Kamps Family

From July 2-9 Titus & Charlynn Kamps from Faith PRC, with their four children, visited us in Singapore.  We managed to fit 13 people into our flat for a week and had a great time with them!  We did NOT manage to fit 13 people into our car, so they got a good taste of Singapore's public transportation.

On the train

On the bus

Walking from the bus stop to our flat

The Kamps got to see a lot of Singapore's great sights while they were here.

We did a river cruise one afternoon.

Aubrey, Eric, and Blake on the river cruise

Emily, Ashlyn, and Megan at Clarke Quay

(Emily and Ashlyn are just two days apart in age.)

Kong Wee and Titus with the little ones

 

Aubrey and Jessica (former classmates) at Gardens by the Bay

Gardens by the Bay

Adventure Cove waterpark with some of the youth

This doesn't qualify as a "great sight," but an eye-opening one, for sure.  

We showed them a mosque and Hindu and Buddhist temples.  This is a Hindu priest.

This is the best picture I have of any of them with durian.  The ones where they were 

eating it...let's just say they weren't smiling at the time. :-)  But at least they tried it!

They went biking with a few youth one night.

Although they really enjoyed the sights of Singapore, the highlight for them was getting to know so many people from church.  They were here for the family seminar that I wrote about last time and enjoyed a very long day at church on Sunday, as we had a dinner after the regular Sunday activities. They also visited with a few people throughout the week.

After the family seminar

Meeting some of the people on Sunday

Sunday lunch

Dinner during the week

Visiting by the pool

"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!"  (Psalm 133:1)

Prof. & Lori Gritters

Prof. and Lori Gritters were able to spend almost a month in Singapore.  The main purpose of their visit was the church camp; however, they were able to do many other things with the members of CERC also.  Prof. preached a number of times and gave at least five speeches, in addition to the five at church camp.

Sunday worship

Family seminar--Prof. led it, and we did a lot of group work.

The girl with Jessica is Aubrey Kamps--

Titus & Charlynn Kamps' family from Faith PRC are visiting us right now.

Lori also gave one speech for the women of the congregation.  We had a women's conference one night, similar to the women's retreats that Byron Center PRC has hosted in the past.  Lori gave a speech on "Fellowship with God," as she did five years ago in Byron Center.

Opening devotions and singing

Lori speaking

Discussion groups afterwards

Then there were many fun outings and get-togethers.

Singapore Zoo

Get-together with a Bible study group one evening

Jason and Elijah getting spun in circles by Prof. during a trip to Sentosa

One Wednesday Lori joined a women's Bible study at my house, and after lunch together some of us went to Chinatown.

The first stop was a Muslim mosque--my first experience in one of these.  

We observed the men's prayers for a few minutes.

After the mosque and Hindu temple, we stopped to check out a Chinese medicine shop.

The middle two are dried seahorses and lizards.  

The shop employees told us the lizards are good for your lungs!

Monks leading people in chanting at the Buddhist temple

Chinatown wet market

Desserts with Serene, Lori, Jemima, Wan Teng, and Bee Hua

Chinese desserts

And there were a few other interesting cultural experiences.

Checking out the wet market by our place

Is that really a spine in the frog porridge?!!

Watching a woman cut durian at the fruit stand by our place

The Gritters left Singapore Tuesday morning.  We are thankful for the time they could spend with us and all the work they did among our church while they were here.  We pray God's rich blessings upon them as they return home.

Church Camp (2)

Food is a big part of Singaporean culture, and this church camp was no exception to that. Most of our meals were eaten in the hotel's Bamboe Cafe.

There were also two special meals in a different restaurant in the hotel.  These were fancier Chinese dinners, like the ones many couples have at their weddings here.  The food (and tea) is brought out one course at a time for up to ten courses!

 

One of the first courses we had one evening

Sweet and sour chicken

There were also activities planned throughout the week, as well as some free time (a favorite of the kids!).

An outing into Batam included lunch at a seafood restaurant.

Human foosball

Penalty shoot-out

Free time in the hotel pool

Joel, Elijah, and Jotham

After the workshop on the last evening (talked about in my last post), gifts were given to all who were involved in some way in this year's camp.

The camp committee--group that planned and ran this year's camp

Leaders and assistant leaders of discussion groups

Prof. Gritters with Elder Leong

Prof. & Lori Gritters with their gifts

Thanks to the camp committee for a wonderful camp and to Prof. Gritters for his edifying speeches.   "For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.  I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:  Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day:  and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing" (II Tim. 4:6-8).