Breath of Life.
Having difficulty breathing because I'm down with the flu. Hahaha anyways.
So I went for the conversation session with A Rocha founders Miranda and Peter. The turn-out was more than I expected, around 35 people. Quite amazing to see how many people are interested in Creation Care, although I am aware that this is like a teeny tiny percentage of Christians in Singapore. I was planning to chiong my Vietnamese oral assignment in the hour before the conference, but I found myself busying my hands and helping Melissa and Shai to set up instead. Haha pity I'm sick, Mel and Miranda were so eager to give a hug so we kept our distance instead (or as much distance as touch-language people can keep). And I got to chat a little with Prarthi and Joshua Lam (NTU ASW), got to know Maryruth personally, got to joke with Keegan and Uncle Daniel again from the last picnic. It's a really small circle at its center, with loose long arms that network to the rest of the country. Prarthi and Maryruth shared about their 2 year long upcoming Amphibian project, which is a diversity survey of 20 urban parks. And it is excitingggg. The first friends of A Rocha project here in SG.
And God is a joker, I thought I was done with planning youth camp after inviting Rev Lam. Now Keegan tells me he's also roped in to help with the camp. Hahaha I guess we'll be working together. Thanks God, for giving me a glimpse of the resources of your Body, the network of the Church. (:
Yeah I'm kind of the Creation Care person in SEnT I guess, in response to Maryruth's question. But I'm frankly still finding my feet, I confessed to Hoi Wen. And she told me that the 5 marks of the mission of God are meant to be integrated into each other, not separate or distinct activities. That means in our discipleship, we practice creation care. In our evangelism and compassion, we practice justice and mercy. In our teaching, we do evangelism and compassion. I still need to work out what that means in my own context of ORPC. There were great ideas raised up in the conversation session, like turning everyday activities into a liturgy. Thanking God for water when we turn on the tap, praying while taking the stairs instead of the lift. I guess in ORPC, meals together are a big big thing. Intentional grace before meals? IDK.
Another point raised up was the language we use. I've been thinking about the songs we sing too. Yucks haha. Maryruth calls them "Jesus is my boyfriend" songs because you can substitute Jesus's name for your boyfriend's name. So true. In conservation, scientists say "Save our planet!" and induce a guilt in the apathetic. A burden. Creation Care acknowledges that we can't possibly save it, that it will eventually go to ruin. But to do it anyways not for the results, but as a prayer of thankfulness to God the Creator. I don't understand, but Hoi Wen took 2 years, so maybe I will too one day.
Last thing. I now have 3 goldfish swimming on my desk. And I think it's just amazing. There are so many ways to breathe. Some breathe air with their lungs. Some breathe water. Some breathe air through their skin. Some breathe air through holes in their sides! Haha I like the ring of "breathing water", sounds magical. And yet those 3 weak and smart things on my desk do it without thinking. Magical. And I'm sick, but somehow just thinking of my human body gives a sense of wonder. When I move, it is because my muscles and tendons and joints move. When I take medicine, it works because my body works. Being sick is a wonderful learning experience with the downside of feeling horrid about it.
Breath water, just think about it. Haha! What a marvel.
So I went for the conversation session with A Rocha founders Miranda and Peter. The turn-out was more than I expected, around 35 people. Quite amazing to see how many people are interested in Creation Care, although I am aware that this is like a teeny tiny percentage of Christians in Singapore. I was planning to chiong my Vietnamese oral assignment in the hour before the conference, but I found myself busying my hands and helping Melissa and Shai to set up instead. Haha pity I'm sick, Mel and Miranda were so eager to give a hug so we kept our distance instead (or as much distance as touch-language people can keep). And I got to chat a little with Prarthi and Joshua Lam (NTU ASW), got to know Maryruth personally, got to joke with Keegan and Uncle Daniel again from the last picnic. It's a really small circle at its center, with loose long arms that network to the rest of the country. Prarthi and Maryruth shared about their 2 year long upcoming Amphibian project, which is a diversity survey of 20 urban parks. And it is excitingggg. The first friends of A Rocha project here in SG.
And God is a joker, I thought I was done with planning youth camp after inviting Rev Lam. Now Keegan tells me he's also roped in to help with the camp. Hahaha I guess we'll be working together. Thanks God, for giving me a glimpse of the resources of your Body, the network of the Church. (:
Yeah I'm kind of the Creation Care person in SEnT I guess, in response to Maryruth's question. But I'm frankly still finding my feet, I confessed to Hoi Wen. And she told me that the 5 marks of the mission of God are meant to be integrated into each other, not separate or distinct activities. That means in our discipleship, we practice creation care. In our evangelism and compassion, we practice justice and mercy. In our teaching, we do evangelism and compassion. I still need to work out what that means in my own context of ORPC. There were great ideas raised up in the conversation session, like turning everyday activities into a liturgy. Thanking God for water when we turn on the tap, praying while taking the stairs instead of the lift. I guess in ORPC, meals together are a big big thing. Intentional grace before meals? IDK.
Another point raised up was the language we use. I've been thinking about the songs we sing too. Yucks haha. Maryruth calls them "Jesus is my boyfriend" songs because you can substitute Jesus's name for your boyfriend's name. So true. In conservation, scientists say "Save our planet!" and induce a guilt in the apathetic. A burden. Creation Care acknowledges that we can't possibly save it, that it will eventually go to ruin. But to do it anyways not for the results, but as a prayer of thankfulness to God the Creator. I don't understand, but Hoi Wen took 2 years, so maybe I will too one day.
Last thing. I now have 3 goldfish swimming on my desk. And I think it's just amazing. There are so many ways to breathe. Some breathe air with their lungs. Some breathe water. Some breathe air through their skin. Some breathe air through holes in their sides! Haha I like the ring of "breathing water", sounds magical. And yet those 3 weak and smart things on my desk do it without thinking. Magical. And I'm sick, but somehow just thinking of my human body gives a sense of wonder. When I move, it is because my muscles and tendons and joints move. When I take medicine, it works because my body works. Being sick is a wonderful learning experience with the downside of feeling horrid about it.
Breath water, just think about it. Haha! What a marvel.