There My Heart Will Be Also

Life transitions can be a bit of a hassle. Plans that were made in one season of life have to be changed or cancelled when moving into the next. That is what is happening to me now. I travelled to Nepal with some of my closest friends twice last year. I was planning to take another trip this July to visit the beautiful children of the Sophia Girls' Home as well as the youth of Kathmandu and East Nepal. Recently, God opened the door for me to study for a bachelor’s degree in mass communications.

It was a great struggle for me to finally accept that I couldn’t go. I think the reluctance to give up my place on the team stems from a phobia that if I wasn’t with the people I loved, I would somehow be forgotten, or I would lose the love that I had for the Nepalese youth. But God reminds me that Kingdom work is spiritual work, where there are no limitations. He reassures me that although I cannot be with them physically, I can still impact them with love through a different means.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 6:21, Luke 12:34

Jesus speaks about the link between treasures like money, belongings and time; and one’s heart. Essentially, He says that the things that one invests in show where the priorities lie. He reassures us that investments in the Kingdom will never be lost or degraded.

It is such a joy to know that although I cannot go, I can still give. That my heart and my treasure can still impact the people in Nepal.

Love Revealed in Nepal

July 2011

Video by Oh Ruey Jen

Photography by Samuel Teo & Daryl Goh

I used to think that it would be a great loss to the team if I couldn't go. I now know that the opposite is true. Without being forlorn or depressed, I can now say that in my absence, God makes the team better. I see similarities in the desire of every team member; to bring God-given desires and talents to bless others. I see a willingness to put aside self-promotion in order to promote the Kingdom of God. I have faith in this team, I have faith in Him.

Love Revealed December 2010 - Trip Report Part 2

YOUTH CAMP

We flew up to Jhapa which is in East Nepal to help out with their youth camp. The camp was held in Mahimit Church and all the youth from the churches and preaching points in that district were invited to the camp. The turnout was about 35 campers which was about half what was expected. This was due to the last minute re-scheduling of their school examinations.

Registrations were a great time to get to know the campers and assign them to the various teams. As the campers streamed in, I couldn't help but notice the lively and cheerful atmosphere in the church compound, made all the more obvious by the vibrant colours of the clothes that the youth were wearing. There was a difference in the disposition of the youth. I couldn't help but feel the love of Jesus in that community.

Pastor Gopal and the youth welcomed us warmly to their church and surprised us with the act of pinning ribbons to our shirts and donning us with scarves. I think all of us felt a little bit bemused because it was a new experience to be honoured before we had contributed anything to them. 

Games.

It was an enjoyable time for all the campers. There were many hilarious moments when we tried to explain the rules of the games to the youth. Especially since our translator was one of the participants who seemed to be more keen on winning the game rather than explaining it to the rest. 

For many, the games and fun are the highlight of the camp. However, we also wanted the games to support and enforce the messages about being a believer. There was a game where the participants were blindfolded and had to search for members of their own group using only a single pre-determined sound (e.g. a clap, a whistle). Another game required them to link arms tightly in groups of 3 while playing football. 

The wonderful thing about having a youth camp in a village church is having the neighbours watch us from the outskirts of the church compound. Some of the children had enough curiosity to overcome their shyness to come in to watch.

Mass Dance.

One of the amazing things about the Nepali is how dance is so deeply incorporated into their rich culture. It is a form of expression that most Singaporeans simply do not comprehend. And because of the popularity of the dance from the youth camp in Kathmandu in June, we were asked to come up with a new dance for the one in Jhapa.

The camp theme dance was set to the song, One Way by Hillsong United. Our team taught the campers the moves on the first day of the camp. The youth were so enthused about perfecting the dance; they spent almost every break-time pleading with us to show them the moves 'one more time'. We might have feigned exasperation, but actually we enjoyed every moment of it. It was all worth it when we saw the youth pumping their fist singing the chorus, "One Way, Jesus!"

Ministry.

We had the privilege of laying hands and praying for every single camper, blessing them by speaking truth to their spirits. We thank God for using us as His channels of ministry towards these future leaders.

We also prayed for a girl who had collapsed during the camp. She was sent to hospital but the doctors discharged her from the hospital after finding nothing physically wrong with her. On our last day in Jhapa, she was having convulsions. We were supposed to leave for the airport but we decided to spend a little more time praying and ministering to her. After worshiping and praying for about 45 minutes, her body seemed to relaxed and we felt at ease to leave. She is now well and back to her normal self.

Appreciation from the Pastor.

"Thank you so much for time that you gave to us and also all the services, games and other items which has really inspired our youth camp. It has been a really wonderful and humble service towards our youth. We will never forget it. We will be expecting your service in future also. We enjoyed dancing with you and the fun that we had while playing games. You were really a good brother and sister as well as very close friends to us."

| Pastor Gopal |

Fun Facts.

• Jhapa currently has one Methodist Church and 4 preaching points.
  (Jasing Guan, Badamtar, Dhadare, Surunga)
• The camp was held in Mahimit Church. Mahimit means Glory.
• While attempting to climb it, one of our team members broke a makeshift ladder that led to the roof. There were no serious injuries sustained other than to the team member's pride. 
• There is a game where one had to juggle a ball of rubber bands with one's feet. One of the youth beat Gerald 39 to 26.
• Chia Tea in Jhapa is sweeter than in Kathmandu.

Love Revealed December 2010 - Trip Report Part 1

When we arrived in Kathmandu, Nepal, it felt a little bit like returning home. Seeing Loong and Gloria, the Jars Of Clay Cafe, Wesley Methodist Church (Nepal) and the Sophia Girls' Home reminded me of the story that God had started telling us only 6 months before. We were anxious to go straight to the Girls' Home to see the little darlings. Our experience with them on previous trips proved that they would take a while to warm up to us again. We were right. Most of the time was spent with Auntie Grace finalizing the programs that we would run. Our time was divided over the two weekends that we spent in Kathmandu.


SOPHIA GIRLS HOME

Interaction.
This was basically a time where we used arts and crafts to help us to bond with the girls. The girls were divided into 2 groups where they did either jewelry-making or drawing. Materials for jewelry-making were generously sponsored by Julie Ng, whereas colour pencils and sharpeners were sponsored by Ruey Jen and her friends. The purpose of these activities was to encourage their creativity and imagination.

Service.

In Mark 10:45, it say, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

We continued our service of Love to the girls by painting their stairwell. Conceptualized by Elissa, the tree represented the protection and providence of God, while the birds were a reference to the verse in Matthew 6:26 where Jesus reminds his disciples that they were more valuable than the birds that God feeds.

Ministry.
We spent time doing their evening devotions with them. Georgina spoke to them about their value because God made each of them in Jesus Christ. She referenced Ephesians 2:10, using it to remind them that they were loved greatly by God and that He was pleased with them simply because they are His creation.

We kept praying for them throughout the trip. I could sense that even in our conversations among the team members, we could not help but speak blessings over their lives.

Games, Gifts and Goodbyes.
On our second weekend at the home, we were supposed to have a programme of activities planned for the the girls. However, the girls used this opportunity to introduce their own games to us. These were games played with hands and with words. I still cannot be sure if they are better off without the kinds of toys that we grew up with.

We also introduced them to some of our own childhood games like "Mother Hen" and "London Bridge" which they thoroughly enjoyed. The fun and games may have made the goodbyes more painful, but it was definitely a great way to spend our final evening in Nepal.

Note:

With your generous gifts, we were able to purchase custom-made school bags for each of the girls at the home.

My Heart Is Not Made For Goodbyes

Dear God. It has been a privilege bringing Your presence to the Sophia Girls' Home and to the youth camp in Jhapa. But why does it always have to be marred by the inevitable goodbye? Dear Lord, does it get any easier? We build these relationships, pour our love with these feeble tools you have given us: these words, these emotions and limitations of time. Is there no other way? My heart is not made for goodbyes.

Do we have to constantly have to shed these tears? As if they were rains and we were the fields; soaking up every drop so that we might bear these fruit? Am I the bastard farmer leaving no time for fallow? Always sowing and reaping, sorting and sifting. Shivering under the mint blue sky as the sun pulls back her glory. Why have You left us to find meaning in revealing what the world tries to hide? This collective beauty hidden in a bowl of dust, a valley of brown. All the while you gently speak, "Lift up the dusty leaves of these fruitless trees."

1.
Dear Lord, watch carefully as one of them clings to me. As if afraid that I'd never return. As if I would leave when she wasn't looking. She pretends not to notice the cold when we join the older ones in the field beside the home. And when I grow tired of carrying her about, setting her down on the grass browned by the dry cold air, she wraps herself around my leg. I pry her arms off and encourage her to play with the other girls. She dances a little dance to hide her shivering limbs, laughing so hard that I'm almost convinced that this moment, was the best she's had in her life. All seven years of it.

2.
We gather in their main hall for our final evening. And right on cue, the girls open up to us. There's nothing like the urgency of goodbyes to dispel shyness. We tell them we'll miss them and some of them say 'see you in six months!' as if we were the decision-makers. In my heart, I plead with God to make it happen. But my desperation is soon distracted by their last-minute photo requests. From the corner of my eye, I see Bersha, sweet-faced and sad, sitting by herself on a bench. She watches, almost overwhelmed, by the proceedings. We never get used to departures of those we are fond of. Those like her simply can't hide it as well as others. I offer a smile and my hand. She holds on to it like it was a precious jewel.

3.
They thank us for the bags they have yet to receive. I keep reminding them that it is the people of Charis Methodist Church that love them and prays for them. I'm privileged. I just get the hugs. Dear Lord, I miss them so much.

Shut your eyes tightly

Clench your fists 'til they almost bleed

Cautiously, lightly

Gently expose what's underneath

And all you feel now

Is the scarlet in the day

Even if it's real

You can't stay...

| Brooke Fraser - Scarlet |

Love Revealed 2010 - Part 2

Don't Give

I (Daryl) work in a charity organisation where donations are crucial to the service to our beneficiaries. Very often, the term 'donor fatigue' comes up. This is where generous people like you become so inundated with so many requests for funds for so many different causes that it no longer is a joy to give. In this article, I'm supposed to be writing about our team's trip to Nepal on 3 - 12 December 2010. I'm supposed to write about how much we need to raise and I'm supposed to inspire Charisians to give generously.

Maybe the best thing to do is NOT to give.

Why am I asking you not to give? Because it can become quite a strain on the supporter in a missions-minded church like ours, especially during missions season in December. Maybe the best thing to do is to take a step back for a little while and pray. Allow God to inspire the joy to give. The last thing we want is become a burden to the church. I think the Apostle Paul explains this concept in his letter to the church in Corinth. (2 Corinthians 9)

 

He told them not to give reluctantly or under compulsion.

He understood that when we give cheerfully,

it allows God's Grace to abound in every good work.

In our last trip, we were invited to accompany the girls to school. This was a 20-minute walk away. The girls were as vibrant as always, joking among themselves, preening each other in preparation for school. School was a privilege for them and it seemed that they were all very aware of it. When we began our journey, I noticed that one of the girls had not properly zipped up her bag. As I moved closer, I saw that the zips were actually broken. (see pictures on reverse side) Looking around, I quickly spotted several bags that were in a similar condition. 

We have seen a need.

We would like to invite you to be part of the solution.

Ultimately, what we want is to translate the joy of your giving into blessing the ministry in Nepal. With your partnership, we seek to lift up the overlooked, the unloved, and the forgotten. We want to cause smiles and coax tears. We want to be there when their eyes light up when we tell them about Jesus. Do prayerfully consider if God has put it in your heart to support this ministry to meet the needs of the youth in East Nepal and the girls in the Sophia Home. We know that you will rejoice with us when you see the fruit of your giving.

. The Love Revealed Team .

Trip Information:

·         Daryl Goh, Samuel Teo, Gerald Wu, Jon Tang, Stefanie Oh, Georgina Tay, Elissa Oh,

·         3 – 12 December 2010

·         $7500 left to raise

Our involvement:

1.      Youth Camp for 60 youth in the Jhapa District in East Nepal

o   Facilitators in the games for youth camp

o   Teaching the youth a mass dance

o   Ministry (Prayer / Worship)

2.      Sophia Girls’ Home

o   Painting the walls of the common areas

o   Organising some activities and games

o   Doing devotions with them

o   Buying school bags for the girls

Ways to contribute:

• Pray for our team
  
• Giving cash or a cheque made out to cash;
  
• Bank fund transfer to POSB savings account ###-#####-#
  *Do SMS the amount and reference number to Stefanie @ ########

That You May Fulfill Every Resolve For Good

I’m a sucker for good stories. When I was a little kid, my dad would lie my head on his chest and weave worlds out of words. These were not fantasy or science fiction. These were worlds of children blazing through paddy fields, growing up with cows on farms, and adventures of bare feet. Maybe that is why I am drawn to Nepal. It is where the stories are fleshed out. It is where sight, sound and smell take imagination by the hand.

After this trip, I am convinced that the Love of God has to be demonstrated through the time spent building relationships. I am convinced that as we bless unconditionally, we allow for others to get a glimpse of God's character. And I am convinced that God uses us as an instrument to create opportunities for them to experience Him.

I will never forget the last night when the team prayed for all of us.
I could sense God’s presence so strongly in the hall that I broke into tears.
| 17 year old from the Sophia Girls' Home |

I love happy endings. They are the best things about stories. There is resolution. When our team went to Nepal in June this year, we were heavily involved in the youth camp and the praise festival. But as I said goodbye to the friends I made in the church in Nepal and the girls in Sophia Girls' Home, I couldn’t help feeling that this story wasn’t finished yet; that God still had more to say through us. That is why we are going back; to continue to bring the resolution of God’s Love.

Pray for us. That our God may make us worthy of His calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by His power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in us, and we in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

You Have Stolen My Heart (updated for submission)

---

Calling unpublished poets: Firstfruits publications seeks submissions of poetry in English from Singapore poets who have yet to publish a full-length, single-author collection of poetry. Selected work will appear in an anthology to be published next year. All submissions must be sent before 1st September 2010.

---

there will be a void when i leave.
a void that follows me when we are apart.
you plugged it whenever I saw you or heard you or held you.
otherwise, i am a leaky bucket.

every time i stand in front of you
to sing or speak, my heart beats
so fast, i stare out this glass, its audition day.
scream to the world, impress me, please!
show me something great,
be the risk i cannot take.
and for those moments i am powerful.
i am commander and you,
you are my century.
and in each one, endless possibility.

but from where i stand, all i see is
a single highlight in her hair.
my eyes are drawn, they seem to like that blond
frame for her face.
she is a picture i could hang on my bedroom wall
so every morning i will see her and remember.
she is like deep breaths.
sooner or later i've got to let her go.
so i give up her ghost.
the one that tells me - the ones who love you matter most.

what about the ones i love?
what about those thieves pretending to be precious angels?
eyes haunt me every night.
she fights me to keep my promise.
she writes we love you in their little notes
torn out from her copy books.
we because i wouldn't be appropriate.
it would be too intimate.
let me love you, at that age it is pure.
innocent like hanging between two thieves.
like holding you as your tears soak my sleeves.
holding your little body,
between your chest and your belly,
it fits my palm perfectly.
how did you hide my heart in there?

my heart is with you.
it was cold. shivering.
wanting to beat for someone or something,
and you, you have warmed it with your smile and your song.
your arms are the arms of real women, loving yet strong.
your eyes are fiery jewels, filled with intelligence and honor, just burn on.

so.
breathe.
remember that God is in every inhale and exhale.
he is in you. around you. with you.

look at your hands.
they may be tiny, but they are perfect.
hold them up to the sky.
see the sunlight shine through the gaps and know,
these are God's hands.
they gather and give, always gather and give.
and when there is nothing to gather.
when the clouds hold themselves in
and the fields are naked.
remember that these are God's hands.
creator hands meant to touch and transform,
hold and heal,
revive and restore.
be fearless and they will prosper you.

do you know you are marvellous and beautiful?
do you know you are meant for something great?
do you know how precious you really are?
do you know how much you're loved?
you must know this.
you must feel it,
experience it
every time you sing or pray,
shout or play.
do you feel it in you?
i do.

but tell me: how did you fit my heart in there?

- Daryl Goh

So Open My Eyes

I have been busy these couple of weeks and my mind is constantly on the responsibilities of my work. The past week has been unusually draining with preparations for the Tree of Life display at the Singapore Garden Festival. But in moments when I'm alone, sitting in the train or walking home, I imagine that I am back in Nepal. Suddenly the seat I am on is no longer contoured for comfort. The path which I am walking on is no longer concrete. Instead, sand and dust is kicked up behind me. A signal of where I've been. The traffic, just inches beside me, blares its musical notes, spewing black smoke. Like those jazz musicians.

I remember one of the nights when Pastor S was driving us back from the Sophia Home. He mentioned that he was going to pray for a family. We heard that their child was feverish and the parents were afraid. Charmaine and I decided that we should go to visit because we knew them as well.

The father recognised us immediately and was grateful. He was the lead singer and guitarist in a Christian rock band and being a performer, he was used to a different kind of attention. Suddenly, we became royalty in their house. They gave us drinks and talked to us, and tried to make us feel special.

I asked myself. Why the big fuss? We are only here to pray for you.

And my God rebukes me. To you, it is just prayer. To them, it is healing and salvation for their child. It is their only hope. This is why you don't see Me working more often. Because you think it is just prayer. You need to magnify me, Daryl.

When we prayed, I laid my hand on the father, the head of the household. Compassion flowed and we both knew he had received an anointing for his family.

You Have Stolen My Heart

Thieves with the faces of angels. That's what they are.

These girls have been such a joy to be with. We spent two days painting the activity room at the Sophia's Home and what I really looked forward to was their reactions. Seeing the girls walk in through the door, greet us with a convincing Jayamercy! (a greeting that means Victory to God) and their eyes would grow and glisten in the wonder of seeing the mural that we painted.

Watching them play and run about brought a deep sense of peace and joy, as if God was showing us how simple it is to enjoy life.

There will be a void when I leave.
A void that follows me in my heart when we are apart.
You plugged it whenever I saw you or heard you or held you.
Otherwise, I am a leaky bucket.

Do you know you are marvellous and beautiful?
Do you know you were meant for something great?
Do you know how precious you are?
Do you know you are loved?
You must know this.
You must feel it, experience it everytime you sing or pray, shout or play.
Do you feel it?

I do.

My heart is with you.
It was cold. Shivering.
Wanting to beat for someone or something,
And you, you have warmed it with your smiles and your songs.
Your eyes are fiery jewels, burning with intelligence and honor.
Your arms, arms of real women, loving yet strong.

Breathe.
Remember that God is in every inhale and exhale.
He is in you. Around you. With you.

Look at your hands.
They may be tiny, but they are perfect.
Hold them up to the sky.
See the sunlight shine through the gaps and know,
These are God's hands.
They gather and give, always gather and give.
And when there is nothing to gather.
When the clouds hold themselves in
And the fields are naked.
Remember that these are God's hands.
Creator hands meant to touch and transform,
Hold and heal,
Revive and restore.
Be fearless and they will prosper you.

- Daryl Goh