Here we were, four guys from the “marketplace” chilling out at Robertson Quay at the Conerstone Wine Retail Store, when suddenly I had an urge to whip out my N73.

My friends included a partner of a law firm, whom I had worked with closely on a transaction for about 12 months now, a senior staff of a bank, and the Managing Director of a financial consulting firm. The latter two I have known for quite some time from my banking days.

Except for Lennard the consultant, who actually attended Christ Methodist for a while, my relationship with the other two was exclusively on a business basis.

Out of the blues, I showed the picture I had of Yimin that I took recently with my Nokia to attach to her mobile number. And I proudly announced that she was my daughter in law. And more than that, I was going to be an “Ah Kong” or grand dad soon. I don’t normally do that. More likely to show pictures of Shawn as my look-a-like, or of Sab and Sam, and try to impress people about how old my children are. (Actually to elicit a remark about how young I look.)

You know how people get derisive when you are in your fifties? Like 50 is the pinacle and everything after that is over the hill, or going down hill so to speak. I was the oldest of the four, and the youngest, the lawyer was a good ten years younger!

“Why on earth did you draw attention to your senority” I wondered. I had surmised from more traditional minded Chinese friends that having a daughter or son-in law raised your social ranking. And to be a grand dad was considered a double-promotion over your contemporaries whose children are single. But I didn’t think that I was seeking to be elevated over the others with my soon to come status as grand dad.

There followed the expected bantering about how I could be great grand dad by 73 if the boy had a baby at 20. And my lawyer friend said casually, “You are blessed, lah”.

After that the conversation went all over the shop, altogether and two by two.

For instance, speaking to the lawyer while the other two were chatting, I said “Lennard’s family lives in Melbourne, while he works in Singapore. Two to three weeks here and then back to Australia for a spell, and so on.” Since the laywer was familar with my work situation, I also told him about the challenges that I faced in the Company. And to all of us, my “banker” friend shared about being divorced (for 10 years already, I believe.) And we found out that he has got custody of the two children.

Aside, while I refer to my friend as the banker, he keeps pointing out to us during our talk that he is only a bank staff, albeit a senior one. Not like Wee Cho Yaw who is trully a banker!

Anyhow (and I had supposed it was the wine we drank which can cause mellowness if you recall) the conversation became more personal and even spiritual as the banker talked openly about his circumstances.

His elder child is planning to go study in Switzerland. A Degree in hospitality (say Hotel Management) no less. Quick run down of costs, and sympathies all round since this will set him back more than 50K p.a. Ouch! Though my friend has the time nowadays, his children aren’t so interested to do stuff with him. Unfortunately they become quite independent and used to his absence. We could discern the pain. And I think my friend did say that he was rather sorry and felt sad about it. He is about to cross 50, and told us that he had three primary goals in life now. (So sorry, due to my mellow state at that stage, I can only recall two of them.) One, is to find a companion. And two, is to pay back or give back. After his marriage broke up, my friend came to know Christ and became a Roman Catholic. Coming to believe in Jesus had saved his life and gave him the ability to carry on. He actually went on to find a fledging church where his service and contribution would be significant and made a difference. (Wah Lord, how come got so good and never send to me one?)

Some of you may know that I have been struggling all this time to talk openly about being bi-vocational. My disclosure has so far been like a one way street. Very open to my fellowship and people who associate me with New Life Vineyard, about my role in the market place. But never the other way. I have been vague about my role in church to people whom I work with directly in the office. I am afraid that they will somehow hold this or use this against me. It’s a struggle in so far as I felt that this limited the openings (to me) for ministry in the office context.

So I took the opportunity to come clean with my friends about being a church planter. First time to people who associate me principally with the office. However, no one was the wiser about what this phrase meant and since they did not press home with the enquiry I did not elaborate. The moment passed and I told myself, “Never mind. This is a break through moment. You have asked God for boldness and you have gone and done it.”

And then my lawyer friend explained why he said that I was blessed.

He is also a Christian, an Anglican, and married to the daughter of a pastor. But she has cancer. First in her womb and it so it had to be removed. More than a year ago. But the cancer has reappeared in her lungs. He said that for them, there was no prospect of children or grandchildren. He said simply, “for us even life cannot be taken for granted.”

I don’t want to depreciate the moment. It is priceless and precious for him to trust us with his pain and with the knowledge of his situation. I cannot say that I know how my friend feels, what it takes to speak like this. Except that I knew that I could not keep silent or do nothing. I was presented with an opening to be his priest/pastor for that moment, to intercede for him. I asked if he minded if I prayed with him and for his wife. Four of us then bowed our heads and our cries went before our God, our creator and maker of the heavens and earth. It would have been an unusual sight in that place, but it did not matter to us. Four of us were experiencing a rare moment of brotherhood in the kingdom of heaven, when of one heart and of one mind and in one Spirit, we asked for healing for our friend’s wife. What comfort could I offer? So I also asked for the God of all comfort to be manifestly present in their lives.

Even now, I declare that your kingdom has come upon them. And I rebuke the cancer and I speak healing in the name of Jesus. Lord won’t you extend your hand and bring about a wondrous and amazing work of healing and restoration. Let heaven break through, Father.

By Lye Heng