At the recent Youth Meeting on March 15, a clarion call was sounded for the next generation to pick up the baton.

The birth of City Harvest Church in 1989 is nothing short of a miracle. Together with 20 young people, Kong, who was 25 years old and the only working adult at that time, started a ministry that was to impact thousands in Asia and beyond. With no prior pastoral experience, Kong heeded the call of God, armed with just his faith and a strong vision. Together, this group of pioneers devoted their lives to serve God in the prime of their youth.

Twenty years later, CHC’s name has grown to become synonymous with vibrant youthfulness, positive faith attitudes and a can-do spirit. These aspects have always been distinct throughout CHC’s 20-year history. But as the church grows older, there is the need for the older generation to hand over the mantle to the next generation so the legacy of CHC can continue for years to come.

This message could not have been more aptly conveyed at a recent youth meeting on March 15. Held at the Singapore Expo Hall 1, it was an evening of inspiration, reflection and encouragement for those who came. Although the church has held many successful youth conferences before, this evening was different—it was an intimate gathering and Kong shared his heart and exhorted the youth of the church to rise up and serve God.

The service was punctuated with performances and testimonies of young people, from those serving on the worship team, to the Indonesian rap group, Disciples, to the testimonies from the “Seven Youth Wonders” in CHC—a showcase of seven individuals below 25 who have made a significant impact in the seven marketplace pillars of society (see CHC’s 7 Youth Wonders).

Kong called two pioneers of CHC, Jacqueline Tan and Chia Ting Ting, up on stage. Each told the congregation of how they invested time and effort outside their school hours to serve God during the formative years of CHC. Tan started serving as a worship leader when she was 16 and became a pastor when she was 19 with 200 members under her supervision. At one point in time, she was also pastor to CHC’s current deputy senior pastor, Tan Ye Peng, who is now her husband. Chia, at the age of 22, started Chinese Church in CHC and did Chinese interpretation for services up to a crowd of 10,000 people at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. She was also licensed as a service pastor at that time.

In his sermon that followed, Kong preached out of Judges 13 on the life of Samson. He likened Samson to a typeset of the church in the last days, and the kind of youth that would change his generation and the world for God. He then talked about his concern for the future of CHC.

The current youth population stands at 19 percent of CHC’s congregation, with an average age of 28. This is a stark increase in median age, compared to the early days of the church. Kong illustrated his point by getting men aged between 24 and 26 to stand to their feet, as well as women aged between 18 to 24. He pointed out that in this crowd, two of them could be CHC’s next senior pastor and his wife.

He reiterated that age should not limit one’s ability to serve God. And using the example of Samson, he shared the “4 Cs” (see 4 C’s Of A World Changer) that young people should observe in order grow to become world shakers and history makers.

Alicia Leo, 18, a Nanyang Polytechnic student, was deeply impressed with the testimonies. “Hearing the stories of the pioneers showed me that even though we are of a young age, we can do a lot for God. And, with God, all things are possible.”

At the end of the service, an altar call was given for those who had a desire to enter full-time ministry, and another for those who wanted to grow in their commitment to God. Hundreds filled the aisles, many with tears in their eyes.

Ang Xin Yee, 13, a secondary school student, felt strengthened in her faith after the meeting. She is confident that she will enter full-time ministry in the years to come, and believes that she can dream bigger dreams for God.
“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” So reads 1 Timothy 4:12. It is time for this generation of youth to rise up and bring CHC to greater heights.

Consecration. Samson knew his calling. We need to be mindful of the destiny God has over our lives and to continually long for His anointing. We need to love and to dedicate ourselves to prayer and the Word of God. We need to be people who will for breakthroughs even in a time of peace.

Campus Ministry. Samson used 300 foxes to defeat the Philistines. Likewise, we need to be like “foxes”: people who can hear clearly from God, who are resourceful and attractive. Most importantly, we need to be discerning and sensitive to the Holy Spirit, being spiritually alive. As we are touched by the fire of God, our hearts will be knit together in unity, no matter how fiercely individual we are.

Contemporary. Samson killed 1,000 men with the fresh jawbone of a donkey. This tells us that we need to always be creative in the things that we do, and be relevant to our society today. The key to being contemporary lies in being continually filled and anointed by the Holy Spirit.

Committed to the Calling. The length of Samson’s hair represented his commitment to God. Once it was cut off, he lost his strength, and his eyes were gouged out by the Philistines. We need to stay committed to God so that we will never lose sight of the vision He has given to us.

CHC’s 7 Youth Wonders
	BEAUTY QUEEN: Deborah Chan ACHIEVEMENTS: • 1st Runner-Up in Asia Conference 2008 Beauty Pageant • 2nd Runner-up for Miss Earth Singapore 2009
	SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS: Justine Lee, Lim Jing Ying & John Tay, Soule ACHIEVEMENTS: • 1st Runner-up in Mayor’s Imagine Social Entrepreneurship Challenge • Winner, Singapore International Foundation Young Social Entrepreneur 2010
	ENTERTAINER: Lucas Chia, 22 ACHIEVEMENTS: • Lead role in Okto drama series, The Band • Performing song and dance at Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010
	FILMMAKER: Oh Ji Ji, 25 ACHIEVEMENTS: • Gold with Honors in SYF National Art Competition • Co-producer of Silver award-winning short film entry for MTV Crowbar Awards 2009 • Selected for an inter-school project to shoot a documentary in the Philippines
	SINGER: Aldrich Tjahjadi, 23 ACHIEVEMENTS: • 1st Runner-up in Impresario, a Nationwide Talent Search Competition • CHC Emerge 2003 Talentime champion
	SPORTSMAN: Wilmer Tay Ze Jun, 18 ACHIEVEMENTS: • Received the Best Sportsmanship Award in the inaugural Singapore Youth Handball Tournament 2010 • He is in the first 7 line-up of Singapore National Handball Team, selected out of 120 players
	MOST-WANTED STUDENT: Krystle Liew, 23 ACHIEVEMENTS: • Champion in global CFA Institute Global Investment Research Challenge 2009 (together with three other teammates from NTU) • Appeared on national TV in an interview with Bloomberg
CN PHOTOS: Michael Chan

Winner of One Million Star Jam Hsiao did not disappoint in his recent Mr Rock World concert at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Contributed by By Nicolette Ng

CN PHOTO: Michael Chan

Jam Hsiao Jing Teng, winner of popular Taiwan singing contest One Million Star, shot to fame after just three brief appearances on the CTV show. To hear him sing live, Hsiao’s fans began showing up at the pubs and restaurants where he worked. He was so hot, Warner Music signed him up on a four-year contract, and that was when his fast-track to stardom began.

What made Hsiao’s March 13 concert a resounding success wasn’t the elaborate costumes, the confetti, or even the magnificent stage design and fireworks—it was the packed-to-capacity adoring crowd of 7,500 who were drunk on Hsiao’s impressive vocals and incredible talent.

Hsiao first appeared on a raised platform, lit by a red spotlight, decked out in a long black costume with pearls, as he crooned the first song of his debut concert. Effortlessly belting out well-known English songs such as “Desperado” and “You Give Love A Bad Name”, other songs in Chinese, Cantonese, Hokkien, even Japanese, Hsiao’s vocals carried an explosive force. Yet, his voice was also capable of touching hearts deeply.

Hsiao’s rendition of Korean cult hit “Nobody” drove the crowd wild. In addition, his cool dance moves got everyone on their feet rocking along to the music, waving their purple light sticks. At one point, he came out on rollerblades, crooning his number “Blues”.

Smoothly switching from fast numbers to ballads, Hsiao kept his audience dazzled with his theatrical costumes. His knack with musical instruments also blew the crowd away, as he performed a solo on a drum set.

Contrary to his powerful performance and breath-taking charisma while singing, Hsiao is also known for being monosyllabic, soft-spoken, and shy in person. He made fun of this personality quirk by playing a two-minute recording that describes his journey to stardom. Instead of appearing on stage, a life-size cardboard cut-out of him was placed in front of the audience as the recording played. This tickled and charmed his audience to no end.

Hsiao’s encore ended the night with just him and the piano (which he played beautifully), singing songs from his self-titled album.

A concert that rocked hard and ended sweetly left me wide-eyed and absolutely impressed.

A talk on breastfeeding for expectant mothers organized by Parents-Support-Parents encouraged new parents to give their best.

COURTESY OF IRIS TAN

It was more than a milk act for 30 expectant mothers who turned up for a talk on breastfeeding organized by Parents-Support-Parents March 13 at Singapore Expo, Hall 1. The speaker for the event was Dr. Lena Goh, vice-president of Breastfeeding Mothers’ Support Group Singapore.

This is the second event held by the parents’ support group since its inception in 2009. In light of promoting greater awareness on the benefits of breastfeeding, PSP decided to focus the topic on “nature’s best milk for the baby.”

Started by three mothers—Carol Loi, Rebecca Chin and Joanna Peck—PSP aims to be a  support group that provides valuable resources for parents in search of parenting tips and advice in evolving times. On the topic of breastfeeding, PSP hopes to relieve the stress mothers face when it comes to deciding the best feed for their babies. PSP also hopes to create a platform that provides Asian mothers with relevant advice.

BMSG advocates that “breast milk is the best food for babies” wherein it is au naturel and contains easily digestible proteins which support a newborn’s immature immune system. This translates into healthier growth and cost savings for parents in the long run. Other benefits of breastfeeding, according to BMSG, include preventing allergies, a possible boost to the baby’s IQ and aiding mothers in losing post-pregnancy weight.

Goh stressed that husbands, too, play a crucial role in their wives’ decision to breastfeed. Husbands can help in establishing a successful breastfeeding routine by affirming the nursing relationship, providing home support, and managing grandparents who may be all too eager to see their grandchild well-fed.

For working mothers, breastfeeding may be more of a challenge. It involved making a firm commitment to continue breastfeeding even as she juggles work and nursing her new infant.

Having family-friendly employers and supportive co-workers are important ingredients in helping Mummy to ease in to her  new routine, away from a pre-planned career track and work duties.

As a poignant afterthought, Goh asks, “Why are we compromising with convenience?” For her, the choice is clear: Opt for breastfeeding and do not compromise. Soon a unique and emotional bond will develop, which in turn will enhance the mother-and-infant relationship that will last a lifetime.

For more information on breastfeeding and related advice, please contact:
Breastfeeding Mothers’ Support Group
Counseling helpline: 6339-3558
E-mail: [email protected]

In a world where beauty is often associated with youth, a pageant like Mrs. Singapore breaks the mould by celebrating a woman’s beauty after marriage and, in many cases, motherhood.

Mother. The word conjures the image of a caring, kind, patient and longsuffering woman who has carried a baby (or a number of babies) in her womb for nine months.

Unfortunately, in today’s culture, women who are married or who have borne a child are considered “mature,” as compared to young women who are still single and who have not given birth. Whether or not this is a barometer for beauty is very much a topic for debate, but it is interesting to note that the “Miss” beauty pageants have an age limit of 27.

The first “Mrs” beauty pageant was Mrs. America, which dates back to 1938. Mrs. World was founded in 1985, and has become a platform to celebrate married women. Young wives, mothers and even grandmothers are eligible to participate. The unique competition brings together married women from the around the world for several purposes: to celebrate the fact that women can be beautiful no matter what age they are, and to voice their opinions about marriage and current events.

In our age-obsessed world, this is a counter-culture event that champions good old-fashioned values such as the joys of being married.

The finals of the Mrs. and Classic Mrs. Singapore Pageant 2010 happen next week. The candidates recently appeared at a meet-the-media press conference at Sapore Italiano.

This pageant sees a total of 32 contestants in two categories: Mrs. & Classic Mrs. The “Mrs” category consists of contestants, aged 22 to 44, from all walks of life, among them a doctor, the wife of a national football striker, models and a company director. Coincidentally, three of the finalists are from City Harvest Church. The “Classic Mrs” category is made up of elegant married women, aged 43 and above.

Feminists might pooh-pooh the fact that these married ladies are still being judged primarily on the basis of beauty, but truth remains that it gives a woman pleasure to be at her most attractive. The pageant hopefuls will be competing in various rounds, namely the catwalk round showing off fashion and evening wear, and the platform round which shows off their charitable works. They will also each be interviewed by the judges and compete on the quality of their answers.

The top three winners will represent Singapore in the International Pageants; Mrs. Singapore World 2010, Mrs. Singapore Queen of Hope 2011, Mrs. Singapore Universal 2011. The Classic Mrs. Singapore 2010 will also be elected.

Contestant Cinthia Choo 48, interior designer said, “Being married for 25 years with 3 kids, I hope to have a feel of what it is like to be on stage. My family and friends have already bought a total of 10 tickets to support me! Through this competition, I hope to be able to represent Singapore as well as to show everyone that married women can still look pretty!”

Angie Ang, 54, is a secretary who does not look a day above 45. She tells City News, “Actually, I had not heard of such a pageant until my boss and colleagues told me about it. They strongly encouraged me to take part. Through this [pageant], I hope to have more opportunities to serve the community, especially the elderly. Being in Mrs Singapore has been a fun experience and I enjoy the new friends I’ve made here!”

CN PHOTOS: Michael Chan

For some of the women, being in a beauty pageant is not a new experience, but still a rewarding one. Tan Li Jin, 35, says, “I previously joined ‘My Lovely Mom Junction 8 2009’ Contest at the encouragement of my husband and decided to join Mrs. Singapore for the rich experience, as well as to boost my self-confidence. Having resided in Singapore for 16 years, during which I met my husband and bore my lovely daughter, I hope to have the opportunity to do my country proud just as I have done so by participating in National Day Parade (NDP) 2009 as a trainer, as well as this year’s NDP 2010 as a participant.”

Each of the women City News spoke to had great reasons for joining the pageant, and for some, the experience has extended to their families as well.

Ariel Ng, 35, a secondary schoolteacher, shares that “my husband is very supportive. He is helping me look after the kids while I prepare for the pageant.”

Ng hopes that through the pageant she can have the opportunity to go beyond community involvement projects in school to “reach out to and support the unprivileged children financially as they represent the future generation and leaders of Singapore.”

For deaf-mute Stephy Ng, 31, this pageant holds great significance for her. “A friend from church asked me to join this pageant. I want to show to the world that I can also be a beauty contestant. I hope that through this pageant, I can create awareness to the public to treat all partially-disabled as equals without any prejudice.” Ng is also serving actively in the community. “In my free time, I teach deaf youth to dance, and I serve at an old folk’s home. I hope that after this pageant, I can help more elderly people and make their lives better.”

This crop of married contestants display a maturity and other-centeredness not commonly associated with beauty contestants. It is clear that the true winners are the husbands of all these women.

Grace Chew, Mrs. Singapore World 2009 and co-organizer and chairwoman of Mrs and Classic Mrs Singapore Pageant 2010, tells City News, “It is encouraging that this year’s batch of contestants come from all walks of life; we have working professionals and business women. This totally complies with Singapore’s modern women image of being a mother, working professional, charitable and role model.” Chew hopes that Mrs. Singapore World would have as much recognition as her Miss Singapore World counterpart. “The young are beautiful, but when they grow older, they become more beautiful and gracious.

“My vision for this year’s Mrs. Singapore winner is that she doesn’t just have the looks, but also graciousness and a passion for playing her part to serve society.”

The Grand Finals will be held on March 27 at Orchid Country Club Ballroom. Tickets are now available for purchase by the public. For more information, contact  Tracy Lee at 6733-7747 to find out more. 20 percent of the ticket sales will go to charity organization, Hope Community Centre.

Entrepreneur and financier Andy Lim shared on how a Christian can be a success inside and out, at a recent Marketplace lunch session.

CN PHOTO: Michael Chan

“Recessions and crises are only a wake-up call for Christians,” said Andy Lim, Chairman of private equity firm Tembusu Partners and MoneyWorld Group of Companies, a foreign exchange company with offices in China, Hong Kong, Singapore and New Zealand. Lim is also known as the husband of Lim Hwee Hua, the Member of Parliament, and as the man who spearheaded the Alpha Course to inter-denominational success in Singapore.

Lim (“call me Andy please. Only civil servants call me Mr. Lim”) became a Christian at the age of 15, but it was when he was in the army that he had an encounter with God. “I was on a 10 km run when I collapsed from heat stroke. In my semi-coma as the ambulance was taking me to hospital, I heard God say to me ‘Why are you running away from me?’”

His whole life changed—Lim was so hungry for God he read the whole Bible cover to cover. Two verses that have transformed and molded his value system, said Lim, are Colossians 3:23 and Revelations 3:15-16. The first, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men” helped him in the civil service. The second made him realize that “either you’re a true Christian, or you’re not. There is no in-between, no such thing as a nominal Christian.”

Lim and his family have worshiped at St John’s-St Margaret’s Anglican Church for 31 years, and he proudly announces that his son recently got married in the same chapel as he and his wife did.

His humility and candor disarmed the attendees that Tuesday afternoon. After sharing so enthusiastically about his walk with Christ, Lim got down to talking about the volatility of the financial markets.

“What lessons did I learn from the 1998 and 2009 crises?” he pondered briefly. “I think it’s that we have to be totally dependent on God. Pre-crisis, mid-crisis, post-crisis, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.”

Lim shared an experience he had which taught him a precious lesson. He had bought 180 car park lots in July 1997, thinking it was a safe business. But just months later, he found that only 100 lots were being used daily. “All your calculations mean nothing; in the end, only God counts.”

Embrace reality and know your limits, he said. “If you have to cut losses, cut.” Every crisis is a time to go back to basics, said Lim. “In boomtime, we tend to be complacent. During a crisis, that’s when we rethink our priorities. I trust God that He will have a purpose for us. Don’t look at what you’ve lost, look at what you still have, and you’ll be happy.

“What is most important is our relationship with God, then our family, then our work. Family time is important, you need to make time for it,” he advised. “Every year we have a compulsory one-week holiday together as a family, and we make pockets of time, like having dinner together every Sunday.”

Lim shared about his successful partnership with Mrs Lim. “If you find one pearl, that’s it, no need to look already!” he said of his wife. “Have a clear understanding with your spouse. Both cannot cheong (go for it) at the same time. The first 10 years, I concentrated on my businesses and my wife became a homemaker. When my wife went into politics, I made changes to suit her new role. Set your OB markers, then work within them. If you’re too ambitious, then narrow it down.”

Attendee Benjamin Cheng, vice-president of training and development at Amega Global LLC, was particularly impressed with this last point Lim made. “One thing Andy said that was very important was how he and his wife balanced time, how he made sacrifices when his wife went into politics. It’s really about working things out with your family.”

City News tags along with a JAMS volunteer on an evening of visitations to the homes of JAMS members.

Contributed By Billy Ong

The work day has ended, and cars spill out of office buildings en route to happy hour. Most people look forward to hitting the malls to do a spot of shopping or a relaxing evening in front of the TV. For workers and volunteers of Jesus for All Minds, this is the time for home visitations.

JAMS is a ministry in City Harvest Church that serves people with special needs. With a force of 69 regular volunteers and four full-time workers, one of the most important pillars that builds the relationships between volunteers and JAMS members are home visitations.

Cher Jin Zhi, 27, an events executive, has been volunteering with JAMS for seven years now. “It takes time to build a relationship with the intellectually-challenged as well as with their family members,” he says.

Between eight to 10 visitations are done in a week, with the main objective of befriending and having a better understanding of their family backgrounds. JAMS volunteers also try to fill in any lack in the lives of the members’ families through little, seemingly insignificant ways. Cher describes them as little acts that go the distance.

“Once, we bought groceries for one of the members whose family was having a hard time financially. The parents were so touched to the point that there were tears in their eyes. It’s small acts of kindness like these that mean a lot to them.”

On Feb. 18, Cher visited two of the JAMS members’ homes in Serangoon and Sengkang. At his first stop in Serangoon, he visited Yip Kang Min, 21. Yip had been eagerly looking forward to the visitation all week. The family welcomed Cher warmly.

“Very often, we may be the only visitors who ever come to see them,” explains Cher. The gratitude of the family is visible. “It touches her parents’ hearts to know that there are others who care for their child besides themselves.” Parents of people with special needs go through tough challenges that others may not identify with. Home visitations by the volunteers aim to encourage these parents and offer a listening ear if needed.

CN PHOTO: Michael Chan

Later that same evening, Cher arrived at the home of his second and last visitation stop in Sengkang. He was met with another warm host.  The mother of JAMS member, Chan Yu Da, brought out refreshments and thanked the team for visiting her son. She smiled as she watched her 15-year-old son enjoy the company of the JAMS volunteers. Each visitation helps build friendship and trust between the family members and the JAMs workers and volunteers.

While some of the home visitations, like these two, are relatively pleasant and relaxing, not all are the same. Cher remembers one early incident.

“One of the JAMS members’ parents was very stressed over their child. They asked me why God allowed their son to be born in this state,” relates Cher. It took many months of visits and building relationship with the parents to help them realize that although their child was born with special needs, his life can be meaningful and filled with purpose. This is one of the greatest fulfilments that JAMS volunteers experience during visitation—making a difference in people’s lives.

“Life is giving and taking. I give out my time, but it’s all worthwhile because I get back so much more in return. That’s what keeps us all going,” remarked Cher.

This church is a shining beacon of hope and love in its country.

Bethel Mission Church is making rippling impact within and outside the four walls of the church. Averaging at an attendance of 68 in 1979, the church has now exploded in growth to its current weekly average of 2,560 members under the leadership of incumbent, senior pastor Frank Godberg.

Buoyed by help from City Harvest Church in the form of scholarships to the School of Theology and monetary assistance in building a girls’ dormitory in Bangarapet, Bethel Mission Church has risen amid a climate of poverty and spiritual stagnancy.
Godberg challenges the members to pray fervently in awakening their spiritual man and to develop wholesome Christian values and disciplines which would help them in their daily walk with God. He also encourages them to be strong witnesses by being examples in doing good towards others and being effective role models in society.

No stranger to community work and volunteerism, Bethel Mission carries out extensive community work, most especially within the vicinity of Kolar Gold Fields. Slum dwellers—widows and children living on the streets—receive help in the form of food, clothing, education and funeral services; the lattermost through the distribution of stationery, uniforms and tuition fees. Physically- challenged people, both in the church and community, receive assistance in their medical expenses. Whenever possible, the church also conducts pro bono medical, eye and dental services to improve the overall health and well-being of the community. Ample, potable water is also available for residents through several well-building projects.

Furthermore, Bethel Mission also relates to local Auto Rickshaw and Taxi drivers by hiring their transport services for the church. Providing them with opportunities to earn extra, poorer drivers now have a reasonable source of income to support themselves and their families.

The church has also seen fruits through its Computer Center, which runs several programming courses; including hardware and networking, two-dimensional and three-dimensional animation. Hoping to equip youth with skills to advance to diploma and degree programs, the center was established in 2000. Starting out with a lone, outdated computer, the center now has 10 new Pentium 4 computers, courtesy of CityCare Limited; a Singaporean non-profit organization which promotes volunteerism, philanthropy and social responsibility. Youth trained in the computer center have found placements in several multinational corporations, governmental sectors and colleges as computing instructors and programmers. Godberg hopes to develop the center into one which caters to youth from different races, religions and economic backgrounds, enabling them to have good social-economic standing in the future.

PHOTO: Bethel Mission Church

Godberg’s childhood dream and passion was to become a lawyer to serve and advocate justice for the poor and needy. However, in his youth, Godberg was dismissed from his final year at high school for misbehavior and unlawful activities in 1972. Through God’s grace, Godberg became a Christian at 19 and was called to help his father in church work. After five years, he was ordained as a pastor and has been serving the church as the senior pastor for the past 31 years. Throughout his journey, he has developed the pastoral leadership and discipled hundreds of people in Bethel Mission Church and Kolar Gold Fields.
Recently, Godberg also decided to complete his law degree. Under the mentorship of a Senior Advocate, Godberg is now enrolled as a lawyer and member of the Karnataka Bar Council. He is currently practicing in Kolar Gold Fields as an advocate-in-training and observes court proceedings three times a week.

He shares his thoughts about his service to the church as a pastor and a lawyer to the community, “It is quite interesting to function both as a pastor and lawyer; it has raised many eyebrows of the intellects in our society. Through God’s grace, it is now a possibility that I can witness in the Karnataka Bar.”

Being a blessing to its community, however, does have its consequences. When asked about dissatisfaction amongst anti-Christians toward community work, Godberg hopes to maintain cordial relationships with them through prayer, assistance and without discrimination of caste and creed. “We try to relate to them in a friendly manner, with the love of Christ, through a co-operative and diplomatic approach and assure them that we care for them.” He also relates his sentiments toward the present socio-political unrest amongst the anti Christians, “Activists against Christianity are prevalent and have caused much political turmoil within the state of Karnataka. However, it is not as grievous as before.”

The film opens with various bird’s eye view shots of America—what protagonist Ryan Bingham  (played by George Clooney) sees from his seat in the airplane. Up in the air is where he spends 320 days of his year, traveling from state to state as a corporate downsizing expert. Ryan chases frequent flyer points for the sole sake of earning them, and on one trip, meets a female version of himself in the form of Alex Goran (played by Vera Farmiga). They have a one-night stand and end up making dates in different states for their subsequent rendezvous.

Then appears another lady in his life, in the form of a young upstart Natalie Keener (played by Anna Kendrick). While Ryan gives motivational speeches on how to relieve oneself of emotional burdens, Natalie dreams about getting married and having children.

When Natalie comes up with a brilliant video-conferencing method to cut costs for the company, Ryan finds his purpose for existence threatened. Ironically, he is tasked with taking her along on his trips to show her the ropes. What follows is an amusing demonstration by Ryan on how to pack light and get through the airport security in the shortest time available. Clooney carries his witty lines with an ease that is subtle yet hilarious.

Ryan and Natalie both start to be affected by each other’s opposite values as they invariably come into contact with the more personal aspects of each other’s lives. Eventually, as Ryan begins to open up to the possibility of putting down roots, his relationship with Alex also takes on a twist. Although a predictable twist, it nevertheless provokes the viewer’s emotional response. It is then that the viewer realizes how quietly effective this film has been in its storytelling. Without much aplomb, it reels its viewers into participating in Ryan’s life journey.

Rating:

CN PHOTO: Terence Jr Lee

619 Bukit Timah Road
Tel: +65 6463 2810

Paella takes centerstage at this Spanish restaurant.

For authentic paella, look no further than My Little Spanish Place at Bukit Timah Rd. Replacing The Cellar Door, it delivers a variety of tapas, ranging from the familiar to the more exotic.

The restaurant is a small 50-seater with warm lights and a low ceiling. You feel as if you’ve stepped into a Spanish tavern. The impression is reinforced by the rows of wine bottles on display.

Their tapas pale in comparison to the Paella, but they whet the appetite and stimulate conversation.

The Tortilla arrived a little cold, but its savory crust was tasty, especially when accompanied by the Aioli. The Pimientos (peppers) were slightly too mild, served on soft, crusty bread that could do with a little more crunch. Caracoles (Snails) were served in a rich broth flavored with jamon and chorizo. The caracoles were plump and moist but sadly lacking in flavor, which seemed to have seeped out into the rich broth, making it perfect with bread.

The Patatas Bravas (literally “fierce potatoes”) were a welcome dish—hot, crunchy with a spicy sauce that enlivened the dish. The Squid Stuffed with Caramelised Onions was interesting—the tender squid with the burnt-caramel sweetness of the onions presented a unique flavor combination that I liked.

Among the tapas, two characters stole the show. The Aioli was flavor-packed but not overpoweringly garlicky; well-balanced and piquant, with a mellow sweetness. It redeemed the otherwise too-salty Tortilla, and seemed to be the base for the spicy sauce in the Patatas Bravas. Later, when eaten with the paella, the Aioli completely changes the taste of the dish, like a good wine. Definitely a must-try.

The second show-stealer was the Filetes Rusos. I had my doubts initially: minced meat patties are usually “kid’s menu” fodder, but these swept me away. The well-spiced Filet had a loose, open texture inside, and its well-crusted exterior was browned nicely. The meat was rich and smooth, making the melted layer of cheese on top seemed extraneous.

]The meal is well-paced, with dishes following one after the other. By the time you’re done with the tapas, the Paella will have arrived. Taking around 40 minutes, each Paella is individually made a la minute (each is made only when the order is placed). Risotto’s cousin, paella, is traditionally made with saffron, rice and olive oil. Here, you can have it “house style,” with seafood, or with squid ink. Feeling adventurous, we decided to try the Arroz Negro (literally, black rice).

The Paella arrives in its pan, fresh off the stove. The rice is tasty, and packed with subtle flavour from the stock. Upon tasting it, my dining companion remarked that it was like “Singaporean sa-po-fun (claypot rice).” Indeed, the edges and bottom of the pan had that characteristic almost-burnt, smoky flavor. Seafood was plentiful­—squid and clams were nestled in the paella. The mussels on top were bursting with flavor. Following Chef Maria’s advice, we mixed the Aioli into the Paella. Garlicky and wonderful, the Aioli brings the best out of the seafood. The Paella defines “more-ish”: You’re full to the brim, but you just have to take that next spoonful. At S$38 for two people, this dish is a must-have.

With enthusiastic staff and cozy setting, My Little Spanish Place highly qualifies as a date-worthy location.

The influence of the mass media as a creative tool to spread the gospel.

Contributed By Dannon Har

Not everybody can have access to a church or even a Bible, but this does not mean that the message of the gospel cannot extend its influence beyond a church building. With the advancement of technology and the mass media over the decades, more and more avenues, such as satellite TV and Internet live streaming, allow people to connect all over the world.

For senior pastor Kong Hee, his own 30-minute satellite program, Harvest Time, began in the early 90s with the sole purpose of spreading the gospel to the masses in various countries that allow Christian TV. From a humble beginning of just two television stations—Taiwan’s GoodTV and India’s MiracleNet—Kong’s preaching network has expanded to include 13 television networks from Asia and beyond, with a potential viewership of more than 986 million people.

Positive feedback has also allowed more doors to be open for Kong’s messages to be heard in continents as far as the United States and the United Kingdom. “The majority of our viewers like the vibrancy in our praise and worship, and of course the preaching by Pastor Kong which is dynamic, anointed and relevant,” says Karen Chua, 35, media administrator for the Harvest Time program. Some of the more popular and well-received sermons are God In Ancient China and the Making Marriage Work series.

Added Chua, “As one broadcast of the program via satellite can reach millions of households, the availability and reach of the mass media is an avenue we should make use of because our goal, at the end of the day, is to fulfil the Great Commission by preaching the Word of God to as many people as possible.”

The 30-minute Harvest Time weekly broadcast airs in over 13 satellite and cable television networks all around the world and reaches a potential audience of 986 million viewers. For more information, please visit http://www.chc.org.sg/eng/media/media_satellite.php.