A Visit from Friends

The past few days we had a wonderful time with our dear friends Kurt Kaptein and his daughter Laura.  They came to Singapore "on their way" to South Korea to watch their daughter and sister Amy compete in the World Special Olympics.  We had been eagerly awaiting their visit, and we had a few very busy and very fun days with them!  Most things we did with them we had not done before ourselves, so we saw a lot of new Singapore sights too.

On Thursday we went to the Singapore Flyer, the world's largest ferris wheel.  Afterwards we met a few young people from church at Jurong East Waterpark.  That was fun, except we had so many issues with the MRT (trains) on the way there that by the time we got to the waterpark we only had about half an hour to swim before the lightning storm came in and we had to get out of the water.  You can ask Kurt sometime what it's like to get separated on the MRT, when half of the group gets on the train and the other half doesn't. :-)

Laura and our girls on the Flyer

On Friday we went to Sentosa, a resort island off the main island of Singapore, with a few of the young people from church.  We visited an oceanarium, tried some Malay food for lunch, went to the beach, and saw an animal show in which Laura starred as the one who got to hold the giant python. :-)  The day ended with a laser light and water show.

Kurt and Laura left Michigan in a blizzard.  This is as close as we get to snow! :-)

Tian Loong teaching Laura how to use chopsticks 

at lunchtime.  By the time she left Singapore she was a pro!

Beautiful!

When Jason was finished swimming, I set him on the ground to crawl around.  This whole group of people was walking past and all stopped dead in their tracks to watch Jason and take pictures of him.  I just post this picture because this is "normal life" for Jason here!

On Saturday we went to the zoo.  That evening the Covenant Keepers Seniors (young people ages 17 and up) celebrated their 5th anniversary.  The celebration included a speech by Elder Lee, a program, and supper.

The Covenant Keepers, Covenant Keepers Seniors, 

and honorary CKS member, Laura Kaptein :-)

Everyone who was there for the celebration

Sunday was a good day at church.  In the morning we had the privilege of witnessing seven confessions of faith and two adult baptisms.  Thanks to Daniel Tang for the following pictures!

Baptism of Paul Ong (with Elder Felix Chan assisting)

Baptism of Melina Chong

Elias, Marcus B., Paul O., Joanna, Isa, Samantha, Hui Yi, Noelene, and Melina

After both worship services, the youth had a "workshop" on Psalm-singing versus hymn-singing.  This involved a speech by my husband and his answering several questions that the youth had put together beforehand.  Then a group of about 15 young people stayed at church for dinner with the Kapteins and singing afterwards.  It was a very special evening for the Kapteins especially, but for us too.

This is a video Laura took of the youth singing the first stanza of #64 in Chinese, from Chinese Psalters.

On Monday we went to Chinatown with a couple from church and three young people.  The "highlight" (if you can call it that) was seeing two temples.  One was a Chinese temple. This was very full of idols.  I was told that many of the idols hold different things in their hands. If you want to have a baby, you go in front of the idol holding a baby and pray to that "god." If you want to be rich, you go to the idol holding money and pray to that "god."  We watched people bow down in front of the idols.  It was quite an experience.  Some of the people in the church here come out of this kind of background, and grew up worshiping these idols.  What a blessing to be saved by the one true god!  Eric (yes, Eric!) was playing the piano tonight and played Psalter #373. I've had the eighth stanza in my head ever since.  "Men's idols of gold and of silver Can speak not, nor hearken, nor see; Like them shall their makers be helpless, Unblest shall their worshipers be."  That's a very sobering thing when you actually see the people bowing down to these idols and can put faces to these worshipers.

An altar with joss sticks (incense sticks) right outside the temple door.  We were puzzled by all the white people offering incense--maybe just something they thought would be fun to do as tourists??

This last picture is in the Hindu temple.  This was full of many idols of all different

kinds than the ones we had seen in the Chinese temple, including their sacred cow.

As I think about it, what a contrast we had between Sunday and Monday.  Monday we witnessed the idolatry of those who bow down to idols made by men's hands.  Sunday we witnessed the confessions of faith of those who love the one only true God, and the baptisms of those who have more recently been called out of darkness into God's marvelous light.  The sermon yesterday morning was on Ephesians 1:3-4, and those contain appropriate words of praise to God with which to close this post.  "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world..."  How thankful we are for God's salvation of us!!