Report from BHW Partnership Facilitator Following Visit

Key person: Chin Aik Oi

Context 

For several years BHW has supported several MAP evangelists and church planters in three countries: Indonesia, The Big Country in Asia, and Malaysia. We cannot visit in the big country, and it is quite difficult to visit Indonesia in the location where they are working, but we can visit East Malaysia. In the past we have visited Sarawak and some of the people BHW has supported. In April 2023 the facilitator visited Sabah in East Malaysia for two days. It was a short visit, so it was not possible to visit all those supported as they are deep into the bush a long way from where we were based in Keningau. 

BHW receives regular reports from all three locations. 

Recent Events 

Activities

On the recent trip to Sabah, we visited several church locations over two days. Most were within 30 minutes drive from Keningau. The pastor in this area is Pastor J. He is a very active man with a strong network of people. His family is very engaged in the ministry as well. At each of the locations J demonstrated how he engages with people and talks with them. 

The first visit was to a man who has established an aluminium window making business. Pastor J visited him and led him to Christ within the last two years. He now employs Christian people, and a church meets in his house. He was so thrilled to receive us that he took us all to dinner on the last night we were in his area. 

The second visit was to the small village of T where there is a church with about 100 people. This church was the result of one family coming to faith and it is spreading out from them. We spent some time talking with them and listening to their story. They were very friendly and happy. The one who first believed is buried on the family property and this family gave land for the church to be built. 

The third visit was to the village of LB, near the main road. This is in a strong Catholic area but has grown significantly. There are many young people in this church now. Some of them came and talked to us about life in their new faith and the issues they face as Christian young people. One issue is the pressure from friends, and another is the difficulty of getting decent jobs. 

The fourth visit was to KB where we found a large church. More than 300 people gather regularly. We were met by about 20 women who were very keen to talk. The woman pastor, E, and woman evangelist attached to this church are very active and Pastor E showed us how she goes about evangelising. She did go on a bit! They have plans to move out further into surrounding areas to evangelise and establish new churches. 

In each of the three countries where MAP has people that BHW supports, the key people go regularly out into their communities to talk to people, to share with them and also to form people into groups. In most cases, these groups are small and don't meet in formal settings. However, in East Malaysia, Borneo there are no restrictions. 

New Profiles

The key person, Chin Aik, has recently suffered a stroke from which he is recovering well. Several other people are now involved in some of the field activity. Stephen Yan is one of them. He is currently studying theology having already had a career in financial management. The BHW facilitator visited Sabah with Stephen, it was his first trip to the field, so he was learning as much as we were. 

Programmes

Malaysia
In East Malaysia where our people are serving, MAP is partnering with the SIB (Borneo Evangelical Church). It is strongly evangelical and particularly focused on East Malaysia (Borneo). Its purpose is church planting. There are more than 700 churches in the network, and it is growing every year. MAP supports about 40 people in East Malaysia through SIB and BHW supports five of them. 

A significant percentage of those who come to faith through their ministry in Sabah are from tribal, animistic groups. Very few Muslims are coming to faith. This is a traditional Catholic area and Catholics are discovering a relationship with God as well. 

It is different in Sarawak where the work is mainly among tribal people living in long-houses and to Muslim people. 

We travelled with the Vice President of the group, A, and an emerging leader, J. We connected with two other local pastors in the Keringau area, one of whom is one of the people we are supporting in Borneo. The others we support in Borneo are in Sarawak further south and deep into the bush and we didn't have time to get to them all. 

Personal Stories

Pastor O is a man supported by BHW. He has been a pastor for 20 years after working for several years. He is a vibrant man and very likeable. He lives in a village about 20 km from Karingau. He pastors a church in his village and also travels to other villages for evangelism. He also oversees the work in this district. SIB has 47 districts with an overseer. He travels about 2-3 weeks a month to various villages in his district. There are several new village churches developing. 

J is originally from the Philippines, but he has been brought up in East Malaysia. He is single and is pastoring a church and overseeing a district. He came with us as he is about to be appointed as the pastor of the pastors, he speaks good English and is a driver in his spare time. He is a very engaging man with a strong theological background. 

Partnership's Influence within the Community

It was obvious from driving around and talking to people that the evangelical church is thriving here and very active. When families become believers, everything changes for them. But it is not easy, and they work hard at it. 

In East Malaysia the church is not in direct confrontation with Islam. However, it is quite different to this in the West. 

Ideas for the Future

Currently MAP has around 200 people supported in three countries. They would like to increase this to around 1,000 eventually. This would mean an increase in existing countries and spreading into others as well. They already operate in Vietnam and Myanmar.

Current Issues and Challenges

The cost of living has increased significantly in the last two years and the support they receive is now way below what is required to live and serve. This is placing great pressure on the organisation and the people on the ground. 

Prayer and Praise Points

1) That the work of church planting in Sabah continues to go ahead and thrive.
2) That there are good partners on the ground with good people and good processes.
3) For the large numbers of people that are coming to faith through MAP partners in all three countries.