Evangelical Free Church of Fullerton's Newsletter
WHY DON'T YOU JUST POP ON OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD?
Singapore is positively exciting, exotic and really easy for even the most pampered tourist. In fact this little city/nation is practically perfect if you only stay for less than a couple weeks. From the northern part of Singapore you can see Malaysia, and from the south you can see Indonesia. So, while you're here, you may want to add a couple other stamps to your passport. You think Southern California is multi-ethnic? Wait ‘till you see Singapore! We’ve Chinatown, little India, Malay Village as tourist attractions, but it is a virtual mosaic as you walk along the streets. We’ve the world’s best zoo, terrific shopping, GREAT FOOD, and efficient and clean public transportation. Stay in a nice air-conditioned hotel and we’ll show you the many wonderful sights and give you a window into our lives here. Besides what you’ll find in the tourist books, here’s what else you’d get if we could host you here.
We may make you join us for a bit of Chinese studies. We’ll go over some new vocabulary, or sing along with some Chinese karaoke! In Singapore it’s not a necessity, but speaking Mandarin goes a LONG way with people we meet and work with. At a lunch last week a Singaporean asked me to order, hoping we might get some freebies thrown in! Children take compulsory "Mother Tongue" in school, which is either Mandarin Chinese (78%), Malay (15%), or Tamil - an Indian language (7%). They take school pretty serious here, as well as instilling National pride in the children. It is quite a sight to pop by school at the end of the day and see the flag lowering ceremony with 1000 children singing the National Anthem. Our children are nearly the only Americans we know attending local schools; but so far, they are flourishing.
From this technologically sophisticated island, we spend a lot of time on the computer. Email is the way we do nearly EVERYTHING, even with Singaporeans; or SMS. Do you have that back home? My goodness, the way we send these messages back and forth! Sometimes I just think, “Dial the number and let’s TALK to each other!” And the Internet. Broadband! Wow! I even do much of my grocery shopping on-line. I don’t have to ever feel “out of the loop,” even living on the other side of the world! I have a database of sketches for worship on the web and people are downloading it from all around the world. Recently another Christian in theatre wrote me that his newest musical “Gospel Blues” was having it’s first showing and being broadcast over the internet from the Pacific Northwest. So, I didn’t even have to miss out on a premiere! Let’s all sing “It’s a Small World” shall we?
About bringing along a care package with food: NO need! We live out in the suburbs with Singapore’s "heartlanders" (ethnically traditional immigrants), but we have discovered many downtown stores cater to westerners. I stumbled upon a store a few weeks ago which had handmade tortellinis, escargot and a few other things I would never even buy from an Irvine Ranch or Bristol Farms! If we want it, and are willing to pay for it, many American food items can be found. After 5 years in Asia, we have become quite used to the foods here too. In fact, we prefer it! My little boys would rather have instant Chinese noodles over PB&J for lunch! We find we just don't crave old favorites, AND since there's no way you can bring us Krispy Kremes, we'll just have to keep satisfying the donut cravings when we're in the States!!!
As we’ve learned from living in Chinese culture, when it comes to eating out, we will fight you for the check! It is our pleasure to treat you, because God has been faithful to us. In fact, we have not yet had to re-use ANY tea bags. It is amazing & admittedly sometimes scary to live by faith as far as finances go. Like most missionaries, we are financially supported by individuals who sense God’s leading to be part of his work here). This still blows me away, even though it probably shouldn't. We have always supported other missionaries and still do. It's just kind of surprising when you're on the receiving end! We live like the average Singaporean in a Government Housing Apartment. We’re not extravagant, but we’re comfortable. AND HERE'S THE BEST PART (just so you’re not shocked when you visit): we have a live in domestic helper! YES! Someone else does my house work, and God has brought an honest, hard working girl we can trust. Isn't that strange? We live in what looks like a clean inner city ghetto – in groves of high-rise concrete buildings -- but nearly all the professionals who live around here (who don’t have extended family living with them), have foreign maids. So, as they say, “when in Rome…” It is quite a luxury!
But just so you don’t think it’s all wonderful, and plan your visit to be a more permanent one, I must warn you about adjusting to the life here. The HEAT and HUMIDITY is insufferable, you will have virtually no circle of friends or family as support, it is a crowded city culture where people have built not only high buildings but high walls around their hearts. They are very busy and don’t warm up to foreigners (‘cause most expats are here a short stint, stick together and don’t warm up to them). There are no babysitters. Singaporeans, if they do speak to you, love to comment on how easy it must be to adjust to their convenient lifestyle (not!). Honestly, after our 2 years of language study in China, I was really ready to get back to MINISTRY in Singapore! My husband and I had taken a year searching the world for where we BOTH could best use our experience and giftedness as missionaries. We’d sensed a clear leading that Singapore was the place and we moved to the suburbs to dive in to typical Singaporean life. But, while waiting for a suitable maid, homemaking means dishwashing by hand with no running hot water, more clothes to wash & iron because we sweat so much and the children wear uniforms to school, walking in the heat to and from the grocery store, mopping, lots of dust from local construction, and keeping track of children’s school bus schedules, (one son got home from school at 7:00PM!) To tell the truth, living here felt like a 4 star prison! I felt like I’d come to Asia to grow old. But God had (has?) some important whittling to do with my character, true love for him, and understanding that He doesn’t really give a hoot what I accomplish for him, but who I am in him. Sometimes this whittling has felt more like a sledgehammer (especially when we had daily jackhammering on our building for months on end). But having journeyed this valley, I feel I can better empathize with weakness, loneliness, and what it’s like to feel nearly hopelessly lost even though I'm eternally saved. I'm (a bit) more humble, slower to be critical of weakness in others (unless it is poor customer service), and hopefully a better encourager. Maybe I’m even more Christlike!
But we didn’t move here for the lifestyle. We live overseas because of our conviction that Jesus didn't lie when he claimed to be "the way, the truth, and the life" and that "no one comes to the Father except through me." There are so many people who haven't even heard his name yet, let alone have had a chance to decide to follow him. It's not very popular in these pluralistic days to be so "narrow minded," but the Bible is pretty clear on God's jealousy about being the only God, and Jesus' claims to offer eternal salvation only through his sacrifice on the cross.
I'm glad to live in a generation where missions and missionaries are compelled by the truth but full of grace. There's a lot more intentionality about loving people, serving people, blessing people, and along the way sharing our convictions and letting the Holy Spirit convince people. Our calling here is to enable the local Christians. Empower them. Our success comes from seeing them fruitful as witnesses and missionaries. So that's the motivation for leaving the comforts of US. We found Singapore to be a place where both Jim and I could use our unique strengths (his in leadership development and mine in theatre) to be part of God's kingdom work in this world. Just a couple of little specialized cogs in the work He's doing around the globe.
Let me know when you’re coming!
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