Haggai Institute Convocation M0707

Speech delivered 16th August, 2007 by Michael Chong at the convocation of Session 711 / 712 of the M0707 batch of Haggai Institute in Maui, Hawaii.
(inserted on 27th July, 2008 – sorry, a bit of a delay, huh?)

Deputy Training Director Mr. Rafael Mendosa
HI staff & volunteers
Resident Co-ordinator Mr. David Gutierrez
Fellow participants
Guests

Selamat Petang (Good evening in the Malay language)

Nearly 4 weeks ago, 57 of us gathered from 24 countries and commencing tomorrow we start leaving Haggai Mid Pacific and this fair island of Maui (much of which we have not seen, much less explored; except for the insides of ABC stores, Wal-mart and of course Radio shack. (Incidentally, Radio shack’s manager confided that they sold at least 25 laptops to our boys, the season’s record. He can even memorize HI’s address.)

On the one hand we are anxiously counting the days, no, the hours, no, the minutes till we see our loved ones again. One month is a long time away from home, what with 712 finishing our lectures with Family and on the previously thought of as taboo topic of marital sex. I recount the session, late in the afternoon with all eyes drooling with tears fighting back “fatigue” after a hearty lunch when this subject was raised by Faculty Jon Jianga and suddenly the guy beside me Okock yelled, I Yahhhhh … The class became very much lively after that. We need to spend quality time with our spouses and family to recoup this month quota of hugs and kisses (preferably without Mother in law asking too many questions).

On the other hand we leave with a heavy heart at leaving this HI home. We will be leaving after forging many new friendships and accountability prayer partners. We have just got used to our room mate’s snoring, the captiano’s bell ringing, our beloved RC David’s barking “PKTT” and even our Deputy Director of Training Raffy’s jokes on mother in laws.

On a lighter note, when we return home, we will always remember the several quotable quotes of this session ….

a) Whenever we hear anybody saying “I believe…” we will smile and remember Robert of Nigeria.

b) Or whenever we are in conference and someone says “my line of thought is that ….” We will again smile and remember Sima of Zambia

c) Or when we are asked the time, we will remember “5 Okock” of Cameroon

d) When we pose for any photograph, we will definitely remember Munisi of Tanzania and his “picture – picture”

e) and who can forget Kyengo or Solo’s war cry

We will always have our notes and the CD recordings to refresh our memory of the formal lessons learnt here. There are, however, heart piercing lessons that we have learnt here when the Holy Spirit had whispered into our ears and our hearts cried out over a newly acquired knowledge timely to our personal or our ministry’s specific needs. These lessons are numerous and invaluable.

Our Latino brothers from South America have declared that they will double up in efforts in mass evangelism by concerts and rallies; and in the training and motivating churches to spearhead a revival there.

Our Indian brothers are challenged to do evangelism with social community service and so have our brothers in the Africas. They are also geared to tackle the pluralist influences within the churches.

Our brothers from Asia and parts of Africa living in the Islamic control, especially Pakistan, have now been equipped with some knowledge to evangelise the muslim community without the dangers of a confrontation.

We have committed to our prayer and accountability partners that as we now exit Haggai with what we have learnt and have placed before our LORD in terms of our life’s mission and our personal goals that we will accept their periodic scrutiny on our progress and accomplishments. We have agreed to share their joys and their temporary setbacks and burdens.

On behalf of all participants, soon to be called as “alumni”, unless our mother in law interferes, we want to thank all our Benefactors, Sponsors, Deputy Training Director Mr. Rafael Mendosa, the HI staff and volunteers, Resident Co-ordinator Mr. David Gutierrez. Can I request all soon to be called “alumni” to be upstanding and applaud all these people who have made this possible.
We now solicit prayers from you all to pray for us and with us that GOD Almighty will empower every alumni of session 711 and 712 to return to our homelands to minister before GOD, to love our spouses and our families, to go forth in the fullest of the Holy Spirit and evangelise every tribe, every nation, every people, every tongue, every where, all the time, any way any how; in the name of Jesus and to train others to do likewise.

The LORD will bless us and keep us
The LORD make HIS face shine upon us and be gracious unto us
The LORD lifts up HIS countenance upon us and grant us peace and HIS favour. Amen.

Selamat Malam (Good Night)