Short Story: The Beautiful Jade

It happened in a flash... so fast that it was not physically possible for any human being in my shoe to be able to handle the event in an adequate manner. The orange blur of a ball flew out of the hand of a tall but skinny boy into the face of a fat boy who wore a pair of spectacle.

The spectacle fell to the ground, and blood began to flow rapidly out of the nose of the fat boy. This happened in but a spit of a second.

"Why did you hit me?" The fat boy shouted at the skinny boy as he dashed madly towards the skinny boy with his fist held high, poised to deliver a punch that was sure to hurt the skinny boy before him.

"I hated people who insulted my mum," the skinny boy yelled back, as he got himself into a defensive position, to ward off the attack of the angry boy he had hit the face with a basketball.

"Stop it, stop it, you two!" I shouted, as I ran toward the boy, when I finally gathered myself together. My cries were like arrows that I shot towards the boys, that fell to the ground, without reaching into their ears. The children, or monsters, for that that was what they sometimes seemed to me, were fighting. They were much younger than me, but so violent that I was afraid of them deep inside my heart, but I never let it showed.

The boys stopped, each looking accusingly at the other party, 100 confident that it was the other person's fault that the fight even began in the first place. I looked at the blood that flowed out of the nose of the fat boy.

Oh no, this looked serious, I thought to myself. What will happen to my grade? I needed that A so badly. Lord Jesus, help me.

"What is happening here?" the supervisor of the centre rushed onto the scene, much like the saviour that was coming to save the show. It did not matter that I had already asked the children about the whole account of their fight. It did not matter that I had in mind what was the way to discipline or punish the children. It did not matter what I said, or wanted to say.

"Why don't you go into the centre and take care of the other children?" he said to me, dismissing me off, thinking I was inadequate to handle or deal with the situation.

I was not exactly a social worker, after all. Just a trainee. Just a student from some social work department in some university, a burden that was placed in his centre, that he had to take care of.

The children looked at me, they knew who had the power in the centre. They knew who could punish them, and who couldn't. They knew that I was a fake supervisor, that I had no power, that the next time, they got into a fight, there I was someone they needed to be afraid of.

The punishment wasn't fair. The fat boy was the one who called Jake names and he insulted Jake's mother. The other children joined in to provoke Jake together, led by the fat boy. The basketball was flung into the fat boy's face in a moment of anger. But, Jake was the only one punished. The other children were playing happily outdoor in the evening, while Jake remained alone in the centre.

I saw the anger in his face, I saw the accusations. It wasn't fair, his eyes seemed to scream, and I agreed with him.

It wasn't fair, I screamed within my heart. It wasn't... it wasn't... it wasn't fair. But there was nothing I could do about the whole situation. He was the boss, he was the supervisor, he was the one who will feedback to my school about my internship.

And I needed that A badly. 

Short Story: True Handmaiden of the Lord

Shan Li wanted to die when the Japanese soldier that invaded Singapore raped her, but the Lord had other plans for her. He protected her from ever committing suicide so that she might come to know Him one day. That day occurred when a friend invited her to church. Shan Li agreed to go to the church with her friend and that was when the Lord first began a relationship with Shan Li.

Shan Li began to grow in her walk and love for the Lord. She participated actively in her church, and when the wars in Singapore ended, she started her own fruit business. Just when things were going on well with her, a nightmare occurred. 

Shan Li discovered that she was pregnant. Pregnant with the child of her enemy, the Japanese soldier. Of the soldier who raped her and killed her parents and older brother. Shan Li had nothing but hated for her enemy, and that hatred extended to the child she discovered she bore.

"Lord, how can I ever bring up a child that is sowed into me in hatred?" She wept, helplessly before the Lord. She wanted to abort the child, but her love for the Lord conflicted with her own will to abort the child. Her desire to abort the child and her love for the Lord began a wrestle, that escalated into an all out match. In the end, her love for the Lord defeated her hatred for the child and her enemy and she gave birth to the child. The child was girl.

She named the baby Grace, after the grace the Lord had shown her, and of which, she had in turn, shown to the child. Shan Li wanted to remind the baby that she was born in grace. It was hard for Shan Li to be a single mother, raising a child she struggled not to hate but to love. With the help of the Lord, the child grew into her adulthood under Shan Li's care.

This was all possible because the Lord was gracious to Shan Li and her daughter. Although it was difficult, Shan Li had come to forgive the soldier who was cruel to her and and her family and Grace also learned to forgive her father who brought her into the world without her mother's wishes.

Jesus beamed as He looked at His handmaiden, Shan Li. She was one true handmaiden of the Lord.

Short Story: That is why He came...

At the age of 12, Mei Mei had desired to serve the Lord. Mei Mei wanted to join the worship ministry but she was so busy in her school works that she had no time to sing for the Lord. When she reached the age of 15, Mei Mei vowed to stay chaste for the Lord so that she could offer her body as a living sacrifice. Yet, she met her husband and fell in love with him and soon, her virginity was given to him as well. When Mei Mei reached adulthood, she wanted to serve the Lord as a missionary with her husband but the cares of bringing up her children and the business of life soon took that dream away from her.

 Now, Mei Mei was old, frail and broken. Her strength was gone, and her family whom she devoted her life to was going away from her as well. Mei Mei was about to meet her Maker but she had nothing to show for her efforts. All her desires to serve the Lord in ministry were not met, and Mei Mei felt nothing but condemnation for herself.

 “My Lord, in all my years as a Christian, what had I truly done for You? What had I given to You? I am soon about to meet You yet I had nothing to show for my efforts! I am so ashamed, oh Lord!” Mei Mei wept, remorse and regret welling up in her.

 She heard a whisper.

 That is why I came.

 Tears of joy rained down Mei Mei’s face. She was forgiven, she was cleansed, that was why He came. Not to be served as the King of kings, but to die on the cross as a slave so that someone like Mei Mei, a weak saint, might be forgiven for her tresspasses and not stand condemned in the eyes of the Living God.

 “Thank you, Jesus!” Mei Mei uttered on her death bed. For the first time in her life, she served the Lord. She served Him with her thanksgiving and heart of gratitude. Mei Mei passed into eternity, a saint full of strength in the eyes of her God.

 For that is why He came, that the weak might become strong.

Short Story: Tithing to the Lord!

Peter Yang groaned as the pastor approached him for help in financing the church building. He might be a millionaire, but how could the pastor expect him to spend such a great deal of money on a building that would not last anyway. It was not like Peter Yang was stingy with his money, Peter Yang had to be careful with every dollar and cent he earned or he might end up being in poverty. 

That was why Peter Yang rarely gave to the Lord, and never gave alms to the poor. The poor would always be there, it would not do for Peter Yang to spend his hard earned money on anything but himself. Surely the Lord would understand. There was nothing wrong with being careful with money. Still, he taught in Sunday school. He sacrificed his Sunday to teach children to obey the Lord. He was obedient in everything, except financial giving. That was his tithe to the Lord.

Fiona Lim was a widow, with no job. She begged for a living, and today, someone gave her two loaves of bread. She thanked the Lord for her meal. She believed everything she received came from the Lord Jesus and not through her own efforts. 

When a poor Christian brother shared about how he had gone without food for three days, she decided to give him all the food she received– her two loaves of bread. She would have nothing to eat, but what was that, compared to the Lord’s sacrifices for her. She would gladly give her whole being for the Lord.

That was her tithe to the Lord.

Short Story: The Peacemaker, Jesus!

If there was one person in this world, whom Mei Mei hated with a passion, it was her father. The thirty years old man had abused her since she was a kid, sexually molesting her whenever he was drunk with alcohol. Her mother would try to stop him, and got beaten up in the process. The mother and daughter lived in dread of the violent man for a long, long time. So, the moment Mei Mei reached adulthood, she moved out of his house with her mother. They would rather stay elsewhere than with him.

Recently, Mei Mei heard from a relative that her father had become homeless, after he sold off his house to pay for his alcohol addiction. He wandered the street, begging for a living. Mei Mei could not be more glad.

Bring your father home with you. The Lord spoke into her heart during her quiet time with him one day. 

Him, my Lord! Never! Anyone but him.

Mei Mei found it hard to obey the Lord. She hated her father, she wanted nothing to do with him. If possible, she even wanted him to suffer, for what he had made both her mother and her go through.

I die for him, as much as for you.

The Lord refused to stop prompting Mei Mei to forgive her father and bring him home. Mei Mei could find no peace during her quiet time. Finally, she decided to give in to her lord. She went to the park where her father was sleeping in, and brought him home.

For the Lord’s sake, she would forgive the most undeserving man on earth. Jesus restored peace to a man who did not deserve it, and reconciled Mei Mei with her father. He was the ultimate peacemaker.

Short Story: Giving up her job for Him!

Mrs. Fong closed her eyes as the man before her stripped himself of his clothes. It was easier for her if she chose not to look at her client, whenever she could help it. Easier for her dignity, easier to bear with the sexual intercourse they would be soon having.

Mrs. Fong hated her job, but she had a family to support. A family that she loved and cared for. A family that she could not afford to abandon. Two beautiful children from her previous marriage.

“Look at me, why are you closing your eyes?” Her client, a man in his late fifties, demanded! Mrs. Fong opened her eyes, and pretended to smile.

“I am just tired,” she lied. 

The man stripped her of her dress and laid on top of her. She remembered a young lady sharing about Jesus with her.

“He died on the cross for your sins,” she had declared to Mrs. Fong. “He can make you clean.”

Jesus… will you really forgive me, for what I do? Knowing the kind of woman I am? 

The man went into her, he gave out a cry of ecstasy. Mrs. Fong pretended to enjoy herself as well, though she was disgusted with herself.

I love you. Someone whispered into her mind. I forgive you.

Mrs. Fong pushed the fat, old man away from her. 

“What are you doing? I paid you for your service!” The man demanded angrily.

“Here is your money back!” Mrs. Fong replied. She gave the money back to the man. She would no longer sell her body for sex. Someone died for her, and the least she could do in return for Him, was to leave her life of sins. She might earn less with other more decent jobs, but at least, she would not be sinning. Mrs. Fong felt clean for the first time in her life.

Short Story: The Most Beautiful Lady

 

For you created my inmost being;  

you knit me together in my mother's womb. (Psalm 139:13)

 

 The sea was so beautiful. She loved the music of the waves splashing to and fro, she loved to look at the sea whenever she felt that the sorrow within her was about to swallow her.

"You must be there, somewhere… …" she uttered, softly to herself. "Why… why did you make me?"

The sea splashed to and fro, it gave her a soothing feeling, a temporal comfort that eased away the meaninglessness of the daily routine of life and the needle-like pain that just would not disappear away from that fragile heart of hers.

"You must be very big," she smiled to herself. "I know you must be, or you won't be able to make the sea."

The moon stared from the night sky, wondering why a girl would be alone by herself at the beach near East Coast Park at a time when every school girl and boy ought to be asleep at home.

"Who are you?" She took a step towards the sea, into the shallowness of the water. "I will find out soon enough. I am tired… of this pathetic life of mine."

Two steps, three steps, four steps, five steps, farther and farther into the sea she went.

"You are a failure in society." The scream of Maths teacher, Mrs. Ho.

"You are hopeless." The sigh of her mother.

"Why aren't you like the other sisters out there in the world?" The disappointment of her younger sister.

The red marks in her examination scripts. The loneliness during lessons in school.

Nerds, she heard her classmates laugh secretly behind her back.

A pathetic life.

Needle-like pains pierced through her heart, pains she could not understand, pains that would not go away.

Into the water she went, deeper and deeper. Her face began to rain. She never understood the water that raced slowly down from her eyes. Needle-like pains.

 The sea water was happy to dance around her waist.

He… seemed to be there somewhere, somewhere beyond the night sky, somewhere in a galaxy far away.

Who is he? Why did he make her, only to abandon her, to a cruel and hopeless world that did not want her? She wished she could hear his voice, once, just once, to know that he is real, to know that he is not a figment of men's imagination, to find out that there is a purpose, a reason behind why he made such a pathetic third-class human being like her.

The sea water licked to and fro at her neck, some of them trying to reach up to her nostril to no avail.

Soon, she will disappear away into the sea, into the night sky, and the unhappy faces and angry voices that never left her would finally cease from her memories forever.

 I love you, Zhui Mei. Something spoke into her mind.

Huh?

"Is that you, God?" She exclaimed. There was no answer. There was no more noise in her mind.

Was that her imagination, or… was it from him?

She continued to walk into the deeper part of the sea water. What was it like to have life extinguished?

I love you, Zhui Mei. I love you, Zhui Mei. This time, whoever it was spoke twice into her mind.

 "You didn't want me to die, God?"

There was no reply, again. It was pure silence. But somehow, her desire to end her life wavered. Perhaps, it wasn't her imagination that spoke to her. Perhaps, there was still someone… whoever he may be… someone who did not think that she was a failure, someone who did not feel that this was a life that was cheap and worthless. Someone who could see some worth in an otherwise unworthy subhuman.

"I hate my life!" She burst into tears as she walked towards the beach, away from the deeper part of the sea. "No one likes me, no one wants me, no one cares if I live or die, no one thinks I am worth anything at all."

He, nobody in particular, appeared to be listening. The only person in the universe who bothered to listen to the rants of a third-class citizen among the people around her. As "he" listened to her, she poured out all of her life frustrations onto his shoulders, and a heavy load was somehow lifted off from her for that little moment.

Sigh, if only he was real and not her imagination. 

 

 

 

 

Short Story: Full Time Ministry

It was and had always been Alicia Foo’s desire to serve the Lord in full time ministry. To prepare herself for the vocation, she attended bible school. Yet, when she graduated from her bible college, she could not find a job as a full tie minister. Sometimes, Alicia Foo wondered if she heard the call of the Lord in her life correctly. She definitely thought the Lord had called her into full time ministry, and yet if that was the case, why was she unable to find a job as a full time minister.

Putting aside her own worries to find a job as a full time minister, Alicia Foo participated actively in prayers during her church’s prayer time, she served as an usher and worshiped the Lord during service actively. She also joined other church members to visit the prisoners and shared the gospels with them. She helped to serve children in her sunday’s school and brought food to the homeless as part of her charity outreach to the poor. 

Yet, when Alicia Foo reached the age of 50 years old, she was deeply grieved. She still could not find a job as a full time minister. She had failed the Lord deeply in her own eyes. She had failed to fulfill His call in her life as a full time minister.

Unknown to her eyes, Jesus beamed as He smiled at His full time minister. When Alicia Foo prayed in church, Jesus was with His full time minister. When she served as an usher and worshipped the Lord deeply in love, Jesus saw a dedicated full time minister. As she visited the prisoners, served the children in Sunday school and brought food to the poor, Jesus ministered together with His full time minister. Alicia Foo was indeed His handmaiden and His full time minister.

Short Story: The Weakest Saint

Xiao Hui wished that she could die a martyr for God. She wished she was stronger, bolder, a better witness for Jesus than she currently was.

The truth was, Xiao Hui was a coward, living in Singapore. Though she had been a Christian for years, she had not shared the gospel with anyone or did anything good or great for the Lord.

She was, in her own eyes, a weak Christian, a failure, the kind of Christians that would receive the least reward in heaven.

“Jesus, if only… if only I dared suffer more for you…” Xiao Hui sighed.

Xiao Hui’s grandmother fell ill and grew weak in her body. Xiao Hui was earnest in her care towards her grandmother. No one in her family wanted anything to do with the sick and fragile old lady except for Xiao Hui. Xiao Hui made sure that her grandmother had all the care she needed until the day she passed away.

Eventually, Xiao Hui grew old herself and, on the day she was about to pass away, she felt ashamed of herself.

“My Lord, until the end, I still did not dare suffer for you or witnessed for you. I am a failure.” She died, full of regret at her insignificant life.

“Xiao Hui, welcome home. Thy faithful servant!” Jesus beamed with a smile when He met Xiao Hui.

“My Lord, I have not done anything for you.” Xiao Hui replied with shame.

“Far from it. In the little things you did, like caring for your grandmother, and preparing food for your family, you are more than worthy. It is not great work that matters to me, but little things which you do daily. Therefore, welcome home, faithful servant.” Jesus replied.

Xiao Hui smiled. She was not the weakest saint, after-all.

 

 

Short Story: In the eyes of the Judge

Julie Wang was one hopeless case, in the eyes of the judge. At the age of 13 years old, she aborted twelve babies after having sex with more than 20 sexual partners. At the age of 15 years old, she was convicted of thefts numerous times, so many times that she was sent to the home for girls. When she was released from the home, she participated heavily in the drug trade, buying and selling drugs, and using drugs as well. She was a junkie, a hopeless junkie, who was a leech to society. Now, at the age of 21, she was convicted of murder, not just of one child but of several children. She was a serial killer for children. There was no hope for Julie, so the judge did what he thought was the right thing, he sentenced her to death. He would rid the society of this useless trash, hopeless menace.

Julie sat in her cell in prison and remembered a song she was taught when she went to Sunday School. Bored at having nothing to do, she began to hum to herself the lyrics of the song.

“Jesus loves me, this I know, for the bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong, I am weak but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me, yes, Jesus loves me, Yes, Jesus loves me, for the bible tells me so.”

Tears began to stroll down her eyes as she realized how God still loves her regardless of what she had done. She accepted Christ at that moment.

Julie Wang was one worthy child, in the eyes of The Judge. At the age of 21, she received into her life the Saviour of mankind. Her past sins were forgotten and she was a brand new being in her maker’s eyes. The Judge knew he did the right thing when He chose to die on the cross for Julie. He would now be able to enjoy the presence of this useful, wonderful daughter for eternity.

Short Story: The neglected Jesus Christ

Wylan Chan was glad he was not like other people out there in the world. He gave most of his money to charity, he was kind to strangers, he seldom told lies and he definitely never murder or steal.

He was really one of the kinder, more righteous people out there in the world.

~~

I am thirsty. Will you give me a drink?

He thirsted after the water Wylan Chan would offer him. But Wylan Chan gave himself in charity to everyone but Him.

I love you, Wylan. Will you love me back?

Wylan was kind to every stranger but Him. He don't need Wylan, no, he don't. He was Jesus, God's son, after-all, so mighty, so powerful, so great. The King of all kings.

Wylan never thought that the Son of God would thirst after the water Wylan gave freely to everyone but Him.

He was the one who the world seek to serve. He was God, and everyone chased after Him. Everyone but Wylan Chan. Wylan Chan only helped the poor and the needy. How could God ever be needy? Wylan loved everyone but Wylan never thought that Jesus, the son of God needed his love as well.

Therefore, Wylan, the kind and merciful buddhist gave his time, gave his energies, gave his money, gave his help and gave his love to everyone but on Jesus, the one who loved him, hungered after his love more than anybody, was needy on the cross because he wanted Wylan to look at him, Wylan never gave one glance.

Jesus wept, because Wylan was kind and give everyone a chance, but Him.

Short Story: One Lost sheep

Evan Lee grinned. He loved God. He truly did.

He always tithed, he never failed to read the bible, he went oversea to do missionary works and gave himself fully to church ministry.

He even preached against abortions and homosexuality. Surely, no one loved the Lord as much as he did.

~~

Shu Mei wept. She hated God, although she used to be His sheep. She prayed and prayed for God to save her non-Christian father but God did not answer her prayers. She prayed for a job but God did not even give that to her.

When she came to Evan Lee and asked him why God failed her in every way, he told her God did not fail her, her sins were what separated her from Him.

She hated God. God may love other christians, God may even love Evan Lee, but God definitely did not love her.

Shu Mei turned away from God and no longer went to church.

~~

Jesus was in pain. He wanted to tell Shu Mei He loves her. He wanted to tell her He never forgets her. He wanted to tell her it was not her lack of faith or sins that stopped Him from answering her prayers but rather that He tried knocking hard at other Christians whom He had blessed to reach out to her but... oh... their hearts were so hard.

He tried getting someone to preach to her father, no one answered His call. When she could not get a job, he knocked at Evan Lee's heart to give her his money but Evan Lee was too busy tithing, too busy reading the bible, too busy reaching souls for Him on overseas missionary works and doing church ministry to open the door to let Jesus used him to give money to Shu Mei.

As a result, Jesus wept that Shu Mei no longer believes in Him. Oh... why didn't his ever safe 99 sheeps care for this one lost sheep like Jesus did? Jesus was helpless so He wept.

Short Story: The Cold Man

He was the cold man. He was the tough guy. He was the man who would rather die than cry. He had never shed a single tear ever since he first became a man. There was not a single evil deed he would hesitate to do, nor was there a single act of kindness he wanted to do. He was strong and arrogant; he was full of confidence in himself, and what his hands could do for him. 

He was a sad, little boy. He was a child of tears. He was someone who screamed and shouted for the help that never came. He was the one who had shed tears no one saw, and dealt with pains that no one cured. He was the sad, troubled, pained little boy that screamed and screamed for help but people were all too busy in their lives to even hear him. 

 He was the rebellious teenager no one could understand. He was so full of anger that no one could stop. He fought with his fists when things went wrong. He hardened his muscles, he strengthened his might, he had become his own god.

He was the prisoner that the world ignored. He was the convicted criminal waiting for death to call. He was the forgotten face, a forgotten man no one could recall. He was about to vanish, he was about to cease, he was about to disappear from this world and no one would miss him. 

But somewhere, sometimes, in some place, one man knew it all.

One man loved and one man cared and one man went to the cross for him.

One man saw the sad, little boy.

One man knew the angry teenager.

One man forgave the hopeless and condemned man.

One man died to give him life.

In the prison, a place of tears, the final destination in this world for the cold man no one knew or cared, hope came.

The cold man melted at the power of love. The angry teenager relaxed at the warmth that touched his heart. The sad, little boy knew he was heard and loved. He was not as lonely as he thought he was. The cruel and condemned criminal was forgiven. He was washed clean forever by the blood of that one man who loved him all.

The cold man walked with courage to his execution, with a peace that no one could understand. A smile on his face, he walked to his death, to meet his savior Jesus, the one man who gave all for a criminal like him.

Short story: The thief, a saint!

Xiao Zhu stared at the money that was on the table of her office. Mrs. Fu, her colleague, had been careless. There were a total of nine one-hundred-dollar bills. Xiao Zhu quietly took the money and put it in her wallet. What a good deal! It was not her fault if she took the money. After all, it was her colleague who was the careless one. Who wouldn’t help herself to free money?

She was nine hundred dollars richer, yet she was not pleased with herself. Mrs. Fu would be nine hundred dollars poorer. She knew it was wrong of her to take Mrs. Fu's money, yet she could not resist her temptations. She needed a new laptop for her daughter, and the nine hundred would be useful. It was easy money. 

Yet, condemnation mocked her. You call yourself a Christian? Xiao Zhu struggled within herself.

Lord Jesus, she cried. Forgive me, a sinner. 

 A relief came over her. She felt her prayers answered. Calmly, she returned the money to the table. She might need a laptop, but Jesus died for her and Mrs. Fu. Grace rejoiced with her. Jesus had washed her clean with his blood.

You are purchased by blood. I had made you clean. God seemed to whisper into her ears.

Condemnation fled and righteousness triumphed. His righteousness, not hers. The thief is now a saint.

Short Story: In jail for the Muslims

Zhi Ming had a passion for the Muslims in Singapore. It was his desire to bring the gospel to them However, the religious harmony law was a snare to him. The religious harmony law forbids him to share Christ with the Muslims unless they are willing to listen to him. He had to share the gospel carefully or he would be in trouble with the law. 

That made it impossible for him to share with most of the Muslims, as most did not have willing ears to listen to the gospel. Sharing the gospel with an unwilling Muslim could lead to a lawsuit. He could be sued for insulting Islam. Still, the Muslims needed to hear the gospel and no one in Singapore was willing to risk lawsuits to share the gospel with them. How could no one care for the souls of the Muslim population in Singapore.

So, Zhi Ming tried his best!

Zhi Ming had a passion for the Muslims in Singapore, he was in jail for their sake. He had passed the safe boundary for sharing and was sent to jail. Yet, he never regretted his choice. Zhi Ming rejoiced with Jesus! Here in jail, there were more Muslims and he could share his faith with them. Zhi Ming knew in his heart that regardless of what was the cost, he would do his duty for the Muslims in Singapore! Zhi Ming loves Jesus and he loves the muslims, so he was willing to be in jail for them!

Short Story: The corrupted pastor

Rui Zhi's eyes rolled in joy as he counted the money in the tithe offerings. Wow, what a harvest this year-- more than one million dollars in tithes. It was more money than he had ever seen. Surely, Rui Zhi reasoned within himself, it was all his hard work and therefore he could help himself to a portion of it. 10% would be just right, after all, he had worked hard for the Lord.

Leaving behind his lucrative job as a banker, Rui Zhi chose to struggle through poverty in service of the Lord. All of which happened when he first built the church. There were many down days, where it was impossible to make end meets. Yet, he persevered through it. The church would not have the success it had today if not for him. The Lord must surely not mind him tasting a bit of the fruit of his labours. After all, he had a family to support.

Rui Zhi's face filled the newspapers in Singapore for corruption.

My Lord, my lord, why had you forsaken me? Rui Zhi thought to himself. I only took one hundred thousands for myself.

Rui Zhi felt a sense of bitterness towards the Lord as he was sentenced to three years in jail. Still, he humbled himself before the Lord and prayed for his mercy to be available. Rui Zhi rejoiced in his purposes in jail. There were prisoners, hungry for the gospels, and once again, Rui Zhi worked hard for the Lord.

Short Story: The Uneducated Pastor Soh

Ah Soh knew in his heart that his birthday was important. He would be 50 years old. His friend came into his tiny one room flat. Ah Soh was not the kind of person to host a party. He did not have the money!

For him, whatever little money he earned as a coffee shop assistant was just enough to make end meets. On some of the occassions, he could not even meet his end meets. On such occassions, he needed to seek financial and material help from his church. Fortunately for him, his church members were still quite ready to help Ah Soh tide through his difficult moments.

Ah Soh wanted to be a pastor. He wanted to preach for Jesus so much, so much. But he was not born during biblical times. In those days, anyone could be a pastor. Peter and most of Jesus' disciples were uneducated people!

In Singapore, a person needed to attend a bible college to be able to preach, officially. Ah Soh could not be a pastor. He was not smart in his studies. He failed his PSLE. Going to a bible college was an impossible dream for him.

Still, Ah Soh wanted to tell his friends about Jesus. All his uneducated friends. All of them who spoke Hokkien like him. All of them who could not speak proper english. So he saved up his money, little by little. He cut down on his food. He wore the same clothe, year after year, without buying new ones. He walked to his church instead of taking buses. He tried his best to cut down on his transport cost.

Finally, he had just enough money to host a birthday party. And that was what he did.

"Ah Soh, happy birthday!" His friends greeted him one by one. When all of his friends were in his house and they were done with eating, Ah Soh got them to sit in a circle. He spoke about Jesus passionately to his friends. He spoke on and on, ignoring the occassional mockeries that came from his unbelieving friends.

His friends left his home, seemingly unchanged and unmoved. But in Jesus' eyes, unknowingly to Ah Soh or the church in Singapore, Jesus saw a pastor. This pastor was uneducated. This pastor could only speak in Hokkien. This pastor did not win a single soul. This pastor preached only 1 sermon during his entire life for Jesus.

Still, in Jesus' eyes, he saw and smiled at pastor Soh.

Short Story: The Sri Lankan Maid

The sun blazes in the sky, the wind hardly blows. I walk on my way, as usual to the church that is my second home. It is just like all the other ordinary Sundays in my life—when I am too busy with my life to notice others—when I accidently slip and fall to the ground in my carelessness.

She, with sweat dripping down her head, comes to help me up. She is not the kind of person I will usually notice.

“Madam, are you all right?” she speaks in an accent I am not use to hearing.

“Thanks,” I mutter as I manage to get onto my feet with some help for her. I cast a look at her. She has been around for quite awhile, but this is the first time I really look at her. She is dressed in simple clothing, her skin complexion is dark. I conclude in my mind that she must be a Sri Lankan.

“You are?” I ask, as a form of politeness, with no real interest in getting to know her as a person.

“Christine,” she replies.

“Christine?” I am slightly surprised. That is not a common Sri Lankan name.

“Yes,” she replies. Seeing that I am puzzled by the rareness in her name, she quickly replies, “I am a Christian.” There is a sense of sorrow in her eyes. Why?

I am a bit ashamed of myself for not noticing her as a human being until today. I am reminded of a verse in James from the bible where it mentions something about how God chooses the poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom of God. If my savior judges no man but gives everyone the same chance to enter into His kingdom of bliss irregardless of his or her social status, who am I to judge the woman that stands before me?

“You will be late if you don’t go in,” this sister in Christ of mine, Christine, utters, nodding her head towards the church.

“And you?” I ask, concerned for the first time in my life for this person before me.

“I can’t go in,” she smiles, sadly. She turns her head to a little child, who is playing happily in the compartment of the church’s playground. There are other children playing with her in the compartment. I understand.

“Do you think He will forgive me?” Christine asks, with that same sad look in her eyes, again.

I look at her, not fully comprehending what she means by her words.

“Jesus,” Christine begins. “Do you think Jesus forgive me? I had not attended church for quite awhile.” She bows her head. I can see her sorrow, her guilt. I can see her love for the Son who had died for her. I feel ashamed of myself for skipping church for the slightest reason, when there is a woman here who is guilt-ridden for not being able to attend church for a long period of time.

“My father… he is ill… my children… they need to go to school. My husband divorces me… I really need the money… I… I…”

I cut her off, before she can continue.

“Jesus understands,” I reply, the first words I have spoken to her in love. I want to speak more, but the little child runs to her, and her attention is shifted back to her charge.

I go into the church and I sit down. I look at the rows of sinners who are rich in this material world. Somewhere, sitting in this church, among the rows of sinners, is the person who is the master or mistress of the Sri Lankan maid I meet outside the church.

And suddenly, I wonder in the midst of worship, where Jesus is, right now.

I think of all of us with our big homes and big cars, and who attend church regularly. And I think of Christine who is forced to leave her home to support her impoverish family to work as a maid and in spite of not attending church, retains her simple faith and love for Jesus. And I have an answer.

If Jesus is here today, He will not be with us, the 99 sheep that are safe in His hands but He will be out there with His one lost child who is kept away from His fellowship by her need to provide for her starving family back home. For Jesus comes not to be served, but to serve.

2000 years ago, He chooses not to sit in the seat with the rich Pharisees, but He takes His stand among the poor and despised in society, fishermen like Peter, James and John, prostitutes, tax-collectors, people no one like or notice, the poor. What He does 2000 years ago, He will do again, because Jesus never changes.

Christine may not be able to attend a church, but she is richer than many of us, because I believe Jesus is standing there in the hot sun with her, wiping away her tears, as she looks longingly at the church she is prevented by circumstances from being able to attend. And I believe even as she cries, He cries. Even as she is pained, He is pained. And He cries with her and is pained with her, under that hot sun, while we happily worship God in our church and seek to please Him with all our hearts.

James 2:5-7
Matthew 26:45
Luke 11:42
Mark 4:45
James 2:1-7

Written in 2003, and reproduced here in my short story website.

Short Story: A Journey Into The Heart Of My Elaine

They said that she always locked her room up. They said that her room was a sacred place for her, a secret in her life that she would not let anyone into. Now, they handed me the key to her secret. It was her wish as she breathed her dying words in the hospital for me to possess the key.


"Elaine Chia, what is most precious to your heart?" I once asked her as we went on a date together.

Elaine smiled, shyly. "Trying to get into my heart, Yi Wei? You will get a chance, one day, when the two of us becomes one as God has intended. I will give you the key to my heart, to unlock my secret."

"Can’t I unlock it, now, my honey?" I asked, teasingly, lightly caressing her beautiful hair.

"No," she replied, with a smile. "The secret is only meant for my hubby."


The key... she wanted me to have the key. My fiancé's secret. What was in the room?

My curiosity brought me into the flat near Bedok MRT where Elaine’s parents still live in, and where my precious Elaine used to live. Elaine’s parents were glad to see me. They always seemed to like me. What a tragedy it was that I would never have the chance to be their son-in-law. An irresponsible drunken driver on the road took my Elaine away from me.

"That is Elaine's room," Mr.Chia pointed to a small locked door.

"Thanks, uncle." I replied.


The door to Elaine’s room was decorated with tiny little cards. They had edifying messages like "God bless you, sister" etc written onto them.

"Why are you always scribbling into these tiny little cards?" I once asked Elaine when we were at a table in the library and she was busy scribbling notes into one of the tiny card from a stack of cards she had bought from a stationary shop.

"Oh, Thanksgiving Day is coming, and I just want to give a little encouragement to my brothers and sisters in Christ," Elaine smiled.

"This brother in Christ here needs some encouragement, too, and you are too busy to notice his loneliness," I teased, pointing to myself.

"Very well, my lonely brother in Christ, I will write the notes when I get home," Elaine smiled. "Now is a special moment I will only spend with you."


The door opened and I entered into the room. The wall in the room was decorated with photographs.

I saw the photograph of a Sri Lankan maid that Elaine and I chanced upon on a bus-stop. We found out that she was a Christian and Elaine insisted on taking a photograph together with her.

I saw the photographs of some Christian online friends that Elaine often talked to me about, who she corresponded with through e-mail. They came from different nations and were of different skin colors from myself.

I saw the photographs that were cut out from newspapers and magazines of some obscure faces of some persecuted Christians in some faraway land.

I saw the photographs taken during a moment when we celebrated together with a brother from our church his 21st birthday. We pushed his face into the cake!

I saw the photographs of the various Christian relatives that came to Elaine's house during Chinese New Year to celebrate the festive occasions. They looked so stern and serious.

I saw the photographs of the kids in the Sunday school that Elaine was teaching in. Elaine was beaming in the midst of them.

I saw the photographs of Elaine's peers from a Christian organization she joined in her university campus; they were enjoying their food!

I saw photographs of Christians, many Christians, photographs that were pasted all over the room of Elaine. Different moments, spent together with fellow believers, captured artistically onto the lens of the camera.

And at the center of the room, I saw a painting of Jesus. Jesus' painting was there in the heart of her room, in the midst of all the photographs pasted on the wall. A small wooden frame with two words, 'My Family', was nailed just above the painting of Jesus to the wall.

Words were scribbled onto the painting of Jesus."I love the fellowship with you, Jesus and my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ."

Oh, my Elaine, same for me, same for me.

Short Story: The Incomplete Face Of Jesus

She was not here.

The sanctuary was filled with man and women, boys and girls, people from every racial background.

The worship leaders were standing on stage, preparing to lead the crowd that had entered into the The Church of Our Savior for worship.

“Everyone, are you ready to worship the King?” the main worship leader for the day shouted into his microphone. The people resounded with joyous “yes”.

The worship began.

The music instruments were right, the people’s voice resounded together in harmony, it was a wonderful worship experience.

I felt like I was connected into this body called the church of God, singing with the people in the crowd, singing with the saints and angels in heaven. I could hear in my mind the beautiful voices of the angel joining us in worship of the King of kings.

How wonderful, how great it is to be in His presence. I wanted to remain here, forever, to praise and worship Him for all eternity.

But something bugged me. It ruined my wonderful moment of worship. It destroyed a little bit of that joy I had, worshipping Him here in the presence of His saints.

She was not here, she was not here, she was not here.

The voice nagged at me, again and again. It gave me no peace.

She, Wang Yi Hui, had not been here today. She was not here last week. Or the week before. Or the month before. Or months before.She was one of the most joyous people; she was always the one to give her best in worshipping the Lord. She was always at the front row; she was always so absorbed in her worship of Him that she became oblivious to everything else.

But she was not here, today.

I tried to forget her absence, I tried to forget her. People fell away from the church, often. Why should I let the absence of a mere lady affected me in my joy of worshipping Him who save me?

But the voice refused to let me off.

She was not here, she was not here, she was not here. It was almost as if someone was sobbing, someone was crying within my heart. Someone missed her. She was not here, someone cried.

I could not take the nagging voice, anymore. It was affecting me in a greater manner than I wanted it to.

I got out of the sanctuary, and went to the toilet to take a break from the worship. I wanted a break from the nagging voice that bugged me.

Her son died in a car accident, I heard. He was unsaved. No one had bothered to attend his funeral, he happened to die on Christmas and no one wanted to spoil their joyous mood by attending the funeral of the son of a woman they hardly knew.

Was that when she stopped attending the service? Was that when her joyous dance and beautiful voice began to disappear from our church?

She was not here, she was not here, she was not here. The nagging voice followed me on and on. It was almost like a cry from somebody who missed her lively dance, her beautiful voice.

I went into one of the cubicles in the toilet.

A vision of a past event flashed before my eyes. It was a time when Yi Hui and I were at the house of another Christian sister, to enjoy some moments of female fellowship. We were trying to piece together a set of jigsaw puzzle that had the face of Jesus. We worked for hours, it was a difficult puzzle.

We almost completed the face of Jesus. Almost. One puzzle was missing, it was lost somehow, and we could not complete the jigsaw puzzle. The other 999 pieces were there, but this 1 missing piece made the face of Jesus incomplete.

I burst into tears inside the cubicle. He was the one crying.

He was crying for His 1 missing puzzle. Corporate worship was not complete unless she was here. But she was not here, today.

I repented of my sins for not being there with her last Christmas when her son passed away, and I prayed for her to come back. I wanted to dance and worship Him together with her.