Vision Trip 2024: The Church in Malaysia

Hello Friends and Family,

I am attending Covenant College, a small, Christian, liberal arts college on top of Lookout Mountain, Georgia. As a part of the academic scholarship that the Maclellen Scholars program has provided, In May of 2024, my cohort of 13 other literary scholars and I plan on traveling to Malaysia with one of our scholarship directors. This is a vision trip -- a chance to learn from Malaysian Christian leaders and their American ministry partners and explore how this country interacts with contemporary Christianity in the public and private squares.

Background

Malaysia prides itself in being a land of cultural and religious diversity with a natural beauty and relative stability that draws from around the globe. Oil-riches, low costs, and a well-educated workforce have propelled Malaysia forward economically. However, with Islam as the state religion, the country has been challenged with how religious minorities can be accommodated harmoniously. For Muslim refugees in particular (especially from Yemen and Myanmar), it is an accessible land of opportunity. It is also an education hub, drawing university students from all over Asia and Africa. The Church finds its roots in Portuguese, then Dutch, then British colonization. Later, Indonesian and Australian missionaries evangelized the East Malaysian tribes. But the most pervasive root system is the early 20th-century immigration of Christians from China. The rich missionary history stretches back to Francis Xavier's arrival in 1545 and a bible translation project by a Dutch missionary begun in 1612 (only a year after King James authorized the enduring English translation).

This helpful PrayerCast video provides a succinct window into Malaysia and its people.

What Do We Hope To Gain?

What is Christian fellowship like that transcends all social barriers? What does the Church look like in a religiously diverse society? How does she serve and evangelize under Islamic restrictions? What are the issues that obstruct healthy ecumenism? Given a rich history, what is the role of foreign missions today, and Presbyterian missions in particular? What is the vulnerable Church's responsibility in caring for and delivering justice to the poor? These are some of the questions that stimulate our curiosity. We are excited to experience a culture and people different from our own and grow in our appreciation for the unique ways that God is working around the world.

As I aspire to graduate from Covenant and go on to Med School, I hope to see how the Church interacts with the local community regarding health. Are they encouraging healthy habits? Are they taking preventive measures of medicine and not solely focusing on curative methods? Are they focused on the essential health of the community in which they are? Questions like these are important to answer when the Church considers if they are following Jesus' call in Mark 16:18, for us to place our hands on the sick and to heal them, spreading the Gospel and bringing glory to God.

Expenses

The cost to participate in this trip is approximately $2000 per person, including transportation and all on-site expenses. We have committed to raising this money by May 4, 2024.

I greatly appreciate prayers for myself, my peers, and this trip. It would be gracious and helpful if you could donate to this cause.

Terima kasih banyak - banyak (thank you very much),

- John Thomas Gard