As 2024 draws to a close, here's a look back at the Top 5 most-read stories this year.
As we wrap up 2024, the team at Salt&Light would like to say: Thank you for being here!
It has been our privilege and joy to bring to you another year’s worth of stories about God’s goodness and love in the lives of those around us. We trust that He is working in yours too.
Of the hundreds of stories we’ve published this year, here are the Top 5 you loved most.
#5 “To my surprise, CDL pumped in US$20m!”: How God used a small Singapore company to pull together a multimillion dollar deal for affordable housing in Vietnam
Daniel Long with Terrance (his Providence’s co-managing partner), alongside Kim and his Korean NHO colleagues and Sherman (Group CEO of CDL) at CDL’s diamond jubilee celebrations in 2023. Photo courtesy of Daniel Long.
After fund manager Daniel Long poured in time and money resuscitating a defunct company, he received an impression from God to repurpose it into a social impact company that would provide social and affordable housing to the masses in Vietnam.
As expected, undertaking such a project was a near-impossible feat.
But just as Daniel gave up, God showed up and delivered the partner of their dreams on a silver platter to them: NHO, run by a group Christian Koreans.
There was just one catch: They would have to raise S$30 million for the project. “I felt it was impossible,” said Daniel. “I wrote off our chances.”
However, God had greater plans for the newly listed company – and an extraordinary way He would fund a US$30 million miracle deal, with investors like CDL pitching in.
#4 In their retirement years, they left home to serve God in a country they had not heard of before
Joseph Mannar and Grace Kellan (first row), pictured here with Timorese graduates from their hostel, left their comfortable life in Singapore to run a student hostel in Timor-Leste more than a decade ago. Photo courtesy of Joseph Mannar.
While most people in their mid-60s would be thinking of taking things easy, Singaporeans Joseph Mannar and Grace Kellan packed up their lives to start a new one in Timor-Leste.
Joseph told Salt&Light: “I had friends who had retired and were enjoying their time with their grandkids and drinking coffee in coffeeshops. But I felt that I was still good and strong and healthy. If I can go another mile, I will go another mile.”
In their story, which was part of a Salt&Light series marking LoveTimor’s 20th anniversary, they shared how they took the leap of faith to go despite being unfamiliar with the country, its culture and language.
For a decade, they ran a Christian hostel for senior high students while teaching them the Bible and sharing the love of Christ with them. The married couple returned home to Singapore this May.
Yet, despite being well into his 70s, Joseph remains ready to obey God’s call once again. “I’m not closing the door yet. I’m still open to the idea of going back to serve God,” he said.
Read Joseph and Grace’s story here.
#3 “They said it was impossible for us to be saved”: She was a temple medium for 40 years until her daughter’s prayer brought a miracle
For over 40 years, Linda Khoo served as a temple medium and many believed she would never accept Christ. But in 2018 at 77 years old, Jesus met her. Photo courtesy of Linda Khoo.
The daughter of a temple medium, Linda Khoo, 83, was “born and bred on temple grounds”.
As an adult, she took over her father’s role for more than 40 years. Her connection to the spirit world was strong, and she specialised in soothsaying and finding missing girls supernaturally.
“I always had to please my deity. If he was not happy, I would be in torment. I would not be able to sleep or eat, just suffering,” she told Salt&Light’s Malaysia desk.
Even though Linda was steeped in her religion, her daughter, who had become a Christian, persevered in praying for her mother’s salvation for a decade – until a supernatural breakthrough happened.
“They said it was impossible for us to be saved,” said Linda. “Even I never thought it possible. But God did it.”
#2 She is a university graduate. He graduated from the streets. But their love of God grew their love for each other
Though they are from vastly different backgrounds, and only got married in their late 40s, Jeremy Tan and Dora Lim are confident of this: “In God’s perfect timing, He brought us together.” Photo courtesy of Jeremy Tan and Dora Lim.
She is a former English teacher who spent seven years as a missionary in Central Asia. He was a secret society member and ex-convict who had been addicted to drugs for 22 years.
Dora Lim and Jeremy Tan may seem worlds apart, yet they found in each other a unique sense of comfort and ease – and a common thread that would bind them together for life: their love for God.
In this Valentine’s Day feature, the couple, now married for seven years, sat down with Salt&Light to spill the details of their love story – from the first date that lasted eight hours and the impromptu proposal to why she moved into a halfway house with him and what makes their marriage work.
Read Jeremy and Dora’s love story here.
#1 How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies: A tear-jerking parable about true riches
How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies is a beautifully written and shot Thai film about a young man who starts off scheming to win a large inheritance from his dying grandmother, but gains much more than mere riches. Photo from GDH.
This highest grossing Thai film of 2024 found many movie-goers dabbing away tears with its gripping themes on family, filial piety, love and greed.
As an Asian daughter who has been a caregiver to four parents (including her husband’s) over the last 21 years, Salt&Light’s Deputy Managing Editor Theresa Tan’s experience of the movie “felt like being strapped into an emotional rollercoaster that took me through past and present towards a hard stare at a likely future”.
In this movie review, the Christian daughter and mother offers her reflections on why true inheritance is more than money or property and what is truly means to honour one’s parents.
Read Theresa’s reflection here.
Thank you!
Salt&Light would like to thank all our readers for every article or social media post that you have read or shared with others. If any of our stories have encouraged or inspired you, we are so thankful.
We look forward to bringing you more such stories in the year to come. Don’t miss out by following us on our social media platforms:
From the team at Salt&Light, we wish you a Blessed New Year!
READ THE TOP 5 STORIES OF 2024 HERE:
In their retirement years, they left home to serve God in a country they had not heard of before
How To Make Millions Before Grandma Dies: A tear-jerking parable about true riches
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