GentleAct

Wednesday, 5 June 2013

18 & 19 May 2013 Charity Event

18 & 19 May 2013 Charity Event ~ Day 1

18 & 19 May 2013 Charity Event ~ Day 2

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Wednesday, 25 July 2012

Sei Beduk ~ 11 & 12 August 2012 (Sat & Sun)

Dear Friends of Riau,

"To give pleasure to a single heart by a single act is better than a 1,000 heads bowing in prayer." M. Gandhi, the Beautiful Soul

I am asked to write this message.

Last Tues & Wed I was in Batam, and was blessed to have visited 3 "new" orphanages. Of the 3, Sei Beduk needs the most help. There are 32 kids, ages 1-11, living in a space of 3 x 12 sq m bedroom, hall-36 sq m & kitchen -see pic? Imagine- No electricity & No running water. Wall made of ply woods& zinc roof. There are plenty of holes on the wall & roofs. And the pavement??

May I kindly suggest we go and serve them. The dates for the visits are from 11 - 12 August 2012.

The proposed itinerary:

1. Sun-Visit 2 orphanages- Sei Beduk; & "TheSinging Orphans" (our therapy session)

2. Sat- Buy needful stuff & goodie bags.

3. R & R- food, massage, shopping & music

I need the following help:

1. Treasurers

2. Photographer & video graphers (anyone who has hp/i-pads) to record Singing Orphans

3. Team members- shopping/packing

4. Logistics coordinators

5. Guitarist & singers- let's sing for them

Please contact Peter Tan at 9061 1456 or gemstailor@gmail.com for further details on how you could contribute to this meaningful and worthy cause.

May God's grace & blessings be upon you,

Peter Tan

Tuesday, 3 July 2012

The Singing Orphans

by Peter Tan

Tucked in the outskirts of Batam Center is a row of run down shop houses. The road that leads to this place is filled with uneven gravels and potholes. The surrounding is deserted and lonely. There are only a few occupants left in the complex. Somewhere in the middle of it lies a home for the poor, needy – the fatherless & motherless.

All 43 children, ages 2-15 years old, huddled together in a raw no electricity building they called home. The floor is rough, it can cut your bare feet if you are not careful, certain part of the floor is flooded because of a leaked pipe, poor ventilation makes it hot & humid, and nightly visits by mossies left by open windows. There are no pillows to sleep on, just mattresses that are long gone, soiled & soft, etc the list of bad goes on.

Is there any bright ray of light behind the cloud of despair? I thought deeply and sadly about the plight of these gentle souls the first time I visited- they who come to this earth and enter into sufferings innocently. Last weekends, 25 Friends of Riau (FOR), went to give moral & material support to this orphanage, we bought basic groceries & sweet gift packs to cheer them. By the time the day is over, we were so grateful for we were deeply touched by their “offerings”.

I thought that I heard angels sang. Yes, some thirties toddlers & teens in the hands-me-down clothes, out dated musical set, stood on a worn out floor mat, sang and dance for us. It was not the best of vocal rendition or the polished footsteps that you expected to see or hear. It was not their quality of their voices or technique, but how they sang. For, when the children sang, and all thirties plus of them, the earth shook below me, sweet energies filled the air and your body begin to open up all the way. They reached you from their inner souls and poured out whatever pure love in them to yours. No holding back, it is like 10,000 watts rms of pure, unadulterated hi fidelity soul sound coursing through your body. Something about the way they sang makes me wanna cry, and I was not alone. The children sang in Indonesian and in English, in unisons, duet or solo accompanied by guitars and occasional drums. At the end of the fifth and last song, I felt peaceful & calm.

It was totally therapeutic! We all felt good vibration stirring in us, and we release it through smiles, genuine smiles, laughters and lighter springier footsteps. This is good medicine I said, and everyone should have it. We give the children gifts of sweet things & love, in return they gave us good vibes. It is a win-win situation for all. After a day or two, or whenever I think of that moment, I felt the warm afterglow effect.

For those who want to experience this wonderful trip to hear The Singing Orphans please visit http//: gentleacts.blogspot.com for more information. Friends of Riau (FOR) is a volunteer group, all contributions go 100% to orphanages, volunteers pay for own expenses.

By Peter Tan