Stanley is not only a faithful Christian; he is also a successful professional in international business and marketing. He believes that his Christian faith should not be limited to one’s personal life; it should be demonstrated in the workplace as well. He clearly saw that God always guided him, at work, throughout his career to bless others.

*****************

Stanley: Our faith should not be confined to our private lives; God’s goodness can and should be displayed in the workplace as well. Do not wait until retirement to begin sharing our faith. Today you can start sharing the gospel with your colleagues and friends. They need God!

******************

In the previous episode 4, we shared that in September 1979, Stanley and Linda went to London to further their studies. They encountered many challenges, but also experienced much grace from God. In 1982, the couple successfully completed their postgraduate studies. Both Stanley and Linda were invited to stay in London to work. They were also invited by the Chinese government at that time to work in China. However, Linda was pregnant and felt homesick after 3.5 years in London . They then decided to return to Singapore.

In January 1983, Stanley and Linda returned to Singapore. Stanley was soon hired as an Engineering Manager by a UK trading company. On the first day of work, the British CEO Mr. John invited Stanley for a cup of coffee. During the conversation, John shared some of the problems the company faced. As Stanley listened, he prayed silently in his heart for God’s guidance and answers. After John had spoken, Stanley gave his views and suggestions on macro and micro perspectives in strategic trading business. John was surprised and so impressed that he immediately called in the HR manager to raise Stanley’s salary by another S$300 per month - a large amount of money at the time in 1983 and on the first day of work too! Stanley was full of joy, and gave all glory to God.

Stanley began to implement his recommendations. He reorganized his department and realigned it to the needs of the marketplace. Through breakthrough distribution strategies, he increased the company’s sales and profits including the launching of new products and appointing effective distributors. Later he was transferred to the parent company and headed their business development unit, directly reporting to the Singapore CEO Mr. Hong of HQ. Clearly, God’s hand was guiding Stanley every step of his career.

In 1986, Stanley changed career and joined a Top Fortune 500 company, Honeywell Singapore. He served as its division manager for control products. His job was to increase his departmental revenue. One day while browsing through the company's promotional brochure, he learned that Honeywell manufactured a device called opto-electronics. Opto-electronics is used in computer disk drives, printers and in office automation machines.

He was very interested in this opto-electronics product although it was not under his portfolio. He found out that multinational companies located in Singapore were not using Honeywell's opto-electronics products. Instead they used similar products made by Honeywell’s competitors. Why was that so? He and his sales team spent three months surveying the market in Singapore and Malaysia. Computer disk drives and printers manufactured by these multinational companies in Singapore and Malaysia accounted for 80% of the world's total production. This presented a great business opportunity for Honeywell and he reported the market findings to the Honeywell headquarters in Texas, U.S.A.

But their response was disappointing. They admitted that the market was large but their opto-electronics production lines were already running at 100% capacity to meet the U.S. demand. The production capacity could not be expanded any more to supply the needs of Asia. But Stanley did not give up. He requested to visit the company headquarters in Texas. They welcomed him.

He saw that the opto-electronics factory was operating at its maximum capacity. There was no room for production for Asia. He thought about the issue thoroughly and prayed for God’s leading. Then he put forward a bold proposal to suggest that the company set up a special production line for the Asian market. It was not easy to carry out such a plan in a large company. In the end, the company leadership agreed. At the same time, the challenge for Stanley and his team was to convince companies dealing with office automation products in Singapore and Malaysia to switch to the Honeywell brand. He and his team did their best.

Their efforts paid off with great success. In just one year, the Honeywell opto-electronics market share rose from 0 to 80% in Singapore and Malaysia. It brought huge revenue to the company. The company's management was so thrilled with the performance of the Singapore office that Stanley was asked to write about his success story, which was titled “Qualities of A Professional Salesperson”. This article was later cited by the journals of different management institutions. Stanley had put Christ first  in his workplace; he saw how God led and blessed him and the company. He was deeply grateful.

Once, on a business trip to Manila in the Philippines, Stanley befriended a taxi driver named Jerry. They chatted happily along the journey from the airport to the hotel. They hit off so well that Stanley invited Jerry for dinner at his hotel. They had so much to talk about; they discussed life and its many issues. After dinner, Stanley felt that Jerry seemed to have some unsettled matters so he invited Jerry to his room for a cup of coffee and more conversation.

God impressed upon Stanley to invite Jerry to read Matthew Chapter 6. To his surprise, Jerry broke down as he read the Scriptures; he was unable to hold back his tears. Stanley gave him time to compose himself and finally asked, “Jerry, what happened?” Jerry answered, "I read that God takes care of the birds in the air and the lilies in the field, would not God take care of me, man of little faith?” Honestly speaking, Jerry was worried today whether he had enough money to buy food for his family. God spoke to him through these Bible verses. God reprimanded Jerry that he had no faith in Him, so he cried.

That night, Stanley led Jerry to Jesus. Later, Jerry asked Stanley if he could introduce him to his younger brother, Archie. Stanley was very glad, of course! The next day Jerry and Archie looked for him in the hotel. After dinner, Jerry also wanted Stanley to share Jesus with Archie. Stanley shared the gospel happily again and led Archie to Jesus. The two brothers were hungry to learn more and pleaded with Stanley to do Bible study with them before he returned to Singapore.

Stanley was overjoyed and immediately contacted a staff of the Navigators in Manila asking for three sets of Bible study materials in Christian living. During the next 2 days, after work, he had Bible study lessons with the two brothers. During the Bible study, they also shared about each other's lives. Jerry told Stanley that he was not a full-time taxi driver. In fact, he was a part-time student, studying to become a lawyer. On the first day when Stanley arrived in Manila, another driver was initially assigned to fetch Stanley from the airport. But that driver had taken ill and Jerry was his replacement! God works in such mysteriously ways that Jerry and Archie could have opportunity to meet Stanley - and to know and received Jesus as their Lord and Saviour!

***************

Stanley: My life is a story written by God. By divine appointments, my family and friends are introduced into my story. I am only a pencil in the hand of God, for Him to write my God-given distinctiveness and destiny