Author Sharon Wee pays tribute to her mother’s legacy both in and out the kitchen in her cookbook, Growing Up In A Nonya Kitchen.

By Bernie Guan

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHARON WEE.

What began as one daughter’s posterity project became a beautiful tribute to her mother.

At the start of 2001, Sharon Wee, a Singaporean Peranakan pursuing her master degree in business administration in New York began a book project to put together her mother’s Nonya recipes. Not long she began, her mother fell ill and Wee flew home immediately. Tragically, three months later, her mother, Polly Wee, passed away.

The loss of her beloved mother spurred Wee on in her quest to pull together her mother’s treasured heirloom recipes. Her efforts intensified when she enlisted the help of her sisters to make sense of the cooking techniques that went into each complicated dish.

However, life caught up with her. The birth of her second child and the many commitments that came with raising a young family overseas with her American-born Chinese husband saw her book-writing project take a back seat. But in spite of the challenges of parenthood, Wee remained committed to the goal.

From converting her mother’s handwritten recipes, to learning to use different herbs, spices and condiments in her replication of those recipes, every aspect of creating this book was based upon her memory of her mother and her Baba-Nonya heritage.

What began as a collection of recipes evolved into a memoir about Wee’s mother. The author revealed that her mother “was a stereotype of her generation who was match-made and married off at 17. She also often felt tied down with having to look after six children and later on, her grandchildren.”

Despite the fact Polly Wee was not proficient in reading and writing, she “remained brave about those shortcomings as the world advanced around her,” writes Wee. Perhaps as she drew strength from within, she became a dedicated housewife who centered her life around her family and excelled in the activities that helped her in raising her family well: cooking, sewing, housekeeping.

The fruit of Wee’s decade-long project is a beautifully designed and illustrated hardcover cookbook, complete with a dust cover. Wee says there are many recipes in the book that she associates with her mother, especially those that made it to the dining table during Chinese New Year celebrations and Sunday family meals. “The ones that I cherish most of all are the ones that only she could do best,” declares Wee. No matter how hard Wee or her sisters tried – as even as they succeeded—there were still recipes that they could not fully replicate with exactly the same results, and these included kueh chang, kueh lapis spekkoek, kueh bongkong, kueh lapis and ang ku kueh. Wee realizes that these were “her mother’s handiwork”, flavored with “her special touch that made them uniquely her own.”

Wee’s biggest challenge compiling the book came from the different types of measurements her mother used to use. Precise measurements are vital to successful cooking and baking, and the task of converting measurements from katis and tahils to grams and tablespoonfuls proved tricky. There were even instances when her mother had written measurements such as “20 cents raw bread”, “1 coconut”, “1 bowl water”! It became even more challenging when these measurements were applied to cakes and kuehs where proper measurement critical—nobody wants to eat an overly-starchy kueh!

Wee’s values in life today are largely the result of learning alongside her mother in her early years. She remembers her mother as a loving, caring mother, but there were times when she was “spanked for being naughty”, and other times when she was “slow in helping out in the kitchen”. Despite growing up pains, Wee never felt pressured by her mother “to reach very ambitious goals like becoming a doctor”; instead “she would only hope for the best that we would be.”

“My mother was not a Tiger Mom,” wrote Wee, “but someone who instilled in us the values of hard work, respect for others, gratefulness.” And theirs being a Christian household, Wee remembers her mother also pressed home the importance of commitment required of a Christian.

It was only over time that Wee realized that “the positive values and decorum passed down by a Peranakan parent were intrinsically the most precious qualities to pass down and preserve for generations to come.”

Today, even though she lives in the US with her family, Wee is heartened that her daughter “absolutely delights in wearing her sarong kebaya, and loves kueh chang and even calls medicine obat.”

Growing Up In A Nonya Kitchen comprises an impressive collection of heirloom recipes interwoven with a wealth of Peranakan history and personal anecdotes drawn from Wee’s memories of her loving mother, the most striking of which is Polly Wee’s child-like faith in God and her unwavering trust in the Lord right to the end.

Growing up in a Nonya Kitchen is available at Kinokuniya at S$44.94. 

Visit Sharon Wee’s blog www.memoriesofanonyakitchen.com.

Legendary performer Engelbert Humperdinck returns to Singapore with a set of timeless classics spanning four decades.

By Bernie Guan

PHOTOS COURTESY OF UNUSUAL ENTERTAINMENT PTE LTD.

The iconic Engelbert Humperdinck thrilled over 5,000 of his fans in Singapore during his one-night only concert on Feb. 19 at the Compass Ballroom, at Resorts World Convention Centre, Sentosa.

Humperdinck, born Arnold George Dorsey in 1936 in India, proved that even without fancy staging and costumes, his voice still captures the same way it did since his first hit “Release Me”, the highest-selling single of 1967. Together with his seven-piece band and two backup vocalists, Humperdinck delivered a staple of nostalgic hits such as “Quando Quando Quando”, “Last Waltz“ and “A Man Without Love” much to the delight of the baby boomer audience. From notable originals to covers, Humperdinck, dubbed the “King of Romance”, gave a solid 100-minute show.

The Madras-born artiste, who legally adopted his stage name at the height of his career, impressed with his melodious and baritone voice which has not declined after all these years in show business. Humperdinck displayed the wit, charm and musical talent that first made him an international sensation in the 1960s. He performed without any intermission, and sang many of his memorable hits that brought the audience right back to the days of their youth.

A four-time Grammy Award-winning singer, he won yet another accolade as recently as October 2010: he was presented the Society of Young Musicians (ASYM) Music Legend Award. This award puts him among the best in a league that includes Stevie Wonder, Quincy Jones, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys and Madonna. Close to the end of his twenty-two-song set filled with easy-listening music, the 75-year-old iconic performer sang a short rendition of the Rogers and Hart classic, “My Funny Valentine” as a special post Valentine’s Day treat.

Although fans were disappointed at the lack of an encore even after prolonged applause, Humperdinck had hit a home run with his final song “My Way”, a Paul Anka song made famous by Frank Sinatra. The song showed off Humperdinck’s powerful vocals and melodic sense, reminding his fans that he still has what it takes to move hearts with his music.

Trained engineer Jon Chong is a singer-songwriter, husband and father all rolled into one.

Contributed By Bernie Guan

Jon Chong makes music that is a “natural extension” of who he is. PHOTOS COURTESY OF JON CHONG.

At age 18, Jon Chong started to write songs, from original praise and worship music to introspective pieces that expressed his thoughts and experiences. While he enjoyed penning his own songs, his own personal song-writing breakthrough happened after he felt “challenged by God to write for a broader audience.” Curious to see how far he could go, he took part in the annual Mic-Check song-writing/poetry competition in the midst of his graduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2005.

Emerging the winner, Chong was inspired to develop his craft; in spite of the rigors of his studies and dissertation work in robotics engineering, Chong found time to write songs. Upon his return to Singapore in 2008, the Kuching-born Chong released his self-funded debut album, State Of My Mind, produced by Joshua Wan, who has been producer for the likes of Stefanie Sun and Fish Leong.

Since the release of the first album, Chong has progressed to experimenting with the ukulele, mandolin, rap vocals, scatting and even vocoder music, a popular synthesizer sound from the 1960s. His eight-track sophomore album, Beauty In The Small Things is a easy-listening set comprising pop-tinged jazz melodies underriding lyrics of nostalgic memories and soulful yearnings.

Currently based in Singapore, Chong was recently Starbucks’ Featured Artist, bringing his original compositions such as “When Will I See You?”, “Here With Me” and “Lazy Days” to the local coffee-drinking community through several acoustic performances.

Over the years, he has traveled to and lived in many cities including New York, Boston, Tokyo and Moscow.  As he embraced the cultural diversity in each of the cities, he enjoyed a “rich palette of life experiences, which have undoubtedly colored my songs.”

Viewing music as “a natural extension of who he is,” he is candid in exploring themes about life and love for his wife and artist manager, Belinda Lau and their 11-month-old baby girl, Justine.

Hip-hop artist Neli Atiga whose vocals appear on “Legacy” said, “It was a privilege and honor to work with Jon as he is definitely one of those guys who is a light in the darkness.” Besides holding him in high regard as a musician and a song-writer, Atiga hopes that “more people who need to hear his songs will hear them.”

Three years after launching his musical career, Chong believes that he has gained invaluable experiences that outweigh the cost of producing his two albums. Whether it is writing, recording songs or sending out his CDs to record polls, “it takes a lot of work and discipline to formalize one’s album,” he says.

Beauty In The Small Things is available at Attributes, the Esplanade Shop and all Starbucks outlets (from now till Jan. 4, 2012). www.jonchong.com.

The world’s largest floating book fair docks at Singapore’s port.    

Contributed By Bernie Guan 

The Logos Hope docks in Singapore next Saturday. PHOTO COURTESY OF GBA SHIPS E.V.

With the school holiday season underway, how about spending quality time perusing books aboard a ship? Logos Hope, a missions ship converted into the world’s largest floating bookstore-cum-library, will dock at Singapore’s shores on Dec. 17, bringing with it more than 5,000 book titles selling at discounted prices.

Sailing the world on its maiden voyage, Logos Hope is owned and operated by GBA Ships e.V. (previously Good Books for All), a non-profit organization based in Germany. Together with the rest of its fleet, namely Doulos, Logos and Logos II, the seafaring book fairs have made over 1,400 port visits to more than 160 countries and territories and welcomed over 42 million visitors aboard since 1970. Logos Hope itself is GBA Ships’ biggest till date, being double the size of its previous ships.

The Logos Hope community, made up of over 45 different nationalities, comprises non-salaried volunteers mostly in their 20s and 30s who serve on board for a typical period of two years. Their roles range from engineers and electricians to nurses, teachers and cooks.

Through the Visitor Experience Deck open to the public, guests can experience first-hand the challenges and living conditions unique to this seafaring community. There will also be a series of seminars and conferences conducted on topics including marriage, AIDS awareness and primary health care.

At the book fair, over 5,000 book titles covering a wide range of subjects from science and sports to hobbies, cookery, the arts, economics, medicine and Christian living, are available for purchase at a fraction of the original retail price. The books, mostly donated by publishers, comprise older editions that have been taken off the shelves in first world countries. As such, the books provide low-cost alternatives for readers in developing countries where literary resources are typically scarce and too expensive for low-income groups.

Besides the large selection of English books, crew members ensure that reading materials in the local languages of each destination port are stocked. In impoverished nations, Logos Hope also makes literary donations of textbooks and reference books to the local communities.

Aid and relief work comprising medical aid, construction projects and spontaneous gifts of food and clothing form the other dimension of the ship’s ministry. As they travel around the world, the crew go from the ship into surrounding areas, joining hands with the local churches to supply aid and community care.

Logos Hope will be open to visitors from Dec. 17 to Dec. 29 (Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sundays and Mondays 3 p.m.-10 p.m.) at the Promenade, VivoCity. Dec. 24, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., closed on Christmas Day, Dec. 26, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Log on to http://www.logoshope.org/singapore for more information. Free admission.

For four years, Jiamin Choo sailed around the world to do good, and lived to tell the tale of the powerful lessons she learned.

Contributed By Bernie Guan

Her pursuit to make a difference—a decision that Jiamin Choo made in her final year at the National University of Singapore in 2004—took her on a path less traveled as she volunteered as a crew member aboard Doulos, the world’s oldest ocean-faring passenger ship, built in 1914.

For the next four years from 2005 to 2009, she sailed to 52 ports in 31 countries and in the process compiled 25 handwritten journals to chronicle her personal reflections, “prayer requests and even my emotions as I experienced the ups and downs of being a new missionary on the field” reaching out to the less fortunate who lived in places such as the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.

Choo was not alone on this voyage. On board the ship, she served alongside 350 crewmembers from 50 different countries, each determined to “set forth to bring knowledge, help and hope to the nations, as an expression of their faith in God.” As a newly-minted psychology graduate then, she did not disappoint. Together with a maturing process enhanced by the exposure to the mission field and other like-minded believers of diverse backgrounds, Choo witnessed a transformation in her own life as she “followed God’s call in my life.”

Spurred by a culmination of years of experience and a cancer-scare, Choo was “motivated to write a book,” one that gives “insights to the realities, struggles, joys, hopes and desires” that she had as a young Singaporean. Concurrently, for those feeling lost as they search for their life’s calling, her book aims to “paint an intimate reflection of life’s most important lessons and what comes after pursuing the call.”

Her adventure aboard the ancient ship was not easy. For the first year she was like “Cinderella who was summoned to the kitchen to cook, scrub the dishes and take out the trash.” Despite the laborious hours, her role in the kitchen and in serving food to the “deckies and engineers” taught her “to be humble and to serve God and be faithful in the little things.” Even as she shared a small sleeping cabin with three others, she learned to be happy, and in the process, realized that she “did not lack.”

As Choo’s initial struggles faded away, her ministry with Operation Mobilisation’s 6,700-ton vessel and the ship’s crew flourished. Her stint as kitchen helper progressed to a role of an advanced party of the ship from 2006 to 2009. Like a project manager, her days were spent either on the ship or on land to prepare for the ship’s arrival including administrative duties that saw her knocking on the doors of government officials to secure visas, berth rights and sponsorships. Additionally, she established media networks to drum up publicity and worked with local churches on ministry opportunities. From first-world countries to third-world nations, her incredible voyage of faith eventually led her to “build schools in Sudan, comfort HIV sufferers in Swaziland, befriend street children in the Philippines, and even trail the rugged mountains of Papua New Guinea.”

Inspired by a quote from William Shedd, “A ship is safe in harbour, but that’s not what ships are for,” Choo’s first book is aptly titled Out Of The Harbour. The book, published and launched on Feb. 12 this year, has since sold over 2,500 copies worldwide and reached audiences in far-away countries such as Holland, Scandinavia and even the Farrel Island. With that, the 29-year-old leaves us with a parting shot, “Dream big dreams for God whilst we have the energy, excitement and courage to learn, change and adapt when we are young.”

Out Of The Harbour is available at Attributes (S$24.90) and major bookstores including Kinokuniya, Popular and Times. Visit www.outoftheharbour.com.

Lionsgate Leadership and Missions Institute, in collaboration with City Harvest’s School of Theology, aims to empower students to go forth and preach the gospel in all the world, including the marketplace.

Contributed By Bernie Guan

LLMI welcomes its inaugural cohort of students from around the world. PHOTO COURTESY OF LLMI.

A school rooted in Christian values and in the teaching of the Cultural Mandate on a practical, school-based level—that forms the foundation of the collaboration between Lionsgate Leadership and Missions Institute and City Harvest’s School of Theology.

Troy Marshall, the founder and lecturer of LLMI said, “The purpose is essentially to get the message of Cultural Mandate into local churches, and to raise up a generation of people who will carry this message as part of their DNA into the marketplace and into the remote areas of the world.”

Marshall adds that the program aims to “enable each [student] to manifest the truth and bring forth fruits that will remain.”

PATTERNED FOR SUCCESS

When it came to the curriculum, Marshall and his wife, Annwell, the co-founder and Dean of Students at LLMI, “did not want to reinvent the wheel.” Patterned after SOT, which has a curriculum that delves deep in theology and is built with a good Christian foundation, there are classes that may overlap. Still, the Marshalls emphasize that while the school’s primary aim is to “build upon the teachings of Cultural Mandate”, in the process it will “bring in the practical things that will help people survive and penetrate the marketplace of society.”

LLMI is not only a school of discipleship but “a school focused on people who either know or want to find out what their career paths are,” explains Marshall. “Your career must be your calling—(it is) where you minister in the marketplace.” As such, the school focuses on those individuals who have “progressed to the point of knowing that they have a call of God in their life.”

But Marshall clarifies that it is not the aim of the school to only recruit mature believers, since part of the training is about the maturing process. Instead, he is looking for people who have a “sense of destiny, a calling and a purpose in life.”

For its first year, LLMI is seeing students from different continents: US, Europe, Central and South America, and Asia. The Marshalls “want to raise up virtuous Christians” and not merely have the institute become a certificate mill. LLMI envisions its students to be predominantly between 20 and 40 years of age who look beyond being simply great wealth builders for the Kingdom, to becoming equipped to “Christianize their businesses.”

Kong and Dunn praying for Marshall and the opening of LLMI earlier this year. CN PHOTO: RYAN NG.

The LLMI leadership also believes that there is a strong correlation between one’s potential and his dominant gifting, which is “whatever God-given grace that accompanies you and helps you to be at your most prosperous.” Here, one should embrace “the highest form of prosperity” and that involves “living in the call of God where there is grace, provision, comfort and safety,” explained Marshall.

Conceptualizing the vision-to-school transition was not an easy task. Thankfully, Bobby Chaw, the dean of SOT in Singapore, has been instrumental in establishing and providing assistance as an advisor in the development of LLMI’s curriculum. Since its inception, Chaw has been working closely with the Marshalls to build up the strengths and core capabilities of the Sacramento-based Bible school.
The result is an institute closely modeled after SOT.

FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

For the opening ceremony of LLMI, Derek Dunn, an executive pastor in CHC, flew to Sacramento, California to deliver the inaugural lecture on Tuesday, Sep. 6. Interestingly, Dunn and Marshall are no strangers—both were classmates back in Bible college in the early ‘90s. Having gone through the same rigorous training at seminary, Marshall added that they possess “similar experiences in what influenced them” and the lessons learned back then “have shaped their lives and influenced the way they do things.”

“The opening week at Lionsgate was off to a great start,” says Dunn, who spoke on understanding the Holy Spirit, tongues and prayer in his opening session. As he taught and led in the spirit of prayer, many students received “a greater revelation of the person of the Holy Spirit and of how to pray.” By the end of the week, “the students came to a place of unity as most had come from different church backgrounds and had different understandings of prayer and the Holy Spirit.”

Throughout their 12-month training, students will go through modules such as Etiquette, Protocol and Public Relations targeted at imparting the essence of business and ministry etiquette. Furthermore, though they prepare their students to enter the world, the Marshalls want to raise up people who are “counter-culture.”

Through sessions anchored by prolific Christian leaders such as John Bevere, Les and Sheila Bowling, Shirley Bridwell and Kong Hee, students will be imbued with the purpose to bring spirituality and integrity into the marketplace, even as they excel in it.

Other courses such as Creative Media and Communications 101 seek to enable students to get outside the arena to communicate with people in those communities in a manner that is “spiritually-based and yet not overly expressed with ‘Christianese’.”

This is due to the increasing trend of “cross-pollination” between the church and the business, art and entertainment sectors in societies, where teachers of the Bible need to train up ministers to move beyond the platform of the pulpit to reach cities.

Jeronn Loong, a SOT 2011 graduate, is part of LLMI’s pioneer cohort and says that he has already learned a lot at the school. Since the semester started, the 29-year-old Singaporean has been given the opportunity to be immersed in prophetic worship and instruments, which have allowed him to step out and exercise the gifts of the Spirit.

Being a business owner prior to joining LLMI, Loong expects to be “refined in character and be equipped with leadership skills in the business arena, operating and engaging in all aspects of spiritual gifts” by the end of the school year. Staying true to his calling, Loong envisions himself “establishing his business in Singapore and penetrating the Chinese market” in due season.

Chef Alain Devahive Tolosa from the legendary El Bulli was in town to demonstrate the scientific magic of “spherification.”

Contributed By Bernie Guan

Tolosa demonstrating the “spherification” process. PHOTO COURTESY OF DINING CITY.

A series of culinary techniques unique to the world of molecular gastronomy was recently showcased at At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy to an eager audience of culinary experts and students. Whether it was spherification, inverse spherification, emulsification or gelification, Spanish chef Alain Devahive Tolosa a member of the research team at the world-famous El Bulli restaurant, which recently closed its doors, demonstrated the techniques with ease and impeccable precision.

The demonstration introduced the wonders of Texturas, a new line of emulsifiers, gelifiers and products for spherification created by brothers Albert and Ferran Adrià (the latter was head chef at El Bulli through its many years of Michelin-starred operation) that are now available through retail.

During the three-hour demonstration workshop, close to 150 people in the audience stood at the “gateway to a world of magical sensations.” They were treated to a rare look inside the research kitchen of the Adrià brothers that gave birth to one of El Bulli’s most groundbreaking techniques—spherification. Spherical forms of varying textures and consistencies have been prepared as part of El Bulli’s offerings since its discovery in 2003, for example, cheese balloons 10 inches tall.
After several rounds of refinement, the mixture of alginate and a base solution of water and calcium brought forth little marvels of spherical ravioli, caviar, pellets, balloons and noodles, eliciting “oohs” and “ahhs” of amazement from the audience.

By 2005, the scientific department at El Bulli had refined the spherification process by  concocting another product mixture of alginate, water and calcium gluconolacteta, giving rise to another jellification technique known as inverse spherification. Proponents of this method succeeded in spherical preparations of dairy food, olives and other foodstuff. The results were inspiring and the ingenious presentations from this Texturas line of products have left tremendous impact on chefs across the globe.

Other products include Algin, Gluco, Xantana, Agar, Lecite and Calcic, which perform similarly magical functions in molecular cooking. Here comes the science part: using Algin in a bath of Calcic coupled with a submerged liquid, for instance, will produce the effects of spherification. Consisting of natural extracts of “brown algae (Lamainaria, Fucus, and Macrocystis genera) of marine origins” and food-grade calcium salts, the products yield spheres of greater transparency and elasticity.

While these concepts may sound foreign to most amateurs and non-professionals, Tolosa remarked, “Understanding the basics before going into spherification is like building blocks; you build your skills little by little.” With genuine passion, an open mind and a dose of creativity, anyone can surprise and entice the palette.

On July 31, 2011, El Bulli shut its doors; it will re-emerge as a creativity center in 2014. Till then, the legacy of the three Michelin star restaurant first founded in Cala Montjoi, Spain some 45 years ago will hopefully continue to live on in the hearts of those who eat not just to fill the tummy, but to enjoy, educate and experience.

For more information on El Bulli products, log on to www.albertyferranadria.com.

Contribution By Bernie Guan

Barney Panofsky (Paul Giamatti) is not your typically dashing and lovable movie hero. In this drama based on the 1997 novel of the same name by Mordecai Richler, Barney is a brash, hard-drinking, cigar-smoking television producer who breaks all rules of Jewish piety, but it’s this portrayal that makes Barney’s Version one of the more unforgettable romantic comedies in recent times.

Boasting a stellar cast including two-time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman (Kungfu Panda 2), Oscar-nominated actress Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting), Rosamund Pike (Die Another Day) and Scott Speedman (Felicity), Barney’s Version tells, in a confessional style, the story of a man whose life is intertwined with that of three women: his first, second and third wives, the last being the greatest love of his life.

The storytelling is at times poignant with memorable lines and nicely delivered comedic touches, but truth be told, the sanctity of marriage is rampantly trampled underfoot here in the name of “modern romance.” An unsolved murder in the background adds to the story which spans 40 years—the ageing of Barney and the third wife Miriam (Pike) nabbed the film an Academy Award nomination for Best Makeup, and deservedly so.

On the sidelines, Hoffman shines as Barney’s father and a retired police detective whose unwavering loyalty to his son comes through all the more in the face of Barney’s many shortcomings. On the whole, a sweet movie with a bittersweet ending.

Rating:

Collin Chiew started out as a one-man show, turned his business into a company of 30 staff, and got acquired by international company Aon Hewitt.

Contributed By Bernie Guan

Chiew seeks to be a blessing in the marketplace. CN PHOTO: Michael Chan

In 2007, Collin Chiew was the owner of an insurance broking firm, Conrad & Sons Risk Specialists. He was experiencing several waves of financial turbulence when a miracle turned his struggling firm around.

A multinational company listed on the New York Stock Exchange, called him to explore the possibility of acquiring his company. Chiew, who has “more than 20 years of experience consulting with companies in financial services, telecommunications, energy and technologies,” was surprised by the offer. Negotiations ensued between the two parties and the multi-million dollar acquisition was eventually sealed.

Aon Consulting (now Aon Hewitt), part of Aon Corporation, offered Chiew “the position of managing director of the firm and a well-compensated salary.”

Aon Hewitt is a leading global provider of risk management services, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, and human capital consulting. As an institution—which commissioned a unique study exploring the evolving role and impact of the human resource function—Aon Hewitt employs more than 59,000 employees worldwide, and delivers distinctive client value through innovative and effective risk management and workforce productivity solutions. Additionally, its industry-leading global resources and technical expertise are delivered locally through more than 500 offices in more than 120 countries around the globe.

Being part of Aon Hewitt, named the world’s best broker by Euromoney magazine’s Insurance Survey in 2008, 2009 and 2010, has been nothing short of amazing, attests Chiew. Apart from seeing his income increase manifold, he has successfully led his Aon Hewitt Singapore team through bumps in the financial services sector. His portfolio spans managing multi-national corporate sales, client servicing and overseeing the administrative structure and operational efficiency of his organization.

It has been four years since the acquisition, and Chiew has not looked back. It was that “deep sense of knowing, and peace that came upon me coupled with that faith” that kept him secure as he walked through the maze of corporate courtship.

While Chiew adapted to his new environment, he worked to leverage on Aon Hewitt’s strong brand and available expertise. He is required to adhere to the numerous layers of management controls that guide business processes in an MNC that has US$4.3 billion in combined revenue, but Chiew approaches it with the same discipline he used to build up his insurance broking firm “from a one-man setup to a fully-integrated company with 30 staff.”

Being part of Aon Corporation can be exciting. In 2009, Aon Hewitt partnered with Manchester United. “It brought about a brilliant outcome: a four-year Manchester United Jersey sponsorship unveiled in the recently concluded Barclays Premier League season 2010-2011,” says Chiew.

Last month, he hosted Aon Hewitt’s president and chief executive officer Greg Case. Their brief one-hour exchange left a deep impression in Chiew’s hearts and it left him wanting “to be an influence in the marketplace, touching more lives” as he navigates through the financial terrain.

PROSPERING IN ALL THINGS

Chiew, who holds an executive master of business administration degree from Helsinki School of Economics, declares that “God is also a provider of solutions to the issues of risk that people face today.” He sees that his staff are endowed with God’s wisdom and favor as they provide solutions to clients’ needs.

As leader, Chiew mentors and coaches his staff on “leadership, management, training and staff matters, undergirded by biblical principles and values.”

“We are to be a blessing to all concerned, be it our employees, clients, vendors, service providers or the marketplace,” he says.

Ultimately, Chiew believes it is “important to know the call of God upon your life.” As it is with Him that “you can fulfill the call no matter what you do, whether you’re a salaried worker, an employee or a business owner.”

In the same breath, he admits that “the call of God may require you to go through pain, and discomforts are inevitable.” It is a truth Chiew has lived out.

All through his life, Chiew always saw himself as an entrepreneur. In 1996, he and his then-girlfriend, Suzanne (now wife), enrolled in City Harvest Bible Training Centre (now School Of Theology). They married in 1997 after completing Bible school.

Chiew, who had been an insurance agent since 1988, was the sole breadwinner of his family as Suzanne had quit teaching. At that time, the couple was saddled with debt due to the cost of poor investment decisions. In spite of the hardships, Chiew never gave up, even in moments when he felt inadequate being the sole provider. Instead, he persisted by applying biblical principles to every decision and challenge.

Soon, his insurance business began to grow exponentially. From a revenue base of S$50,000 in 1999, he diversified his business, and hit a turnover of S$2 million at the end of 2006. Chiew’s agency eventually obtained a license to operate as an insurance broking firm in 2004.

Chiew’s journey to financial freedom was not easy. In the early years, home was a “rented three-room HDB flat with minimal furnishings” for the couple and their first-born son. While the family put up with the initial lack of security, Chiew bit the bullet to beat the odds to emerge victorious after years of onslaught and stress. Now, the Chiews live comfortably with their four children, Isaac, 12, Isabelle, 10, Ivan, 8 and Ivette, 5, in a fully-owned private property.

Even though the tide has turned for the close-knit family, money is not wasted on extravagant living. The father of four enjoys the simple things in life, like listening to music, cooking, life coaching and mentoring, reading and gym workouts. He enjoys spending time with his family at the movies, at the pool, or at the beach during holidays. Chiew maintains that he teaches his children financial basics.

“We teach them that what we sow, we reap, so that they think about what they should be sowing into.” Chiew and his wife wish to “prepare our children and help them to learn to distinguish between their needs and wants.”

With that the Chiew kids learn to sow into savings and giving, either in the form of tithes, offerings or miscellaneous acts of charity.  “We also teach them about budgeting so that they know how to spend their pocket money.”

Wisdom and knowledge is something this father is determined to pass on to his children. “If they want to buy a toy, it can come out of their savings; they have to consider their reasons for buying it.”

Estella Sia’s care and concern transcended her classroom at the Lee Wei Song School of Music to touch the hearts of her students.

Contributed By Bernie Guan

Estella Sia (front row, second from right) applied the Caring System to reach out to her students with the love of God. PHOTO COURTESY OF ESTELLA SIA

Since emerging as a runner-up in the SuperBand Grand Final in October 2008, Estella Sia, one fifth of local Mandopop band, Da Feng Chui, has seen her career pick up and a handful of her students come to Christ as a result of her love and concern meticulously poured into their lives.

Recently, in her efforts to help these teens become integrated into the church, she has teamed up with her cell group leader, Eric Kong, his wife, Grace Tan, and fellow cell group member cum guitarist, Clement Chiang, to form a new cell group to befriend and minister to them.

Upon graduating from junior college in December 2000, Sia joined Lee Wei Song School of Music as a teacher-cum-supervisor at the premier educational institution for discovering and developing music talents. Her foray into the music industry was further fueled by her involvement in City Harvest Church’s choir and back-up vocalist ministry the following year.

In February 2010, Sia was placed in charge of her students to form a POP choir performing English and Mandarin hits. From giving vocal training lessons to performance coaching, Sia is also adept at artiste training and vocal grooming. All these, coupled with her creativity and dedication, helped her students to mature tremendously in stage experience through their public performances. With students aged between 10 and mid-thirties, all have benefited from her teaching, representing the school at community events such as SIA Engineering Company Limited’s National Day Observance Ceremony 2010 of the Aerospace and Aviation Cluster held at the SIAEC A380 Hangar and the Mid Autumn Festival 2010 at Clarke Quay.

Sia upgraded her credentials by taking time amidst her teaching schedule to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business at a local university. Her commitment to her ministry in church also opened doors for her to serve in several overseas mission trips.

Being in the entertainment industry over the years has not been without “ups and downs” but her perseverance was witnessed by her students whom she interacts with twice to thrice a week. As a result of their close contact, and “lots of time spent with them,” many were curious as to what was the engine of her passion. Her ability to connect with her students on Facebook and Twitter also drew them closer to her over time. Last December, Sia’s students participated in a six-minute skit at an event organized by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre. There they met other members of CHC, and the doors to their hearts were opened. Soon after, Sia’s students accepted her invitation to CHC’s Christmas service, and that became the turning point for them all. Seven of her students came and by the end of the two and a half hour service, they gave their hearts to Jesus.

Sia sees herself as “the bridge that links these youth to Christ.” She also looks out for their personal welfare, ensuring that the students do not neglect their studies in school as a result of their new-found faith.

One of Sia’s students is Roxanne Heng, who said that ever since she accepted Christ into her heart, praying to God everyday has made a huge difference in how she lives her life. “I may go through a tough time during the day, but praying to God at the end of the day helps me feel better. I enjoy going to church and cell group as the people I meet are very friendly and caring—it makes me feel at home.”

Fellow chorister, Zann Foo echoed the same sentiments, saying, “Now, when I face problems in life, I would tell myself to have faith in God and keep praying. Things will always turn out better in the end.”

Through the befriending and outreach of Sia, Kong, Tan, Chiang and other CHC members such as David Ang and Timothy Wan, five of Sia’s students now attend church and cell group meetings regularly.

Kong, a 31-year-old strategic account manager, shared, “The birth of a cell group signifies the commitment to establish for members a strong identity as believers of Christ and members of CHC. It is an important milestone where members are discipled in the Word of God, and get to experience God in a small group setting; and in the process get integrated into this amazing spiritual family.”

Sia, who is now an academy manager at Lee Wei Song School of Music, is “overwhelmed by the love” and thankful for the friendship that the cell group has shown to her students. She also feels that the outreach to her students brings back memories of “the good old days” when her own cell group was made up of teens.

“The students’ presence has bought a sense of youthful energy to the cell group, reminding us that we should never lose our sense of child-like joy and wonder, in the midst life’s challenges,” said cell group member Gareth Yeo, 32, a communications officer.

Over the past few months, the commitment and friendship displayed by everyone have shown how the Caring System of CHC goes beyond the boundaries of age. Sia and her cell group agree that caring for others should be part of one’s lifestyle in and outside of church, and a person’s genuineness and sincerity must be easily felt.