This Jember Home is a Christian home, positioned right in the middle of a street well known for a great mosque it led to. We had heard from the caretaker that their presence in that street had caused some unhappiness around the area, and as a result, the kids were sometimes exposed to hostility as they made their way to school.
We had a spirited activity called the 'Toast for Change', somewhat like a New Year Resolution that fateful night last year. It was only 9.30pm, early for Singaporean standards. As such, we decided to wrap up the event with a traditional chinese 'YAM SENG', which we had taught to the kids earlier. Enthusiastically, everyone stood around in a circle and toasted for the change they resolved to make for the new year. The "yaaaaam" went on for half a minute or so, and the 'seennggg' ended just in time for us to hear the first of many 'thunks'. Initial puzzlement slowly turned to fear as the the caretaker explained that the neighbours were hurling rocks at the Home. The metallic noises that we heard were that of stones riddling the aluminium roof. While the older boys left us to take up different 'defence' positions, we huddled at the corner and prayed.
Of course, this whole issue could have arisen because we toasted 'late' at night, being rather unmindful of Indonesian culture and their abhorrence of noises made late at night. Yet, I believe that the situation was exponentially compounded because the Home was not a part of the in-group in their community. This experience was novel for me, being constantly sheltered in Singapore, where Christians face no persecution nor scorn. But it has led me to this question: Have we thrown metaphorical stones at members of out-groups where we are in Singapore? Whether we have or not, it is good time to reflect and reconsider on the way we behave towards different sub-cultures in Singapore.
