When I first joined OMF’s Pearl Family Garden ministry in Taipei’s red-light district, I still had a typical Singaporean mindset. I was task- and ­goal-oriented, focused on effectiveness and efficiency.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with setting goals or wanting to be effective. But in life and ministry, so much is out of our control.

Broken and hopeless 

Most of the women who came to our centre were in their fifties or sixties. Widowed, divorced or estranged from their family. 

Some of them had borrowed money from loansharks or credit card companies. Lacking good health, education and skills, it was difficult for them to find alternative employment.

Sometimes, they would complain about their problems but when push comes to shove, they were not ready for change and did not want to take any action. 

In my first few years of ministry, I often felt frustrated and helpless.

If only I had the “right answer”, if only I knew the “best practices”, if only I had a “silver bullet”, things would be different.

If only I were a professional counsellor, social worker or psychiatrist, I would know how to deal with their financial, physical, emotional and mental problems, I would know how to motivate them towards change.

Sin Ee shares at a Thanksgiving Service organised by the ministry. She is currently in Singapore due to Covid, but will return to her ministry in Taiwan soon.

But the more time I spent with women on the margins, the more I realised that no one had “the answer”. The problems of these women were entrenched and complex. Their lives were so broken and, from a human point of view, hopeless.

A present from heaven

One of the first women I met in this ministry was Carnation.

To help her boyfriend, she had borrowed a lot of money from her relatives. When he ran away with the funds, she was left to pick up the pieces.

Although Carnation had suffered a great deal in life – an unhappy childhood, a broken marriage, suicide attempts, sexual abuse, serious injuries from a car accident, the death of a child – she believed that “the gods had protected her”. She could not turn her back on them by getting baptised.

Even as she called God her Heavenly Father, Carnation prayed to idols and asked for luck to win the lottery.

Carnation thought of herself as a good person, not a sinner who needed forgiveness. 

Carnation played the lottery every week because it offered the possibility – however remote – of solving all her financial problems. When I suggested that she save her money and ask God for help, she joked: “Is the money going to come down from heaven?”

A few months later, Carnation received a letter informing her that the arrears of her national health insurance had been paid by a corporate sponsor.

I took the opportunity to remind her: “See, God really did send a present from heaven.”

Jacob’s well

Looking back on my 12 years of ministry at the Pearl Family Garden, the fifth year was a crucial turning point. I came close to suffering burnout.

No matter how hard I looked, how many professionals or experts I spoke to, how many books I read, I could not find a silver bullet that would magically solve the problems arising from poverty and past trauma.

That year, I visited a friend who lived in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver. DTES is a neighbourhood known for extremely high levels of drug use, homelessness, poverty, crime, mental illness and prostitution.

My friend, Jennie, was an artist who was involved in community outreach and prayer ministry. She brought me to Jacob’s Well, a Christian community center, for an art class.

The skeptic in me thought: “What good is an art class? How is it going to help these homeless people and drug addicts?”

But the volunteers didn’t seem to share my concerns. They were not worried if anyone showed up or if it really “made a difference”.

They were happy to serve God and their joy was contagious.

His good work in us 

After much reflection, I realised that God has not called me to Taiwan to “make a difference”. He did not expect me to “change lives” or “produce results”.

I have to trust that God is in charge and that He loves my friends more than I do. He is responsible for their well-being.

I do not have to solve their problems or worry about their future. I can be honest and admit: “I don’t know what to do either but let’s pray and ask God together.”

Time after time, God has answered my prayers.

Carnation was finally baptised after ten years of evangelism and discipleship. She is one of the most prayerful and grateful people that I know. Despite her poor eyesight, she is learning to read the Bible and memorise Scripture.

Have there been times when you felt discouraged in ministry because things do not seem to be moving?

Remember, all that God asks of us is to be faithful to our calling, to share His love and good news with people, being confident that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).

To find out more about OMF Taiwan’s Pearl Family Garden ministry, please visit their website.

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