I was trained as a KEE (Kids’ Evangelism Explosion) tutor this year, 2017. This program aims to help children in their fundamental faith, and to help them to evangelize to others as well.
After completing my training in KEE, I decided to bring this “Hope for Kids” into the interior of Sarawak, like, Long Malim, where the Penan people live.
In recent years, the interior indigenous people are strongly affected by other faiths. Thus, I am compelled to bring this good news and tool to the Penan kids, hoping that they will have a strong faith in Christianity. We have strong faith in this systematic method to share with them.
Long Malim is situated at Ulu Tegulang, Belaga. This Penan longhouse has been adopted by Yi En Methodist Church, Miri, 7 years ago. There are 60 households with around 260 members and a total of 80 children.
Our related ministries have included imparting Biblical knowledge, sharing Bible messages, and door to door visitations. However we have not trained the Penans in evangelism, especially for the children. We have not given them a systematic guideline as to how to be a disciple of Jesus.
The Messengers
of the Gospel
After discussing with my team leader, we resolved to make use of the KEE training method. We would train those who are better educated and can master their own language, aiming to train them to evangelize to their children.
We planned to go through the course in three separate stages. That implies we need to go to Long Malim three times to complete the training course. Then we prayed for a month for suitable trainees and we targeted at six. We also prayed that what we prepared would be effective and in three days we could complete the task as well the “on the job training (OJT)”.
We started the first stage training on 2nd September. The journey took us 8 hours and we arrived at Long Malim at three in the afternoon. We had 17 brothers and sisters-in Christ who worked hand in hand with their different gifts. We had three KEE members taking charge of the training, a trainer and two leaders. According to the course, a leader would teach two pupils.
Upon arrival, we set out to find a suitable place to conduct the training. We decorated the place and put up all the necessary items. Then, the trainees came one by one. Soon more arrived and said they wanted to learn. In the end we had ten trainees instead of six. How could we reject a willing heart?
At first, we feared that there might not be enough materials. To our surprise, we had more than enough to supply their needs. Due to a delay in commencing the course, we thought we would not be able to go for the OJT the next day. However, the trainees were very focus and willing to learn, we were able to finish the first session in the first evening.
On the second day in the afternoon, we applied what was taught through the art craft evangelism, leading 26 children, 9-13 of age, to Jesus Christ.
God of “Ebenezer”
This short term mission not only helped me to experience our God as a God of Ebenezer, but also strengthened my faith to carry on the next two stages of training. I have found the secret of relying on God and not on my own wisdom as promised in Proverbs.
For the next two stages of training, we continued to pray that God would provide us with another batch of ten trainees so that there would be more gospel messengers in the interior area.
I am grateful for my fellow helpers. Their devoted support helped me move forward. It was such a wonderful time working together, preparing the materials for this project. As Ecclesiastes 4:9 puts it, “Two is better off than one, because together they can work more effectively.”
May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands for us—yes, establish the work of our hands. (Psalm 90:17) And may the glory of Jesus Christ be manifested in Long Malim.