Abdul has a large family of twelve. One of his sons and a son-in-law were arrested for drug-related offences, and Abdul did not have the $5,000 needed for their bail. Another son, a teenager of 14, impregnated his girlfriend who was still studying. To make matters worse, Abdul, a construction worker, fractured his arm on […]
50 per cent of Timorese are aged 15 and below, and only 18 per cent of the adult population have secondary education. The country of Timor-Leste is shaped like a crocodile’s head. The folklore told to all children in Timor-Leste was that once upon a time, a young boy picked up a young crocodile […]
I realise more and more how our churches and faith-based communities are keeping true to John Wesley’s advice: “Go to the people in need, especially those who need you most.” My mother Lydia S. Tapia used to say: “Di baling mabasa ang saya, huwag lang mawala ang pananampalataya.” This means: “Never mind if your clothes […]
This morning, I paid my respects to my maternal grandmother in front of the niche where her ashes are kept at the Cape Collinson Columbarium in Hong Kong. She died in 1984, a year before her first great grand-daughter was born. She was my beloved “por por” (Cantonese for maternal grandmother), whom I adored and […]
Jesus has overcome the world. We live in a world ravaged by sin, with unavoidable suffering, unexpected occurrences, tragedies and mishaps. “Lord Jesus knows my heart and gives me peace as I go through storms in life..” Jesus told His disciples in the final verse (v33) of John 16: “I have told you these things, so […]
Some years ago, when stickers, patches and buttons carrying various slogans were all the rage, there was one that gave a Christian take to an advertisement for a popular drink. It said “Jesus is the real thing”. It left readers to conclude for themselves what Jesus was to be compared to – real thirst-quenching, […]
The big deal about Aldersgate is that it is a journey back to the future. Our tradition stresses a holiness that is both personal and social, but more importantly experiential. For a living faith to be passed on from generation to generation, the fire must be kept burning in our hearts. For us to be […]
Team Kroursa (Cambodia) playing with bubbles with children from an orphanage in Cambodia. Team Tumatawa (Philippines) with mothers, from the women’s ministry in Laguna, Philippines, with the team’s self-designed tote bags. Team Tumatawa (Philippines) with some of the youths they made friends with as part of the street outreach ministry in Laguna, Philippines. “God gave […]
Young girl at sunset praising the Lord The Scripture fulfilled When John Wesley took the significant step of preaching in the open air on April 2, 1739, the text he chose for his sermon was the same text that Jesus read from the prophet Isaiah as he announced his ministry in the synagogue at Nazareth: […]
The Rev Bernard Chao, Pastor-in-Charge of Holland Village Methodist Church, drawing an ash cross on the forehead of a congregant at the combined service. The sign of the cross on the forehead is a reminder of baptism where we are marked as Christ’s. A rough wooden cross stood before the congregation. Members lined up quietly, […]
