Project TicTac

Joyful reflections

2008-10-14T01:18:00.000-07:00

As host parents, C and I had the joy of hosting RM and SN. Their presence added so much to the our family in countless ways. One of the things we like to do is have a mini Vesper before we sleep, where we would share about the day's happenings, learn Khmer (we were required to learn 5 new words each day) and English, close the day in prayer.

There was also the nightly arm wrestle between RM and my son J which proved exciting. We could see how much stronger RM got as the weeks went by - thanks mainly to Grandma's fantastic cooking. Both SN and RM put on 4kg over the one month stay with us!

SN spent many nights practising the piano and she has a beautiful voice. That with her bubbly personality makes her an excellent worship leader cum singer. RM is quiet, very intelligent and very unassuming. His birthday was coming up so we decided to have a small celebration for him. Little did we know this was a first for him and we felt so privileged and honored.

When they left, they bought us thoughtful gifts with the money they saved, and wrote us letters that touched our hearts. We are going to miss SN and RM for a long time to come. Even Reena our dog!

Thoughtful gifts!

Happy host parents !

Goodbye is the hardest word

2008-10-14T00:58:00.000-07:00

Making it to the airport at 0400 is a super human feat and it takes a miracle to get there on time. Despite sleeping very little, everyone made it to Changi that morning. Deb showed up with 15 boxes from MMS to "tumpang" (piggy back) back to COSI. We thought that since they came with literally nothing, there would be plenty of spare luggage left. We were dead wrong!

The kids went home flooded with clothes, books, toys and so many other stuff generously given to them. Indeed, when I received them on Sept 11 at Changi, I was humbled at how little they have. Going back, I was amazed at how much they were taking back, all gifts of love from various people. If anything, the lesson that God provides abundantly for us was so clearly demonstrated. Deb had a lot of MMS boxes to take home that morning.

The mood was understandably sombre. Mobiles were busy with many of the kids receiving good bye calls from friends who got up early to say farewell. There wasn't many smiles, but plenty of tears. It was painful for us to leave them after growing so attached seeing them everyday for a month, and I'm sure for them too.

SC gathered the people together for prayer and before we knew it, one by one the kids entered the departure gate reluctantly. I stubbornly refused to say goodbye as I assured the kids that I will see them again soon, but that was just a brave front on my part.

Just as they have come so suddenly, they are now gone. Many homes and our church felt their absence in the days to come. Sad as it is, we were glad that we could play a small part through Project Tic Tac to help the 8 kids. Somehow, I know its a start of greater things to come for them as well for us.

But goodbye IS the hardest word.

3 days of R & R?

2008-10-09T02:46:00.000-07:00

The last week were rest and relax days for the kids. Monday saw Uncle SC bringing the troops for a lovely morning walk at the new Southern Ridges walk from Kent Ridge Park, through the brand new Henderson Wave bridge, Mount Faber ending at Vivio City. RM rode my micro-bicycle and loved it! This was my first time doing the beautiful and green 5km walk. It is certainly a must do.

We then proceeded to East Coast Park to have a swim at the beach. The girls were shy to go for a dip at first but with Aunt C diving in, they soon joined in. They commented the water is not so clear compared to Sihanoukville Cambodia, and looking at the numerous ships littering the horizon, the reason was obvious.

Tuesday saw Aunt E taking them out to the famous Singapore Zoological Gardens. She roped in her brother and sister (you can always count on family) to sponsor the tickets and the kids had a lovely time though 2 sheep got lost for a while.

The last day belonged to Mother LD who brought them to the Jurong Bird Park and Science Centre. There were fascinated with the different species especially a parrot who could "speak" 3 languages. The Science Centre with its amazing exhibitions also intrigued them no end and they finished off at the Omni Theatre with its real life 3D movie. Many complained they got a headache after that, and I don't blame them.

Wed evening also saw a debrief at Uncle J's lovely house (Bedok Methodist) followed by a sumptous dinner sponsored generously by him. The kids got back just past 10pm and it was hard to sleep for they had to get up at 3am for the airport, and were swarmed with visitors and goodbye calls.

With all the numerous and exciting activities, I'm not sure if they got much rest and relaxation the last 3 days but no one complained.

Forging friendships over fire & song

2008-10-08T21:47:00.000-07:00

Farewell dedication by Rev Dr MC - Proverbs 3:5,6

Playing with eyes closed

Gals bonding

The last weekend for the kids proved to be another exciting one. It was an easy morning with their house parents and then off to Sat worship practice at 2pm. Many of them participated as worship singers and V, played the guitar at service together with the YET band. Those chosen to share also had to overcome stage fright, and were taught the basics of public speaking. Then, it was off for a farewell BBQ at Highgate Condo by the pool.

About 40 folks showed up for this feast which included all sorts of meats, corn-off-the-cob, noodles, fruits, otah otah and the #1 item to finish quickly was satay, skewered meat on a stick dipped with peanut sauce. We were honored to have 3 guests from Pentacost Methodist who were no strangers to the kids. I learned about their latest project at COSI in profiling each personality for the possible vocations/interests. This was for kids leaving COSI soon and I'm so glad our Lord has put this critical burden on their hearts.

It was great to see the teens chasing each other in, out and around the pool, and having lots of fun. The houseparents and friends too had fun exchanging notes and enjoying warm fellowship. It was a beautiful evening!

At Sunday service, CT, VN and RM shared beautifully about their experience and expressed gratitude for this opportunity. Mrs P, B's houseparent, said it was disruptive having a guest stay with the family for a month but she would not hesistate to do it again. Such was the joy a COSI kid brings to the home. With the COSI teens as my back up singers, the worship was exuberant. I shared a short slide show about Project Tic Tac and with communion, the service lasted nearly 2 hrs but nobody minded.

After service, it was photos galore among all the teens and tears were shed among the hugs and laughter. It was clear that friendships were forged that weekend over fire and music. And that is priceless!

Friends come and friends go, but a true friend sticks by you like family. Proverbs 18:24 Msg

Of feet washing and toilets flushing

2008-10-03T19:23:00.001-07:00

Cultivating a serving spirit

Toilets flush automatically here. Fascinating!

On our last English lesson, we did a revision and wrote collectively a letter to Mother LD of MMS. There is no doubt that the kids are able to write better than a month ago, and the ability to communicate by writing effectively will put them in good steed for the years to come.

K also taught them the finer points of being a lady and a gentleman. Proper table manners, how to sit and stand, open doors for ladies etc while I taught them telephone etiquette. Our last devotion was on the famous passage of Jesus washing His disciples' feet in John 13. The lesson here is humility and the importance of cultivating a servant attitude. Most of the kids got their feet washed the first time and were thrilled. I was pleasantly surprised when they on their own accord reciprocated by washing their teachers' feet.

It was a fitting end to our English class... Below is the collective letter they wrote.

Dear Mother LD,

How are you? As for us we are fine. We are very happy to meet you in Singapore. The country is very beautiful.

The food here is very delicious. We like to eat Chicken Rice, Dim Sum, Laksa, Happy Duck and McDonald Hamburgers.

Our houseparents are very kind and good to us. Especially RM's houseparents because they spent a lot of time with him. We enjoy staying with them as they are all very friendly.

May God be with you always,

S, D, C, C, Vn, Vn, RM & B

ps: Every house has toilets that flush!

Tiong Bahru's famous Char Siew Rice - thanks to Uncle K & Auntie A

The University of Aircon

2008-10-01T23:05:00.000-07:00

The boys had a hands on training session today with Mr Leong, my regular aircon service technician and his side kick, Ah Kong. This is a skill that they will certainly be able to use immediately back at COSI. Their practical ability impressed Mr Leong and he was of course very pleased to play Professor of Airconology.

RM in the books of Prof Leong, was most impressive. They learned quickly how to take off the aircon casing, clean & wash filters, brush, vacuum and wipe the internal parts of a split unit system. The real test came when putting the unit back together, whether the unit worked.

And on that count, all the 3 units worked flawlessly and with cold efficiency. All the boys passed with flying colours from Mr Leong's Aircon University this morning. Anyone needs their aircon service?

Professor Leong, Associate Prof Ah Kong and Graduands

Independence Day

2008-10-01T08:02:00.000-07:00

Congrats CT. You are finally independent!

Step 1 - check the bus route

Step 2 - Hop on

We take getting around Singapore forgranted. It's so easy isn't it? Jump onboard the ever efficient MRTs or the frequent aircon buses. Just a quick tap on the EZ Link card to board and alight. How difficult can that be?

Well, it can be daunting if English is not your lingua franca and you are barely familiar with landmarks. Does not help too that most MRT stations look exactly the same and the sign boards are in English. The announcements are also in English so if you've spend all of your life in the countryside of Cambodia where transportation is often the bicycle, the bullock cart or simply walking, finally learning how to get around in Singapore is a huge achievement.

CT after 3 weeks, finally tried travelling by herself. Armed with a mobile phone, just in case for those wandering moments, she actually made it to my home and back. We are all so proud of her and especially her host parents, SC and R who have faithfully drove her everywhere, everyday. Their car can finally get some rest...

Independence Day has arrived for her, and we celebrate with great joy!

COSI's MRT - a superbly green form of transportation

A COSI bunch @ lunch

2008-10-01T07:45:00.000-07:00

I'll have 2 Ice Kachangs please!

SN tucking into Nasi Lemak

Yummy chicken rice, or what's left...

It's Hari Raya today, the Muslim New Year and a public holiday. Yet, almost everyone came for the optional English class held at my home today. That is enthusiasm with a capital E. I got them to write what they enjoy about their stay in Singapore thus far, and the subject of food inevitably comes up. Well, this IS the food capital of SE Asia not for nothing.

Chicken Rice seems the #1 choice followed closely by Nasi Lemak (they like rice dishes). Noodles are also enjoyed and some of the braver kids who tried Laksa are pleasantly hooked. They normally bring their own drinks to save $ and I've been noticing how prudent they can be.

Laksa for the braver palate

Here's a cosy bunch of them enjoying lunch at BT Food Centre on a typical weekday, sampling Singapore's best fare.

Whacked out by a super packed weekend?

2008-09-28T03:04:00.000-07:00

The girls slept over with some BMC friends on Friday after their usual MMS meet up and spend the morning shopping at a $2 shop. Their hosts brought them for a hair wash and cut. The boys came cycling with me on Sat morning - joining my usual Sat cycle group. A total of 11 cyclists made our way to Farm Mart at Choa Chu Kang using mainly the bike paths as their road sense can be a little "different". Boys being boys, it proved quite competitive and going up a very steep hill was the perfect moment for a quick race. We did a total of 18km and that seemed quite enough for VR and RM.

Sat afternoon was worship rehearsal and they worked hard practising for their Sun item, a very catchy Cambodian song of praise. It was great to see them working together with Evangel youth as one. 430pm was Youth Group and I came in time to catch HK teaching them about the "wrong use" of their bodies. It was interesting to say the least, listening to the answers offered.

Dinner was a simple affair at the local hawker centre and thanks to the Szetos, Evangel ALLY extraordinaire, a bowling session was organised at SAFRA Mt Faber. It was the first time many of the COSI kids played this game and they enjoyed themselves immensely. Two kids got strikes and all the yelling and laughter were priceless. I was glad I was there to experience the joyful atmosphere. It was also Nahum's birthday and a little celebration with cake and all was a fitting end to a most enjoyable evening.

Their song item at church service went quite well though there was room for improvement. Many caught a nasty bout of the nerves, understandably. We had 3 young visitors from Pentacost Methodist who came to show their support and we were honoured to have them. I was very impressed with their love and concern for the COSI kids.

The boys spend the evening playing football and both VN and VR were thrilled to move to their new host family. The Tans, whose 4 sons are football devotees - some Man U and some Arsenal fans. So how they get along together so well is a mystery to me.

I hope with such a packed weekend, the kids would not be too whacked out and that Monday blues will be kept at bay...

Fast food and a dreadfully slow morning

2008-09-26T00:52:00.001-07:00

Class as usual, mayhem or no mayhem

Yes, the fruit of the Spirit is PEACE ...

There was great havoc on the roads this morning. Relentless rains caused island wide traffic chaos and what was supposed to be an easy 20 min drive to church for English class took 1 hr 10 mins. Traffic lights broke down, MRT trains stalled, felled trees blocked roads and several parts of the island were flooded. We were glad to arrive safely though a little bit frazzled by the mayhem on the roads.

As if that was not enough, 7 kids and I got into the lift only to have it break down. Ringing the alarm bell didn't seem to do any good. Not very fun when I am claustophobic and just before I lost the plot, the Lord graciously opened the doors. We were ever so glad to use the stairs!

Despite the dreadful events this morning (Mrs K was stuck 2 hrs in traffic), class went on as usual. We in Singapore who are so used to neat schedules and back to back appointments did not do so well as the Cambodians where life is pretty much "go with the flow". A precious lesson for us city folks. The kids adjusted to their usual chirpy self and the lessons on conjuctions and tenses went on without missing a beat.

Just as stomachs were rumbling, MQ the saviour showed up with bags of McDonald fast food. This was a first for many of the kids, and they polished off the burgers and fries lunch delightfully. I felt a tinge of guilt introducing them to the #1 cause for obesity but I guess at 40kg they can easily afford it once in a while. SN and some others could not get used to drinking gassy Coke and that can only be a good thing.

A dreadful start that turned out much much better, helped in some way by fast food sold by an American Clown.

*Special thanks to MQ for her generousity and cheerful presence at lunch!

Fun in the deep end!

2008-09-24T02:59:00.000-07:00

Should I or shouldn't I?

Don't think it will fit, Uncle!

VN going Hawai-ian

COSI kids enjoying their "swimming pool" in Cambodia!

Most COSI kids can sort of swim as they have a natural swimming pool near the Orphanage - a nearby river. For those of us who are used to modern pools, it can be a little daunting to plunge into water that looks like brown milk tea. I was invited to jump in once when I was in Cambodia but politely declined.

Therefore it was such a thrill for the Teens to have a swim at HG Condo after English class today. It was very nice too to have Mrs P join us for lunch and to spend the afternoon. The rain that lasted the whole morning thankfully cleared and it made for a beautiful afternoon to swim in crystal clear chlorinated water with no fishes and other debris in it.

I had a great time teaching the kids how to float, hold their breath and for the more advanced swimmers, the finer points of proper kicking and free style strokes. They still haven't learn to breath yet but nevertheless, we had a ball splashing and having pots of fun in the deep end.

*Thanks for the pics & for hosting us ever so graciously, K!

Cents and sensibility

2008-09-22T16:24:00.000-07:00

One of the challenges for people coming out of a third world country like Cambodia is financial literacy or more precisely, the lack off. I remembered speaking to a taxi driver who could not tell me his monthly takings but only what he made for the day. Who knows what tomorrow holds? In their experience and history, there may very well not be a tomorrow and so this day to day existence is fully understandable.

For our 8 Teens, we want to help them learn the basics of personal finance. Each of them is given $25 a week. This is to help them be independent when it comes to meals etc. They have to make choices as to what they like to eat and how much they are prepared to spend for it. Also, the experience of handling money and change in a foreign currency.

At the end of their stint, whatever money they save will be converted to US$ which they can bring back so that seems to be a real incentive for them to save. RM, one of the boys, got hit for a $4 lunch at the hospital on his first day, and he said today, he is going to just order vegetables with rice to save more! V, another guy was very sweet in that he wanted to save transport money for his host parent by getting up early to hitch a ride from my wife to work.

I have challenged them to think about giving away some of this money to bless others and lets see how this pans out.

Seems like these kids are making really good progress in the area of cents and sensibility. And I'm very heartened so far...

More than words

2008-09-22T15:53:00.000-07:00

CT in action at W Nursery

Future IT professionals

On Tuesdays and Thursdays when they are not having English classes, the teens would go for their vocational interest attachments. 2 gals help out at W Nursery, a small outfit catering to the expat community run by Mrs P and Mrs D, of Australian and Irish nationalities. Both S & CT have a keen interest in children and they enjoy interacting with the many expat kids. The exposure to the different ways English are spoken is also very beneficial for them, though they did feedback that the thick Irish accent was a bit of a challenge.

The 2 other gals, DN & ET are keen to pursue careers in Accounting and they go on Tuesdays to Mrs JL who is a Financial Controller of an MNC. On Thursdays, they go to the East Coast to learn from Mrs MC and Mrs JY who are experienced in managing organisation finances. Hopefully, they will be able to keep a set of books and help out with some admin at COSI Orphanage when they return.

The rest of the four boys spend their vocational days learning IT at a major hospital under the auspices of a Purdue Engineer, Ms Fitz. They had to get used to wearing "office attire" really quick and with some help from their host parents, they actually look quite the part. Basics like Power Point, Excel and Word are introduced to them, including communicating with the necessary evil - email (for better or for worse). VN who is keen on medical studies, had a clinical attachment, and he certainly looked very professional!

Feedback from the trainers are very positive and this is encouraging. It is also in these "on-the-job" settings that the Teens see, hear and experience English in action and that can only be a good thing as learning is definitely more than just memorizing new words.

The rain in Spain can be a real pain

2008-09-22T08:36:00.000-07:00

4 gals and 4 boys were specially selected for this "Eliza Doolittle" project and I felt very much like Prof Henry Higgins with my able co-teacher, Mrs K Fong. We have 8 sessions to do our miracle. Our students were given a simple test on their first English ability from none other than the Raffles Girl's Primary One exam paper which I managed to lay my hands on.

I was quite satisfied that they could understand the questions and were surprisingly good at the multiple choice types. Average score was about 70% - which was better than I expected. However, when it came to writing sentences, we had to almost start from ground zero.

We are into the 3rd English lesson and have covered nouns, verbs, adverbs and punctuations. Of course, every session incorporated a good deal of reading and learning new words. After all, writing well involves 3 basic ingredients of good grammar, a rich vocabulary and good spelling. Each morning, I would do a bible passage with them and today, we studied John's version of the Parable of "Fish Burgers". I got them to draw out the 3 main characters of the story - Jesus and His disciples, the 5000 crowd and lastly, the boy who offered his 5 loaves and 2 fishes.

What blew me away was their ability to draw really well. B and RM, especially were gifted artists and the fruits of their labour were very impressive that I had to take a photo. The drawings facilitated lively conversations among the group and helped to encourage the speaking of this "foreign" tongue. Those who spoke in Khmer were fined 10c and to date, we have collected a mere 70c. Seems like S'pore's more stick than carrot style works across our borders too.

The teens are also asked to keep a daily journal and this is helpful in allowing me to see any developments in their sentence construction skill and grasp of the language.

I'm not sure how much progress we can make in terms of English with 3 weeks left but will endeavour to do our utmost. Difficult as it is for them, their willingness to learn and great attitude can overcome any plain or rain that lies before my young friends.

Introducing Tic Tac...

2008-09-22T06:32:00.000-07:00

Throughout our numerous trips to COSI Orphanage since 2002, we have grown to love these amazing kids. One of the frustrations we have in helping them, especially in the teaching of English, is that we can't do very much in our span of 3-4 days in those short visits. Such is the learning of any language I guess.

How wonderful it would be if we could get them to stay with us here in Singapore for an extended period, to immerse them in an English speaking environment. Not only would they have a chance to hear and practise English 24/7, it would be an excellent opportunity for them to experience love in a "regular" family and be exposed to other vocational skills that may spur their future careers.

Our dream came though in the middle of this year after several meetings with MMS Cambodia when they said, "Yes", they would like to send 8 teens for Project Tic Tac. I was exhilarated and got approval from my church board to go ahead. I'm grateful to God for the privilege of hosting these fine young people from a country that has seen too much cruelty and pain.

People in my church gave generously and on Sept 11, 2008 at noon, we received them at Changi International airport joyfully. A total of 7 host families graciously offered to house them and that warms my heart to no end.

This blog is dedicated to these 8 young friends. I hope you will enjoy reading and following their adventure here in Singapore with us.

Take in a Child - To Train, Affirm and Care