LA Camp'07 Testimonies

Tony La - Young Adult (San Gabriel) Care Group

The prayer that Pastor Ben prayed for blessed me. All he knew was my name, and he prayed for many things that I've needed, wanted, and prayed for myself. It just showed me that God really does know our prayers before we pray them, and that he really is with this church.

I've been going to church for 5 years now but never have I felt at home until now. I remember years ago when I was in Santa Barbara, I would visit the church maybe twice a year when I came home, and I met Pastor Chai for the first time. He remembered my name and would ask me about Santa Barbara. It really amazes me how close this church is, since I've been going to the church in Santa Barbara for four years and the Pastor learned my name.

Washington Chun - Young Adult (San Gabriel) Care Group

I learned about care groups and the effects they could have for the participants and new Christians (guests/visitors). I was glad to know the mission and ideas of this church.

Vasin Chee - Youth Care Group

Never knew care group was such a perfected blessing that came from the ultimate wisdom of God.

Linda Saetan - Thai (Monterey Park) Care Group

I went to LA camp last year in February, but I did not fully receive blessings because I could not thoroughly understand teachings in English. Even now, I still don't remember what I learned last year. Therefore, I decided not to join the camp this year. Nevertheless, I encouraged our members in the care group to enroll for the camp although I said that I was not going to go, and I never mentioned the reason.

After the sermon at church one Sunday, God told me to go to camp this year. So I enrolled my son, my sheep, and myself for camp right away. Later God told me to bring my husband as well (he accepted Christ in July 2006 when we had Thai mission team come to visit from Bangkok), and thank God that my husband also went to camp.

Before the camp (around January), I had a chance to serve God by helping my care group leader in the Saturday care group. During that time, God challenged me to grow in my spiritual walk with Him, and I surrendered to Him. I decided that I wanted to be his vessel for his glory. After making that decision, God put a burden in my heart to bring more people to our care group to worship him, to hunger for more of God's words, to read the Bible often, to spend time with him more, and to pray for salvation.

One of my heart burdens is that I want to see my care group grow. I would like to encourage brothers and sisters in my care group to be in unity and to stretch out to serve God more in order to glorify his name so that he may pour down blessings on his children. In the past three months, I have consistently been praying for brothers and sisters in both Thai care groups for these things.

Thank God that he answers my prayers through this year's camp, especially for unity in care group. I tremendously received blessings from this camp, and I am very glad that I made the right decision. God taught me many things about care groups: what care group really is, how to make care group most efficient, etc. I am thankful that he taught me to understand how important it is to come to care group regularly. Praise the Lord!!! Amen.

Nok Firestone - Family (North Hills) Care Group

First of all, thank God that he puts some gifts and talents in me, and not only that, he also uses me for his kingdom. I am so grateful to be a part of the camp committee. It has been my honor and pleasure serving God and working with such a great team. Success!

Thank God for this camp. When I first heard the theme "Impacting Lives ~ A Care Group Church," I wondered what I could learn from that. Actually, I felt I had already learned much about care group: definition, advantages of being a care group church, how to be a healthy care group, benefits of being in unity, etc. However, God prepared my heart four days right before the camp. He gave me a "mobile church" where I can listen to preachings every morning and night during my weekday commutes between home and work.

During the commute one morning, he touched my heart and brought me to repentance in the issue of my anger. During that time, I was not so pleased with one of our members in the care group. That morning, I learned from the passage James 1:19-21...

19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. 21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

After the camp, I love my care group even more than before. I become so excited and look forward to joining our care group every week. We are going to keep building strong, healthy, and biblical care group together. My care group leaders (husband and wife) are such a great sample. I am so thankful for that.

One more thing, I also got healed during this camp. On the first day, I was attacked by a severe allergy, but from the second day on through the end of the camp, that allergy didn't come back to me again. God has such a powerful healing. I would like to encourage you all to join every camp from now on; there are plenty of blessings waiting for you.

God is so good. Amen!

David Hoang - Young Adult(Temple City) Care Group

I am greatly touched by this year's camp. The teachings really inspire me--particularly "Characteristic of a Care Group", which helps me understand how my life can become positively influenced if I join care group weekly. The teachings from this year's camp meet my expectation and more!

I also learn how to be more challenged in my life and to, in turn, challenge others. Ps. Ben's teaching about signs of a healthy care group really enlightens me. I learn that it is important to join fellowship weekly to enjoy one another's presence as brother and sister in Christ. The care group environment allows us to learn much from one another as well as to act in obedience to God's commandments such as sharing one another's burdens and building up one another in Christ. Now I see that there are so much more to care groups than merely eating and having fun together. We should expect to learn from one another and respect one another in the care group. We should commit to God and one another.