Living Pages Theatre takes on Singapore!
April 2023
By Isaiah Ziersch
Arriving in Singapore
Wow! What a couple weeks it’s been in Singapore. Amidst getting over the jetlag and culture shock, we’ve had an amazing time seeing the new culture, many new sights, and many new smells.
We’ve come along side YWAM Tampa DTS in their outreach to Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. The four talented actors and dancers that make up the DTS have been helping us with “To The Church in Rome” and we have had the prlivlage of joining them in their dances and skits to reach the lost.
Right now we are in a place called Geylang Singapore, currently being housed by YWAM Singapore. We are in the heart of the red light district and it is an honor to bring light and encouragment to such a broken region.
Interesting note: Singapore is a melting pot of different cultures. There is strong Indian influence, Thai influence, Malasian, Chinese, and more. We quickly discovered that they all hit you with their own version of culture shock.
The Missing Bag
We’ve already had our share of difficulties, which is encouraging when we look at it the right way. While we were in the airport we found out that one of the students would have to pay $700 extra to change her flight due to visa regulations. So, right from the start, we were short a team member. Thankfully she was able to find a flight a few days later, and we are so happy she is with us now.
Later in our travels, we lost one of our bags. This bag had about $2,000 worth of team money inside it. After a several hours of trying to track it down, the bag remained missing. Our wonderful leaders reminded us not to worry about it, that God would take care of us, and to not let fretting steal our joy. Within the next few days, a church gave the YWAM team an honorarium of $500 Singapore dollars after a performance we did for them. God is taking care of us.
Update: During one of our services, one of our leaders was praying and had a vision from the Lord about where our missing bag was. The same day we were told that the bag was found! The bag was collected; unfortunately all the team money that had been in the bag. But we chose to believe that wherever that money is, it blessed someone.
Living Pages Theatre’s First Performance in Asia
Yesterday we had our first performance of “To The Church in Rome” for a congregation here in Singapore. We did the 45 minute version and the congregation loved it!
After the show, we prayed for healing for a woman who’s left eye was not working properly. We also prayed for some young men who were deeply motivated and encouraged. They wanted “the fire that they saw in us”. We prayed for God’s dreams for their life to be revealed, and encouraged them to be a blank canvas for the Lord to do with wherever He chooses.
Update: Our team has performed “To the Church in Rome” 3 times here in Singapore! We are very excited to share more stories (keep watching for future newsletters!)
Performance for Migrant Workers
Later that evening Living Pages, the DTS, and the church team that we performed for that mornign all traveled to where there are hundreds of Indian migrant workers. The DTS had prepared some amazing skits and dances that had to be translated for the workers. The Church expected a maximum of 100 people, and had prepared these backpacks full of gifts and materials that we could bless the people with.
At the beginning of our time there, many were breaking fast for Ramadan. We moved into a hot, sweaty, open warehouse looking room. The atmosphere was heavy, and slightly oppressed. Several Indians started to fill the room to watch the service, and we were told that as the worship team began, many of them were joking, talking, and deciding if they should leave. Eventually we began our performances. As the skits continued, people started to crowd around from outside and come flooding into the room. We ran out of gifts to give them! By the end of the night there were about 130 people there watching. We were told that as soon as we started to perform the atmosphere shifted. We saw it too. Suddenly everyone became so engaged, and silent. The Holy Spirit totally changed the whole mood of the night as we looked out into the audience and saw so many hard working faces become soft, and intensely, and silently, engaged.
Eli and I had the honor of sharing a bit of our testimonies as the main message after all the performing was over. After prayer we thought it best to share on God’s faithfulness in our lives. We were told by some of the church team that they saw so many people engaged, clapping and genuinely connecting to our stories. This is so encouraging for me. I was told that what I shared was powerful, and people connected to it, but, in the moment, I really didn’t think it was all that special. So praise God!
The biggest moment of it all, was after the performing, the pastor made an alter call. We saw as 6 – 10 Indians raised their hands to welcome Jesus into their life! How beautiful that was!!
We enjoyed the rest of the evening eating curry and rice with them and marveling at how God moved.
We had no ability on our own to reach people with our simple skits. God’s Holy Spirit came down and moved in their hearts as they watched, and we were so humbled and encouraged. We enjoyed a bus ride home with the church team and DTS singing worship songs to one another, marveling at God’s movement.
We are so thankful to the church team we were with and to the DTS.
We are also so thankful for YOU. We deeply appreciate all your prayers and support. You are making these things possible.
Prayer Requests:
– The continued building of God’s Kingdom in Singapore
– Team Unity
– Energy! (These have been some exhausting days!)
– Perseverance and joy throughout spiritual warfare
– Continued wisdom and finances for the future of Living Pages when we return to the states
– That the editing of the “To The Church in Rome DVD” goes smoothly and quickly to bless many to come.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!
Many Blessings,
– Isaiah and Living Pages Team.
“Consider it all joy my brothers when you face various kinds of trials knowing that trials bring about perseverance…” James 1