Contributed by Abbey Thangiah • Oct 6, 2026
I had the privilege to attend 2 short term mission trips with DUMC. I went to Nganga Ngungun, Sibu, Sarawak in 2011 and Baray, Cambodia in 2013.
When I first set foot in rural mission fields — walking the Baray in Cambodia, visiting remote settlements across Sarawak, and meeting families around the riverbanks and outskirts of Sibu — I carried what I now recognize as a subtle mindset of superiority. Like many who step out from comfortable city routines, I arrived with an unspoken assumption that I was there to save the day, fix problems, and impart answers to people who had very little.
Looking through the lens of Matthew 9:35–38, I realize how far that initial posture was from the way of Christ.
Jesus went through the towns and villages, fully occupied with His mission on earth. People tried to pull Him into their own agendas: some wanted Him to be a political king, others merely a miracle worker or a quick problem solver. Yet He refused to be distracted and wasted no time. Most critically, Matthew 9:36 shows us the true posture of His heart: when He saw the crowds, He had deep compassion on them.
That compassion only becomes real when we step down from being self-important benefactors and genuinely enter into people’s lives. In Baray and Sibu, I watched children run barefoot with untroubled joy, finding genuine delight in simple community and the natural world without digital devices or material abundance. They were living out the reality of Philippians 4:12. They have learned the secret of being content whether in plenty or in want. God used their contentment to dismantle my savior complex. When we approach people with genuine love, care, and compassion rather than an agenda of superiority, hearts truly begin to open. The local community was not a project to check off; they were teachers reshaping my soul.
The real battle, however, began when I returned home.
It is remarkably easy to return from an eye-opening trip full of conviction, only to watch that urgency quietly slip away. In the daily grind of building a career, chasing corporate milestones, and managing busyness we create for ourselves, outreach slowly gets shoved aside. Comfort and complacency settle in, and before we know it, we become entirely consumed with our own needs. There was no deliberate decision to abandon God’s calling; there was simply a quiet drift.
When a severe environmental crisis hits — like thick haze rolling into our cities — we do not passively wait for the air to clear. We act immediately: we put on protective masks, guard our homes, and protect the people around us. That same intentionality and urgency must be applied to guarding our spiritual purpose.
13 years later, I am honoured to go to Phop Phra, Thailand for 9 days. We will be facilitating John Maxwell’s “Beyond Success” training programs to 150 final year college students. Beyond Success is an excellent tool where John Maxwell chooses 7 attributes to live a transformational life over a 3-day leadership programme. I was hesitant because of my finances but God has graciously fully funded the trip almost a month before my departure through amazing people. He has supplied my needs even before I ask for them. I also was worried I had a health issue which God has healed me (that’s a story for another day ). Do continue to pray for me.
Let us continue to have a heart for our family members and friends who are yet to know the Lord. I also pray that we internalize and constantly remember to pray for the salvation of those who do not yet know Christ, and that God may use us to lead at least one person to Christ each year.
