Loving and Serving Gladiolus Place
For a couple of years now, a group of GBC members have been reaching out to the residents and staff at Gladiolus Place through a monthly dinner. Moreen Tai has been helping out, and shares with us what they have been doing, and how God has been working in the hearts of our members, as well as ways we can support the ministry in prayer.
Every month, on the second Wednesday, GP outreach volunteers at GBC come together to prepare and serve a dine-in dinner for the residents of Gladiolus Place (GP). These are girls who have been placed in the home by court order or welfare services for protection and care, often as a result of abuse, neglect or trauma. Living away from home means that the girls rarely experience the comfort of a home-cooked meal, so we make it a point to ensure our monthly dinners are always freshly prepared and home-cooked.
Ways we seek to love and serve
The GP ministry at GBC is co-led by Joanna and Ruth. The GP kitchen team carefully plans the menu and prepares the meals, either in the church kitchen, at home, or by inviting care groups to contribute. Since most of the volunteers are employed or in school during the day, putting together a fellowship meal for up to 50 people on a weekday evening can be challenging.
Although many of the girls come from non-believing families, the monthly dinner at GBC has become something that they look forward to with eager, childlike joy. It’s like a special treat, and they often try very hard to be on their best behaviour that day. Beyond sharing lovingly prepared food, these meals open a doorway to honest conversations, where trust can grow and mentorships can naturally take shape. More than anything, they remind the girls that they are seen, cherished, deserving of kindness, and precious in the sight of God.
On those Wednesdays, we begin our time together with prayer, thoughtfully worded to reflect the hope of the Gospel. The girls settle into small groups, each accompanied by one or two Befrienders. As we share a meal, we ask them about their day, their families and school life. We keep our ears attentive, listening closely to their stories and concerns, hoping to build genuine connections. When we sense a need, we offer to pray for them, responding with words of encouragement and guidance shaped by Scripture. Meanwhile, the volunteering husbands of the Befrienders faithfully serve in the background, scrubbing pots, cleaning up, and lovingly restoring the kitchen to order.
After dessert – undoubtedly the girls’ favourite part – we gather again as a Befriender shares a short teaching from the Bible. Right now, we are exploring a series on Fruit of the Spirit. After the sharing, we do an activity together and reflect on some questions, creating space for the girls to share what’s on their hearts. If one of them opens up about a struggle, we gently point her to the gospel and encourage her to turn to God for help. There is not always readiness to hear about Christ or to connect deeply, but we continue sowing seeds of truth, trusting that God is quietly at work in their hearts.
Learning through Serving
When I first joined a GP dinner, I went in thinking I needed a strategy: start conversations, share my own experiences with the kids, be an understanding older sister, and speak the truth of Christ.
But as I sat with a group of girls alongside another Befriender, I quickly realised I wasn’t their big sister – I was a stranger they weren’t yet sure they could trust. The girls kept their distance at first, exchanging inside jokes I didn’t understand and occasionally teasing us by switching names. It was hard to tell what they were thinking, and I found it hard to break the ice. I found myself second-guessing every question, and I soon ran out of things to say.
I couldn’t help glancing at the sister beside me, expecting to see her equally distressed. But she wasn’t. She was calm and composed – “chill”, as the girls would say. She asked questions with genuine interest and kept the conversation going. I watched in quiet admiration as she showed me what it looked like to reach out to the girls with patience, warmth and steady faith.
I went again after that first time, and then again, and I kept going. I took my cue from that sister and simply learned to chill. The girls were wary of speaking to me, so I didn’t push – I didn’t ignore them, I simply didn’t pry or force conversation. And sure enough, as they saw that I wasn’t demanding anything from them, they began to open up. And the more one girl shared with me, the more the others followed.
Over time, I learned that true ministry is not about what I can offer, but about allowing God to work through me. It’s about meeting the girls where they are, walking alongside them, and trusting the Lord to do the real heart work. And they are all wonderful human beings. They even have a nickname for me now. This became a lesson and reminder for me: only by acknowledging God in everything I do, rather than relying on my own wisdom, will He provide guidance and remove the obstacles in my path.
Many of the girls were sent to GP because they have experienced severe abuse, neglect or exploitation. It breaks your heart to hear their stories. This is why volunteers meet once a month to share updates, support one another, pray for the girls and encourage each other.
I joined the GP outreach wanting to serve the girls, but God used them to teach me far more. I have seen firsthand how painful and futile life can feel for these girls apart from Christ, and this has deepened my desire for them to know that there is a better way to live – because there is hope in God. This is our mission: to bear witness to His compassion and to walk alongside these girls toward His light.
Ways the church can participate
And if you have compassion for these precious young women, we warmly invite you to consider serving with this outreach, especially in the kitchen team, where your hands and heart can help prepare nourishing meals that bless both the girls and your fellow volunteers.
Please also keep this ministry in your prayers: pray that the girls will experience God’s love through our fellowship, pray for strength, wisdom and joy for the volunteers, and pray that these monthly gatherings will open doors to deeper relationships, healing and true transformation in the girls’ lives. May God use our church as a faithful witness of His mercy. And may God establish the work of our hands.
If you would like to find out more or are keen to serve, feel free to speak with Pastor Oliver (oliverchia@gracebaptistchurch.sg).