In mid-March 2022, Missions Cluster Lead Rome Chew received a text message from a fellow staff member who was recovering in the hospital from a sudden, major heart surgery. The staff asked Rome, "What are we doing to help the situation in Ukraine? Do we just pray and give money?"
That message put Rome to shame because it had never crossed his mind to do something. After some thoughts and prayers, Rome connected with Cru ministries in Europe. It was decided then that a team should be formed to help out at refugee centres in Warsaw and explore the potential of sending future teams.
A team of four, including Rome, left for Poland in May 2022. The team served for a week in refugee centres among medical workers, military and security personnel, immigration officials, and volunteers from Ukraine, Poland and other countries, to receive and resettle refugees. They also helped with children’s programmes.
It was heartbreaking for the team to witness what the Ukrainians were going through. Story after story, they hear of husbands or sons either injured or killed in the war. Rome met a young Ukrainian mother with her baby. The young mother remained stoic throughout the few days and assured Rome that they were doing fine. Never once did they see her cry or break down.
She had to remain strong for her baby. They had no one else left.
Subsequently, eight other Singapore volunteers and Cru missions staff Juliana Tan travelled to serve at the same refugee centre. These would turn out to be the first few mission trips after the 2-year hiatus due to COVID-19.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, missions sending was made almost impossible. When borders began closing rapidly in early 2020, several Cru Singapore staff were in fact preparing to serve in the mission field.
Miraculously, the Japanese government honoured the visas applied pre-COVID. We were hence able to send a team of three staff and one fresh graduate to Tokyo in November 2020 for a one-year STINT (Short-Term International) with the campus ministry.
The four STINTers to Japan (clockwise from left): Valarie Goh, Ashley Yang, Ho Jin Cheng, and Ng Sze Hui
Though ministry was challenging due to the lack of face-to-face interaction, God opened doors. STINTer Ho Jin Cheng shares, “We had the privilege to be involved in a Japanese professor’s English class at two Japanese universities. He is also a Christian and, through his connection with Japan Campus Crusade for Christ, our team was invited to join his classes over Zoom. He not only gave us opportunities to interact with the Japanese students, he even encouraged us to talk about our Christian worldview and share about Jesus!”
As restrictions began to relax towards the end of 2021, the team found more opportunities for outreach, especially during the Christmas season. That would be their second Christmas in Japan, but the first that they could celebrate in-person with their Japanese friends.
STINTer Valarie Goh shares, “Christmas is not a national holiday and typically, lovers/families would spend time together and enjoy fried chicken.” For the Christmas celebration, they planned games, testimonies by students, message sharing, and gift exchange.
If the pandemic has taught us anything, it is to send while we still can.
As borders gradually opened in 2022, we grabbed the opportunity to send more STINTers and short-term mission teams. By September 2022, we had sent eight missionaries to East Asia, Mongolia, and Thailand. For two years, these missionaries have waited for their visa applications to be approved and travel restrictions to ease. Today, they serve among campus students, churches, and minority groups.
Between November-December 2022, seven short-term teams were sent. They served in a variety of ways, including a medical team to the Philippines, university students sent to reach students in Taiwan, a team to partner with the local Japanese churches, and a team to reach minorities in Chiang Mai. There were also four teams sent to serve Rohingya refugees in Malaysia.
Rome Chew (extreme left) with the team to Poland: Juliana Tan, Shirley Chua and Alvin Ong
Come 2023, we will begin preparations to launch the #GO missions project. We aim to send 200 #GO mission teams in 2024 and 2025 to 20 countries. This includes countries that we have not sent to previously, and with large populations that have yet to hear the gospel. Come join us!
West Asia
April, May 2023
Medical, praying and outreach, Alpha course, coaching, and more.
Details and sign up at https://cru.sg/mission-trips
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