Feature Article: Stories of Hope from the Bible Mission

Lives Forever Changed: Stories of Hope from the Bible Mission

This article was originally posted in our December 2020 Word@Work.

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” —John 1:14

More than two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ was born on Christmas day, where he took on human form and lived amongst men for thirty three years before his death on the Cross. The insurmountable love that God has for His people is evidenced by the act of sending Jesus down to earth—knowing full well that he would die to save humanity from their sin (Romans 5:8).

As we give honour and glory to humanity’s Saviour for the precious gift that He has bestowed upon us, we are also called to give as we have received (Matthew 10:8). Burdened by the need to share the Good News, Bible Societies all around the world are working relentlessly to spread the Gospel and the love of Christ—through the provision of the Word, Bible advocacy programmes and meeting the needs of impoverished communities.

In this edition of Word In Action, we bring to you stories and testimonies from Bible Societies all over the world—individuals and communities who have been touched by the Bible Mission.

Uganda

Located in Central East Africa, Uganda has a population of more than 45 million, of which 30.2% consist of children aged six to 14. In spite of their tender age, many of them have been faced with a myriad of problems, such as neglect, drug abuse, rape and hard labour. Some of them have also become victims of child trafficking. To combat these problems, the Church in Uganda has been developing programmes to bring the Word of God to these children. To increase the reach of their ministry, the Bible Society of Uganda has been working with the local Church to organise Bible advocacy activities like Bible Quizzes and Bible Recitals. Bibles are also given to these children so they may read the Word of God on their own and encounter the love of God in an intimate manner. Armed with the Book of Promises, it is hoped that these children will be better equipped to face life’s challenges.

Bangladesh

Another country that has dedicated much of its Bible Mission work to Bible distribution is Bangladesh. In a country where Christians make up only 0.4% of the population, the Bible Society of Bangladesh has been translating the Bible into languages that are understood by the different language groups. To reach the illiterate communities living in remote areas, they are also in the midst of producing audio Bibles, so that even more will be able to hear the Word of God. Thus far, their audio Bibles—available in different languages—have been able to impact about 900 individuals, which would not have been possible without the help of our generous donors and supporters.

Israel

Life is full of uncertainties but there is a certainty of hope when we cling on to the Lord and His promises (Jeremiah 29:11). A teacher from Nazareth, Israel discovered this truth through one of the programmes by the Arab-Israeli Bible Society. She was suffering from anxiety and sleeplessness due to worries about all aspects of her life, especially about her children, who were serving in the medical field in these perilous times of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was also constantly fretting about her future and the future of her children, resulting in problems in her relationships with others.

Through the invitation of a friend, she attended a workshop on anxiety conducted by the Arab-Israeli Bible Society. She said, “Participating in the session at the Arab-Israeli Bible Society Centre was beneficial for me. I received a lot of information and tools to deal with my anxiety and concerns besides immediate comfort.” One of the pastors she met at the centre encouraged her to hold on to the teaching and explained to her about God’s acceptance of us, no matter what. Inspired and encouraged, she then committed her life to the Lord. She was also given a version of the New Testament and urged to pray, read the Bible and participate in church services.

This is but one of many testimonies from Israel, the Holy Land. Despite Israel being the birth place of Jesus and the site of many miracles He performed, only two percent of Israel’s population are Christians. As such, there is still much to be done in Israel to further the Bible Mission.

As Paul said in Galatians 6:9, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Staying true to our mission to make the Word of God known to all peoples, we endeavour to continue being a vessel of blessing to the nations. We would like to invite you to partner with us so that we can reach more countries in need of the Word and of practical help. Visit bible.org.sg/donate to contribute to our cause.


Empowerment for Effective Self-Care

According to the World Health Organization, mental health is not so much an absence of mental disorders, but rather a state of well-being in which one realises his own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, and can contribute fruitfully in work and to his community. It is very much an integral part of one’s overall health.

From a Christian standpoint, mental health is our ability to complete our mission within the kingdom of God, both alone and in our community. Mental wellness is fundamental to the mission of the Church. As such, actions to promote and protect not just our own mental health, but also of those around us, is imperative. 

Join us for this series of Mental Wellness Programme focusing on Empowerment for Effective Self-Care. These sessions aim to empower individuals and families in promoting awareness of mental health issues and in adopting effective methods to manage and care for yourself and the people around you.

Session 1: Anxiety
Understanding anxiety as a normal emotional state and when it becomes a problem
Date/Time: 20 Jan 2021 ˙ 7.30pm-9pm
Venue: via ZOOM

Session 2: Emotion Regulation
Adopting effective anxiety management techniques
Date/Time: 03 Feb 2021 ˙ 7.30pm-9pm
Venue: via ZOOM

Session 3: Self-compassion
Embracing and reparenting ourselves in the midst of our challenges with loving kindness (struggling to be kind to ourselves)
Date/Time: 24 Feb 2021 ˙ 7.30pm-9pm
Venue: via ZOOM

Session 4: Anxiety and Interpersonal Relationships
Identifying how anxiety causes challenges in our relationships and vice versa
(e.g. how anxiety can affect parenting style)
Date/Time: 10 Mar 2021 ˙ Time: 7.30pm-9pm
Venue: via ZOOM

 

SPEAKERS (CARE CORNER COUNSELLORS)

WORD AT WORK DECEMBER 2020


Feature Article: Encouraging & Engaging Communities in Need

Encouraging & Engaging Communities in Need

Christmas is a very special time of the year; it is a time where we come together to remember the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, who came down to earth in human form to bring hope to humanity. When we consider the birth and life of Jesus, we are also reminded of Jesus’ acts of kindness to the needy and the care he showed for those around him.

In reflecting on the spirit of Christmas, renowned preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, “And when the Lord Jesus has become your peace, remember, there is another thing: good will towards men. Do not try to keep Christmas without good will towards men.”

This year presents us with unique circumstances, as we celebrate the birth of Christ in the middle of a pandemic—a greater call for us to cling on to the Word of God, which promises us that all things will work together for good (Romans 8:28). This is the spirit that The Bible Society of Singapore (BSS) hopes to echo this festive season, by encouraging and engaging communities in need as we move towards a new normal.

Engaging the Local Christian Community: Digitalisation of Programmes and Initiatives

In order to remain relevant and continue serving the Christian community, BSS has launched several digitalisation initiatives in the past few months—which have allowed us to connect with Christians and provide useful faith-based resources in spite of restrictions on public gatherings. One of our first initiatives was the various online webinars and courses to engage the public with God’s Word from the various ministries—the Sower Institute for Biblical Discipleship (SIBD), ETHOS Institute for Public Christianity, and our Chinese Ministry. One of these webinars was the recent Financial Stewardship webinar, in partnership with the Evangelical Alliance of Singapore (formerly the Evangelical Fellowship of Singapore) in conjunction with their 40th anniversary. More information about these sessions can be found on page 28.

To further assist Churches and fellow Christian organisations with adapting to the new normal, BSS has also launched Sower CommuniTech, which aims to help streamline administrative processes and ministry with the use of technology. Sower CommuniTech provides a plethora of digitalisation and media services, such as a National Church Procurement Platform, SecureMeet, Online AGM Solution, PayNow custom QR code generator and webinars on how to use these platforms.  For more information, visit bible.org.sg/communitech.

Encouraging Communities in Need: Initiatives for Guest Workers and Rough Sleepers

In continuing with our core mission of serving the vulnerable and needy amongst us, SowCare—the social service arm of BSS—has been working closely with the Alliance of Guest Workers Outreach (AGWO)—a movement of Hope Initiative Alliance (HIA)—to provide holistic care for the guest workers since the commencement of the circuit breaker in April. With the combined efforts of our volunteers, partners and donors, we have managed to distribute more than one million Care Meals and 1.2 million medical supplies, hygiene products and other food items to over 21,000 guest workers in 300 dormitories.

 

 

As these guest workers gradually prepare to resume work after months of lockdown, BSS hopes to go a step further in showing care for them not just in relation to their physical needs, but also their psychological and emotional needs. In this phase, SowCare is focused on the mental wellness of the migrant workers by providing suicide prevention support, counselling, recreation activities and befriending services. On 2 September, SowCare was actively involved in an outdoor activity for about 50 guest workers at Labrador Park and Hort Park. The event was a trial run for Project Sunshine—in partnership with AGWO and the Ministry of Manpower — which seeks to improve the holistic wellbeing of the guest workers. SowCare has also invited hundreds of churches to participate in the Project Sunshine initiative to bless more guest workers especially during Christmas season. More information about the event can be found on page 20.

While we have moved on to a phase of caring for the mental wellbeing of guest workers, SowCare is continuing to show care by bringing them good cheer during festive seasons, such as the recent Deepavali. SowCare supported AGWO on 14 November to distribute meals to about 8,000 guest workers from more than 70 factory-converted dormitories (FCDs)—as reported on The Straits Times and CNA. The meal comprised chicken biryani, kesari and laddus (types of Indian sweets), muruku, other Indian sweets and drinks. More than 100 volunteer drivers were mobilised to help to deliver the food to the various FCDs across the island.

Minister of State for Culture, Community and Youth & Trade and Industry, Mr Alvin Tan, also joined the food distribution exercise. AGWO was glad to partner with the Assurance, Care and Engagement (ACE) Team of the Ministry of Manpower and other like-minded charity organisations in this initiative.

Looking ahead, we are also planning celebrations with guest workers on International Migrants’ Day on 18 December and Christmas this year.

Aside from the guest workers, whose lives have been affected by the pandemic, the ripple effect of COVID-19 has also caused substantial disturbances and difficulties for the lives of many rough sleepers in Singapore.

During the circuit breaker and beyond Phase 1, Bible House opened its doors to provide a temporary shelter for 10 rough sleepers under the S3P (Safe Sound Sleeping Places) project, launched in close partnership with the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). The temporary shelter at Bible House was known as S3P@Bible House.

Since July, SowCare has also been providing essential items to almost 260 rough sleepers under The Innkeeper’s Project. This has been done through the valuable support from our generous donors and partner organisations—CDC Funds, SG Strong, and OSCAR@SG Fund. Read page 22 for more information about SowCare’s initiatives to help the rough sleepers.

Empowering Global Communities: Overseas Holistic Missions

 

Staying true to our mission of bringing the hope of the Gospel to unreached communities overseas, BSS has been working with our sister Bible Societies in Uganda, Bangladesh, Nepal, Lebanon, and Israel to bring the Word of God to the unreached in these countries. Our partnerships with these countries include providing and sharing resources with them to bring the Bible to the local communities, as well as providing humanitarian aid when needed—such as during the explosion that happened recently in Beirut, Lebanon, which caused the devastation of homes, and even the Bible House in Lebanon. In November, Cambodia, Vietnam and the Philippines were massively flooded due to raging typhoons in the region that displaced millions of people. We are working closely with our sister Bible Societies in these countries to extend practical help for the victims and bring the Word of Hope to them. Read pages 10-12 for more information about BSS’ overseas missions.

In the words of the late Billy Graham, “Christ didn’t only come into the world that first Christmas night in Bethlehem, but He wants to come into our lives today, and every day of the year.” As we gather with our families and friends to celebrate Christmas amidst these new circumstances, may we be moved and comforted by the unending hope we have in Jesus, and spread His love to those in need.

 

Want to contribute to the Global Bible Mission? Visit bible.org.sg/donate to donate.