Unseen Life, Part 22

​All Singaporean able-bodied male citizens are enlisted for National Service in the Armed Forces when they come of age at 18 years for thirty months (presently reduced to 24 months). After returning from the U.K., I was the oldest recruit on my enlistment day; even older than the Camp Commandant. Although my physical fitness level was highly questionable at the time, contrary to all my expectations, I thoroughly enjoyed the physical endurance regime, together with the tight camaraderie among my platoon mates. Most of the recruits in this cohort were school dropouts, and a sizable number were gangland members. Chinese dialects, therefore, were our main form of communication. And since all marching orders are in the unfamiliar Malay language, during the initial weeks on parade days, we had a great deal of fun not marching in step and colliding into one another with command changes. This immediately elicited an array of punishment on the parade square, which we all took in our stride. 
 
Midway through the basic military training, two of us were called up for an interview for an ensuing officer cadet course. Instantaneously, an urgent conversation occurred: Should I take on the officer cadets’ course? Is there another military vocation that God wanted me to enrol in? What would I be doing in the future, and how would any military course aid me towards it? Anyway, do I really have a choice in this matter? Straight away, He replied, “Don’t worry Gerald, I will clue you in during the interview session.” 
 
I sat before three formidable high ranking officers. The Spokesperson, rather nonchalantly directed the conversation, “After the officer cadet course, you would receive further training as an artillery officer before your posting to an Arty camp. Do you have any questions?” Then a soft gentle voice chimed in, “Gerald, decline the course. Request to be trained as a combat medical orderly!” 
 
The three officers discussed among themselves, then the Spokesman turned to me with a disapproving expression, “No one before has ever declined our officer cadet course! Tell us your reasons for the medic course.” After a couple of seconds of silence, I began to speak, and the words just naturally followed, “I am a Christian and if God so guides in the future, my forward thoughts are to serve Him overseas in a third world country. A medical orderly course would probably best prepare me for that kind of venture.” 
 
Once again, they huddled together, then the Spokesperson said, “We will make sure you are enrolled in the next medical orderly course. You may go now.” I saluted and thanked them, and left. That was it; short and sharp! I walked away from that dialogue with a deep sense of awe over what had just taken place: it was highly unusual for a recruit to be given a choice over his military vocation at the time. Furthermore, missionary service was furthest from my mind at that stage of my life! It would be another two decades later, before any thoughts on our missionary endeavour materialise. God, in His omniscience, obviously intervened and managed the outcome in this episode.
 
I absolutely enjoyed the thirteen weeks’ combat medical orderly course at the School of Military Medicine. The classes included lessons on primary healthcare, basic pharmacology, first aid, including resuscitation drills, practical administration of injections and blood withdrawal, setting up and operating a battalion casualty station. I was eventually posted to one of the Artillery wing’s Medical Centres, and a couple of months later, put in charge of the Centre. A mid-career advancement to a Combat Medical Orderly Class 1 course came later. It was even more motivating; where the knowledge and skills to handle both trauma and non-trauma medical emergencies within a military context were taught. And this included one month’s intensive attachment to a large general hospital’s emergency dept. On hindsight, these basic medic skills came in handy when we finally ventured into missions. 
 
The gratifying two and the half years passed in a twinkle of an eye. It provided me with an extended time for reflection on my future, and for building new relationships with the camp’s several career soldiers and national servicemen. With a great team of medics who assisted me in taking care of the Centre, we garnered a couple of the Artillery Formation’s accolades for the Medical Centre. I am thankful for God’s involvement throughout my national service stint; where His gracious guidance and wisdom, His strength and protection were daily in play.
 
This side of heaven, due largely to our rather independent individualism, learning to walk in step with God’s pace may not seem to be the most straightforward of journeys. But when we choose to purposefully engage Him, and is patient and guileless, He will guide us (Ps 32: 8; Ps 25: 9 – 10). God perennially focuses on our motivational crux, where entrenched self-interest invariably clouds our deliberations, to ensure that we are clear in our obedience to His directions. Hence, God’s wisdom is never abstract, it is consistently personalised.