FGB MDM School: Making Disciples in the Marketplace

53 delegates from 6 countries
53 delegates from 6 countries
Praying for "Papa" Khoo
Praying for "Papa" Khoo

The FGB Making Disciples in Marketplace School

My daughter and I took a taxi and arrived at Changi Cove for a 2pm registration on a Saturday. I have been hearing about kingdom and the marketplace. During a recent Israel holy land tour we dropped by Mt Carmel and visited Peter Tsukahira’s ministry centre. He talked about the kingdom. The next year in 2013, Peter was the main plenary speaker at the Love Singapore Prayer Summit and he enlarged on the same theme. At the same summit, I met Georgie Lee who shared passionately about FGB Gatekeepers and their training camp. In 2014, Benny Ho called together a roundtable for pastors and marketplace leaders to have a dialogue. I met Georgie again and he invited me to attend a Making Disciples in the Marketplace (MDM) School. After some prayer I decided to attend it from 7-10 March 2015.

An evening for foreign delegates to see the city skyline
An evening for foreign delegates to see the city skyline

There were 53 participants from six countries including Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, India, and Indonesia. My daughter and I were so tired we both took an afternoon nap, and woke up late for the first session. What a way to start. The sessions were back to back and intense. There were fifteen sessions in all: five sessions every day: two in the morning; two in the afternoon; and one at night. We were well fed with good food and tea breaks before and after every session. Here are some takeaways from the 3 day school.

Blogpastor’s five key takeaways

Firstly the truth that there are many teachers and not many spiritual fathers, and fathers are what we need above teachers, systems, strategies and methodology. The key difference and distinguishing mark of the father is love, love, love. The spiritual father loves authentically. Teachers do not. Many excel in explaining or expositing, few love well, love fully and truly. I felt weird when they kept calling Khoo Oon Theam “Papa”. With time, I saw that they were affectionate in their relationship with him. They had received a lot of love from him. They naturally called him Papa Khoo. The Catholics got it right. Their priests are called Fathers not Reverends. Fathering is an excellent image of Christian leadership. I saw that in Khoo Oon Theam. Of course I don’t know him well enough, but I could see a genuine mutual affection amongst the FGB team and him. The bottom-line is love after all. Elder John of the Bible knew it. Eagle saints know it. So does “Papa” Khoo.

Secondly, the vision of discipling must go beyond the individual, as in most models, but must embrace transformation of comprehensive aspects of society. It is a vision that goes beyond one nation to globally reach all people groups.

Speakers praying and imparting to delegates
Speakers praying and imparting to delegates

Thirdly, I learned that most Christians fly below the radar’s detection range. They live moral lives, and try to do their work well, keeping their heads down, be inconspicuous and stay out of trouble, rather than choose to seek change so that God’s name is glorified. They would not upset the peace nor confront injustice nor wrong. MDM School advocates and empowers God’s people to activate God’s salt and light in the workplace. It gives them a sense of purpose in what would occupy a large chunk of their lives in terms of effort and hours: the workplace. Suddenly the gospel is seen to be highly relevant and not compartmentalized conveniently in some weekend activity. The school has a structure and process that works for FGB Gatekeepers and they have assembled quite an experienced and influential group of committed leaders or “elders” from the marketplace.  It is for us pastors to re-shape it for the local church.

Fourthly, I believe this vision has revitalized the Full Gospel Businessman (FGB) of yesteryear. The FGB played a pivotal role in spreading the charismatic experience and message in the 1980’s and 1990’s. This role of seeding the denominations and churches had resulted in the leaven leavening the whole lump except for a few exceptions like the Bible Presbyterians, the Presbyterians and the Chinese and Malayalam churches. Then with the churches renewed the FGB seem to have gone into a season of hibernation, a dark night of the soul if you would like. The good news is they have come our purified and deepened in vision and this is sparking interest among FGBs in other countries. They have seen a fire in the East and it has thawed their hearts and they are travelling long distances to catch the fire for their own people.

With Galven who did a definitive history of the charismatic movement
With Galven who did a definitive history of the charismatic movement

Fifthly, I liked it that they were serious about inter-generational impartation and mentoring.  There was deliberate and intentional discipling and coaching of younger leaders. A few of them in their thirties led part of the sessions with their mentors who are in their sixties. It’s wonderful to behold. Seeing parents and their young adult son working together in the ministry is heart-warming. An example was to see Georgie and Evelyn Lee, who are leaders in the movement, with their son Galven, who was there to facilitate. Galven was researching the charismatic movement of the 70’s in Singapore. I first met him when he was doing research for his studies in NUS.  He interviewed me as a witness to the revival in Dunearn Technical Secondary School. Out of that revival, World Revival Prayer Fellowship was born. He obtained a first class honours student conferred jointly by NUS and the National University of Australia. His thesis traces the history of the charismatic movement in Singapore. At last we have a rigorously researched piece that withstood academic standards of the highest order.

As a student of educational methodology and curriculum, I do see that some tweaks are needed but even as it is the MDM School can impart enthusiasm, the spirit, the dynamism of the vision. Catch the heart of the vision which is actually a spirit of fathering and apostolic initiative. Seek to contextualize it for your church or workplace situation, for it has to be contextualized.

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Cycling the Marina Barrage

The view from across the barrage.
The view from across the barrage.
Eric and me at the Marina barrage
Eric and me at the Marina barrage
Central business district in the background.
Central business district in the background.
On a bridge with the Merlion behind
On a bridge with the Merlion behind

It was 7.45 am. We folded the two bikes, one a Tern Link, the other a Cronus Earl 3.0 onto the Daihatsu. The back seat had to be folded to put the two foldies in. My neighbour drove to Marina Barrage. From there we rode off all around the Marina Barrage and the reservoir in front of the city skyline. It was a stunning, beautiful and pleasant ride. It was a sunny day but a light breeze made it pleasant and I got so caught up with the panoramic views and ease of biking around that I forgot about the sun. At the end of it all we ate roti prata at the hawker center near the barrage. It had been a good three hours and a half. What a stimulating day! For this reason, I bought foldable bicycles.

View of CDB
View of CDB
Met other Christians and tried out a Brompton owned by one of them
Met other Christians and tried out a Brompton owned by one of them
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A pastor’s reflection on people’s grieving over Lee Kuan Yew

The sense of loss is still fresh. Lee Kuan Yew passed away a fortnight ago. Many are still grieving. The National Museum was full of people at the exhibition held in honour of Lee Kuan Yew. People are returning to normality rather slowly. There is some wisdom in the Chinese tradition of a hundred days of grieving. Over the last 14 days, some people have ended up on two extreme ends: some idolizing LKY, and others blasting him. Then there are those who are more sensible, sensitive and yet incisive. One such person is Rev Dr Lorna Khoo, a Methodist pastor, whose piece in her Facebook, struck me as insightful and wise. So I asked her permission to reproduce it in full:

Some Reflections and Thoughts re the past week

1. Let us give honour where honour is due .
Mr Lee Kuan Yew deserves that honour, our respect and gratitude.

2. Everyone will have different ways of expressing/giving that respect/honour.
While I did not line up 8 hours in town, change my FB picture to the black ribbon or stand in the rain to bid goodbye, I did sign a condolence book, lead in the observation of the l minute silence, pray for the family members by name, followed the state controlled newspaper and media re updates, reposted positive posts regarding him on FB,  watched the funeral on TV (  stood at attention and saluted the cortege in private) and shed tears at PM’s eulogy. Even got the car/computer stickers for friends who want to honour his memory that way.

Respect the difference in expressions. No one has to express it the same way.

3. Timing is important.
There needs to be ‘time out’ for people to grieve. There will be time later to talk about other things. I think at least a week after the funeral or even two weeks. Now its still very raw… emotions are unprocessed. Some emotions are one’s own for him. Others are added on- from unresolved griefs in one’s own life or sharing of our corporate/ national atmosphere of grief. What has taken a week to reach a ‘crescendo’ cannot be expected to disappear immediately after the funeral.

Give space. Go gentle.

4. As children from the same family experience their parents in different ways, so we in Singapore experience the Architect and Father of Modern Singapore, Mr Lee Kuan Yew…in different ways.

Just because one child had very good experience with one’s father does not mean another in the family had the same experience or that the father was a very good father. The reverse is true too: one child might have been badly hurt by the same father who was everything that another would want in a father. To decry or put down another for sharing different experiences of the same father is not right nor fair. The father is a human being- he has both good and bad traits.

Some might want to make him into something close to an idol: I have seen excesses and what I consider to be extremely bad theology appearing on FB (eg 23/3 = Psa23; talking about his sacrifice almost on the same level as Christ’s or St Paul…)

Some are iconoclastic – blasting away at every good memory in the house with profanity and inappropriate PUBLIC expressions of happiness  [ eg A-mos-quito]. There is lack of sensitivity, humanity and maturity here. While some negative expressions might be a reaction to the extremism of some idol builders ( who are piling praises out of this stratosphere ) , some might be real grouses. There is a need to raise issues having to do with injustices perceived or actually committed… but these can be surfaced more effectively in a decent, balanced way….and at a later time, giving space for the grief to subside.

Let’s not be dismissive of others’ experience simply because its not our own. Never stoop to insulting the person for being ‘brainless’ or ‘stupid’. Its good always to see both sides – with information from both the state owned media and the variety of social media.

5. People are STILL grieving for a father they have lost.

I would not call him ‘founding father’ as neither he, Sang Nila Utama nor Stamford Raffles ‘founded’ Singapore. Singapore already existed as an island (by whatever name in the past) before they came. He IS the father of modern Singapore. The Architect. While one might have significant uncles/aunts…(Goh Keng Swee, Ong Pang Boon, the Dutch guy -forgot his name- and others….) , there is always a main leader…like a maestro -conductor of a orchestra… who gets each excellent instrument player to create his unique music in harmony with everyone on the team…resulting in a musical feast for the audience to enjoy. Lee Kuan Yew was such a ‘ conductor of the orchestra’  kind of father.

In real life – even if one’s father is a real rot, one still grieves when the loss is experienced. It might not be grief for what was lost….but grief for what could have been but was not so. Counsellors will say that in such periods of one’s life, one should avoid making rash decisions. (And shall I add….rash heated statements….?)

6. There will be and needs to be time to confront hot button issues.
We cannot be saying ‘peace, peace…’ when peace needs to come with actions of righteousness and (as my friend mentioned correctly), RESTORATIVE justice. Those afraid of conflict will want to avoid it at all cost. But for the nation to move forward together, we need to re-examine painful issues of the past, do surgery to remove the pus…for only then will healing come.

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Kyushu, Japan free and easy 8: Yufuin town and Kinrinko Lake

Sauntering through the town
Sauntering through the town. Khoon's photo.
Pedestrians only street
Pedestrians only street. Khoon's photo.

We were feeling travel weary as we reached the last leg of our free and easy tour. We would walk through Yufuin, a tourist town, and make our way to picturesque Kinrinko Lake. There were blue skies, lovely mountains in the distance, a lake and lots of small shops selling all kinds of food, pottery, knick-knacks, Japanese souvenirs, almost anything a tourist would want to bring back to their country.

Kinrinko Lake
Kinrinko Lake
Kinrinko Lake
Kinrinko Lake: beautiful in autumn colours
Wild ducks at the shoreline
Wild ducks at the shoreline
Ladies with autumn colours in the background
Ladies with autumn colours in the background
Beautiful aspects as we walk the shoreline
Beautiful aspects as we walk the shoreline

The air was cool and fresh and we were in no hurry. We began mid-morning and were to have our lunch there. We decided to take the

Daniel take the first bite.
Daniel take the first bite.

scheduled transport at about 4pm. So that’s a lot of time. We walked leisurely through the street and visited many of the small shops and bought some stuff. I bought mugs for my adult children. We saw a queue at one Bespoke bakery that specializes in Japanese style Swiss roll cake. Daniel joined the queue and bought the cake and generously shared with the rest of us. I admit the fresh cream and the sponge cake’s texture were out of this world. It was super and was finished within minutes.
Later we walked all the way to the lake and back again to the store near the information office. It got colder later in the day and we warmed ourselves in the hot waters in an outdoor corner that was part of the store. We all knew this was the last day. We would be in Fukuoka that night. After a night stay in the hotel we head for the airport and would be home-bound. Something good and enjoyable was ending and there is that sense that we will soon be back to the grind in Singapore. It was great while it lasted. Everyone was thankful to Jasmine who so thoroughly did the research and designed the free and easy tour that enabled us to experience most of the highlights of Kyushu island.

Jasmine the organizer and her husband Jabez
Jasmine the organizer and her husband Jabez.
Yufuin floral village
Yufuin floral villag.
Keeping warm
Keeping warm
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Lee Kuan Yew: A pastor’s 7 days of thanksgiving

Lee Kuan Yew (1923-2015)
Lee Kuan Yew (1923-2015)

MONDAY, 23RD MARCH 2015

I awoke to the 7am radio news that Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore’s first Prime Minister, had breathed his last at about 3am this morning. He had headed the government for a whopping 30 years and he served as Senior Minister and Minister Mentor for another 21 years. There would be 7 days of mourning from Monday till Sunday. There would be two days of private wake for Lee’s family; four days for the public to pay respects; and finally the funeral on Sunday.

I was not deeply sad. It had been anticipated for a few weeks. The Prime Minister’s office had been sending signals to prepare the public. He is a ripe 91 years old. I felt thankful, in fact, for this man. He reminded me of that great prophecy given by Isaiah in chapter 45 of Isaiah in the Bible. God was speaking through Isaiah about a man named Cyrus and what how God would raise him up for a purpose.  Isaiah prophesied that in the future God would raise a pagan leader by the name of Cyrus who would be His “anointed king”. He would conquer many nations, gather invincible force and power, and attain vast wealth. Then God gives the reason He is doing all this: “Cyrus, I am sending for you by name. I am doing it for the good of the family of Jacob. They are my servant. I am doing it for Israel. They are my chosen people. You do not know anything about me. But I am giving you a title of honour. I am the Lord. There is no other Lord. I am the one and only God. You do not know anything about me. But I will make you strong” (Isaiah 45:4,5 ESV). Lee Kuan Yew, like king Cyrus of ancient days, was raised and elevated for the sake of God’s people. He may not have known the Lord, but was an “instrument” in the hands of Almighty God to fulfil God’s purpose for Singapore and the church in Singapore.

Yuhua hawker centre
Yuhua hawker centre

So I went about with thanksgiving for the unique and significant contributions that Lee Kuan Yew made to our young and tiny island nation. His fingerprints are everywhere. He has made an indelible mark on Singapore’s  history and culture. I had a breakfast at a hawker centre. My wife and I shared vegetarian bee hoon and roti prata and a coffee in a relatively clean and hygienic environment. Tables and chairs are affixed to the floor in a neat and orderly arrangement to maximize space. The architecture is purely functional and pragmatic. These are all extended expressions of a strong dominant leader who stamped his personality on the reigning government for more than 30 years. I thank God for Lee Kuan Yew.

Off I went cycling to the Jurong Lake Park. This is my Monday exercise, solitude and silence. It was humid but the greenery of the foliage of rows of trees and the shimmering waters of the artificially man-made lake made it a pleasant ride. What I was cycling on was

The park is always being cleaned
The park is always being cleaned

formerly swamp land that had been drained and solidified for practical use. Large swathes of swampland in Jurong were converted to usable industrial land in the early years after independence when LKY’s fantastic power team of cabinet ministers worked together to attract foreign investors to build their factories with special tax breaks and other incentives, and use our cheap labour. In a matter of one or two decades, the children of these factory hands became the skilled and educated work force, which drives our civil service, armed forces, financial district, businesses, institutions and regional operational headquarters. I thank God for Lee Kuan Yew for laying down the foundations for Singapore’s high employment rate, reputable educational system, and continued prosperity.

I had a reminder last night from the National Library. The books I borrowed for my grand-daughter were due. For years I have used the library to borrow books for all my children – hundreds of books over many years. Lately, I have appreciated the Jurong East Regional Library for more than this. I go there sometimes to meditate, pray, and journal. It is air-conditioned and there are comfortable seats where you can look out through floor to ceiling windows that give you a grand view of Jurong Gateway’s development. Most of all, it’s a mere 12 minutes’ walk from my home. Recently my colleague, pastor Thomas showed me another fantastically designed library at Orchard Gateway that took my breath away. He spent considerable time reading, resting, writing and  praying in that place over several weeks during his sabbatical. I thank God for Lee Kuan Yew.

Today I decided that during the worship service we will stand up for one minute of silent thanksgiving for the way God used Lee Kuan Yew to build Singapore

It is of course going to be a week of great sadness and mourning for his family, and friends (if there are any who outlived him), and mentees. Millions of Singaporeans will feel a sense of loss.  But I would like to spend this week looking at all the things I can thank God for because of this man Lee Kuan Yew. At the end of each grey day, I hope to add in another record of what I see as LKY’s fingerprints on our society and culture.

TUESDAY, 24TH MARCH, 2015

It was humid and by the time I walked to the Jurong East MRT station my shirt, wet from perspiration, was stuck to my back. It was 9.05am, and as I stood in the fairly crowded MRT train, I mused that most commuters will have to accept that they will not get a seat most of the time when they ride the train. The sooner we commuters accept that as the normal, the more we will be able to appreciate the MRT system that has been painstakingly planned for in the 1960’s and implemented in the 1980’s, both under Lee Kuan Yew’s watch. As we remember LKY’s influence over Singapore life, nothing may be more evident than the extensive infrastructural development.

In future the MRT system will be pervasive and vital to movement of people
In future the MRT system will be pervasive and vital to movement of people

From the building of roads, bridges, public housing, tunnels, parks, reservoirs, industries, airport and seaports, electrical and telecommunications systems to the financial systems, health care and education systems, government and law enforcement, what we currently take for granted, were built from the meagre basics the British colonists left us. What we see today is vastly different from what the British left us after we were granted independence. Much was built up by the LKY power team of successive capable cabinet ministers, and Prime Ministers Goh Chok Tong and Lee Hsien Loong continued refining the development of these interrelated systems. Without these we cannot sustain economic growth and activities nor have a good standard of living. So thank you Sir for eliminating or minimizing corruption, for your honest hard work and dedication without complaining about your low salary in the early decades, for your love of Singapore.

Today my heart was more tender when I thought about what he has done for Singapore.

WEDNESDAY, 25TH MARCH 2015

My office is at Lorong 27A Geylang. As I walk along the street to my office, I pass by three Buddhist Associations/Temples, and the Geylang Evangelical Free Church. If I walk to the end and turn left I will stand before a mosque. Walk another ten minutes and I will see a Hindu temple and a Taoist one. This is multi-religious Singapore. Perhaps there are other large cities like that. The beauty in Singapore is the peaceful co-existence of different religions. Each are allowed to practise what they believe as long as it is done respectfully and sensitively of others’ space. The LKY government intentionally legislated laws to maintain such peace. If a preacher denigrates

Mosque, Buddist temple, and church next to one another
Mosque, Buddist temple, and church next to one another

another religion, and a complaint is received, the preacher will receive a warning to desist from such further activity. This may sound draconian to some, but I am sure Christian brethren and Muslim minorities in India would love for such a law to be enacted in their countries. Lord, thank you for Lee Kuan Yew.

On my way home I held up an umbrella. It was too hot. Suddenly I noticed a lady in her late sixties, too close for my comfort, enjoying the shade from my umbrella. She had come back from paying respects to Lee Kuan Yew as he laid in state in the Parliament House. She said that due to her age they moved her forward and let her jump the queue. Some had braved five hours of waiting only to be rushed by his coffin to pay a glancing respect. She was one of them, though she probably had waited less.

In the MRT train, I noticed a whole row of passengers of different races sitting in opposite me and so I took a picture. This picture depicts the multi-racial ties in Singapore that have been peaceful and respectful by and large. We have had racial riots and violence in the early years prior to independence. Many believe they were incited by politicians. This has never happened since that time. Thank you, Lee Kuan Yew.

Honoring the space and defferences among the many races
Honoring the space and differences among the many races

THURSDAY, 26TH MARCH 2015

The heat was unbearable even though I carried an umbrella. Walking from the bus stop to the Trinity Theological Library was a good 500 metres, half of it uphill. Trinity used to be at Mount Sophia. Now its still on a mount with no name. The librarian had insisted I still have a book with me titled, The Prime of Life, but I was sure I had returned it. So I went up and found it. I was right. Anyway as I settled into a desk and set up my laptop, I was so pleased with the environment that I took two photos of the library from where I was. The air- conditioning was so pleasant. I remembered reading that the late Lee Kuan Yew, when asked what in his opinion was the greatest invention of the 20th Century, had replied, The air-conditioner.  I had thought that was not too smart an answer for a man

Trinity Theological Library - beats working in my office hole anytime.
Trinity Theological Library - beats working in my office hole anytime.

with his intellectual kungfu. Surely there are many more inventions more significant than this, like the computer, or some breakthrough medical equipment. I guess his frame of reference was Singapore. That was what framed everything he fought for, dreamed of and thought of. Certainly if Singapore could be air-conditioned and was just several degrees lower in temperature, like a daily 25 degree centigrade, this would be a cool place, in more than one sense. This was just him.

At lunch, I walked to the Railway Mall and after some fried rice, I went to Toastbox for a hot Barley drink. I sat next to four middle-aged men and could not help overhearing them talking about Lee Kuan Yew, and about the long queues of people waiting in orderly lines to pay their last respects. Obviously LKY has his detractors too. One of them asked another, So now that LKY has passed away, will your dad give up his Malaysian citizenship and become a Singaporean. The other man replied, I don’t know. LKY said something in the past and since that time my dad has been firmly against him. Evidently not everyone treasures or want to have  the red passport.

So it was communications work in the morning and now after lunch I honed the sermon that I had prepared for the Emotionally

From the highest level where I sat, the staircase looks shapely
From the highest level where I sat, the staircase looks shapely

Healthy Spirituality that we have been running in our worship services and cell groups. Then it was back into the open sky baking oven until I get into the air-conditioned bus. LKY has a point. At the feeling level, the air-conditioner is indeed the greatest invention of the 20th Century, and all peoples living in the equatorial belt will agree with his statement.

Dinner was at Hotel Jen, formerly Traders’ Hotel, with Sunny and Annie and Abe and Hwee Inn. We were all over 50 years old, and so we had that SG50 offer. International buffet at $50 for two persons over 50. Great company and good food. And what did we talk about? Well family, work and also, Lee Kuan Yew. After dinner, Sunny and Annie, my wife and I went to the Jurong East community tent that was set up nicely for people to pay their last respects  in front of a large picture of LKY and long rows of tables full of flower bouquets given by grateful and grieving Singaporeans. An MP shook our hands as we went to sit to write our condolences. I wrote something about being thankful for the way he laid down his life for Singapore, and how we will always remember him. By the time we left it was about over 10 o’clock. This was a good day and it seemed like a holiday, a different kind of day.

FRIDAY, 27TH MARCH 2015

Today I am reminded of the fact that over 80% of Singapore’s resident population stay in public housing. Of these 90% ownership has been achieved. This was a remarkable building feat. Our grandparents and parents used to crowd into wooden kampongs without proper sanitation and clean running water. I remember waiting for about 5 years before the 4 room flat I booked in Bukit Batok East was ready for occupation. Several of those years were spent in a rented room in Mark Tay’s home – my wife’s neighbour and my prayer partner friend. During that time I was still studying in Trinity Theological College in the 1980’s.

Public housing: view from my bedroom window
Public housing: view from my bedroom window

After living for over 12  years in that Bukit Batok flat, I sought to “upgrade” to an executive flat. After waiting many years, we were offered an executive condominium at Jurong East, the first of its kind. That itself was a miracle for we were far down the queue but so many must have rejected the condominiums, or went for other options, that it landed in our lap. Rather than having to live in faraway Yew Tee or Jurong West in larger executive flats there, we prayerfully opted for the better location, though higher priced executive condominium. It was a financial stretch, even though we sold our Bukit Batok flat at 3 times the price we paid for it and ploughed whatever we made back into the new home.

Many Singaporeans have personal stories of having upgraded their standard of housing or living through the appreciation of the value of their HDB public

The view at night from another window
The view at night from another window

housing apartment and the availability of new ones that they can purchase. All this was the vision of Lee Kuan Yew and his power team. They saw that the immigrant population needed rootedness and one major way of facilitating this rootedness and loyalty to nation was home ownership. So from mudflats and swamps and jungles we have large swathes of land developed into nice apartments (owned even by those who earn $1000 a month) with good amenities like shops, hawker centres and markets, utilities, schools, polyclinics, transport systems and playgrounds. Thank you Lord for giving us the man Lee Kuan Yew as our first Prime Minister.

SATURDAY, 28 MARCH 2015

After cycling with my brother in law, Cheng Toh, and having breakfast in Jurong West, I brought him to pay respects to the late Lee Kuan Yew at the Jurong East site. It’s next to JCube and the Jurong East Library. This was my second time and his first. The people were streaming in but the queue was very fast moving. It was about 10.30am. We paid our respects, signed the condolence book and went off. The mood was quiet, somber, reflective. The way it should be. Very respectful and somber. There were seats and large screens showing clips of Lee Kuan Yew in his younger days, spitting fire, inspiring the people. He was a persuasive and great orator. Few like his kind today. Passion like his was forged in life and death struggles, and in the furnace of low pay, and conditions of poverty and hopelessness.

Very orderly queues LKY would have been proud of.
Very orderly queues LKY would have been proud of.
Writing the condolences book.
Writing the condolences book.

SUNDAY, 29TH MARCH 2015

In the worship service this morning we stood up for a minute of silence to honor the passing of Lee Kuan Yew and to give thanks to God before I led the church in prayer for the bereaved family, our leaders and grieving nation. Before we prayed, I shared with them the faith perspective. I shared how the eyes of faith would see God’s sovereign hand in putting LKY in a position of power and empower and favoured him so that Singapore could be blessed, and God’s people here grow as shining light in the midst of darkness. The news media showed us his accomplishments and leadership, but only the church is able to give a faith perspective to fill out the unseen. Isaiah 45:1-7 does this very well, in my opinion. I preached a tighter version of what I preached on Saturday, and the service ended at 11.30am, and the members who wanted to pay their respects along the streets where the cortege would pass, hurried off. Others rushed off to watch the live telecast of the funeral procession and service.

Two excellent books
Two excellent books

I had a wedding to go. More weddings are being done during lunch. I noticed some were glued to their phones and viewed the live streaming of the funeral proceedings. By the time I reached home, it was 4pm and I hit the bed. Never was one for watching weddings and funerals on TV.

Someone showed me Lee Hsien Loong’s eulogy and he said, Poor thing. He had to call his late father Mr Lee Kuan Yew instead of Dad in his eulogy, because he is also the Prime Minister and maybe represents Singapore too. Maybe some protocol because of the presence of dignitaries and foreign delegates. Later in the evening, my son said that Lee Hsien Yang’s eulogy was good. So I may want to go and watch it sometime this week. I took out two books I have about Lee Kuan Yew. “Men in White” was given to me by one of the authors, Leong Weng Kam. I enjoyed this book. It helped me understand the historical and political cauldron that shaped Lee Kuan Yew’s passion, fighting spirit and tactics. The other book I managed to get at a special price from my brother because he used to work for the Business Times. Its “Lee Kuan Yew: a life in pictures”. Pictures speak volumes and I love some of the interesting pictures of personal and family life. I took some snaps of those pics and reproduce them here for you to enjoy.

LKY and his wife: a loving couple
LKY and his wife: a loving couple
Grandchildren and children
Grandchildren and children
My favourite shot: LKY the family man
My favourite shot: LKY the family man
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