Personal and family – Page 12

Category: Personal and family

Boston wedding reception

29 October 2018 blogpastor Leave a comment

What was I doing in Boston? I was there mainly for my daughter in law’s family’s wedding reception. My son Joshua had already had the wedding registration and reception in Singapore. This was for Ping’s family and relatives in the U.S.

On the front stage at the restaurant: Joshua & Ping, my wife and I

One interesting thing about this wedding was that it started at 11pm in the late evening of Sunday and ended at 1.30am on early Monday. Many of the guests were relatives in the restaurant business and they came after they had closed their businesses or stopped work after the restaurants closed. My pastor friend told me that when they did ministry among restaurant workers, it was done at such odd hours too.

Another interesting thing was that everyone who came was given a bottle of red wine, which they placed on the dining table in front of the cutlery of each seat. The wedding feast was fabulous and not cooked to Western palate but to the Chinese taste. Fantastic food with lobster included.

Joel Tay performs his magic to the delight of a guest

There was even some live entertainment provided by Joshua’s close friend Joel Tay who performed some illusions at each table to the delight of children and fascination of adults. Tricks with cards, book, and other stuff. He was confident and serious and he made time fly by quickly. Little did the audience know that he is highly educated in science and theology and was full-time in a ministry that educates churches in creation science.

Ping’s parents Guang Tai and Yin Cheng, and Lynn, Ping’s sister and her family

My wife and I were greatly blessed with kind hospitality from Ping’s parents. We stayed in their large home and we were spoilt by the great food they cooked us for dinners. We actually had lobsters for every meal except breakfasts.

The warmth and love and care made our stay there so comfortable, memorable and we were so grateful.

Going to America by Lydia Sin (book review)

14 October 2018 blogpastor Leave a comment

I received this book and wanted to read it in the plane on my way to America. The author, a church member, gave it to me “so you have a context to pray for Elaine”. Elaine is my daughter who would be working in Washington DC with an international agency.

My wife and I made a visit to the USA for two reasons: to see our daughter settled in her new chapter of her life; and to be part of my son’s belated wedding reception with his wife’s family and relatives in Boston.

I did manage to read the book because I wanted to know what it would be like for my daughter to live in USA. For any Singaporean thinking of studying, working or moving to America, this would be a practical, down to earth, and sensible book. It is packed with information and good advice from a Singaporean perspective. This makes it special and unique.

Enjoying Greek cuisine with our daughter Elaine

The book tells us what Americans are like and what is the work culture there. It describes education from elementary to university levels. It gives you survival skills like winter tips, health tips and emergency supplies. It advises you about what to do with the US holidays and what to expect from the different seasons. It shows you how to cope with loneliness and build a support network; and finally, how to deal with racial sensitivities and understand the maze that is US politics.

I enjoyed this book and I found it helpful and readable . I shared interesting bits of the information with my wife and daughter too. It also assured me of what my daughter will face in her new chapter in the U.S.

I liked the author’s personal stories of the mistakes she made and how she learned to successfully navigate this major transition. The stories were personal and humourous and enlightening. All in all, you get a warm, positive picture of her experience of going to America and settling there with her family over more than a decade.

Completing my MTh(Ed)

27 August 2018 blogpastor 5 Comments

Finally I received my MTh(Ed) from AGST Alliance in a folder over registered mail. I have graduated. It was an enjoyable, enlightening and enriching journey.

It was fun to meet fellow servants of God from pastors, lay leaders to lecturers of Bible Schools who want to pursue further equipping and increase of knowledge and skills on a part-time basis, while still in their respective job responsibilities or ministries. When you are together in class, and over meals and breaks, over several courses, or even travel together, you are sure to build friendships and acquaintances.

My classmates are mostly from Malaysia and Singapore but there are also those from Australia and USA. They are from different denominations, Bible Schools and missions. This makes our interactions and fellowship times interesting and exciting.

I learned a lot from the course modules which included spiritual formation and Christian education. Each module comprised a five day 9am to 5pm lecture phase, preceded by reading assignments, and followed by research assignments. The lecturers were helpful and facilitated our learning and treated us with graciousness and thoughtfulness. They knew the kind of struggles and challenges people in ministry faced in trying to juggle assignments and work.

The whole package created a learning environment that befits the degree we pursued. To be a good practitioner would require that I patiently and diligently seek what I learned to what I am doing. It comes from reflection-action-reflection in the journey of change. But the burden and speed of ministry means you do not have the time to reflect sufficiently to design something that is customised. It is always easier to find a package and use it. Besides having time, I only wished I was able to apply the insights gained with a coach’s or mentor’s help.

I must confess that towards the end I struggled a great deal with studying part-time. My grades were above average most of the time. But the tougher assignments at the tail end took a toll on me. I needed to dig deep, ask my friends for prayer support, and cry out to God for grace and wisdom and motivation to get over the line. By the grace of God, I finished the course, and graduated. It gave me a great feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment, but it makes me think twice and pray thrice about taking out any further courses.