A team from City Harvest Children’s Church ministers to children and their teachers in Surabaya, Indonesia.
Contributed By Delvina Su
Leaving a lasting impact on the young ones was the aim of the CCH mission team. PHOTO: Bryan Lee
From May 16 to 19, City Harvest Children’s Church pastors, Eileen Toh and Glordia Goh, led a team of seven to Surabaya, Indonesia, to train and strengthen the children’s workers in three churches, namely Mawar Sharon Church, GPdI Elohim and GPdI Jompang. The trip included training workshops for nearly 400 workers and ministry to underprivileged children.
In her opening session, Toh introduced the 4/14 window: children aged 4 to 14 years are what she calls the “TGIF” (Twitter, Google, Internet, Facebook) generation, also the age group most receptive to the preaching of the gospel. She debunked myths that children are uninterested in or unable to understand spiritual matters, explaining that children are born with an inclination toward God. Toh also spoke on the importance of having passion with a purpose to shape the next generation.
Zone supervisor, Johann Sim spoke on “Leadership” and “Improving Skills In Delivering Messages To Children,” sharing tips on how to present a Bible lesson effectively. CCH’s program development manager, Connie Yong, spoke on “How To Tell A Story” to capture children’s atention. CCH pastor, Glordia Goh, taught on the need to instill discipline in a child through love and positive reinforcement.
The staff at Mawar Sharon Church found these sessions practical and inspiring. Satya Mohana, 22, has been volunteering in the children’s ministry for four years said the various sessions provided insight on how he could better serve in the children’s ministry using the right methods.
During the trip, the CCH team also ministered to 80 children from an orphanage. When they arrived at the shelter, they was moved by the living conditions of the children’s home, which was located in a cemetery. The team greeted the children with gifts of food and clothes and led them in a time of games, praise and worship and a Bible lesson on the love of God.
On the final day of the trip, the team conducted a big event at GPdI House of Prayer, Jombang. Children and adults came by the busloads with great expectancy, having heard that the CHC team was going to minister. It was a successful service which culminated in an altar call that saw 90 percent of the children responding. Yong recalled, “Although it was a school day, many still turned up at the church. Some even traveled more than two hours to be there.”
The mission trip to Indonesia blessed the churches in Surabaya, and touched the hearts of members who went on the trip. Tan, a civil servant, said, “Through this trip, I’ve become inspired by the children’s church workers in Indonesia. It is good to sow into other churches and witness what God is doing outside Singapore.”
Toh summed up the experience: “It is only right to be a blessing to others because whatever we have learned and applied in our church, can also be used in any church so that they too can experience a breakthrough in their ministry.”
