Bamboo Rain : Through Her Eyes

Trip to the USA September 2010 for General Conference

thruhereyes — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 06:53:25 +0000

Well we have good news!! On September 28th , 2010 we received our appointment as missionaries. We say a big thank you to Foreign Missions Board, the General Board and most of all to Jesus Christ for having confidence in us. Our meeting with the board was on September 26th in Houston Texas. Thanks to all our you out there in cyber-land that were holding us up in prayer.

Lionel, LJ and me wearing a traditional Chinese Peranakan Kebaya the evening of the Foreign Missions Service

Can you see Lionel's head on the Platform at the Foreign Missions service?

Chad and Mendy Flower's little girl with LJ at Conference. All three of them spent a week with us in Singapore last year when the babies were just little.

Lionel’s sister’s family who live in San Antonio came to show their support. Michael Lionel’s nephew and his lovely new bride Brittany were a tremendous help as they took such good care of LJ among many others.

Michael & Brittany Smith with LJ

Staff Retreat Sept 6-8th Cameron Highlands Malaysia

thruhereyes — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 06:23:47 +0000

Lionel, Johanna & LJ at a Beautiful Malaysian Tea Plantation during TJ's Staff Retreat

In September, before we left for General Conference in Houston, Pastor Tim took all of the Tabernacle of Joy staff to Cameron Highlands Malaysia for our annual staff retreat. Wow….. what wonderful planning sessions we had!!!!! Next year’s vision was solidified and the staff enjoyed the fellowship and the beautiful scenery in the highlands of Malaysia. We all returned ready to sink our toes into the Singapore harvest.

Pastor Timothy Lee, Pastor Tabernacle of Joy, Singapore

Pastor Tim & Lionel having Tea at the Tea Plantation

We had time to visit the local street market and a strawberry farm as well. It was a splendid retreat indeed.

Malaysian Girls at the Street Market in Cameron Highlands

Strawberry Farm close to our Hotel

For the final night of the retreat we joined the Malaysian camp-meeting where Missionary Prince Mathias preached a wonderful message about shepherding which totally what we discussed in the planning sessions. It was as if God was reminding us once again that HE IS IN CONTROL!!!!

2 Sri Lankan ladies receive the Holy Ghost Sunday Aug 22, 2010

thruhereyes — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 08:52:11 +0000

Our Tamil leaders are doing so well. After our Tamil service on Sunday morning we went into our English service where there were 2 visiting beautiful Sri Lankan ladies. Our Tamil speaking Holy Ghost midwives got busy very quickly just as if they were getting ready to deliver a baby of a full term mama. Within minutes both were speaking in tongues as the Spirit of God filled them. It was wonderful to see our Tamil Indian ladies reaching out to their sister Sri Lankan ladies!!!!! Afterwards Bro Willoughby laid hands on them and prayed a blessing over their lives. After a Bible Study in the afternoon one was baptized in Jesus name.

Bro Willoughby prays over new babies.

Filled with the Holy Ghost!!!!

Filled and Baptized in Jesus name!!!!

TRIP TO CANADA at Last

thruhereyes — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:05:39 +0000

Wow it has been many years since I went to Canada but thanks to air miles this summer it was possible. Lionel-John got to meet his Canadian cousins for the first time. Baily (left) is my brother Christopher’s girl who is 2 months older than LJ and Chloe (middle) is my sister Angela’s girl who is 6 months older than LJ. Now when we show him these photos he cries for them. They had a wonder time together. And we the aunts and uncles did as well.

Baily, Chloe & LJ

Then to make our trip really special my elder brother Jamie decided to get married when we were home and Lionel got to participate in the ceremony. Here is Jamie with his beautiful wife Josselyn. We are so happy for them!!!!!

Jamie and Josselyn Manley 19 July 2010

Johanna’s 38th Surprise Birthday Party

thruhereyes — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 04:52:08 +0000

After returning from Malaysia I was exhausted but not too tired to get excited about a surprise birthday party planned by Lionel and the Tamil Ministry on Sunday June 6th. The Tamil ministry has been our heartbeat for the last few years. We enjoy the fellowship, the FOOD, helping the saints grow and watching the new souls be born again. I was truly blessed and honored to be able to celebrate my birthday with our Tamil Indian family.

Surprise

LJ enjoys chewing on a balloon!

LJ & Mommy at party

Lionel cooked up a great party. I was totally surprised and LJ loved it too!!!!

Celebrating my 38th Birthday in Singapore

As I celebrated my natural birthday on June 6th we had celebrated a spiritual birthday as well. Nirmala a first time Tamil visitor received the Holy Ghost and was baptised just before my party. Nirmala asked me to give her a new Bible name. I was truly honored. So now Nirmala will be known as Hannah!!!

Nirmala, now Hannah, is Born Agian on June 6th

Malaysian Ladies Conference

thruhereyes — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 04:25:55 +0000

On June 4th and 5th I was honored to be invited to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the Malaysian ladies conference. 100 plus ladies gathered this year in the capital city for the conference where we learned about Reflecting the Light of God. Pictured below from left to right are: Sis Leow (superintendents wife), Sis Lynda Paulis (Perth, Australia), Sis Leah Lee (Tabernacle of Joy, Singapore), myself & Sis White (Missionary Malaysia/Indonesia).

Ladies Conference 2010

Anna was filled with the Holy Ghost for the first time on the first night of the conference.

Filled for 1st time with Holy Spirit

Esther was filled on the second day.

Filled at Ladies Conference

Rita was refilled after eighteen years. To God be the Glory.

Rita Refilled

It an exciting event but I was anxious to get back to Singapore to see Lionel-John and his daddy!!! But before I left I was able to snap a photo of the famous Petronas Twin Towers in the heart of the city. The Twin Towers were the worlds tallest buildings from 1998 -2004 , when their height was surpassed by Taipei 101 but they still remain the tallest twin buildings in the world.

Petronas "Twin" Towers, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Day Off at the Beach, Monday Feb 1st 2010

thruhereyes — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:00:45 +0000

Monday’s are supposed to be our day off. It is hard not to do ‘churchy’ stuff but this past Monday we spent a wondeful afternoon enjoying Lionel-John on the beach at East Coast Park, Singapore. In fact East Coast Park is Bro Willoughby’s favorite place to walk and pray. This was LJ’s first time to experience ocean water. It was nice and warm as he played in the waves. It was a hot humid day as it always is in Singapore. We even got a little sun on our faces despite trying to cover up and hiding in the shade.

LJ & Daddy at East Coast Park

LJ enjoyed destroying someones hard worked on sandcastles!!!!

LJ playing in the sand destroying sandcastles at East Coast Park

Dash takes dashing nose dive!

LJ with Mommy getting his feet wet

LJ also got to play with any even taste some coconut milk with Lionel.

Sipping on some coconut milk with daddy.

LJ bringing Mommy a coconut wanting to play ball

Finally it was time to go home. LJ fell asleep as soon as we got into the taxi and drove away.

Daddy and LJ walking hand in hand. Ahhhhhhh!!!!

Prayer for Punjabi, Violet Gill

thruhereyes — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:47:01 +0000

Violet Gill has been an inspiration to me. She is 26 years old and is a Punjabi from Amritsar, India. Amritsar is a city in the northern Punjab province of India near the India & Pakistan border.

Violet is 110% sold out for God. Since July 2009 I have been helping Violet to disciple her converts. 3 have now received the Holy Ghost & 3 have been baptized.

This is how Violet would meet her contacts. She would pray, and then go into the Hindu temples here in Singapore, and wait for God to speak to her about souls. God would instruct her who to speak to and then she would go introduce herself and make friend. Then she would ask them if their god’s had answered their prayers. When they responded with, no, she would then challenge them to try her God, Jesus Christ. Since Hindu’s worship many god’s the idea of worshipping another was not so strange. At that point she would invite them to church.

Good Friends, Sis Violet & Sis Johanna, Jan 24th 2010

Violet has worked in Singapore for the last 8 years. She grew up as a preacher’s daughter and to God be the Glory her father, Israel Gill, saw the Oneness of God all by himself. Since coming to Tabernacle of Joy God she has received training that has brought understanding to the Truth that her father saw from the Word of God.

In November 2009 Violet’s father suddenly passed away. Violet’s mother has been struggling to maintain the work and on Feb 15^th 2010 Violet will be returning to help her.

Please pray for Violet to receive direction from God and that the anointing of God will be upon her life. Also pray that if it is God’s will that God will bring her back to Singapore for further training as we had anticipated Violet starting Bible School this year.

Urgent Prayer Request From Friends in Nepal

thruhereyes — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:52:05 +0000

Lionel recently received an email from a pastor in Nepal named Yanger. He runs a Bible school in Kathmandu.

He has requested prayer for himself, his wife and his work. Please keep this in your prayers. Thank you.

“Dear Lionel,

Greetings from Nepal in the most precious name of Jesus!

I bring this email needing your prayers for the churches and the saints of Nepal.

These days Nepal Defense Army (An extremist Hindu underground group) has been very much terrorizing the Christian leaders of Nepal. Not long ago they have bombed a Catholic church in Katmandu and warned to bomb in all the churches in Nepal. They have given ultimatum to missionary to leave the country. For quite some time they have been forcefully involved in extorting money from the churches especially in the Eastern part of Nepal. Now days, they have extended to Katmandu and intensified intimidating and terrorizing pastors and Christian leaders by demanding money over the phone, through letter and by approaching personally.

Churches have strongly taken precaution and heap on prayers. Many churches started using metal detector to screen through the church attendees. I feel a bit awkward to stand in front of the church gate and screen through. But this is the circumstance we have. Please join with us in prayers for the Nepali Christians to stand firm in her faith, united one and intensify the task of evangelization.”

Thank you for helping us pray for the people and churches in Nepal.

New Punjabi Indian Bible Study

thruhereyes — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:49:39 +0000

Recently, I started a new Bible Study group. Sis Violet who is working here in Singapore is from India and has a strong burden to reach her people. We already head up the Tamil speaking Indian ministry but Violet is reaching Punjabi Indians who speak a different language. Sis Violet is amazing. She gets her converts from the Hindu Temples in Singapore. She goes in and makes friends and then invites them to Tabernacle of Joy. Her converts are mostly domestic helpers here in Singapore and have many problems. She challenges them to give her God a try to solve their problems. Hindus worship many gods so her method is not offensive to them. But when they come to TJ they feel the power of God and are changed forever. Two Sundays ago I was asked to help her. So on Sunday afternoons I teach a Bible Study while Violet interprets. Last week 2 girls Maya & Binita both received the Holy Ghost and Binita was baptized in Jesus name. Please keep Sis Violet and myself in prayer. We are expecting a great harvest!!!

Sunday afternoon Punjabi Bible Study

Violet, myself and the Punjabi goup