Day Nineteen

May 19th

Today is Ben's graduation - the main reason we came to Singapore. I started off the day taking Abel to his soccer practice and game. Ben and Han Jing were not able to take him, so I volunteered to take him, by taxi, to his school for his practice and game. Miriam came along with me. We weren't sure quite what to expect since it wasn't clear if this was a practice or a game, but it sounded like it would be both...which it was. Abel attends the International Community School which is truly international, but also Christian. We were told that many missionary children attend this school.

I was given the task of taking videos of Abel since Ben and Han Jing couldn't be there. While I took videos of Abel's every move, Miriam struck up conversations with parents, grandparents and visitors that were there. There was one Chinese man named Frank which she spent quite a bit of time talking with. I could tell that something special was happening here so I prayed that God would direct the conversation. She talked with Frank long after practice. Frank was at the soccer practice/game to talk to Ben, but since Ben wasn't there (a God-thing, I believe) Miriam was able to meet him and talk with him.

The multi-cultural aspect of Singapore came through in Abel's teammates on the soccer field. His main coach (a volunteer) is from India, married to someone from Singapore. The coach took the players through various drills, and then, finally, they had a scrimmage in a small section of the soccer field. Unfortunately for Abel, he got kicked in the eye by the ball and sat out the last half of the scrimmage. He was not a happy boy after the scrimmage after not being hit in the eye and not being able to score a goal. I tried to encourage him as best I could. We walked a couple of blocks from the school to catch a taxi back to Ben and Han Jing's where we got ready for Ben's graduation.

We drove to Ben's graduation in a van owned by a sweet, godly couple named "L.T." and Ellen. They have been so kind to Ben and Han Jing while they have been in Singapore. Graduation was held in a large university with a huge auditorium. I was taken back at first by how many people were there. I would guess several thousand people were there to witness the 121 graduates of Singapore Bible College. This is the 54th graduating class for the college. God has blessed this institution which has strong Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) ties.

The graduation was done in both English and Chinese. How thrilling to hear the auditorium filled with songs like "Onward Christian Soldiers" "Faith is the Victory" and "Be Thou My Vision." I felt like this was a foretaste in heaven. And even though I couldn't understand the Chinese, there was a close oneness in spirit as we sang praises to our God.

After the two-hour graduation ceremony, there was a reception in the main lobby area which was wall-to-wall people. Somehow, we found ourselves herded into a special roped-off VIP area where the dignitaries, speakers, and leaders of the college were sitting and eating refreshments. Soon we were sitting at the table with the chairman of the board and the speaker for the graduation ceremony! Wow! We found the chairman of the board to be a very gracious man who was at one time an international student in California and was influenced by fellow workers of ours with International Students, Inc. (ISI). What a small world!

Leaving the graduation ceremony, we went back to Ben and Han Jing's apartment to relax a bit before a gathering of friends in the clubhouse area of the apartment complex in the evening. What a great time we had at this gathering. At this gathering were a lot of Ben's friends from his time in Singapore. Many are involved in work with MSI Professional Services in China which endeavors to share Christ in China through various means. It is a wonderful organization which I am finding more about while here in Singapore. I spoke with the president of the organization at Ben's graduation who came from Hong Kong just to see Ben graduate. He sat with us during the ceremony. What a humble, gracious, sincere man. I can see why he and Ben have developed a good relationship.

What a great time of fellowship and meeting so many great people at this gathering in the "clubhouse" of Ben and Han Jing's apartment. God's faithfulness was evident in Ben's life in bringing people like this into both he and Han Jing's life while here in Singapore. I believe mom's presence was a great testimony and encouragement to many there at the gathering. Ben gave testimony to the seed that both mom and dad planted in Ben's life 27 years ago. Many were fascinated with mom's book on China and enjoyed seeing pictures of Ben when mom and dad first knew him.

What a privilege is is to me to witness and rejoice in what God has done in Ben's life and to see some fruit from mom and dad's work in the one year they were in China. It was less than a year, but the impact of their time there has had a lifetime change. Ben is an example of that.
Praise God!