Korea Meets Indo 2013

This has been the fourth year, Korean brothers and sisters visited Gloria Senggarang Preaching Point for their one-day-mission trip. Collaborating with Mr Juseong-ung (주성웅) and wife who are the missionaries for Indonesia Methodist Church, the Korean brothers and sisters came to share God’s love in various activities every year. This year, we welcomed brothers and sisters from Glory Korean Methodist Church Singapore. They are still the holders of South Korean citizenships but they stayed in Singapore for working and studying purposes.

The group arrived at Sri Bintan Pura Tanjung Pinang ferry terminal on Friday, 28^th June 2013 10am. With the small boat, they cross-over to Senggarang and had tour around the village and the historical Senggarang Chinese temple complex.

After lunch, the lunch was hosted and prepared by the women fellowship members. Since few days before the day, the housewives had did the ingredients shopping and preparation. On the day itself, they had prepared the lunch since morning after sending the kids to school.

There were some local taste for the lunch like Chinese Herbal Pork Rib Soup (Bak Kut Tea), Hot & Sour Fish, Deep Fried Tofu & Soyabean Cake with Indonesian Style Chilli (Sambal Belacan), and some more…  Although the tastes of the foods are different from Korean style but they also enjoyed the Senggarang style lunch.

Korean friends had lunch at Senggarang Preaching Point

After lunch, we started a praise and worship session with the kids and moms from Senggarang and the Korean guests. A dance was later presented by the moms group. The kids also presented a song and dance session afterwards. As a friendship program, it will not enough only the Indonesians presented some skills. The Korean friends also gave their best performance. The group of kids played the violin and trumpet with few songs. Another group of adults presented few songs and played the handbells.

The kids from Senggarang and the Korean friends

Korean friends presented some songs

Next, after the worship session, the Korea Meets Indo program was continued with segmented programs. At the kitchen and dining area, there was a cooking demo of Korean style pizza. There was also a balloon making and face painting session at the main hall. At the front balcony, there was a hair styling session.

Face painting

Korean pizza cooking demo

Baloon making

Hair styling by the Korean friend

The Korea meets Indo program ended by 4 pm. The Indo sent the Korean to board buses which had stand-by to send them to other Tanjung Uban Methodist church. We had to say good-bye and prayed that God always bless their ministry. We hope to meet them again next time.

For more pictures, please click:

Korea Meets Indo 2013

Saying Goodbye to Teacher Rachel

A Chinese proverb says that "There are a starting and an ending". If we went backward to four years back on October 2009, at this historical Chinese village of Senggarang, Teacher Rachel started her mission work with Gloria Methodist Church Medan. From starting with English classes then Sunday schools and now regular mothers’ fellowship also with special daily programs to share God’s love.

When I wrote this article, she had left this place to continue another bigger task that God wanted her to serve. She will continue a mission work in Hongkong to serve Indonesian’s workers there. Here, I reviewed the farewell event organized with Singapore’s friends.

It was on May 18, 2013; 7 pm, it was a crowded evening when more than 100 kids and moms occupy the mission home. Friends of Singapore, local brothers and sisters in Christ and two brothers from Medan had also came to celebrate this unforgettable  moment.

The program started with praise and worship with some Sunday School songs. Although the room temperature was hot but all the congregations sang happily. After songs, a senior missionary worker from China who arrived here with the Singapore friends also share God’s love and her testimonies on God’s work in her works.

Afterwards, I screened a short video presented some works and moments, the Senggarang mission point had with Teacher Rachel. There was a snapshot on the mission home when it was bought on the first time. It was still an empty home with very less furniture. Equipment for teaching is also insufficient. Then, the video displayed the increasing numbers of kids and moms who became the part of this mission point. There was also pictures where Teacher Silpa took part in this work.

Later, it was the new chapter of the Senggarang Methodist Mission Point’s history. The handover letter was signed between Teacher Rachel and Silpa with the two brothers from Gloria Methodist Church Medan as the witnesses. Hundreds pairs of eyes also as the testifiers of this momentous event. Teacher Rachel also expressed her regards on her simple “goodbye” notes.

That was the end of this program. With a closing prayer from the senior of our Singapore friend, we closed with a prayer, hoping that God will always lead Teacher Rachel for her new tasks at the new place. May God always bless her and be with her to do greater things for the glory of the Lord.

Click this link to see the images: Farewell to Teacher Rachel

 Regards:win_petrus

Gloria Senggarang Update 2013

The year of 2012 had been a wonderful journey for the Methodist Senggarang Preaching Point. Starting from the additional worker that God had sent, few groups of Gloria Methodist Church brothers and sisters visitation (like the leading pastors, youths, women and men fellowship members), friends from foreign countries which always came to visit us and many more. May this video explains to you on God's work

Celebrating Easter at Gloria Senggarang Preaching Point

This was not the first time to celebrate Easter at Gloria Senggarang-Methodist Preaching Point. The third celebration was celebrated on March 31 on this year.  More than 70 children and housewives came to take part in this celebration

Like previous programs, one hour before the program commenced start, the congregations had crowded the venue with their best clothing. They came to celebrate the joyous moment of Christ resurrection.

This program started at 4 pm with praise and worship sessions. There were also songs and dance presented by the kids and the moms. The Easter story was the climax which told the congregations to understand the story of Jesus crucifixion and resurrection. The teens also presented a drama, telling a story of how a man fall into sinners.

Two days prior to the Easter celebration, the kids and moms had been distributed eggs for the Easter eggs coloring  competition. They drew the best design and they brought these eggs again on Sunday afternoon for marking. The best design was announced at the end of the Easter program. There were 10 winners from the kids category and 5 winners from the moms category.

Happy Easter Day!!! 

Please click this link for images from the Easter Celebration

Easter Celebration 2013 

Yearly Awaited Chinese New Year Night Market

Like previous years, nearby the Tg. Pinang market area (Merdeka Road & Plantar 2 and nearby), there is a bazaar in conjunction with Chinese New Year. The locals call it as “Pasar Malam” or Night Market. At this year, the Night Market is organized by January 5 until February 9, 2013.

Tg. Pinang and nearby towns / villages societies especially the Chinese will come to this place for sightseeing after dinner and purchase something as preparation for the new year. Furthermore, there are not so many night activities at this Gurindam city during night time, so the Night Market will always flooded with people.

What stands that you can see at the Night Market? There are quite a lot of choices that you can enjoy. Starting from foods: Homemade Chinese Spring Roll (the most long queue every day, Taiwanese Style of Grilled Sausage, Smashed Chicken (Ayam Penyet), Satay, Fish Yam Soup, Fried Finger Foods, Grilled Slices Pork (Bak Kwa) and many more…

If you needs some stuffs for Chinese New Year, you may buy from the knick knacks to decorate your house, red pockets (hongbao), cookies and sweets until some vegetables and cooking ingredients to prepare the reunion dinner. To be fashionable on the New Year day, there are also some fashion products from T-shirts, pants until accessories sold at this place.

For the prices, don’t worry that these products are still affordable and can be said quite cheap. You can also bargain with the sellers for some products.

You may click on this link to see how the Night Market is:

Night Market for CNY 2564

An Expedition to Snake River

After a long time hearing about the “Snake River” which is located not so far away from Senggarang, finally, today; Thrusday, 17^th January 2013, we took this chance to see what was special about this river.

With a boat (pompong) we departed from the stairs to board the boat which was placed next to the house. By passing the water village Senggarang, then Kampung Bugis and few ferries docks and finally we arrived at the entrance of a mangrove jungle.

Do you know why is it called as Snake River? Yes, it is because this river shapes zig zag and looks like snake. The sides of this river is the mangrove.

Our boat entered the Snake River. We really enjoyed the natural view of the mangrove jungle which had not been touched by human hands. There was birds singing when we cross over the river. Unfortunately, it was quite hot so some animals did not appear. Yup, this was the natural mangrove jungle.  

Around seven minutes journey from the entrance, we finally reached the gate of paths that would lead us to the Snake River Temple. Along the paths was the land owner’s plantation. The temple was belonged to the same owner. Actually, we knew the owner as his son was our English tuition student.

We were welcomed with cold mineral water which were very good to the thirst as we were travelling on a hot sunny day. We took pictures at the temple and went around the rambutan plantation. Ms Silpa was very happy to pick the fruits directly from the trees. As souvenirs, we were given rambutans to bring back home.

Dear friends, if you want to enjoy the Snake River, please come to Gloria Senggarang Mission Home, we will bring you there. The memories from this expedition can be see from the link below:

An Expedition to Snake River