I CHOSE JESUS | KAIROS GLOBAL | PILOT ISSUE | 2017

Interview with Ms. Fionne Grace Lai, coordinator of Jesus Youth Singapore

Author : Nobin Jose

Intro : Nobin Jose gives us an insight into how Fionne, a Buddhist by

birth chose Jesus as her Lord and Saviour. She shares her journey

in the search of truth, how she found Jesus, the changes in her

life, and her dreams for the future. Fionne Grace Lai is currently

the coordinator of Jesus Youth Singapore and a member of the Jesus Youth International Council

Fionne, can you share with us about your childhood and family?

I was born in Singapore to a typical

Chinese Buddhist family. My family was very

much involved in practising the Buddhist rituals

and my parents were devoted to the Buddhist

religious practices. My two sisters and I grew

up practising Buddhist prayers and rituals. My

parents offered me to the “goddess of mercy,” in

Chinese also known as “Guan Yin”, at a very young

age. Other than the huge goddess of mercy statue,

we also have our ancestor’s tablet, and earth god,

at our altar table.

My mum told me that Guan Yin will protect

me, and take care of me. Out of respect, I

obediently followed what my parents taught me,

in practicing the faith with joss sticks, offering to

Guan Yin, and praying to other gods, I also

visited the Chinese Temple and even the Indian

Temple occasionally.

Can you share your memories about

God during your younger years?

As a child who was born in a Buddhist family, I

was obeying my parents in blindly practicing all

the rituals and prayers, but could not find any

happiness or satisfaction. I was just making my

parents happy by doing so and there was no

personal relationship and experience of the God I

was praying to.

I was very much fearful of God those days,

and I thought if I did anything wrong, God would

severely punish me. We had many beliefs, like

Ghost month or Festival of the Hungry Ghost.

During this month, the gates of hell are opened,

and the spirits normally trapped inside are free

to roam the earth for one month. There were

many such superstitious beliefs that haunted my

childhood and school days.

When did you start hearing about“Jesus”?

I still remember the school anthem song at my

secondary school- Christ Church Secondary

School. We used to sing every morning “To

God be the glory, great things He hath done, So

loved He the world that He gave us His Son...”

Although I was singing the same anthem for 5

years, I did not try to understand the meaning and

I did not know who this “Son” was in the song.

Every Friday afternoon, one pastor used to give an

hour sermon. I made it a routine to sleep during

those sermons, longing to hear the final “Amen”

after the closing prayer of such sessions.

When did the “change” start in your life, Fionne?

My secondary school friend, Jennifer, used to

invite me to St Michael’s church. Out of curiosity

to know what was happening there, I started

following her. One day when we reached the

church, a healing Mass was happening at the

church, and I witnessed a priest laying hands

over people, and people were getting healed.

I could see with my own eyes the healings,

deliverances, and a peace and joy that spread

over the place, but I didn’t realize who this God

was behind all the beautiful things happening in

front of me. However, I was afraid about causing

problems if I continued to go to church, since I

was submitted to the goddess of mercy. I decided

to stop the occasional church visits with Jennifer

and told her “Since I am a person submitted to

the goddess of mercy, I won't be coming to church anymore.”

After my studies, I started to work in the corporate world,

rushing for work, back home, sleep, and next day repeating

the same routine again. Over the weekends, I used to spend time

with my friend at the movies, for meals and shopping, the usual

things the youth were doing. Nothing significant or special

was happening in my life. I used to be a very negative person, full

of complaints, and my life went on like this till the year 2009, a

special year that had changed my entire life.

One day I met Jennifer on a bus after work, almost 5 years after

our secondary school graduation. That meeting was a renewal of our

friendship, and thereafter we used to meet up for meals. Those were

occasions of great relief, to be able to share the struggles of work

and life with a friend. Within my heart I knew Jennifer was special

because her God was powerful, and I learned that she was a Jesus

Youth.

During that year, my friend, Phyllis shared During that year, my

friend, Phyllis shared with me that she was having some struggles

at her workplace. Somehow, I got this prompting within

my heart that Jennifer would have a solution

to the problems Phyllis was going through. I

connected both of them together. As a person who

always thirsts for souls, Jennifer invited Phyllis

to a Jesus Youth prayer group at The Church of

the Risen Christ, Toa Payoh. Phyllis went with

Jennifer into the prayer meeting, where they all

prayed together for the problem which Phyllis

was facing in her work. Miraculously, her job

situation improved as result of the prayer, and she

continued to attend the weekly prayer meeting. I

was curious, and wanted to find out what they had

done. They shared with me that they had prayed

to God, He answered her prayers, and things

seemed to move smoothly.

Having witnessed the miracle in

Phyllis’ life, what was the impact in

your life?

One day Jennifer, Phyllis, and I went for a dinner.

During the meal, I was listening to what Jennifer

and Phyllis were sharing about one true God,

prayer, and Catholic faith. Though I couldn’t grasp

the meaning of what they were talking, I received

a divine inspiration to know more about that

miraculous “Power” that changed Phyllis’ life. I

was very much excited and surprised by the things

God was doing, a God who was tangible and near.

What was the first Jesus Youth

program you attended? How was your

experience?

Jennifer brought me to a Jesus Youth

professionals gathering at CANA Catholic Centre,

which was my first Jesus Youth program. During

the praise and worship, I was deeply touched by

one song that drew me to tears. I felt that God’s

love was flowing into my heart. I sensed that God

was calling me too. I was inspired to journey with

Jesus Youth. As a result, I started attending the

weekly prayer meeting at the Church of the Risen

Christ, Toa Payoh.

How did you decide to join RCIA (Rite

of Catholic Initiation of Adults)?

During the prayer meetings, I was very much

blessed with the presence of the loving people

of Jesus Youth, who helped me to know about

Jesus, and to grow in a relationship with Him. I

came to learn about RCIA, which is a one year

faith formation program that eventually leads

to Baptism, to be a Catholic. My prayer group

encouraged me to join RCIA. With the prayers

and support of Jesus Youth, I started the RCIA

journey. Jennifer was my RCIA sponsor. I thankfully

remember the immense prayers, sacrifices, and efforts

taken by people like Jennifer, Nimmi, Sijumon, Dr. Julio, Dr.

Mathew, and many others, who longed to see me grow in

Christ Jesus. During that one year of RCIA, along with the

formation received in RCIA, I was given many opportunities

to attend initial retreats, and other programs organised by

Jesus Youth, that catalysed my faith journey.

We can only imagine how excited you were for Baptism after a

yearlong RCIA journey. Can you share about your preparations for

Baptism?

Yes, I was very excited and awaited my Baptism. I had to

find a Baptismal name. Jennifer suggested many

names, but I could sense that the Holy Spirit was

prompting the name ‘Grace’ through praying the

Holy Rosary. Mother Mary is always close to my

heart in a special way. So finally, after a yearlong

preparation, prayer, and waiting, I received the

Sacrament of Baptism in 2010. This took place

during the Easter Vigil Holy Mass at Church of

the Risen Christ, Toa Payoh. Fionne Lai became

Fionne Grace Lai. My heart was overjoyed to see

many Jesus Youth friends present for the Baptism.

How did you grow in ‘Grace’ after the Baptism?

Friends started to notice changes in me and I

also felt them in myself. I became more positive

and joyful, and I could handle more challenges

in my life. I believe this was the work of the Holy

Spirit within me. When I am weak and when I am

down, I recite the Holy Rosary, and it has given me

tremendous comfort and strength to carry on. It

has become a part of me to recite the Rosary, and

communicate with Our Lord, Jesus Christ, through

Our Lady, in many ways.

After my Baptism, I had an intense desire to

share the love of God which I experienced in my

life. I was very much attracted to the 6 pillars of

the Jesus Youth movement. I became involved

in the Jesus Youth Singapore Outreach Ministry.

God used me as an instrument to help in initia

retreats and to coordinate various outreach

programs, targeting local youth. Over the past

5 years, we did retreats for Marymount School

Primary students. Though unworthy, to my

surprise, God called me to serve as Coordinator

of Jesus Youth Singapore since 2014, and

throughout these years, the movement helped me

to deepen my faith and to enrich my spirituality.

“It is no longer I, but Christ who lives in me,”

Galatians 2:20.

Can you share your dreams about your mission?

I dream of resigning my job one day to become a

fulltime missionary. I was enlightened on the need

of more “labourers” in our Lord’s vineyard during

my visit to East Timor a few months ago. So many

souls are waiting for spiritual food. So many

people are urgently in need of Jesus in their lives.

We need to pray more, we need to do more for the

mission areas. I have one more dream. I wish my

parents and siblings could be part of our beautiful

Catholic Church one day…I hope you all can join

me in praying for that special dream too

Nobin Jose is the Assistant Coordinator of Jesus Youth, Singapore.

He has been living in Singapore for the past decade.Nobin is

married to Jilu and they are blessed with a baby boy Savio Joseph.