Little Nyonya

Little Nyonya ' - 小娘惹
I caught the first episode of the show << 小娘惹>> last night. I have to say I really enjoyed it :) I particularly like the character of Juxiang, acted by Jeanette Aw. Her character is very gentle & kind yet very strong. She is a character of grace and considers others' interests above herself. She has a genuine heart for people and is very kind to her maidservant whom she helps to pay off her debt with her red packet money. I am entranced by one scene when she was accused by her stepmother of stealing a bangle. Although she was let off, she held on to her integrity. She took a candle, lighted it and placed her hand over the flame. She swore in front of her ancestors that if she was the one who stole the bangle, her hand will be burnt till it is deformed. I love the expression on her face as she did that, not wanting to bow down to the injustice done to her. There was just a slight flinch on her face as she allow the flame to burn her hand.

Brief sypnosis:

Juxiang is born into a big Peranakan family where her mum is a mistress. She is gentle, beautiful and a fantastic cook. Born deaf-mute, she is ostracized by people. Right before the Japanese Occupation in Singapore, she is forced to marry a rich Peranakan as a mistress. Juxiang resists the marriage and runs away from home. She then meets a young Japanese photographer and after many obstacles, they finally get married and Juxiang gives birth to a daughter Yue Niang. During the World War, Juxiang is tortured and both her husband and her dies leaving behind their 8-year-old daughter...the story continues

Do catch the show!

Blasts at Bangkok Airport - A Close Shave

Blasts at Bangkok airport, other sites wound seven: officials
AFP - Wednesday, November 26

BANGKOK (AFP) - - A blast at Bangkok's international airport and grenade attacks elsewhere in the city wounded at least seven people on Wednesday, as lawlessness spread amid anti-government protests, officials said. The explosion at Suvarnabhumi Airport happened a day after demonstrators stormed the airport, forcing it to close down and stranding thousands of passengers. "At least two people were wounded by a bomb blast at Suvarnabhumi this morning," Petpong Kamchornkitkarn, an emergency medical services official, told AFP. Two local television stations said a grenade was fired at protesters and that three people were wounded. A near simultaneous grenade attack on anti-government protesters picketing Bangkok's old Don Mueang airport, where the prime minister has set up temporary offices, wounded two more people, Petpong said. Another three people were wounded when two grenades were tossed into a crowd of pro-government supporters on a road to Don Mueang, the site of a clash between rival activists that left 11 hurt on Tuesday, police said. Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat moved to premises at Don Mueang after demonstrators occupied the government's main offices in central Bangkok in August. The People's Alliance for Democracy, a protest movement, has led a six-month street campaign against the democratically elected government.

I thank God for His protection over Junting and me, when we were in Bangkok just last week. A few more days and the people are standed at the airport would have been us. I still shudder at the thought of this. Indeed, His protection is over us 24/7!

Goodbyes Are Always Difficult

Goodbyes are always difficult...

Am feeling pretty emotional now, one of my kids is going back to China for good. Not coming back again. The sense of loss creeps in as I think of not seeing her again. The other children were very sad as well and they cried and hugged her many times. I almost cried twice but tried hard to hold back my tears as I helped her to pack her stuff and speak to her caregiver. Coming back to my office, the tears just flow. As she goes off in the cab, all the children surrounded the cab and waved until the cab cannot be seen. It was a moment of sweetness, bittersweetness. The human warmth. This is what makes us all sane, what keeps us human..

What is My Passion?

What Is My Passion?

Yesterday some of us met Peter at CN & Christine's House for a session of ministering when he prophesied over all the leaders. The place is really beautiful!

Before the time of prophesy, he shared with us the passage from Romans 15;17-20:

"Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— by the power of signs and miracles, through the power of the Spirit. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ. It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation."

From the passage, he brought out 2 points. One of which is on how much are we allowing the glory of God to fill us. He shared about the example of Billy Graham playing golf with the president. After the time spent together, the president exclaimed that he can feel the presence of God in just short interaction with him. Secondly, Peter asked all of us what our passion is. He shared that his passion is in evangelism. I am inspired by the change in his life. He shared that he used to be a very shy person who does not dare to share testimony. However, as God convicts him, he starts to want to share about how God has bless his life to the others around him. His pastor challenged him to send out emails on evangelism to people, to share what he knows. He started from 100 people to 500 and eventually to 2500 currently. It's amazing how God expand his influence as he obeys!

My passion is for the broken-hearted and I really pray that God will use me in this area, to reach out to the weak and poor and to lift them up. I look forward to how God can extend my influence in this area in time to come.

There are a few things prophesied over me:
* To have a Mary's heart, seeking intimacy with God daily
* Seeking a breakthrough. Vision of a narrow road. Though the path is narrow, it will be made available to me if I am willing to pay the price
* The Joy of the Lord is my strength in serving Him
* Trust in God even when things do not appear logical
* Build up my foundation, I am a lighthouse.

Seems like my new year resolution is set for me haha...

A Fun Day At The Home

Today, Bluewerks came to the Children's Home to bless the children with magic show, carnival, lunch, goodie bags and gifts. There were a few games stations, the Rifle range, the ring a bottle, the cake box, soccer game. The most pupular one has to be the ring a bottle where the queue is always the longest. The game requires the child to throw 6 hoops over the neck of many nicely placed bottles on the floor. With each hoop on the neck, they get a goodie each. The face painting was very popular as well, we have spiderman, tiger, butterfly etc After that the children decorated digestive biscuits and had a good time eating what they have created. Thank God for the people who came down. It is indeed more a blessing to give than to receive. The smile on their faces is worth the while... :)

After work, I met up with 2 sponsors who paid for the expenses (school fees, tuition, miscellanous etc) of 2 of the children in my Home for the entire year 2009. I am very touched by their humility and their genuine extension of help to the children. It amazes me that during the period of economic crisis, there are people who will not look to themselves but choose to give to the the less fortunate. They asked me what are the guidelines they should follow and for advice on relating with the children. I shared with them that sometimes when the sponsors get too close to the children and lavish gifts on them, unrealistic expectations set in. It will also breed jealousy among other children. Hearing this, the sponsor said that he will pass the money to the Home to get the gifts for the children instead, choosing to remain anonymous. This really struck me as it shows that they do not ask for recognition for what they are doing and are willing to go down to the level of the children, to understand them from their perspective.

"And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 18:3

My Trip To Bangkok - A Colourful City

My Trip to Bangkok - A Colourful City

I just came back from my 2-days trip to Bangkok with Junting. Three words to sum it all up: Crazy Shopping Spree haha...I can be a real shopaholic! We stayed in Asia Hotel, which is a fantastic location cos it's so accessible! A skytrain right in front of the hotel and a 10-min walk to 2 big malls. I like the unstructured infrastructure and the simplicity of the people. Here are some snapshots of our trip (Photos to come up soon):

Day 1
930am: Reach Asia Hotel
The traffic is super congested and more than half the vehicles on the road are taxis of all different colours - Pink, purple, yellow, orange... all BRIGHT
1130am: Shopping begins @ Platinum & MBK
First response - My goodness! How can I finish walking through all the shops? It's just impossible. There are 1500 shops altogether.
10pm: Dinner @ a roadside stall
I am extremely hungry after a whole day of shopping. The fried beef, mixed salad, sticky rice and tom yum soup were just so inviting. We tried the Chang Beer as well, it was well..nice and smooth :)
1130pm: Back to Hotel, hot bath & Sleep
Blessings: Good location of the hotel, no stomach upset after the meal at the roadside stall, a good sleep, lotsa good buys, great sharing sessions
Best buy of the day: The lovely t-shirts
Highlight of the day: Dinner

Day 2
10am: Sumptuous breakfast at the hotel
We began the day with great expectancy, rearing to go and purchase the things after having surveyed the market the day before
11am: Shopping begins again!
3pm: Lunch - Sukiyaki and rice with fried pork
430pm: Back to hotel, unpack and rest
7pm: Dinner @ Big Jim- Phat Thai, Green Curry, Fried Rice and Spring Rolls
8pm: Shopping @ night market
1030pm: Back to hotel.
We tried the Singha beer. Nice and smooth as well. JT likes it :)
Blessings: Everything was right on schedule, good buys, good sleep, great sharing sessions
Best buy of the day: My cute crocs
Highlight of the day: The night market

Day 3 - Last day
10am: Breakfast at the hotel
11am: Took the skytrain to MBK for last-min Shopping (Yup, again)
1130am: Cab to airport
240pm: Back to Singapore!
Blessings: Managed to get the top JT wants, cab fare is the amt we prayed for, safe trip

During these 2 days, I got to know JT much better and we both thankful to each other for the company. She say I am a good travel mate for her cos I do not over-worry ha. In a different culture, we tend to see parts of ourselves which we usually overlooked. Here are some of my observations about us:

(1) Time-efficient
(2) Easy-going
(3) Analytical, Observant, Thoughtful
(4) Focused and organised
(5) Able to walk long distances
(6) People-oriented, sensitive to culture
(7) Sensitive to details
(8) Can be a shopaholic (haha)

Looking forward to the next trip!

Project Smile

Project Smile

Ever since the magic show performance I watched at the Esplanade by Pastor Lawrence and Priscilla, I was inspired to want to learn magic tricks as well. I will be going for the first round of my lesson tonight and I am feeling really excited. I hope to be able to perform at my Children's Home, as entertainment for the children as well as in building rapport and teaching values to them through this creative way. Through humor and lively entertainment. I also hope to be able to use this skill when I go for my Short Term Missions Trip in time to come, as a form of communication to people who do not share the common heart language as me. Jiayan GO!
SMILE - Sharing Magic in Love Everywhere!

Spread A Little Sunshine

" Nobody needs a smile as much as the one who has none to give. So get used to smiling heart-warming smiles, and you will spread sunshine in a sometimes dreary world."

- Lawrence G. Lovasi

When was the last time I received a smile that comes from the heart? A quote that a friend shared with me before came to mind. She say that a smile is a curve that straighten things out. In a fast-paced society such as Singapore, it is not uncommon to find tight-lipped faces everywhere we go.In the trains, the streets, in our workplaces. People are just too overwhelmed by the demands of life that they forget to smile. The last memorable time someone I do not know smiled at me must have been the bus driver. I was rushing for the last bus after I parted with Jean and Clarence and with my guitar, I went up the bus. Being the clumsy me, I almost could not get through as my big bag and guitar makes it two of me. Instead of snapping at me, the driver smiled at me and said," You are a one-woman band." His smile put me at ease as I suantered up the bus with my load. I smiled back at him in gratefulness.

There was a feeling of acceptance, love and understanding. Nothing is as contagious as a smile. It's universal! And it's free and everyone can do it. Just twist the muscle of your mouth a little and wala, there u are, a nice smile. I remember in the show, Hancock, the main lead is a hard man. He does not have friends and lead an independent life. He wanted to change his reputation and his friend encouraged him to smile more, to encourage others more. He looked into the mirror and practised smiling and saying, "Good job" a couple of times before he could get it right. The sight was so hilarious! When we are thrown into bad situations, we become hardened and that's when we slowly become people who are very serious and clam up. Open up, smile at the world and make it a better place. For myself and others!

Spread a little sunshine to someone today! :)