MISSIONS IN TANZANIA
A Report by Rev Dr Park Seung Kyu
Bible College of East Africa (BCEA), Tanzania
In the beginning of this semester we had 28 students. However now we have 20 students. Some have decided to leave the college due to their own circumstances, but one was expelled by the faculty.
We emphasise to students the importance of “praying, working and studying.” Every student has to attend the early morning prayer time at 5.30 am. This is not a Tanzanian custom, but a Korean custom. We have found that students have no time to pray because they are very busy to play and to talk. I hope they might enjoy praying unto the Lord in their lives through this early morning prayer meeting.
After early morning prayers, students have breakfast with chai (Tanzanian tea) and bread. After breakfast, they gather together in the classroom for devotions at 7.30 am. After this, we have chapel time at 8 am for 30 minutes. From 8.30 am onwards students have their classes with their lecturers until 12.30 pm. Lunch is at 12.30 pm.
After resting for a while, students go to work on campus from 2 to 4 pm. This is part of the Work Scholarship Programme. It is a very difficult time for the students. However this is a good time for us to get to know the students. The tuition fee including room and board for each student is USD170 per semester. On-campus resident students are eligible to apply for work scholarship. Under this programme, students who do campus work may receive up to USD170 per semester towards tuition, room and board. In fact, it is free education since students need not pay fees, not even one cent. This is Africa.
Students have dinner at 6 pm. After dinner, they have study hours from 7.30 to 9.30 pm. They go to bed after that. This is the life of students at BCEA TZ.
Now it is the time of examinations at the college. Then, on May 8, 2015, we will have our graduation service. Seven students are going to graduate this semester. Two of them will be sent to Nairobi for further studies.
Chem Chemi Kindergarten
The kindergarten has about 30 students. There are three teachers, one assistant, one worker, one pastor, and two missionaries. In the beginning of this term we had some difficulties due to a rumour that the kindergarten had closed because a Korean lady who was managing the kindergarten had left. But now I think everything is all right. Student numbers are increasing gradually.
Some students come from Muslim families. We are praying for their salvation and teaching the knowledge of the Bible. We provide them with food every day. School fee per month is USD3 per student. However, many students could not pay their school fees. Some of them have meals only once a day.
Glory B-P Church
We have Sunday school for children at 8 am. The students of BCEA TZ are serving the Lord as teachers of the children. There are about 20 children. We provide them with spiritual and physical food.
We gather together at 10 am to worship the Lord. The worship service is in Kiswahili with English interpretation. After service we provide the congregation with chai and bread. There are about 50 worshippers including students. We gather together at 5 pm on the Lord’s Day and on Wednesday. On Friday we gather together for fellowship meeting inside and outside of the college.
The Church provides some scholarship for Sunday school teachers, and medical treatment for the students of BCEA TZ and a poor old man in the church.
Vacation Bible School
We had a Vacation Bible School (VBS) with Kenyan teachers in April. Miss Bae Eunyoung is wonderful in the children’s ministry. The number of the children in our Sunday school is about 20. During the VBS, we had over 80 children on the first day, over 100 on the second day, and over 120 on the last day. Some of them have non-Christian background. We are planning to have VBS in April and December every year. Please pray for VBS and salvation of Tanzanians continually.
Love Gifts
We have received in April these love gifts from True Life BPC: USD3,600 to the kindergarten and USD3,400 to the college. Thank you very much for your sacrificial support for Tanzania. We are praying for you.
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL IN MYANMAR
Mission trip to New Life Orphanage in Yangon, Myanmar, led by Elder John Leong of
Tabernacle BPC, 21-28 March 2015
This is the 4th mission trip to Myanmar. In every mission trip, we need to go in faith trusting the Lord only. This trip is no different. There is fear and uncertainty from start to finish—from the call to serve, to the preparation, to the travel and finally to the place of service itself. I thank God that He humbled me this way to keep me praying and depending on Him, I have experienced that His grace is always sufficient. The Lord opened the way for five sisters to join me for this trip. He always provides the right people for each mission trip, whether many or few.
We booked the budget airline Jetstar to fly to Yangon, Myanmar on 21 March (Sat) and checked in 150 kg of luggage. We trust God it is sufficient as we brought along many teaching materials, T-shirts for every VBS student, clothing for the orphan centre etc. At the check-in counter, our total weight was 149.7 kg. Praise the Lord. I was immediately encouraged spiritually that the Lord will take care of us and use us throughout this trip.
Thank God for safe journey and we were received at the airport by Rev Andrew Kam, preacher Thangno and his wife and some children of New Life Orphan Centre (NLOC). Saturday was a day of rest and preparation for us. Thank God for a clean and safe hotel and this was our accommodation for the next seven days. This hotel is near to NLOC (about 15 minutes’ drive) which is convenient for our traveling.
On the Lord’s Day 22 March, we worshipped first at NLOC. I preached the Word of God on the “Death of Stephen” and our team presented a song item. After worship, we had lunch at NLOC and then travelled to Yangon B-P Church in Yangon city to attend another worship service. Rev Andrew Kam is the pastor of this Church. He drove us to the Church and I preached the sermon on “O Ye of Little Faith” and our team also presented a song item. Thank God for helping us to serve in the worship services.
The three-day VBS with the theme “The Life of Joseph” began on Monday 9 am to 4 pm. Thank God that about 90-100 children and youths attended the VBS. We divided them into four classes from the youngest in the pre-primary class to the youths in the secondary class. Thank God for four good interpreters for each of the classes. We taught five lessons from the life of Joseph (Genesis 37-50) during the three days. Each lesson has a memory verse and at the end of the VBS, all the students would have memorised five verses. Memory verse bookmarks were given to them too. I taught the youth class and I challenged them to memorise the verses in English. They had to do it at night after the VBS. Almost everyone of them made the effort and could memorise the five verses in English. Indeed I thank God for their zeal and love for the Word of God.
Everyday we had an art & craft session which was related to the message to reinforce what the students had learnt. On the second day of the VBS, Tuesday afternoon, we brought all the students to the city for an outing. They went by two chartered buses which resembled our SBS buses in the early 1970s without air-conditioning and doors wide open. This was their once-a-year outing which the children enjoyed greatly. On the last day of the VBS, we had a Bible quiz which the students had no problem answering all our questions. We concluded the VBS with thanksgiving items presented by each class. The Lord blessed the VBS richly with His Word that have encouraged both the students and teachers.
On Monday evening of day one after the VBS ended at 4 pm, we travelled to a nearby island named Dalah. We were transported there by a big boat and then by motorbikes as pillion riders to a member’s home where 25 church members and their children were fully packed inside. This village is very poor and they have to carry water to their houses. I encouraged them with God’s Word in Psalm 23. The children then had an art & craft session to remind them to trust the Lord to pray and read His Word. Rev Andrew Kam and his wife minister to this village church. Pray that the church in this village can have proper place of worship.
After the three-day VBS at NLOC, we went to a new village called Yuzana village which was our first visit there. We were to conduct a VBS on Thursday from 9 am to 4 pm and Friday from 9 am to 1 pm. About 35 children and youths came and they were all packed in the sitting room of a house which was used as an orphan centre. We divided them into three classes and taught the life of Joseph in three lessons. Despite a new and very different environment, we thank God the VBS was conducted smoothly. The Lord saw us through everything even though conditions were poor and dirty. Thank God for the response of the students with earnest desire to learn the Word of God.
On Saturday morning we took our flight home to Singapore. Thank God for safe journey. We ponder and wonder how these children and youths will be after our departure and we will remember to commit them to the Lord to keep all of us in the most holy faith. Thank God for teaching me the lesson of simply trusting in Him in every mission trip. Elder John Leong (Tabernacle BPC).
It was a privilege to serve the Lord again in Myanmar. This had been a fruitful trip for us as we were able to conduct the VBS not only in the New Life Orphan Centre but also in the Yuzana village church. I was encouraged by the earnest learning attitude of the children in the Word of God and their zeal and effort in memorising the Bible verses lesson after lesson. This has motivated me to work even harder to learn the Word of God so that I could teach more effectively and impart a thorough knowledge of the Bible to the children. The Word of God is indeed the best gift for them. “We then, as workers together with him, beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. … But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God” (2 Cor 6:1, 4). Qiao Yan (True Life BPC).
It is a blessing to witness what God is doing in Myanmar. The trip has been enriching for all of us. I learnt a lot on this trip whether in terms of lesson preparation or connection with the kids or conducting activities. I look forward to future mission trips to Myanmar or anywhere where God leads. It is also my prayer that God will raise up more people who are willing to go out to the harvest field to people who need Him, people who are hungry to know the Gospel. “Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.” (Luke 10:2). Priscilla Tan (True Life BPC).
