Singapore WMU: The Vision of Five Women
Where in the world is Singapore? Like looking for the character in the Where’s Waldo? books, you might need to hunt just a bit to find this island nation at the tip of Malaysia. Singapore has quite a long history, but it became an independent republic on August 9, 1965. The story of Singapore WMU began when five women attended the Asia Baptist Women’s Union (ABWU) assembly in 1968.
These women caught a vision during the ABWU assembly and, upon returning to Singapore, challenged Singapore Baptist women to unite for outreach for the Lord. Their first meeting was held in June 1968 with about 65 women in attendance. They agreed to gather regularly for prayer and fellowship and participated in the Baptist Women’s World Day of Prayer for the first time in 1969.
Today the Singapore Baptist Convention has 36 member churches. Mrs. Yeoh-Chang Lye Chan is the chairwoman of the Singapore Baptist Convention Women’s Department, which essentially operates as Singapore WMU.
Singapore WMU aims to foster missions awareness and participation of Baptist women by rallying them to pray together for the work of the Singapore Baptist Convention and member churches. Singapore WMU encourages all the women of the convention to participate in the Baptist Women’s World Day of Prayer and to contribute to Baptist work for women and children in Asia.
Singapore WMU has three yearly meetings to unify the Baptist sisters as they gather to pray for local and international missions and Baptist sisters around the world. At each meeting, Singapore WMU collects an offering for missions work, ABWU ministries, and children’s ministries.
Ministry to the Elderly
For a number of years, Singapore WMU discussed various options for social ministry. After investigating opportunities, leaders decided to begin a home for low-income seniors, and in 1981, Baptist Golden Age Home (BGAH) officially opened and was dedicated to the Lord. In addition to housing, BGAH provides a place where elderly people can gather, fellowship, share problems and experiences, and find comfort, companionship, and care.
BGAH is now operated as a ministry of the Singapore Baptist Convention, and Singapore WMU continues to minister to the residents by helping fulfill emotional and spiritual needs and bringing happiness, hope, and meaning. Since BGAH’s opening, more than 300 senior adults have lived at the home. Residents are encouraged to be active and independent and participate in the daily routines of the home.
On March 2, 2024, Singapore WMU sponsored the WMU Day of Awareness to Elderly Community at BGAH. Using the theme I Was Hungry, You Gave Me Something to Eat, women of Singapore WMU gathered with residents for a time of worship, music, and learning from a speaker.
Asia Baptist Women’s Union
Singapore WMU has deep ties to Baptist sisters in Asia through ABWU. In 2022, four women from Singapore were able to attend the Young Women’s Leadership Conference organized by ABWU and held in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
In addition, with the help of Baptist churches in Singapore, Singapore WMU raised more than $5,000 for ABWU’s Women Helping Women Bags Project. This project provided humanitarian aid to women in Pakistan, the Philippines, Myanmar, and Cambodia.
In 2023, women from Singapore WMU attended the ABWU General Assembly in Jakarta, Indonesia. They were excited to join with more than 800 Baptist women from across Asia. At this event, Mrs. Yeoh-Chang was elected assistant treasurer for the ABWU executive committee for 2023–28.
Challenges
The Singapore Baptist Convention is relatively small, and, unfortunately, many of its 36 churches have ended their women’s groups and are not currently participating in Singapore WMU activities. Those who are actively coming together to achieve the objectives of Singapore WMU are “golden-aged sisters” who are older, reported Mrs. Yeoh-Chang.
As you pray for Singapore WMU, consider the following prayer requests:
- Pray God would draw a new generation of women to participate in and lead Singapore WMU.
- Pray missions discipleship and WMU groups would be restarted in Singapore churches that have ended their women’s work.
- Pray for Singapore WMU’s work with Baptist Golden Age Home as women minister to residents.
- Pray for the Singapore Baptist Convention as it celebrates its 50th anniversary in November and for the work of the women’s department.
- Pray for Mrs. Yeoh-Chang as she leads the work of Singapore WMU, serves in her church, and serves with Asia Baptist Women’s Union.
Where in the world is Singapore? It is at the intersection of God’s work in Asia and the islands of Southeast Asia. It is a place of both need and prosperity. It is a place where God is at work through the women of WMU.
Joy Bolton is the retired executive director of Kentucky WMU and has served as volunteer international WMU coordinator since 2021. Joy resides in Charleston, South Carolina, and serves on staff at Pinecrest Baptist Church.
