FARM STAY

Shalom All,

Greeting in the Name of Our Lord Jesus Christ!

Due to certain sensitivities, we are compelled to be low key in our reporting of our missionary activities in China.

As you can well appreciate, the government fears freedom of worship could have adverse influence and impact on its governance. Despite these constraints, however, I am happy to report that “three-self-churches” remain relatively robust in China, but they need to always remain careful to keep themselves within the limits of the law.

We want to give thanks to our Lord for protecting us from the Evil One.

We arrived safely in Bangkok, Thailand on May 4^th, 2010, and we had a short break settling our personal matters. Starting this week, we will have a tight schedule with local fellowship centers and churches. I believe many of you have heard about the red shirt protesters in the city of Bangkok, but in fact, the happenings are only confined to a limited area at Siam Paragon, Central World and Lumpini. There is massive traffic jam around this area because the Thai army are active in controlling the protest movement. So, if you are thinking of coming to Bangkok, there is nothing for you to worry about just avoid this area.

Now here is our mission report to bring you greater faith, love and joy.

This is the Olive Farm in Yunnan where we have spent time serving the farmers and the local community. It is a beautiful place. We were so fortunate to have been invited by the owners of the farm (Business missionary from Singapore) to join the farm. The owner has shared with us on how he received his vision from God to start this farm based on Deuteronomy 8 verses 7 - 9, “ For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land - land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and hills, a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, peregrinates, olive oil, a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing, a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills”.

During our stay in the farm, Jenny and I started some activities such as teaching how to do handicraft, teaching English to the children and also playing games with the children. During these activities, I have always stressed on unity in the spirit-that is, working as a people and not creating conflict within the group.

There are many problems facing the farmers. In this, I sought the Lord for strength to solve the problems through counseling and motivation. As I walked around the farm, I would shout “Hallelujah”, and in return they would shout “Amen”, rejoicing in praising the Lord. Before we assist the farm as a volunteer, the farmers used to have morning prayer meeting around 8am for 5 minutes and I took a step forward to start an evening prayer around 6pm for 5 minutes. Everyone would be called on to come out to lead the prayer rather than the same person. Most of the farmers did not know how to pray and neither did they spend time to pray once they returned home. This is because they were always very busy with their daily routine, such as working in the olive farm from 8am to 6pm, then from 6pm - 9pm managing their own farm, from 9pm - 10pm cooking for dinner, and at 11pm cleaning up their own home. Only at midnight were they able to go to sleep.

I taught and encouraged them to always remember the Lord even when busy working, to pray and talk to Him when working, as our Almighty God is always there and listening.

When our food stock was low, we would go to the nearby wet market or the city to do our shopping. The distance to the nearby wet market is about 20km and to the city 80km. Last January 2010 at Carrefour in the city, a pickpocket took our Electronic Talk Dictionary without our realizing it, so we have lost it. Then in April 2010, traveling in the crowded bus to the International Trade Centre, two suspected pickpocket tried to cut my pocket jean. But my wallet was still there. Praise the Lord my wallet was not stolen!

During the Chinese New Year, we visited a few homes in our neighborhood and enjoyed the fellowship with the people. It is a great opportunity to share about the Gospel of Jesus to them. One of the families decided to accept Christ, and requested us to smash the idols they had worshiped and to pray for the repentance of sins. God works in mysterious ways, we just need to remain faithful to Him.

On the first Sunday of the Chinese New Year, we were invited to attend a home church (also known as the three-self-church). Here, women folk seemed to have a stronger determination to believe in Christ rather than the men. I was invited to share the word of God with the group and many were touched by the working of the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah! I was asked to pray for each one and the Power of God, moved mightily around them. Let us give Praise to the Holy Spirit.

We would like you to visit our Covenant House and our apartment suite is part of our Covenant House. This house is only specifically for foreigners to stay and not for the local people. The beauty of our apartment is that it is a fully furnished apartment. Not like our apartment in Bangkok, we rented from Jenny’s uncle, where we do not have furniture, television, refrigerator and bed, and where we slept on the floor on a blanket. We also use the same room to cook our meals, and that's in urban city life Bangkok, in sharp contrast with rural Yunnan! But more importantly, it is not comfort we seek for ourselves, but the opportunity that will provide us to share the gospel of love, truth, joy and faith to everyone.

During our stay in the farm, we have the opportunity to help in the packaging of the olives during harvest time. The owner and his family were planning to go back to Singapore to sell fruits and olive oil, meeting with the board and share updated news about the farm.

As we were on 60 days per entry of a 2-year multiple entry Chinese Visa, we are required to exit from China in early March 2010. We took a sleeper class to Hekou (a Chinese border town) and walked across to Lao Cai (Vietnamese border). Then we took a short trip to Hanoi to meet up with my Vietnamese friends, with whom we used to stay together in Petaling Jaya, from 2003 - 2004. At that time, he had wanted very much to become a Christian, but his girlfriend then (now his wife) dissuaded him. When we met up again in Hanoi, I wanted to speak to him about my work for Christ, but did not get to say much about this, because something unfortunate happened. His son fell from the table and was cut by a table mirror. Thank God that the boy was otherwise unhurt. Let us pray for him and his family. His name is Hanh.

Towards late March 2010, I felt that the farmers needed more spiritual foods and decided to start an evening Bible Study class. I started with The Book of John and to make it easy for them I used lots of parable, humor, and wisdom from God. As they participated and became more interested, they requested for more classes, and even invited their non-believer friends to attend. I well remember that we have had so much fun and joy in class one day laughing non-stop for nearly 2 hours! God indeed delights us with his humor as well!

Let us all Praise the Lord! One young brother, aged 17 has already believed in Christ for 8 years, but not baptized. The Lord want me to conduct water baptism for him and this I did in late April 2010.

On April 30^th, 2010, the owner of the olive farm decided to have a celebration party for us as we are preparing to return to Bangkok. We have had a joyful party celebration. The Lord is always ever present, even at sad farewell and goodbye! Praise Him and Give Him Glory!

During our last Sunday morning service at the farm. I put on a movie called “Fireproof” translating for them and explaining to them the meaning behind the story that it is important to value our life partners through love and caring through Christ who died for our sins. Unity in the family comes first, then friends, church and work. Then we will be greatly blessed by Our Lord. In the evening, Jenny prepared the meals and we then gathered to eat our favorite Thai - Malaysia dishes.

When we left the farm, many of the farmers wanted us to stay back and their eyes were filled with tears . Their warmth really touched us but we could not stay as our mission work has already completed even though the initial plan was for one full year. God has cut short our stay, and I believe it is God’s timing and not our timing.

God is always great, Glory to the Name!

Blessing,

Rev. Steve Peter H S Kok and Sister Jenny P Kok