Chooi Jynn Lin proves that you can’t be too young to engage culture.

Contributed By Annabelle Low

 PHOTO COURTESY OF CHOOI JYNN LIN

If you’ve been out and about at all this month, chances are, you’ve probably seen or heard this year’s National Day Parade theme song, lovingly penned and performed by Corinne May.

Making her debut into the world of acting is Chooi Jynn Lin, a Secondary 3 student at Cedar Girls’ School. Bubbly, charming and down-to-earth, City News sits down with the 15-year-old and finds out about her experience in making the music video.

Tell us about your role in the music video.

Jynn Lin: I play the younger version of Corinne May. The music video is basically about a girl who wants to become a music conductor when she grows up. It shows the birth of her dreams, and how the people around her have nurtured her and watched her live out her dream.

How did you become involved in the music video?

JL: My music teacher recommended me to the director after seeing me perform in the combined schools choir.

You must have been excited, getting the opportunity to work with professionals in the business. What was the process like?

JL: I was very excited! I didn’t get to meet Corinne May though. I met with the director, Eva Tang, who went through the basic story line with me. Then we went to the location to start filming on a separate day. The filming process for me took three hours. I only met the person who played my father on the day itself, so we had to get to know each other very quickly. The filming for each shot itself was done quite fast, but the entire process took a while because they had to shoot each scene from different angles so we had to keep on re-doing the scene.

What were some of the challenges you faced?

JL: To be honest, I don’t really know how to play the piano. I only know how to play one song, so I just kept playing that song over and over again. I have no music background, so it was a challenge to express the appropriate emotion. I struggled a bit with my facial expressions.

It was hard work—there was a lot of waiting, the weather was very hot, and I kept getting attacked by mosquitoes. But I psyched myself up by reminding myself that since I had the privilege of participating in this, I had to do it well.

How did you feel when you first saw yourself on screen?

JL: I had to ask myself, “Is that me?” It was weird—I knew it was me in the video but it didn’t feel like me.

So how is life like after the video?

JL: I’m my usual self—life has not really changed. My school has TV screens all over and they keep playing the music video, so people at school keep coming up to me and telling me they saw me in the music video. It’s all over the MRT stations as well!

I don’t get recognized a lot outside though, because I wear spectacles in real life.

After this, do you think you’ll be making plans to join the entertainment industry?

JL: No, not now that I know what actors have to go through! But I’m keeping my options open. I’m planning to follow in my parents’ footsteps and become an accountant. If I do want to pursue acting, I must have something to fall back on.

Catch Chooi Jynn Lin’s performance in the music video for this year’s National Day Parade theme song.

Contributed By Wayne Chan

 PHOTO COURTESY OF SLASHFILM.COM

Ideas are powerful things. They can define a person, revolutionize the present and alter the future.

Now, imagine how much power you could wield if you could enter a genius’ mind to steal coveted intellectual property. Or, what if you could plant a world-changing thought into the mind of an influential person?

Director Christopher Nolan, fresh off his success with the award-winning Dark Knight, explores this concept in his latest film, Inception, which presents the otherworldly idea of being able to enter and control the previously unfathomable world of dreams.

In his film about dream criminals, mind-bending labyrinths made up of visually arresting landscapes are orchestrated by “dream architects” to fool the target of the crime that he is in the real world when he is in fact, dreaming.

By communal dreaming in a drugged induced sleep, a team of dream thieves then enters this carefully designed dreamscape to extract secrets from a target’s mind. Or as the film title suggests, perform the even more difficult task of planting a dangerous idea.

Various other mind-boggling tricks can be performed by highly skilled dream criminals, including taking another person’s identity by mentally projecting yourself as someone else so as to get closer to the targeted dreamer when his guard is down.

While there seems to be almost no limits to what can be done in the dream world, Christopher Nolan’s film does impose a few rules that govern the realm of the subconscious.

When hurt in a dream, for example, real pain is felt by the dreamer. Dying within a dream actually causes the dreamer to wake up. You can create a dream within a dream within a dream, up to three layers of dreaming, and going deeper into a fourth level usually means being trapped in a mental limbo that is hard to break out of. Time moves faster in dreams, meaning one can spend what seems like a whole lifetime dreaming, even eventually growing old and grey in the dream realm, but in reality be only asleep for a few hours or less. To help them keep track of reality, dream criminals use small totems, unique self-crafted objects that only they are fully aware of to test whether they are still dreaming or back in the real world.

Inception is a motion picture masterpiece that performs the delicate balancing act of distortion and reality. With veteran actors Leonardo Dicaprio and Ken Watanabe as tour guides, viewers are taken on a dizzying freefall down the rabbit hole into Nolan’s surreal subconscious wonderland, before being left in limbo, still unable to decipher what is real and what is not.

Confused? That’s likely how you would feel after watching this film which is probably the next best mind drug since Avatar and The Matrix. However, this strong dose of cerebral gratification is not recommended for the intellectually challenged. You have been warned.

Rating:

Contributed By Mary Chan

Modern day match-makers undergo a two-day training program on how to provide matching services to the singles in City Harvest Church.

The Singles Advocates is an initiative by CHC’s Singles Committee to lend a hand to those who need a little bit of help when it comes to dating. As the name suggests, the SA is a core group of people made up of married couples and individuals with a heart to help singles through inter-zone networking, professional match-making and post match-making follow-up activities.

Explained Jeremy Choy, who is heading the Singles Committee, “From our past experiences, we’ve realized that one of the best ways to serve the singles in our church is through match-making.” He added, “There are, however, skills required and protocol to be observed in match-making and engaging singles in a more professional, yet personal manner.”

Despite a heavy morning downpour, a group of 31 SAs, hand-picked by their respective zone pastors and zone supervisors, turned up excited and ready to draw from the experience of the trainers on practical skills for profiling and match-making, as well as to gain relevant knowledge, skills and preferred attributes to provide matching services to the singles in CHC.

The training was conducted by Mr. and Mrs. Albert Chong, a husband and wife team of trainers from a training consultation firm, Tree Within LLP.

The trainers warmed up the class by engaging the SAs in a practical ice-breaker that is commonly executed at singles events. Each participant was given a list of basic yet essential criteria and was tasked to find another participant in the class who matched the criteria. For example, one of the questions required the participant to find someone of the opposite gender in the room who shared the same hobby or interest. The objective of this ice-breaker was to create an environment for the participants to get to know one another in a fun and non-intimidating manner. This practical ice-breaker taught the SAs how a simple game can be used to encourage interaction at singles events.

In the first half of the training, the duo focused on the background and history of the dating scene in Singapore. An interesting fact—there is an equal ratio among single males and females (1:1) nationwide, although the scale is a little skewed toward more single females in churches (1:2). It is also found that the average age of couples walking down the aisle is slowly increasing. Although there is a 17.5 percent increase in marriages from 2004 to 2009, the percentage of divorce has increased as well.

According to the couple, dating agencies see a rising trend of younger males and females (between 24 to 26 years old) approaching third-party agencies to set them up for dates. It is common to find singles spending longer hours at work, resulting in a smaller social circle. As a result, singles are turning to dating agencies to help them find that “perfect” match.

Other common barriers that prevent singles from getting attached are poor dating and social skills. Often, many singles are not aware of these barriers or they are not able to overcome them.

Matching For Martial Bliss

In the second half of the training, the trainers taught on the different concepts of love, relationship and attraction, critical factors of compatibility, and practices to observe in match-making. Their tongue-in-cheek style of training coupled with “real-life” examples created a fun and engaging environment for the SAs.

Throughout the training, they brought up different dating and match-making scenarios related to the topics in the training module and had the SAs interact in small groups to discuss how to tackle those issues. These small discussion sessions helped the SAs to learn how to manage awkward situations and avoid causing undue embarrassment to the singles.

The SAs learned that prior to the actual act of match-making, pre-screening interviews and counseling are very important, as it allows them to assess the suitability of singles—whether they are ready for a relationship. They also help the singles to crystalize their preferences of the potential partner they are looking for.  As part of the pre-screening interviews, SAs will help the singles set and manage their expectations and identify the key values that cannot be compromised.

The responsibility of an SA does not stop at getting singles out on their first date. Part of the responsibility of an SA is to help singles move toward marriage.

The group of SAs met again the following Saturday to receive practical training on how to effectively match-make singles. Following this two-day training course, the Singles Committee aims to engage the singles in the church at a deeper level through intentional match-making that will progress to small group events, and eventually successful relationships that lead to marriage.

Need the help of a Singles Advocate? Email the Singles Committee at [email protected].

CN FILE PHOTOS

The Singles Committee was formed in 2008 to better serve the needs of the singles in City Harvest Church through the organization of education and enrichment events. This is done with the purpose of helping singles fulfil their aspiration of finding a suitable life partner.

About Tic Tac Toe

Tic Tac Toe, the brain child of Tan Ye Peng, deputy senior pastor of CHC, and Jeremy Choy, assistant pastor of CHC, was started in 2006 and now functions as the activity/events arm of the Singles Committee. TTT has seen a total of more than 1,600 singles at various events and seminars such as the TTT Launch Event (2006), Movie Night Out (2007), Masquerade Party (2008), the Relationship & Romance Conference (2009) and Happy Hour (2009). To date more than 15 couples are happily married and the committee is seeing more couples tying the knot.

What some of the Singles Advocates have to say …

“The Singles Advocates is a good initiative as my wife and I recognize that there is a genuine need for the singles in City Harvest Church. As a couple, we have a burden to help the singles. One of the key challenges at this point is that the Singles Advocates are yet to be fully equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge on how to effectively match-make the singles. This training is very timely as it empowers the Singles Advocate with the necessary skill set and knowledge. We are hopeful that we will be able to serve more singles in the coming months following the completion of this training.”
Mario Singh, 34
CEO FX1 Academy

“This is my first experience as a Singles Advocate, and I am excited to be able to play an instrumental role in helping the singles in City Harvest Church. The training is very effective for me as it equips me with the knowledge and skills to help the singles.”
Chiang Wen Kai, 28
Banker

“There are many friends around me who are still single and they have bemoaned the lack of suitable men or women around. There are definitely men and women out there who are just right for someone, but the lack of opportunity prevents them from getting to know one another. I do feel a sense of being on a ‘mission’ as a Singles Advocate, to help men and women find the Mr. and Ms. Right of their dreams.”
Allen Yu, 33
Web designer

Upclose with The Big Groove’s headliners.

Quest Crew (USA)

Quest Crew, a vibrant and eclectic mix of dancers hailing from California, USA staged their first dance gig outside of their homeland during The Big Groove this year.

Having won the coveted title of MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew and capturing the hearts of audiences worldwide on American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance? the crew members are living out their childhood dreams, travelling around the world to perform while displaying not just nifty dance techniques but also unique re-interpretation of music and rhythm.

The crew’s main draw stems from the ability to wow the audience with the unexpected, performing tricks, stunts, headspins and acrobatic feats all set to hip hop and b-boy grooves.

One member, Steve Terada, formerly an extreme martial artist, brings to the team a unique flavor with some standout stunts and tricks of his own.

Tiny Toones (Cambodia)

 CN PHOTOS: Poh Yang Zheng

As K Ki saw the plight of dozens of street kids roaming the street­—some struggling to make ends meet by shining the shoes of passers-by while others dabbled in drug abuse—he had a vision to bring the street kids into a place where they could develop their talents and be sheltered from the harmful influences on the streets.

Out of this vision Tiny Toones was birthed. Today, it is an organization that uses hip-hop, rapping and break-dancing to get street youth involved in proper education and free of drugs and HIV. Mentors help to guide and engage the youth who enrol in Tiny Toones’ activities, with many roping in their friends to actively take up free English classes as well as participate in games, skits and performances.

The Tiny Toones dance crew, with its youngest member only 13 years old, has competed in hip-hop and break-dancing competitions internationally in Cambodia, USA and Thailand. It has even performed at hip-hop clothing and music company Ecko Unlimited in New York City and chi-chi fundraising parties in Los Angeles, Seattle, Wisconsin, Philadelphia and New York City.

Their message to the youth is to look beyond their circumstances to see the potential that has been planted within each person, as they themselves are scaling heights, meeting people and going places they never thought possible.

Members of Parliament share how women in Singapore can thrive in today’s society.

Contributed By Yeo Zhi Qi

Sticking to its vision to serve as a platform for women to come together, non-profit group Women Make A Difference hosted a dialog session that saw 30 women from various industries coming together to discuss issues close to their hearts. The session, which was attended by Members of Parliament, Mrs. Lim Hwee Hua and Ms. Ellen Lee, saw a lively banter over dinner.

A wide range of issues from work-life balance concerns to sharing the burden of parenthood was freely discussed over a sumptuous dinner at Tung Lok Group’s Noble House on July 8. Conversation topics sprung up freely at the different tables as each individual shared her concerns, thoughts and experiences as a woman in modern-day Singapore.

One topic that consistently arose throughout the night was the tension rising from balancing the multiple roles of  mother, wife and employee at the same time. Asked about how she manages that effectively, Second Minister for Finance and Second Minister for Transport, Lim, revealed that the key is setting priorities.

Juggling between her various roles as elected Member of Parliament for the Marine Parade Group Representation Constituency and appointed advisor to the Serangoon grassroots organizations, Lim expressed that at various points in a woman’s life, she needs to change and modify along the way.

One other pressing issue concerning many Singaporean women is discrimination they experience at work, particularly the difficulty of re-entering into the workforce after taking a break to have children. That, coupled with losing touch with the working world, has lowered the confidence levels of most women, ultimately deterring them from reentering the workforce.

Drawing from her own experience of placing her career aside in order to dedicate her time entirely to her children, one woman shared that she had to mentally prepare herself to work for younger bosses when she re-joined the workforce. She was also faced with the challenge of catching up as fast as she could within a short period of time, working doubly hard to grow accustomed to the changes in the marketplace.

 CN PHOTOS: Michael Chan

In response to the topic of biases against women in the work place, it was established that biases may be ever present, but rather than gripe about it, both men and women should be prepared to continually upgrade themselves in a knowledge-based economy where there is much emphasis on brain power.

Besides issues concerning the workplace, high divorce rates, as well as the increasing incidence of single parenthood were also discussed. The participants discussed weighty issues such as the financial sustenance of single parents and the viability of imposing higher taxation on the general public were addressed.

Many of the evening’s attendees asserted that the burden of both single parents and parents alike could be eased by being able to enjoy greater childcare assistance, such as better childcare facilities built by the state. Some felt that grandparents these days are less willing to look after their grandchildren, and there is a shortage of infant care facilities in Singapore. As a result, many couples are delaying their plans to have children.

However, the need to increase childcare facilities must be cautiously balanced with providing a conducive environment for children to grow up in, since parents have lower impact on their children’s lives as a result of outsourced child-care. Many mothers in the room also voiced their doubts and insecurities over the quality of childcare teachers. All these factors have led many women to forgo their careers, thus leading to a certain degree of resentment toward the government for an ineffective childcare system.

The stress arising from balancing a full-time job and the heavy responsibilities of motherhood can be combated by greater flexibility in the workplace. Attendees expressed that it would greatly help if employers move away from the traditional mindset that workers must be present in the office to get work done. Rather than focusing on the number of hours worked, employees could be assessed based on their produced results.

An increased flexibility in employment terms, together with greater trust from employers, would enable women to work from home so that they need not necessarily give up their careers to raise their children. Many at the dialog were supportive of such a measure though some had doubts concerning the actual implementation of such greater flexibility at work.

Other than touching on concerns that are particularly unique to the female gender, general issues pertaining to the Singapore citizen were addressed. Many of the women said that they are pressured by the demands of a cosmopolitan city, in which they find it difficult to lead a balanced life. Similar to how pressures from the family have intensified over time, expectations from the work place have likewise increased, causing the modern individual to be plagued by stress from all sides.

Though there was no “magic pill” solution, the dialog provided a platform for women to share their concerns. Many were comforted by the knowledge that they are not alone in their concerns, and the fact that other women had similar experiences.

Besides tackling family and work place issues, the area of the arts was also covered. Mothers in the group spoke about their observations of over-enthusiastic parents registering their children for a multitude of enrichment classes, from ballet to piano lessons.

While most acknowledge that such enthusiasm helps to create an environment that promotes the arts, the genuine intentions of the children undergoing these classes were questioned. Many mothers observed that participating in too many classes has a detrimental effect on the child. In response to that, some voiced the need for parents to continually balance their personal motivations with the well-being of their children.

The session progressed onto a more intimate note with questions regarding the demands of a public figure. Lim spoke about her desires and motivations of getting involved in politics, “I felt that I wanted to give back to society and doing that meant that I had to step out of my comfort zone.” Having to get down to the ground level to personally interact with the public is tiring but the fulfillment that comes from helping them out of their struggles rewards her at the end of the day.

Asserting that financial problems are the tip of the iceberg and that there are many other issues at bay affecting Singaporeans who struggle to make ends meet, Lim expressed the need to understand the uniqueness of the situations faced by any particular individual.

Rounding off the session with how women can find a place for themselves in a fast-paced modern Singapore, Lim said, “As we become more cosmopolitan, we have to define ourselves beyond economic terms.”

Dialect Church volunteers show their fun-loving side during an outing at East Coast beach.

Contributed By John Koh Tat Wan

City Harvest Dialect Church is a close-knit spiritual family; its members serve God, pray for the elderly in the congregation and also have fun together. Each year, two to three gatherings are organized for all the volunteers and their family to have a time of relationship building and strengthening of family ties. These outings also serve to integrate the new volunteers and their families.

On July 10, 60 people took time off their busy schedules and headed to the East Coast beach for a time of fun and recreation.

Everyone was divided into four teams during the games segment. Enthusiasm and excitement was strong in the air, and team spirit was the overarching factor in all the activities.

In one of the relay games, individuals had to fill plastic bottles with seawater using only what they were wearing. Thereafter, teams had to bury two of their team members in the sand, leaving only their heads exposed. To end the relay, teams had to do a caterpillar walk. This activity not only revealed the creative side of the people but also drew much laughter as everyone cheered each other on.

 CN PHOTOS: Tan Song Kow

Chan Choy Ngan, 32, one of the organizers, expressed how happy she was to see everyone having a good time. “It is an honor to be part of the organizing committee for this outing. I am able to serve the workers and enjoy their fellowship even though we work hard together during the week in church.”

A volunteer with CHDC, Doreen Chua Siew Luan, 50, shared, “The outing helped to ‘break the ice’ as I got to know the other volunteers better. It also reminds my husband and I that family life matters.”

Vincent Lee Tiong Woon, 37, an interior designer, commented how this outing enabled him to catch a different side of people. “Through the activities, [I had the opportunity] to see ‘the other side’ of a person I don’t normally get to see when serving in the dialect ministry.”

Said Maria Tok, who supervises the CHDC, “The reason we have such gatherings is because showing appreciation to our volunteers and their families is important. There is a certain level of commitment required serving in dialect church and it definitely requires a lot of support and understanding from family members. This is because volunteers continually give their time and effort to serve, above and beyond their family and careers, so we want to recognize and appreciate them for that.”

City Harvest Children’s Church team whipped up a whole line of exciting programs during the June school holidays.

Contributed by Regina Kam

The goal of City Harvest Children’s Church is to provide a supportive learning environment where children are encouraged to display initiative, maximize their potential and have fun while doing so.

With that in mind, CHCC started a curriculum series in 2006 to provide a holistic, quality program for the stimulation and development of multi-intelligence in every child, incorporating activities that encourage the children to discover their strengths at a young age and to have the confidence to express themselves.

During the school holidays in June, CHCC organized a series of programs for the holidays, which included Guitar For Kids, Amazing World Of Animals, Doodlechamp Workshop, Imagination Express and Circus Tricks & Treats. A total of 100 young participants registered for the various programs.

Guitar for kids

Guitar For Kids was a four-week program that taught aspiring guitarists basic techniques, chords and easy strumming that would enable them to practice and play simple songs at home. Children who joined the program had the privilege of meeting and interacting with City Harvest Church’s worship leader, Teo Poh Heng, who has trained many church worship bands in Asia.

Teo, CEO of Riffs Music School, is a well-known figure in the local music arena, having graduated from the Yamaha Music Academy in 1996 with a Diploma in Music as well as the School of Creative Arts in 2001. In his 15 years as a professional musician, he has been a contributing songwriter and producer for more than 12 music albums.

According to Teo, practicing 30 minutes a day on the guitar would help the children learn how to be more focused and disciplined, a trait that would come in useful in their studies.

For now, the kids were happy to be able to play an entire song by themselves.

Jeremy Goh, 7, said, “I learned how to play simple songs like ‘Superhero’ and ‘Happy Birthday.’ I enjoyed the class very much and hope we will have it again during my December school holidays.”

Artistic and creative workshops

For the artistically-inclined children, Doodlechamp was a series of art-related workshops inspired by celebrity artist, Bob Einstein, known for his famous cartoon drawings out of doodle scrambles shown on the television program Adventures of Super Einstein on Okto. Einstein uses his imagination to create paper crafts, mural paintings and sketches out of random materials or doodles on a paper.

Children aged 4 to 6 were introduced to an Amazing World Of Animals where they got to express their imagination through creative drawings and making interesting paper crafts. The activities served to increase their knowledge on color composition, space awareness and picture composition.

Concurrently, older children were involved in a combined workshop of Doodlechamp and Imagination Express. These two activities aim to enhance mental development and problem solving skills by using observation, critical thinking, expression of thoughts, as well as creativity.

Though challenging, many of them were surprised by their own level of creativity and ability to think out of the box.
When asked about the lessons learned through the two-day course. Samuel Tzeng, 10, said, “I felt a sense of satisfaction when I managed to create interesting drawings through my imagination. It was very fun!”

Circus Tricks And Treats

 PHOTOS: Regina Kam

To wrap up the June holiday activities, the children enjoyed an exciting day of Circus Tricks and Treats in collaboration with Circus Outreach, an organization that aims to teach life skills through circus acts. With the belief that the circus is a great melting pot that transcends race, ethnicity, class and cultural background, CO aims to “break down walls and build humanity.” Since 2001, Circus Outreach has worked with at least 1,000 students from various schools in Singapore.

Knik Pang from CO taught the children some fun and simple circus tricks.

During the four-hour program held at the end of June, the children mastered simple circus tricks, including juggling with three balls (hand-made by themselves), the diabolo and spinning plates on sticks. One of the participants, who was mentally-challenged, persevered and refused to give up, eventually mastering some of the tricks.

Ruth Ong, a Circus Outreach trainer said, “She is a very brave girl, who managed to do all the activities even though it was difficult for her. She never gave up and followed through every single one. Many of the children were very encouraging and kept cheering her on. This is something we can’t learn in classrooms.”

In the upcoming months of July, August and September, CHCC is planning a whole line-up of programs to keep the little ones on their toes. These include photography lessons, excursion to the art museum and even making simple meals for Mommy and Daddy.

For more information, please call Joanna Sin at +65 9127 9144 or Wendy Wong at +65 9431 7441 during office hours or e-mail [email protected].

The month-long SHINE Youth Festival kicks off with a costume parade to start the festivities.

Contributed By Gideon Foo

 PHOTO COURTESY OF SHINE YOUTH FESTIVAL

The annual SHINE Youth Festival was launched on July 3 in conjunction with COSMO Youth Parade 2010. The highlight of the event, a public mascot costume parade down Orchard Road showcased a variety of iconic characters from popular culture, drawing from Japanese anime, console games and movies. Into its sixth year, SHINE Youth Festival 2010 is a month-long event aimed at developing the talents and skills of youth, encouraging them to be engaged in community projects. This year’s tagline, “Enough Talk, Just Do,” is a call to arms for youth to take action for their passion. Mr. Teo Ser Luck, Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports and the chairman of the National Youth Council, graced the event, which was organized by NYC and supported by MCYS.

The parade began with a ribbon cutting ceremony with key representatives from SHINE Youth Festival’s four marquee partners: Mascot Parade, O School, Singapore Street Festival and Singapore Management University. The atmosphere was highly charged; camera flashes were going off everywhere and the pounding of drums resonated in the evening air. A lion dance troop led the way as the parade made its round from *SCAPE to Cathay Cineleisure and Mandarin Gallery. Curious onlookers surrounded the paraders and took the chance to get up close. Many even took photos with the cosplay (short for “costume play”) characters and mascots. Some costumes were impressive—a cardboard-suited Gundam Robot, a warlock and mage duo from popular computer game Warcraft, the character Cactus from the Japanese game series Final Fantasy, and even a pair of Predators.

Enthralled by the vibrant and colorful display of iconic characters, student Tan Say Yong, 19, said, “I am an anime fan. It’s cool to take photos with them.” Johnny Yeo, an IT consultant passing by, said, “This is the first time I’ve seen so many people in different costumes walking down Orchard Road. I like the one in the dragon suit.”

There was also a COSMO costume competition earlier that day. Each contestant was given 30 seconds on stage to impress both the judges and voters in four categories: anime and manga, comics and cartoons, PC and console games, and lastly, movies and TV shows. Costumes were expected to closely follow the attire won by the characters portrayed and many were made by the fans themselves. Cosplayers were also expected to match their character’s mannerisms and body language.

“It’s fun! I definitely enjoyed myself. How often do you get the chance to walk around Orchard in these suits!” exclaimed Gary Lim, who was dressed up as a Predator. Famous Filipino cosplayers Alodia and Ashley Gosiengfiao also made a special appearance. Other impressive sights included a spectacular display of completed Gundam model kits at the Gundam Showcase, where fans were seen working on their own Gundam models.

The Moe Moe Kyun Maid Café recreated its quaint brand of dining experience with waitstaff dressed in cute-sy French maid costumes, while the Bushiroad Card Game Tournament pitted opponents in an anime trading card game and there were friendly teachers around to teach a variety of popular trading card game systems like WeiB Schwarz, Alice X Cross, and CHAOS. Rock band Monochrome captivated the audience with their rock anthems and ballads, while Bakus Rockers wooed audiences with their spicy B-boy dance moves.

On the community engagement front, SHINE provides grants to youth projects which meet the objectives of the Festival. Projects from formal societies can receive up to 50 percent funding, or S$20,000, while those from informal groups can receive up to 80 percent or S$3,000.

Bible school students experience inner healing through the ministry of Mike Connell.

 CN PHOTO: Kenneth Lee

The second week of July marked Mike Connell’s highly anticipated visit to speak at the School of Theology and City Harvest Church’s weekend services. Since CHC’s early days, the senior pastor of Bay City Outreach Centre in Hastings, New Zealand, has been a friend of the church and never fails to share the love of God to the congregation.

Among the students in SOT, anticipation grew a week before his scheduled visit. SOT’s dean of students, Bobby Chaw, explained, “Every year when Pastor Mike comes, students learn how to move in the Spirit, pray, minister and experience miracles and the power of God.”

One of Connell’s most distinctive ministries is his sensitivity to God’s people and the way he “moves in the Spirit” to bring healing in their lives. More than just being blessed by his prayers, SOT students were also given many opportunities to learn from Connell in some practical sessions they had with him during the week. His teachings also included releasing the anointing into others, the Father’s love and healing the broken heart.

On the first morning of the school week, Connell demonstrated to the students the process of releasing the “anointing of God” into others. For that to happen, the Christian has to release the life from within and believe that the word he speaks will produce a miracle. “You are designed to be a gate through which the life of God can flow to other people. Out of your innermost being (spirit man), from the life that is within, will flow rivers of living water through your soul,” described Connell. He then instructed the students to break into groups of three to take turns praying for one another in specific areas of their lives. Connell also took some time to lay hands on various ones during the session and spoke words of encouragement over their lives.

Vocal coach Daniel Singh, 30, recounted his experience. “When Pastor Mike prayed for me, I felt a gush of energy hit my stomach; I just felt happy, and it kept on increasing and increasing till I felt very light-hearted.”

Dhanaraj Jeremiah, 27, a pastor from Tamilnadu, India, was deeply touched after Connell prayed for him. He shared how after that session, the strength and joy he felt lingered in him long after school was over that day; even when he was home.  “This experience has strengthened me in many ways,” Jeremiah said.

The next day, Connell spoke about the Father’s love—of God as a loving Father who loves His creation. Connell preached from the gospels about the story of the prodigal son and the love of the father who welcomed his wayward son home. At this point, Connell explained how some individuals may have never felt a father’s love growing up in their own families, either due to personality or traditional differences, but God, the heavenly Father, is always longing to embrace His children on earth and accept them as they are.

On the last day of his teaching sessions in SOT, Connell spoke of how a person’s spirit or soul can be wounded. He elucidated that while forgiveness releases bitterness and resentment, it does not necessarily heal the wounds of a broken soul because some people may have buried their anger and resentment to the extent that they are unaware of it. If the pain remains unchecked, these individuals may find themselves trapped in a cycle of negative behavior. As he concluded the teaching, Connell led the student body in a simple and heartfelt prayer, leaving many with tears in their eyes.

By the end of the school week, students were visibly moved by what they experienced the entire week. Undergraduate Hector Neo, 23, said, “Through Pastor Mike and his love for people, we can feel the love of God.”

Mike Connell was present at CHC’s weekend English services where he shared a message entitled “Winning In The Wilderness,” bringing positive affirmation to the congregation in a timely fashion.

Connell talked about how the wilderness, as described in the Bible, is a place of barren desert beneath the scorching sun; a place of thirst and lack which tests the endurance of any person. Spiritually, it speaks of when Christians undergo pressure.

Citing examples of great men in the Bible who had a call of God on their life but had to go through a series of “wilderness” experiences in order to fulfil that call. Connell explained that when God desires to bring enlargement in a believer’s life, there is often a season of pressure that forces the Christian to break out of his existing zone into a new level of change. The wilderness is therefore a place of preparation and not a destination.

Often, pressure also reveals the inner condition of the heart. If a person has suppressed bitterness, pride and critical attitudes, these will surface during the “wilderness” period.

The nation of Israel experienced tremendous victory when they crossed the Red Sea in Exodus 14. However, they forgot the hardship and oppression they experienced in Egypt. As such, when God brought them into the wilderness, their unresolved bitterness surfaced the moment they were faced with a challenge in the desert—the water was too bitter to drink.

But God showed His provision by instructing Moses to throw a tree (symbolic of the cross of Jesus) into the waters, to “heal” the waters and make it drinkable. Likewise, God has the power to bring healing to a person and cancel their bitter experiences only if he or she brings it to the cross of Christ.

Connell then shared about his own experience of how he found healing in Christ. “When I was growing up, I never experienced my father’s love or affection in any kind of way, so I harbored a deep bitter rejection in my heart. But when I encountered the Lord, and allowed Him to take away all the grief, pain and sorrow, and repented of the bitterness, God began to reveal His love for me as a Father.”

He concluded his message by exhorting the congregation to breakthrough to the next level so that future generations would be blessed.

Alice Ho’s unusual teaching methods turn math from drudgery to discovery for her students.

 PHOTO COURTESY OF MATH TEACH

What is the shortest way between two places? Obviously a straight line. Now here’s a stumper—what is the shortest route between four places? In the same vein as the infamous Microsoft interviews that circulate in the jobseeker’s grapevine, this was the puzzle thrown up to an elite class of professors and undergraduate students. Volumes upon volumes of formulas and complex answers were produced in response, but in the end, the answer was given by a Japanese professor, with nary an equation in tow. Creating a prism-like structure made from shards of Perspex and nails, he slowly dipped it into a basin of soapy water and brought it up, revealing the answer in the surface tension created by the film of soap between the nails.

For Alice Ho, founder and principal of Math Teach, a mathematics learning center located in Siglap, such is the allure of a subject that is the bane of many a student’s school-going years. Over the last 35 years, she has developed a unique method of communicating complex math concepts through colors and everyday objects, all in the name of making math fun and comprehensible for students. For example, the precepts of the circle theorems are demonstrated by forming triangles on round plastic covers using colored pins, and inverse proportions are taught using a mixture of water and oil. “For math to be fun, it must be made more tactile—students must be able to visualize, see and touch what they are learning.

“Alternative teaching approaches like this, as opposed to rote learning, help students grasp the foundations. Once they have a strong understanding, it becomes easier for them as they advance to higher levels,” says Ho.

Her patented Five Color Coded Communicator teaching method, however, is not just limited to the basics of mathematics, but incorporated into more complex topics such as speed calculation and even Additional Math. “Many students stumble when faced with complex questions because they see the problems as one big chunk they cannot unravel.” Ho explains that the inspiration behind her teaching methodology was her previous working experience at a research lab which first instilled in her a love for separating and compartmentalizing a problem at hand into bite-sized portions.

The use of colors helps students to break down the question, helping them to understand the logic behind the laws used to solve the question. Other methods such as finger math equip students to tackle even double digit multiplications with ease without having to memorize multiplication tables; and simultaneous equations are taught using models. “Across the board, Singaporean students are ranked the best in Mathematics internationally, but in terms of world-class performance, we are nowhere near the Russians, Israelis and Chinese,” she observes. This is derived from the overriding mentality of Singaporean students to quickly arrive at the answer without taking time to analyze the problem at its roots.

With the success stories of countless students having benefited from Math Teach’s creative pedagogy, educational institutions like government and private schools have contracted it to conduct external programs in their classrooms, which now forms the main source of income for it. It also conducts programs for educators, including those who teach children with special needs, such as autism and Down syndrome. Additionally, there are classes for parents, who themselves become students as they learn how to better tutor their own children in the subject. During school holidays, special programs are designed to help children develop an interest in math in fun and easy ways—fractions, for example, are taught using yummy slices of pizza.

In the last three years, Ho has been traveling back and forth to the United States in order to explore the possibility of setting up a research center to study how math is taught and applied in different cultures around the world.

Math Teach
8 Frankel Drive,
Singapore 458101
Tel: +65 6442 2200