Stevie is convinced that his job as an Operations Executive (OE) at St. John’s Home for Elderly Persons (SJHEP) is God’s plan and provision for him.  After running his own IT business for 30 years, he was ready to end it and move on.  God gave him the word, “manna”* and soon after he received a call from SJHEP asking him if he was interested in the OE position.  Stevie is no stranger to SJHEP; he was a volunteer at SJHEP before he became a staff.

When he first joined SJHEP three years ago, Stevie’s first month was a challenging one.  The OE position had been vacant for a few months before Stevie joined SJHEP, so there was no one to show him the ropes.  The Home was also due for inspection by the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF).  Without any prior experience in operations work, he had to hit the ground running.  At that time there were also not many volunteers to help with the repair work.  With his hard work and the help of all his staff – the Nursing Aides, Physiotherapy Aides and Healthcare Assistants, SJHEP passed the inspection the first time round.  Everyone was delighted and Stevie showed his appreciation by buying his staff a McDonald’s meal.

Asked about his duties and responsibilities, Stevie’s short answer is “bao gar liao” which in Hokkien means “do everything”.  Stevie’s work includes facilities management, people management and assisting in volunteer events.  He ensures that operations at SJHEP run smoothly each day, the essential needs of the residents are met, the equipment is maintained and in working order, and cleanliness and hygiene standards of the home are maintained.  He does the painting and minor repairs like handling choked toilet bowls among others.  He manages 16 staff who are mostly foreigners and also helps to deal with disputes and incidents involving the residents.  He knows all the 80 residents by name and which dormitory they are in and their beds.  He manages and shows volunteers what needs to be done on the premises.  He also helps to set up the AVA equipment when volunteers come to sing and perform for the residents.  Stevie is on his feet most of the time – his pedometer shows that on average he walks 15,000 steps daily at work!

Stevie finds people management challenging.  He said that when a piece of equipment is faulty, you just need to repair it. Dealing with people is more complex and difficult, and can be frustrating.  He asks God for wisdom when he needs help to handle people issues.  At times when he feels like giving up, he hears God telling him to “take care of His sheep” and he stays on.

*In the bible, the people of Israel called the bread which God provided for them “manna”.