What is the main purpose or spiritual calling of utilising the extra space?
Twenty years ago, we started our journey in Geylang, at a storeroom in 175b Geylang Road. Our landlady, BeeLian, gave us 45k SGD and the entire 1st level at 175a. Now, we pay 6k SGD per month in 2023 for the Family Gate (Oikos) sanctuary on the 1st level and the Nations Gate (Oikos) chapel on the 2nd level.
In 2004, for about half a year, I had my first office in a storage room. This office was in the red-light district, overlooking the back streets. At the same time, we were finishing a contract with AEC in Market Street, near the Golden Shoe car park. We knew we would need to move out soon as rents in the city center were rising. As expected, this happened, leading us to move to Geylang due to a few unexpected events.
Source: Elijah 7000 (Chairman Jason Wong SY)
Source: Elijah 7000, Chairman Jason Wong SY
Source: Elijah 7000, Chairman Jason Wong SY
I was actively involved in Geylang during the Tsunami on December 26, 2004. Over the next three months, I helped set up a relief effort. I worked with various businesses, including Jacob's cafe in Changi Village. I traveled to Sri Lanka to assist with rebuilding projects for the fishermen. These projects, worth over 100 million USD, were financed by donations from Mercy Ships and many small private faith-based donors.
GBG was born from a desire to help people in need. It's a joint effort by different Christian groups to aid those lost and alone in Geylang's back lanes. Volunteers can get hands-on experience in Christian service for 8-12 weeks. They'll also learn about street work as part of a mission in the inner city. This mission provides an alternative for street and brothel communities, where GBG associates offer direct help to victims.
The street revivals went on for nearly 10 years, shifting focus from fighting vices to helping families. This shift from anti-vice to pro-family happened around six years ago, in October 2017. During this period, we also found new insights in biblical patterns that confirmed our views on Modalities.
We've been busy since expanding to Chiangmai, Fukuoka, and Manila this year. In mid-Dec 2023, I came back to Singapore. There, I looked for ways to make our partnerships with the Elijah fathers, the Homeschoolers, and other groups stronger. All of us share the same goal of "experiencing God's love and passing it on." We made this our vision in Geylang in 1992.
When the Lion Dance group next door moved out, a space opened up. We learned about this and reached out to the owner. That's how we got here. At the same time, we got an unexpected offer to take 3,000 theological volumes from a local bible school. This was great for us as we needed more library space. Was it just luck that the unit next to ours became available?
The goal now is to improve the ministry's financial strength. This task involves raising funds for necessary renovations and for at least 3 years, or 1,000 days, of operation. As Proverbs chapter 24 suggests, this new space should be a cherished place for showing divine wisdom and understanding: ‘a house is built by wisdom, its rooms are filled with rare and precious treasures’ (vv 3-4).
We previously secured 175a/b, a 24 x 7 mission aimed at dealing with street crimes and brothels. It was effective in curbing illegal acts and aiding women and girls engaged in vice. This was most active around 2008, but continues as long as Geylang is a red-light district.
This includes the main cooking area, sleeping rooms and prayer room on the 2nd level. The 1st level has a worship area, guest room, and the library with a small kitchenette that you might know.
This is only one part of the building. The other part, now vacant, was occupied by the Lion Dance troupe at 173a/b. It is a mirror image of the space I just described.
We plan to build a West wing (173a/b) and an East wing (175a/b). These will represent the four parts of a design called a tetramorph - the Lion, the Man (in the West), and the Eagle, the Ox (in the East). Each symbolizes a different phase of our history.