City News catches a slice of the action on Day 9 of the Singapore Youth Olympic Games

PHOTO: Howard Kuay

The persistent drizzle on the evening of Aug. 23 caused some to slip, trip and even lose their grip, but this was the Youth Olympic Games, and finishing the race, no matter how far one fell behind, was the unspoken code of honor for the athletes who would one day compete in the Olympics. It was the second part of Day 9 of the YOG, which saw the athletics finals being held at the Bishan Stadium. It helped that while the bleachers were not completely full, the spectators were a gracious bunch, never failing to cheer on the last runner.

Highlights of the evening included the boys’ pole vault final, the girls’ triple jump final as well as the medley relay finals, with teams from the Americas sweeping both gold medals in the boys’ and girls’ races. One of the best performances came from Virginia Nyambura of Kenya, who won the 2,000-meter steeplechase in the fastest time of her career, 6 min. 29.97 sec.

Looking at the foreign names of the athletes, one could not help but wonder at the amount of practice the sports commentators had to undergo in order to avoid making the faux pas of mispronouncing an athlete’s name. Says Fan Yuzhen, one of the sports commentator for the evening, “Working alongside [local actor and former radio deejay] Mark Richmond since January this year, we’ve been practicing to make sure we got the names right.”

Having earlier commentated for a wrestling match, the CityCare staff member admits that the first few days were more intense, as workers and volunteers were fine-tuning their job scopes, with the site presentation manager finalizing details such as when an announcer would speak, when announcements were to be flashed on the LED board, as well as when music was to be cued. “It was a privilege to be part of a worldwide event like this,” says Fan. For those in the audience, the privilege was in witnessing future Olympian stars in action, on home ground no less.

Contributed By Kamthorn Pornsakulpaisal

A stool pigeon is a term for a police informant or a spy. If you enjoy movies such as Infernal Affairs and The Murderer, this crime action thriller, charged with drama, violence and pain, is right up your alley.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SCORPIO EAST

On the outside, senior inspector Don Lee (Nick Cheung) is seemingly in control as he works the crime circuits through his stool pigeons, at times doing so cold-heartedly. In trying to nail the notorious villain Barbarian, he recruits street racer Guy (Nicholas Tse) to infiltrate his gang but as expected, things go wrong along the way, as matters of the heart come into question—trust is a major theme running through the story plot.

Taking on the conflicted character of Don Lee is Nick Cheung, who plays out the inner battles raging within his soul with suitable angst, while Nicholas Tse is in characteristic top form, as he usually is in roles such as this. Kwai Lun-Mei turns in an equally affecting performance as the desperately forlorn girlfriend of Barbarian for while her character suffers through much struggle, hardship, deceit and betrayal, one can still feel in her the inextinguishable yearning for love. The romance that develops between her and Guy is no mere side plot, but contributes much to the emotional pull factor of the movie.

For all its intensity, there are lighted-hearted moments as well, especially during the foot-chase and the car-chase scenes. An engaging blend of action and intrigue that portrays the fragility of life and the relationships that develop along the way, The Stool Pigeon is a highly recommended watch indeed.

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Love The World Soul Rock Bistro stages a Seventh-month getai in honor of the Holy Ghost.

Contributed By Nicolette Ng

In Chinese tradition, it is believed that during the seventh month of the lunar calendar, the “gates of hell” open and “hungry ghosts” are released to wander on Earth, in search of food.

During this period, many outdoor concerts performed in makeshift tents are held at night as a form of entertainment for these “wandering ghosts.” These concerts, also known as getai performances, are characterized by eye-catching backdrops, multi-colored spotlights and glittery costumes. Usually hosted in Hokkien, a local Chinese dialect, performers don loud and extravagant costumes while performing to entertain the “ghosts” and the audience.

For many, particularly the youth, the getai is seen as a superstitious tradition meant for the older generation. Not so for Samuel Seong Koon, director of Love The World Soul Rock Bistro, who decided to swim against the current by re-packaging and conceptualizing the getai as something that is not superstitious—but rather, sanctified and contemporary.

On Aug. 21, a large crowd spilled into the bistro, eagerly anticipating the start of the event, coined “Holy Ghost Getai,” complete with decorations of vibrant colors and loud banners. Borrowing the tradition of song, dance and multi-colored performances, the purpose of the event, according to Seong, is not to please “wandering ghosts” but rather, to glorify the Holy Ghost.

CN PHOTO: Gay Sen Min

“We are also celebrating in the seventh month; we are celebrating the goodness of God in our lives,” said Justene Er, emcee of the event.

Only its second year, the event is fast gaining awareness and popularity. This year’s program featured newer and younger acts such as Chen Yi Yuan, 19, contestant of singing competition, Campus Superstar. Other performances included trio Candy Girls, comprising Doreen Lau, Trina Teo and Joyce Wee. Seong himself also took the stage to sing a few songs and play in the live band.

A number of the songs performed that night contained lyrics that could be appreciated from a Christian perspective. Well-loved gospel song, “Heart Of Worship” by Michelle McCoy was also performed.

Crowd interaction was immensely high that night, akin to that of the traditional getais. Each time a performer sung a song which the crowd favored, shouts of “Hou ah!” (“good” in Hokkien) could be heard in appreciation. In response, the performers were equally spontaneous when it came to interacting with the crowd. First-time performers, Candy Girls said, “Given the opportunity, we would definitely perform again next year because we really had a lot of fun here.”

David Chew, 38, described the event as “awesome,” adding that “the night’s atmosphere was light-hearted, relaxed and enjoyable for family and friends.”

Recipient of a Public Administration Medal during the National Day Awards this year, district judge Kevin Ng delivers peace along with justice.

PHOTO: Shutterstock

Only friends of Kevin Ng, 43, refer to him as “Judge” (or sometimes, mockingly, “Your Honor”). When he introduces himself to new acquaintances, Ng usually refers to himself as a legal officer or a civil servant.

The National University of Singapore law graduate readily shares that his job is about pursuing peace, in as much as it is about administering justice. As the judge-in-charge of the Family Resolutions Chambers of the Singapore Family Court, Ng mediates divorcing couples to encourage them to settle their disputes amicably, instead of slugging out their divorce in court.

For his work in the Subordinate Courts, Ng has been made a recipient of a National Day Award this year. He receives his Public Administration Medal (Bronze) from President S.R. Nathan in November.

The Public Administration Medal is awarded yearly to individuals for outstanding efficiency, competence and industry. These individuals can be a public officer, an officer employed by a statutory authority, a person who has rendered services in the field of education through an organization, association and body, or any person who is employed by a Government-owned company that conducts business as an agent of the Government.

Ng credits this award to God. He joined the Legal Service in 1996, and was posted to Family Court in 2004. In 2005, he was part of the team that set up the FRC—a calling Ng says came from God.

“I had just started attending City Harvest Church,” he recalls. “One day Pastor Kong said, write down what God is saying to you about your life at the back of your offering envelope. As I prayed, God told me, ‘To set up a center for broken families.’ I had no idea what He meant, but I wrote it down on the envelope.

“A month later, an e-mail came from my boss asking for some Family Court judges and counselors to get together to set up a department in the family court to help divorcing couples. Although I wasn’t the primary candidate for this task, God said, ‘Here you are, this is what you’re supposed to do, so go do it.’ My boss already had someone else in mind to run the department, so I prayed for an opportunity to talk to my boss. God opened the doors and amazingly my boss agreed to let me run it. It became the Family Relations Centre (now renamed Family Resolutions Chambers).”

Ng drove the setup of the FRC in 2005. This branch of the Family Court was set up to help divorcing couples avoid adversarial litigation in court, and to help them to resolve issues of their divorce without resorting to court proceedings. This would be done through mediation and counseling at the FRC.

“Why is the FRC important? We realize that for couples, those with children especially, if they don’t resolve the conflict, the litigation tends to drag on for a period of time. This will cost them finances, time, health, and in particular, it will impact their children. We try to help them in this way so that it will lessen the impact of divorce on their children.

“The glory of battle is the hope of winning,” Ng explains, of divorce battles waged in court. “But obviously someone must be the loser. The glory of making peace is that it may produce two winners.”

Ng admits his work can be interesting, particularly when there are complex cases involving cultural issues among expatriate couples. “You’re trying to resolve things like ‘water rights through your land in Sweden,’ which is unheard of in Singapore!”

The kinds of people who pass through his doors are husbands, wives, children, mistresses, new spouses, grandparents and lawyers.

Ng shares that “the most heart-rending cases are when children try to take their own lives or harm themselves, because their parents are in conflict. I see a number of those.”

The truth of the matter, says Ng, is that when two parties do battle, there is never a winner. “Everybody loses in one way or another, not only husband and wife, but the children and the in-laws. There is a lot of collateral damage, including the children. But if the judge tries to resolve problems peaceably or amicably, and plant the seed of forgiveness in the divorcing couple, it’s a good thing. It’s a start.”

Litigation should be the last case scenario, says Ng, simply because “if you litigate, it’s the judge telling you when you can see your kids, how often you can take your children on holiday, which demeans you as a parent. You lose all control to the judge.”

When asked if there is a trend or a pattern of divorcing couples, Ng shakes his head. “People get divorced at all ages. If there is a ‘most common’ reason, it’s the lack of proper communication —men and women speak on different frequencies. The man might assume everything is okay, but the woman might not get through to the man. She files for divorce, and the husband feels like he’s done nothing wrong, so why is the wife breaking up the family? He goes into blame mode, which makes everything worse.”

Ng’s work day begins with quiet time and Bible reading at his desk. His first case begins at 9:30 a.m. and his last case usually ends around 6 p.m. after which he begins his paperwork. He sees six to eight couples every day, five days a week.

He admits that his work is very much a partnership with God. “I will usually pray before my day starts, and if I’m in a hard place during a session, I’ll pray for wisdom to answer certain things. God answers, and I usually find myself astounded with His answer!

“He has really given me the grace and strength to do this. As we have learned in church, we have to use our gifts wisely and use them well; do more with our gifts, try to do better every day.”

His being a high-stress job that takes a toll on his mental, physical and emotional faculties, Ng says he has learned to confine his work to the office. “You just have to consciously leave it at the office. I always look forward to coming home. I picture my wife and my lovely children and I thank God that I am so blessed.”

To relax, the judge gardens, keeps pet shrimp and plays Hungry Shark on his iPhone. He enjoys Aaron Sorkin’s TV series such as The West Wing and Studio 60. “I love to hang out with my wife, especially in temperate climates,” he quips, adding that trips to Australia are a surefire way for him to de-stress.

As for his award, “I think it came from God, so I believe I am basically on the right track in doing what I’m supposed to do. I see it as a sign of encouragement from Him.”

Father and mother are from different races. They have two young children. Prior to their divorce, the children were looked after by both paternal and maternal grandmothers.

When the divorce proceedings began, both grandmothers became alienated from each other and became embroiled in the conflict.

There was serious contention as to where the children should live after the divorce.

The couple was referred to mediation at the Family Court.

Both the father and mother were reasonable parents who could agree on many areas such as the education and discipline of their children. However, each parent had concerns that the other would bias the children against the cultural and religious practices of the other.

The Family Court mediation sessions are normally conducted with only the parents. However, it became obvious during the mediation session that the concerns about bias came from the grandmothers more than from the father and mother.

That being the case, the grandmothers were invited to participate in the mediation process.

At the family conference with the court mediator and court counselor, both grandmothers and the parents acknowledged that the children were really of two races at the same time. Both families were then able to acknowledge that it was a privilege for both children to be a part of a rich heritage from the two cultures.

Doing what he does best, Sylvester Stallone directs and stars in this action blockbuster which looks to be one of the bloodiest of the year.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LIONSGATE

As the title suggests, the movie is about a team of mercenaries hired by a CIA agent to get rid of one of the organization’s own members who has defected to start a bloody tycoon business on an isolated island hidden from the rest of the world. While their task seems simple, Barney Ross (Stallone), the leader of the motley crew, soon discovers that their mission is not just about the cash reward that comes with it.

While the plot and the testosterone-pumping action is standard big-boy fare along the lines of recent releases such as The A Team, The Losers and G.I. Joe, the money-making part lies in the lineup of veteran action stars, which includes Jet Li, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren and wrestling star “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. Stallone has to be commended for being able to pull together such a formidable cast. Inadvertent humor ensues, for example, when Lundgren and Li share a face-off midway through the movie, which vastly contrasts the difference in their builds as the hulking Lundgren attempts to squash the smaller but more agile Li.

The Expendables is big in every way imaginable—in terms of budget, cast and action. However, more character development could have taken the movie to a higher level. Additionally, the editing was rather rough around the edges, and thus certain sequences come off as disjointed, marring the non-stop flow of action. Still, if you’re a hardcore action flick fan, this one offers more than enough bang for your buck.

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A fresh year of beauties at the Miss Singapore World finals.

CN PHOTO: Michael Chan

The grand finals of the Miss Singapore World 2010 pageant was held on the evening of Aug. 21 at the InterContinental Hotel. 23 contestants pitted their talents and looks against each other for the coveted title. Beauty and poise were, as usual, the epicenter of the annual pageant with contestants coming from all walks of life. The youngest contestant this year was only 17 years old.

The evening saw the crowning of student Anusha Rajaseharan, 21, as Miss Singapore World 2010. Eighteen-year-old student Keong Hui Shan walked away with the Miss Singapore Global Beauty award, while marketing executive, Krizzia Shannen Ann Cabarrubias Sayson, 17, was crowned Miss Singapore Queen of the year. Property agent Ye Jiahui, 25, nabbed the title of Miss Singapore Chinatown while consultant Jacelyn Lin, 26, was awarded the accolade of Miss Singapore Tourism Queen 2010. All five title holders will represent Singapore at the grand finals of international beauty pageants held around the world.

The pageant opened with the 23 finalists on stage, strutting down the catwalk in red swimsuits before the judges and a raucous audience. This was followed by a brief self-introduction by each contestant.

With environmental friendliness as this year’s central theme for the pageant, one of the highlights of the event was the eco-fashion parade, displaying the creativity of each contestant as they completed their look using recycled materials as accessories. Recycled fabric and plastic bags were just some of the materials used by the creative beauties to style their looks. Among the outstanding works of art included a pair of recycled acrylic “angel wings” and a necklace made of aluminum tags.

Another highlight of the evening’s program was the question-and-answer segment where contestants donned their evening gowns and took center stage to tackle the questions. One of the questions required a contestant to devise a catchy slogan to promote environmental protection; while another challenged a contestant to articulate how she would help promote the green movement as well as offer strategies in turning Singapore into a more eco-friendly nation.

Showing poise and confidence, contestants also took the opportunity to share about their involvement in various community projects among the elderly and the less-privileged in society. Proceeds from the beauty pageant went toward the funding of charities and other environmentally sustainable programs in Singapore.

Keong felt that it was her outgoing and bubbly personality that landed her the title of Miss Singapore Global Beauty. Through the beauty pageant, she also learned about the importance of teamwork, and is confident of being able to juggle pageant commitments and studies, especially with moral support from her family.

Crowd favorite, Sayson, affirmed that the pageant has helped her to rediscover her feminine side, especially since she grew up in a predominantly male household. Her future plans as Miss Singapore Queen 2010 include a “Go Green” project in which she would be looking to extend environment sustainability programs.

Ye, who won Miss Singapore Chinatown, attributed her win to her inner confidence. Her main take-away from the pageant experience was in making new friends throughout the pageant journey. Her future plans include contributing more to community work by lending support to the elderly through collaborations with grassroots organizations and town councils.

Lin, an avid traveler, was naturally delighted at nabbing the title of Miss Singapore Tourism Queen. She stated that her win would come in useful in helping to promote Singapore as a tourism destination.

The pageant was no doubt a fruitful experience for Rajaseharan, the biggest winner for the evening. As Miss Singapore World 2010, she will be joining other pageant winners from around the world in October in Sanya, China, for the Miss World 2010 competition. Possessing a calm and composed demeanor, the beauty is confident of juggling both her pageant commitments and her night classes leading up to the big event.

Other winners for the night included double title-holders, Louisa Althea Tay for Miss Internet Popularity 2010 and Miss Lumiere 2010, Yeong Wei Fan for Miss Charity Queen 2010, Miss Model of the World 2010, Nurzubaidah Binte Yusuff for Miss Crowning Glory and Nasstasha Hafids Stewart for Best in Catwalk 2010.

City Harvest Community Services Association reaches out to the deaf community with Talking Hands.

Contributed By Lau Ber Nard

The phrase “Silence is golden” rings loud, especially for the group that participated in Table Mania, an event organized by City Harvest Community Services Association on Aug. 15. The event saw 21 members of the deaf community gather at CHCSA’s POD Youth Centre in Tampines Street 33 where a day of fun and laughter followed.
In its second year running, Table Mania is helmed by Talking Hands, a service of CHCSA provided for the hearing-impaired under their charge.

Consisting of a series of board games, including Blokus, Pictureka, No Thanks!, Ugly Doll, Jurassic Jumble and Halli Galli, as well as lunch and snacks, it was an opportunity for the participants and the 14 Talking Hands volunteers to spend time interacting with one another, by way of signing, no doubt.

Motivation came in the form of S$60 worth of Xin Wang Hong Kong Café cash vouchers—the grand prize that the participants stood to win. With much excitement, teams got down to strategizing their game plans without wasting precious time.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CHCSA

Instead of the usual rowdiness, shouts and screams often associated with board games and multiple players, Table Mania was special in that participants communicated their joy, excitement, frustration and triumph with sign language, facial expressions, hand gesticulations and huge smiles on their faces.

The last game, which was a mass group event and a highlight for the participants, was Jenga, a game of physical and mental skill where players take turns to remove a block from a tower and balance it on top, creating a taller and increasingly unstable structure as the game progresses.

Remarkably, the players were able to build the tower up to 32 levels before it eventually collapsed.
Much to the joy of everyone, there was a lucky draw for the participants where they got to bring home the games they played.

Tony Loh, who has been a volunteer with Talking Hands for over a year, felt that this was a good avenue through which one can make an impact in the community.

He added that serving the deaf community is rather special as volunteers and the hearing-impaired share a close connection with one another since there is always constant eye contact; and communication with them requires expressiveness.

Eden Sim, a program executive of CHCSA, hopes to grow the service of Talking Hands through events such as these, catering to the hearing-impaired community of Singapore.

Sim envisions Talking Hands volunteers reaching beyond the four walls of the service to touch those who suffer with self-esteem and self-confidence issues as a result of their condition.

The SOT students celebrate the end of Bible school in style and sentiment.

Contributed By Annabelle Low

Spirits were high as the School Of Theology students, resplendent in their outfits, filed into Ban Heng Pavilion Restaurant at the HarbourFront Centre for their much anticipated graduation dinner on Aug. 20. The lighthearted occasion was graced by Bobby Chaw, SOT’s dean of students, and Choong Tsih-Ming, both pastors in City Harvest Church. Choong’s mother is in the graduating class of SOT this year.

While the students enjoyed an eight-course Chinese dinner, the emcees and staff members of SOT worked hard to keep the crowd entertained through games and performances. Students could make song dedications to one another. One of the highlights of the evening’s program was a special drama depicting a witty parody of a day in the life of an SOT student. This drew much laughter from the crowd.

One of the students, Francis Yeo, performed a heartfelt rendition of the Mandarin song “Lao Shu Ai Da Mi” but changed the lyrics to reflect his love and support for the school and the teachers. Two other students, Elizabeth Vaidhyan Koshy and John Thomas Sam, performed a popular song from India. Two students had also created a video clip which captured many special moments that transpired in the past six months of SOT.

The evening would not have been complete without a time of appreciation for those who had contributed to the success of yet another academic year. The list included Chaw, the two Mandarin translators Lulu Fu and Chiong Xiao Ting, as well as the school administrators.

CN PHOTO: Kenneth Lee

Everyone was full of gratitude as they remembered the support and dedication of the SOT staff members throughout the school year.

In a fitting end to a wonderful evening, Chaw gave a heartfelt speech to the students and thanked them for believing in the vision of the school. “If we don’t see each other again, we’ll see each other in heaven. I’m so proud of everyone for staying the course.” He then addressed the foreign students in Mandarin, adding, “The biggest lesson is not from textbooks, but how we overcome difficulties [in life]. Sufferings will come, but it is how you face it that matters.”

As the evening drew to a close, more photographs were taken, and hugs and goodbyes were exchanged. The school year had come to an end and the parting of ways was inevitable. But for all the students, fond memories will remain. In the words of Faith Yeung and Joseph Ho, who will be returning to Hong Kong after graduation, “We’ve laughed, cried and walked with each other over the past few months. We are going to miss these times when we go back to our own country.”

Contributed By Larry Keefauver

PHOTO: Shutterstock

“I am a single parent and experience many difficult things because I have no mate to help me. What advice can you give me for coping with my life?”
~ Single mom

All parenting presents special challenges along with innumerable joys. Let’s address some of the special needs and tips for single parents. “Mommy, where is my dad?” “Daddy, do I have a mother?”

A sense of loss, grief and even abandonment becomes rooted in the soul of a child missing one of his or her biological parents. If a parent dies, the surviving parent must walk the child through the stages of grief including anger, confusion, pain, hurt, bargaining, depression and finally acceptance. Explaining death and heaven to a child requires sensitivity and the support of godly friends and leaders who can surround the single-parent family with support, comfort and love. Assure your child of your love and the love of God the Father has for him or her. God never leaves us or forsakes us. We are never orphaned or abandoned by our loving Father.

A child may be raised in a single-parent home because the parents were divorced, separated or the child was born out of wedlock. Particular challenges arise when the non-custodial parent is around and connected to the child’s life. For the child’s sake, if possible, the two parents need to work hard to agree, avoid conflict and parent the child in a godly way. For a great book on parenting, I recommend one I have written entitled, Proactive Parenting. Parents should avoid degrading, blaming or forcing a child to take sides. Honor and respect need to flow between parents and child and between the parents themselves.

Here are some practical tips for all single parents:

1. Surround yourself with positive, supportive family and friends.

You need:

• Positive role models from both genders.

• A support group for yourself.

• Peer support and positive, godly authority figures in your child’s life.

• Education through seminars, webinars and classes to gain parenting skills.

2. Take care of yourself.

• Surround yourself with positive, affirming people willing to help, support and affirm you; a single parenting support group, cell group or life group, singles’ ministry at church, strong friends who will be there for you to listen, help to babysit,  and be a coach, mentor and friend to your child.

•Practice spiritual disciplines—study Scripture, worship, stewardship, prayer, servanthood, witnessing, praise, etc.

• Eat right with good nutrition; rest.

• Develop a family budget; do not spend more than you earn.

• Involve your family in helping you parent; children need loving, wise and affirming grandparents (or adopted grandparents) in their lives.

3.    Set boundaries and rules for discipline that have consequences, correction and training.

• Quality time—Spend quality time with your child so that he or she can learn from you as you learn together, study together, read together, play together, worship together and share biblical life values together.

• Parent your family as a group, a team, supporting one another in work, play, spiritual growth and involvement in the family of God. Involve your extended family. Also, reach out to teachers, coaches, instructors, mentors, ministers and pastors.

• Develop surrogate parents for your child who can speak into his or her life the wisdom, knowledge and understanding that comes from God’s truth in Scripture.

• Write out the rules and consequences with your child for living a healthy and holy life in your home. Have everyone in your home sign them. Follow through on the consequences. Put them in a place you can both see them and discuss them regularly.

4. Don’t feel guilty; don’t blame; give honor where honor is due.

• Don’t feel guilty that you are a single parent. Be confident in the Lord. Remember, you are not alone. God is parenting with you and you have built a support team around you of other parents, family and godly friends who will help you.

• Don’t blame God or your child’s biological parent for your trials. Persevere and partner with God to go through problems, trials and difficulties. Your child is receiving an inheritance of character, integrity, strength, faith and hope through you. Leave a legacy through your child’s life!

5.    Don’t major in minors.

• Pick your battles. Remember that being critical and focusing on minor things in your child’s life will undermine your ability to speak to the major issues of character and integrity.

• Focus on the positive. Build on your child’s strengths. Encourage, don’t discourage your child. Surround yourself and your child with people who have positive, “can do” attitudes.

6.    Don’t let a bad day ruin a good week.

• Yes, some days will be tough and difficult ones. It will seem like all the progress you have made as a single parent is sabotaged by your child’s misbehavior or your angry outburst. Give and ask for forgiveness. Be thankful for how far you have come. Don’t give up or quit … keep fighting through to finish the task or assignment God has given you for the week, month or year.
God believes in you. God has entrusted you with the gift of your child. You will be a great parent and others are there to help you. Single does not mean alone or abandoned. One is a whole number! Parent with God and discover His help and guidance daily.

For more information on Larry Keefauver’s webinars or to get a digital copy of his book, Proactive Parenting, email [email protected].

In line with Racial Harmony Month in July, COPE organized a Racial Harmony Tour for senior citizens.

Contributed By Wilson Lim

On Jul. 31, 76 senior citizens made their way bright and early to the gathering point of a Racial Harmony Tour organized by COPE. In line with Racial Harmony Month, the aim of the tour was to promote religious sensitivity and appreciation of the different races in Singapore.

The tour brought the elderly to four different places of worship, and for many of the elderly, this was their first time stepping into the worship sanctuary of faiths other than their own.

COPE, which stands for Community Outreach Program for the Elderly, is a service provided by City Harvest Community Services Association for elderly folk, reaching out to 600 households each month in the estates of Old Airport and Toa Payoh. Their activities aim to forge meaningful friendships among the elderly.

The first stop of the tour was the oldest mosque built in Singapore—the Masjid Omar Kampong Melaka Mosque located at Keng Cheow Street. The group was taken on a guided tour around the historic building built in 1820, and learned about the significance aspects of the mosque.

The next stop was Bright Hill Temple or Kong Meng San Phor Kark See Monastery—the first traditional Chinese forest monastery in Singapore. With an area of 80,000 square meters, the elderly were impressed by the grandeur of the temple, particularly, the pagoda with a life-size Buddha statue encircled by 9,999 smaller Buddha figurines. They were also served a vegetarian lunch at the temple.

The tour also brought the group to St Joseph’s Church located along Victoria Street. This is the first Catholic place of worship in Singapore, constructed from 1906 to 1912. The elderly were particularly intrigued by the Gothic-styled structure with its intricate stained glass windows.

CN PHOTOS: Kenneth Lee

The last stop on the tour was one of the oldest Sikh institutions in Singapore—the Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha Temple. All visitors entering the temple had to wear a head scarf. Bright orange head scarves were provided by the temple for the tour group. For almost all in the group, this was the first time stepping into a Sikh temple, making it an eye-opening and enriching experience.

The success of the event was expressed by the positive response of the elderly. Koh, a 63-year-old homemaker commented “Once I set foot in the Sikh Temple, I felt very comfortable and peaceful. I found the tour to be well organized and enriching.”

The cultural tour was a fruitful experience that not only benefitted the elderly, but also the 19 COPE volunteers who were there to help out. “It is experiencing first-hand Singapore as a racial, cultural and spiritual melting pot,” said Lim Leong, a COPE volunteer.