How friendly am I?

Sunday, 21 Sept, 10:45am;
Me: “What do you think about our church worship today?”
Masio: “Oh, it’s very good. I know the song, Jesus, Lamb of God, (give the Malay version of this song), we sing it in our church in Sabah.”

Friday, 19 Sept, 9:15pm;
I was taking my daily prayer walk around the quiet Pasir Ris Drive 3, a time for quiet reflection and talking. Friday night is always a consoling welcome for rest after a fatigue week. “What is God doing in Bethany?” I asked, as I remembered about Experiencing God – God is always at work. The word – MASIO flash through my mind-eye. Oh, I have forgotten about Masio, the visitor who came on the 24 August Sunday worship. I found it hard to pronounce his name and he wrote it down on a piece of paper. He is a Christian, working as a cleaner in Geylang. He was looking for a church and came to Bethany PC on that Saturday afternoon. For the last two Sunday, I didn’t catch up with him and has totally forgotten about him. OK, I need to talk to him this Sunday. Strange, I have never been prompted like this before.

Sunday, 21 Sept, 2:50pm, inside SBS Bus 53
Sitting in the bus on my way home after the Be-friender meeting, I kept drifting to the conversation with Masio this morning. He is no ordinary visitor. He talked about the importance of worshipping God, “If I die tomorrow, I am ready to go. The Bible say, the 666 is coming soon. At that time, those without the mark cannot buy food. … If I don’t come to church, no use joining my friends to drink and get drunk, no good.”

Here is a man, away from his home and his church. Yet, he took the effort to seek the LORD instead of joining his housemates of 15; about 5 of them are Christians, in worldly pleasure. He is looking for Christian friends. It reminded me of my days in London alone, searching for a church and for Christian friends, … that sojourner feeling. Yep, God always has a special concern for orphans, widows and sojourners. (Sorry for getting too emotional each time I think of London. It always is a special place in my life).

We need to make friend to foreigners like Masio, a blue-collar worker as a cleaner in a hotel in Geylang. More so, I am encouraged by this brother-in-Christ. This may be the first place to start creating an environment for spiritual growth and reproduction - be a friendly church to foreigners & sojourners!


Mark Lim
23 Sept