Eliora Chiam, 2009, Singapore
As a teenager, I suffered from depression. Being the youngest in the family, I was loved and did well in school. However, I had little hope for the future and felt that life held no meaning for me. My father left the family when I was young and my mother took on the burden of raising four children. When I was in primary school, my mother had an accident at the factory where she worked. Her little finger was cut off and she had to recuperate at home for a long time without a job; eventually, she fell ill. Little did we know was that my mother was suffering from depression. My siblings and I were young then and did not think to bring her to see a psychiatrist. Her condition worsened after a few years and she was eventually diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Eliora with her mother
In 2006, I received Jesus into my heart as my Lord and Saviour. I tried to reach out to my mother who was initially very resistant to the gospel. But my friend’s shared with her these words: “Believe in the Lord and your children and grandchildren will be blessed”. This touched her heart and not only did she received Christ, she was water baptised. Years later, as my mother lay on her sick bed, she said that she looked forward to seeing her Heavenly Father. Soon after, she went home to be with the Lord in a peaceful sleep. My mother’s passing on and entering into the presence of God was a great comfort to me.
My family of five – my husband, my mother and two daughters – all received Christ in 2006. After believing in the Lord, our hearts were renewed and transformed. Jesus healed my heart, my life became meaningful and I no longer felt empty. I was full of hope for the future. Joy and laughter was evident in our family. Not only did my husband and I learn to love, honour and have tolerance for each other, we also made a conscious effort to be less critical and severe in the disciplining of our children. With more patience and forebearance, our family relationship was restored as we lived by God’s Word.
In 2012, my youngest daughter who was then 12, had an episode of epilepsy. Typically, I would be frantic. But I felt the peace of God that He would take care of her. As I was praying for her, the Holy Spirit brought to mind Luke 8:50 which says, “But when Jesus heard it, He answered him, saying, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and your daughter will be well.” We brought her to the a neuro doctor and true enough, he said that there was no need for her to have any procedure or medication. We were thankful to the Lord.
At the age of 16, however, my daughter fell ill. The pressure of schoolwork and the demands she placed on herself, combined with poor diet and sleep, made her stressed and anxious. Thankfully, we noticed these abnormalities in time and took her to see a psychiatrist. During this period, we often read the Bible and prayed together with her. We did sports together and had meal-time conversations as a family. Before bedtime, we would sit and read together. Gradually, through all the prayer and intentional activities, the anxieties decreased. She also became rooted and grew spiritually in her cell group. With the love and encouragement of her cell group leader and members, she learned to strengthen others and became one of the connect group leaders of the cell group.
Over the years, her anxiety attacks occasionally recurred. But with our company and support, my daughter relied on the Word of God, and picked herself up repeatedly. Proverbs 24:16a says, “for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again”. This is a verse we hold on to together.
The Lord has truly turned things around for my family. Through church, SOT and ministry, my husband and I have been equipped to serve and we serve the house of the Lord as channels of God’s love to others.
Isaiah 61:1 says, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the Lord has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound,” We believe that this is what God has done in us, and He will also do the same for others through us!