i din expect anyone to be eagerly expecting me to write about ep 2 and 3.. but there is one! and he's my dear brother in christ, jia liang. :) dunno why he is so looking forward to me writing about the poverty series... cos they are not really delightful things to write about... poverty is not a popular topic.
but i guess since i said i will write.. i will. and in these poverty, i realise i may be poor, but i will be poorer if i didn't have Christ. :) but since i have Christ, though i am poor, i am rich.
reminds me of a hymn that goes;
And now let the weak say, "I am strong" Let the poor say, "I am rich Because of what the Lord has done for us" the title of this hymn is Give Thanks.
and i give thanks, for it is God who has seen me through my poverty. :)
Poverty Episode 2: ok i got my claims of slightly over $50 and plus $20 which i had in my wallet, i was happy and confident that i could now get by the weekend, and even to tues(payday). while at work, grandma called to ask me to visit her as she was not feeling well. getting a little worried, i told her i would pop by and visit her after work. when i reached grandma's house, i saw that she looked ill and weak. she did not eat her dinner and had no appetite. Martha was also feeling unwell with a headache. After i had my dinner, and grandma managed to eat some, i decided to bring her to the clinic.
at the clinic, we waited close to 45mins before we saw the doc. when we finally saw the doc, i was super relieved when he diagnosed grandma's sickness as the after effects of dialysis. grandma was put to ease too after hearing that she would be alright. however, what the doc said next worried me.. he said something like "ok i will give her this medicine, but it will be slightly more expensive. " okay..when a GP says expensive, you know that it is not going to be cheap! duh. so i replied to the doc "I just hope i have enough money to pay."
the next few minutes spent waiting was spent in anxiety.. i kept wondering how expensive the medication would be and whether i have enough money to pay! and what if i didnt have enough? What am i supposed to do? Grandma didn't bring her wallet and Martha had no money. It was just me to pay. and what if i didn't have the money? All these thoughts ran back and forth in my mind. When the clinic assistant finally called out grandma's name, i went to the counter, eager to know the amount to pay yet at the same time worried about not having enough money to pay. she said "that will be 36 dollars." .........i was stunned for a while, and quickly paid the money! ssecretly in my heart, i heaved a "PHEW...thank God i have enough!" yes, for just 1 type of medicine,that was definitely expensive, but i was just GLAD that i was spared the embarrassement of not having enough money to pay!
so at the end of thurs, i was left with around $40 in my wallet. and i seriously wondered how i was to get by the weekend with that amount. it seemed highly impossible as i knew i was spending sat and sun meeting friends, and will be out. it will be impossible not to spend money. and it was highly possible the money wouldnt last till tues.
on fri, i woke up late and took a cab to work (there went my $10plus!!!). and with the money left from thurs, i had lunch (skipped breakfast), dinner, took a cab to Victory Family Centre with Wanjin, and later supper at the famous dao huay stall in geylang with my cell group and TGIF cell group after Ps Jim Symbala's prayer conference. i was glad i went for the prayer conference. it was a message the church needed to hear.
at the end of fri, i checked my wallet to find $7plus left. :( how was i to get by till tues? It was impossible.
that was my poverty episode 2. the most miraculous part of my poverty series i think, was episode 3. It was there when i tried to solve the lack of money my own way and finding out for myself God had made a way. God provided the precise amount and in His immaculate timing.
and it led me to say "i dont dare doubt God anymore."
his ways are not my ways... as said in Isaiah: 55:8-10
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,"declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
i will try to find time to blog about episode 3, pls be patient if u have been following and is eager to find out what happened next! God is good! I am sure my poverty experience is just one of the many other evidences of God's providence, goodness and faithfulness. what's yours? :)
Serene, 25, Christian
a sinner saved by God's grace.
a beloved child of God.
a social worker (youth).
a daughter.
a sister to 2 younger siblings.
Your Love
"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." -1 John 4:10
Loves n Adores
*God; the Father, Son Jesus and Holy Spirit
*Family; Tan
*Church; Grace Assembly of God
*My close friends
*My cell group; AHH (After His Heart)
*Youths
*Missions
*Children
*Good food, Chocolates and Ice-cream!
