Adventist Crossroads
October - December 2000

Trust in the Lord
Dolly Koh-Goh, Singapore Chinese Church

Are trials and tribulations good for us? Do they make us a better person? A better friend? A more mature Christian?How do we survive when we are being tested? It is difficult, very difficult. Sometimes we feel that the world is crumbling down and we ask ourselves, ‘why me?’
Let me share with you just one of several continual tests that the Lord has allowed to happen in my life-as a student, a fresh graduate looking for a job, a professional, and a mother.
The Lord has commanded us to “Remember the Sabbath Day to keep it holy...” I am sure all of us can memorize it. However, the implications are a multifold.
As a student, I encountered exams scheduled on Saturdays. The principal was supportive when I explained to him about my faith and requested to take the papers on Monday.
When I returned to Singapore after my postgraduate studies, I started to look for a job. I had good job offers but I either turned them down, or had job offers retracted when I asked for Sabbath privileges. After months of such experience, I wondered if I would ever find work in Singapore. The ordeal became a little more trying each time. However, it helped me to re-examine myself, my relationship with God and the reason for observing the Sabbath. My faith was strengthened each time. After nine months, God provided the best job for me.
As a senior manager of a company, I am faced with requests to work on Saturdays. One such time was when we had to make decisions on retrenchment. Tensions were high in the office. Not attending such important meetings could mean losing one’s job. However, standing firm for the Lord became ‘easier’ because of past experiences-you just know that the Lord will provide. I spoke to the president of the company and explained my belief. The Lord again intervened-the meeting times were changed to after sundown on Saturdays. Again my trust in God was rewarded.
As a mother, how do I support my son who faced the same Sabbath test? While at junior college, he had exams for two subjects scheduled on Saturdays. Failure to sit for these exams would definitely mean no promotion to JC2. Previously, in the secondary school he encountered exams on Sabbath but the VP and the principal always made special provisions for him to be quarantined and take his exams after sundown on Saturdays. This time he approached his JC teachers who were supportive, only to learn later that the principal had ruled that ‘no special arrangements’ will be considered. Exams will be held on Saturday as scheduled.
We presented the matter in prayer to the Lord. We were prepared to switch to another school or find other alternatives. As parents, we personally went to the school to talk to the principal, but she was too busy to see us. Registration for JC was soon to end and a decision had to be made. The Lord led us to seek help from the previous secondary school vice-principal. The vice-principal personally called the principal of the junior college, stood as a guarantor and even offered to quarantine my son and help to administer the college exams in the secondary school premises. Again, God did not disappoint those who trust in Him.
Today, the principal of the JC has not only permitted my son to observe the Sabbath, but has also extended this special privilege to all other Adventists studying in the college.
On looking back, I realized that the Lord had put me through continual tests to prepare me, so that when I became a mother, I was able to support my son when he is faced with the same test. Did I know then? No.
We just continue to trust Him as He has promised in Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”
What are my guiding principles whenever I am face with decisions, any decisions? I would like to share that in the lyrics of a song:

Seek ye first the kingdom of God
and His righteouness.
And all these things shall be added unto you.
Hallelu, Hallelujah!Trust in the Lord with all thine heart
And He shall direct thy paths
In all thy ways, acknowledge Him
Hallelu, Hallelujah!

People Helping People
Danson Ng, Adventist Services.Comm

Adventist Services.Comm (ASC) came into existence at the 5th Triennial Session of the Seventh-Day Adventist Mission (Singapore) or SAM when the delegates voted to adopt a position document on “Strategic Need-Oriented Plans.”
The main emphasis of the document is to focus on the need to bring all our present Adventist community services together for strategic planning and working synergy in order to create a greater impact on the community.
The heads of all these various agencies welcomed this action as a great milestone in our community services to the public. It will provide opportunities for the heads to come together as an organized committee under the direction of SAM.
The agencies are as follows:
Family and Children Community Services
Seventh-Day Adventist Kindergarten (SDAK)
The Seventh-Day Adventist Kindergarten was established in 1987 and is the first kindergarten in Singapore to be ISO 9002 certified. Together with the Jurong English and Chinese Churches, the SDAK has been serving well the community in the western part of Singapore.
Vision: “To build confidence in our children so that they are not afraid to take risks, not afraid of changes but willing to try out new challenges and are intelligent as well as creative in their thinking.”
Adventist Child Development Centre (ACDC)
Adventist Child Development Centre operates on the premises of the Balestier Road Church since 1985 and is offering child-care and student-care services to the Balestier area.
Vision: “ACDC seeks to provide each child with a Christian foundation for an all-rounded development.”
Adventist Better Living Center (ABLC)
Adventist Better Living Centre has been serving Singapore since 1958. In the past, the centre promoted and provided health, education and social programs and services.
Presently, the centre seeks to promote holistic care through seminars, radio programs, and resource networking training and family counselling. It is the aim of the ABLC to promote overall strength and happiness of the family units, to enable them to cope with present day challenges and equip them with tools that will turn even the most difficult situation into assets through seminars/workshops and counselling.
Vision: “ Restoring Family whole.”
Family and Children Community Services Support:
The Children Ministry of SAM
The Family Ministry of SAM
The Women Ministry of SAM
Education Community Service
San Yu Adventist School (SYAS)
San Yu Adventist School is a self-supporting full school established in 1908 to provide quality Christian education from Primary 1 to Secondary 4.
Vision: “To restore the image of God in the students.”
Advent Links-SAUC (ALS)
Advent Links-SAUC is a centre for children and family studies run by a lay person. It is located at 297A Thomson Road.
It provides a unique learning environment for students from a wide variety of cultures and religious backgrounds. Close interaction between students and lecturers encourage intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual growth.
Vision: “Advent Links-SAUC is committed to provide and conduct quality education programs and research in children and family studies.”
Child At Risk and Empowerment (CARE)
The office of Child At Risk and Empowerment is located at 127 Woodleigh Park. It is a privately-owned concern providing educational counselling and empowerment services to schools in Singapore. It caters to the needs of those students with mental, social and emotion risks.
Vision: “Empowering youth for a better tomorrow.”
Education Community Services Support:
Education Ministry of SAM
Youth/Pathfinder Ministry of SAM
Health and Social Community Services
Adventist Rehab Center (ARC)
Adventist Rehab Center is situated at the 3rd level of Woodlands Polyclinic. It offers therapy for the rehabilitation of the disabled and handicapped to make them self-reliant. It teaches care-givers, family members, helpers and friends proper methods of exercising and caring for the patient at home.
Vision: A little heaven where patient finds help, comfort and friendship with God-fearing staff and volunteers who believe in the healing power of God, the Great Master Physician.
Youngberg Wellness Centre (YWC)
Youngberg Wellness Centre located at 798 Thomson Road strives to emphasize and offer preventive health education through seminars like NEWSTART and Stop Smoking. It offers aerobic exercise, nutrition and cooking classes.
Vision: “To be the respectable leader and authority in preventive health care in Singapore.”
Adventist Home for The Elders (AHE)
Adventist Home for The Elders is located at Block 195 Kim Keat Avenue. It was established in 1981 for the elderly and the destitute senior citizens.
Vision: “To share the never-failing love of God with the needy and destitute senior citizens of Singapore.”
Health and Social Community Services Support:
Health Ministry of SAM
Welfare Community Service of SAM
Communication Community Services
Studio Elpizo (SEPL)
Studio Elpizo is a radio/audio ministry. It produces inspirational programs with beautiful Christian music and messages. It also produces other programs like Lifestyle, Reflection, Kids Connection, Youth on Air, and CrossRoads.
Vision: “To engender hope in our listeners with uplifting music, in-depth Bible insights, and inspiring messages.”
Voice of Prophecy, Singapore (VOP)
The Voice of Prophecy, Singapore, offers free correspondence courses like Amazing Facts and Family and Health to the community in Singapore. The Bible courses provide guidance to those who are searching for meaning in life and hope in God.
Vision: “To proclaim God’s everlasting love to all people in Singapore.”
Communication Community Service Support:
Adventist Book Center (SAUM)
Publishing Ministry (SAUM)
Communication Ministry of SAM
* SAUM - Southeast Asia Union Mission

And Walk We Did...

Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your God hath commanded you, that ye may live and that it may be well with you, and that ye may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess. Deut. 5:33 KJV
And walk we did on that auspicious day of 15 October 2000 when history was made with the first ever Adventist Big Walk organized by our very own churches in Singapore to commemorate the SDA Worldwide Church’s Health Emphasis Week 2000.
The objective was to create an opportunity for us to fellowship in a non-church related activity, an excuse for us to invite non-SDA friends, as well as creating an awareness among church members about our Adventist health message. The theme was For Better Health, Walk and about 500 participants of the combined Adventist churches from Thomson, Dunman, Jurong, Community Church and Balestier turned up at 7:30 am at the Marina City Park, togged up in their smart white and azure blue commemorative T-shirts, ready to bond, fellowship, and catch up with long missed friends and acquaintances while fulfilling our daily quota of exercise activity. Families with babies, toddlers, children, youths, singles, and the elderly came together ready to commit to their choice of walking route, either a leisurely 2.6 km or a brisk, competitive 8 km. After a warming-up exercise by Mrs. Toh Siok Yen, and a devotion by the mission president, Pastor Toh See Wei, the walk was flagged off to its historic start by Pastor Toh.
Eager young hearts beating ferociously, sturdy middle-aged hearts beating robustly, and delicate old hearts beating earnestly (and very hopefully!) rushed off together at the start, all game on completing their routes and to see how they would fare eventually. The seasoned, competitive walkers paced themselves well.
They kept to their momentum, refusing to be lured to keep up pace with the inexperienced eager beavers who outpaced themselves too fast too early in the race only to be forced to pull back to make way for the dark horses of experienced walkers. The leisure walkers took in the tranquil beauty of Marina City Park and completed their 2.6 km walk with much peace, satisfaction, and no pain!
The competitive walkers completed their 8 km, some with great joy as they confirmed their own agility and strength, some with much gratefulness at their endurance to complete it, some crestfallenness at their inability to complete it as their bodies failed on them because of a lack of training and some with deep moaning and groaning at what they called a tortuously long route which gave them pain.
Whatever the category of the routes taken, the final end saw the coming together of everyone in unity at the finishing line, happily tucking in Five Loaves breads, sharing, communing, and feeling fulfilled. All thanks and appreciation to the Singapore Mission for bringing this about.
Adapted from an article by Yip Siew Ing. The article was published in the Communicate! an in-house newsletter of the Balestier Road Seventh-day Adventist Church.