Wow, it's home at last!
Yes, today I made my first trip home to my hometown, Batu Pahat. It was a nostalgic trip home as I had not been home since March 2006. I followed the ARPC team there as Elder Wong Foo Mun was giving a sermon at GGBP this morning. Wah Kam, a fellow BPian, drove us there.
Originally, the purpose of the trip home was to see my family. But it turned out I was asked to give my personal testimony at my home church, Gereja Grace Batu Pahat (GGBP) during the Sunday service. GGBP had been supporting me in prayers throughout my illness. It is only right & timely that GGBP gets to personally hear my testimony now that I am well enough to be there in person. After all, the Lord has done so much for me & deserves to be praised.
After the service, I visited my family for a short while before joining the rest for lunch hosted by Elder Lim AL at his newly-built mansion. We made our way home to Singapore after lunch. It was a tiring but worthwhile trip.
Below is the testimony I gave at GGBP.
My Testimony
Good morning, brothers & sisters.
Some of you might not know me. My name is Sock Kim. If you were in this church in the 1970’s, you would most likely know me. I was born & bred in Batu Pahat. Gereja Grace has always been very close to my heart because it was in this church that I first came to know Jesus Christ as my Saviour. I grew up & was baptised in this church. I transferred my church membership to ARPC 3 years ago. BP is still my home although I live & work in Singapore. My parents & most of my siblings are still in BP. I come home a few times a year, but I’ve not been home for more than a year due to my illness. I’m happy to be home again. Many of you have been praying for me when you heard about my illness. Thank you for journeying along with me in my battle against cancer. I stand before you this morning to testify that the Lord in His grace has healed me. All praise & glory be to God!
16 Aug 2006 was the darkest day of my life. It was the day I learned I had nose cancer. When the doctor told me the bad news, I was shocked because I had always been in good health & had never suffered from sinus or nose bleeding problems. I couldn’t believe it. How could it be? I tried to understand what was happening but nothing seemed to make sense. I couldn’t sleep the whole night. I felt so lonely. I knelt before the Lord & cried, “Lord, I don’t understand what is happening. I feel so scared. I don’t know what to do but my eyes are on You.” God led me to read Psalm 73:26 that night - “My flesh & my heart may fail but God is the strength of my heart & my portion forever.” This verse brought me comfort as I was assured that God is my Strength & would guide me through this unknown journey.
My problem started in July 2006 as an innocent ringing tone in my left ear after just 2 weeks of swimming lessons. Little did I expect my ear problem to become so serious. A biopsy later confirmed a malignant tumour behind my nose. I am one person who is always afraid of water so I don’t understand what made me decide to take up swimming lesson last year. On hindsight, had I not taken up swimming, the tumour might still not be discovered today. I thank the Lord for alerting me ahead of time.
I began my 33 sessions of radiotherapy treatment in Sep 2006. It was a long & difficult journey. Many times when the going got tough, when the pain became unbearable, I pleaded with the Lord to take away the suffering. But God’s Word came to me, “My grace is sufficient for you.” There were times when I felt so weak & helpless I wanted to give up the treatment. But I am thankful the Lord stood by me & gave me His grace & strength to endure the pain & suffering.
When I first learned I had cancer, I had several concerns about how I was going to cope with my illness. Who was going to look after me? What about the medical bills? Everything happened so fast I simply had no time, & did not have the frame of mind, to sit down to think or plan. But God was faithful & good. He saw to my every need. I did not need to do anything. God did everything. God gave me what I call the 4-F’s : Faith, Family, Friends & Finance.
(1) God gave me Faith. The faith to believe that He could do the impossible.
(2) God gave me Family. My loved ones rallied around me. My mum came down to Singapore to look after me for 5 months. God even made it possible for mum to be granted a 3-year social visit permit to Singapore.
(3) God gave me Friends. Angels came to minister to my needs. These Godsend angels took turns to drive me to the hospital for my daily treatment. They cooked & delivered food to my home. They took care of me when I was warded in the hospital. One angel became my personal manager. She coordinated all my needs for prayer, transport & food, & posted them on a blog she created to keep everyone updated on my condition.
(4) God gave me Finance, the money to pay all my medical bills. It’s amazing how God settled all my medical bills in such unexpected ways. He is indeed Jehovah-Jireh, my Provider.
It’s now 9 months after my cancer treatment. I praise God I’m recovering well. I am thankful that through this personal crisis, I got to taste God’s faithfulness & goodness, & experience God’s presence & power in my life. I might not understand why God has allowed me to suffer from cancer but I know that “in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” (Rom 8:28). I know that God in His sovereign will has a purpose in everything He does.
I am thankful to God for giving me a new lease of life. I am thankful to God that I can be alive today to see all of you. Cancer has affected & changed the way I live my life. It has brought an element of uncertainty into my life as I learn to live with the side effects of radiation each day. But no matter how uncertain my life is, I am certain of one thing, that God is sovereign & He is in control of my life.
thanks for journeying with me,
tsk tsk
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