CA, as I barely remember from the accounts of Zhang Zhi and Albert Lukas started when a group of christ-followers decided to meet at the volleyball court in Akasia college few years before 2004. It then became more popular, with more people joining, soon forming a crowd which will sing circling the court while people from the rooms and windows will look from afar.
It was from then the guards decided to disband them, and the college administration would not let them meet nor form a student club to meet in designated halls. Seeing this problem, Albert scouted around several Shah Alam churches and his own church pastor, David Tham agreed to let the students meet in New Life Shah Alam in Section 25. A heaven of chinese foodcourts, CA soon became an student attraction in itself.
Contacts with other youth pastors around the Klang Valley led to a partnership between Ps. David Tham and Ps. Ryan Foo in preaching and teaching during CA sessions in NLRC. When there is no big gatherings session, there are bible study groups happening in the male and female residential flats which becomes an avenue for fellowship, prayer, study and support.
The movement is a full student led and initiated effort, unlike other student ministries which are run under the auspices of a church or full-time staff. The christian student community from all around Malaysia in a single residential campus made a close-knitted community of believers quite convenient.
Outreaches were soon made through various evangelistic rallies during Easter and special events with speakers from around the Klang Valley, networking and partnering with various churches. While there are a lot of challenges including the annual "rain curse" during the Easter
rallies, transportation issues etc., the spirit that they show do not waver. While there seem to very very little fruit from it, nevertheless the seed of the gospel is constantly planted through
outreaches and daily living with non-believing housemates, and some bore fruit when students actually go overseas.
For me, in 2004, we become more radical when we started prayer meetings at the pondok behind Block 13 opposite the Bihun Sup Utara restaurant, on Sunday evenings, with public worship and prayer. Some engaged with prayer walks around the park beside Cemara.
Besides that, acknowledging the fact that CA was not ethnically balanced and represented, efforts were made to reach out to Sabah and Sarawakian bumiputera christians and thank God that brothers like Elfer, Wowie, Roger Bobson become part of our big family and still close to our 2004/5 family till today.
For our Easter outreach we had a drama production by Footstool Players. Besides that we did
something quite unusual by renting the whole of McD for our outreach party and we thank God that He provided every single cent of providing (almost) free flow of food and drinks. Another bold initiative that was taken was also to sing songs of God's love in Ausmat Cafe during the Tsunami Fundraising Week, and collected about RM200 from the crowd during lunch hour.
It is also in 2005 that we invited Fellowship of Evangelical Students to work alongside with us and encouraging us with their beloved staffworkers, Ti Lian Chui and Karyn Chua. Due to their undivided love and commitment to us, they joined and helped us out tirelessly for us and for the gospel.
We also thank God for people like Rebecca Cham, the church staffworker back then for her help with the van and also her delicious spaghetti during our functions, Aunty Phebe for lending her
husband, and NLRC for their support infrastructurally and in prayer.
The huge influx of juniors in 2005 brought us huge blessings. Names like Amanda Albert, Nathaniel, Doreen, Josephine, Jaclyn How, Cheah Yen, Yu Wan, Roger continue to bless us and warm our hearts.
It was from then the guards decided to disband them, and the college administration would not let them meet nor form a student club to meet in designated halls. Seeing this problem, Albert scouted around several Shah Alam churches and his own church pastor, David Tham agreed to let the students meet in New Life Shah Alam in Section 25. A heaven of chinese foodcourts, CA soon became an student attraction in itself.
Contacts with other youth pastors around the Klang Valley led to a partnership between Ps. David Tham and Ps. Ryan Foo in preaching and teaching during CA sessions in NLRC. When there is no big gatherings session, there are bible study groups happening in the male and female residential flats which becomes an avenue for fellowship, prayer, study and support.
The movement is a full student led and initiated effort, unlike other student ministries which are run under the auspices of a church or full-time staff. The christian student community from all around Malaysia in a single residential campus made a close-knitted community of believers quite convenient.
Outreaches were soon made through various evangelistic rallies during Easter and special events with speakers from around the Klang Valley, networking and partnering with various churches. While there are a lot of challenges including the annual "rain curse" during the Easter
rallies, transportation issues etc., the spirit that they show do not waver. While there seem to very very little fruit from it, nevertheless the seed of the gospel is constantly planted through
outreaches and daily living with non-believing housemates, and some bore fruit when students actually go overseas.
For me, in 2004, we become more radical when we started prayer meetings at the pondok behind Block 13 opposite the Bihun Sup Utara restaurant, on Sunday evenings, with public worship and prayer. Some engaged with prayer walks around the park beside Cemara.
Besides that, acknowledging the fact that CA was not ethnically balanced and represented, efforts were made to reach out to Sabah and Sarawakian bumiputera christians and thank God that brothers like Elfer, Wowie, Roger Bobson become part of our big family and still close to our 2004/5 family till today.
For our Easter outreach we had a drama production by Footstool Players. Besides that we did
something quite unusual by renting the whole of McD for our outreach party and we thank God that He provided every single cent of providing (almost) free flow of food and drinks. Another bold initiative that was taken was also to sing songs of God's love in Ausmat Cafe during the Tsunami Fundraising Week, and collected about RM200 from the crowd during lunch hour.
It is also in 2005 that we invited Fellowship of Evangelical Students to work alongside with us and encouraging us with their beloved staffworkers, Ti Lian Chui and Karyn Chua. Due to their undivided love and commitment to us, they joined and helped us out tirelessly for us and for the gospel.
We also thank God for people like Rebecca Cham, the church staffworker back then for her help with the van and also her delicious spaghetti during our functions, Aunty Phebe for lending her
husband, and NLRC for their support infrastructurally and in prayer.
The huge influx of juniors in 2005 brought us huge blessings. Names like Amanda Albert, Nathaniel, Doreen, Josephine, Jaclyn How, Cheah Yen, Yu Wan, Roger continue to bless us and warm our hearts.
At the end of the day, what mattered to me the most is the friendships and the community of faith that lasted till today. The close-knitted community, eating together, singing together, study the bible together, praying togehter, going to church together, outreach together is a strong testimony of God's faithfulness to his people.
It is grassroots-led, it is interdenominational that we celebrate the richness of the different denominations has to offer including from our catholic brethrens, it is a community rooted in Christ, and it is fully alive. It is "church" in itself.
My hope for CA is that it continue to be a ambassador for Christ in INTEC, shining where God's light isn't, students reaching students with boldness, truth and love.
Probably it would be nicer if we can take study the bible as seriously as we would study our Biology and Chemistry, pray as seriously as we would prepare for our medical school interviews, and love one another like how we like our textbooks and SPM results.
Soli deo Gloria. I am still as wordy as before, like how I write for my IELTS writing.
My hope for CA is that it continue to be a ambassador for Christ in INTEC, shining where God's light isn't, students reaching students with boldness, truth and love.
Probably it would be nicer if we can take study the bible as seriously as we would study our Biology and Chemistry, pray as seriously as we would prepare for our medical school interviews, and love one another like how we like our textbooks and SPM results.
Soli deo Gloria. I am still as wordy as before, like how I write for my IELTS writing.
.jpg)
3 comments:
may campus alive teach others things this fellowship has taught me through God. ^_^
my brother just finished his studies in INTEC, and he was heavily involved in CA as well.. mostly music. he really enjoyed himself, and i don't think any other community would ever replace CA in his heart =)
What's your brother's name?
Post a Comment