“Give a cup of cold water in Jesus name. Fill a bowl from the wells of salvation, but do not stop there, bow low and wash feet… Compassion that ceases with a handshake is limited. The water you have must be dirtied by the feet of others.” (Adapted from The Growing Pains of Peter by Terry Atkinson)  

There was an outpouring of God’s love as we washed the feet of the base staff. It was really a God moment; the Holy Spirit’s presence was immense. John 13 – Jesus washing His disciples’ feet. Our team slogan was ‘Here to Love, Here to Serve’, but throughout the trip, it really felt like it was ‘Here to Be Loved, Here to Be Served’. The warmth and hospitality the base staff showed us in spite of how ‘little’ they had overwhelmed us. We felt the Lord leading us in this prophetic act as a display of Christ’s humility and servanthood. Going through every crevice of their feet, washing away every single bit of dirt served as a reminder that the old is gone and the new has come. Our sins are forgiven because of His finished work on the cross. Matthew 20:28 – He came “not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” The humility expressed by His act with towel and basin foreshadowed His ultimate act of humility and love on the cross.

As we washed their feet, tears were shed, hearts were filled, joy overflowed. We prayed for them one by one, each as His precious child. Afraid, but we obeyed. God was not looking for ability, but availability and I was amazed that the prayers and visions received spoke to them. To each one, God’s word for them held a distinctively personal meaning. As I prayed, I received visions for two of the staff I prayed for. For one, it was a vision of a fire burning brightly for God. He mentioned how it encouraged him as he was moving into a new season in his faith journey with the Lord. The word reminded him to stand and fight for the Lord and that the Lord will use him in His perfect timing. 

For another, it was a vision of a lion; one that was bold and courageous, armed with strength for battle. He then shared that he actually had a lion tattoo on his back to remind him of just that same promise from the Lord! The word released really reaffirmed him of his call to go to the nations, to the unreached, to fight for the Lord even when it seemed difficult. Indeed, God is omniscient, all-knowing, to speak to us and through us at His own special timing. 

I believe that as we acted in obedience to what He has called us to do, to be willing to “get our hands dirty” as we learnt to love and serve even if it did not “feel convenient”, God empowers. Truly God does not call the equipped, but He equips the called. We might have felt afraid or awkward to wash their feet or even apprehensive to pray, but when God calls, we just have to go. He blew our minds, He delivered and He spoke. Indeed, He is the God who heals and the God who hears our prayers!

by Bernice Toh

The Cebu misson trip in November 2022 helped me understand how God loves us and what His love means, even though I didn’t even know that I lacked this understanding. It opened my eyes to the depth and quality of Jesus’ love through my interactions with the team, base staff, the people we met during ministry and especially the children at the base. 

I went into this trip from a season of mental and physical brokenness. I had been falling sick a lot more than usual in the past month or so and still had food poisoning when we left for Cebu. I had also been having anxiety attacks and episodes of very negative thinking that I didn't know how to control. God placed two good friends in my life whom I confided in about these episodes and revealed Himself to me through one of them before the trip, but my struggles were still unresolved. A lot of these moments stemmed from feeling unworthy and a fear of not being loved enough in the way that I wanted to be, and feeling that I wasn't special. My perception of God’s love before the trip was that He loved all of us equally and in the same way, which I believed was fair but made me think that I needed to pursue other sources of exclusive and special love because I was just another child of God out of everyone in the world, and there was no way I could be His favourite or uniquely loved by Him.

I have always loved kids a lot and seeing them never fails to make me smile, but I have never understood why because I don't have younger siblings or cousins whom I see regularly. I had received something like a calling related to children on two occasions a few months before the trip through a dream and during the church conference but didn’t quite know what to do with it. I think this trip was a confirmation that my love for kids was legitimate and also an explanation of why I love kids so much.

There are 3 kids on the base, Coyle, who is five, Colin, who is three, and Cattleya Faith, who is one. I got to know Coyle and Colin's mother first while washing clothes together and only started interacting with the kids after that. They’re really good kids, super smart and super sweet, and every moment of playing with them and talking and listening to them was truly a joy. They would drag me around and ask to be carried, or played in the back of the base’s pickup truck and seeing their smiles was really very precious. I got especially close to Coyle who would come and sit on my lap during base games or after meals. All three of them are some of the smartest kids I've met.

They did some really precious and adorable things that spoke to me a lot, like Coyle telling me “I missed you” after we went for ministry or Cattleya dragging a chair for me to sit on during word by heart and trying to give me water when I had a fever. I was super impressed and had big, big love for them after interacting with them for less than a day.

During debrief on the second night I was hit by a revelation that God loves me in the same way I loved the kids, but many times more. I very clearly felt a sense of Him telling me that “the love you have for these children is only a fraction of the love I have for you”. There were many, many ways that His love was similar or the same as what I felt for the kids, like the desire to spend all my time with them and protect them and have their attention and to see them be happy, the joy I felt when they chose to spend time with me, and the pride I felt looking at them navigate the world. I could only understand this because I had experienced loving the kids in a fierce and protective way. Everything I was willing to do for the kids and all I felt for them was what God felt for me as well, but many times more. It was super overwhelming to know that God’s love for me was so strong and so personal. 

I also received a vision of a pile of ordinary rocks with a diamond among them, and God picking up one of the small rocks instead of the diamond. I felt Him say that “this is exactly what I’ve been looking for” and rejoice. This changed my perspective of how God loves, and reconfirmed that He truly leaves the 99 in search for His children whom He loves personally and uniquely. It also reminded me that I didn't need to prove myself or make sure that everyone liked me, because I already had God’s approval.

There are many other instances when God revealed His love to me in very real and amazing ways, like through the stars on the rooftop, the worship, placing certain people in the team and base to tell me exactly what truths and encouragement I needed to hear and pray life over me, and the generous, welcoming and giving love from the base staff. The ministry was also filled with wonder because the children were so wonderful and joyful and trusting. I heard God’s voice unprompted for the first time during this trip, and even though what He told me was not something I wanted to hear, I realised that it was what I needed to hear to make the right choice. 

This trip was a turning point for me in terms of understanding the love of Christ and fixing my eyes on Him. My perspective of my life and future is now different and though I still struggle, I know I can plug into Him for comfort and encouragement. I'm super grateful to Him for the extravagant love, grace and mercy He has shown me through this trip and throughout my life, and for the people He has placed in my life, including the team leaders and the ones back home who were more supportive and loving than I could ever ask for. All glory to God!

by Grace Melody Tam