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My Murud 2023 experience: Goo-gle vs. God-gle

2013, 2015, 2017– Attended Murud Prayer Conference.


2019– I struggled and went against the Lord’s calling to go to Murud. I told God, Nope, I didn’t want to scale up and down the mountain just to meet Him anymore!


2021– Covid. No Murud Prayer Conference on the Mountain. My heart broke a little. I missed being in His presence on the mountain. Thank God for technology, we had it online instead.


August 2022– Got the dates for the Murud Prayer Conference in 2023. God didn’t even have to push me this time. I gladly and immediately got my flight ticket. I tried to bring along a few friends, but none were interested at that time as it was too early (one year ahead!). But I told God, it didn’t matter. Even if I were to go alone, I would happily go. I had only wanted to come to His feet and bask in His presence.

March 2023– A team from Ba’Kelalan came to minister in TMC. The main speaker fell ill and the accompanying Pastor took over to share for all the sessions. He spoke in BM. Guess who had to be a translator? Me! Fear and trembling experience for both speaker and translator.
But God is good. He was our strength and wisdom. Little did we know that was only a sneak- peek of what is yet to come.


May 2023– The committee of the Murud Prayer Conference approached me to be one of the translators for the sessions. After much prayer and struggling with the Lord, I accepted the task with fear and trembling.


As the dates for the conference drew near, my heart was filled with excitement and apprehension. Excitement to be back on the mountain, despite knowing how tough the hike would be. Apprehension, because after attending for many years, I knew that the entrusted task of translation was not to be taken lightly.


July 2023– The month. Nerve-wracking, both spiritually and physically. Heard from relatives in Ba’Kelalan that there was a telephone/internet line on the mountain, unlike in previous years, as they had set up a tower in Bario and were receiving signals. I sighed. I sighed because I didn’t want to have a connection with the outside world whilst I was there, but at the same time, I sighed with relief. Bittersweet. Thank God I thought. At least I can Google for words that I didn’t know when I was doing my translation.


16 July 2023– No speaker notes or slides have been received. I WhatsApped a dear friend, “I don’t want to go Murud tomorrow, I’m scared”. But of course, no turning back, no turning back.


17 July 2023– Here we go! Like it or not, we were on our way to the Mountain. As we took the flight arriving in the morning, we were able to hike up to the Church Camp on the same day. However, we started late and only managed to reach the church camp at 8 p.m. Stories for another day. Buzz me up, come let’s have coffee and I’ll share those stories with you.


18 July 2023– T-1 before the Conference start. No sign of any text from the Speakers. Dying inside from anxiety, and yet knowing that my God who is full of wisdom and knowledge will be my help in the works He had entrusted me with.


19 July 2023– Session 1. I finally got my notes. A mere hours before the first session I was supposed to translate. I couldn’t settle down that afternoon and went to the church early. I tried as much as I could to translate the materials and prepare for the night session. I almost broke down in tears as in that stress of limited time, there were words that I couldn’t figure out. In my desperation, I turned on my mobile phone, which I didn’t want to and tried to Google for words. Yes, there was a line. But the signal was weak from where I was sitting. I prayed to God, seeking His mercy and His help. In His gentle, soft voice He asked me, “My child, Goo-gle or God-gle? Will you surrender all and depend on me fully?”. I broke down and repented, turned off my mobile, and continued on the slide depending fully and only on Him.

Diana1

Translating for Speaker; Pastor Bina Agung (President of BEM Sarawak) on the 1st Night (2nd Session)

Was it tough to translate?
It was, challenging. We are so used to modern conveniences that we can just reach out to help us. To only depend on God-gle, now that’s something as scary as day!
It was, most of all, humbling. We are so used to being in control, able to figure almost everything on our own, being the tough ones, not asking for anyone’s help. At times when I was lost for a word on the pulpit, it was all the brothers and sisters in the congregation who helped by throwing in the right word. When I was flustered in my own world, preparing for the sessions in the church alone, God sent so many people, strangers, who would just walk over and lay a hand and say a prayer over me, even in the darkness of 5 a.m. Sometimes, one would pray, and before I knew it, the voices around me grew more and by the time I opened my eyes, there were too many to count. I’m sure they can see how terrified this translator must have been! For all these prayers, seen or unseen, I am truly grateful for, because I know, God had surely answered their prayers. When I was nervous, God had placed familiar faces of brothers and sisters in the midst of 700 pax to know that I was never alone.

Diana2

Translating for one of the Speakers; Rev Dr Henry Padin (Vice President of BEM Sarawak) on the Final Session.

My takeaway from Murud 2023? God-gle. Depends on God in everything. Not only in translating. In every.single.thing. It doesn’t matter if you have 2G, 3G, 4G or 5G. The most important connection you should have is with the one and only G. God.