MEM #4 (8/7/07)

Church had Missions Encouragement Meeting (MEM) this past Sunday evening. We have MEM once every few months. This MEM focussed on advertising 5 potential short-term mission trips to various places in Asia (HK, Taiwan, China, Japan) this coming summer. They are considered "potential" because the trips are not as yet confirmed - it would all depend on whether sufficient numbers can be secured before the trip is confirmed.

MEM started with a short video about (if I recalled correctly) the plight of old widowed women in India, all of whom lived in a sanctuary in poverty. I felt pity for these women. Not sure if the sanctuary are run by Christians, but the message of the video is clear - "Our World Needs Jesus". It is probably with this message in mind that the various potential short-term missions were advertised at MEM, with full encouragement from our church's Missions Committee. It provided people with a chance to obtain more info about these trips, with a view to consider whether they want to be part of any of the trips. It was encouraging to see a sizeable turnout - there would have been easily 25 people. We had pizza dinner in the middle of MEM, & then continued the "second-half" thereafter, with people split up into various groups according to the country that they would consider going to for short-term missions. I joined the HK group, as they were the smallest & probably also because of all the countries "on display", HK would probably be the country I would most likely visit next. We looked at some pics of the last short-term missions in HK by sections of our church, then prayed for the short-term missions. That was basically it for MEM. A little different from others, but good. Great to see Jay & Melina come along - haven't seen them for months (they attend another church), then suddenly I see them for the second consecutive Sunday! MEM, as I may have said before, is really worth attending, & I will make it a point to attend all future MEMs.

Well, what about me & short-term missions? At this stage, I have no plans to go on one anytime soon. I got other things in my mind. A few months ago, a friend/Christian brother asked me if I wanted to join him & a few others on a short-term missions to India. I politely declined, although I joked that it would be great tasting all those curries & tasty Indian food! And it looks like I can't use the "I'm too old" excuse, either, because those planning to go on the short-term missions included some middle-aged people.
Anyway, jokes aside, who knows, maybe next time. Certainly, I will provide support (prayer & financial) to those from church who are going on the short-term missions this summer - if I am approached for such support. I trust that God will bless those going on the short-term missions, & the unsaved people whom they will meet.

NB: Right after MEM ended, I rushed to pick up my friend IC from New Farm & headed to La Dolce Vita in Milton to join several others to watch the Asian Cup match between Australia & Oman. We turned up earlier than the others. The turnout at Milton wasn't as huge as it was 3 years ago when we watched Euro 2004 at the same place. But anyway, good to watch football with the company of friends. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, Oman unlucky not to have won, with Australia's keeper saving his team from a comprehensive defeat.