I thank God for His salvation grace upon me and my family. I accepted Christ as my personal Lord and Saviour in 1986. My youngest daughter, Stephanie, was the first to believe in Jesus in 1984. Through her testimony and sharing of the Gospel, all my other three children and I came to believe in Jesus. My husband, who initially was anti-Christian, also became receptive to the Gospel. Before he passed away at aged 56, he accepted Christ and was baptized in the hospital. Though widowed at aged 50, the Lord has been my constant strength and comfort. I was illiterate but the desire to know more about God and His Word motivated me to learn to read the Bible. Soon, I was able to read the Bible (and even write some simple words) – giving me much joy to know Christ more, and understanding / comfort during times of painful trials.
I was baptized in Calvary Pandan BP Church in Dec 1988, worshipping there for about 20 years. In 2006, I left Calvary Pandan BP Church because my eldest son-in-law asked me to reach out to his Teochew-speaking mother, Mrs Ng, with the Gospel and to accompany her to Singapore Life Church’s Teochew worship service. Praise God she eventually accepted Christ and was baptized. I continued to serve with Mrs Ng in Singapore Life Church and in their Teochew choir. I transferred my membership to this church on 1 June 2008.
It has always been my desire to share the Gospel with all my unbelieving relatives and friends, though they have repeatedly declined my invitation to attend Gospel rallies. Thank God for such a providential opportunity granted on my 80th birthday (in 2016) to hold a birthday thanksgiving celebration cum Gospel meeting, where Pastor Koshy preached the Gospel with Chinese translation. I invited many of them to attend. May the Gospel seed sown reap the fruit of salvation in due season.
Within a week of my 80th birthday, I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. God filled my heart with peace despite this news, as I am ready to go home and enjoy heaven’s bliss with the Lord. "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord" (2 Corinthians 5:8). I know God is in control and will carry me through this trial at such an old age. Stephanie provided caregiving for me during this difficult time and I moved in to live with her. I thank God for seeing me through 12 sessions of chemotherapy and all the tumours in my lungs and liver have vanished on the post-chemotherapy scan. (My cancer is not totally cured, but under control with ongoing monthly antibody treatment.) During this period, I received much encouragement and love from many brethren in Gethsemane BPC. Thank God for their prayers, love and warm fellowship.
When I sustained a fractured spinal disc due to a fall in May 2019, I was thankful that God spared me from paralysis. Though the MRI showed a possible spread of cancer to my spinal bone, further tests proved negative, and the Lord continues to bless me with good health reviews month after month. Despite the chemotherapy side effects of permanent numbness in my toes and fingers, I have learnt to trust and rely on God’s grace and strength day by day. Truly, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me" (2 Corinthians 12:9). I thank God for sustaining me and giving me much joy and peace despite this bodily affliction.
During my recent hospitalization, I was once again touched and encouraged by the love, care, prayers and visits of many Gethsemanean brethren. After the Lord has seen me through this recent trial, I thank Him for giving me the conviction to transfer my membership from Singapore Life Church to Gethsemane BP Church. Thank God for leading me to worship in Gethsemane BP Church as I see the love of Christ exhibited in so many brethren, and also how God’s Word has been faithfully preached by Pastor Koshy and the preachers. I am also encouraged and blest to be found in a mission-minded church, with which I share the same passion for lost souls. May the Lord continue to sanctify me for His glory, and help me to be an effective witness for Him and serve Him in Gethsemane BP Church until He calls me home. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16).
About 20 years ago, I was called to salvation in the nick of time, before I plunged deeper into the occultic practice of the New Age movement of Reiki. Though a non-Christian then, I was very well aware of the presence of religious cultic groups and was careful not to get myself involved in such. At that time, Reiki had promoted a type of channelling of positive energy in oneself to heal oneself and even others. I was told it’s not religion-based. So, I was sold to this idea as I was then having an issue with a hand injury that hinders my daily duties of cooking, cleaning and caring for 3 young children as a housewife and mother. I thought foolishly that learning this skill would help our family save a lot of money for medical expenses. Over 2 weekends, I attended the Reiki course. On the 1st Sunday when I was away on course, God sent His servant to preach to my husband who was at home looking after the children. The 2nd Sunday, my husband and children went to church for the first time, without me, as I was still on course. The 3rd Sunday, I joined my family in church. However, I continued with my Reiki practice as I didn’t know it’s a dark art. To cut the long story short, by God’s grace and mercy, I became a believer after going to church with my family for some time. The Holy Spirit illumined me and helped me to realise that Reiki is evil. I can’t praise the LORD enough for His salvation of my soul!
From my early 20s, I had rejected the Taoist religion of my mum and grandma because my grandma had failed to answer the many questions I posed her whenever she practised her belief. My questions were either brushed off as she had no answers for them or I was told not to ask too much. Being fiercely loyal to my Chinese roots, I had never sought Christianity whic9999h to me was an ‘angmoh’ religion. I was exposed to Christianity in a mission junior college, but becoming a Christian is like betraying my Chinese roots. To satisfy my spiritual needs, I turned to Buddhism, which many Chinese also practised. Practising and studying Buddhism for a short while at the basic level were enough for me to realise that it has no answers to my many questions about life and the spiritual realm. Buddhism doesn’t recognise the existence of a Creator God. Yet, deep in me, I know there’s a ‘Supreme Being’ up in heaven. I want to know who He is, and how to worship Him. In my workplace, I came to know of Christian and Catholic colleagues who are insistent that theirs is the real faith. I wasn’t spiritually discerning enough to know the truth. Besides, I was cautious, sceptical and wary not to jump into the wrong religion or wrong church without some sort of assurance. Somehow, at this point of my life, I was no longer averse to Christianity. In fact, I desired to go to church with my family. But which church? I believed God had already prepared the hearts of my husband and I. By God’s providence, when my husband said they were going to church on the 2nd Sunday while I was on the Reiki course, I was very happy actually. I knew at that moment God was directing my family and I to Him. He had sought me and prepared this stubborn and foolish heart of mine to receive Him without any doubt.
I came to Gethsemane BPC as I found out that this is a vibrant, God-honouring church, with many ministries for God’s children to serve and grow in faith. I like that in GBPC, biblically sound doctrines are preached, taught diligently and practised; and leaders are prepared to administer church discipline without fear of man, but with fear of God. Many churches nowadays have fallen short of one, or even both, of these conditions, including my former church. This is the reason for my transfer of membership.