Visiting the Old with Song

Testimony by Deborah Mae

My mother went home to the Lord in January this year. She was 86. She and my father, who is now 91, have been living in the US since the early 1970s. They led a busy life – looking after the grandchildren, cooking, gardening, serving in the church. As they grew older, the house became quieter as the grandchildren got married and left home. My mother was alone in the house most of the time, as my dad continued busying himself in the garden. He could not keep still.

I had visited them regularly. When I went last year, I spent much time with my mum. She was already not well. I realized then that the elderly needed people to talk to. It is wrong to presume that they do not think or need anything. On the contrary, they do have feelings and wants. The young often are impatient at the old folk – they are slow in understanding and keep repeating themselves. So the old are left alone. It is when they are ignored that they feel like giving up. Now I wish I could have been more loving to my mother. I call to her silently, in my heart, but all I hear is my echo as I see her quiet smile in my memory.

On each trip to the US, I would visit an old folks’ home and sing to them. They were very appreciative. After returning from my mother’s funeral, I read an article in The Straits Times about a woman who had passed away – she had lived alone and had no visitors for many years. I was moved and God put a burden in my heart. I wanted to go and sing to the old and lonely. The only two places I knew were Ling Kwang Home and St John’s Home for Elderly Persons.

One morning, I packed my guitar and took a cab to Serangoon Gardens. I asked the person in charge at Ling Kwang Home to take me to those who were alone and had no visitors. She told me that there were so many, and invited me to sing during their devotion time so that all could enjoy. At St John’s Home in Wan Tho Avenue, I was received with similar delight. I do not  know  whether  the  old  folk understand the songs or not, but I leave that to God to deal with. I just want to make them happy and please God by using the gift He gave me. 

The people I sing to know their days on earth are numbered, and they listen with receptive hearts to the Gospel. They do not argue. They keep thanking me for spending time with them and look forward to my weekly visit. I am so blessed. Though they are frail and some crippled, they are concerned about my health and tell me to take care of myself!

I thank God that Sister Jenny Kan has joined me in visiting St John’s Home. I had given my testimony during a prayer meeting and I was encouraged, as I was not sure that I was doing the right thing. Also, I felt that it was better not to work alone, lest I claimed glory for myself. Our Lord Jesus Christ always sent His disciples two by two, so that no one could say, “I did it”, but “we did it with God’s help”.

Many of the people in the old folks’ home keep talking about dying and counting their days. They seem to have no hope. Though they claim to be Christians, they do not know the Gospel. They come from different denominations. Recently, Sister Jenny spoke to a man, who was a Catholic, about Jesus and told him that Mary cannot take him to heaven. He appeared convicted and repeated the sinner’s prayer after Sister Jenny, accepting Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour. I do not know how much he was convinced, but we should probably follow up our ministry with him.

There are many such people who are lonely and neglected. They will listen if you talk to them. Give them the Gospel before they draw their last breath. You too can go and talk to them.

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New Life Orphanage

A Report on the Visit by Khup Lam Thang (Thangno) of New Life Orphanage, Yangon, Myanmar

by Dn Leong Kwok Whye

Thang No who receives financial support from True Life BPC to run his orphanage in Yangon attended our prayer meeting on Friday, 19 September, and the Lord’s Day worship service on 21 September 2008. Session members (Tan Beng Lee, Wilson Tan, Philip Goh, and I) had fellowship with him and his wife over lunch. During Friday prayer meeting, he shared with us how God protected and preserved the lives of everyone at the orphanage during this year’s cyclone disaster in Myanmar. He is thankful for God’s deliverance and True Life’s love gift (to repair the damaged roof and to pay for the medical treatment of the boy with hernia). The boy had since recovered fully. Praise the Lord.

He together with Isaac and three other co-labourers in Christ are running the orphanage with 35 children, aged five to 15 years old, teaching the Bible and the Myanmar school programme (Burmese, science and math, history and geography) in addition to growing vegetables for food. Church worship is conducted in the orphanage on Sunday but there are laws restricting evangelism to non-Christians in Myanmar. The orphanage uses the Burmese language and text. During his 10 years of work at the orphanage, some children had come to the saving knowledge of the Lord and accepted Christ as their Savior. I asked Thangno if there are suitable candidates for FEBC training. He replied that there are none at this moment.

Presently, he does not have a telephone and internet access in the orphanage. He needs to go to a local internet cafe to access his e-mail. Communication will remain difficult. Mailing address: GPO Box 1379 Yangon Myanmar. Residential Address: 336/337/338 Thanzin Street, (3) Ward, East Dagon, Yangon Myanmar. E-mail: thangnonloc@gmail.com.

There is water and electrical supply to the orphanage. However, local electricity supply is unreliable and they need to use rechargeable batteries for backup electrical supply. Otherwise, candles are needed at night during power failures.

The orphanage is about 30 minutes by car from the airport. However, it will take Thangno up to three weeks to travel from Yangon to Amos Go’s place in the Chin state due to bad roads and transportation difficulties. (Amos Go is overseeing three wooden churches in the Chin Hills, under True Life’s support.)

Thangno’s work is also co-funded by church groups in Malaysia. Thangno has one wife and three young children.