moved on :)

To all those who have been visiting this site, i pray that you have been blessed. I have moved on to wordpress for a change in environment, so please update address books. heh.

If you have been blessed by who God has been in my life and would like to continue to be blessed, please visit at- http://rachoo.wordpress.com. Smiles.

Changes are good, they excite me. Grins.

stability masked.

My poor 小黑 ("little black"), which is also the name of my laptop (coined because my friend, alexis calls her white laptop- 小白）okay, dont laugh, that's the name of my laptop and it is sick- and i mean sick. Poor little thing. Has to be admitted to IBM hospital for at least a week, might be two, for a full check up. All because the CD drive keeps popping out, without me touching the eject button at all. And... it happens really often. But, like the technician at the centre said, "Don't have your laptop for a week won't die right?" Yes, right. Grins. So now it's back to the trusty family desktop. Thank God it's only the beginning of the semester. God is so gracious. Smiles.

Returning from Nepal, land of uncertainties and surprises, i realised how unsurprising 'Surprising Singapore' is. It is super ironic that they actually use this to sell tourism in here. I think it's more like 'stability singapore'- and it's not really meant to be an insult, because it is true! Singapore, much as there are many changes that take place very often, is as stable as it gets. And that is also why Singaporeans in my opinion can be quite soft. And, i think i have digressed from the point i really wanted to make. What i wanted to say was, life here is so predictable, so comfortable- you flick the power switch, light comes on. You turn your tap, water flows out. You step out of your house, you'll probably get transport. You need any ammentities, 'just-a-stone's-throw-away'. Lift not working, call the hotline, they'll be here to fix it within that day or the most two. Road accident, call 995, they'll be there in a jiffy. We can get almost any and everything here, seriously. I salute the government for all the infrastructure and ammenities that are provided for the citizens. There is nothing really that is not taken care of here. But look at the Straits Times forum, people are still complaining- and here i see Singapore facing actually a crisis that might be quite a phantom. Complacency, poverty of the soul, dissatifaction with what they have in life, wanting quick fixes to everything (like how i wished they could rectify the problem that was bugging 小黑.), working their butts off to accumulate wealth and more wealth. It's a crazy place we like in really. For many Singaporeans, stability and apparent provisions of needs are masking what is in many hearts- uncertainty.

And the sad part is this, we might have everything we need materially, but we have nothing if we don't have Christ. Vice versa, the people in Nepal (or any third world country) might have nothing materially, but they have EVERYTHING if they have Christ- because Christ is the one who gives abundant life.

So as you live in affluence today, ask yourself this question: Are you truly living in abundance? Or are you in spiritual poverty?

something new.

okay, not done with this yet. grins.
just thought something new for the next half of the year would be nice.

R-age is home, where i belong.

Today, Cheryl commented that she has not seen me stop smiling ever since i came home 4 days ago. And indeed i haven't! Whenever someone i meet in church says, "It's great to have you back." i would always reply, "It's great to be back!" and with full conviction and sincerity i would say that! "Reverse culture shock" for me? No way. This is home, where i belong. Although there were many times where i felt the presence and peace of God (and comfort) as i walked the dirt paths and ministered in rural areas, nothing beats being home.

Home (family, R-age and all the friends) never felt this important and significant in my life. I guess my time away also found me seeing how gracious God has been to me. I believe i will complain less and praise God more. (Remind me when i do complain okay?) Why? because there is simply SO MUCH to thank God for back home. Cliche as it might sound, Singapore is really a place where we have so much. And we are truly blessed. For all the times i have complained and whinned about life here, i repent. I am reformed; transformed, after being in Nepal for 2 months. Life has not shown so much of itself before. And as i type my heart is filled with gratitude for all that the Lord has blessed my life with in the past 22 years.

I have never in my life before been this grateful for R-age. (I was just talking to Joey about this last night. And it burns fresh in my thoughts.) Truly, R-age is where i belong, where the Lord has given me countless opportunities, people who believed in me, walked alongside me and nurtured me. So proud of the ministry that i have grown to love and would serve until the Lord calls me elsewhere. You have no idea how much i missed the fellowship and communion of the fellow brothers and sisters in Christ back home. Nothing can describe the joy, excitement and contentment of being back in church again this weekend. Believe it or not, when i heard Ps. Ronald's jokes (they require people of certain capacity to laugh at. hehe.) i actually for that moment thought to myself, "wow, i actually miss his jokes..." THAT, is how much i miss our home church. (No offense to our dearest pastor (heh), i have grown to love him and respect him alot. alot.) And even as i stood in front of the YA congregation to testify of God's goodness to me during the trip, i could almost feel the desire to serve the people in my ministry bursting forth. God has renewed my desire to serve, to teach, to declare who He is to the people here. I definitely can't keep silent of what i have seen and heard during my 2 months there.

It is my desire to see the R-agers excited about missions too, to want to touch lives, and see how God can use them to transform the nations around us. And i pray that God will use me to encourage others to be that ambassador for Him, whether locally or overseas. I am now continuing to pray and ask God how He is gonna use all that i have seen and heard to bless the people back in R-age and even in my campus. Really excited to see what He has in store for me in this coming half year.

To the question, "So, how are you?"

My answer would be, "Great, never been better. We need to sit down and talk if you really want to hear more."

God, You are so amazing, indescribable, i never want to stop smiling because You are my joy, my hope. :)

feels so good to be home :)

I'm home :)

And i am a very happy girl. It's 3:33am now and i am finally starting to feel sleepy. I don't believe school is starting this coming tuesday. goodness. Looking forward to it, but this tuesday?! That's a tad bit too soon isn't it? heh. Okay, reality check, i am back in Singapore and like Jessica who slapped her face at the Singapore airport today, i am metaphorically slapping my face. Grins.God be magnified in my life this semester. Year 4, here i come... :)

ps: Will update more about my afterthoughts on the trip soon. For now, let me enjoy the comfort of my bed. Smiles.

I am now sitting at a cyber cafe that charges Rs. 10 per hour, thats like SGD 25 cents, grins. Don't raise your hopes on high speed access here but i am thankful enough that i have access to the outside world. In 4 days, i will back to the bustle and fast-paced life of Singapore and well, i guess i really do miss home alot. It has been such a tremendous 2 months here i must say, walking through the streets of Nepal, basking in all the culture (pleasant and unpleasant) and just taking in all that my eyes can capture.

It's amazing what 2 months in this place can do to you. I have crossed rivers, (literally.) stepped on shit and experienced for myself what it means to live off only my bagpack. It's actually quite fascinating how much we actually need to live. After a while, the toners, face moisturizer, and other cosmatic comforts just make up part of my Singaporean lifestyle, a figment of something i do back home. And even more fascinating is how we can actually survive and more than that, live without much complaints with these things not at hand.

Life has been pretty slow-paced this week, we are all preparing ourselves mentally and emotionally to go back home. Yesterday as we were sigtseeing at some ancient sites, i realised how much i relish weaving through those streets, exploring every nook and cranny i could find. I imagined what stories the carvings on the window sills and doorframes told, picturing all that could have taken place on the ground where i treaded on. And i left the place satisfied, knowing that it was a day well-spent. I am gathering all my thoughts before the bombardment of "how was the trip?" and many other questions start flooding me. Grins. I'm really glad i get this week to think through things, and collect all my thoughts, journalling them all down. I will never end, haha, but as becky said, being away gives us alot more time to think and talk to God, and to that i absolutely agree.

It's been almost an hour since i'm here in front of the pc and (sigh) i have so much to thank God for- neverending. In the background i here the sound of Christians worshipping, i am just across one of the largest churches in Nepal. God is truly doing a great work here. The harvest is so plentiful- but where are the labourers? I'm praying, and so are the people here. Pray together with me as we plow the field for the souls here.

Back in Kathmandu.

Smiles. I am back in Kathmandu with 7 more days left here. There were so many things about the past 2 weeks that i would love to share but i'll leave that for tomorrow or another day coz i think i need some sleep now. Dead beat already. So till then, God has been so good. :)

abundance.

Before i leave for the village the day after tomorrow, (i might not get the luxuary of the internet tomorrow, it's "surprising nepal" here. everything is unpredictable. hehehe.) i am sitting here in front of the laptop at 11:46pm (nepal time) thinking about what to write to encourage each of you with back home.

I was just chatting with Jeanie and telling her how you all are in my prayers and how God is so interesting by dropping dreams into my head about people back home and across oceans, and i would wake up in the morning reminded and prompted by the spirit to pray for them. Our God is truly a God who is not divided by geographical territories and even time! And as i sat in a church service today, with the Nepali pastor preaching and us, foreigners plugged in to transitors with english translation, i was amazed at how our God is really such a great God. He superseeds language, culture and location. That is the God i serve! He knows our every need whereever we are and in the diversity of the different nations, God unites our hearts with one cry and one prayer- and that is that HE'S NAME BE GLORIFIED in all that we do.

Pastor Robert preached today that the life we have in Christ is really a life that is in abundance (John 10:10) and to that i say a resounding "Amen!" Whether here in Nepal or back home in Singapore, the devil has been working so hard to rob us of this abundance and fullness of life and i have seen enough to convince me that i will do all it takes to stamp him out. He certainly has no place in the lives of children of God. As the pastor said, which i fully agree- "we are not created merely to survive, but to live life abundantly!" (paraphrased) Have you been living in despair, in the lies and tricks of the evil one? Cry out to the Lord and He WILL answer you and deliver you. There is no doubt about that, because our God is a God who hears us.

As i turn in tonight, my heart is filled with joy because i know that even in this short time i managed to get on the internet tonight, the Lord had His purpose. I don't think it was very much i did, but my dear sister, the Lord cares so much for you- and i am so glad that He choose me to work in such a manner. There is no greater joy than this- Lord, You made my day so sweet.

Goodnight world, it has been such a pleasure living with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords constantly with me. Want that joy too? I believe you can experience it as you yield to Him- He is more than willing to reveal Himself to those who earnestly seek Him. Abundant life is on the way for you dear friends, if only you ask and seek. Smiles.

so blessed i can't contain it.

"Missions is not the ultimate goal. Missions exists because worship doesn't."- John Piper

This quote by Piper has been burning in my heart the past few days. It hasn't made more sense till this trip. Truly, missions is not the end in itself. That people come to recognize the true God and revel in worship to Him is what makes missions worth it. To see people fall at His feet and be satisfied by Him is certainly what would glorify His name.

I have seen how oppressive the forces of darkness has been here and truly my heart goes out to the people trapped in the lies and deciet of the evil one. How the devil tries to trick them into believing that He can give them peace is really heartbreaking. And as my eyes began to be opened to the needs of the people, i yearn to give them the gospel of truth that is able to set them free from all the bondange that they have been decieved into for years and years. And my heart is filled with joy (its a mixed feeling) that the Lord wants to deliver each one of them from all that they are going through. He love is THAT amazing. And in this assurance i believe that He will raise up more people to go into the unreached places to bring the gospel to where the gospel has not reached.

It is truly a delight as i spent the week in Kathmandu helping out at a after-school tuition centre helping the kids with their studies. The education system here is far from perfect and to me it is warped but i shall cease to comment about it here (grins). But i saw their sheer curiosity (beneath the memorization of the ENTIRE TEXT they have, mind you, they even memorize the questions asked.) in the world outside Nepal. You should hear the questions they ask about Singapore and about my family- questions like "what is your father's name?" are repeated more than once, which i found so funny at first but later figured that it is what is very important to them here in their culture. The questions about what language we speak, what houses we live in, and really all sorts of questions were asked. I was more than delighted to answer some of them. And at different opportunities i managed to insert in a bit of who Christ was even while teaching them science. How God gives us open doors to share His love. Smiles. I am awed at how much God loves them to want to bring His gospel to the even these kids. And as i see more, God's hearbeat also becomes more apparent.

At this stage of the trip, i can only say that God is truly amazing. I have no regrets coming to this place although i do miss the comforts and friends at home. But i have come to experience God in such a wonderful way that all i can say is that i want to soak even deeper in love with Him. There is nothing more satisfying then being in His presence and giving Him praise. I pray that all of you back home will learn to exalt the Lord for what you have and are given. Indeed, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." There is just too much to say and share- i find myself quite at a loss of words in wonder and amazement of who He is.

"So blessed, i can't contain it

So much, i've got to give it away

Your love, has taught me to live on

You are, more than enough for me."

ps: continue to keep me in prayer as i leave for the villages for 2 weeks this coming monday. its gonna be rural (almost like my 1st EA trip- some of you know what i am talking about. grins.) but i trust that it is gonna be an encounter that i wont want to miss :) thank you very much fro praying. smiles.

on the road.

I am back in Kathmandu again after being out in the towns. Mission work is really not for the faint-hearted and unprepared. I have been to so many places that the adjustment and adaptation has been so tremendous. In the last month, i have been from Kathmandu-Biratnagar-Kathmandu-Singapore-Kathmandu-Bharatpur (Chitwan)-Parasi-Butwal-Bharatpur-Kathmandu. And i will travel out to a few more places after this week here. Within these places we have also moved around alot. Well, this really takes a toil on us, but it also means we get to see alot of things, go to alot of places and meet alot of people.

I was just telling some of them that i managed to catch on msn that my eyes have really been opened to what a sad world we live in. The poverty, oppression, pain, strongholds and needs that the people have are really stark. I had it all thrown into my face and sometimes my prayer would be, "Lord, i dont know how to minister to these people, Your Holy Spirit has to do the work." And i find myself sometimes lost in a world of reality, realising that the conditions we have back home are really a farcry compared to what these people go through here. Sure, the are many needs back home, different kind of oppression and spiritual warfare but here it is so apparent that you cannot not see it. I would think that after one month here and still not feeling compassioned and burdened for the people would be almost ridiculous. But i also thank God that He has opened my eyes to see all of these, although it is sometimes a very painful sight to watch the people and also feel how they feel. I really doubt i will ever be the same again after i go home. It's almost like being exposed to the reality of life and you just can't go back to that bubble of Singaporean lifestyle and perspective anymore.

And i know that what i have seen is only a fraction of what the world is facing. Of course, i also have seen how the Lord loves these people so much despite what they go through here. He has indeed been such a good God in their lives, having a plan for their lives, which is to give them a hope and a future. smiles. and i am trusting and praying that the Lord will continue to minister to them, that they will find true satisfaction and contentment in the Lord. Because that, simply is the sweetest thing anyone could have.

I am also praying to ask God how He is going to lead me in my future ministries and direction. Travelling so much here has given me alot of opportunities to reflect, talk to and hear from God. Also had much time to think about many things and learn to ask God what His plan and purpose for me is. And i am excited to see all that He has prepared for my life. :) Do continue to pray with me as i seek the Lord and serve Him in whatever capacity i can here. It's been an amazing journey with the Lord. Miss all of you back home too, drop me an email sometime if you can to let me know how you are doing, will check and reply when i can :)

Ciao for now :)