in2serve 2016

INTERSERVE NEWS Private Circulation Only 2IN SERVE 2016 Reaching the Scattered

from the chair Diaspora Missions : Reaching out to the Scattered Diaspora missions is fast becoming a buzz the resident population. Over one fortunate. We are also called not to word among Christian missions around the million Indonesians and 358,000 harbour any racial discrimination or world. While it may sound new to many Bangladeshis are working in Malaysia. religious prejudices that prevent us Christians,‘diaspora’ is in fact a very old Those from Myanmar, Nepal, India and from demonstrating God’s love to phenomenon since the Old Testament times. Vietnam make up 250,000 , 200,000, them regardless of their status. Many This word originates from the Greek 133,000, and 82,000 respectively.These are refugees, international students, translations of the Hebrew Bible, meaning figures, however, do not include many and migrant workers who could be “dispersion or scattering” of the Jews after their who have overstayed or are here struggling with loneliness, captivity in Babylonia in the 5th century BC. illegally. homesickness, financial woes, hopelessness, fears, trauma, and Fast forward to the modern times, the last Migrants, whether legal or illegal, uncertainties about their future. century has witnessed an unprecedented spike economic or non-economic, voluntary They probably just need a friend to in both international and internal migration or involuntary, are mostly made up of talk to, and someone who cares largely due to globalization, technological expatriate workers (professionals, skilled about them. advancement, natural disasters, regional and unskilled labour), business people, conflicts, civil wars, oppression, and international students, asylum seekers, We truly want to see them gathered persecution.The effects of the current conflicts and refugees. Professional expatriate into the Kingdom of God. So we in the Middle East and elsewhere are even workers, businessmen, and international want to challenge you – will you more pronounced, resulting in the human tidal students are obviously most welcomed pray for us and partner with us in waves of refugees and displaced people and desired by the government because our mission to share God’s message flooding across Europe, Africa, Middle East, and of their financial contributions to the of love and salvation to them? Will Asia. As if history is repeating itself, the local economy through their you like to be Christ’s ambassador to worst-hit refugee crisis area happens to be the expenditures and student fees. Sadly, in them so that they will meet and very same area where the ancient Babylonian recent years the number of encounter Christ through you? empire once existed. undocumented or illegal migrants including victims of war and Perhaps you would like to encounter Christian mission “fields” are thus being persecution have also increased, no Jesus Christ by personally meeting redefined in the process. Missions is no longer thanks to the porous borders with our and serving these people. After all, confined to going into fields that are abroad or neighbouring countries, human Jesus himself was once a refugee elsewhere to reach the unreached.Thanks to trafficking syndicates, and corruption. too! He said,“Truly I tell you, people movements across the globe, many whatever you did for one of the least unreached peoples from overseas are now part What does this mean to the Church and of these brothers and sisters of mine, of the diasporas right at our very doorsteps. the individual Christian? What are the you did for me” (Matt 25:40). Therefore, cross-cultural missions can now be implications? Clearly, it is an issue that done without going abroad. Missions has cannot be ignored or taken for granted. May God bless you as you partner become “from everywhere to everywhere!” The mission field is already right here at with us in diaspora missions, both our very doorsteps! locally and overseas! Discussions about diaspora missions in Malaysia today mostly centre around migrant The Church has a responsibility to love In His service, ministries, particularly among migrant workers her neighbours as herself and proclaim Philip Chang who come from Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Good News in fulfilment of the Philippines, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Official Missio Dei. We are called to be statistics indicate that in 2015, Malaysia has compassionate and care for the ‘aliens’ over 2.5 million migrants representing 8.29% of who are in our midst, especially the less 2

Photo credit: arjunv via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND Call to ACTION for the Diasporas As part of the body of Christ, we are international students and scholars, counter-cultural witness to the love of committed to God’s commandment to love temporarily. Vast numbers of people from Christ in deed and word, by obeying the our neighbour and to proclaim the Good many religious backgrounds, including extensive biblical commands to love the News of Jesus Christ holistically, bringing the Christians, live in diaspora conditions: stranger, defend the cause of the whole gospel to the whole world.There is economic migrants seeking work; foreigner, visit the prisoner, practise probably no better way to describe this in internally-displaced peoples because of hospitality, build friendships, invite into layman’s language than found in the Cape war or natural disaster; refugees and our homes, and provide help and Town Commitment declared by the asylum seekers; victims of ethnic cleansing; services. 2 Lausanne Movement in 2010, which is a people fleeing religious violence and confession of faith and a call to action for all persecution; famine sufferers – whether C) We encourage Christians who are Christians. For the full text of the Cape Town caused by drought, floods, or war; victims themselves part of diaspora Commitment, please go to of rural poverty moving to cities. We are communities to discern the hand of www.lausanne.org. convinced that contemporary migrations God, even in circumstances they may are within the sovereign missional purpose not have chosen, and to seek whatever Here below is an excerpt from the Cape of God, without ignoring the evil and opportunities God provides for bearing Town Commitment in connection to suffering that can be involved. 1 witness to Christ in their host diaspora mission: community and seeking its welfare. 3 A) We encourage Church and mission Where that host country includes Love reaches out to scattered leaders to recognize and respond to the Christian churches, we urge immigrant missional opportunities presented by and indigenous churches together to peoples global migration and diaspora listen and learn from one another, and communities, in strategic planning, and in to initiate co-operative efforts to reach People are on the move as never before. focused training and resourcing of those all sections of their nation with the Migration is one of the great global realities called to work among them. gospel. of our era. It is estimated that 200 million people are living outside their countries of B) We encourage Christians in host nations 1 Genesis 50:20 origin, voluntarily or involuntarily.The term which have immigrant communities and 2 Leviticus 19:33-34; Deuteronomy 24:17; ‘diaspora’ is used here to mean people who international students and scholars of have relocated from their lands of birth for other religious backgrounds to bear Ruth 2; Job 29:16; Matthew 25:35-36; whatever reason. Some relocate counter-cultural witness to the love of Luke 10:25-37; 14:12-14; Romans 12:13; permanently, and others, like three million Hebrews 13:2-3; 1 Peter 4:9 3 3 Jeremiah 29:7

JORDAN the land of REFUGE and HOPE Janelle Khoo, Personnel Director of Interserve Malaysia, provides some insights into the historical land of Jordan and the opportunities to serve the refugees in times of crisis.

Besides Israel, no other country has so many Biblical sites Islam quickly became the dominant religion in the year and associations like Jordan: Mount Nebo where Moses saw 636 AD when Prophet Mohammed’s followers defeated the Promised Land but was unable to enter; Bethany beyond Khaled ibn al-Walid in the Battle of Yarmouk. Arabic the Jordan, where John baptized Jesus; Lot’s cave where Lot then became the major language in Jordan. At the end of the first Muslim civil war in 661 AD, the fourth Caliph and his daughters sought refuge after the destruction of established the Umayyad dynasty. At its greatest extent, Sodom and Gomorrah, and many more. Of course, Jordan is the Umayyad Caliphate covered 15 million km2 (5.79 million square miles) and 62 million people (29% of the also home to the famous Nabataean city of Petra. world's population), making it the fifth largest empire in history in both area and proportion of the world's Jordan is a relatively small semi-arid almost landlocked population at that time. country with 9.5 million people (June 2016 estimate from Jordan Department of Statistics). Sunni Islam, practiced by Since then Jordan has seen many empires and ruling around 92% of the population, is the dominant religion and powers come and go, including the Crusaders in the co-exists with an indigenous Christian minority. Jordan is year 1115 AD, Saladin’s family in the year 1193 AD, the still among the safest of Arab countries in the Middle East Mamluks in the year 1250, the Ottoman Turks in the today, having successfully managed to minimize terrorism year 1516, and the British Empire under British colonel “Lawrence of Arabia” in the year 1917. In 1946, Jordan and maintain stability. became an independent state officially known as The Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan. Jordan captured Although the modern state of Jordan is the creation of the the West Bank during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and the 20th century, it can claim to have hosted some of the oldest name of the state was eventually changed to The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1949. civilisations in the world.The Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Hittites, Greeks, Romans, Arabs, Turks, and DISPERSED BUT NOT DESPISED Crusaders have all helped shape the region.They traded, built cities and fought wars here, leaving behind a rich Due of its location between Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Syria, cultural influence.Today, Jordan is at a crossroad of ancient Israel and the Palestinian Territories, and because of its stability, Jordan has more than 3 million inward customs and modern development. migration. In 2015, immigrants made up 40.98% of Jordan’s resident population (figures from IOM, 2015). Jordan is also home to the Bedouins, many of whom still live More than 700,000 are Syrians and the next largest a traditional lifestyle in the desert. One will see men wearing migrant group is from Egypt, totalling nearly 139,000. full-flowing robes and leading herds of sheep and goats. Refugees are amongst the most They do this without the help of any sheep dogs. John 10:27, vulnerable people. Some do not receive any support at which says “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and all. Many are restricted they follow me,” will have a whole new meaning when one from any working rights or participating in witnesses how the Bedouins herd their sheep and goats. formal education programs. Under the Byzantine period, Christianity became the official religion of Jordan when the Byzantine Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity in the early 4th century AD.This was a period of prosperity and stability during which many churches were constructed. One can still see evidences of these churches with their beautiful mosaics around Jordan today. One good example is found in Madaba, which was once a Moabite area.

They often have insufficient funds for food and transport, Refugees are amongst let alone proper accommodation. Most have suffered serious the most vulnerable people. trauma, and many have witnessed family members killed Some do not receive any support and their homes destroyed.They have experienced horrible situations and risked their lives just to get to Jordan – a safe at all. Many are restricted haven for refugees. from any working rights Zaatari is a refugee camp in Jordan, located 10 km east of or participating in Mafraq which is gradually evolving into a permanent formal education programs. settlement. It was first opened on 28 July 2012 to host Syrians fleeing the violence in the ongoing Syrian civil war that erupted in 2011. On 26 March 2015, the camp population was estimated at 83,000 refugees (UNHCR figures, 2014). Due to the maximum capacity of 60,000 refugees, in March 2013 a second camp was built 20 kilometres east of Zarqa in the Marjeeb Al Fahood plains.The number of migrants continues to rise each year. One of our Interserve Partners has been working among refugees in Jordan since 1985, many of them Iraqis and more recently, the Syrians.They often come to her, grieving and broken, seeking comfort and help.The ministry that she is serving with, Hope & Trust, exists to provide Christ-centered services and advocacy for the refugees. Hope & Trust’s community center has a café that brings together refugees for social activities, thus providing an avenue for them to share their stories and find relaxation through games over a cup of coffee. 6

One of Hope & Trust’s key asylum ministry is to provide assistance with form filling for resettlement, by working closely with the United Nations and some embassies to help the refugees go through the process of resettlement. Hope & Trust also partners with other like-minded organizations to provide travel assistance to Christian refugees being resettled in Australia. Under the 202 Class of Visa, refugees are required to purchase their own airtickets. Living in a foreign country is often very difficult for the refugees after resettlement.They would have lost their sense of identity and community. Providing them an avenue to belong to a community is ever so important. Our partners are therefore involved in ministering to the children through the AWANA program, providing English classes to the adults to prepare them for resettlement in a new country, and running discipleship programs for those of the Christian faith. All these will help to make their transitions and adjustments easier when they get resettled. A time of crisis is undoubtedly also a time of opportunities – for God’s compassion to be shown through the simple acts of friendship and assistance to the refugees in Jordan. May they experience His divine love and peace, and find hope and trust in Him. Please continue to pray for the refugees and the safety of our partners who are serving in the Middle East. Pray too that the Lord will send forth more workers into the field, for the needs are plentiful but the workers are few. If you are interested to find out more, please contact us.

TREASURE in the RUBBISH “One man’s rubbish is welfare services.There are many stories of preventable infant deaths or disabilities. Education is a low priority for many another man’s treasure.” children, whose parents see more benefit in them labouring in low-paid jobs that at least provide some additional financial How very apt this old saying is in Cairo! assistance to their families. Here the rubbish that we throw out on a Within the rubbish and dirt is a school trying to provide basic education to these poorest of the poor. It operates in a daily basis is not only potential treasure, run-down old building, with the first two floors for general education. Up another two flights of narrow stairs is a centre in but also the basis of a living, both in terms which we are trying to establish a project to improve the plight of disabled children and their families.There are only limited of employment and providing housing. resources in this centre and most of the youngsters need to be carried up the four flights of stairs by their mothers. In rural areas subsistence farming can no longer support families or village communities and as a result many Disability and disabled children are not well understood in this people have been forced to migrate to Cairo in search of part of the world. Often the condition brings shame not only on work.This has resulted in over-population of the city and the child but on the whole family, and they are poorly treated by the creation of areas with crowded living conditions and the entire community. Many of the children are kept hidden limited employment. Many of these areas are not away from the outside world and neglected, as the families’ recognized by the government, and basic utilities such as limited resources are given to their healthy siblings. roads, sewage, power and water are not legally supplied. The causes of disability are also poorly understood - blame is Even the seven collection points for rubbish have become placed on the doctors, mothers and anyone else involved in their places to live and work. Ezbit el Nukhl is one of these care. Doctors are reluctant to provide accurate information or to rubbish dumps, and it houses over 15,000 people.The tell the families anything they may not want to hear. Instead they people who live here literally live in houses or huts built from the rubbish that surrounds them. Dwelling in 8 absolute poverty and squalor, inhabitants earn their living by sorting through the rubbish brought in for recycling. They then sell on the plastic, tin and other recyclable commodities to local companies. Food waste is used as feed for the pigs and goats that share the same living quarters as the families themselves. It is an incredibly humbling experience walking along the dirt roads – inaccessible by car – where the main form of transport is still the donkey and cart. In this community built on layer upon layer of rubbish, the flies and the stench are unbelievable, and sheep, goats and dogs wander the streets. And sitting amongst all the rubbish are people, sorting it into sellable and recyclable products, while children play all around them. Conditions are hard here; the area is affected by chronic overcrowding, pollution, unemployment, illiteracy, high infant mortality, and a lack of basic health, hygiene and

Photo credit: Adam Jones, Ph.D. - Global Photo Archive via Foter.com / CC BY-SA Photo credit: StvnL via Foter.com / CC BY-NC When families bring their children to the centre we assess them, then provide a therapy programme and advice on will say,“Inshallah (God willing), everything will be fine,” so that things that can be done at home. Where necessary and parents expect that the right medication or medical operation possible, basic equipment is provided, such as foot orthotics will make their child suddenly normal. Or the family will be told, and leg splints. Recently, with the help of a visiting therapist, “Malesh (sorry/never mind), there is nothing to be done.” Either we were able to build a wheelchair with a specialized results in a rather passive approach to the children’s care, anger seating system for a child with two dislocated hips.This has at a lack of improvement in their condition, and lack of enabled her to sit up while at home, instead of having to acceptance within the family and community. spend all her time lying down (which aggravates her condition). It has also provided a level of freedom, in that she Common therapy practice here is to provide the same basic can now leave the house with her family. stretching and exercise programme for every child, regardless of the condition or presentation. In the home there is no Progress is slow and often disheartening. Parents often equipment such as wheelchairs, standing frames or walkers to come in expecting cures or, at least, instant results. Even help the child be more independent. In almost all cases the care though we provide education on disability in order to of the child is left solely to the mother. Secondary complications empower everyone involved, we also have the challenge of are common, such as contractures (tightening) of muscles, changing cultural mindsets.Then there are the added especially the leg and arm muscles.This can lead to further loss challenges of finding - or adapting - basic equipment, and of function, pain, hygiene problems and, in severe cases, even having to fulfil multiple roles, such as physiotherapist, dislocated joints. speech therapist, occupational therapist, orthotist, doctor and teacher. It is in response to these needs that I have been working together with a locally trained physiotherapist to provide basic Despite such challenges and setbacks, the big picture of therapy and equipment for the disabled children of Ezbit el changing the potential outcome and quality of life of these Nukhl. We also focus on providing accurate information to the children and their families - and the daily joy of seeing a staff and families about what disability is, how it is caused, how smile on their faces - make it definitely worthwhile. to minimize secondary complications, and how to work towards the children becoming more functionally independent. The author, a physiotherapist from NZ, has been working in Egypt since 2006. Migration from rural to urban areas often lead to many challenging situations for the migrant families. There is a great demand for community development workers and services to help meet their needs. Interserve works in many of such communities in Asia and the Arab world, and there are many opportunities to serve in these areas. If you are interested to explore these opportunities, whether short-term or long-term, please contact us and speak to our Personnel Director. 9

HOPE, HELP and LOVE Hurrying along the trail, they cast nervous glances behind them.They have to keep moving, a single file of people forced to flee because of an imminent Burma Army attack.They take what they can on their backs; mothers carry babies, others rice, a blanket, a cooking pot, a mosquito net, some tools. Even young children walk with a small bundle on their backs. It is all they were able to grab before they fled. Many villagers in Burma have run dozens of times over the years.They often have to cross rivers, climb steep hills and walk all night to get out of harm’s way. Since the military regime in Burma seized power in 1962, life has just got harder and harder for the ethnic groups which make up about 40 percent of Burma’s population.The aim of the Burma Army is to dominate, assimilate and exploit these ethnic groups, and the dictators of the State Peace and Development Council spend about half of their budget on the 400,000-strong army in order to maintain their iron-clad grip on power.Their usual pattern of attack is to build new roads into ethnic areas, use forced labour to build camps, bring in more supplies and soldiers and then expand further.This campaign of ethnic cleansing has left at least 500,000 Internally Displaced People (IDP) inside Burma. 10

SOME FACTS ABOUT BURMA But a member of the team reported that as they spent time with the people that night, a different picture began to Over 60 years of civil war have left Burma one of the emerge.“Families huddled around small fires, eating rice poorest countries in the world. During this time, successive supplied by the local village and resistance army.They military dictatorships killed thousands of their own people invited us to join them and soon children were laughing and and displaced millions in resistance areas, while effectively adults were smiling. We treated patients, talked and prayed strangling the political process in areas under their with them.The next morning, as they prepared to move on, complete control. we joined them for prayer and our team sang the hymn ‘Holy, Holy, Holy’ with them. When we finished, Nancy, a Recent developments in the government have allowed for 60-year-old Karen school teacher, said to us:‘Thank you, but more openness and less censorship in Burma, as well as please wait, we want to sing for you and give you ongoing ceasefire talks with many ethnic groups. At the same time, however, attacks and military build-up something.’ All the people stood up as she led them in a continue in most ethnic areas, while in Kachin Karen hymn,‘God is full of power’. We were all State the Burma Army continues an all-out moved and departed with smiles and assault on the people. In other areas there handshakes – we to continue our mission, is ongoing laying of landmines, attacks and they to a safer place.” on civilians, forced labor, destruction of civilian property and troop re-supply. In the jungle hide sites they keep Source: Free Burma Ranger’s website the trails small and difficult to travel on so if the Burma Army FREE BURMA RANGERS does see them, their suspicions will not be aroused. Once they Formed in 1997, the Free Burma arrive at a site, the fortunate Rangers are comprised of ones will find the rice supplies people from different ethnic they hid for just such a time. groups within Burma providing Others have nothing to direct relief to communities shelter them from the most affected by the results of pouring rain and have to find the government’s oppression. what food the jungle These teams are trained to provides.They face multiple provide medical care and problems, not least the threat counseling, while documenting to their health due to and reporting human rights decreased nutrition, greater violations. Since its formation, exposure and the close sharing more than 800 missions have been of inadequate water sources. conducted to assist over one million The most common diseases people.Together with other those living as IDPs suffer are organizations working toward a free acute respiratory infections, malaria, and peaceful Burma, 71 Free Burma Ranger relief teams bring help to people anaemia and skin diseases. facing oppression. They normally farm rice, as well as raising Free Burma Rangers exists to bring hope, help and pigs and chickens, but this is impossible love to such refugees: hope that the world has not when they have to be always on the move.The forgotten them; help that stands with them despite the children’s education suffers as setting up a school immense difficulties of reaching them through hilly and finding teachers is a massive challenge. It is often jungles and Burma Army controlled roads, rivers and impossible for them to return to their homes once the army minefields. Free Burma Rangers’ motto sums up their has gone because of the landmines laid around the villages. mission:“Love each other; unite for freedom, justice and peace; forgive and don’t hate each other; pray with faith, “Love each other; unite for act with courage; never surrender.” freedom, justice and peace; In one incident, a Free Burma Rangers team came across more than 150 people walking in a long line through some forgive and don’t hate each other; rice fields in Toungoo District, Karen State, Eastern Burma. Babies were crying, men and women were struggling to pray with faith, act with courage; keep moving and it looked as if they were despairing. never surrender.” 11

Hsa K’Tray Saw is just one of hundreds of people who will never feel regret being a refugee, for though life is full of suffered from this indiscriminate weapon of war. He and his limitations, restrictions and tragedies, it is enriched with family returned home from their hiding places three months meanings and values. after the Burma Army attacked them on 16 August, 2007. While his mother searched for vegetables to gather, he sat I will never feel hopeless, for my Saviour promised me an down on a log and tapped his machete on the ground.The eternal home. blade struck a hidden landmine, which exploded, injuring him and his eight-year-old sister. He was wounded in his I am glad to be a refugee, for I am always reminded that my eternal face and upper body and blinded in both eyes. Despite the home is in heaven and not on this earth. best efforts to restore his sight, nothing could be done and he is now enrolled in a school for the blind in Mae La, the But I know that for the time being, Satan is trying to enslave me, largest refugee camp on the Thailand-Burma border. for though I live in my Father’s, my brothers’ and sisters’ world, I am not free to travel. REFUGEE LIFE However, I am strongly convinced that a day will come – Refugees are among the most vulnerable people in our and it will be soon – when I will be able to travel freely to visit world and therefore of special interest to God, whose my brothers and sisters around the world and say “thank you” concern is consistently for the marginalised. Rev. Dr Saw for what they have done. Simon, Principal of the Kawthoolei Karen Baptist Bible School & College, Mae La Refugee Camp, wrote a poem I will then see the beauty of my Father’s world. Amen. which seeks to challenge how refugees see themselves: It is to work with the people of Burma in fostering this kind of I am not ashamed to be a refugee, for I know my Lord, hope that Free Burma Rangers exists. For more information, visit my Master, my Saviour was a refugee long, long before me. www.freeburmarangers.org ♦ I am not afraid to be a refugee, for though I am displaced, This story has been adapted from an earlier article by James I am not misplaced. Forrest in GO Magazine and edited for the latest data. James Forrest is an Interserve Partner from the UK. He previously I will never feel lonely, for God gives me many friends around the world. worked for a religious freedom advocacy charity in the UK and also taught at a school for I will never feel helpless, for God gives me many hands for help. refugee children. I will never stop doing good things in spite of all the difficulties and hardships, for I know that this is the real purpose of life God has entrusted to each one of us.

Interserve is a community of ordinary people following Jesus Christ amongst the peoples of Asia and the Arab World. Motivated by Christ's heart of compassion and justice, and in partnership with His church, with over 800 Partners in a wide range of ministries in more than 30 countries, we share our skills and experience to change tomorrow by what we do today. A commitment to the development of local churches, and to the facilitation of those churches in mission is at the heart of Interserve's call. Are you called to serve the nations? Can we be of service? We have openings for a variety of professions and skills. If you are called to serve the nations or would like our Most of our long-term Partners (people who are wanting Partners / staff to share in your church, do email or call us. to serve for more than 2 years) are self-financed. However, we also have Partners who are tentmakers and doing If you would like to be on our mailing list or would like to Business As Mission. We also have short-term services for contribute financially, please fill in the details slip below and those who want to experience missions anything from 2 send to the postal address or email us the details. months to 2 years. Postal address : P.O.Box 13002, 50756 Kuala Lumpur With the movement of people from everywhere to Tel : 603-7872 9029 Fax : 603-7872 9028 everywhere - globalization has provided a variety of Email : [email protected] opportunities for mission including possibilities of Website : www.interserve.org.my ministry to diaspora in Malaysia and in various parts of Asia and the Arab World. Please note that our HSBC account has been terminated. Our new account is with Public bank and details are as follow: Would you like to contribute? Account name : INTERSERVE FELLOWSHIP BERHAD Being a faith ministry, we depend on the continued Public Bank Bhd Account No : 3-2017625- 32 support of local churches and individual Christians to SWIFT Code (for overseas telegraphic transfer) : PBBEMYKL help provide for the work and funding the ministry. Any contribution, large or small, will go a long way in Should you bank-in directly, kindly fax-in the bank-in slip to advancing the work of the Lord. 60 3-7872 9028 or snapshot and email your transaction details to [email protected] notifying what/who your Each Partner who goes will need to raise his or her donation is for. finances.Your contribution may enable someone to go. Contact Details I would like to be on your mailing list to receive future copies of Interserve Magazine Title : First Name : by post by email Surname : Address : I would like to give towards General operating fund Postcode : Supporting partner(s); add name if known Tel : Others (please specify) Email : All cheques should be payable to “Interserve Fellowship Berhad”.



Photo credit: UBC Library via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND LOVE my Today people are on the move as never before! International students are flocking into Malaysia in \"Alien Student\" unprecedented numbers. We believe they are part of Neighbour? God’s amazing plan to reach the nations for Christ! When we love and befriend international are open to hearing the Gospel of I have been involved with international students we reflect the character of God. He our Lord Jesus. What an amazing students in different countries for the past loves the alien and the stranger and calls us to opportunity right at our doorsteps 30 years and my life has been so enriched do likewise (Lev 19:33-34, Matt 25:44) and to be without our needing to leave our by their friendship! We host an hospitable (1 Peter 4:9). jobs, obtain a visa or get on a plane! international students cell group in our International students are often the future home every Saturday evening and it’s the leaders of their nations. Many come from In 2002 there were just 27,872 highlight of our week. Let me tell you restricted access countries where they would international students in Malaysia. about some of them: have little opportunities to hear the Gospel. Now there are 145,000 and the Coming to Malaysia, they are away from their government is predicting 200,000 Esther and Daniel both came to faith last tight community and are asking questions and by 2020! Malaysia is a popular place September, so when they return to their to study – cheaper than the West, families in Korea they will be as believers. International students are often with English as the language of Victor is from Cambodia and was on a the future leaders of their nations. education and of course very scholarship at a prestigious university in friendly people and a huge variety Kuala Lumpur. He grew so much in his faith Photo credit: jisc_infonet via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND of the most delicious food on earth! while in Malaysia and has returned as an active witness for Christ. Andrew was part What are the churches doing to rise of our group for 3 years and he finally came up to this wonderful challenge and to faith on the very last Saturday before he opportunity? There are lots of left Malaysia. Currently completing his short-term mission teams to reach bachelor’s degree in Australia, he is faraway nations, but what about growing through a church there. reaching the nations on our campuses right here where we live? These are just a small snapshot from the Where are the families to open up last year. What stories can you tell? Are you their homes to international ready to play your part in reaching out to students, even for a meal? Sadly, this huge number of international students most international students never who live near you? Not only will you be a step inside the home of a Malaysian blessing to them but they will be a blessing Christian even once during their to you too! whole time in our country. And where are the local students to This testimony is shared by an Interserve welcome and befriend these partner who worships at a local church international fellow students - and and reaches out to international students build strong bridges of friendship when she is not at work. Names have been for Jesus to walk over into their changed for their privacy. lives? 15

MISSIONS at your DOORSTEPS Andrew Ng is one of the pioneers of a successful migrant ministry network within the country. A friend of Interserve, he shares his experience and perspectives about migrant ministry right at our doorsteps. “Missions at your doorsteps” is defined by Rev. Dr. Enoch Wan How then should the Body of Christ in Malaysia respond? as “Fulfilling the Great Commission by practicing diaspora Should we strengthen our houses and sanctuaries to improve missions locally with global significance.” Based on this our security? Or should we build bridges to reach out to these definition, we need to define “diaspora.” It is a word of Greek migrants and refugees? origin meaning “dispersion or scattering.” It refers to the fact of leaving one’s homeland and being on the move, voluntarily or Andrew Ng, founder of a non-profit NGO called Elshaddai otherwise, of an individual or a people group. Centre Berhad (“ECB”), offers his response.“We choose to reach out to them. Our motivation comes from the fact that we are Then one may ask, why with “global significance”? This can be commanded to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. illustrated by the case of Nepalese diaspora in Malaysia.There There are no illegal human beings in the world because all are are approximately seven to eight hundred thousand of them. created in the image of God. Our objectives are: rescue, relief, Malaysians practicing diaspora missions have begun engaging restore, and rehabilitate,” he explains. with them about fifteen years ago. Since then, thousands have come to our Lord, with numerous “sangati” springing up in Towards those aims, the NGO has a shelter home that functions many cities. Many who were discipled in Malaysia returned to as an implementing partner of the UNHCR in Kuala Lumpur. their homeland, while others moved on to “greener pastures” This home provides care for “unaccompanied minors” – a term such as Middle East, Hong Kong, and Korea.The fascinating used by UNHCR to refer to refugees who arrived without their phenomenon is that they became church planters wherever parents.The NGO also runs a refugee school endorsed by they went, thus stimulating a rapid growth in the Nepali body UNHCR.This school offers a weekly class in Character Building of Christ worldwide. using Biblical stories to form the major teaching materials. 16

At the time of writing there are about 430 students Andrew concludes,“The global movement of people is on who come from six countries. Eight years ago, when the the rise. Surely God has a purpose.The harvest is plentiful school was first initiated, there were only 22 children. but the workers are few. Other than constant prayers, it is through networking and partnership that the Body of Today, many of the school’s “graduates” have become Christ can fulfill the Great Commission.” teenagers and young adults.This inevitably led to the If you would like to explore opportunities to partner initiation of living skill projects such as Aquaponics with Interserve and other like-minded networks to serve (integrating fish rearing with hydroponic), Urban the migrant workers and refugees, please contact us. Farming (growing vegetables in drums to increase There are various ministry opportunities available for planting density), Second Chance Thrift Shops (shops both short-term and long-term. selling used goods) and Touch Nature Soaps (handmade specialty soap).These projects are useful not only for Classes in session at ERLC the teenagers and young adults coming out of the refugee school, but also for the parents particularly the mothers of the children who are still studying. On the drawing board is a computer center for training young adults in computer literacy, assembly, and repairs. It is envisaged that this computer center would initiate e-learning, providing on-line education in various fields that would be certified by recognized institutions, thus giving some form of certification to undocumented persons who went through the ECB learning center. Under a program called H4R (“Healthcare for Refugees”), ECB provides a fortnightly mobile medical clinic to various “alien” communities, made possible by about 40 volunteer doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. During these rounds of medical services, befrienders are recruited to come along to befriend the patients while waiting to be seen by the doctors. Also needed in our H4R program are trauma counselors. Through these four-fold humanitarian help of providing rescue, relief, restoration and rehabilitation, deep friendships will be developed over time with these individuals and eventually leading them to place their trust in the true, living God. Students of ERLC receiving lunch A Pakistani refugee receiving a brand new pair of glasses from the efforts of Health for Refugees of MMK (H4R) iMn eadmicaadl craasma plohcealtdedbyatHJ4lnR Kapar 17

DISCIPLING the DIASPORA Interserve partner Tim shares about an effective and strategic discipleship tool that is readily available right here for local Christians to use in cross-cultural ministries. Jesus’ final command on earth was to make disciples of ‘all nations’. Amazingly, many of those nations have come to Malaysia! An estimated 6.7 million migrants or refugees are right here in our country. We need not cross the seas to reach them; we just need to cross the street! Just click on the interactive map in this website to see where they come from: www.iom.int/world-migration. Discipling migrant believers These migrants have many religions. Some of them are already Christians and some others become Christ’s followers while in Malaysia. How may these many thousands of believers grow strong in Christ and active in serving him? Deep level discipleship should best take We can describe this kind of TEE as ‘Tools to Equip and Empower’ place in their heart language, not in English Language. – tools for local churches to equip and empower every member But how can we help this happen when we don’t speak for Christian growth and service. their languages? A breakthrough for discipling migrants Thankfully, help is at hand. ‘Church-based TEE’ is a proven discipleship method which each year is a blessing to The breakthrough comes because church-based TEE courses are hundreds of thousands of believers around the world. already available in more than 70 languages. For example, TEE means Theological Education by Extension, but the migrants from Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Cambodia, Indonesia – church-based version is a little different from and more – can start the Abundant Life discipleship course right seminary-based TEE, being focused at a grass-roots level. away in their mother tongue! With the group facilitator being from their own number, self-help TEE groups can spring up like How does Church-based TEE work? mushrooms wherever believers of that language can gather. We don’t need to learn their language, we just need to support them Learning takes place in local discipleship groups without as they disciple each other themselves. needing a professor’s lectures. It uses a weekly cycle of personal study, group discussion and practical Is this just an imaginary idea? Not at all. Already more than 200 application: Nepali Christians are being equipped in over 20 TEE 2) Learning Group groups in West Malaysia. They study avidly despite their long hours as factory workers or 1) Personal Study 3) Practical Application security guards. Completing one course and gaining a certificate, they proceed to the next course.Through this systematic discipleship they are being equipped as active witnesses for Jesus, reaching out to fellow migrants here and later back in Nepal. For instance a security guard ‘John’ 18

came to faith in Malaysia, was equipped through TEE, extraordinary opportunity to disciple We need not and is now playing his part to fulfil the great the nations on our doorstep? To pray, cross the seas Commission in Nepal! Other TEE groups are running to welcome migrants into your home, to reach them; for Pakistanis and Indonesians, and will start soon for to teach English to refugees, to we just need Myanmar nationals. volunteer with migrant ministries, to to cross get involved in discipling through TEE, the street! What is Interserve’s contribution? And yours? or some other way? It’s not often in Christian ministry that strategic If you are interested to serve the global needs can be matched with present resources migrants, please contact our office to so easily. Interserve partners, placed with The explore further. Increase Association (IncreaseAssociation.org), are taking this work forward in partnership with Tim and other Interserve partners Malaysian churches. Interserve Malaysia has a heart around the world are involved with to reach and disciple migrants. We are looking to The Increase Association, also known recruit you if you have a calling to serve migrants and as “Increase”, a ministry that is disciple migrants. involved in connecting and strengthening TEE and other Which migrants do you meet in the course of your church-based training movements daily life? What part is God calling you to play in this across Asia and beyond. 19

SCATTERED and GATHERED There are a variety of reasons people find themselves in A fascinating Bible study is to identify the material that was diaspora, or living outside of their original homeland. For written from people in diaspora and to people in diaspora. Take, for instance, the ‘pilgrim’ theme of Abraham; the some, it’s because of a ‘pull’ dynamic – people who wandering Jewish community under Moses; the teaching voluntarily leave for reasons of economic aspiration, about including the ‘stranger in the midst’. Don’t forget that Jesus himself was a refugee in Egypt, and of course many of medical tourism or higher education. the New Testament letters were written to dispersed Jewish churches. In fact, the Apostle Peter honours diaspora believers, But for others a ‘push’ dynamic is in play – for example, the referring to them as strategically placed for the transmission of need for refuge from political unrest, terror, persecution, or the gospel – they are ‘chosen’ (elect);‘migrants’ (exiles) and ‘scattered’ (diaspora) (1 Peter 1:1). Peter refers to these migrant trafficking.The term ‘diaspora’ is in fact a believers as paradidymai or those from ‘outside’ their biblical one, which goes almost unnoticed birth-country, who have been placed by God ‘alongside’ the local body of Christ in an adoptive country. in the Greek Septuagint version of the Bible where the word is used to Modern migration patterns admonish the Jewish nation:‘You In the twenty-first century, mission really is ‘from everywhere will be a dispersion in all kingdoms to everywhere’. For instance, if you want to reach Pakistanis you might think of going not to Pakistan but to Shanghai or Beijing of the earth’ (Deuteronomy where a 100,000 Pakistanis are studying in an environment 28:25).Their dispersion from that is removed from the social restrictions of Pakistan, and consequently much freer and less resistant to the gospel. their homeland of Israel turned them into the first Another example: if you wanted to reach Filipinos you might ‘diaspora’. Since then the think of going not to the Philippines but to a sea port on term has also been used of the Pacific coast of America close to the Canadian border, where again hundreds of thousands of Armenians, Kurds, and Filipino seafarers pass through each year. now many other ethnic Also, in most Gulf States, around half the groups. population are not Arabs at all, but Asians from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines or India. The patterns of diaspora are many and varied. For instance there is a thing called ‘intra-migration’; this is the case in India where 300 million Indians are dispersed as migrant workers within India itself. In China 450 million Chinese are doing the same. 2

There is also the growing phenomenon of Response of mission agencies ‘trans-national migration’, where economic migrants stay overseas for several years but always intend to For all these reasons, it’s not surprising that diaspora mission is return home – this is the case with many Korean or something of a rising star in the firmament of the worldwide Japanese expats in Malaysia. Both have a clear mission movement. A definition of ‘diaspora missiology’ has ‘transient’ mind-set which stops them integrating begun to emerge as ‘a missiological framework for with Malaysian society, presenting an added understanding and participating in God’s redemptive mission challenge to gospel ministry but also an opportunity among people living outside their place of origin’. Recently at a if they come to Christ and return home. Lausanne Movement consultation in Manila specifically on diaspora ministry – the fruit of which is published in a book, “Scattered and Gathered: A Compendium of Global Diaspora Missiology” by Regnum Books Interntional in collaboration with the Global Diaspora Network. Throughout its history Interserve has ‘followed the diaspora’, as someone once put it to me. My first encounter with Interserve was in Egypt in the 1980s where I associated with Vivienne Stacey who was in and out of the region in a strategic bid to open up the way for Interserve to serve the South Asian community there. Our team is implementing the Apostle Peter’s ‘prophetic’ insight: that migration patterns are strategic in the purposes of God and that migrant communities always include ‘diaspora churches’. People in diaspora are not merely here to be ‘reached’, but they are here to be envisioned and equipped to engage the gospel with their own community. We believe that as they do, they can have an impact not only here, but also back in their home countries. Adapted from an article by Steve Bell of Interserve England & Wales, first published in Go Magazine, December 2015. Photo credit: John Englart (Takver) via Foter.com / CC BY-SA Photo credit: John Englart (Takver) via Foter.com / CC BY-SA Photo credit: Direct_Relief via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND Photo credit: manhhai via Foter.com / CC BY 21

&PARTNERS’ NEWS PRAYER POINTS Do uphold Joshua Aw as he leads the National Timothy has taken on greater responsibility in the O ce. May the Lord grant him wisdom as he fellowship as Placement Coordinator in Central leads the dedicated sta team in the o ce. Asia. Pray that the Lord will give him time to balance ministry, responsibilities and his family. Do We rejoice with Janelle who will be graduating uphold Mimosa, Titus and Tristan as well. Tristan has from Theological studies this year. Pray that the been enjoying going to school. Pray that he will Lord will lead her to be a blessing to the churches make good friends in school. and individuals. Lucille has decided to go for her knee operation in Grace nished her placement in Mongolia February 2017. Pray that the Lord will give her beginning of 2016. She is now pursuing her the best medical care and that she will recover well studies in Learning Disorder Management & after the surgery. Child Psychology. She is hoping to use this skill in her next placement. Do pray for the Lord to open Lorna is back for Home Assignment. She dislocated doors for her. her shoulder in June 2016. Pray that her shoulder will heal well and for God to grant her good health. G and A have built some good friendships with the Pray also for her fundraising. She will have to raise locals in their respective workplaces and have her support level to be able to go back to the eld. been discipling some individuals. Pray that the Pray for faithful supporters to support her. Lord will deepen their friendships and continue to help them to be a blessing. Pray for S, their eldest We thank God that he has blessed Angie with a daughter as she starts university. new job. She is very happy in her new company. May the Lord help her to make new friends. Pray Do uphold Agnes as she is doing her third year that she will be able to shine for God in her work language studies. She also has been helping the place. local church in Nepal. Pray for God’s strength and wisdom. Pray for the Lord’s leading to what’s next. Congratulations to P and B who are expecting their 6th child. May God’s blessings and favour be upon Choon has been back from the Philippines. She is them and their work. Pray for God’s wisdom and now praying for her next placement. Please join guidance in the work that they are involved with. her in praying for God’s favour and open doors. Sam has been travelling and ministering in various TT and K also have been back from the eld, countries across the world. Praise God for the waiting for their next placement. Pray that the open doors for his ministry. Pray that the Lord will Lord will continue to grant them favour and use him to bring joy and hope to many. Pray too for open doors. the safety of his wife Adeline and his kids while he is away on his travels. 22

We thank God for his faithfulness in providing Thank God for his blessings and leading for S. supporters for Alvin, Pamela, and their two kids, She has raised enough support in a short period who are now, back in Central Asia. Alvin will be of time and has left for the eld in September 2016. venturing into a new ministry. May the Lord guide She will be helping set up a kindergarten in a him and grant him favour in all that he chooses remote area. Pray for the Lord to provide for her to do. every need. Jenny has been involved in raising leaders for her Meera has been traveling between Cambodia, church and busy with her cell group activities. India, and Indonesia. Pray for God to grant her Please continue to uphold her in prayers. good health and needful rest. Pray that she will be a blessing to the people whom she works closely Ee Puay will graduate this year with a Graduate with. Diploma in Christian Studies. She will continue to do her Masters in Christian Studies. Do pray that Lay-Hwa has just nished her 6 months placement she will manage her time well between her studies, in Chiang Mai on the 1st of Oct. Pray that the work, and rest. Lord will help her in all her transitions. May he also make clear to her, the next assignment. Both Richard and Karen have been giving their time to the home school that they serve in. Pray Please uphold Daniel and Poh Suan as they lead a that they will make a di erence in the lives of their local church. Pray also for their children as they students. Pray too for their children to do well in seek the Lord’s guidance in their lives. their studies. Please pray for the Board of Interserve Malaysia, Pray for Grace H as she continues with her that they will be blessed with godly wisdom and theological studies. Pray for her to be able to be able to discern God’s voice and direction for the manage her time between her assignments and fellowship. studies, besides her o ce work and her responsibility as a daughter. Praise God for Nai Khee’s passion for Alpha courses for Youth. She is now the adviser for Alpha for Youth in Malaysia. Pray for her in this role, to encourage the use of Alpha courses to reach more Youth and for wisdom to disciple the youth in her church. The Christian should work as if all depended upon him, and pray as if it all depended upon God. ~ Charles Spurgeon 23

P.O.Box 13002, 50769 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Tel : 603-7872 9029 Fax : 603- 7872 9028 [email protected] www.interserve.org.my