Batam Family Trip of 2018

The Family Trip 2018 might become a recurrent event of our family just like last year’s when 20 of us took an altogether trip to Penang for 4 days. Since then, most of us caught the travelling bug to take a trip together once a year.

So, this year's Family Camp 2018 was planned for a short 3 days 2 nights, inexpensive but entertaining trip to nearby Batam, Indonesia.

There won’t be much to explain about Batam, as many Singaporeans enjoyed regular one-day trip out of Singapore, just like a one-day shopping trip to Johore Bahru, the southern state of the West Malaysia.

On 27^th December 2018, we set off, 15 of us consisting of several families, their spouse and children.  Leaving Harbourfront Centre on Horizon ferry was an uneventful but smooth sea journey to HarbourBay at the northern tip of Batam, thankfully to God for journey mercy.

The necessary immigration and custom clearances on both countries went smoothly. Soon we are on our way to the hotel at Nongsa Hill, the Nagoya Hill Hotel, a 4-star well-equipped urban hotel with a huge shopping mall with basement hypermart next to it.

After a quick “Padang” style Indonesian  lunch across the street, we proceeded to do what was top on our agenda. Some went for local massages which were plentiful with prices and skills that ranged from each shop.

The others went shopping for bargain sneakers. For me, getting plenty supply of bottled water was top priority as I drank like a fish. I found to my pleasant surprise that the mineral water only was a fraction of the price in Singapore, including our favorite tropical fruits of soursop, dragon fruits, and papaya.

I spent only Singapore $5 for many large bottles of mineral water and some portions of cut fruit, and I could not help but laughed all the way back to the hotel.

Our dinner for the first night was at Golden Prawn Restaurant at Jalan Bengkong, next to Golden View Hotel.

The large dining area platform was built over the seawaters of the open sea. Before entering the main dining hall, it was expected to select the choice of live seafood in glass tanks and then instructing the cooks on the style of cooking. 

After we settled down on a long table, we were entertained with complimentary live music band delighting us with Chinese songs and their own Indonesian hits, whilst we savoured the various type of seafood prepared in different styles.

For the second day, a 1-day tour around the island was planned. Most tourists believed that Batam was boring and dull, but if one would take the effort to explore the less unknown area of Batam, they would be in for a great surprise. For that’s was what we found out!

We went a long one-hour drive to the southern part of the island to view the Barelang Bridge, which is a chain of 6 bridges built to connect the many islands of Batam, Rempang, Galang and the Riau Islands, completed in 1997.

Barelang bridge is a cabled arch structural bridge of total length 835 metres and main span 245 metres. Some locals called the bridge “Jembatan Habibie “named after Dr Jusuf Habibie who oversaw the project construction. It was best to visit the bridge for unforgettable breathtaking sunset landscape, which we sadly missed for this trip but maybe someone might return in the future to connect the missing stunning scene.

From there, we proceeded to a quiet seaside restaurant at The Riverside Restaurant Kabil, Nongsa, Batam City, Riau Islands 29467, Indonesia. 

It had been in existence for a long time, though unknown even to our local tour guide .

They served fantastic authentic tropical seafood like prawns, crabs, scallops which were caught fresh out of the sea and we all enjoyed the food and the experience tremendously. 

Interestingly, we discovered that the entire sum for the lunch was only half of the price of the seafood restaurant from the previous night. 

Fully satisfied, we then proceeded to visit a layer cake factory, called the Kueh Lapis, recommended by the young tour guide. 

After a long drive, we arrived at the simple factory but found to our great amazement, that it was behind the seafood restaurant of the previous night. All of us gave such a loud shout and exclamation but the tour guide thought that we were so glad to visit the factory. 

Nonetheless, several kueh lapis in various flavours were bought as souvenirs.

Next, we went to a nearby factory outlet, only 3 mins away. We spent quite some time to buy designer footwears, well known shawls and fashionable clothes and also got to even sample local Robusta coffee.

Our last dinner was at the famous Sup Ikan Yong Kee at No 5- 8, Jalan Engku Putri, Tering, Kota Batam. Each of us enjoyed an individual fish or seafood soup with local rice, accompanied with familiar dishes of the region.


During both 2 nights, we ended our day by relaxing at the hotel lobby lounge whilst listening to a lady singer who had a voice like Dione Warwick with accompaniment of a grand pianist.

The younger ones played Big 2 card games at the lounge corner, whilst the others drank martini and the like. We had a great time playing Big 2, though we did not pay in cash, but had them recorded on a paper for final payment after the games. I won a mere $6, a rare turning point for me as I lost too many times in many CNY card games.

The next day being the last day, some of us proceeded to a morning street market to purchase fresh local seafood to bring directly back home.

At noon on 29^th December 2018, we took a return Horizon ferry quickly and without harm ,back to Singapore, because of the grace of God with each of us bearing the wonderful memories of a pleasant family time whilst reminding each other for the forthcoming Family Camp of 2019, as well as with renewed and fresh expectations of many family trips for many many years to come.

All in one, we enjoyed terrific and excellent family time together. The atmosphere of Batam was lively and weather were bright and breezy. 

The itinerary was well planned and orderly. The 4-star hotel met our expectations with comfortable spacious rooms, extensive choices of complementary breakfast, coupled with good courteous services of the hotel staff. 

Lastly, many thanks to those who organized and planned this whole trip, Patrick, David and myself being the main organizers and all others who helped here and there, in big and small ways including good suggestions and objective remarks to make this trip to Batam a great success and unforgettable memory of our time life.

Family taking a group photo against the backdrop of Barelang Bridge, Batam, Indonesia

At Riverside Restaurant, some of us ventured to catch live seafood from the open sea on wooden plaform.

( Watch the video )

My view of a balanced Christian Church in Singapore

My view of a balanced Christian Church in Singapore 

With many thousands of churches in Singapore ranging from the traditional to the contemporary, so diverse in style and background, yet each upholding the central focus of worshipping the only One True God, Jesus our Lord, how then does a new Christian find the most balanced Church here?

Each church has both its strength and its weaknesses, so they can appeal to some but are unsuitable to another. By and large, they appear similar to each other but they are subtly distinct with their own individual qualities.

That’s the reason why I write this blog.

As a Christian for many years going through stages, changes and major crossroads of life, I had attended at least 10 churches ever since my youth, to schooling years, to adulthood and then now during my graying years.

The churches varied from Methodist, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Evangelical and to Anglican. In Boston which I lived for 1 year, some 30 years ago, I attended the Vineyard Fellowship led by the late John Wimber.

However, there had been a period of 10 years plus when I did not attend any Church service, not for the reason of drifting away from my faith but rather due to my inability to attend as a result of many years of prolonged illnesses that impeded me.

Yet during those trying ‘desert’ years, I managed to attend every Friday, a prayer meeting at a Methodist church in Serangoon Gardens for simple fellowship and for God’s divine healing.

Recently, the leader of this prayer meeting himself had personal health issue, being almost 90 of age and the meeting occasionally was suspended. In addition, after more than 7 years, I found myself outgrew their role. So, I took an interim break for a couple of months, wondering where to go next.

One Sunday morning in Sept 2017, I was going home from grocery shopping, walking up the pedestrian ramp opposite my home, suddenly and unexpectedly, I felt the strong desire to attend a church service in a nearby church only 6 bus stops away, which I bore a deep longing to attend since 10 years ago but was unable to.

Quickly, I made some simple adjustments to my usual Sunday schedule and the next Sunday, found me going alone to attend this church service.

After attending this church, namely St John’s-St Margaret’s Church in Dover Avenue for the first time, I have to say that I admire this church tremendously and hold her in high regards.

If I have to give it a ranking on the scale of 1 to 10, I will give it without hesitation: 10 points.

Fantastic!!! This is just the church that I have found to be balanced and sensible, absolutely Bible- centred and certainly down to earth.

Below are the reasons why I find them worthy to be mentioned in this blog:

1. This Church is extremely Bible- based. The preaching of the Bible and its teachings is central to its Church services, a church that has not deviated from the core principles of the main stream Christian faith.

2. This Church is a praying church. Every Sunday, the Church will devote much time in corporate prayers. I also understand that the Vicar himself is a praying pastor.

 3. The folks who attend the church are mainly middle- class and middle- age and this suits me. To me, this is the right assembly, too young, it becomes too juvenile. Too old, everyone falls asleep!

4. Their worship services are mix of traditional hymns with modern contemporary songs. Though I do not know the latest worship songs, they are God-centered, not self-centered, catchy enough and appealing for anyone to pick up promptly.

One thing about the worship service is that there is no rock and roll band with heavy guitar playing whilst the worshippers jumping up and down like kangaroo, as if they are attending a gym class. This makes the church service rowdy and distracting from focusing true worship to God.

But the worship session of SJSM is well controlled, orderly and respectful.

5. They serve Holy Communion twice a month, on the 1st and 3rd Sundays. In the book of 1 Corinthians Chapter 11, Jesus says to remember His death as often as we can. Hence, twice a month is undeniably better than once a month as practiced by other churches.

6. Their sermons are short and sweet which are all Bible based. They are timed to be just right, about 25 mins. Too long and ha, some will dream off.

7. I like their practice of collecting the weekly tithe and offering with the offering bags brought to the foot of the Cross at the altar and are laid there. To me, this act is very significant and very touching.

8. After attending the church services for more than 4 months, I have never once heard any pastor or anyone asking for money or more fund in spite of their urgent need to raise fund to build a new village comprising of a $80 million nursing home with elder care and childcare for the next 3 years.

9. They do not preach Prosperity Gospel. To me, prosperity Gospel is not the True Gospel. The True Gospel of Jesus is to save, to heal and to restore mankind to God.

Some churches that I had attended would urged the members to give more and yet more, always saying that God would bless with 100 folds return.

Who are we to expect God to bless 100 folds? The Bible mentions about returns of 30, 60 and 100 folds. The amount of blessing lies with God, not the preacher!

Jesus Himself was never wealthy when He was on earth though He could have everything and every wealth on this earth. Yet Jesus chose to live a humble life, focusing on doing His Father’s will.

Nonetheless, I like to mention that blessing and great wealth from God is never wrong, but should never be the focus of our giving.

10.The Church believes in divine healing and the full manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Many times, during worship services, there are words of knowledge, visions and the like. They are to guide, to counsel, to encourage and to bless us along the journey of our lives whatever God gives us individually.

After every service, those who need prayer can proceed to the Altar for ministry time.

It’s surprising to note that some churches, even mega churches are lacking in this area.

Lastly, I like to mention that the points mentioned above are not conclusive as I carry on to attend the services and may discover additional worthy facts.

To me, this is the most balanced Christian Church in Singapore.

To everyone reading this blog, most welcome, happy reading but only positive feedbacks are welcome.

Worthy Mention:

I like to mention that the ministry of the leader of the prayer meeting in the Methodist Church had helped me tremendously. After many healing sessions in the time frame of about 7 years, my health was marginally restored .

Great thanks  from the bottom of my heart to God and to Brother Yan. I will remember what God and what he has done , I will definitely remember with much gratitude forever.