My Faithful Grandmother | 我忠实的祖母

My maternal grandmother came to Singapore from Fujian province, China.  She was a devoted Buddhist/ Taoist.  She went to the biggest temple in Singapore regularly, and she made sure she was the first one to burn the incense at the temple. 

In the 1930s, a renowned Chinese Christian evangelist came to Singapore.  His name was John Sung Shang Chieh 宋尙節.  My grandmother’s God-sister invited her to the gathering.  On the first night, my grandmother heard that God is the one true God and thought, “This is interesting!”.  The second night, she attended again and thought, “This is intensive!”.  On the third night, she chose to give her life to Jesus. 

My grandmother was illiterate; she did not have the chance to go to school.  In fact, she was sold to be a maid when she was young.  She did not know her real parents.  However, when she became a Christian, she prayed to God and He enabled her to read the Bible!  She was not able to read the newspaper but she was able to read the Hokkien alphabetical Bible! 

In the 1950s, my family moved in to a rental apartment at 36 New Bridge Road.  World War 2 was over.  We had a Chinese neighbor on one side, and a Muslim neighbor on the other side.  The Chinese neighbor told my mom that the apartment we were staying in was “very dirty”.  My mom did not understand that the neighbor was referring to apartment being spiritually dirty, so she answered her saying she will sweep the floor and clean it.  Later on, the Chinese neighbor told my family that the apartment used to be a torture house for the Japanese soldiers.  Many people died there during WW2.  The Chinese neighbor saw a headless woman floating in the day.  The Muslim neighbor told my family that the spiritual attack was so bad that blankets got burnt. 

There was this particular corner in the apartment that my grandmother sensed the evil spirit hiding there.  She used the broom to try to chase the evil spirit away but it did not barge.  She suddenly remembered what was written in the Bible, she commanded the evil spirit to leave in the name of Jesus!  And it left!

Philippians 2:10-11 (NKJV)

¹⁰ that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, ¹¹ and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

One of my sisters was able to see the evil spirits – she said that they were all outside our apartment.  Those evil spirits were not able get into our apartment because it was protected by God.  We had family friends and relatives that came to visit us and they stayed at our apartment.  Those who were believers of Jesus were not harmed.  But those who did not believe got disturbed by the evil one at night. 

My family stayed there for 5 years and God protected us from all kinds of spiritual attacks. 

There was once my grandmother was passing by someone that was performing a ritual to the idols 乩童.  My grandmother thought to herself, “Why would anyone go through such sufferings? We have a God that loves us.”  That guy was not able to get into a trance.  He then called out if there are any Christians around, to leave.  There is power in being a Christian!

Our family used to go to a church that was closed to a temple.  The temple owner did not like it when the Christians set up church there because they were not able to perform their rituals to their idols.  The temple owner even complained to the government about it.  Then suddenly, the temple owner passed away.  We serve an all-powerful God!

In the 1940s, my step grandfather asked my uncle to send $300 to Vietnam.  Those days, there was registered mail and $300 was a lot of money.  My uncle forgotten to take the receipt from the Post Office after sending the mail.  When my uncle came home, my step grandfather was very angry when no receipt was given to him.  He thought that my uncle took the money for himself.  My grandmother, in her wisdom, told my step grandfather to wait to see if the other party in Vietnam get the money in a few weeks.  My grandmother then prayed to God to blind the eyes of the Mail Men, so that no one will take the money.  Lo and behold, the other party confirmed receipt of the money in Vietnam.  My grandmother’s faith in the Lord was very strong!

My grandmother was very kind too.  Our family was not rich; she planted a garden.  Some neighbors will come and steal the food she planted, but she will let them be. 

My grandmother was a prayer warrior.  She prayed relentlessly for the family, for the generations to come.  She often knelt down, donned on her veil to pray to God.

Towards the end of my grandmother’s life, she continued to show her faith in the Lord.  When she was in the hospital, her bed was close to the window and the sun kept shining on her.  She was very uncomfortable.  Our family wanted to ask the hospital staff to move her to a shady bed.  My grandmother did not want that.  She prayed to God instead saying, “God, your daughter is very uncomfortable because of the sun.”  And the days after that, the sun no longer make her feel uncomfortable. 

This testimony was from Samuel Yap.  The interview was conducted on Aug 12, 2025 by Sarah.

Sarah: I have known Sam and his family for many years and I am always fascinated by the faith of God in them.  They have gone through much in life but yet they always see God’s hands helping them, rescuing them, and blessing them.  I pray that these testimonies will speak to those who read it.  That God will help you to increase in your faith in Him.