Mike's Unforgettable Birthday

Yesterday's was Mike's BIG DAY and the CG had a big surprise in store for him.

Here's the birthday boy with Emily, still blissfully unaware of the fate that awaited him.

Start of the ploy - Mike being crowned king for the night.

King Mike looking regal.

King Mike being robed in table cloth royal garment.

After much bargaining with the CG, Mike had to get 5 customers (instead of the original 10) in the restaurant to wish him Happy Birthday and sign for him on his regal cape.

King Mike finding favors with the aunties at the next table.

Aunty signing for Mike...

King Mike back from his royal mission, showing off his achievements.

After the trial, Mike was given his present! Here's a glimpse of what the CG got for Him. Man, we really love this bro!

Finally, Mike fiound the "real" gift. $50 worth of voucher for his royal spending.

Mike was obviously pleased with his gift.

June with the birthday boy.

Sebas with the birthday boy.

Birthday boy with Kasey in matrix pose.

Mike and Kasey in the matrix...

Luke being carried by the birthday boy.

Rebecca and Mike in cover girl/boy pose.

Mike, playing Casanova with the ladies in the CG.

And of course, the obligatory group photo!

CG in Switzerland

The other day, we had CG meeting in beautiful Switzerland. Here's the brothers washing their feet in the cooling stream of swiss alps...

And posing in the river...

The sisters posing with the beautiful swiss alps in background...

...in Lorong Ah Soo, Hougang. Yup, courtesy of Sebastian who opened up his house for our cellgroup meeting. There was this wall with Swiss scenery wallpaper and we just couldn't resist the opportunity! Our CG just so love travelling. ;)

Moon Cake Festival

The fastest pomelo peelers in the CG

We celebrated the Mid-Autumn Festival, aka Mooncake Festival in our cellgroup on Friday. For us, this is not only a time to stuff ourselves with mooncakes but also a time to celebrate the harvest. Yes, a harvest of blessings. A time when we look back and take stock of all the blessings we have received from God.

After the preaching of the word, we celebrated mooncake festival by playing games and eating. What else - mooncakes. We even brought a pot of hot chinese tea along!

Waiting eargerly for the game to start.

Ready, get set, go!

Everyone was very focused on the game...

Lighting up the lanterns...

hanging them up...

without burning down any trees...

Though we did burn a few lanterns in our haste,...

But fear not, no trees were harmed in the process.

And the winning team who finished lighting and hanging 15 lanterns on a tree first!

The opposition team who claimed their tree looked better and nicer..., what can we say?

Playing with fires... or sparkles?

Beauties and the beast, boy. Just kidding, Kasey!

Candid shot with everyone still scrambling into positions...

Ready, one, two, pose!

And one more...

and another one...

and yet another one...

I told you, we are a photo-loving CG!

Say cheeeeeze!! With peace sign from everyone. We can be really cheeeesy when we want to.

This last photo was taken after one of us came up with the crazy idea of setting the camera timer first, then have everyone rushed over to the destined spot. And that's what we did. We set the camera's timer, than with 10 seconds to spare, everyone rushed to the slide and clambered up and posed. Flash. And that's the result.

Nick Vujicic

Nick Vujicic came and spoke in our weekend services. What's so special about Nick is that he was born without limbs. No hands, no legs. Just a stump of a leg or feet which he humorously called his "chicken drumstick". For someone with no limbs, he is just radiating optimism and cheerfulness, always joking and making all sort of "hand-jokes". That he would break his arms or he would run after us. And for someone with no hands, he is a great hugger! Thousands of people queued up after the service just to hug him and be hugged by him.

It was actually through him, through his positive attitude, his cheerfulness in the face of unfavorable circumstances, that the grace of God shone forth and was wonderfully magnified. When we looked at him, and saw what he had achieved (he can swim, fish, ride a horse, play football, completed a bachelor degree, amongst many other things), we saw what God did in him and could also do in us. Thousands of lives were touched that weekend. Many gave their lives to Jesus because of Nick. It was inspiring. It was just awesome. It blew us all away.

After cellgroup

Chingling and June posing away in sisterly chumminess.

Sisters in the cg, always ever camera-ready.

Stand-in cg leader Kee Peng for the evening with Sebastian.

Miracle happens: Two long-lost childhood playmates in Clementi found each other again in a cg in Yishun after many years!

Pose away! Yup, seems like we are a camera-loving cg.

What happened behind?

The wackiness showing through...

N394's 全家福, or family potrait.