By T. Xuan Yun
It wasn’t any special occasion but Pastor Lynette met me and excitedly passed me a gift. It was a Sony alpha 6400 (one of Sony’s latest alpha body series) with an EPZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS lens (fun fact: a simple ‘G’ means ‘Gold’ i.e. Sony’s best and highest quality professional lens). Altogether this was worth at least $1,800 😱😨😭
“We just wanted you to know that we are very proud of you. This is for you”, Pastor Lynette shared. You mean this is a gift just to tell me you were proud of me?? Though my mind was trying to catch up with its processing speed, my heart knew this is who my Pastors are.
It was really a gift just to encourage. A gift of belief that from my generation onwards it will be different. That there will be a new norm for a godly family and healthy relationships in my life.
Growing up from a broken background, it was hard to imagine how else life could turn out. But it was in church that I saw how a complete and godly family was possible because my Senior Pastors, Pastor Cecilia Chan and Pastor Tan Seow How modelled the way. My pastors saw us beyond just members of the church. Instead, to them, we are their spiritual sons and daughters as they are spiritual parents to us.
Some of you might think that the church is rich, and therefore an ordinary member like myself can be blessed in such a manner. The truth about Heart of God Church, is that we are not. But it was out of their love and their belief for young people that my pastors started a fund that provides financial support for youths with less well-to-do backgrounds.
Because of this initiative, people like myself get to play on a levelled playing field as those who may come from more affluent backgrounds. Because of that, many like myself have gotten opportunities for exposure that makes up for the lack of experience and we are trained for success not just for the future but also the now.
My pastors often tell me that from my generation onwards, it will be different. It is something they believe with all their heart could happen for us and especially with God in our lives. Here in HOGC, life has never been the same.
I don’t know what I did to deserve everything we have in HOGC. I’m grateful for my pastors for being all that they are to us. I want to be found building God’s House with this team all my days. Eternally grateful! 💕
