Breaking News

Hi! Quick update: Joshua's funds have been coming in, by the hour in fact! Last 24 hours saw S$1167 come in for him, as the team spoke to supporters and gave from their own pockets. Thank you God and all those who gave!

This is a huge lesson in faithfulness for us, especially for Joshua. He is so excited and so are we!

We fly in less than 48 hours!

What Song Is The Earth Singing?

Suicide bombs in Indonesia.
The Euphrates drying up.
Swine flu.
Climate change.
Myanmar, North Korea, Iraq, Pakistan, Israel.
Lies, gossip and malice in the media.

The earth is singing a sad, sad song.

A famous local musician once told me, music has its origins in the natural sounds and rhythms of the earth. All nicely put together by God - birds chirping, heartbeats, wind, rain and thunder, crackling of fire, waterfalls, waves. These soundscapes are imitated to produce tones and rhythms of music.

Rhythms also come from the peoples of the earth. In Africa, when you see the dancing, the beats they come alive to... it sings a song about creation and culture.... it tells you what song God has given them to sing.

{Image from here.}

When I look at where I live, and the places I travel to - China, Japan, Timor, Thailand, Indonesia, Tibet, Vietnam, Cambodia- I ask, what song are they singing? What is their cry, or their rejoicing? I listen to the sounds of the land, and the songs they sing. Sadly, many are sorrowful songs of pain, injustice and suffering. Songs of a marred past and a cry for a better life.

Like, the song of Timor:

And then I stop and ask, what song should they be singing?
What song has God given them to sing?
And how do we remind them of such a song, such a song of worship to our Creator King?
A song that sings of what they and their land were created to be, a dance that moves to the rhythm of the land God has placed them in.

And to you I throw this question too - WHAT SONG ARE YOU SINGING?

Update on Japan

Hi guys,

We're on our last week & half to departure. Honestly, it's been a bit unsettling as our funds aren't in yet, and Joshua doesn't seem to have anything come in. He wrote today to tell me that it's likely he'll have to forgo the trip as finances are very tight... I didn't wanna conclude anything yet, but there was still a little tinge of disappointment in my heart after reading his email. We'll just have to soldier on and see what God does.

Another little challenge is, we have no bass or drum player with us for the worship camp, and the pastor wrote to say there're people waiting to learn those instruments... I think he wants me or Justin to teach bass and drums, somehow.... it's something we need to work out. Please pray for us please.

Newsflash!

(Click image to zoom)

It's 3 weeks to Japan and we're still praying for the fees needed to come in. Please be praying with us!

When we took on the children's camp with YWAM Nagano few weeks ago, it was only me and Justin on the team. YWAM Nagano had requested for a team of 6, but we agreed in faith, knowing God wants us to help them. Then we confirmed Charlton and Ruth, then Joshua had a surge of faith in spite of not having his funds, and 3 days ago, Jasmine signed up. Ta-dah, SIX!!!

Thank God and we're preparing now. Lots of teaching and song-planning to do for the worship camp, lots of logistics and games/activity-planning for the children's camp, lots of money to raise, lots of prayers to be prayed, but also lots of rest and excitement, seeing the fingerprints of God all over this trip!

Goodbye, MJ

This video of the MTV 10th Anniversary shows one of my favourite productions of his... he created a lovely 'spiritual' environment to interpret the questions and cries of this song. Keep watching till the end, that's the best part, and when he speaks, the emotion in his voice just kills me (just like Bono when he does a narrative in his shows). An angel finally brings a spirit of comfort to him - pure poetry. Meltdown. Ok I shall stop raving, you go see for yourself.

On a more mellow note, it was a sad, contemplative and regretful week for me, pondering what I knew of him. It was kinda a mini-event for me, looking through some videos and I even bought Time's commemorative edition of MJ (hey, this is a historical moment in pop culture!).

I am deeply appreciative of his life, his work, his pain and his journey. It is something I learn from, an artist identifying with a greater artist - an awareness of the complexities of human life, circumstance, and dark issues of the soul, and where the Father heart is so key to healing. Where the approach must be to stand on his side and be there for him, like the millions revering him in death are doing now. Too bad he isn't around anymore to hear those words of adoration, the precise things he needed to hear in his declining years. Celebrity, homosexual or what-not, God did not send his Son to this world to condemn it, but to save it. (John 3:17)

I guess knowing pain in my own life from being judged, misunderstood and gossipped about helped me identify with him. Knowing how in my darkest hours, I needed someone to stand on my side and not criticize me the way I had been criticised my whole life; someone who understood my emotions and need for validation, and my fragility. Thank God there were people who did, and God Himself.

And my sadness and pain for MJ is probably a fraction of God's pain for him, coz He knew his heart. I hope God and him had a good, long conversation as they stood at the throne giving account.

Urgent Prayer Request!

Hi everyone, could I ask you to say a prayer for one of our potential team members going to Japan? He was on my team to Tokyo last year and was our translator as he's half-Japanese. Anyway he's in the US now and waiting for funds to come in so he can join us in Nagano in July. The recession situation in the US isn't good and he's been affected by it... but is really really trusting God to bring him to Japan with us, and really really wants to continue what we started there last year!

He's found a good airfare deal but will need to pay by next week. Will you please stand with us in prayer? For his airfare and ground fees to be raised and released from God's overflowing recession-proof treasure chest!

There're currently 5 of us on the team and all of us trusting God for our funds. Thank you for your prayers!

- Regina

Fun in the Sun

Actually, after looking at the breakdown of the kids' camp - telematches, running around, passing blocks of ice, frolicking in the park - I'm looking forward to a nice wild time of play in Nagano. Things here have been too emotionally stressful and I vow to play all I can with the kids!

Kiddy Land

Yeeeks.

Just got the brief for the children's camp we're doing in Nagano. It's 4 of us, getting all hyped and jumpy for 5 consecutive days of hardcore kiddy fun. Am I gonna survive this??

Monday - Gym Sports or Outdoor Fun Day
Tuesday - Swimming & Pool Games Day
Wednesday - Art & Craft Day
Thursday - Treasure Hunt & Picnic Day
Friday - Cooking Day

Plus, telling Bible stories, logistics, worship and singing, bringing them to the 7-11, cheering and rah-rah-ing.... my bones!

Seriously, whoever's reading this, you've gotta pray for us.

We leave 22 July to help Pastor Nori with his youth worship camp, then this kids' camp (all non-Christian kids), and return on 3 August. Sign-up, anyone?

My Eclectic Musical Tastes

Aside from the daily fix of worship songs, these have been looping on my playlist recently:
1. 楓 - Jay Chou
2. Home - Above & Beyond
3. Now We Are Free - Lisa Gerrard, Hans Zimmer

Shocking to see Jay Chou on my list but I think he's a hit! Eh the guy uses counterpoint (Bach's trademark technique) to compose, how can you not say he's talented?

As for Above & Beyond, sorry to purists but I have this affinity for dance music. I'm a keyboardist - I create weird sounds on a synth, what do ya expect?? :) Here, some videos I sneaked at their recent gig with my phone....

In the beginning... a bit blah

After warm-up: slightly better

Honestly, it was a bit of a let-down, felt they're better on CD than live. Or maybe I was too faraway from the action.

As for the ethereal, grandiose track (No. 3), I fell in love with it at last year's Night Festival at the National Museum. It was the track for a dancer swiveling in a gigantic ambient-lit sphere.... gorgeous. I went back the next day to catch the performance again coz I was so in awe of the water dancing and fluttering through the sky. Truly world-class.

God's Word To Us

Justin and I went to share about Ethnos at DTS yesterday. Word from a DTS student for us:

2 Chronicles 20:1-30

It's Jehoshaphat inquiring of the Lord during his crisis.
The people came together to seek God.
Prophecy was released: Do not be afraid or discouraged, the battle is not yours but God's!
The people worshipped God, the Levites stood up and praised God with a very loud voice.
Men sang of the splendour of His holiness, giving thanks for His faithful love.
And as they sang, God set ambushes for the invaders.
Victory! They returned with joy, singing and playing their instruments.

Jo Ee & Co @ Treehouse SMU 11 May '09

Trying to play catch-up now from the weeks of inactivity. Been busy lah.

I don't have pics of the band in action coz I was helping Jo Ee take videos of her performance. But they did very very very well and we were impressed! Must say I enjoy walking through the journey with people and projecting a greater call to them.

Oh well, all I have is the band at the parking lot with their gear. Better than nothing.... (hats off to Justin Boon for dismantling his own drum set and bringing it all the way down to Treehouse!)