PROJECT PAINTBRUSH

more Pipit Painting Photos! :)

2008-03-11T00:44:00.001-07:00

Hello! ok I finally am sitting down to upload the photos into this blog! SAY YAY!! :) Yup these are the photos for the MASS painting session at PIPIT RD!

Look at how many people we have! WE HAVE BIG HEARTS! :)We had to paint at total of 4 flats! The conditions of the flats were mostly fine, except for the 12th floor flat which took lots of time to clean up. Heez... Here are some photos of the flats halfway during the painting session:

We had many visitors too! They are: Vanessa's sister, YiHuang, MingHong, the 06S76 peeps (DePin, XuSheng, SutYee, QingYan, Christing, BaoPeng). Thank you dear visitors for coming! All of you contributed lots and we greatly appreciate it! The old folks you painted for love you too :)

And of course must thank the non-CG church ppl who came down to help too: Samuel Cheng, XiangYu, CA3 (FungMin, Patrice, QinPei, Jaslyn, Phu), NS guys (Robert, JieXun, Leon)! Hope you all had a gd time too painting and interacting with everyone else!

Mr. WU, The BIRTHDAY BOY!~ (also known as "verine" or "manizer". Why? Add his surname, say it out loud, and find out:))

During lunch break: Look at the hands we used to eat!! AHH. Thank God we said grace coz we sure need His Grace! Hahah ok none of us fell sick fortunately.

Our dear projectPAINTBRUSH I/Cs! :)

Hard at work:

The jokers:

The victim:

Creative ways to keep clean:

Er okay...DePin and XuSheng should've been quite clean, but I guess FUN is always priority in the mind of any typical kindergarten kid! =p

Other random shots:

Hmmm this is our 3rd painting session already, and it seems that more and more people are showing interest in our project! It's definitely a great cause not only for God and for our own learning experience, but also a great cause for love. I think sometimes it gets really tiring and frustrating, especially when painting the ceiling, and also cleaning(!!!) because the floor has black muddy-ish patches and bits of stone-like particles even after cleaning over and over. Yet the old folks aren't appreciative sometimes and will fuss over some things when we are almost ready to declare "done!". But I think all of us really have the spirit of excellence and the desire to serve the old folks, and we continue to persevere despite feeling like giving up. Also wanna add that everyone's very supportive of each other and will not fail to give each other encouragements! Another blessing is that we have people like Songjun who never fails to be a blaring but definitely entertaining radio because whatever he says is not funny to the extent that it's funny.

Hmmm, I guess it's right that love really takes effort, and it doesn't just come "at first sight". It's hard to love the old folks sometimes but painting for them has really taught us to do so (e.g. when we get to talk to them especially, and when we need to borrow chairs and poles from them sometimes they are really very willing). Well, we also learn to love each other more and more! Some people dun like dirty stuff that much, and others may be frustrated at them not being sacrificial enough, but in the end everyone still learns to understand, love and help each other out. It's really about giving and taking! :)

Lastly, I just want to end off this entry with a photo that sums up the love I hope we can see more and more during each painting session, whether it's amongst everyone, towards the old folks, towards God... A love that never demands, and is always giving :) Awww... (there's no mistaking it!) haha! =p

See you guys at our 4th painting session coming up soon! Visit this website again for more updates! :)

too cool photos!

2008-03-06T13:32:00.000-08:00

Hello! I'm really sorry again for the slow updates! Heh but always not much time to come online to update! Ok but to satisfy the hot demands for photos, I shall post 2 cool ones here first k? At least now you know all the photos have been loaded into my very lag and frustrating computer. haha...

Look at how many hearts were all out to paint the flats for the old folks :)

We were lying on just one small part of the million square feet giant mall after our CG :)

pipit road! (:

2008-02-24T05:59:00.000-08:00

We were chatting with her after finishing the paint job. And she actually broke down in tears when she was reminiscing about her late husband. Ahhhh.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SONGJUN!
More photos to come from Huiying and Fungmin's camera! (: Hang out at this blog more often.

spontaneous post-CG fun! :)

2008-02-23T10:45:00.000-08:00

haha! a secret date to watch "The Diving Bell and The Butterfly" at 9.20pm after CG with Suet turned out to be a completely unexpected, spontaneous and hilarious outing which four other guys crashed. So Suet and I decided to hold our expanded date with Ryan, ACB, Cutcake and Ben...

...at the Vivocity arcade! haha, it was a little scary coz it was really quite empty and quiet. But soon we went crazy over this game that involves sliding white discs into the goal that the opponent has to guard (haha er I hope you can understand the description coz I forgot the name of the game oops) - I think we donated at least $12 to the machine coz we kept playing it! haha.. Another game we played was the "spot the difference" game with the touch screen, and we also went mad about wanting to mark our CG name "JCCA4" as the champions on the topscorers list... haha the next CG we have, we'll go check if our name is still at the top! HAHA!

After spending about an hour at the arcade, we decided it was time to go home. But a few people wanted to get drinks so we ended up at Carl's Junior! And all of us know that the best thing about Carl's Junior is that they allow you to refill your cup :) BUT ALAS, with Ryan's generosity, this is what we were blessed with:

Haha! We ended up playing with straws and did dumb things like trying to...

1)Drink from many straws joined up together to form long straws:

2)Drink from multiple straws:

3)Waste straws:

Well it was definitely worthwhile :) haha! We are definitely deprived children... Just one cup of drink can entertain us so greatly... lol... But look at us, don't we look like one happy family? Awww:)

Well, if you were thinking that this was the happy ending of a happy family outing, you are sure wrong... Guess what CUTCAKE (oh my.) suggested when we just stepped out of Carls' Junior, and this is what happened:

(This is my favourite photo! So CUTE! =p)

(This was Ryan's idea for us to look like we were in the Japanese Occupation... er... can you tell? lol! Think we're supposed to look dead. -_-")

Other family photos:

Finally, a splendid photo on the majestic flight of stairs....(at Dhoby Gaut MRT station -_-")... It reads: C A IV (CA4)! It was too difficult to make a '4' with just one person so we decided to use the Roman numeral =p

Yay! I never knew that we would ever turn out to be like this...

And this is just one of the chapters of JCCA4:)

I love this family of God <3

LATEST painting session

2008-02-19T07:35:00.001-08:00

Calling all volunteers!

Date: 24th Feb, Sunday
Time: 10am - 6pm
Each volunteer to bring: Rags and a day's worth of newspapers
Painting at: Pipit Road, Block 90
Meeting point: At the block itself

Click here to find out the buses that will take you there.

sth to share

2008-02-16T17:44:00.000-08:00

My dear caregroup,

I saw this on my ex-shepherd's blog and I decided to post it here. Do read every word of it!

It's just a reminder to all of us to do what really matters.

Love, Mia.

God's Eternal Link

I dreamed I was in heaven where an angel kept God's book.
He was writing so intently I just had to take a look.
It was not, at first, his writing that made me stop and think
But the fluid in the bottle that was marked eternal ink.

This ink was most amazing, dark black upon his blotter
But as it touched the parchment it became as clear as water.
The angel kept on writing, but as quickly as a wink
The words were disappearing with that strange eternal ink.

The angel took no notice, but kept writing on and on.
He turned each page and filled it till all its space was gone.
I thought he wrote to no avail, his efforts were so vain
For he wrote a thousand pages that he'd never read again.

And as I watched and wondered that this awesome sight was mine,
I actually saw a word stay black as it dried upon the line.
The angel wrote and I thought I saw a look of satisfaction.
At last he had some print to show for all his earnest action.

A line or two dried dark and stayed as black as black can be,
But strangely the next paragraph became invisible to see.
The book was getting fuller, the angel's records true,
But most of it was blank, with just a few words coming through.

I knew there was some reason, but as hard as I could think,
I couldn't grasp the significance of that eternal ink.
The mystery burned within me, and I finally dared to ask
The angel to explain to me of his amazing task.

And what I heard was frightful as the angel turned his head.
He looked directly at me, and this is what he said...
I know you stand and wonder at what my writing's worth
But God has told me to record the lives of those on earth.

The book that I am filling is an accurate account
Of every word and action and to what they do amount.
And since you have been watching I must tell you what is true;
The details of my journal are the strict accounts of YOU.

The Lord asked me to watch you as each day you worked and played.
I saw you as you went to church, I saw you as you prayed.
But I was told to document your life through all the week.
I wrote when you were proud and bold, I wrote when you were meek.

I recorded all your attitudes whether they were good or bad.
I was sorry that I had to write the things that make God sad.
So now I'll tell the wonder of this eternal ink,
For the reason for its mystery should make you stop and think.

This ink that God created to help me keep my journal
Will only keep a record of things that are eternal.
So much of life is wasted on things that matter not
So instead of my erasing, smudging ink and ugly blot.

I just keep writing faithfully and let the ink do all the rest
For it is able to decide what's useless and what's best.
And God ordained that as I write of all you do and say
Your deeds that count for nothing will just disappear away.

When books are opened someday, as sure as heaven is true;
The Lord's eternal ink will tell what mattered most to you.
If you just lived to please yourself the pages will be bare,
And God will issue no reward for you when you get there.

In fact, you'll be embarrassed, you will hang your head in shame
Because you did not give yourself in love to Jesus' Name.
Yet maybe there will be a few recorded lines that stayed
That showed the times you truly cared, sincerely loved and prayed.

But you will always wonder as you enter heaven's door
How much more glad you would have been if only you'd done more.
For I record as God sees, I don't stop to even think
Because the truth is written with God's eternal ink.

When I heard the angel's story I fell down and wept and cried
For as yet I still was dreaming I hadn't really died.
And I said: O angel tell the Lord that soon as I awake
I'll live my life for Jesus - I'll do all for His dear sake.

I'll give in full surrender; I'll do all He wants me to;
I'll turn my back on self and sin and whatever isn't true.
And though the way seems long and rough I promise to endure.
I'm determined to pursue the things that are holy, clean and pure.

With Jesus as my helper, I will win lost souls to Thee,
For I know that they will live with Christ for all eternity.
And that's what really matters when my life on earth is gone
That I will stand before the Lord and hear Him say, well done.

For is it really worth it as my life lies at the brink?
And I realize that God keeps books with His eternal ink.
Should all my life be focused on things that turn to dust?
From this point on I'll serve the Lord; I can, I will, I must!

I will NOT send blank pages up to God's majestic throne
For where that record's going now is my eternal home.
I'm giving all to Jesus I now have seen the link
For I saw an angel write my life with God's eternal ink.

for sale!

2008-02-15T06:34:00.000-08:00

Ferrero Rocher flowers selling at $1.50 per stalk! (:

2nd painting session at BEACH ROAD

2008-02-11T01:46:00.000-08:00

Hello! Hope that everyone had a great CNY week! I'm really sorry for the slow update on the painting efforts at Beach Road area! Heh here are some photos of the really small team of 3 in the morning!

Ryan and Zelanie!
Zelanie and HuiYing!
Ryan and HuiYing!

Even though our painting team for the first half of the day was so small, and we definitely could do better with more help, I think we made an awesome team! Everyone was very encouraging towards each other and helped to boost the spirit to serve despite being disgusted by all the droppings, flies and cobwebs on the walls and in the corners. And we accomplished painting large portions of the flat at amazing speeds compared to our first painting session!

Hard at work:

Beautifying the kitchen! Finally some light can pass through
the greasy and blackened window panes!
Ryan - The MAN of the house.
(Doesn't his charming smile prove it all? =p)

Here are some photos of the flat before we painted. We didn't manage to get any photos of the painted and cleaned flats though! =(

For the second half of the day, the NS guys from Derrick's CG came to join us! Here are some photos of them in action!

All in all, painting the 2 flats at Beach Road was definitely a great challenge for us, with issues such as lack of manpower in the morning such that we could only start working on 1 flat first, and some other problems that occurred later in the afternoon like a lack of paint. So actually while everyone expects a normal, happy ending for this painting project, it wasn't so happy for the Beach Road side. We left the place with one flat only painted less than halfway. And for the other flat, even though it was painted well and cleaned thoroughly, we had problems like the flat owner claiming that we spoilt his telephone and then his clock. The problem for the latter is more or less settled, but after this CNY break, we probably have to return to Beach Road to finish painting the other flat. Oh well, I guess these events were quite unexpected for us, and left us pretty frustrated after such a tiring day of hard work, but God was sure there to help us and guide us anyhow. Things could've been worse like the flat owners launching huge complaints about us. Hmmm but it's okay, it's a good experience still, reminding us of how much effort we have to put in if we say we will serve the community, and also reminding us of how much more we have to rely on God to help us in unexpected times like these. Yup, I'm sure we'll do better next time! Jiayou projectPAINTBRUSH! =)

2nd painting session at BOON KENG

2008-02-03T03:13:00.000-08:00

We painted 2 flats, both were dirty but the 2nd flat was the ultimate! (We are not kidding.)

Check out the kitchen ceiling.

Thanks to years of charcoal stove cooking, the ceiling inevitably turned BLACK. The white patch you see in the photo was the result of intense rubbing on that spot.

The walls were coated with such a thick layer of dust and dirt that we could easily use them like chalkboards.

I guess these pictures speak volumes about the condition of their flats. And they're too old to go about climbing and removing the cobwebs from the higher places.

Didn't get to take pictures of the end result, but the flats have received a good cleaning, a whitewash and a new lease on life. (:

Thank you - Tian Ruo, Cherie, Wenrong, Xiang, Fung and Samuel who joined the grads at Boonkeng today.

2nd painting session

2008-01-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

Date: 3 Feb, Sunday
Time: 10am to 5pm
Location: Either Bendemeer OR Beach Road

There will be 2 flats at each location waiting to be given a fresh coat of paint! That will mean that we will need about 4 x 5 = 20 volunteers.

If YOU are interested to help us, do leave a tag. (:

1st painting project : Boon Keng!

2008-01-21T04:10:00.000-08:00

Finally, on 20th Jan 2008, our very FIRST painting project at Boon Keng was launched! Apart from Ryan our “lao da”, and Cutcake the natural painting pro, the rest of us were amateur painters and only equipped with painting skills attained from our kindergarten/primary school years! Haha but it didn’t matter, because our hearts were all set and eager to help the old folks and bring smiles to their faces :) Ryan’s personal dream to achieve the goal of “ming tian hui geng hao!” was definitely infectious! Haha.

We set off in separate teams since there were 2 apartments to be painted. The first team (6th floor) included Weiwen, Abigail, YanYin and ACB! The second team (7th floor) had Ryan, Cutcake, Suet and HuiYing! Halfway through, Feng Hui also came to participate in this project! Thanks so much for coming! You not only helped us lots, but you also provided lots of laughter and entertainment which definitely brightened up our painting session! Haha.

Below are some photos taken during the painting session:

6th floor team! :)

7th floor team! :)

getting the paints ready!

paint everywhere!

BEFORE! (1)

AFTER! (1)

BEFORE! (2)

AFTER! (2)

Half-time: a very welcoming LUNCH BREAK! :)

Slackers... haha! ok no la haven't started painting yet...The 6th floor team's "quan jia fu"with a happy grandma! :)
The 7th floor team's "quan jia fu" with grateful grandparents! :)

I believe all of us can’t wait for the upcoming painting sessions! It’s really wonderful and meaningful to be able to show love not only to people within the church, but to also let this same love be extended to people outside of church. The painting session definitely allowed everyone in the caregroup to interact and get to know each other better! It also made us more aware of how we can influence and touch other people’s lives with God’s overflowing love in us. Hope that as this project continues over the next few months, we can truly be a blessing to many old folks by a simple gesture of helping them to paint their flats! :)

2nd fundraising session

2008-01-21T04:08:00.000-08:00

The fundraising efforts on Saturday before and after service were awesome! Shall give credit to dear Feng Hui for contributing the idea of giving out cookies and asking for donations of any amount instead of selling them! People were so much more willing to help in the funding of our project! Heh and we really received sufficient funding for Sunday’s painting project at Boon Keng because of the generosity of the church people! Quite a number of them had no qualms at all about donating $5 without taking any cookie in return. I’m really amazed and touched by how church people are so giving! :) Thanks everyone!

2nd cookie-baking session

2008-01-21T03:42:00.000-08:00

Hello! :)
Here are some photos from our second cookie-baking session at Abigail’s mum’s stall. We doubled the recipe! Meaning that we baked twice as many cookies as the first session. Haha, it was supposed to be about 400 cookies, but halfway it seemed that the cookie dough was never-ending! So to save time, we made some bigger cookies too :)

Put us in the oven!Woah look at how big we've grown!Boy boy and his mummy. Awww...Disney cookie.Heart cookie (but Abi's mum says looks like a butt cookie! AH!)
zibei cookie! HAHA.Filling up the cookie box...
Lots of cookies! :)
Lots and lots of cookies! :):)
Yay what a great day of baking! :)

1st painting session

2008-01-16T03:59:00.000-08:00

date: 20 Jan 2008, Sunday
duration: 10am - 5pm
venue: Boon Keng area (Blk 31, the starred block on map)

Come join us in painting the first batch of flats to bless the lives of these old folks. (:

meeting time: 9.45am
where: Boon Keng MRT

Interested volunteers can contact Ryan at 90304245.

(We would prefer if volunteers are able to turn up for the morning shift because we have sufficient manpower after lunch.)

thank you

2008-01-12T06:54:00.001-08:00

Thanks everyone who bought cookies from us today. (:

Watch this space for more initiatives!

cookies for sale!

2008-01-10T07:21:00.001-08:00

We'll be selling homemade cookies at low prices this Saturday (12 JAN) before service and after service.

Approach any of our team (clad in pink or red) to make your purchases. (: