Tuesday, 23rd November 2010, 23:00 hrs
It’s a weekday, when a group of nine of us set out to view a recently vacated international school compound that’s up for sale. We’ve discussed it quite extensively and, since our last annual planning meeting retreat, decided to pay a visit there. The result? Well, what we saw was far above what we had thought and expected.
I for one thought it was indeed unpleasantly run down, with the surrounding areas either abandoned or disused, and an atmosphere that was unfriendly and unsafe. However, when we got out of the west rail line, we were immediately greeted by a panoramic view of the sea with a beautifully landscaped public park. We took a leizurely walk in the surrounding neigbourhood and visited the mall opposite. Though the mall is sparsely occupied, we were not particularly perturbed. There are various eateries and even a MacDonald’s!
The school compound is located on the fourth level, with its own private lifts. Since it used to be an international school, the inside was basically designed and planned for educational purposes. The area is more than double our current size and the look of it tells us instinctively that we could use it for the next twenty years without problem. And the entire entourage was consistently positive about it.
We will have to work out some details as to what we could do with regard to our dialogue with the board members, three of whom are quite strongly opposed to the idea. However, our current location simply will not do and does not allow us to continue operating meaningfully.
We’re running out of space at present – the library, the administrative office, the faculty offices, space for students, etc. Besides, our current location is used illegally. Our students are unable to study, hold meetings, pray and share together; nor can our faculty members meet students for confidential discussions, and most of what we’re doing is basically done on constricted space.
Some of the concerns of the board appear to be largely based on misinformation. For example, one reason is the ‘spiritual’ atmosphere that is not present in this new location. However, the sort of spiritual atmosphere referred to is about trees, flowers, fish pond and the like. This is in fact nothing to do with ‘spirituality’. For true ‘spirituality’ is about the inner person.
Some have voiced concern that there’s a lack of grandeur, which, to my mind, borders on absurdity. Under the current dire needs of the seminary, we cannot allow ‘grandeur’ to be a guiding factor in our decision. Further, the hope of some that we could look for a better place is perhaps unrealistic. The truth of the matter is that we don’t even have that sort of resources. We should indeed be going for what we can afford for now.
Now we can only look to the Lord for his provision of another place where we can operate meaningfully and successfully, to the honour and glory of the Lord.
