“I remember, as junior doctors, we had a patient with a very bad wound. He had an infected hip, he was a long stayer. If I recall correctly, he was a vagrant,” relates well-known author, medical doctor and educator, Dr Tan Lai Yong. 

“At that time we were posted to a new, top-class hospital and we were able to use all kinds of fancy drugs and antibiotics. And every time he was going into septic shock, we just gave him a boost and he would wake up again. 

“And one day our senior consultant, who was a very gentle person, he scolded us! He shouted across the ward and gave us a dressing-down: What have you done to this person!“

Then he pulled out a $10 note and asked the matron to buy some honey instead.

What lessons of grace and community did the young doctor learn that day? Valuable ones, he says.

In his latest book, Encountering Covid, Embracing Covenant, Engaging Community, Dr Tan shares stories from his encounters with friends and strangers who have unexpected things to teach us about humanity during the time of Covid-19.

The vivid photographs in Dr Tan’s new book were taken by his wife Lay Chin and himself on their daily morning walks, and are observations of God’s covenantal love.

The wisdom revealed in simple things and every day encounters is a reminder to believers of God’s covenant and an encouragement to us all to “hold fast to what is good” in a tumultuous time.

Salt&Light sat down with Dr Tan and Lok Vi Ming, Chairman of the Council of Elders at Bethesda Bedok-Tampines Church who wrote the foreword of the book, to find out more.

You’ve known each other since 1974! How have you seen Lai Yong live out this need to reach out to the community?

LVM: You know, we walk into a room and we pick out the guy that we can talk to. This person who may give us some business, whom we might be able to call on one day.

But I think Lai Yong looks out for the small guy, whose life he can change or help. And that’s a lesson in community.

Where does this come from? What motivates you?

TLY: I think it’s the love of God. 

In this book, I share one story about being hidden in Christ and there’s a picture of a small insect in a rolled-up leaf. And that’s what we are. The luxuriant greenery around this one small insect.

God’s love envelopes us and embraces us.

Could you describe your new book in a nutshell?

TLY: Encountering Covid, which was like a storm; embracing Covenant, a healing balm; engaging Community is when I am forgiven for my sins and I will now share that joy with someone else. But in a way that is meaningful to that person.

In his latest book, Encountering Covid, Embracing Covenant, Engaging Community, Dr Tan shares stories from his encounters with friends and strangers who have unexpected things to teach us about humanity during the time of Covid-19. Photo by Ang Wei Ming.

So what happened next in the honey story? 

So after the senior consultant scolded us, he told us that we were just bypassing the patient and we were just infusing him with the most powerful drugs but not curing the situation.

As he walked out of the ward, he took out $10 from his wallet and gave it to the matron, the nursing officer. And he told her: “Matron, go buy some honey and teach them (meaning us young doctors) what to do.”

He said: “Remember? Honey? Half for the wound and half for the man.”

And we didn’t know what to do but we dare not ask, we were so frightened! And then he left, and as he walked out, you could almost see the twinkle in his eye and the smile on his face.

After awhile we asked the nursing officer: “What did Prof mean?”

And she smiled and said: “In the old days when they didn’t have all these fancy dressings and drugs, honey was used as a dressing. The hyperosmolar honey would debride the wound and take out all the dirt from the infection.” 

“Okay, so that’s honey for the wound. What did he mean by the other half?”

“What he meant was: The other half make a honey drink and give it to the Ah Pek so that his appetite is better!” 

You look after the wound and you look after the wounded. Don’t neglect one for the other.

And I think in Covid, when there’s so much inequality, so much pain, that’s what God teaches us to do. Yes, we address the problems but we also address the person with the problems.

LVM: Do you remember when we were secondary school kids running from one party to another and I turned to you and asked: “What would you think if one day we found out there was no God?”

And you turned to me and you said: “There would be no loss to me, because I’m enjoying God’s love and I’m just enjoying loving Him and believing in Him.”

And I think that if we’re able to do that, to understand God’s love, to experience His love, and then to learn to enjoy sharing that, it’s not a great deal of sacrifice. I think that would be a great blessing. 

Get your Special Easter Bundle here!

Special Easter Bundle.

To purchase Dr Tan Lai Yong’s latest book, Encountering Covid, Embracing Covenant, Engaging Community, or simply to bless someone with one, please click here. 

$20 per copy. Enjoy 10% discount when you order 10 or more copies.

All proceeds go towards Salt&Light, so you will be partnering us in our ministry with your support!

Limited Special Easter Bundle ($180) exclusively sold here:

• 5 copies of Encountering Covid, Embracing Covenant, Engaging Community
• 5 copies of Salt&Light: Inspirational Stories of Faith at Work
• 5 Salt&Light postcards, with envelopes (worth $15)

If you have any queries or for bulk purchases, please email [email protected].

Look out for the Ebook version launching soon.

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RELATED STORY:

Lessons from a grasscutter: Dr Tan Lai Yong launches new book on God’s covenantal love in tumultous times

Dr Tan Lai Yong and wife Lay Chin’s book celebrates a “love that will not freeze”

“Marry a lady who is smarter than you”: Dr Tan Lai Yong on his 30th wedding anniversary