Listen to this article
New Frontier periodically prints excerpts from the monthly newsletter of Captain Ian Robinson, a Western officer who serves with his wife, Isobel, as director of the Peacehaven Home for the Aged in Singapore. This is from the July newsletter.
Every Sunday, a group of 20-30 Filipina maids volunteer their services at Peacehaven for a few hours, helping to feed residents and assisting the nurses in some of their non-clinical duties. To understand the significance of this you need to know that many maids in Singapore do not get any day off. There is no law that says they must. Some get one day off per month; others have benevolent employers who provide one day off per week—usually Sunday. Most of them will take the MRT [public transportation] to Lucky Plaza, an old mall on Orchard Road, which is a notorious hangout for Filipinos. So for these girls to give up their only day off to take care of some old and sick Singaporeans is remarkable. At the end of their 12-week session, we hold a small ceremony where they receive a certificate of completion, then join us in the Changi Corps’ Sunday worship service.
Last month, on the first Sunday of the new batch, our nursing director had a meeting with them before they started their duties. Led by the Holy Spirit, she gave them a straight and simple gospel message, after which 16 of them recommitted their lives to the Lord, while 12 made a decision for the first time to follow Jesus Christ! We don’t know where this will lead, but we are already talking about opening up our dining hall for the maids on Sunday as an alternative hangout to Lucky Plaza, with karaoke, refreshments, movies, games, and even use of the swimming pool. Maybe we will call it “Club Maid!”
June saw many other decisions made for Christ among our residents. One of our Filipina nurses, who had converted to Islam, bowed her head in our nursing director’s office to receive Christ as her Savior. She has been attending the corps ever since! Praise God, the decisions just keep coming!
We would ask you to pray for us as we assume extra responsibility for the Changi Corps. Although it does not officially take place until August, we have already been told that several of the key leaders have resigned their commissions, and some may leave the corps altogether. They keep telling us, “It’s not about you,” but that does not make things any easier for us. However, God is faithful, and he promises to bless us in unimaginable ways if we trust in him. “See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes men to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.” (Romans 9:33)