“I’m miserable. It would be better if I was dead.”
Samuel Soong recalls encountering residents at MWS Nursing Home – Yew Tee expressing such distress. Faced with chronic health conditions coupled with loneliness, some of them grapple with a deep sense of hopelessness.
“Some residents are frustrated with life because they are beset by health issues and loneliness. I have ministered to stroke survivors who cry and question their prolonged suffering. Many don’t have family visiting them, so they feel lonely,” shared Samuel.
For a year now, the 54-year-old business analyst has been ministering to residents at the Nursing Home in his role as a pastoral care volunteer.
A member of Faith Methodist Church, Samuel began volunteering with Methodist Welfare Services (MWS) as he wanted to go further in serving God. “I have a burden for the sick and the elderly who are dying but do not yet know God. Engaging in chaplaincy work allows me to provide care and comfort to those in need,” he said.
“Most residents are elderly, but I encountered a young man who was there because he had brain damage, and was unable to talk or feed himself. I was moved with compassion to pray for him at his bedside. I’ve also met residents whose health declined over the years, rendering them bedridden. I feel a calling to minister to and pray for them,” he said.
A gift of sacrificial love
Samuel, who conducts weekly pastoral visits, views volunteering as a way of walking out his faith. “I find it meaningful to engage with the residents, sharing the message of God’s love with those feeling down. My hope is to be a light during a dark time in their lives,” he said.
“I enjoy playing their favourite songs and singing along with them. One of the residents is a stroke survivor who enjoys colouring, so I spend time just colouring with, and talking to, him. He really appreciates it because no one has ever sat down with him like that. A lot of residents have no family members visiting them, so I am like family to them.”
As part of this year’s The Giving Methodist (TGM) campaign, church members can sign up to undergo pastoral care training with the MWS Chaplaincy Team, where they will also get the opportunity to minister to residents at an MWS Nursing Home.
A joint initiative by MWS and The Methodist Church in Singapore, the annual TGM aims to galvanise Methodists to show love and kindness to the distressed and disadvantaged.
This year’s theme, “Serving in His Footsteps”, calls on Methodists in Singapore to emulate Jesus by showing love and kindness to the last, lost and least. They can connect with, extend help to, or raise awareness for the less fortunate in the community.
Empowering volunteers for effective support
In the face of Singapore’s ageing population, with an estimated one in four becoming 65 or older by 2030, the demand for eldercare is rising. Volunteers like Samuel crucially alleviate the strain on care institutions like Nursing Homes, while enhancing the quality of life and wellbeing of the elderly.
At MWS, pastoral care volunteers undergo a training course led by Rev Dr Norman Wong, Head Chaplain from MWS, to equip them for the work.
“I have learned to be a better listener and to minister to a diverse group, including stroke survivors,” shared Samuel.
“During one of the lessons, Rev Dr Norman illuminated the spiritual significance of our visits by referencing Matthew 25, where Jesus emphasised that caring for those who are in distress is akin to caring for him. It’s a powerful reminder of why I do what I do.”
Visit https://thegivingmethodist.sg for more info.
Pray for MWS!
We are excited to announce that MWS has launched a “Pray for MWS” WhatsApp Channel. While we do not fully understand the wonderful mystery of prayer, we are clear that our Lord encourages us to pray! So we invite you to spend a few minutes each month to join us in prayer. You will receive:
- A broad general prayer for MWS based on the text from the Bible
- Two or three specific prayer requests