issued the invitation for a working committee, three persons responded, adding to one other person who already said, yes, during lunch. All four were screened and accepted by Pastor Richard. These will form the committee to handle all future MLM programs in Myanmar.
Left to right: KC, Sally, Pat, Ps. Richard & Rev. Van Peng
Picture taken at the Myanmar Council of Churches’ Hall
The tasks and responsibilities of the committee were explained to them. The tentative plans were discussed with the committee and a return trip was planned for in October, when Book 2 of the MLM will be conducted for the
current participants. We also talked about repeating Book1 for new interested emerging leaders. Pastor Richard stressed his desire to train “horses and elephants.” By that, he meant Christian leaders with finances in the marketplace, who can impact Myanmar Christians to rise up and take their place to influence their society. Two committee members indicated their desire to implement the MLM training at their seminary and the Baptist Convention respectively. With the four forming the working committee, we accomplished the second objective of our mission trip to Yangon.
We had an extra day in Yangon due to the unavailability of flight back to KL. We spent the time doing some souvenir shopping. We flew back to KL with a sense of accomplishment. The next training will be in October 2007. Let us pray that the MLM program will be self sustaining in Myanmar so that the benefit it brings, will produce Godly leaders, and in turn, will cause the changing of the spiritual landscape of Myanmar.
Having done the necessary visa applications and travel bookings, it was time for me to familiarize with the task. We were to conduct the MLM program there starting with book 1. Our second objective for the trip was to appoint a country co-ordinator to represent the MLM training in Myanmar. Pastor Richard, Pat Toh and I discussed which lessons each should teach. I chose two sessions and was given the necessary power points by Pastor Richard to help me prepare the lessons. This happened just before my company’s board of directors meeting for which entailed my spending lots of time to prepare. I left the preparation aside until Chinese New Year, when Pastor Richard and Pat Toh dropped by for a visit to discuss the program details. It was then I realized the difficult task ahead of me. I have never taken the role of teaching since my 4 months stint as a temporary teacher right after my HSC examination. Pastor Richard, Pat and Sally, encouraged me. One week later, the number of lessons that I was to teach increased to three as Pastor Richard wanted to concentrate on two other lessons over and above the usual six lessons contained in Book 1. After that, I devoted whatever free time I have to the preparation of the lessons.
Time flew by and soon, we found ourselves in Yangon (formerly known as Rangoon.) For the uninitiated like me, who has not been there before, Yangon is the old capital of Myanmar. The country of Myanmar is ruled by the military junta and restrictive policies are in place. For example, there are no reciprocal mobile phone services with our Malaysian telephone companies, meaning that our mobile phones would not work there. Secondly, internet access, a necessity taken for granted by many, is restricted in Myanmar. Access to chat room and web based emails, like hotmail, are curtailed. So, we cannot be reached easily by people outside Myanmar. This turned out to be a blessing for me as I don’t have to take calls from my office nor answer emails from my Blackberry. I found this helped me focus on the main task of the mission.
After checking into the hotel and having some rest, we met up with Rev Van Peng, Pastor Richard’s contact. He took us to lunch and later by taxi to the Myanmar Council of Church premises, located about 15 minutes away from our hotel. We re-arranged the chairs and tables, tested the projector, our laptops and other necessary logistics. We then sat down and asked for the participants list. I had a quick look and immediately felt inadequate! Some of the attendees are ordained pastors, seminary lecturers and principals of seminaries. They have prefixes like Reverend and Doctor to their names. I was shocked. For a chap who has not stood in front of our local congregation to teach, here I am, confronted with a bunch of learned people. That night, I spent time reviewing the lessons for the next day.
Group photo of the participants, taken from the balcony of MCC
After breakfast, we had a time of worship and prayer before heading for the MCC. I tried to remain calm and not show signs of nervousness by walking around and introducing myself to the participants before the session started. Pastor Richard took the first slot after the introduction and prayers. He conducted his session the normal way, fast and steady. Next was my turn. I started with a bit of nervousness but that went off soon. However, I was not finding the right words; my words did not synch well with the slides and I did not demonstrate much skill in engaging the participants to interact with me. It was very much a one way discourse. The 90 minute allocated to me was dispensed in 70minutes or thereabouts. The rest of the first day was taken by Pat Toh and Pastor Richard. During the lunch, we shared our purpose to those around our table as much as we could, emphasizing that we were there to initiate and continue the MLM program. As the MLM program consisted of a six-part classroom training, spread over 18 to 36 months, we needed a country coordinator. By the first night, it became clear that probably a committee would serve our purpose better instead of just one representative. We then began to focus on selecting a few people.
The next day, I felt much better and my delivery was more natural and spontaneous. I managed the two sessions with more ease than the first day. I knew the intercession by the various CBC members at the Tuesday night prayers helped me. During the coffee and lunch breaks, I sought out more candidates for the working committee and managed to speak to a few interested candidates. At the end of the second day, when Pastor Richard issued the invitation for a working committee, three persons responded, adding to one other person who already said, yes, during lunch. All four were screened and accepted by Pastor Richard. These will form the committee to handle all future MLM programs in Myanmar.
Left to right: KC, Sally, Pat, Ps. Richard & Rev. Van Peng
Picture taken at the Myanmar Council of Churches’ Hall
The tasks and responsibilities of the committee were explained to them. The tentative plans were discussed with the committee and a return trip was planned for in October, when Book 2 of the MLM will be conducted for the
current participants. We also talked about repeating Book1 for new interested emerging leaders. Pastor Richard stressed his desire to train “horses and elephants.” By that, he meant Christian leaders with finances in the marketplace, who can impact Myanmar Christians to rise up and take their place to influence their society. Two committee members indicated their desire to implement the MLM training at their seminary and the Baptist Convention respectively. With the four forming the working committee, we accomplished the second objective of our mission trip to Yangon.
We had an extra day in Yangon due to the unavailability of flight back to KL. We spent the time doing some souvenir shopping. We flew back to KL with a sense of accomplishment. The next training will be in October 2007. Let us pray that the MLM program will be self sustaining in Myanmar so that the benefit it brings, will produce Godly leaders, and in turn, will cause the changing of the spiritual landscape of Myanmar.
By Wong Keng Cheong
11 March 2007
K.C. is Deacon of CBC, worshipping in Kota Damansara Centre.
Married to Sally, they have 4 children – Grace, Joyce, Jean and Isaac.
11 March 2007
K.C. is Deacon of CBC, worshipping in Kota Damansara Centre.
Married to Sally, they have 4 children – Grace, Joyce, Jean and Isaac.