It is coming close to a month since I began my volunteer stint at Saint Andrew’s Hall (a foreign student hostel which caters to 13-18 year old from ASEAN countries). Initially it felt administratively heavy, having to get used to the resident mentor’s portal system, adjusting to the Hall’s processes, learning the names of the 29 students under my care, and getting to know my fellow resident mentors and Christian fellowship students.

2 weeks into the role, I gradually eased into the new rhythm of night roll-calls, approving students’ leaves, and attending to their needs/queries like loss of student card, school bag, common toilets not flushed. Thank God for his grace, these matters were quickly resolved. I am equally thankful to God for the quiet time I have, from putting my kids to bed (2 kids at DTC, 1 kid at Hall), putting on soaking worship music in the background, I tune in to Lectio 365’s devotion for the night, calming my soul and spirit after a day’s grind, to the time I interact with the students at night roll-call. I take delight in the small chatter with the students, finding out about their life back home and their adjustments to life in Singapore. For some, life here is welcome. For others, it poses cultural shocks. As I build the rapport with them, I pray I can be a source of encouragement for them to seek God in their joy and stress.

Although I feel unsettled having to straddle between 2 homes (which do I call my home?), I see God’s providence in that I have a quiet space for now, before my noisy clan moves in at end of May. When I was preparing myself mentally to shift here, it did not occur to me that I would have this pocket of quiet time. It was a pleasant gift the Lord had in store for my introverted soul.

These two and a half months serves as a gentle transitional window period for us to close our chapter at DTC, and open a new chapter at the Hall. The packing and slowly shifting of things is also a therapeutic process for our hearts. We opened our hearts to the community at DTC two years ago, left our footprints there and established good friendships. We will undoubtedly feel sad leaving this wonderful community, and I am already feeling fragments of it, knowing that we may never see our classmates again in our earthly life when they head back to their home countries faraway.

In life, it is important to open well, and close well, in whichever season we are in. It can be likened to the opening intros and closing outros in music which brings balance to the song, and to its listeners. In the same breath, my family of 5 diverse personalities (ie. a bigger-sounding music composition with more instruments/music parts) will require a longer opening, and a longer closing for all to cross over well. It is absolutely beautiful how God orchestrated this arrangement such that it is a comfortable pace for both adults and children. I would not have thought of this arrangement on my own. If given a choice, I would have chosen to start at the Hall only after finishing at DTC end of May. But things fell into place with God’s order, the Hall needed someone to start in March and I accepted it by faith.

It’s been working out fine for our kids, thankfully. There were kinks to iron out, and are still being sorted out, as there will be with every new change, but if we are all onboard to embark on this new chapter of growth together, having a positive and prayerful attitude goes a long way in making the journey more pleasant.