What's Happening?!

Just to update on the things that I am doing right now. As much as I am leading a Zone right now, but something sparked off when I got to know of this group of youth who came to visit us in our Youth Service. First impression when I saw them was, 'ok, another Ah Beng'. He came with tattoos and piercing every part of his face, somewhat intimidating when I first saw them. But as I got to talk to them and know them better after a 3 weeks of attending our service, after all they are like any other youth that I know! Only difference is body got more paintings and mouth got more holes.

It happen that one day after service, our cell plan to go parkway's Burger King for lunch. But they were rather hesitant. So after much asking they told me something I am rather shocked by. They said they got no money at all. Then I asked one of them whether he is going back home to eat after that? But he reply no because no one cook at home, and sometimes his family may not even have food to eat at home. I was rather shock because it was my first encounter with a family who cannot afford to have food at home. I asked one of them why not try to get a job. He said he can't because no one will want to hire him (because of tattoos and tagging). So I decided to give them a treat to Burger King and share with them the love of God and how much they are worth. Somehow I know those word that I've spoken to them was not in vain.

After that incident, I have been thinking of how to help this particular youth who is in need.

And I was very impacted by one of the sermon that Pastor Guglielmucci preached in a Church entitled Jesus & The Church. Feeding the poor, visit the orphans, meeting the needs of those who are in need, to be the Church that Jesus put His mandate on! To be a 'Isaiah 61' Christian instead of a 'Isaiah 58' Christian. Meeting practical and down to earth needs of the people and show the love of Christ to them.

So I was msn-ing one of my leaders and we were talking about the heartland outreach. Just so happen that I was mentioning to her about this boy to help him by finding him a job so that he can have a income to sustain his day to day life. And also he can learn some skills so that he can be able to survive in the society with the skills that he acquired.

And so, I heard of 18 Chef (Eastpoint. Go Support!!) and the story of the boss who use to be an ex-drug addict. But somehow God changed him and impacted his life and he repented from his drug addict lifestyle. He went to learn from Jamie Oliver to cook and he return to Singapore to
start this cafe style restaurant call the 18 Chef. He passion and heart is to hire youth at risk, youth who have a bad history and to impart all his skills and secret in his cooking and mentor them. So that in future at least they have some skills to survive in the society.

Never would I expect that my leader know him in person and we got a chance to meet him and interview that boy. And from these, we got to network with a few bosses who got a heart for these youth who are at risk, willing to give them opportunities and mentor them. Slowly but surely by meeting the basic needs of these youth, they are impacted and it open their heart receive the Gospel.

For sure when we do this to help these group of heartland youth, youth at risk, there will be risk in doing so. We may be taken advantage of or even to get backfire, but still believe that God can make them into powerful testimony to send them back to these group of heartland youth to reach them and mentor them.

It may be so small and insignificant now, but never will we know that God can make this one boy and turn it into a snowball.

If you know of anyone friend who is a boss and willing to hire and mentor youth who are at risk to impart skills to them, please let me know and contact me. Let's believe for great things because our God is a Great God!

Believing,
Jason Chua