Update - Teaching at prayer meeting

What: Praise@Work Wed prayer meeting
Date: 11 Aug 2010
Where: St Bernadette Church - AV Room

I was invited to give a teaching-sharing on "Living a Life Holding HIS HANDS". On faith, trust, prayer and abandonment. Thanking God for all faithfulness of His Love, the members of this prayer group was very receptive and participative.

Thank you Praise@work for supporting my fund raising project!

Prayer: LORD, May we be able to abandon our lives more and more into your hands, to trust you even more. Amen!

Update of outreach - ICPE retreat

What: ICPE retreat "To Know Christ and Make Him Known" 

Date: 17-18 July 2010

A retreat aimed at knowing Christ, to grow in faith and nurture our love in Christ. This session was led by directors and missionaries from the different mission centres. An international group hailing from Czech Republic, Germany, Indonesia & Singapore.

ICPE Phillipines Director Esther Fong sharing on Discernment

There were lively sessions and praise and worship, interspersed with moments of praying for each other. It was well attended by more than 50+ people from all walks of life and from the different parishes in Singapore. This retreat was organised by Praise @ work and conducted by the ICPE Mission.

Update of outreach

Group: School of Witness alumni

Date: 12, 13 Jul 2010

ICPE session with alumni of School of Witness – 2009 & 2010

Catholic Archdiocesan Youth Centre (CAYC)

Enthusiastic youth from the SOW alumni.

This session saw about 40-50 youth and youth coordinators from parishes across Singapore.

We were privileged to have ICPE mission's International Directors and Founders Mario and Anna Cappello share what it means to have a vision and how to respond to it. The 2^nd evening saw Esther Fong, a missionary for the past 20+ years share on discernment, while I led worship during the 2 evenings. We pray that the light has been fanned and kept alive for the journey ahead.

Note: These youth have all attended and completed the 6 weeks School of Witness which was a collaboration between the Youth Ministry Office of CAYC and the ICPE Mission, who conducted both the schools. It is aimed at those entering polytechnics, universities for further studies or joining the National Service (compulsory for all male citizens). Since the completion of their schools in Feb 2009, and Feb 2010, the youth themselves felt it was high time to have a follow up session and they organized one! 

For more information on attending the next School of Witness (SOW) go to: http://cayconline.wordpress.com/

Update of outreach - Praise @work

Prayer group: Praise@Work

Topic: “Deeper worship”
Date: 7 July 2010

Praise @ Work was started around 1995(?). Through the years, it has seen professionals from all walks of life coming together to worship God and to grow in Christ. I myself attended a Life in the Spirit Seminar co-facilitated by this prayer group and joined it as a full fledged member. And later took a leadership position in the core team. So it was nostalgic to return to this community, though the changing face of the group has filled it this time, it was a privilege to 'give back' to the prayer group that contributed to forming me.

On 7 July 2010, I was invited to give a teaching on 'Deeper Worship'. The session to keyed in to reveal what some of the blocks are, what helps one to enter into worship, and it all boils down to a relationship with God. We ended the session the same way we started it, with praise and worship. We called upon the Holy Spirit and simply worshiped God. Many were touched deeply by God's all consuming love.

“I felt His consumption fire filling the room! Praise The Lord!” - Augustina

“prayer meet at Praise at Work was powerhouse!” - Stephanie

Update of outreach - Mustard Seed Community

Prayer group: Mustard Seed Community

Topic: “Building relationships in community”
Date: 27 June 2010

This particular community has meeting together regularly for the past few years. They are a community of young working adults who love Jesus and have committed their Sundays to come together. They meet for 9am Sunday mass, breakfast, and the sessions proper at 1230pm.

On 27 June, 2010, I was invited to give a session on 'Building relationships in community'. The 20+ members fully participated during the session. There was also a segment of gathering to thank one another, to ask for forgiveness and to pray with one another. I was blessed by their eagerness to grow and move together as a community.

Holy Week 2010

Holy Week in the Philippines is something so different, and so actively participated. As we joined in the 2 hour procession, we see the devotion the people have, the fervour with which they practiced their faith.

To the Filipino people, Mother Mary is an integral part of every season, and so she is right there next to Jesus before He expired and right there when He rose. In the parish this is depicted visually with both Mary and Jesus images near the altar.

Then on Holy Saturday, the ministries continued with the adults and children. Here we acted out a scene when the apostles found that Jesus is gone. (I'm in pink, as Mary) And a rare moment of picture taking with the children (this is only less than half of them)

No Super Typhoon!

Typhoon Parma did not hit Metro Manila! No further devastation is a cause for celebration!

We are still packing more relief packages of rations. The people's lives are forever changed. You can see more details on the official blog of ICPE Philippines, please see http://icpephilippines.blogspot.com

Here are some photos that a colleague of mine took with her mobile phone. These photos were taken on 4 Oct 2009 near the

Typhoon Ondoy (Ketsana)

Dear friends, as we in Manila are preparing and bracing ourselves for the next Super Typhoon (so called because of its speed)

At the moment, we are ok. In fact yesterday we packed another 300 packages ready for distribution, but as weather station has advised us to stay indoors we are following it for safety reasons. So far, we have distributed 800 packages, and preparing to buy more neccessities like bedding, blankets, medicines which they really need and have requested.

For more photos and updates on what our mission is now and if you want to be a part of the urgent aid needed, there is information on the site. Go to:
http://icpephilippines.blogspot.com/

Please also note that though we are an international Catholic community, we are helping everyone and anyone affected regardless of religion.

God bless!

Day of recollection for Youth- 14 June 2009

Youth ministry!

A picture speaks a thousand words! We just recently started a new series of teachings : Be all you can be! based on a book written by John Maxwell, that i have been reading and still being very inspired by. Thanks Audrey for the gift of the book!

Heart wrenching True Story of the month - Life and death

Just want to share a happening here with the poor we work with in the Philippines. This just happened in the last few days.

One of the earliest friends we encountered is a lady who i shall call 'Julie'. Though she's a nice lady, it was the choice she made which we could not understand, nor can we change. She was separated from her husband and went to live with a another man and had children with him. He is an alcoholic and from what we know, has been showing very young children pornography movies.

'Julie' though barely in her late 30s already has a daughter who is barely 20. we shall call her 'Ann'. Ann already has a 'husband' whom we suspect is also

It's Ash Wednesday.

These links have been very helpful, sharing it here with you.

Our Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
http://www.catholic.org/featured/headline.php?ID=6099&page=2

What's fasting and abstinence got to do with it?
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/fast-abstinence.html

Beginning new patterns
http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/Lent/patterns.html

= new = Stations of the CROSS
http://www.vatican.va/news_services/liturgy/2007/documents/ns_lit_doc_20070406_via-crucis_en.html

Our weekly children ministry!!

This week we had 120 children. In this particular session there were around 80 of them. In case you are wondering, yes, that is me in the black teeshirt leading action song. hehehe.

Christmas pageant

For the first time, the children wrote their own script, directed themselves with a little help from us. Their costumes were clothes with a hole cut out for their heads and a little sash for the belt, doesnt look that bad at all. And make up courtesy from our own make up palettes.

For more photos: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=78172&l=3d4ae&id=588321659

(Reverse) Carolling 2008

This year, my team of 6, together with other teams went out caroling to the poorest families. These 100 plus families were recommended by our own Balikatan members in the adults ministry.

The families my team visited this year truly opened my eyes to what Mary and Joseph could have experienced. Everything looked so make-shift, so temporary. I can only imagine that even with their ‘home’ they could easily be looted from all that they own. There was no lock in place, sometimes the main ‘door’ was only a curtain.

Many of them were living in conditions that most people would not consider staying for more than a few minutes. Some homes do not even have walls, their ‘walls’ were made up of whatever they could salvage. Pieces of old material, wood, metal. It was only slightly better than a tent. Many of the children looked malnourished evident in their protruding stomachs and bulging eyes.

All of the families prayed for good health and joy in the family.

As I tried hard to hold back my own tears, the Balikatan members themselves could not hold back theirs. One family said they wanted to pray that they get to keep their home because there’s news that the land will be cleared for development. And one of our own members said “same situation as my family”.

Our loving Father really knew how to bring hope to the poor, Jesus came into our world in similar conditions, with no pillow to lay his head. Constantly on the move.

My prayer is that the poor will be empowered, those in authority will uphold integrity and look into ways of providing a better world for its citizens to live in. With job opportunities, with relocation possibilities that will enable the poor rather than place them in a position that might prove to be worse than before.

Christmas, a very good time of the year

This the season, which in Philippines has been preparing itself since September. Carols, Christmas decorations have been donning buildings since 4 months ago.

This year, we outdid ourselves in all our ministries.
Balikatan (adults) ministry packed food 150 hampers and gave them all out during the reverse carolling
Children ministry similarly packed 150 presents ranging from bibles, dictionaries, stationaries to toys.
Youth ministry had a very simple Christmas get-together for the first time.

And our small community celebrated together in our usual way of celebrating life, with members and guests coming from nations:
Singapore,
Malaysia,
Indonesia,
Philippines,
The Netherlands,
Czech republic,
Korea

At the end of the day, after all that is said and done, after all the presents are given out, all the food handed out, we only need to look back at the simplicity of our Lord.

He was born in darkness, in a small smelly cold place, with only animals as witnesses.
Will he be born in our hearts, in the darkest places where no one knows? It's our choice.

http://icpephilippines.blogspot.com

This is a small group of the children we work with. The Çhristmas tree is made out of string and straw and whatever material they can find.

a great day for families

We had a session for families to help prepare for Christmas. Children from our children ministry brought along their parents and brothers and sisters.



We prayed for mothers, fathers, grandparents, and all the children.


The Emcee (me) welcoming all who came.


Giving a hand to families to make their wreaths.


Each family made their own advent wreaths. It only took 4 toilet rolls, some crepe paper and a paper plate.


A drama on the real meaning of Christmas.

'Mariella' - a single mother's story

A few days ago, i had the opportunity to chat with 'Mariella' (not her real name). She's a lady in her mid 40s with a nursing baby at her side. As i shared my story of not experiencing Christ personally in the past, she opened up to share hers.

When she was expecting her child, she tried to abort him with all the medicines and drugs that she could get her hands on. She figured that since the child will not have a father who is available to love and care for him, and she has another daughter from another relationship, the child would be more of a burden than a gift.

The biological father of the child has another family which he is responsible for.

Now they, like many others who don't have jobs, no opportunities, have problems putting food on the table. Some of these families only eat once or twice a day. Mariella's child survived, all those drugs did not affect him, he is born healthy, with all parts intact,and no complications during child birth. He has a big will to live for his mother. Through this little baby, Mariella found joy, knowing that God provided for him while he is still in her womb, that God protected him from all effects of the drugs. The child is lovely, and very handsome, he was always smiling all the time we were talking. She gave him a name which meant 'God's gift'

My heart was so broken from hearing these stories. But also filled with hope.

So many are so broken inside, so in need of love that we (humanity) are willing to love at all costs. Even love the unavailable, emotional, physically etc To subject to risk of diseases, danger, more pain and suffering, uncertainty and hunger.

Humanity is hungry.

Mother Teresa once said 'Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.'

How do we quench this hunger?

We can start by giving kind attention to someone who needs it today. A neighbour, a class mate, a long lost friend, a family member.

We can listen, smile, give a gift of ourselves by being present to them, doing a kind act, a pat on the back, spending quality time. One never knows what an hour can mean to a lonely person.

"Time is too slow for those who wait,
too swift for those who fear,
too long for those who grieve,
too short for those who rejoice,
but for those who love, time is eternity."
- Henry Van Dyke

God Provides

For the past few weeks, due to some administrative problems we had not been able to use the usual venue for our children’s ministry. From week to week, we have been praying for God to provide a way for us. We have 3 sessions on a regular Saturday and it’s not an easy task trying to secure one venue for it. Having a regular venue also means that all the children will know where to go, since for the most part, we only know where we are going to hold the sessions when we arrive.

Last Saturday, one of the children’s lola (grand mother) offered us their simple home. It’s a 3 x 4 metre room which doubles up as a living room by day and a bedroom by night. At a corner is the toilet, covered by a small curtain. And in this simple home, we had our session.

With 27 children, 6 adults, furniture, a cat and a rooster at the back yard. Most of the children sat on the floor, some sat on the stairs leading to the attic.

In this space, we praised and worshipped God, we learnt about being a ‘Disciple of Christ’ a teaching by Celine. We shared about our World Youth Day experience in Australia and shared snacks. We even managed to have small groups sharing, and a presentation of skits that the children came up with. What a gift! To be part of the lives of people, to be offered their homes when we had no where to turn to, to have warm shelter while a storm is happening outside. God hears the cry of His people, and He alone provides all our needs.