Hello from Singapore
WBC Friends, last week we asked you to pray for our journey to Singapore and God answered your prayers!
- Our flights were on time.
- The kids did as good as could be expected for a 33 hour journey.
- All our luggage (21pcs) made it and in tact! (We did lose a stuffed animal along the way which was slightly traumatic for the youngest but he handled it well!)
We are settling into a new life routine and enjoying living in an urban, world-class city.
The highs:
Heath: "Pushing the button in the elevator." (Our apartment is on the 8th floor and Singaporeans call an elevator, "the lift").
Gwenyth: "Shopping at the mall." (Air conditioned malls help beat the heat and with 6M people living in the city, almost every subway stop has a mall at it).
Wyatt: "Everything is in one place [nearby]!" (Singapore takes its city planning very seriously and most things are orderly and convenient. We can get pretty much everything we need within a 10 minute walk).
Meredith: "I love people watching. From our balcony I see hundreds of families going about their days."
Russ: "I love how much Singaporeans value efficiency and that I can do almost everything I need to do (hail a cab, order groceries, pay for things) from my mobile phone."
The lows:
- Heath and Gwenyth's skin challenges continue and have been aggravated in the high humidity. After drinking some juice on the weekend, Heath had a fairly strong allergic reaction. Thankfully we have been able to see a doctor, get some medication and feel hopeful about a path towards healing and being able to live in a tropical climate. This is a fairly constant stress and needs your prayers.
- Our apartment does not have a clothes dryer or dishwasher. These are conveniences we are adjusting to living without. (Many residents here have foreign maids that do these tasks for them.)
- We've had a few cultural moments of "I know you're speaking English but I have no idea what you're saying..." The "singlish" accent can be quite strong.
Eager to begin our ministry
Next week our family heads to a conference in a nearby country to serve a group of missionaries that are highly persecuted but really want to use digital strategies to bring the gospel where it is not. In particular, they are exploring what it means to use social media more effectively as the government clamps down on open Christian gatherings. Pray that we serve these heroes of the faith well.
Thanks for being a part of leading the next generation of digital missions.
Photos Below: Adjusting to life in Singapore
- Above: Off to the park to find some kids.
- Jet-lagged kids makes for a quiet first dinner at the outdoor food stalls
- School break snack time on our balcony
- Watching Saturday morning swimming lessons
- A morning surprise - Wyatt and Dad unpacked in the middle of the night
