SL, the CA of my bsf class, is away this week. Which means the admin team is effectively just, me. One of my worries before today was whether I'd be able to leave my Tuesday course on time. For 8 Tuesdays I have to attend a course at school till 5.30pm. The first few weeks of the course, the instructor ended after 5.30pm. If that happened today, I would have been quite late getting to church because after 5.30 the PIE would be really crowded and slow-moving. So I told SL and C to specifically pray that I get off on time. It turned out that I had ANOTHER course on the same day which had to take priority over the other, and this course ended earlier than 5.30pm =) And so, it is, in a way, a prayer answered. I got to church on time to set up =) Also, when I got to church I was still cotton-headed and a bit stressed from the day's happenings, but somehow when I started setting up, God cleared my head and got my adrenalin pumping. Everything that needed to be done just popped into my head clearly and quickly, and I did not forget anything. Praise God that I did not have a headache or neckache today! =)
Before today, I had to do admin on my own one other time. In comparison, that time was much much easier because somehow there were hardly any latecomers, all the DLs were present, there were no comm slips to issue and hardly anyone came to collect notes in advance at the end of the lesson! There were no hiccups or incidences or anything out of the ordinary. I had such an easy time, and yet I was anxious because it was the first time doing it alone. Now, on hindsight, I'd say God was very very gracious that time because He knew how I felt. He gave me the first time's solo run to get me used to things a bit so that I'd be prepared for...well, more. So today, knowing that I was more prepared, had one previous 'practice', and was somewhat less anxious, God upped the challenge a little. It was a lot more busy tonight. Things that don't usually happen on a regular basis on other weeks, all decided to happen today. I even had a tiny hiccup which has never happened before at all! One of the group secretaries marked the attendance in the wrong column, under last week's instead, and upon discovering the error, tried to erase the ticks she made but could not remember which were written in today! This has never happened before, so I had no idea what to tell her to do. My immediate concern was actually to stop myself from getting irritated (because I was already kinda over my head in things I needed to do) because I didn't want to be a bad testimony while serving God. Anyway, while I tried to stay calm, God gave wisdom. We figured out from the pencil imprints on the paper, which were previously there, and whatever we couldn't figure out, I got her to go ask those members whether they were indeed present the previous week. So everything was fine in the end. Heh. Also, we had an unusual large number of people collecting notes in advance, as well as latecomers, so that took up some time, marking attendance and all. There was also enquiries about attending class in a different country as a visitor and lots of early departures for some reason. Things which don't happen on a regular basis on other weeks, decided to all happen today.
Yet, I'd say things went pretty smoothly today, in spite of little incidences here and there and the busyness. Many thanks to those who worked silently by my side, lending a willing helping hand. THE question of the day was "Do you need help?" For that, I am very thankful. The ushers and the DLs who usually help were all really fast and efficient, and full of initiative. It felt like everyone was especially helpful today! Heh. God was also very kind to me in a small way (felt big to me though). I had to sneak into the room during pre-class prayer to make some changes on the attendance sheets, and just as I walked in, I heard one of the DLs praying for me. The timing was impeccable. I was in the room for only 10 seconds. I am sure it was no coincidence. I am certain that God arranged it such, so that I could hear it and be comforted =) And indeed I was.
I'm thankful also for little things that worked out so that the running was smooth: laptop connected to projector just fine and did not go into hibernation as it sometimes does, set-up was complete fast and early, fellowship hall's locked doors were discovered early enough for us to catch the office staff to get them to help us open them, the resignation of the regular caretaker did not cause any problems to our usual working, the combination of Ch's and Pris' groups in the end made things easier for attendance-taking and P took a group for the first time! Was also glad that Deborah came today and made things a lot easier for me. Some time was shaved off because there were people using the hall just before we got there, so we did not have to take time to turn on everything. The lights and air-conditioning etc were all on already. Roy came early and helped Jerry with the carrying of the heavy stuff. And then poor Jerry did most of the shifting of chairs in the rooms upstairs =) Most of the male DLs came early today and could help with the shifting. Thank God! In fact, most of the DLs came early today =)
Before I end off, just a note of thanks to the following people:
- Deborah and Daniel, our faithful ushers who do much more than just usher. Am so thankful for their initiative and willing hearts.
- Jerry, Alex, Samuel and Chung Yen for coming early and helping with the manual labour. Many thanks also for their initiative, willing hearts and strong arms.
- Samuel, for always helping with admin stuff: collecting attendance, taking down room signs and basically doing whatever I request. Heh.
- Jerry, for always coming early to set up chairs for everyone else, quietly, willingly and without grouse.
- Alex, Samuel and Chung Yen, for always staying till the end to help move stuff and volunteer to carry the luggage which weighs 10 tonnes.
- Deborah, for always staying till the end to help with packing and switching off lights etc.
- Roy and HP for setting up the IT stuff quickly and efficiently, Roy also for the moving of stuff.
- Cutie and Pearlyn, for always being so quick to offer and render help in whatever little needs to be done.
