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Verbum Dei Missionaries Singapore

73 Taman Mas Merah Singapore 128195

Tel: 62740251 Email:

verbumdeispore@yahoo.com.sg Website:

www.verbumdeisingapore.org May 2013

Editor Says

"[Glinda:] I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason

Bringing something we must learn And we are led to those who help us most to grow

If we let them and we help them in return Well, I don't know if I believe that's true

But I know I’m who I am today because I knew you Like a comet pulled from orbit as it passes a sun

Like a stream that meets a boulder halfway through the wood

Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better? But, because I knew you... I have been changed …

for good...

[Elphaba:] It well may be, that we will never meet again

In this lifetime, so let me say before we part So much of me is made of what I learned from you

You'll be with me like a handprint on my heart... And now whatever way our stories end

I know you have re-written mine by being my friend."

This song, 'For Good', is one of my favourite song from the musical, 'Wicked'. How I would like to sing it to a friend who had just left Singapore to embark on a new journey. Well, after considering the damage I would do to the song with my croaking voice, I would refrain myself from doing so! I have chosen to pen down my thoughts instead. This person, as many of you would know, is Mary Grace Batusin Gonzales. Grace had been in the community of Singapore for the past 12 years. In these years, she had left her handprints in the hearts of many and re-written lives with her quiet and unassuming ways, including mine. She is now in Manila but will soon be heading to Colombia for a new adventure, a new missionary journey.

Looking back at these 12 years together, who could ever forget the delightful talent of hers with music... or her formative, though sometimes long, preaching...or her boundless joy of her with her noodles (especially Hor Fun and Hokkien Noodles)...or how Singaporean she has become with her 'lah', 'mah', 'where got?' rolling smoothly out of her tongue like a true blue Singaporean? I would want to simply say, 'Thank you! Thank you, Grace, for helping me to grow to be the person I am today. You have re-written my story by being my friend. I will miss you. We will miss you. You are now heading to new places and to meet new people. I know that you will continue to allow God to use you as his instrument to change lives. We will meet again someday...somewhere.'

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National University of Singapore SEng (Science and Engine) Mission Trip

13th to 20th May 2013

Tagaytay, Philippines

The Mission Trip Team led by Verbum Dei Missionaries: Michael, Monika and Sandra

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Helping the locals with their daily work

Planting and weeding @pineapple field

Ploughing field and sowing radish seeds

Making candles

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Having Faith Formation sessions in the afternoons

with youths

Thru skits, sharing,

games, inputs... and

most importantly,

our friendships, we

bring Christ to the

youths!

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Cooking tea for the kids and giving school

supplies to them as gifts

Going house to house praying rosary with

families as well as giving groceries

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"A few things touched me. Firstly, the visit to the slums

during the rosary sessions. They did not ask to be rich, but

simply blessings on the health and faith of their children as

well as to be freed from vices. We could not give them many

material things, but we brought them Christ. Though we

come from different parts of the world, we are united in

prayer and we care for each other. For myself, I will always

remember these friends we have met and continue to keep

them in prayer."

~Andrew Lim, 24 years old, Science Faculty Year 2

"This mission trip has shown me that joy comes from

within and is not affected by our circumstances, and it

also made me realise that God always provides as long

as we have hope and trust in Him."

~Charmaine Chan, 21 years old, Science Faculty Year 2

"I believe that God has his

plans for each of us,

despite our background. It

does not matter if we are

poor or rich, healthy or ill.

I believe God has his

special plans for each of

us, and that we must trust

in Him."

~Alastair Tan, 24 years

old, Computer Science

Year 2

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Goodbye Grace!

Farewell messages from

Verbum Dei Family to Grace

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“He got into one of the boats -- it was Simon's -- and asked him to put out a little from the

shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished

speaking he said to Simon, 'Put out into deep water and pay out your nets for a catch.'”

Lk 5:3-4

This passage has been guiding me in my missionary life ever since God called me to follow Him.

He called me to leave behind my ‘boat’, i.e. my family and my dreams for the future, in order to

sail with him as his missionary. He stepped into my boat and asked me to put it out into the deep

water in order to venture with him and to have my horizon and perspective in life widen. God

wanted me to discover that he had a better plan for me.

After living 6 years in the Philippines as a Verbum Dei missionary, He called me again to leave

behind my familiar shore and set sail to a distant country. I went with trust that God would be the

one leading me.

12 years ago, I arrived in Singapore. I did not see 'lions' (Singa pura: Lion City) but strangers,

people whom I did not know and a land that I was not familiar with. I arrived in a foreign land

without knowing anybody except the missionaries in my community.

Now I am leaving Singapore after 12 years and I can say that this place has become my home

and my family. I am leaving this home where once it was unknown to me. I am leaving friends,

disciples, missionaries and all members of the Verbum Dei Family in Singapore who have been

so generous to me in many ways.

Dear Verbum Dei Family in Singapore, you have become part of my life. Thank you for your

friendship, your openness in receiving the Word of God. Thank you for your companionship and

love. I will miss you all. Please pray for me as God is calling me to push my boat again and to set

sail in order to bring his Word to others. I am leaving this home but I am happy to know that

wherever I go, the Verbum Dei Family will be there to welcome me. God bless you all!

Goodbye…

You cannot discover new oceans unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.

André Gide

Grace

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"Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while,

leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same."