People had fun I believe :)Saturday, May 30, 2009
Migrants' Games Day
Day for friends all over to have fun... compete as equals and learn to integrate and work together in love. I wasn't there :( I was in the ocean :) No matter, the stories I hear made me wish I could be in 2 places at one time. I think the lessons from this event were mostly for those who organized and hosted... Heard it wasn't easy for a 'normal' Singaporean to work foreigners style, where programs had to be changed on the spot, times had to be adjusted, deal with the rain etc.
People had fun I believe :)
Think God helps us remember that it's really not about the program, how efficient we are, how fun/lame the games actually are. But more of the spirit of playing together in love and unity.. just having fun and letting the program flow... leaving God in control. Think we (Singaporeans) are especially prone to being program focused, we often measure success based on efficiency and clockwork precision. But I have been and am still learning that despite the best plans, we have to let go and let God. Think this applies (maybe even more) to life in general too don't you think?
People had fun I believe :)
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
How do I feel about being made redundant?
I’m talking about ministry of course, as I’m a little too young and my organization too new to be redundant in my work place. I’ve been helping to officially or unofficially co-lead or lead a cell group for as long as I can remember now. If I had to guess/make a conservative estimate, I would have been serving in such a ‘position’ for 10 years now.
The situation is such, my youth group just commissioned a relatively large group of young and promising cell group leaders. It made it such that each cell group has an average of 3-4 cell leaders. Considering that average group size is approximately 10 people, the member to leader ratio went up to 1:2, which in my opinion, is that there are just too many leaders. Not that it is a bad thing in itself, cos it’s good for the sheep now they have so much attention, but it’s a bad thing when it comes to giving the new leaders a chance to rise up and take their place.
Looking at the situation now… it might seem that I am out of a job. A year ago, or maybe even few months ago I might have been threatened, insecure and even afraid that I might be losing favor with God or that others might be taking over MY cell group or jealous about the work that I HAVE put into the group. But today I look at it and am genuinely am pleased that there are new leaders rising up to take their place, pleased that there are ones better than myself to take the work to another level. I marvel at my own maturity… Seriously! It’s a marvel because if I am totally honest I would never have had such a response.
The Lord has taught me much in the past few months, it didn’t come without tears, it didn’t come without having to go through the place of doubting my worth to know that I am a servant of the Lord no matter the position. I am only beginning to understand the kind of humility it took Paul when he wrote,
I pray that He’ll reveal the place He has for me now that this phase of my life is closing… I can’t wait for where He’ll take me to next.
The situation is such, my youth group just commissioned a relatively large group of young and promising cell group leaders. It made it such that each cell group has an average of 3-4 cell leaders. Considering that average group size is approximately 10 people, the member to leader ratio went up to 1:2, which in my opinion, is that there are just too many leaders. Not that it is a bad thing in itself, cos it’s good for the sheep now they have so much attention, but it’s a bad thing when it comes to giving the new leaders a chance to rise up and take their place.
Looking at the situation now… it might seem that I am out of a job. A year ago, or maybe even few months ago I might have been threatened, insecure and even afraid that I might be losing favor with God or that others might be taking over MY cell group or jealous about the work that I HAVE put into the group. But today I look at it and am genuinely am pleased that there are new leaders rising up to take their place, pleased that there are ones better than myself to take the work to another level. I marvel at my own maturity… Seriously! It’s a marvel because if I am totally honest I would never have had such a response.
The Lord has taught me much in the past few months, it didn’t come without tears, it didn’t come without having to go through the place of doubting my worth to know that I am a servant of the Lord no matter the position. I am only beginning to understand the kind of humility it took Paul when he wrote,
"I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow." 1 Cor 3:6
I pray that He’ll reveal the place He has for me now that this phase of my life is closing… I can’t wait for where He’ll take me to next.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Cheng Cunliang
I keep talking about Mr. Yin... cos he's become my friend I guess :) But here's the story of Mr Cheng, another of our migrant friends who have passed through the doors of HS. He is deep and contemplative, even wrote/adapted poems about his experience here. He's gotten his compensation and has gone home last month.
left to right: Joyce, SY & Cheng Cunliang
程存粮弟兄的心声
流浪脚步遍天涯
耶稣伴我走天下
试问人间真情在
舍身取义尤不怕
圣经里面叹圣经
一生尘世雨打萍
人生自古谁无死
留取丹心照万灵
HS's newsletter editor wrote the following.. credit goes to her.
He came to Singapore in Aug 2007 to eke out a living for his family back home. Jiangsu native Cheng Cunliang was prepared for the hard work, the long hours and even working without rest days. What he wasn't prepared for was for a concrete slab to come crashing down his head causing the safety helmet he was wearing to crack and break.
The mishap left him unconscious for three hours. "I survived but felt like the world had come crashing down on me at the same time. I’d all these worries reeling in my head, like how was I going back to work in my state, how was my family going to cope and survive," says the soft-spoken 40-year-old. "The worries gave me many sleepless nights." Uppermost on his mind were his wife and two school-going children, aged 19 and 15, who all depended on him financially. He was lost, confused and didn't know what to do.
But just when he thought he lost all hope, a visit to Tan Tock Seng Hospital for a checkup led him to Dr Chan Lai Gwen, a HealthServe volunteer. Dr Chan told him about HealthServe and he found his way to Lorong 23 Geylang. "I found a second chance to live again when I stepped into HealthServe," he recalls with a shy, quiet smile. "I remember visiting the Tuesday clinic and nurse Fong Ling who was on duty that night said a prayer for me after hearing my story. I felt so comforted and a sense of peace enveloped me. It was something I've never experienced before."
On March 21, Mr Cheng flew home to Jiangsu to be reunited with his wife and children after more than a year of not seeing each other. He plans to come back to Singapore ("I need to continue working to support my family") and when he does, he said he will continue to serve and bless others in his own little ways – like he’s been doing quietly since he became a part of the HealthServe community. Having been a recipient of kindness, Mr Cheng has blessed many others through HealthServe’s Chinese Ministry by extending friendship and great support to his fellow migrant friends who are in need.
left to right: Joyce, SY & Cheng Cunliang程存粮弟兄的心声
流浪脚步遍天涯
耶稣伴我走天下
试问人间真情在
舍身取义尤不怕
圣经里面叹圣经
一生尘世雨打萍
人生自古谁无死
留取丹心照万灵
HS's newsletter editor wrote the following.. credit goes to her.
He came to Singapore in Aug 2007 to eke out a living for his family back home. Jiangsu native Cheng Cunliang was prepared for the hard work, the long hours and even working without rest days. What he wasn't prepared for was for a concrete slab to come crashing down his head causing the safety helmet he was wearing to crack and break.
The mishap left him unconscious for three hours. "I survived but felt like the world had come crashing down on me at the same time. I’d all these worries reeling in my head, like how was I going back to work in my state, how was my family going to cope and survive," says the soft-spoken 40-year-old. "The worries gave me many sleepless nights." Uppermost on his mind were his wife and two school-going children, aged 19 and 15, who all depended on him financially. He was lost, confused and didn't know what to do.
But just when he thought he lost all hope, a visit to Tan Tock Seng Hospital for a checkup led him to Dr Chan Lai Gwen, a HealthServe volunteer. Dr Chan told him about HealthServe and he found his way to Lorong 23 Geylang. "I found a second chance to live again when I stepped into HealthServe," he recalls with a shy, quiet smile. "I remember visiting the Tuesday clinic and nurse Fong Ling who was on duty that night said a prayer for me after hearing my story. I felt so comforted and a sense of peace enveloped me. It was something I've never experienced before."
On March 21, Mr Cheng flew home to Jiangsu to be reunited with his wife and children after more than a year of not seeing each other. He plans to come back to Singapore ("I need to continue working to support my family") and when he does, he said he will continue to serve and bless others in his own little ways – like he’s been doing quietly since he became a part of the HealthServe community. Having been a recipient of kindness, Mr Cheng has blessed many others through HealthServe’s Chinese Ministry by extending friendship and great support to his fellow migrant friends who are in need.
~ Jacqueline Tan ~
