A Labour of Love for the Land Below the Wind: Pekan Nabalu, Sabah
By Elaine Lee
Asian Beacon has had a burden on the people of East Malaysia for the longest time. We wanted to contribute to the lives of our fellow brethren and help them cultivate matters of importance. So when Asian Beacon was invited by Pastor Kim to join his team for an outreach trip to Pekan Nabalu, Sabah, there was not a moment’s hesitation. It was an opportunity not to be missed.
Led by Pastor Kim, our team comprised of myself, Mary, Su, John, Mandy, Soo, and Dori. Upon arrival at Kota Kinabalu International airport, we had to take a drive up to Pekan Nabalu, a tourist pit stop 12km before Kinabalu Park. What was supposed to be a two-hour journey turned out to be a four-hour drive when we were caught in a massive jam that stretched for kilometres. Though exhausted upon arrival, we were refreshed by the cool crisp air and gazed in awed silence at the sight of Mount Kinabalu. We were greeted by Pastor Shelina, Pastor Amus Balawan, and his lovely wife Evelyn Ipin with the warmest hospitality. They settled us in the church guest rooms and made sure that we were comfortable and well-rested. I could not help noticing the duty roster in the kitchen where they had planned every meal for us with the names of the persons in charge. They were making sure that we would never go hungry!
Asian Beacon first connected with Pastor Kim back in 2019 when he shared with us his burden for the Christians in East Malaysia. His love and concern for them prompted him to find ways to be instrumental in their spiritual growth. Due to the travel restrictions imposed by the pandemic, Pastor Kim set up training classes for the Sunday School teachers via zoom. Asian Beacon was blessed to be able to partner with Pastor Kim to set up the online platform. Pastor Kim shared, “During the lockdown due to Covid, I was able to move the teachers’ training to the online platform. The Lapan Pertama intensive course was conducted online to address the need to continue teaching Bible lessons to children in their homes amid the pandemic restrictions. It reached out to Sunday School teachers and parents in the interiors of Sabah and got everyone moving again. Besides that, packages of training material were sent over to Sabah.” He further added, “It is amazing to discover that a total of 18 online Sunday School teachers trainings were held! That’s over 1,000 teachers who attended the training to equip themselves in teaching children Sunday School and have access to digital Bahasa Bible material.”
When travel was allowed, Pastor Kim went over and started teaching the members how to play the ukulele. Small, light, and compact, it was fairly easy for him and his team to transport the ukuleles from West Malaysia to East Malaysia. Pastor Kim shared, “Teaching ukulele helps to empower Sunday School teachers with the musical skill to lead children in singing. It is the most affordable and portable musical instrument in a rural setting. The ukulele can be used to encourage the performance of children too. Right now, the ukulele groups bring the teachers together, creating excitement and giving encouragement in the ministry.”
The ukulele lessons were not limited to just the adults. The youth and children also joined the lessons and we could see their excitement as they participated in the workshops. Besides teaching the locals how to play the ukulele, Pastor Kim also conducted training classes for the Sunday School teachers. As the participants earn a living by operating souvenir shops, it would have been difficult for them to leave their stores unmanned while they attended the workshops. Our team took over and helped run their stalls while they attended the ukulele and Sunday School workshops. We also brought the necessary materials to help carry out repairs in the church buildings.
As we spent time with the local community, we were bowled over by their serving hearts and faithful commitment to God. We had the privilege to learn more about their faith in Christ as some of them shared their testimonies. I was especially intrigued by Dulitah’s sharing on how her late mother Suki, a pagan worshipper, came to know Christ.
Stricken by a mysterious ailment, Suki was gravely ill. She had sought healing from her pagan gods with no recovery in sight. Then one night she had a dream that changed the trajectory of her life. “If you want to live and not die, go and seek help from the Christians. Ask them to pray for you. Then you will be well and healed,” said the man in her dream. She shared the dream with her husband and he brushed it aside, paying no attention. But as time passed, Suki became progressively worse, bringing her to the brink of death. Driven by desperation, Suki’s husband finally agreed to bring her to a church for prayer. From the moment the Christians prayed for her, Suki’s miraculous healing began. She regained her strength and robust health. Jesus did for her what no other pagan god or human being could do.
Needless to say, Suki turned away from her old ways and began serving Jesus. She became the first Christian in her family and her faith in Jesus has been passed down to the 4th generation—her daughter Dulitah, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren are believers in Christ.
Dulitah recalls what it was like growing up in Sidang Injil Borneo Pekan Nabalu. Back then, the church was made from wood and they met under the trees at times. Today, the church has around 280 members and has expanded by leaps and bounds. It has the main worship hall, a double-story building that includes the communal church kitchen, dining area, and guest rooms for visitors to the church. The house for Pastor Amus Balawan and his wife Evelyn Ipin is also part of the church setup.
Faith in God is never without challenge, and Suki’s granddaughter Charleys is no exception. When she was 22 years old, her brother Alexender passed away in an accident. Deeply disappointed and angry with God, Charleys turned her back on God. It was the starting point of her shutting God out of her life. She kept going in circles with this question: “Is your hand too short to save my brother? You could have saved him but you refused to do anything.” For one whole year, Charleys kept her distance from God. One day, she heard the still, small voice of God saying, “I want to heal you.” She was greatly puzzled as she was perfectly well. However, the next day she felt a sharp, shooting pain in her hand. Though she sought medical help, the pain persisted. It was at the point of desperation that she found herself turning back to God. In constant pain, Charleys realized then that she could not deny Him and His help any longer. She cried out to Him for healing and was healed soon after. She presently serves as a teacher and treasurer in the church’s children’s ministry.
We also ventured out to minister to those unable to attend church physically. One of our visitations was to the home of Jackson, a former lorry driver who had recently suffered a stroke. With the assistance of his walking stick, Jackson limped heavily toward us. It was painfully obvious that the simple act of walking was not an easy feat for him. As he took his seat, he smiled faintly and greeted us softly.
Before he had a stroke, Jackson was the main breadwinner for his family. With him being unable to drive any longer, the family took a financial hit. Things were—and still are—very challenging for all of them. It is no wonder that one would question the goodness of God in difficult times like this. Mary felt led to pray for Jackson. Almost as soon as she began to pray, there was a radiating warmth around him. He started to sob when she told him that God has not forgotten him and the situation he was in. She spoke to Jackson about the faithfulness of God and that he could always rely on the one who sits on the throne. As we bid goodbye to Jackson and his wife, I saw the joy on their faces and I was reminded of the Lord’s commandment to “[t]herefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)
As we bid farewell to our newfound family in Sabah, I felt a tinge of sadness. I wished that I did not have to leave them. As much as I had ministered to them, they had in return ministered to me. Proverbs 11:25 (NKJV) says, “The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.” When I sat down in the church hall and watched them rehearse their worship songs and dances to perfection, I felt an enormous sense of peace and joy. I considered it a privilege to be in their company and be part of their community even if it was just for a short period. Their physical settings might not be the St Regis or Hilton but what they have to offer us is so much more. Their lives are rich in faith, hope, and love for God and towards one another. What a beautiful reminder that physical possessions and the things of this world are temporary!
“Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.” – Colossians 3:2 (NIV)
As the children, youth, and adults presented their ukulele performance during the Sunday service, their faces beamed with joy over their newfound skills. (Our team rejoiced with them and inwardly we were all playing the ukulele together with them!) Moving forward, Pastor Kim and the Asian Beacon team hope to be more present in the lives of our fellow brethren in East Malaysia and that we will use the resources in our hands to sow seeds that will multiply a hundredfold.
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
About Elaine Lee
Born, bred, and still residing in Penang, Elaine loves reading, dogs, and taking walks on the beach. Elaine believes every life experience should be an effective agent of change to make us better people on Earth.
