Thoughts from the 2nd Leadership Summit

3^rd May 2010


The 2nd Leadership Summit was indeed a significant event for us as the MLM Leadership Training and the Externally Focussed Church Small Groups.The 1st Leadership Summit was an excellent pacesetter and now the 2nd has established the potential and credibility of the group.

Many leaders within the group seems to have come up including the growing emerging leaders. We see the fruit of the faithful ministry of the last few years. The testimonies of the many small groups were encouraging and challenging for each one of us – to network with those who are already working for worthy causes or to do other new projects.

I was particularly impressed and touched with the ministry of Ps. Phua Seng Tiong. His ministry in the schools and later as a pastor exemplifies the things we have been talking about. Since coming back I have been sharing about his experience as Head master of the Jinjang school - how a boy was touched when he was sent home in the Headmaster's car. As it was said, “The heart of education is the education of the heart.” It seems that God has done his homework and prepared people like that so today when we talk about externally focused church, we have role models of it. This again confirms the move of God to show His grace in the community and touch their lives.

I was also challenged by the Malacca group which is on a signature campaign to express the feelings of parents who want the subjects of Maths and Science to continue in English in the schools. I have begun to pray about the matter of what we may do with mission schools and other Christian schools in the country. It seems to be clearer for me to get more involved in the pillar of education for this nation.

One of the highlights of the summit was the visit of YB Lim Guan Eng. It lent a greater credibility to the meeting. He seems to recognize that this movement that we are involved in has great potential especially in view of the Rifle Range ministry and that of the Fettes Park Baptist church involvement in the Public Library. His “prison to Chief Minister” testimony itself was an encouragement. His challenge to the church was to exercise faith and move forward. He recounted how in his darkest hour of imprisonment when even his children were angry and could not understand the situation, it was faith that kept him going. Having a Christian as Chief Minister of Penang is a testimony that God can do the impossible even in this country!

Finally, we had comfortable trip this time thanks to Air Asia – cheaper than the 10 hour bus rides we took last year. The hotel rooms and meals were excellent and facilities were good despite some hiccups in the air-conditioning.

I thank the organizers especially Ps. Richard Rajoo and Sis. Ooi Piek See for their great contribution to us and to the church in Malaysia.

Ninan Cherian

3rd Group Meeting

3rd Meeting of CareLink (EFSG)

We had our 3rd meeting at the home of Ninan and Regina Cherian on of August 12, 2009 at 8 p.m.

Present : Ps. Thomas Fang (Group Leader) and his wife, Ninan Cherian (Growth Champion), Regina Cherian (Women’s Champion), Steven Woo (Men’s Champion), Grace (Connect Champion).

Absent with apologies : Joslyn Foo, Fong Heng, Loh Seng Yak and May Seow.

Pastor Thomas talked about working as a team. He shared about how we did the mini teams to get started with things.

The meeting then deliberated on the issue at hand on whether to continue helping the George family. It has been brought to our attention from some pastors that the family had a history of seeking help and they felt that the family was not sincere.

However after much deliberation, it was decided to help a little further especially to help settle Mr. George in his job in Singapore. Ps. Thomas would accompany Mr. George to Singapore to disburse the cost of registration in Singapore. The Champions committed financially to a minimum of RM 700 and opened to the rest of the group to contribute as they felt comfortable.

We are of the hope that this family after having received our help would be a blessing to others as well. We felt we need to give them another opportunity despite negative reports (whether true or not true) of the past.

Ps. Thomas did an object lesson with us using cd cases. He stacked them to three levels and showed that the top (leadership) can go without the whole organization being destroyed. However if the people on the foundation went off, the structure can collapse.

We were also reminded of Richard Rajoo's exhortation that as we involve in the community and get hurt and offended by the very people we help, we need to forgive, forgive and forgive.

We closed with prayer and expressed support one for another.
The meeting ended about 10 pm.

Ninan Cherian

Follow-Up

3rd Visit To The George family.

The family made a trip to The Income Tax headquarters in Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur early morning (Tuesday, the 11th August) to collect the income tax release letter and thence to Putra Jaya to collect the clearance letter to work in Singapore. By about 5 pm they arrived at the clinic to see specialist concerning their daughter’s psoriasis condition.

The doctor was sympathetic to their situation and supplied them to the required medication for 1 month's treatment on the strength of their promise to bank in the money on their return to Johor Bahru. Then the family traveled back to Johor Bahru arriving about 1 a.m.

In the evening I visited the family to verify that they the documents had been collected. I requested for photocopies and verified with the original. The following documents were given to me:

1. The Income tax release letter.
2. The Letter of Release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
3. Letter from Ting Skin Specialist Clinic regarding the daughter’s condition and treatment.
4. Bill for the medication taken.
5. Letter of Demand from lawyers of Landlord concerning requiring eviction from house by the 15th of August.

The next stage is for Mr. George to get the Singapore documents and start work as soon as possible. He already has a job in the security line and is anxious to get started.

Ninan Cherian, 12th August 2009