* CERC Family Camp

The annual family camp of the Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church In Singapore was held this year from Monday, June 14 - Friday, June 18 at the Awana Genting Highlands Resort in Malaysia. Two buses were rented for the 9 hour trip (including customs) and some also took their cars (travel time was shorter by car).

              The bus ride to the camp

                          The Awana Genting Highlands Resort

About 120 registered for the camp this year. 


Our camp shirts reflecting the theme

As you know Rev. Kleyn was asked to speak at the camp.   He gave 5 speeches on the theme: "We Are One" based on Ephesians 4.


Besides the speeches, there was still plenty of time for fun.  We were divided into teams for the week and had a lot of good spirited competition.

Human Foosball

Captain's Ball
Each team had to get the ball to its goal keeper (the person standing on the chair on the far end)

Pastor Paul Goh, minister of CERC, led devotions every morning at 7:15.

  

The times of fellowship were a wonderful way to get to know the saints there.

Visiting with Foong Ngee and Suet Yin (pastors' wives)

Pastor Goh and Suet Yin
Jun and Ella Trinidad, a Filipino couple living in Singapore and attending CERC.

Other activities included a cable car ride, a campfire night with presentations done by the various groups, etc.


       The cable car ride up the mountain

        Singing at one of the speeches


                 Campfire night

We left Singapore on Monday morning, June 21.  Some came to the airport to see us off and Pastor Goh  read the Bible and prayed.  We pray the Lord's blessing on his people there.  May the cause of His kingdom go forward in that land as well as in the Philippines.





* Singapore - CERC visit

We just returned from an eleven day visit to the Covenant Evangelical Reformed Church in Singapore.  With the approval of our calling church and the FMC, we traveled there so that Rev. Kleyn could speak at their annual church camp and preach for two Sundays.  We enjoyed our time very much.  It was a joy to visit with and get to know our fellow saints there in CERC.


We stayed at the YWCA over the weekends. During the week, we were at the church camp, which was held in Malaysia.


CERC has its own church building now. It's beautifully finished off, and includes a library, classrooms, kitchen, etc. After 22 years, they're very happy finally to have their own place of worship.


Pastor Paul Goh and his wife, Suet Yin.
(Not at their worship place though - we forgot to get a picture of that)

One of our first experiences on our first day was a visit to a "Fish Foot Spa." It felt like the small, toothless fish called Garra Ruffa (or more commonly, Doctor Fish) were nibbling away at us as they sucked off our dry and dead skin. As you can tell, it's difficult to keep from laughing at first, and can also be a struggle to keep your feet in the water.  



"Doctor Fish" sucking away at our feet

On our first day we were also taken around by Felix and Angela.  We visited a Chinese temple, and were reminded in a most striking way of the blindness of unbelief.  Also of the wonder of God's grace in delivering us from such idolatry.

Outside the Chinese Temple
(A Chinese Funeral was being prepared in the Tent in the Foreground)

The Entrance to a Hindu Temple

We were also treated to many of the local foods.

Eating Dim Sum
(We also had barbecued chicken feet.  Just one of us tried them.  Guess who didn't?)


A meal at a Hawker's Center with Peng-Lan, Daisy, and Kah Pik
(The most interesting part of this meal was sting-ray.)


A New Hotel near down-town Singapore (notice the ship shape on top)


The Merlion - A Singapore Symbol
(It's the combination of a fish and lion - the fish for obvious reasons, and the lion because one of the first men to discover Singapore saw a lion there.)

Here are some of the families and members we visited with while there.  Always good times of fellowship together, and often we were introduced to a new dish or two.  Enjoyed that too.

Robert & Grace, Roy & Florence


Visiting on Sunday evening at the home of Daniel & Eunice Ong, Christine, Lisa, Julia.  Also Jonah Chua.


We strolled along a boardwalk on the east coast of Singapore with the Lim family.
(Aaron plans to move to Grand Rapids soon to study, the Lord willing.)


"Steamboat" for supper
(The fish on the plate was placed in the cooking pot and freshly cooked prior to eating.)


Our 2nd Sunday Evening

We had supper on our 2nd Sunday evening at the Chan's home (Felix, Angela, Isaac, Iva, Isa), along with Elder Fai Chong and two of his children (Claudia, Boaz), and also Elder Kong Wee and his family (his wife Dorcas is a daughter of Fai Chong).

Next time, Lord willing, the CERC church camp which was held in Malaysia.
  

* Miscellaneous Pictures 2


First Reformed Church of Bulacan
[Rev. Kleyn preaches here the 1st Sunday of each month]


Pastor John Flores
[First Reformed Church of Bulacan]


Wishful thinking??


Coastal shot on the way to Inayauan


"Herd" of ducks
[A farmer had just moved them across the road]


Church Building ..... started, but not finished


Ibes' Arrival


MJ (Martyn John) enjoying a car ride
  

* Miscellaneous Pictures 1

Beautiful countryside near Gabaldon


Some of the children in Gabaldon (Rochelle, Jose, Diana) waving good-bye


Clouds on our recent flight to Bacolod City, Negros


Christian Faith Ministry in Batasan Hills
  

A family going to church on a Sunday morning


Some pigs getting a ride to market


Maaaaa!  There are a lot of goats here.


Taffic.  Traffic.  Traffic.


A traffic hold-up.
 Someone was burning in their field next to the freeway.
The wind shifted, the smoke lifted, and we could continue.


A friendly farmer


Oops!  Happily it didn't seem like anyone was badly hurt.


The "golden shower" tree by our front gate