TRASH SOCIETY SETTING CAPTIVES FREE JASON WONG

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2 TRASH OF SOCIETY SETTING CAPTIVES FREE JASON WONG

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4 This book is dedicated to Donna Kng, my beloved wife of 25 years. Because of your faith in me, I am able to follow God fully. The life I have lived up to now is possible only because you, my constant cheerleader, have been a great part of it. I look forward to growing old with you.

5 TRASH OF SOCIETY Setting Captives Free Copyright Jason Wong 2017 Book Editor: Janey Sie Proof-readers: James Ong Cover Design: Joshua Tan Typeset & Publishing: Kenny Tan ISBN: Printed in Singapore Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www. zondervan.com The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc. Scriptures marked NLT are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW LIVING TRANSLATION (NLT): Scriptures taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW LIV- ING TRANSLATION, Copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois All rights reserved. Used by permission. Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from the ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version ), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scriptures marked KJV are taken from the KING JAMES VERSION (KJV): KING JAMES VERSION, public domain. Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

6 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Firstly, I must thank my former boss, Mr Chua Chin Kiat, who gave me permission to include his powerful testimony in this book. He modelled visionary leadership, and is the man God used to bring transformation to the Singapore Prison Service. I would like to express my deepest appreciation to Janey Sie, my former cell member who so willingly offered to be my editor. As a schoolteacher, she should be enjoying her June holidays, but she sacrificed it for my book. I would also like to thank Kenny Tan, a mentee of mine who used the experience he gained from self-publishing his own book to help me coordinate and publish mine. He is now writing his second book. To my wife Donna, my daughter Sarah, and son Samuel, thank you for encouraging me to write and finish my first book. Without your constant nudging, it might have taken a few more years before this book sees the light of day. And thank you to all who are ministering and reaching out to prisoners in Singapore and other parts of the world. You may be a staff with a calling to work in a prison, or you may be a volunteer serving in a prison-related ministry. As a volunteer, you travel long distances to visit and counsel prisoners. You could have used the time for resting or recreation, but you chose to reach out to these prisoners. Remember that as you do unto the least of these, you are doing unto Jesus. And thank you to those of you who are receiving ex-offenders from the prisons into your workplaces, churches, and communities, giving them second chances and support to start life anew. You are helping to unlock the second prison. When you help to set a prisoner free, he will help to set many others free.

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8 CONTENTS Foreword 01 Introduction 03 ONE TWO THREE FOUR FIVE SIX SEVEN EIGHT NINE TEN ELEVEN TWELVE THIRTEEN My First 16 Years 07 What Am I On Earth For? 15 Ah Boy to Man 25 Full-time Christian, Part-time Student 31 From Student to Soldier Again 71 Rubbish in a Dream 83 Setting Prisoners Free 101 Setting Prisons Free Becoming Captains of Lives 131 Setting Society Free The Yellow Ribbon Project 153 A Fool for Christ 181 Oaks of Righteousness 197 The Warrior Is A Child 207 Salvation Has Come To Your Household 217 Conclusion 241 Epilogue 247 Appendix 255

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10 TRASH OF SOCIETY FOREWORD Those who do not know Jason personally but have heard of him would wonder to themselves: is this man fearless or just foolhardy? His reputation precedes him. Those who know Jason would agree he is a modern-day king David a great man of God, a man after God s own heart. Like David, who did everything God wanted him to, Jason s obedience and faithfulness to God s calling speak of his complete trust in his Maker. My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses for the King; my tongue is the pen of a skilful writer. (Psalm 45:1) This Bible verse came to mind as I edited Jason s manuscript. It testifies to Jason s profound love for God and his willingness to let God use him. Deeply moving, every chapter held me spellbound with its laugh-out-loud moments, poignant teary moments and so many many God moments. It tells me what total surrender means; I now understand why Jason does what the world would deem crazy. Besides the privilege of being amongst the first to read Jason s story, I have had the privilege to be in the cell group led by Jason and Donna. This amazing couple, whom I met twenty-four years ago, showed my family and me how to do life together. More than giving 1

11 foreword of their time and resources, Jason and Donna speak into so many of our lives with love and conviction. They exemplify what it means to unlock the doors of the second prison and embrace those who had been incarcerated. Ex-prisoners seeking a place to share their joys and woes found unconditional hospitality and scrumptious food in Jason and Donna s home. As a community, we learn to bear one another s burden, to love and not condemn. Today, the cell group has multiplied into a few more cell groups of dynamic men and women who long for a pure heart that breaks for the lost. We are so blessed to enjoy the legacy of the good work Jason and Donna started. At gatherings, Jason is often inconspicuous. Quietly he sits at a corner, smiling as a child regales him with tales of little exploits. With eyes of compassion, he listens without judging as a brother speaks of his pain. In these pages, you will find Jason s honest prose that gives God the glory and downplays his own achievements. If anyone could say his is a life of no regrets, it would be Jason. You will not regret picking up this book. May God use this gem to bless so many who are treading in doubt and walking in darkness. Janey Sie 2

12 TRASH OF SOCIETY INTRODUCTION Have you ever questioned the meaning of life and your purpose on earth? Is there a creator who put you here, and does it matter how you live? I have grappled with these questions and more. Some answers were found in life s journey, though not all. This book documents that journey, and what I did with the answers to change course early in life. If I had taken a different path, there might not be a Yellow Ribbon Project or Dads for Life movement in Singapore today. Some of you may be reading this book because you know me or have heard me share in your school or church. As you read these pages, you will get to know more about the man behind these two national movements founded in 2004 and 2009, as well as the God behind this man. God s handprints and footprints are found all over the course of my life. Some readers may be interested in this book because it speaks of the transformation of Singapore Prison Service, as well as the Yellow Ribbon Project a second chance movement started in Singapore, which has since been adopted by other nations. You may have even heard a rumour about a very senior prison officer washing the feet of prisoners. You can determine the veracity of the story here I was that foolish senior prison officer. If at this juncture you are tempted to skip to that particular chapter, I advise you against doing so. God always prepares a man for 3

13 introduction the assignment. The process of preparation, the journey, and the signposts are just as important as the execution. To truly appreciate a movie s ending, you must know how it began. Firstly, this book is written to give God all the glory due to Him. God is always at work in the lives of His people. It was God who led me to work in the Prisons; it was God who gave me the wisdom to initiate the Yellow Ribbon Project. Very often, Christians shy away from sharing with others because we do not want to offend or seem boastful. But if we do not share the great works God has done in our lives, how would others come to know and trust this awesome God? For I am not ashamed of the Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes...(romans 1:16a NLT) Secondly, the book is written in response to requests that I document the things God has done in my life. Be it a prophetic word or a simple request, I am often told: You should write a book. The impetus came when someone said, You won t be able to speak at all the places that need to hear this. A book will be able to do that. Thirdly, I write for my children and their children. Since I am not getting younger, I am afraid the details may fade with the passage of time, if they are not immortalised in print. I want them to know God is real. He is able to do great things in and through our lives. One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts. (Psalm 145:4 KJV) This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD. (Psalm 102:18 KJV) We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. (Psalm 78:4 ESV) Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart. (Psalm 119:111 ESV) 4

14 TRASH OF SOCIETY I hope this book will benefit different groups of readers: For those searching for God, I hope you will find the one true and loving God, just as I did many years ago. Some of you may be praying for loved ones who are not yet Christians. Keep praying and keep being Jesus to them. I was the first in my family to know Jesus, but now several family members have become Christians. For those looking for meaning and purpose in life, once you find God, you will discover what your life is about. God knows the plans He has for you, whether you are pursuing your studies, serving national service, or working in the marketplace. My desire is for this book to be read by prisoners in many nations. If you are reading this in a prison cell, I pray you will have an encounter with God. May you find out that God is real, and that He wants to set you free to be all He has created you to be. You may be in a physical prison, but if you have Jesus, you can have more freedom than someone outside the prison, who does not know Jesus. The older I get, the more opportunities I have to speak to young people. I learnt there are many young men and women on fire for God and desire to serve Him with all their heart, mind, soul and strength. They are looking for spiritual fathers and mothers. They desire to hear the works God has done in our lives, and they hunger for the same, for themselves and their generation. Though I am mentoring several young people, it would be impossible for me to do more. Hence, I pray this book will inspire and speak into the lives of many young people whom I may never get to meet on this side of heaven. May this book ignite the passion in many young people to seek and live out God s calling for their lives, just as I tried to do with mine. One Life All for Jesus! 5