By Lam Seng from Oasis CG
They greet us when we drive into the church building. They direct visitors to the right part of the building, guard the church day and night, and help ensure the security of everyone in the church premises. They are our Nepali guards. We might have passed them with little thought of them. There are also other Nepalis in our midst that we might have ignored.
So, for Christmas last year, our cell group decided to do our annual Christmas get-together differently – by reaching out to the Nepalese serving in our midst. Knowing the challenges they face as migrants working in a foreign land, separated from their family, we wanted to show them our hospitality, extend our brotherly love to them, and thank them for their contribution to the church by keeping the church safe day and night. We wanted them to know that they are part of our community too and to make them feel appreciated and loved. We love because we are first loved by God.
We have four Nepali guards, two Nepali pastors, a new church staff, and a friend as our guests. We welcomed them to our cozy church visitor’s lounge decorated with Christmas decorations and soft, soothing Christmas songs playing in the background. Varieties of food ranging from Western to Asian cuisine and desserts lined up to satisfy our taste buds. The evening started with the singing of Christmas carols and a simple icebreaker. Then it was time to savour all the delicious home-cooked food.
We had a few skills challenges and fun games lined up to bring cheers and laughters. It was a time to forget the challenges of life and just focused on having fun. Our Nepali guests were really good and won hands down. And there was so much laughter and fun.
Not forgetting the message of Christmas, which was the highlight of the event. Sister Lai Sheong shared briefly from Matthew 2:1-12. She reminded us that there was a reason why the Nepalis were posted to work at PJEFC and hoped that they would search and find God. She shared using the illustration of a candy cane, shaped like the letter “J” which stands for Jesus. The red stripes represent the blood of Jesus shed for our sins to wash us white as snow, which is represented by the white stripes.
Remembering their families in Nepal, we had prepared gifts for their kids, which were presented to them to be sent home to let them know that they are loved even though they are far away.
We hoped to touch their lives so that they felt God’s love through our brotherly love and we are happy to report that they experienced something at our Christmas gathering that they had never expected. Such love and warmth from the boss (referring to us). One of our CG members then reminded them that we were not the boss. Jesus is the boss.
What a wonderful feeling to know that we had made a difference in their life and they left the party knowing that they are loved even in a foreign land. It was truly an experience they will treasure in their heart.
Get Involved
🤝 Know a Nepali or more in your neighbourhood? Connect them to their community by inviting them to the Nepalese Service or connect with Pr Indra.
🪴 If you’re looking for a Cell Group (CG), feel free to get in touch with us, and we’ll help you find a suitable CG to join.
👋 Say ‘Hi’ to our security guards (Ambar, Mangal, Nirpa and Yukti) and get to know them.