No Reservations, No Retreat, No Regrets
By Rev. Chan P Y
To the Hills
Bible class for Timorese
It was Timor Leste in 2005. Ps. Wai Ching and I arrived at a place in the hills and lived without electricity for most of the day. But the Lord brought many friends of other nations to help us. We met a young man who taught us basic Tetum, and a Wycliff translator who taught us the structures of the language. Despite not knowing the language beforehand, we learned to teach and preach in Tetum.
When Timor Leste experienced internal conflict in 2006, Grace Missions called us back to Singapore and thankfully, we found a way out safely. We returned when the situation was calmer and stayed in the city. For more than three years, we travelled all over Timor Leste and even some parts of Indonesia, connecting with the local pastors and teaching the Word of God. Although the country lacked many things (clothes, food and technology) that we have in Singapore, God had more than met our needs.
A missions team’s visit to a Spoken English class’ student home
Being Equipped
Before Timor Leste, Grace Missions sent Ps. Wai Ching and I to India in 2003. We made friends by teaching English language classes. Our students knew our faith in Jesus and some became believers. Those were the happiest moments of my life, to experience cross-cultural living. I also enjoyed ministering to the children. Soon, we had teams coming to support what we were doing.
To prepare ourselves for deeper missions work, we returned for Bible school training for two years. However, due to intense persecutions in the previous location, it was not safe for us to return after our Bible school training. After a season of uncertainty, the Lord sent us to Timor Leste.
I have often wondered why God sent me to India, Timor Leste and Indonesia. I struggled to learn their languages and cultures. We gave up asking and how that the only way to figure out what God is directing me to do in every country. When I did not know what to do, I simply said to Him — what next? But my heart is secured that the Lord God will show up because I am doing His work.
A Season for Sowing
A mission team in a church in Riau
I relocated back to Singapore in 2009, to care for my elderly father. I appreciate Ps. David Lim, the senior pastor of Grace Assembly then, for allowing me flexibility to continue my work in Grace Missions. Since then, I started to lead many weekend missions trips to Riau, Indonesia. It was encouraging to see Gracians’ active participation in missions trips. I see myself as a mobiliser for Grace Missions in the local church.
Grace Assembly was started by missionaries who paid their price to come to us. Their courage to plant a local church in a foreign land must always be the DNA for Grace Missions. The strategy and methods may change in the future but I hope that the next generation will continue to venture beyond our shores. I am privileged to be part of history in Grace Missions.
In this journey for the past 20 years, God has placed me in different places and cultures. I have experienced sickness and spiritual attacks in different forms in missions but God is always there in the suffering. The forces of darkness are out to discourage me but I am with the Lion of Judah as I travelled to many places. In near-death situations, I heard Him said, “Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer, you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’” There are no reservations, no retreat and no regrets looking back. Serving Him, I love Him even more.
Rev. Chan P Y was sent by Grace Missions to Orissa, India (2001-2003), Timor Leste (2005-2009). She is now the Country Director for Indonesia (2009 – present).