Gillian's Takeaway: Be Humble

This is an amazing trip, testified by 8 people with willing hearts, 32 kids with fruitful childhoods, and 2 loyal Christ followers with eternal treasures in Heaven!

Gillian, Usha, and Pastor Jonathan

Before we went, I kept praying to God: please use me, in every possible way! I can sweep the floors, wash the dishes, tutor the kids, paint the walls, do the laundry, cook meals, share my stories, and lead the games… I mean, anything except singing. I felt so determined that I was ready to roll up my sleeves and have a big go at it. It’s like, "Hey kids, we’re coming. Wait and see, there is so much we can do and I know you need us!"

However, the story was never like that. While we were there, even before we properly introduced ourselves to the kids, they rushed to carry our luggage, hold our hands while hiking up the mountain, offer their seats to us and teach us Nepali… It made me feel we were treated more like distinguished guests, with so many priorities and extra care, but nowhere close to “servants”. I also saw small little things catching my eyes and filling up my heart. That’s DAILY discipleship, full of with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. DAILY, 24/7! I can name examples without even thinking about it. What I need to do is open my eyes and tell you what I see there. I felt extremely grateful to an extent I have no idea if it’s ever enough for me to say “thank you” to each and every one who had been teaching me this lesson in Pedong, India. I was stunned and I asked God everyday: Let me do something, anything! Let me be more helpful!

Easter Morning Hike

After we came back to Hong Kong, I suddenly realized what God had taught me through this trip. Though there are so many, I found each His teaching during these 8 days is around this: Be Humble! Be humble just like Ps. Jonathan and Mama Usha are – showing God’s love and expanding God’s Kingdom on earth; like uncle Bob travelling all the way to serve with a devoted heart, like Julie and Bo from well-off families and with promising careers, like Lindie and Cody being the children of our Pastors with passion to serve, like Rachael and Alex being the carefree youth with love to give, like Steve being a cheerful and wise Christ follower with so many talents… and just like those 32 kids, as they always look up to your eyes and smile: what can I do for you? And, just like Jesus…

Oh dear Lord, what can I do for you? You have done so many great things to me. Even though I claim in your name to serve and give, I was served and I was given so much by your loving sons and daughters. Thank you for revealing your words to me. Please keep teaching me how to really humble myself and serve you.

Blessings,

Gillian

Changes for Rachael

I have learned a lot of things in this trip and ever since I came back, almost my whole personality and perspective of the world and my surroundings changed. Before I went to LFCH, I always liked to isolate myself from people outside school and the majority group inside school. Basically, I just lived in my head with a computer or an iPod touch in a world where nothing bad ever happens to me. (If you are my English teachers and my tutor, this is how I get ideas my crossover stories. By just living in my own head almost 24/7 in and out of school). It wasn’t till I got to LFCH then did I think differently about things and I got the self-esteem I needed for almost my entire childhood.

Rachael sharing with the kids a story of how God has shown her love

First was responsibility, every morning I’d see kids who are like ‘round ‘bout 7 years old sweeping the grounds of the orphanage and I am not just talking about corridors and rooms etc., I mean everything in the orphanage, the boys and girls room, the main orphanage room, even the path that leads to the orphan’s chapel/study room, at dinner. (I’d say, quite impressive for a 7 year old hmm?), even Royal (or Roy I would call him in my mind) at one point helped wash the dishes I thought to myself, who am I to get the helper to do all these responsibilities instead of me? Once I get back home, I shall sort out my bed and help the helper when she needs it.

Then came something that would change nearly all of who I am, something I should have had ever since year 1. My self-esteem and security, when we had lunch at church, I came across some girls who looked as if they were part of an in crowd, and they were chatting to Linden (or Lindy as more often known). As usual, I knew they wouldn’t want to hang out with someone like me, so it was quite a big shock when they came over and asked my name, when I told them my name they
introduced themselves, I can’t remember all of their names but I do remember another Rachel and
the leader called Stella (which means star in Latin. Quote neat for the name of a popular girl I would say). After chatting for a while, Stella asked me one question that changed everything to me, the question was….. ‘Want to be friends?’ I was shocked at that question because so far in my life, it was out of character for an in crowd to want to be friends with someone like me, during lunch, I only took a few nibbles of my curry then left the rest. I had a really dumb, shocked expression on my face
with my mouth hung open, my mind racing with lots of questions about why they would want to include me into their group.

After lunch, the first thing I did was to find Stella and her friends, I am glad to say that I accepted her offer to be her friend and the more I got to know them, the more I felt my self-esteem rising and nothing else mattered to me except not to let anyone crush down my new confidence again.

30 Years, 3 Things

We've been back in Hong Kong a few days now and are getting caught up on our sleep and showers! It was a wonderful week with a lot of fun, singing, story-telling, and prayer. Thank you for praying for us- God kept us safe and healthy and blessed our interactions with the children and staff!

Here are some of Bo's stories and things he learned over the last week:

Our team has returned from a wonderful week in the mountains of Pedong, India serving at the Little Flower Children's Home. The home was started in the '80s by Pastor Jonathan and Mama Usha - an anointed couple now in their 60's after multiple decades of deep impact all over the Northeast region of India. This special couple has seen somewhere around 100 children grow up and "graduate" from the Children's Home. Many have gone on to become pastors, missionaries, and one girl even started her own orphanage! They have also been a part of over 20 church plants and actively serve as Elders to 12 currently. The churches have started medical clinics, educational centers, and community centers and have been responsible for several evangelism proclamations and meeting the special needs in crises in the villages in this region. Pastor Jonathan and Mama Usha have had a truly remarkable impact.

However, after spending a week at the Home, you quickly realize that the major ingredients to this amazing ministry are simplified down into a few core components of daily, consistent discipleship.

Pastor Jonathan, Usha, and our team

1. God's Word - Each morning at 5am, all 32 children sleepily stumble into the onsite chapel. Mama Usha opens the time with singing as the children slowly wake up. Then, Mama Usha reads a passage from the Bible and explains the application for the children. The days we joined, we read through the first chapters of Nehemiah. Then, in the evening the older children lead the nightly devotional where they also read through a scripture passage. Every day this is how the day begins and ends for these children.
2. God's Spirit - Many times during the week, we had the opportunity to join with Pastor Jonathan and Mama Usha for prayer. We would pray for the children, for the church, for the people in the region. We also prayed with the children often. Daily, consistent prayer has covered the Home for the past 30+ years.
3. God's Songs - The first thing you notice as you arrive at the Home are all the smiles and laughter from the children. The second thing you notice is that someone somewhere is always singing a song! These children love to sing. They sing at 5am during morning devotional. They sing while they do their chores. They sing during meals and in the evening and while playing. One night we overheard Benji, one of the little 7 year old boys, singing a song as he was falling asleep. The chorus to one of their favorite songs is "Making melody in my heart to the King of Kings!" It is clear that the joy expressed in the smiles and the laughter is the one of the results of constantly having a song to God in their hearts.

Bo and Steven leading a game of limbo on Easter Sunday

God's Word, God's Spirit, and God's songs. These three simple things applied consistently and daily over 30+ years have yielded tremendous eternal fruit in this region of India. As Pastor Jonathan expressed to me, this type of work is slow and often very challenging, but it's always worth it!

Lindie's Perspective

Hey everyone! So as some of you may know I am Lindie, and I am a part of this year’s Mission trip to India. As we  prepare to go India I am excited to see where our journey will take us. Having been on a few missions trips in the past I have experienced first hand the joy and fullness that serving others can bring.

I feel that Jonathan and Usha’s home the ‘Little Flowers Children Home’ (LFCH) is not only worth our time, but also a positive reminder that even in a world filled with such despair and sadness there is still hope.

I remember the last time the students went to India I couldn’t wait for it to be my chance to go on the trip and am excited the time has finally come. As this year we are a small group (of only 8 people) I hope to not only grow in my relationships with the team, but also our new friends we will meet at LFCH.

I also want to take a minute to thank you! Yes you! Thank you for your constant love and dedication towards this trip and my fellow peers. Without your support and donations we would not have been able to reach our goal.