We Are Called To Love - Benjamin Yong

Through STEP, we have a chance to be exposed to different people group and it really calls for us as children of God to think about how we can show God’s love to them.

Elderly

Elderly will be a group that will make up a big part of Singapore’s population and many will say that Singapore will be a super-aged population as well where it is predicted to come true in 2026 (Tan, 2015). Further to that, statistics have shown as well the number of elderly who will be predicted to be living alone will increase from 47,400 in 2016 to about 83,000 in 2030 (Toh, 2017). This was also seen in the group visit to the homes known to the SAC, where two are staying with their domestic helper and one who stayed with her grandchildren. Yet, we should not take their current living arrangement for granted.  It is seen in news occurring from time to time about elderly suicide and this is attributable to some extent to loneliness (Tai, 2015)(Please read this article to find out more). Thus, what is encouraging move by the government is that most of the newer senior citizen studio apartment or rental apartment will come packaged with a senior activity centre. The senior activity centre like Sarah SAC will be tasked to look after the elderly, befriending them, providing them meaningful activity and a place for counseling.

Migrant worker

Migrant worker plays an important role in our society today. They are in the very jobs that we as Singaporeans feel that is either lowly or we just do not want to be in it. Construction work, cleaner, ship building and many others are some of the jobs which we find them. Yet they are also the one we know are the most taken advantage of. Of the two that I had a chance to talk to, both were with HealthServe because the company did not pay their due salary. But there is many more kind of problem which the migrant worker faces including workplace injury compensation. Yet, what could they do other than waiting and waiting and waiting in Singapore hoping for good news when many a time, there is no good news to be received. Some have waited for months, and because they cannot work in Singapore with the status they are in. This leads to them having no income and having to support their family member, they give up on the wait and return (Koh, 2017). Further, many also carried a huge debt just to come to Singapore. One of whom, I had spoken was bearing debt because of his coming to Singapore and is only less than a year since he come to Singapore. Both expresses that they are not sure how long they could wait in Singapore because they need to support their family in China. Also, when asked what were they doing while waiting for news, they said they just sleep and do nothing much, because going out requires money.

Prostitute

Being a Singaporean for 25 years, never had I walked pass the brothel streets in Geylang before nor did I even imagine how it would look like actually. When walking through for the first time, I did question myself, is this really Singapore that I am passing by. Though, I did not manage to have a chance to interact with them, but based on what many reports been done, it is hard not to realize they have their own set of problems. Read “CEDAW 68th Session Stakeholders Report by Sex Workers in Singapore” for more of such information.

Overall thoughts

They are just few of the many vulnerable groups in Singapore, and is hard not to find another vulnerable group in Singapore but the question is then are they a hidden community as per what one of the NUS modules title is called. I believed that the intention of bringing us to see such people is not just to be a programme filler but it is really intentionally opening our eyes to see the world for ourselves and asked ourselves where are the people and how can I help. As children of God, we are called to go into the community to be one of them.  Easily, verses that talk about it comes into our mind like in Matthew, where people asked when did they feed Him or gave Him drink, Jesus replied doing on the smallest is the same as doing on me. Christianity does not end at our salvation, our salvation is definitely the start of our Christianity life. So, as I really summarises the thoughts of my visit to the people, it is of importance that we bring the gospel to them, because who do not need the gospel. But what we lack is that we need to care for them as well. Simple act can be done like:

1. Befriending the elderly/migrant workers

2. Volunteering with SAC to deliver meals to them, but the interaction chances will be minimal

3. Bring the elderly to the hospital through the SAC, where we can talk to them even more while waiting for the doctor

4. Volunteering at the SAC/HealthServe itself or plan for them meaningful activities

5. Many more to it.

Let us not be Christians in name but in our action, let us bring Christ’s love to them. As Rev Dr Jerry did share in his keynote for Wisdom in Transition and something we ought to ponder about, why do we not serve? Is it because of our selfishness or pride or our fear?

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” 1John 3:18

Works Cited

Koh, W. T. (2017). Migrant workers in Singapore face many salary and injury claim issues: report. Singapore.

Tai, J. (2015). More seniors in Singapore taking own lives. Singapore.

Tan, T. B. (2015). A super-aged Singapore: Policy implications for a Smart Nation. Singapore.

Toh, Y. C. (2017). Help for seniors without family. Singapore.