Singapore Six

An American Family of Six Serving in Singapore

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What will the Kids do for School in Singapore?

As far as frequently asked questions go, “What will the kids do for school in Singapore?” is right at the top. It was a big question for us to answer as well! In their few years of school in Texas Ella and Troy have been homeschooled as well as gone to public school. We believe both options have benefits and drawbacks. Our kids have been blessed in both public school and homeschool. Our kids have had difficulties in both public school and homeschool. When it comes to our children’s education, we are open minded to investigate all possible options (even beyond public school and homeschooling) wherever we live, especially knowing that geographic location and even specific schools can have an impact on our decision.

Singapore is known for having an excellent education system, with students who consistently rank at the top across the world. Because of this we were excited to investigate opportunities for our kids to be a part of the Singapore education system. Essentially there are two types of schools our kids had the possibility of attending in Singapore: private (usually international schools) or mainstream (public schools).

International schools, like most private schools, are very, very expensive. These are often the types of schools where companies pay for the tuition of employees’ kids to attend.

Interestingly, the mainstream schools in Singapore are also costly if you are not a Singapore citizen or permanent resident. The cost for our kids to attend the mainstream schools in Singapore is around $1500 per month (three kids in school at approximately $500 each/month). However, when it comes to the mainstream schools in Singapore, there are additional things beyond cost to consider as well. We would have to apply to get our children into the mainstream schools, and as a non-Singaporean and non-permanent resident we are “last in line” to apply. We have been told that the mainstream schools only take a handful of students each year. And, even if our kids were accepted into mainstream schools, there is no guarantee that our kids would be at the same school. In fact, our kids could easily be separated at three different schools by more than an hour across the island (by public transport) from each other and from where we live.

The third option we wanted to investigate was the opportunity to homeschool. When we began looking into working in Singapore, we didn’t know if homeschooling was even an option (legal). Even across the United States, homeschooling regulations vary greatly from state to state (Texas has very little regulation). From some brief googling we had done, it seemed like homeschooling in Singapore might be difficult. According to the Ministry of Education in Singapore, there are many different requirements that must be met to homeschool in Singapore. So, during Trent’s visit to Singapore last August to check out the work, he looked more extensively into the possibility of homeschooling. And, although there are strict requirements for Singaporeans and permanent residents to homeschool their children, as a family here on an employment pass (work visa) we aren’t subject to those requirements.

After looking into these options, we decided that we would homeschool our kids. (I homeschooled Ella and Troy in the year leading up to our move to Singapore.) Please know that cost was far from the only deciding factor when it came to homeschooling our children. I have really enjoyed homeschooling, and I’m very thankful for the opportunity to continue doing it. I love getting to spend time with the kids. I love having freedom to choose curriculums that I think fit the kids, and that teach material that we think is important for them. I love being able to incorporate Bible time into our school routine. I love being able to move quickly past material the kids easily get, and being able to spend more time on material they don’t. Homeschooling also provides a very flexible schedule allowing the family to spend time with Trent and brethren at Four Seas; allowing ease in travel (for furlough as well as travel to areas in the region); and allowing us more time to explore Singapore.

I started homeschooling Ella (5th grade), Troy (3rd grade), and Luke (kindergarten) this past week. We had a great first week! I’ve included their first day of school questionnaires. Ella wrote that her favorite food is something called bao that she first tried in Singapore a year ago, and has had several times since we’ve moved here. She particularly likes pork bao. You might have heard of bao from Disney’s short film Bao. : )

-Lisa

And for those who are interested, here’s some of the curriculum we are using this year:

A Big Move

In the summer of 2017 our family moved from our house in San Marcos. That little yellow house (later painted blue because it needed a fresh face) served as our first home. It was the place where each of our four children were brought home. It was the home that Ella and Troy both left and returned to on their first day of school. It hosted many parties and game nights and bible studies and pmc (pre-marital counseling) sessions over the course of more than ten years. It was a house and home that was worth protecting and sharing. But, two years or so ago we decided to move into a house with another bedroom for our growing family. We moved. Across the street. That move seemed like a big move. We had accumulated a decade worth of stuff that needed to be sorted, packed, and moved. Eventually though, it was just a move. Across the street. 

Then, about a year later, we decided to move. Across the world. Lisa and I knew this would be big move. We knew that the change of location, culture, language – to a degree, weather, worlds, countries, continents, distance, and more would be a big move. We knew that it would shake up our earthly foundations and confuse many people, including our own children. We decided early on that we did not want to ship a container overseas because we had so little stuff that we actually needed or we felt was worth taking. (We did choose to ship my library, and that probably deserves its own post!) In a way, we had decided to take a stab at budget and wisdom enforced minimalism. Now, minimalists would be ashamed of us because we also planned to pack twelve suitcases full of stuff since the airlines allowed us that much with the purchase of our tickets. We knew pairing down ten years worth of family with kids stuff, twelve years worth of San Marcos stuff, twenty years worth of dating stuff, and thirty or so years worth of living stuff would make for a big move; but we had eight or nine months.

In the end, we had no idea just how big of an ordeal, logistically speaking, moving across the world would be! Let me just say that Lisa and I are great at procrastination, and we really slow-played the first six and half months. Pairing down our lives into a few suitcases and plastic tubs (thank you family and friends who are watching our stuff that we couldn’t part with) proved an exacting, humbling, exhausting, trying, patience-building, and faith-building task. We have a few really great friends and family who dropped everything and helped us. They were lifesavers. Lisa went above and beyond and kept things going.

We had too much stuff. We have too much stuff. I hope we are not too tied to any stuff. This move has really helped us see and will help us teach our children the proper place of stuff. We made it to Singapore with twelve suitcases weighing 49 pounds each and our carry on bags. We filled the church van! We probably brought way too much stuff; time will tell.

-Trent

Every Week A Tryout

In the world of preaching as a profession/career, I doubt there are scarier, more anxiety driven, more exciting Sundays than what many call “try out Sunday.” On these days a preacher and his family will make the trek to a new congregation and go through a tryout process, much akin to a job interview in the secular world. 

If I understand correctly, the tryout usually consists of teaching the Sunday morning adult Bible class (usually in the auditorium), and preaching the Sunday morning sermon. Those are the basics. But, very few tryouts are basic. 

A tryout may consist of a weekend full of youth devos, meeting elders and deacons (or committee members), job interview, open question forum with men or all members of the congregation, meals and conversations, discussion, doctrinal questions, nursing homes, head stands, and much much more. Tryout Sundays are nerve-racking. You have to bring your best and be your best. Your auditorium class needs to be the perfect balance of lecture and input/discussion. You cannot let someone take over the class and look like a push-over NOR can you ignore comments or questions from your future (hopefully) employers and co-workers in the Lord. Your sermon must be the best sermon you have ever preached but probably not one you submitted to them in the application process or one they can easily find online. In conversation you and your family must be up to the task of talking school, politics, demographics, hobbies, family, and more. At meals you must be willing to eat everything but not too much. Your children (if you are so blessed) cannot misbehave but also cannot look like they are robots without personality. The must be bathed and combed and clothed in their Sunday best (but not too nice if you haven’t discussed salary). Your wife (if you are so blessed) must be spouse, mother, conversation starter, chief supporter, not too proud, pretty, plain, funny, serious, relatable, distinct, willing but not eager, and more. The man must look the part and sound the part. He must have all the answers and be willing to learn. He must be in his 30s-40s with 20 years experience. He needs a degree but cannot act learned. His shoes must be shined, his pocket square aligned, and his hair (if he is so blessed) sublime. 

Granted, this is how some preachers view tryouts. There may even be a few elders or Christians who view them the same way – like a trial by fire of prospective ministers. But, this is an exaggeration, a caricature. No doubt. But, you get the point, tryouts are high stress!

Now, I’ve only had one “tryout Sunday” in all my life and it was over 12 years ago before Lisa and I moved to San Marcos. So, I am no expert on tryouts. But, I have recently encountered what all supported missionaries have had to face: going from town to town, congregation to congregation, eldership to eldership, pulpit to pulpit, in search of funding for our family to move and work in Singapore. Very early in that process, I felt the great stress of needing to be “on point” every week with every person and in every pulpit. To me, it felt like every week was (and is) a tryout. I present the work we have planned, if the Lord allow us to live and wills, in Singapore. Elders or deacons or committee members discuss with and about us while we hope and pray that they choose some of their mission budget to be directed our way. I usually have the opportunity to preach. We often stay with strangers and eat with them.

As we travel north, south, east, and west, we meet new people and have new experiences and stay in new homes and discuss the same thing. The mission presentation needs to be flawless, but can I use notes? The sermon needs to be spectacular, but it shouldn’t be a sermon that has been posted online in case they check. The children must look sharp, but should they still wear those “we’re looking for support” jeans* with holes? Lisa puts undue pressure on herself wondering what kind of food will be served, what she might be expected to say or do or go without a heads’ up. And more. 

*As an aside: Annie loves shoes that are falling apart. Luke doesn’t really know how to comb his hair, but we usually let him anyway. He also loves to crawl in on his knees in new pants resulting in frays. We think it is normal. Troy is growing so fast most of his pants are “geared for rain” – and we don’t want to buy more and move them 10,000 miles. Ella has the same problem with shirts. So, if they look too small, please know that we are not encouraging immodesty. We just did not get it checked in the chaos of getting out of the house of our gracious host.

Traveling from visiting congregations.

In the last seven crazy months of what has felt like tryouts and tryouts, we have had some awkward meals, misbehaved kids, preaching that was less than flawless, conversations that went dry, and more. Here are a few things I have learned through this “tryout” process:

  1. Supported missionaries have a difficult task long before they reach the mission field. We knew going into this that the fundraising process would be hard work. We knew before getting started that many before us had gone through the support raising process. We just didn’t know what it was like.
  2. Elders have a very difficult job in regards to stewardship of the local treasury. The work of an elder and elderships are difficult. However, I know there are so many good works where they could allocate funds. Most elderships do due diligence, care deeply about ministers and missionaries, and are cautious yet gracious with the Lord’s money.
  3. Christians are hospitable. They will open their homes, hearts, and lives. They will feed you. They will bend over backward for you. They will accommodate you and four children. They will watch dogs. They will offer hotel rooms and whole houses.
  4. Christians are generous. Not only have we been blessed in our support raising, we have also seen first hand the generosity of congregations and individuals. They cover our expenses and milage. They have given us money for the road. They have gone over and beyond to the glory of the Lord.
  5. Christians are gracious. If you misspeak, they forgive. If you look at your notes, they do not judge. If your tie is crooked or a slide has a misspelled word or the children talk or or or, they will give you the benefit of the doubt.
  6. Children are resilient. They can go miles and miles. They complain and want to be home, but so do we. Our kids, Ella, Troy, Luke, and Annie have had remarkably good attitudes about different places, different Bible classes, different beds, long car trips, long lunches, long meetings, and more. They have made new friends and showed model patience and endurance.
  7. My wife is amazing. Staying up late, sharing the driving load, putting together power points, meeting new people, eating new places, keeping her weekends clear because she never knows where we might be going on our “free” Sundays. She left her comfort zone a long time ago. She has been frustrated, but she has loved, parented, helped, and encouraged more than ever before in our marriage. As I tell her often, I am so happy to be doing life with her.
  8. I do not like asking for support, but I love talking about good works. Most of the people I have known in my life did not find asking other people for money a fun or enjoyable task. I understand how the Lord’s church works and supports and shares, but I still have a hard time asking for money. It is not my favorite thing to do. I have found most people do not mind us asking for money because we truly believe in the good work and great opportunities in Singapore and at Four Seas. I love talking about good works. Ask me about McCarty or the Southwest School of Bible Studies or VBS in the park or short-term campaign work or Peach Valley AIM camp or more good works that I’ve been blessed to be involved in, and I would love to tell you about them. I really like talking to people about what is going on and what we hope to do across the ocean.
  9. Our God is an awesome, caring God. We have been praying. We know others have been praying. This support raising process has been extremely humbling as we seek to use the Lord’s money, and it has shown us how our God answers prayers!

-Trent

How Can I Move Somewhere I’ve Never Been?

Trent has been answering lots of the questions that we’ve been asked since we announced our decision to move to Singapore. However, today I’m going to address a question that is most often pointed to me:

How can you move to a foreign country where you have never been?

If you read Trent’s post about his survey trip to Singapore you know that I did not go. Instead, our oldest daughter, Ella, travelled with him. Although ideally I also would have been able to go, we believe (and know) there was great benefit for Ella going with him. For instance, with Ella at his side, Trent was constantly reminded of what life in Singapore would look like with children in mind. Ella was also able to make friends and connections as well as experience a taste of life in the big city of Singapore. When Ella returned from the trip she became a great ambassador to her siblings about the possibility of moving to the other side of the world by describing Singapore to them through a child’s eyes.

But really, how can you move to a foreign country where you have never been?

I’ll admit that the answer is complex. There are a couple of big answers followed by lots of little things that come together to allow me to be comfortable with this move. Of course, I haven’t been there yet and haven’t lived there yet. I know that there will be a great adjustment period, but I’m ready to tackle that challenge.

There is work to be done. We wouldn’t be moving across the globe if there wasn’t work to be done. We love God, we care about souls, and we desire to build up the body of Christ. Our family’s desire has always been to work as part of the church (whether that be in an official “position” or not). And, we’ve decided that we want to join in the good work that is already being done in Singapore.

I trust my husband. The work in Singapore is something that he has seen. It is a work that, before he saw it, he wanted to be a part of, and after seeing it, still wanted to be involved. The work in Singapore is something that he believes our entire family could be involved in because of the multifaceted nature of the work. The work in Singapore is something he thinks will be a blessing to our family. The country of Singapore is somewhere he has been and thinks that our family could live.

I have the benefit of a little international travel and living. I’ve had the blessing of traveling to several countries outside of the United States. I’ve seen a variety of cultures, modes of transportation, homes, grocery stores, foods (though I know Asia will definitely challenge my taste buds), and languages. Although I fully expect to go through culture shock when we move, I also feel like it is something that I can work through and overcome. When we lived in Paraguay for three months, I was absolutely overwhelmed in the beginning. However, by the end of the three months it was easy to see how comfortable things had become for our family in just the daily routines of life in Paraguay. Did we have more room to grow in comfort and understanding of the country and people after three months? Most definitely. But, the ability for our family to grow to the point that it did in those three months gives me confidence that we can do the same elsewhere.

Today’s technology allows me to remain connected to family and friends who aren’t in Singapore. Blogs. WhatsApp. Email. Reliable snail mail (unlike Paraguay). Daily transpacific flights (if you want to come visit). Facebook. Skype. Cell phones. FaceTime. And, Singapore has fast and reliable internet which makes most of those ways that I can connect with family and friends even better.

I’ve seen it on T.V. You know, there are always folks on House Hunters International who move somewhere they’ve never been. 😉

-Lisa

Answering Questions