After the registration, Ps Richard gave an opening speech. He reminded the audience that local communities are the source of primary relationship between people and that we should ask ourselves what we can do in our community to make life better.
Last year, the conference focused on the education and EFC. This year, guest speakers were specialised in other pillars of society.
Despite his extremely tight schedule, Dr Kim Tan, a founder member and trustee of the Transformational Business Network (TBN) had flown to Malaysia specially for this conference to show us how business people, by their projects to support micro, small and medium enterprises in developing countries by contributing time and skills, mentoring developing entrepreneurs and investing in growing businesses, have been addressing social needs, creating wealth as well as alleviating poverty.
The session about business was immediately followed by a business and commerce forum hosted by Dr K J John.
Next, Mr Goh Keat Peng who has served in various leadership roles both local and abroad and has been sharing his thoughts through his blog "onGOHing". He told us how he had transited onto the road less travelled. He used Philippians 1:6 and Hebrews 13:20-21 to remind us that each one of us needs to be mindful and aware of His working on and in us and to discover what He is making us for. God equips us and builds our capacity for every task He assigns us to.
The last speaker was Mrs Melanie Hulburt, the leader of YWAM Penang who is passionate about immigrant work in Malaysia. She shared with us what we can do for the imigrant workers whom we should not treat as machines but as men and women, as equal workers, as beloved brothers and as people with a vocation for their nation:
-Create a loving, caring environment for them.
-Ensure that migrants are involved in community life.
-Look into their pastoral needs
-Take care of their welfare needs: dealing with local prejudices against foreigners.
After the lunch break were the workshop sessions. Each participants could choose two among six topics namely government, business & commerce, education, externally focused church (EFC), interfaith dialogue and immigrant work. The first one I joined was conducted by Bro John D'Cruz whom I had met at Harap Learning Centre Bukit Baru in Melaka last January.
He divided the participants into two groups to sit in the inner or outer circle. Each time, he gave us a topic to discuss with the person we were facing. Then he asked either circle of participants to move one seat on the left or right to continue to exchange opinions with another partner.
Later, we were assigned into small groups of four for discussions to find an answer to a question.
Not only the activities were creative, the real-life jokes he shared with us were also very funny. The room was often filled with our laughters.
We realised that we can learn by remembering, seeing, thinking, talking, listening, being silent, sharing, discussing or handling feelings.
After this intersting education workshop, I went to the EFC workshop by Ps Rich Rusaw who was also one of the keynotes speakers of last year's conference.
He let a participant from Kluang
to present a video showing what the Eden Community Service Centre had been doing to transform their community.
Then, Ps Rick talked about five characteristics of EFC.
1. They believe the community cannot be healthy without the church.
2. They believe that Christians do not grow until they begin serving.
3. They understand the power of service.
4. They are evangelistically effective.
5. They walk humbly with God, love mercy and are doing justice.
I enjoyed and learned a lot from both workshops.
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