from Bethesda Bells, Feb 2017, pg. 18-20.
MARGARET TIO
Get2Know: David Tan
The Peranakan Elder calls and visits members when he notices their prolonged absence. He is also involved in the Visitation Ministry (VM).
In the Peranakan congregation, the people who helm the ministry are Elder David Tan and his wife Helen, ably assisted by Mrs Chia Chin Soon, Irene Ong, Ruby and Billy Foo.
When David retired from the airline industry a er 40 years, he wanted to contribute his services to the Lord.
Our late elder Mr T.C. Koh approached him to help in the Peranakan congregation and without hesitation, he said yes. David’s only requirement: that Mr Koh and Mr Charlie Chan (then elders in the Peranakan congregation) guide him.
The Peranakan leaders visit their members a er church on the rst Sunday of the month. Among those they call on are the old who are not mobile enough to attend church, and the sick. The VM team prays for the ock they visit to encourage them and to demonstrate their care and concern for them.
Sometimes, they learn of sensitive information. For example, families who may be in nancial need such as medical and hospitalisation bills, and bereavement expenses. These cases are brought up at the leaders’ meetings and discussed on the action to be taken.
As shepherds, David and his team are gentle to approach the members so that good rapport and understanding is built up among the community.
David finds satisfaction and joy in his visitation work and although it is tiring, he and Helen go out every week to visit members either in their homes or in the hospitals.
Said David: “Sometimes, they comment (in Peranakan), ‘It’s good that you visit me now and not when I have gone home to the Lord’.”
David adds: “This is their way of reminding us to come and visit. We monitor their presence in church and we call them to ask why they are absent.”
His own prayer request:
“Please pray that God will strengthen us spiritually and physically so that we can continue to serve Him in this area with His love. I also want to be a bridge to the English and the Chinese congregations so that we can be a united family.”
He shares some tips for those who want to serve in VM:
- In order to win people’s trust, you must put them at ease and make them feel comfortable with you. Also, don’t gossip.
- Be humble — approach them first. That’s because if they have a problem, they are already feeling pai seh (embarrassed). So, they are not likely to make the first move.
- Treat everyone equally — whether they are rich or poor, they are God’s children. Don’t discriminate the members.
- God does not look at how much we have done for Him — He looks at our hearts. Do we have any agenda for personal gain?
David went for his knee replacement surgery and also his cataract operation late last year. Thank God, he is still doing his visitation rounds!
