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Singapore UBF(Clementi) 

 

 

March 26, 2013

 

2013 Key verse: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

 

First of all, I would like to thank God that he had mercy and grace on us and revealed his glory in Singapore. Our prayer topics in 2012 were: Luke's Gospel Study, 10 one-to-one Bible studies, 10 Sunday worship service attendants, and rasing up one Abraham of faith. This is what God did through us.

 

1. The Bible study

 

In 2012, we continued the study of Luke’s Gospel, which we had started from Aug 2011 (the first semester). Our Bible students are scholarship holders from China, except two students. They are smart and filled with great ambition and enthusiasm. But they have never seen the Bible nor have they ever been to church. Thus, they don’t know about sin and have no idea who they are. They simply know that Jesus is a great teacher who found Christianity. After studying Luke’s Gospel, they learned that Jesus is the Son of God who created the heavens and the earth, and the Savior who came to the world to save successful sinners by human standards, like the chief tax collector Zacchaeous, from their sin and death. 

 

After that, from Aug 2012 (the first semester) til now, we have been studying Romans in order to learn the basics of the gospel. Preparing the study of Romans, I was full of hope that our Bible students may learn the ABC’s of the gospel, accept Jesus as their Savior by faith, taste the joy of forgiveness of sin, and have a desire to live by faith. At the same time, I was concerned that by placing too much emphasis on the seriousness of sin, they might stop the Bible study because of fear or a bad feeling. For sure, Romans has the power to reveal sin. The students began to have interest in the Biblical concept of sin, though they felt weighed down with guilt. A male student, who has been with us for the last six years and regularly studied the Bible for the past two years, confessed that he is a gay and wanted to stop the Bible study. So Msn. Monica wanted to let him go, since he neither considered himself a sinner nor did he want to study the Bible. Then, he changed his mind and wanted to only attend worship service. So he comes to worship service. Since we do not know about his condition, we pray for him and seek help from the Holy Spirit. Through the study of Romans, I pray that the truth of the gospel may be planted in the heart of our Bible students so that they may be saved by faith and by God’s grace. 

 

2. Easter Bible Conference and Sports Day

 

Our Easter Bible Conference was held in a beautiful, quiet bungalow beside the seaside with the theme of “He Has Risen!” from Apr. 6~7. We humbly and honestly prayed for 10 attendants from Jan., 2012 (the second semester). By God’s grace and mercy, in all, 11 people, including six students, came to the conference. This was the conference which was attended by the most people for the last 10 years. We did two group Bible studies and shared two messages. We praised God through songs and worship dancing. We built up good fellowship by cooking together and playing games. Most of all, the six students wrote testimonies for the first time in their lives and shared them together. Though the conference period was merely two days ne 1o night, it was full of grace and meaning. All people without exception served, shared and enjoyed. Now, the students who attended the conference continue one-to-one Bible study and attend worship services. A second year student serves as a worship service officiator. We pray that among them one Abraham of faith may be raised. 

 

On Oct 27 (a Muslim holiday), we had a Sports Day in a NUS indoor gym. We played badminton, table tennis, basketball relay, and group skipping rope. We invited new students and had good fellowship before final exams. After final exams, for some students going back to China, we shared the joy of Jesus’ birth through the Christmas message, cycling, and a barbecue.

 

3. One-to-one Bible study

 

We all visit campus every weekend. Msn. Monica takes off on every Thursday and goes to campus with Msn. Rebekah. We prayed for 10 one-to-one studies. God blessed us by helping us to have 10 teams every week. The students are Huang Bin, Zhang Kun, Siokang, Lee Wenbo brother and Chen Chen, Gabriel, and the Suzzett sisters. Sister Gabriel is a Singaporean student in year three. Sister Suzzett is from the Philippine center and works as a nurse in a general hospital. 

 

Now we pray for 15 one-to-one studies. We also pray that somehow each missionary has at least one Singaporean sheep. We have met Singaporean students who were kind to us. Almost all of them are Christians. While we are happy to know that there are Christians in campus, we are discouraged when we are advised that Singaporean students don’t want to learn the Bible from foreigners. Quite a few students were kind enough to give us their phone number and promised to come to Bible study. But when we sent text messages for the study they didn’t reply. Some replied but never turned up. Some sheep suddenly stopped the study after a year or so, saying that they didn’t like it. Many times we hoped, but it turned out as it was. Then, we console each other and say that Chinese students are supporting missionaries. Yet, we believe that there are Singaporean remnants God has reserved for Singapore and us. Therefore, I pray that we study more about Singapore to understand them and to improve English and keep going to campus, waiting for God’s time. 

 

4. 2013 Prayer Topics

 

(1) 15 one-to-one studies; (2) To raise up one Abraham of faith; (3) Roman’s study; (4) Msn. David and Rebekah Sim to find suitable jobs. They are precious co-workers for Singapore ministry, serving students and worship service with guitar and piano. Now the Singapore government has tightened up on issuing work visas following a lot of complaints by its people. So it is not easy to find a job. I pray that they seek God’s mercy and challenge the situation with humility and by faith; (5) Sister Suzzette to obtain a permanent work visa: she didn’t get a permanent work visa for some reason after the six months probation and is still under probation. Though she had a long experience as a nurse in the Philippines, she needs to learn anew. I pray that she may go through this training by faith, humbly learn from supervisors and build up good relationship with them so that she may obtain a permanent work visa after her probation; (6) Msn. Andy to prepare and deliver messages based on the gospel, depending on the Holy Spirit.