I came from avery staunch Buddhist family.It is a big family. I have two mothers,five younger brothers, and four younger sisters, including my late grandmother and late father who are now with the Lord.

My old home was a three room HDB (government) flat. My grandmother was a very strong lady in her Buddhism belief and very religious. I learned many religious practices and various ways of worships from her. The home was like a temple because we had a long altar where more than ten gods stood, and facing the front door. Being the eldest of the children, I was put in charge of many Chinese festivals and traditional functions, including the birthdays of the gods we had on the altar, and our family ancestors. I was taught on many trades of the worships and Chinese superstitious regulations and observations e.g. what to place on the table for worship, what to wear, your action and speech were all conducted with great care in order not to offend the deity or your dead elders.

I grew up worshipping many gods in my life. My greatest admiration was the Goddess of Mercy because she had done many good things in life for others. She was kind, gentle and beautiful. I had a secret wish to be like her when I died.

I had never heard about the name of the Christian god. My grandmother told me the Christian god belongs to the Westerners, and had no relationship with us. But within me, I had often wondered why the Westerners nailed him on the cross? What was his name? What wrongs had he done and so on?

I never got the answers until many years later when I had just finished my primary schooling and waiting for result. One of my former neighbors invited me for Christmas party in her church. Because it was a party I was allowed to join her. That was in the year 1962.

As I stepped into the church, I felt something so peaceful. It was totally very different from the temples I went. There were no idols, no statues of deity or any altar to offer incense and prayer. On the wall in front of the church platform, hung a sign “Jesus Only”. Now I knew that the man on the cross, his name was Jesus.

Since I enjoyed the party and knew so many new friends, my parents did not object to my new acquaintance. I made a promise to them that “don’t worry I will never believe in their god or become a Christian”.

I came to learn that Jesus is the Son of Man who died on the cross but rose again on the third day; I also learned about forgiveness for sins, and many lessons and stories that I never heard about from the gods I worshipped. I got all my questions answered but kept all these in my heart.

Two incidents happened towards the year 1963:

I lived in the third floor of an HDB flat of six stories high. One evening my neighbors, who lived in the six floors, their son committed suicide. He jumped down from his kitchen window. It happened right in front of me and I was very stunned. I just saw him in the morning. He was only 18 yrs old. Where did he go to now? What happened after his death? First time in my life, I came face to face with death. I was really unprepared and very frightened. But I said nothing about it to my parents or grandmother.

I usually went with my grandmother to get all the necessary incense papers, joss-stick and other offering items at one regular shop downtown. This time round, the shop owner was carving the goddess of mercy, and there were other gods that were completed. I was shocked. The statue had wire all over her. The man was also using water color and clay to patch her up.
Something hit me. These were the gods that I had worshipped all my life. I called to my grandmother “Look she (referring to goddess of mercy) was made of clay, wire and water color!” My grandmother gave me a stern look, and I shut my mouth.
These two incidents had a great impact on my belief and search for meaning about life, death, and many doubts. By and by, I lost my trust in the idols because when I looked at them, all I saw were wire and clay. I was very disturbed. I could not concentrate on my studies.

In the year 1963, August 23rd, there was a baptism service in the church I attended. Many of the youth who came up for baptism, were young like me. But there were something special about them. They talked about how God answered their prayers, how God changed their lives and forgave their sins. There were smiles in their complexion and joy.

The congregation was singing “Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?” It was like asking me. I started to cry and somehow unknowingly, I was talking to their God. “Ok Jesus if you are real, and can forgive sin, then I also want your forgiveness. Ok I believe you but you must help me…” My friend, who sat beside me, just put her arms around me and let me cry. But something strangely happened within me. I could felt a deep peace came over me which I never had before.

After the service, two of the church friends explained to me all about salvation and eternal life in Jesus.

That was how I met the Man on the Cross and came to accept Him as my personal Savior, and years down the lane, I dedicated my life to Jesus and became a missionary. My whole family members are now Christians.
Praise the Lord.