Final Farewells

This is my 200th and final blog post.  A big thank you to all who have read this blog over the past five years for showing an interest in the work in Singapore.  We greatly appreciate your encouragement of our family and your prayers for us and for the saints in Singapore.  Please continue to pray for God's people there, that He will provide them another faithful pastor to take up the work in His church.

Our final weekend in Singapore was filled with tearful goodbyes, and some laughter and good fellowship as well.  It began with a church farewell program on Saturday.  Marcus chaired the program, and Kong Wee gave an exhortation.  This was followed by a multiple-choice question game about our family to lighten the mood and get us all laughing instead of crying!

Marcus leading the program

Kong Wee giving the exhortation

One of the quiz questions--most definitely D!  The wet market was culture shock! :-)

A, C, and E--and she was in each show at least once, some multiple times!

The game was followed by a long and beautiful video of our time in Singapore, our final cake cutting, and the singing of the Psalm 121 Psalter medley that we have sung for many others who have visited Singapore over the years.

 

The day concluded with lunch and photo-taking--but only after our family had been quizzed on our knowledge of Singapore foods!  While we were eating lunch, the youth also sang a song.

Klaire, Megan, Emily, and Eliana

Jessica and Eric with some very close friends

With Stephen, who joined CERC about a year ago

Nichelle, Jessica, and Zi Hui

Nathaniel and Eric

Charis, Emily, and Eliana

With Wan Teng & Foong Ngee

On Sunday my husband preached his farewell sermon, and we said more goodbyes and had more pictures taken.

Megan and Jochebed

Ong family

Wee family

Lau family

Tang family

Group that played basketball and had devotions together each week;

they each signed the basketball they used and gave it to Eric and Emily.

On Christmas Day we got to the airport about 7:00 a.m. for our flight to the U.S.  Many members of the church met us there to see us off.

Jessica and Eric with their friends

Daniel with Megan and Jason

Seow Thong led us in devotions.

Group photo

Final farewells

Saying goodbye is so hard!!

GOD BE WITH YOU TILL WE MEET AGAIN.

Youth Camp

CERC's annual youth camp was held the week before we left Singapore (Dec. 19-22).  This year's theme was "Examine Yourselves," and four different men gave speeches on self-examination, contentment, the antithesis, and love for the church.  Discussion groups were held after each speech, and the youth gathered for devotions in groups each day also.  (Thanks to Nichelle Wong and Daniel Tang for the photos!)

Before my husband's speech

Second speech by Elder Lim

Third speech by Elder Lee

Fourth speech by Elder Leong

Many, many games were played throughout the week as well!

In a circle with your teammates, pick up a newspaper ball 

without using your hands and put it on a tic-tac-toe board

Get the clothespins off others' backs

(This is in the backyard of the chalet where the camp was held--beautiful location!)

Captain's Ball

Find pieces of a teammate's picture in shredded paper...

...then put it all together to form the whole picture

Dodgeball

Make hockey sticks out of newspaper...

...then play a game of hockey

For this year's outing the youth did combat archery and played ninja tag.

One of the archery teams

Try to hit a sensor on an opponent's chest or back

As usual, the last evening of the camp the congregation was invited to join the youth for dinner and a game.  For this year's game, we were split up into teams and had to dress one of our teammates according to a certain theme (Dutch, Chinese, animal, food, etc.) using newspaper and tape.

Klaire, Megan, and Jochebed during dinner

Younger children having fun outside

Paul Ong explaining the game

Dressing up Deuel

Preparing Josef to be a little Dutch child with a windmill behind him

Queen Bernice

Klaire the poodle

Fai Chong the mad scientist

Joseph the roasted chicken

Deuel the Chinese warrior

"Sergeant Nat" with his "fans"

Sergeant Nat was even signing autographs! :-)

And finally, the camp group photo.  We are thankful for another blessed youth camp.  Especially this year we are thankful our three oldest children could spend their last week in Singapore having such good fellowship with their friends from church!