“EY Program” – Part 1

Recently I managed to pick the brain of a FGA youth pastor and one of the thing that caught my attention is that they allowed the youths to run a youth program once every month. The feedback was that they (the youths of FGA) came out with quite outstanding ideas and they had fun doing it. Not only does it give them a feel of what it means to run a youth program but also a chance to build up the partnership with one another. All this is done of course with supervision. Now, me being one that does not really like to reinvent the wheel, decided to try this out in EY (that and the fact that I am running out of ideas or that I am plain lazy). So we have what we liked to call a EY program.

What is this program? Well, basically we have two EY to plan and run a program. What it is; is entirely up to them. They if they wanted to could have an outing, a BBQ, a sleepover, an outreach, a normal program, a trip to the moon, etc. The advisors are only to assist when required and to provide the teachings if required. We have decided to try it out bimonthly and we had our first EY Program last Saturday which was handled by Carmen and Kar Wai (the smaller in age one, not in weight I think). How was it? Well, let me tell you what they did (with photo evidence, of course) and give you the evaluation later.

What they did? Well they basically conducted a series of games. One of the requirements that I have imposed on them is the fact that they should be willing to do what they have asked the rest to do. I have always felt that the previous games whereby the games conductor imposed some silly antics at the gamers were not very fair. So they had a total of 6 games!!! We started at about 3:45 and ended at about 6:15pm. The youths were separated into two teams, team one was led by Shireen and team two was Bernice.

The first game was to climb over a rope which was about 4 to 5 feet high. Some of the team members were given certain handicaps such as blind, lame and crippled. The idea was to work as a team to cross the over and with the distribution of members gave rise to a series of hilarious situation.

Team Bernice. Note the height of the rope.

Team Shireen. Somehow Wai Kit and Clarence always end up together.

"Arrggggh…..even without the hair, you are heavy!!!" Shireen cried. (Not the way, guys. Come on, Shireen carrying Clarence?)

"Easy does it," (This is how we do it!)

"Mommy, the ground is so far away…" Bernice said. (But its only 4 feet high?)

"Get off my back, how many guys did you put there?" Mr Kai cried.

Now this looks uncomfortable, for Clarence or Steven?

Next up is the game where …its kinda complicated not in playing but in how to explain…So stay tune for the next set of photos.

Katan

Announcement!!!

Hey guys! Please take note that the Big Ultimate Game(B.U.G) will be launching this Sunday (2-3-2008). It will be carried out every Sunday of the month of March.

Venue: YMCA
Time: 5pm - 7pm

We'll be having matches for Ultimate Frisbee, Captain's Ball, Football, etc. AND we'll be meeting up with 8 other churches!!! This is indeed a chance for you to meet youths from other churches and get to know them. Do bring along your friends to have fun. For further information, you can check out the B.U.G blog - http://ipohbug.blogspot.com

See you there!!!

*here's what i posted in my blog. i thought i'll post it here as well.*

the first step you take with God is like the first note you ever played on the piano. then you press the second note, you take another step.

since it’s your first time affair with the piano, you next few notes probably didn’t make a song. it is the same with your walk with God. i’m not sure if i can say i’m definite with my first few steps with Him.

to be like Maxim or Nikolai Lugansky (forget about being Beethovens and Mozarts for the moment), you have to practise, practise and practise. likewise, you have to walk, walk and walk. you just have to keep on walking till you’re in the promised land someday.

you have to learn scales, arpeggios and how to let your fingers walk and run on the keyboard. you need to learn the ways of those crazy (excuse me) romantic composers and modern nuts. there are the acciccaturas (i think so) and mordents and thrills and italian terms to bug you. there are skills to learn and master if you want to be a maestro at this.

to walk together, both need to walk at the same pace and you have to learn how to do that. now, to be able to talk while walking together, someone needs to open his/her mouth first. well in this case, God did and He’ll continue talking. you listen. sometimes He’ll be quiet so that you can speak and He listens. there is an understanding that has to be achieved if you want to walk together.

piano pieces are not always loud, neither are they always soft and sad. it can be jolly at a time and then it gradually gets louder and suddenly it flops down to near silence. with practises, you learn to be in control of this. situations change in life in a snap, it is one hell of a rollercoaster ride. you have to agree with me but by walking together with God, you ‘re never alone and everything is in control.

one day, after months of practises, you whip up a masterpiece. you play Chopin’s sonatas or someone’s Impromptus. you might even play Rimsky’s Bumblebee. now you can say that you are walking steadily at the same pace with Him.

but everything needs practises to keep it up. if sonatas and impromptus and etudes are not played over and over again, your fingers get rusty and if it continues to be so, they might just drop dead on the pavement one day. ask any musicians and they’ll agree with me. well, if you ask God for a break or two, it might take forever to catch up.

don’t play alone. no musicians triumph on their own. everyone needs some help some times, unless if you are God. when you have accompaniment, it makes music livelier. not always though, piano sounds good on its own too. you need to know then, when you will need a band and when it is time for some fun enjoyable solo music.

so play the piano, keep playing and let the music flow.

*I seem to be giving birthday wishes in the few post i upload. Here's one.

Happy Belated Birthday Uncle! Dun hate the title "uncle" anymore, will you? It's there for a reason, and the reason needs to be justified!*

Happy Birthday Kian Aun!!!!

Kian Aun: Hei, i like the " yu dan" you're holding. FASTER give it to me!!!

Okay. Listen to me. Add Maths is VERY easy!!!

**Kian Aun, hope you like this. Haha.. Not enough photo leh. No chance to take your photo. Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Youth Meeting

We're having EY program this saturday (23/2/2008). We're going to have some games(or lotsa games??). Do bring your friends along and join us! Normal time: 3.30pm, ending at 6 something. Remember to come okay! It will be handled by kar wai and me. Come and have fun!!!

GONG XI FA CAI

Happy Chinese New Year folks. Nowadays, I seldom use the phrase 'gong xi fa cai' to greet one another. Prefering the more normal 'Happy Chinese New Year'. I somehow felt that as Christian, I should not wish people to 'fa cai' (to get rich in a literal translation). Nothing wrong with it but just me being weird.

So folks, how was your CNY? Gotten rich and stuffed with food and angpows yet? I have as a youth always looked forward towards CNY. Its a period of time when there is NO SCHOOL,got PAID, drink unlimited soft drinks and eat unlimited unhealthy but tasty stuff. What's not to like about CNY? Now, well the thing that I like about CNY is NO WORK, still got PAID for not working but have now got to PAY angpow, still am drinking unlimited softdrinks and eat unlimited unhealthy but tasty stuff but then I could do that throughout the year. So for me, other than the not working part, its pretty much the same for me. And for some of you who think that I don't work, well there you go, a whole year of CNY. So for me now, CNY is kinda a hassle with the jams and the travelling between my house and my inlaws house and the doing the good son/son-inlaw routine is kinda tiring. Anyway, now that it (CNY) is over, well life is back to normal again.

Folks, sorry for this, I have to cancel the CNY visitation. Somehow, this year visitation is in conflict with so many things. So please let EVERYBODY that you know, KNOW. This saturday CNY visitation is off. We will have the night worship and the programs for EY will revert back to the one posted on the EY room (which reminds me, I am supposed to post it here too, OOPS. Well, I can always claim that I am old. Will get that done ASAP)

Katan

Ipoh Wesley Youth Meeting

We recently joined the Ipoh Wesley Youth for their meeting on the 2nd February 2008. It was part of this year 'expedition' plan to go to the majority of the youth meetings in Ipoh to see what the youths of the Ipoh churches are doing. (That and to give our youth advisors a break and just 'leeched' of the other churches.)

We had a wonderful time there, experiencing what Ipoh Wesleyian Youths do for their meeting. They started off with an icebreaker (this is an extra, I don't think they have an icebreaker for every youth meeting). In the ice breaker two girls are paired with a guy. The girls are given a banana and are told to measure all possible VISIBLE parts of the guys body. From the EY camp, we bravely volunteered our sisters, Shireen and Eliza and Mr. Kai was our lucky brother who got 'measured' by two sisters from Ipoh Wesley (guys, next time volunteer, I don't always pick you for the donkey jobs)

Shireen and Eliza 'measuring'. Wonder why Eliza is closing her mouth?

Mr. Kai getting 'measured' but wait, why are the girls measuring away from Mr. Kai?

After that icebreaker, we had a time of worship conducted by the Ipoh Wesley Youth. We had the full band. Our EY at the fore front during the worship. Great going guys and gals in participating in their worship.

After the worship time, we had the discussion on peer pressure. It was conducted in a forum style and we as usual volunteered our fellow brethren, Kar Wai and Steven for the guys, Carmen and Bernice for the gals. They fielded questions on various issues on peer pressure.

Our esteemed panel representatives (sometimes, I do volunteer you fellas for donkey work)

After the session, we were treated to some delicious light refreshments by the Ipoh Wesley and being good guests, we of course ate all the provided food. After the light refreshments, we then joined them to throw the frisbee around and as well as shoot some hoops with some of the Ipoh Wesley youths. All in all a great time with the Ipoh Wesley Youths (if any of the Ipoh Wesley people are reading this, THANK YOU and SORRY if we have in any way offended or been a trouble)

Some of us enjoying the light refreshments (some more than others)

Some of us throwing the frisbee around.

Next up, the youth meeting with Assembly of God.

Katan

Goodbye, farewell...

Evone has left us for Australia yesterday night.

Do pray that she can adapt to the environment there, settle in a church and garner fruiful friendship.

Keep her in your prayers.

Evone and KaiRim :)

We MISS you EVONE!!!

Happy Birthday to You!

Your trademark action is pulling the skin on your neck, sucking in your tummy and acting cute by frowning and drinking Milo -_-"

I find it hard to comprehend why you love photoshop-ing yourself into some nonsense beast.

Oh dear, I must be crazy not to post this up.

No one has seen you in this light before. *haha* Ladies and gentlemen, this is Matthew with chicken pox :D

Hello Matt,

Im on a quest to post this up for you. Remember the other day I asked you to pose and let me take some shots? Well, someone actually "ordered" me to do so. I cannot tell you who that person is because her surname is almost the same as mine except hers doesnt have the letter "G" at the end.

By the way, I used Jalan LaBrooy today and I was so proud of you. I mean, how many people have a street of their own? Sometimes when people park in the middle of the road, I'll scoff saying, "Wah, your grandfather's road meh?" Lucky for you Matt, because if someone says this to you, you can take out your IC and show them you're a LaBrooy. Hence, that is really your road. You can even roll around the road and no one can drag you to the police station :P

Ok, Im crapping. Im really sleepy but no matter what, I must post this up, as I've promised the girl with the missing "G" in her surname. So, do you walk to Sunway Pyramid everyday? I mean, if my college is so near to a shopping mall, my dad would be so broke, he has to sell my brother off. Nah, just joking. He would rather sell me off, afterall Im the one giving away all his bucks.

One more paragraph and Im done. Did anyone ask you what you are? You're not Indian. And you're not Malay. Obviously you're not Chinese. Does that make you a Lain-Lain? *hehe* Im just curious.

Lastly, have a BLESSED BIRTHDAY Matt!

:)