Trained engineer Jon Chong is a singer-songwriter, husband and father all rolled into one.

Contributed By Bernie Guan

Jon Chong makes music that is a “natural extension” of who he is. PHOTOS COURTESY OF JON CHONG.

At age 18, Jon Chong started to write songs, from original praise and worship music to introspective pieces that expressed his thoughts and experiences. While he enjoyed penning his own songs, his own personal song-writing breakthrough happened after he felt “challenged by God to write for a broader audience.” Curious to see how far he could go, he took part in the annual Mic-Check song-writing/poetry competition in the midst of his graduate studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2005.

Emerging the winner, Chong was inspired to develop his craft; in spite of the rigors of his studies and dissertation work in robotics engineering, Chong found time to write songs. Upon his return to Singapore in 2008, the Kuching-born Chong released his self-funded debut album, State Of My Mind, produced by Joshua Wan, who has been producer for the likes of Stefanie Sun and Fish Leong.

Since the release of the first album, Chong has progressed to experimenting with the ukulele, mandolin, rap vocals, scatting and even vocoder music, a popular synthesizer sound from the 1960s. His eight-track sophomore album, Beauty In The Small Things is a easy-listening set comprising pop-tinged jazz melodies underriding lyrics of nostalgic memories and soulful yearnings.

Currently based in Singapore, Chong was recently Starbucks’ Featured Artist, bringing his original compositions such as “When Will I See You?”, “Here With Me” and “Lazy Days” to the local coffee-drinking community through several acoustic performances.

Over the years, he has traveled to and lived in many cities including New York, Boston, Tokyo and Moscow.  As he embraced the cultural diversity in each of the cities, he enjoyed a “rich palette of life experiences, which have undoubtedly colored my songs.”

Viewing music as “a natural extension of who he is,” he is candid in exploring themes about life and love for his wife and artist manager, Belinda Lau and their 11-month-old baby girl, Justine.

Hip-hop artist Neli Atiga whose vocals appear on “Legacy” said, “It was a privilege and honor to work with Jon as he is definitely one of those guys who is a light in the darkness.” Besides holding him in high regard as a musician and a song-writer, Atiga hopes that “more people who need to hear his songs will hear them.”

Three years after launching his musical career, Chong believes that he has gained invaluable experiences that outweigh the cost of producing his two albums. Whether it is writing, recording songs or sending out his CDs to record polls, “it takes a lot of work and discipline to formalize one’s album,” he says.

Beauty In The Small Things is available at Attributes, the Esplanade Shop and all Starbucks outlets (from now till Jan. 4, 2012). www.jonchong.com.

The world’s largest floating book fair docks at Singapore’s port.    

Contributed By Bernie Guan 

The Logos Hope docks in Singapore next Saturday. PHOTO COURTESY OF GBA SHIPS E.V.

With the school holiday season underway, how about spending quality time perusing books aboard a ship? Logos Hope, a missions ship converted into the world’s largest floating bookstore-cum-library, will dock at Singapore’s shores on Dec. 17, bringing with it more than 5,000 book titles selling at discounted prices.

Sailing the world on its maiden voyage, Logos Hope is owned and operated by GBA Ships e.V. (previously Good Books for All), a non-profit organization based in Germany. Together with the rest of its fleet, namely Doulos, Logos and Logos II, the seafaring book fairs have made over 1,400 port visits to more than 160 countries and territories and welcomed over 42 million visitors aboard since 1970. Logos Hope itself is GBA Ships’ biggest till date, being double the size of its previous ships.

The Logos Hope community, made up of over 45 different nationalities, comprises non-salaried volunteers mostly in their 20s and 30s who serve on board for a typical period of two years. Their roles range from engineers and electricians to nurses, teachers and cooks.

Through the Visitor Experience Deck open to the public, guests can experience first-hand the challenges and living conditions unique to this seafaring community. There will also be a series of seminars and conferences conducted on topics including marriage, AIDS awareness and primary health care.

At the book fair, over 5,000 book titles covering a wide range of subjects from science and sports to hobbies, cookery, the arts, economics, medicine and Christian living, are available for purchase at a fraction of the original retail price. The books, mostly donated by publishers, comprise older editions that have been taken off the shelves in first world countries. As such, the books provide low-cost alternatives for readers in developing countries where literary resources are typically scarce and too expensive for low-income groups.

Besides the large selection of English books, crew members ensure that reading materials in the local languages of each destination port are stocked. In impoverished nations, Logos Hope also makes literary donations of textbooks and reference books to the local communities.

Aid and relief work comprising medical aid, construction projects and spontaneous gifts of food and clothing form the other dimension of the ship’s ministry. As they travel around the world, the crew go from the ship into surrounding areas, joining hands with the local churches to supply aid and community care.

Logos Hope will be open to visitors from Dec. 17 to Dec. 29 (Tuesdays to Saturdays, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sundays and Mondays 3 p.m.-10 p.m.) at the Promenade, VivoCity. Dec. 24, 10 a.m.-3 p.m., closed on Christmas Day, Dec. 26, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Log on to http://www.logoshope.org/singapore for more information. Free admission.

For four years, Jiamin Choo sailed around the world to do good, and lived to tell the tale of the powerful lessons she learned.

Contributed By Bernie Guan

Her pursuit to make a difference—a decision that Jiamin Choo made in her final year at the National University of Singapore in 2004—took her on a path less traveled as she volunteered as a crew member aboard Doulos, the world’s oldest ocean-faring passenger ship, built in 1914.

For the next four years from 2005 to 2009, she sailed to 52 ports in 31 countries and in the process compiled 25 handwritten journals to chronicle her personal reflections, “prayer requests and even my emotions as I experienced the ups and downs of being a new missionary on the field” reaching out to the less fortunate who lived in places such as the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.

Choo was not alone on this voyage. On board the ship, she served alongside 350 crewmembers from 50 different countries, each determined to “set forth to bring knowledge, help and hope to the nations, as an expression of their faith in God.” As a newly-minted psychology graduate then, she did not disappoint. Together with a maturing process enhanced by the exposure to the mission field and other like-minded believers of diverse backgrounds, Choo witnessed a transformation in her own life as she “followed God’s call in my life.”

Spurred by a culmination of years of experience and a cancer-scare, Choo was “motivated to write a book,” one that gives “insights to the realities, struggles, joys, hopes and desires” that she had as a young Singaporean. Concurrently, for those feeling lost as they search for their life’s calling, her book aims to “paint an intimate reflection of life’s most important lessons and what comes after pursuing the call.”

Her adventure aboard the ancient ship was not easy. For the first year she was like “Cinderella who was summoned to the kitchen to cook, scrub the dishes and take out the trash.” Despite the laborious hours, her role in the kitchen and in serving food to the “deckies and engineers” taught her “to be humble and to serve God and be faithful in the little things.” Even as she shared a small sleeping cabin with three others, she learned to be happy, and in the process, realized that she “did not lack.”

As Choo’s initial struggles faded away, her ministry with Operation Mobilisation’s 6,700-ton vessel and the ship’s crew flourished. Her stint as kitchen helper progressed to a role of an advanced party of the ship from 2006 to 2009. Like a project manager, her days were spent either on the ship or on land to prepare for the ship’s arrival including administrative duties that saw her knocking on the doors of government officials to secure visas, berth rights and sponsorships. Additionally, she established media networks to drum up publicity and worked with local churches on ministry opportunities. From first-world countries to third-world nations, her incredible voyage of faith eventually led her to “build schools in Sudan, comfort HIV sufferers in Swaziland, befriend street children in the Philippines, and even trail the rugged mountains of Papua New Guinea.”

Inspired by a quote from William Shedd, “A ship is safe in harbour, but that’s not what ships are for,” Choo’s first book is aptly titled Out Of The Harbour. The book, published and launched on Feb. 12 this year, has since sold over 2,500 copies worldwide and reached audiences in far-away countries such as Holland, Scandinavia and even the Farrel Island. With that, the 29-year-old leaves us with a parting shot, “Dream big dreams for God whilst we have the energy, excitement and courage to learn, change and adapt when we are young.”

Out Of The Harbour is available at Attributes (S$24.90) and major bookstores including Kinokuniya, Popular and Times. Visit www.outoftheharbour.com.

Lionsgate Leadership and Missions Institute, in collaboration with City Harvest’s School of Theology, aims to empower students to go forth and preach the gospel in all the world, including the marketplace.

Contributed By Bernie Guan

LLMI welcomes its inaugural cohort of students from around the world. PHOTO COURTESY OF LLMI.

A school rooted in Christian values and in the teaching of the Cultural Mandate on a practical, school-based level—that forms the foundation of the collaboration between Lionsgate Leadership and Missions Institute and City Harvest’s School of Theology.

Troy Marshall, the founder and lecturer of LLMI said, “The purpose is essentially to get the message of Cultural Mandate into local churches, and to raise up a generation of people who will carry this message as part of their DNA into the marketplace and into the remote areas of the world.”

Marshall adds that the program aims to “enable each [student] to manifest the truth and bring forth fruits that will remain.”

PATTERNED FOR SUCCESS

When it came to the curriculum, Marshall and his wife, Annwell, the co-founder and Dean of Students at LLMI, “did not want to reinvent the wheel.” Patterned after SOT, which has a curriculum that delves deep in theology and is built with a good Christian foundation, there are classes that may overlap. Still, the Marshalls emphasize that while the school’s primary aim is to “build upon the teachings of Cultural Mandate”, in the process it will “bring in the practical things that will help people survive and penetrate the marketplace of society.”

LLMI is not only a school of discipleship but “a school focused on people who either know or want to find out what their career paths are,” explains Marshall. “Your career must be your calling—(it is) where you minister in the marketplace.” As such, the school focuses on those individuals who have “progressed to the point of knowing that they have a call of God in their life.”

But Marshall clarifies that it is not the aim of the school to only recruit mature believers, since part of the training is about the maturing process. Instead, he is looking for people who have a “sense of destiny, a calling and a purpose in life.”

For its first year, LLMI is seeing students from different continents: US, Europe, Central and South America, and Asia. The Marshalls “want to raise up virtuous Christians” and not merely have the institute become a certificate mill. LLMI envisions its students to be predominantly between 20 and 40 years of age who look beyond being simply great wealth builders for the Kingdom, to becoming equipped to “Christianize their businesses.”

Kong and Dunn praying for Marshall and the opening of LLMI earlier this year. CN PHOTO: RYAN NG.

The LLMI leadership also believes that there is a strong correlation between one’s potential and his dominant gifting, which is “whatever God-given grace that accompanies you and helps you to be at your most prosperous.” Here, one should embrace “the highest form of prosperity” and that involves “living in the call of God where there is grace, provision, comfort and safety,” explained Marshall.

Conceptualizing the vision-to-school transition was not an easy task. Thankfully, Bobby Chaw, the dean of SOT in Singapore, has been instrumental in establishing and providing assistance as an advisor in the development of LLMI’s curriculum. Since its inception, Chaw has been working closely with the Marshalls to build up the strengths and core capabilities of the Sacramento-based Bible school.
The result is an institute closely modeled after SOT.

FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT

For the opening ceremony of LLMI, Derek Dunn, an executive pastor in CHC, flew to Sacramento, California to deliver the inaugural lecture on Tuesday, Sep. 6. Interestingly, Dunn and Marshall are no strangers—both were classmates back in Bible college in the early ‘90s. Having gone through the same rigorous training at seminary, Marshall added that they possess “similar experiences in what influenced them” and the lessons learned back then “have shaped their lives and influenced the way they do things.”

“The opening week at Lionsgate was off to a great start,” says Dunn, who spoke on understanding the Holy Spirit, tongues and prayer in his opening session. As he taught and led in the spirit of prayer, many students received “a greater revelation of the person of the Holy Spirit and of how to pray.” By the end of the week, “the students came to a place of unity as most had come from different church backgrounds and had different understandings of prayer and the Holy Spirit.”

Throughout their 12-month training, students will go through modules such as Etiquette, Protocol and Public Relations targeted at imparting the essence of business and ministry etiquette. Furthermore, though they prepare their students to enter the world, the Marshalls want to raise up people who are “counter-culture.”

Through sessions anchored by prolific Christian leaders such as John Bevere, Les and Sheila Bowling, Shirley Bridwell and Kong Hee, students will be imbued with the purpose to bring spirituality and integrity into the marketplace, even as they excel in it.

Other courses such as Creative Media and Communications 101 seek to enable students to get outside the arena to communicate with people in those communities in a manner that is “spiritually-based and yet not overly expressed with ‘Christianese’.”

This is due to the increasing trend of “cross-pollination” between the church and the business, art and entertainment sectors in societies, where teachers of the Bible need to train up ministers to move beyond the platform of the pulpit to reach cities.

Jeronn Loong, a SOT 2011 graduate, is part of LLMI’s pioneer cohort and says that he has already learned a lot at the school. Since the semester started, the 29-year-old Singaporean has been given the opportunity to be immersed in prophetic worship and instruments, which have allowed him to step out and exercise the gifts of the Spirit.

Being a business owner prior to joining LLMI, Loong expects to be “refined in character and be equipped with leadership skills in the business arena, operating and engaging in all aspects of spiritual gifts” by the end of the school year. Staying true to his calling, Loong envisions himself “establishing his business in Singapore and penetrating the Chinese market” in due season.

Chef Alain Devahive Tolosa from the legendary El Bulli was in town to demonstrate the scientific magic of “spherification.”

Contributed By Bernie Guan

Tolosa demonstrating the “spherification” process. PHOTO COURTESY OF DINING CITY.

A series of culinary techniques unique to the world of molecular gastronomy was recently showcased at At-Sunrice GlobalChef Academy to an eager audience of culinary experts and students. Whether it was spherification, inverse spherification, emulsification or gelification, Spanish chef Alain Devahive Tolosa a member of the research team at the world-famous El Bulli restaurant, which recently closed its doors, demonstrated the techniques with ease and impeccable precision.

The demonstration introduced the wonders of Texturas, a new line of emulsifiers, gelifiers and products for spherification created by brothers Albert and Ferran Adrià (the latter was head chef at El Bulli through its many years of Michelin-starred operation) that are now available through retail.

During the three-hour demonstration workshop, close to 150 people in the audience stood at the “gateway to a world of magical sensations.” They were treated to a rare look inside the research kitchen of the Adrià brothers that gave birth to one of El Bulli’s most groundbreaking techniques—spherification. Spherical forms of varying textures and consistencies have been prepared as part of El Bulli’s offerings since its discovery in 2003, for example, cheese balloons 10 inches tall.
After several rounds of refinement, the mixture of alginate and a base solution of water and calcium brought forth little marvels of spherical ravioli, caviar, pellets, balloons and noodles, eliciting “oohs” and “ahhs” of amazement from the audience.

By 2005, the scientific department at El Bulli had refined the spherification process by  concocting another product mixture of alginate, water and calcium gluconolacteta, giving rise to another jellification technique known as inverse spherification. Proponents of this method succeeded in spherical preparations of dairy food, olives and other foodstuff. The results were inspiring and the ingenious presentations from this Texturas line of products have left tremendous impact on chefs across the globe.

Other products include Algin, Gluco, Xantana, Agar, Lecite and Calcic, which perform similarly magical functions in molecular cooking. Here comes the science part: using Algin in a bath of Calcic coupled with a submerged liquid, for instance, will produce the effects of spherification. Consisting of natural extracts of “brown algae (Lamainaria, Fucus, and Macrocystis genera) of marine origins” and food-grade calcium salts, the products yield spheres of greater transparency and elasticity.

While these concepts may sound foreign to most amateurs and non-professionals, Tolosa remarked, “Understanding the basics before going into spherification is like building blocks; you build your skills little by little.” With genuine passion, an open mind and a dose of creativity, anyone can surprise and entice the palette.

On July 31, 2011, El Bulli shut its doors; it will re-emerge as a creativity center in 2014. Till then, the legacy of the three Michelin star restaurant first founded in Cala Montjoi, Spain some 45 years ago will hopefully continue to live on in the hearts of those who eat not just to fill the tummy, but to enjoy, educate and experience.

For more information on El Bulli products, log on to www.albertyferranadria.com.

Contribution By Bernie Guan

Barney Panofsky (Paul Giamatti) is not your typically dashing and lovable movie hero. In this drama based on the 1997 novel of the same name by Mordecai Richler, Barney is a brash, hard-drinking, cigar-smoking television producer who breaks all rules of Jewish piety, but it’s this portrayal that makes Barney’s Version one of the more unforgettable romantic comedies in recent times.

Boasting a stellar cast including two-time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman (Kungfu Panda 2), Oscar-nominated actress Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting), Rosamund Pike (Die Another Day) and Scott Speedman (Felicity), Barney’s Version tells, in a confessional style, the story of a man whose life is intertwined with that of three women: his first, second and third wives, the last being the greatest love of his life.

The storytelling is at times poignant with memorable lines and nicely delivered comedic touches, but truth be told, the sanctity of marriage is rampantly trampled underfoot here in the name of “modern romance.” An unsolved murder in the background adds to the story which spans 40 years—the ageing of Barney and the third wife Miriam (Pike) nabbed the film an Academy Award nomination for Best Makeup, and deservedly so.

On the sidelines, Hoffman shines as Barney’s father and a retired police detective whose unwavering loyalty to his son comes through all the more in the face of Barney’s many shortcomings. On the whole, a sweet movie with a bittersweet ending.

Rating:

Collin Chiew started out as a one-man show, turned his business into a company of 30 staff, and got acquired by international company Aon Hewitt.

Contributed By Bernie Guan

Chiew seeks to be a blessing in the marketplace. CN PHOTO: Michael Chan

In 2007, Collin Chiew was the owner of an insurance broking firm, Conrad & Sons Risk Specialists. He was experiencing several waves of financial turbulence when a miracle turned his struggling firm around.

A multinational company listed on the New York Stock Exchange, called him to explore the possibility of acquiring his company. Chiew, who has “more than 20 years of experience consulting with companies in financial services, telecommunications, energy and technologies,” was surprised by the offer. Negotiations ensued between the two parties and the multi-million dollar acquisition was eventually sealed.

Aon Consulting (now Aon Hewitt), part of Aon Corporation, offered Chiew “the position of managing director of the firm and a well-compensated salary.”

Aon Hewitt is a leading global provider of risk management services, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, and human capital consulting. As an institution—which commissioned a unique study exploring the evolving role and impact of the human resource function—Aon Hewitt employs more than 59,000 employees worldwide, and delivers distinctive client value through innovative and effective risk management and workforce productivity solutions. Additionally, its industry-leading global resources and technical expertise are delivered locally through more than 500 offices in more than 120 countries around the globe.

Being part of Aon Hewitt, named the world’s best broker by Euromoney magazine’s Insurance Survey in 2008, 2009 and 2010, has been nothing short of amazing, attests Chiew. Apart from seeing his income increase manifold, he has successfully led his Aon Hewitt Singapore team through bumps in the financial services sector. His portfolio spans managing multi-national corporate sales, client servicing and overseeing the administrative structure and operational efficiency of his organization.

It has been four years since the acquisition, and Chiew has not looked back. It was that “deep sense of knowing, and peace that came upon me coupled with that faith” that kept him secure as he walked through the maze of corporate courtship.

While Chiew adapted to his new environment, he worked to leverage on Aon Hewitt’s strong brand and available expertise. He is required to adhere to the numerous layers of management controls that guide business processes in an MNC that has US$4.3 billion in combined revenue, but Chiew approaches it with the same discipline he used to build up his insurance broking firm “from a one-man setup to a fully-integrated company with 30 staff.”

Being part of Aon Corporation can be exciting. In 2009, Aon Hewitt partnered with Manchester United. “It brought about a brilliant outcome: a four-year Manchester United Jersey sponsorship unveiled in the recently concluded Barclays Premier League season 2010-2011,” says Chiew.

Last month, he hosted Aon Hewitt’s president and chief executive officer Greg Case. Their brief one-hour exchange left a deep impression in Chiew’s hearts and it left him wanting “to be an influence in the marketplace, touching more lives” as he navigates through the financial terrain.

PROSPERING IN ALL THINGS

Chiew, who holds an executive master of business administration degree from Helsinki School of Economics, declares that “God is also a provider of solutions to the issues of risk that people face today.” He sees that his staff are endowed with God’s wisdom and favor as they provide solutions to clients’ needs.

As leader, Chiew mentors and coaches his staff on “leadership, management, training and staff matters, undergirded by biblical principles and values.”

“We are to be a blessing to all concerned, be it our employees, clients, vendors, service providers or the marketplace,” he says.

Ultimately, Chiew believes it is “important to know the call of God upon your life.” As it is with Him that “you can fulfill the call no matter what you do, whether you’re a salaried worker, an employee or a business owner.”

In the same breath, he admits that “the call of God may require you to go through pain, and discomforts are inevitable.” It is a truth Chiew has lived out.

All through his life, Chiew always saw himself as an entrepreneur. In 1996, he and his then-girlfriend, Suzanne (now wife), enrolled in City Harvest Bible Training Centre (now School Of Theology). They married in 1997 after completing Bible school.

Chiew, who had been an insurance agent since 1988, was the sole breadwinner of his family as Suzanne had quit teaching. At that time, the couple was saddled with debt due to the cost of poor investment decisions. In spite of the hardships, Chiew never gave up, even in moments when he felt inadequate being the sole provider. Instead, he persisted by applying biblical principles to every decision and challenge.

Soon, his insurance business began to grow exponentially. From a revenue base of S$50,000 in 1999, he diversified his business, and hit a turnover of S$2 million at the end of 2006. Chiew’s agency eventually obtained a license to operate as an insurance broking firm in 2004.

Chiew’s journey to financial freedom was not easy. In the early years, home was a “rented three-room HDB flat with minimal furnishings” for the couple and their first-born son. While the family put up with the initial lack of security, Chiew bit the bullet to beat the odds to emerge victorious after years of onslaught and stress. Now, the Chiews live comfortably with their four children, Isaac, 12, Isabelle, 10, Ivan, 8 and Ivette, 5, in a fully-owned private property.

Even though the tide has turned for the close-knit family, money is not wasted on extravagant living. The father of four enjoys the simple things in life, like listening to music, cooking, life coaching and mentoring, reading and gym workouts. He enjoys spending time with his family at the movies, at the pool, or at the beach during holidays. Chiew maintains that he teaches his children financial basics.

“We teach them that what we sow, we reap, so that they think about what they should be sowing into.” Chiew and his wife wish to “prepare our children and help them to learn to distinguish between their needs and wants.”

With that the Chiew kids learn to sow into savings and giving, either in the form of tithes, offerings or miscellaneous acts of charity.  “We also teach them about budgeting so that they know how to spend their pocket money.”

Wisdom and knowledge is something this father is determined to pass on to his children. “If they want to buy a toy, it can come out of their savings; they have to consider their reasons for buying it.”

Estella Sia’s care and concern transcended her classroom at the Lee Wei Song School of Music to touch the hearts of her students.

Contributed By Bernie Guan

Estella Sia (front row, second from right) applied the Caring System to reach out to her students with the love of God. PHOTO COURTESY OF ESTELLA SIA

Since emerging as a runner-up in the SuperBand Grand Final in October 2008, Estella Sia, one fifth of local Mandopop band, Da Feng Chui, has seen her career pick up and a handful of her students come to Christ as a result of her love and concern meticulously poured into their lives.

Recently, in her efforts to help these teens become integrated into the church, she has teamed up with her cell group leader, Eric Kong, his wife, Grace Tan, and fellow cell group member cum guitarist, Clement Chiang, to form a new cell group to befriend and minister to them.

Upon graduating from junior college in December 2000, Sia joined Lee Wei Song School of Music as a teacher-cum-supervisor at the premier educational institution for discovering and developing music talents. Her foray into the music industry was further fueled by her involvement in City Harvest Church’s choir and back-up vocalist ministry the following year.

In February 2010, Sia was placed in charge of her students to form a POP choir performing English and Mandarin hits. From giving vocal training lessons to performance coaching, Sia is also adept at artiste training and vocal grooming. All these, coupled with her creativity and dedication, helped her students to mature tremendously in stage experience through their public performances. With students aged between 10 and mid-thirties, all have benefited from her teaching, representing the school at community events such as SIA Engineering Company Limited’s National Day Observance Ceremony 2010 of the Aerospace and Aviation Cluster held at the SIAEC A380 Hangar and the Mid Autumn Festival 2010 at Clarke Quay.

Sia upgraded her credentials by taking time amidst her teaching schedule to pursue a bachelor’s degree in business at a local university. Her commitment to her ministry in church also opened doors for her to serve in several overseas mission trips.

Being in the entertainment industry over the years has not been without “ups and downs” but her perseverance was witnessed by her students whom she interacts with twice to thrice a week. As a result of their close contact, and “lots of time spent with them,” many were curious as to what was the engine of her passion. Her ability to connect with her students on Facebook and Twitter also drew them closer to her over time. Last December, Sia’s students participated in a six-minute skit at an event organized by the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre. There they met other members of CHC, and the doors to their hearts were opened. Soon after, Sia’s students accepted her invitation to CHC’s Christmas service, and that became the turning point for them all. Seven of her students came and by the end of the two and a half hour service, they gave their hearts to Jesus.

Sia sees herself as “the bridge that links these youth to Christ.” She also looks out for their personal welfare, ensuring that the students do not neglect their studies in school as a result of their new-found faith.

One of Sia’s students is Roxanne Heng, who said that ever since she accepted Christ into her heart, praying to God everyday has made a huge difference in how she lives her life. “I may go through a tough time during the day, but praying to God at the end of the day helps me feel better. I enjoy going to church and cell group as the people I meet are very friendly and caring—it makes me feel at home.”

Fellow chorister, Zann Foo echoed the same sentiments, saying, “Now, when I face problems in life, I would tell myself to have faith in God and keep praying. Things will always turn out better in the end.”

Through the befriending and outreach of Sia, Kong, Tan, Chiang and other CHC members such as David Ang and Timothy Wan, five of Sia’s students now attend church and cell group meetings regularly.

Kong, a 31-year-old strategic account manager, shared, “The birth of a cell group signifies the commitment to establish for members a strong identity as believers of Christ and members of CHC. It is an important milestone where members are discipled in the Word of God, and get to experience God in a small group setting; and in the process get integrated into this amazing spiritual family.”

Sia, who is now an academy manager at Lee Wei Song School of Music, is “overwhelmed by the love” and thankful for the friendship that the cell group has shown to her students. She also feels that the outreach to her students brings back memories of “the good old days” when her own cell group was made up of teens.

“The students’ presence has bought a sense of youthful energy to the cell group, reminding us that we should never lose our sense of child-like joy and wonder, in the midst life’s challenges,” said cell group member Gareth Yeo, 32, a communications officer.

Over the past few months, the commitment and friendship displayed by everyone have shown how the Caring System of CHC goes beyond the boundaries of age. Sia and her cell group agree that caring for others should be part of one’s lifestyle in and outside of church, and a person’s genuineness and sincerity must be easily felt.

The Millennial Orchestra’s Easter performance derives from the Jewish tradition of Yom Kippur.

Contributed By Bernie Guan

TMO performing Evening Song. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MILLENNIAL ORCHESTRA

Sounds of classical string instruments soaked in emotion reverberated throughout the Yamaha Auditorium at Clementi on April 19, three days before Good Friday, as The Millennial Orchestra delivered another of its dinner-time concerts titled Evening Song. At the Tuesday night performance, TMO’s strings ensemble performed German composer Max Bruch’s “Kol Nidrei,” featuring local cellist Janelle Kam. With the occasional continuo (piano accompaniment), dramatic sounds and mournful melodies, the series of orchestral works successfully drew attention to the somber observance of Good Friday and the joyous celebration of Easter festivities that follow.

City News catches up backstage with Lee Tat Haur, 38, co-founder of The Millennial Orchestra, to find out more about TMO and this concert.

What was the significance of Evening Song for the Easter season?

“Kol Nidrei,” the centerpiece of the concert, came from the Kol Nidre prayer that is recited during the evening service on Yom Kippur, also known as the Day of Atonement. Although this piece was not composed to commemorate Easter, it serves to remind Christians that the Day of Atonement is the day of reconciliation between God and mankind as accomplished through the life, suffering and death of Jesus Christ.

How do you engage, educate and inspire TMO in putting up a passionate orchestra performance?

TMO is a team effort, and everyone plays a part in engaging, educating and inspiring one another to deliver a performance. Each one is responsible for an aspect of the performance, be it taking charge of rehearsals, fund-raising, making logistic arrangements, sourcing of venues, emcee-ing or script-writing.

TMO is also anchored by key figures such as TMO’s other co-founder and resident trumpeter Leo Chee Keong, Chan Wei Shing, a professional cellist from the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Eric Wong, the resident conductor. These dedicated individuals are not only established musicians in their own right but their presence ensure the quality and musical standards of TMO.

What are the commitments of a TMO musician?

As with other amateur or community orchestras locally, musicians recruited must not only be well-versed musically but also passionate to rehearse and perform together as an ensemble. The selection of music to be performed each time also needs to educate and inspire the musicians, since each musical piece commands different technical requirements and all musicians have to learn to play as an ensemble rather than soloists. With a good dose of discipline, members can grow their individual talents, become cultural agents in classical music and engage the community, arts and culture.

What’s in the pipeline for TMO?

Our next concert is scheduled in June. It will be performed by the brass and wind sections of TMO. The performance will feature works by the British composer Gustav Holst. Following that, we are planning for another concert featuring the full orchestra in the later half of the year.

For those interested to join The Millennial Orchestra, please write in to millennialorchestra@gmail.com.

The very first Singapore Yacht Show early this month marked the island-state’s first step toward being a global yachting presence.

Contributed By Bernie Guan

A line-up of superyachts berthed at ONE°15 Marina Club in Sentosa Cove.

The inaugural Singapore Yacht Show 2011 recently concluded its run at ONE°15 Marina Club in Sentosa Cove. From April 8 to 10, an astounding line-up of 12 sailing and motor superyachts was showcased alongside a premium trade exhibition that featured several world-renowned yachting companies such as Palmer Johnson, Northop and Johnson, Informa Yacht Group and Prout International. A superyacht is a luxury yacht that’s privately owned and managed by a professional crew.

This highly anticipated event offers super-wealthy Asian consumers a door to the luxury lifestyle that has long been made a privilege of the global yachting network. With doors flung wide open to international yacht builders, brokers and suppliers, the SYS—organized by Informa Yacht Group with the Superyacht Singapore Association, supported by the Singapore Tourism Board and official venue partner ONE°15 Marina Club—effectively brought together influential business leaders, VIPs, celebrities and yachting enthusiasts.

Simpson Marine, Asia’s leading International Yacht Broker at the Singapore Yacht Show.

Jean-Jacques Lavigne, general manager of ONE°15 Luxury Yachting and executive director of Superyacht Singapore Association, says the road to success has not been easy. Six years ago, its founding members became aware of an upcoming new marina in Sentosa Cove. Despite the lack of resources and guidance, SSA managed to strike out and form a recognized body to link the fledging superyacht community in Singapore to its marina of custom-build berths.

“The members worked together with the different marinas in the region to provide end-to-end services. They helped the association to send out their welcome message: ‘Singapore and the rest of Southeast Asia are beautiful to cruise in.’”

The group’s hard work eventually paid off when they “managed to attract more and more superyachts, from 16 in 2006 to 81 in 2010.” Lavigne has his sights set on “welcoming 200 superyacht visits in 2012 and over 500 by 2015.”

Currently, “there are very few dedicated superyacht shows in the world. Historically, countries that have hosted this type of dedicated yacht shows are Monaco, Abu Dhabi and Fort Lauderdale in Florida, USA.” All three places have become renowned venues for superyacht events.

Lavigne explains, “A lot of people in the industry felt that the Asian market is ready—perhaps SSA has served as a catalyst. We were very happy to organize the first Asia superyacht show in Singapore.” For him and the team, the Frenchman admits it is a big achievement, with more than 3,000 attendees setting foot on the event grounds.

Luxury superyacht Hye Seas II, an Azimut 116, seen here with its full-beam master suite.

Throughout the three-day event, the huge turnout at the marina were greeted by a 12-superyacht contingent that included the 187-foot Aegean Montigne, the 108-foot Broward Nymphaea, the 100-foot schooner Raja Laut, and the 116-foot Azimut Hye Seas II owned by Arthur Tay, chairman of the ONE°15 Marina Club in Sentosa Cove.

A visual feast for seasoned boating enthusiasts, many of these private yachts can cost up to tens of millions of dollars. According to Lavigne, “Palmer Johnson yachts, for instance cost between US$30 to 60 million dollars, and owners of such luxurious yachts must definitely be more than US$500 million in net worth—minimum.” Plus, the average annual maintenance and managing cost of a superyacht can reach up to 15 percent of the vessel’s value.

Dining on board Hye Seas II offers elegance with a touch of Italian style.

While SYS offers a glimpse of glamor from bow to stern, potential owners need a jolt of reality. Lavigne says that “super-yachts are rather expensive and anyone who is interested in buying a private yacht between 20 and 30 meters in length is usually a multi-millionaire.” Nonetheless, he adds, “The fascinating part of the boating and yachting industry goes beyond purchasing a yacht.”

The pleasure comes as one becomes involved in obtaining documentation such as regulatory licenses, insurance, maintenance and training upon ownership. “It encompasses everything from the interior design to the internal machinery and systems,” says Lavigne.

Unlike private jets, which are highly regulated in terms of materials such as stringent requirements for interiors and overall designs, superyachts can be designed from scratch. While one can’t design and build a private jet for S$100 million, but for that amount, you can custom-build a superyacht. This process requires  a meeting of minds between the builder and the owner. Yacht owners derive pleasure from participating in the design and construction. For this reason, most superyacht owners find the building period stimulating, a time of explosive creativity.

At the moment, SSA has 24 members and is growing. Lavigne hopes for the association to reach a total membership of 50 by year-end.

Lavigne, who cycles to work daily from home in Pasir Ris to Sentosa, and whose full-time job involves extending the superyacht charter, admits he “sowed lots of time and energy into rebuilding the industry.” SSA is a thriving by-product of his daily work that is bound for the high seas with the mission to propel Singapore into the global yachting arena.

For more information on Superyacht Singapore Association and membership eligibility, log on to http://www.superyacht.sg.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JEAN-JACQUES LAVIGNE

Assuming the role of the executive director in Superyacht Singapore Association was “a God-given opportunity,” says Jean-Jacques Lavigne, 42, a native of Brittany, France.

Lavigne, who has no background in sailing and yachting, first left France to start work in Japan more than a decade ago. After the stint in Japan, he returned to France for a couple of years, before another opportunity brought him back into the Asian region. Then he came to Singapore to set up the regional office for a financial newswire. Through years of financial challenges following the dissolution of his company, the Christian received prophecy after prophecy from church leaders that he would become “a person of influence in the marketplace and be able to influence very important people.” Initially, it was hard to embrace as Lavigne was still stinging from his business failure, but “one step after another step, I ended up in the superyacht business.”

As time passed, he built himself a reliable reputation, which placed him favorably among the movers and shakers of the yachting business. Soon, he was influencing and reaching out to high net worth individuals.

Lavigne’s enthusiasm in participating in community development programs in Indonesia, such as financing primary schools and eradicating poverty in coastal areas through promoting and growing marine-related businesses to the Indonesian government, positions him positively with the authorities. Ultimately, being a representative in the superyacht industry, he hopes to steer SSA toward promoting Singapore as a superyacht destination and a hub to create economic value for Singapore in this industry.

The 42-year-old happily married father of three, shares that “work demands have at times made dealing with fatherhood a challenge.” On top of a busy schedule at work and at the non-profit SSA, commitments in cell group and ministry has limited his family time. But “by going to church together, it really helps a lot,” he says. “When I reach home, I always try to go see the kids, talk to them and kiss them.” Even when they are sound asleep, his children will get a goodnight kiss from Daddy.

Whatever time he can give his wife, Celine, and children, Crystal, Douglas and Ines, he declares, “I will be as fun as possible so that they do not find me too boring!”