Hearing Impaired Saturday Hangout Place

HIS Place

Hearing Impaired Saturday Hangout Place

 

Concept

            To create a friendly atmosphere for the New MHI Community consisting of Deaf, Hearing and Hard of Hearing to mingle and interact. The MHI Center will be used from 10am to 10pm every Saturday to host a series of events under Outreach Department.  The events may be inhouse or outdoors. 

 

 

Strategy

            Members of the Outreach Department as well as the Evangelistic Department will do our own publicity inviting our friends to come and participate in the various of events we will organize.  The participants will make use of the available facilities like computers, television, playstation consoles, board games and other ice breaker games. 

            The Outreach Department will be responsible for the discipline as well as the care of the equipment in the MHI Center. We will not be responsible for any unforeseen accidents that may happen to the participants.  We will ensure that safety is reinforced in all activities we plan. A well-equipped First aid kit will be placed within the MHI Center.

            All participants will register on the MHI SARS book for future Contact Tracing.  Any rowdy participants who are not compliant will be asked to leave immediately.  Currently only invited guests (Deaf and Hard of Hearing ) are welcomed.  Hearing volunteers who are keen to interact with them are encouraged to sign up with the Full Time Program Coordinator in order to keep track of them.

 

Logistics

            As MHI has only moved into the MHI Center recently and don’t have a similar program previously, Outreach Department will source for donations such as old computer sets, Playstation consoles as well as board games from well wishers. 

            Lunch and dinner is the responsibility of the participants, but organizers will coordinate how to bring the participants out for their meals at the food joints around YWCA. 

            MHI Center will provide drinks and refreshments for the participants and volunteers. Outreach Department will be responsible to clean up after the HIS Place activity is over.

            Budget will be considered for drinks and refreshments as well as repair of the equipment due to wear and tear.

 

Target

            Outreach Department will make HIS Place one of the regular ongoing programs to reach out to the Deaf Community and friends.  We hope that it will run regularly on a Saturday, except for Public holidays.  Should the number of participants increase, there may be a need to book other available rooms at Level 8 in YWCA. The maximum comfortable size of the people using MHI Center is about 20.  If the participants increase (ie more than 20) we will book other available rooms through the Program Coordinator.  The number of participants can be counted by the attendance in the SARS contact tracing book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Prepared by Dr Victor Keng

Outreach Department Manager

20^th May 2003

 

Events of the past

Events of the Past

1995

19-1-1995               Left for Edinburgh exams. Stayed at Rowan Guest House. 13, Glenorchy Terrace, Edin, EH9 2DQ.  Tel 31 6672463

24-1-1995               Written paper FRCS. University Exam Hall. McEwan Hall, Teviot Place

30-1-1995               Written in Glasgow, Royal college of Surgeons

31-1-1995               Oral at the Royal College of Surgeons, Nicolson Street

6-2-1995                   Clinicals at Dundee. Ninewells Hospital.Viva in Glasgow at 1:25pm. Results announced at Edinburgh 5pm.

12-2-1995               Flew back to Singapore

4-3-1995                   Agape football tournament for the churches begins

8-7-1995                   Tom Elliot Cup Football tournament

4-10-1995               Deaf friend from UK comes, Mr John Connors

16-12-1995           Goodwill BB tournament

 

1997

9-1-1997                   Beginning of SUE

15-2-1997               Chinese New Year lunch at Stanley’s house with the HI

16-5-1997               Youth Ministry Sonlife. Conference at True Presbyterian Church. Introduction of a change in direction of MHI

7-6-1997                   Football youth tournament organized by Wesley Youth in Sentosa with Forerunners performing

14-8-1997               Teaching Sign Language to Youth for Christ to get Pauline Ong

 

 

1998

22-1-1998               Attempt at starting Basic Appreciation Class (BAC) for MHI

7-3-1998                   Friendly Football match with Whitley Secondary School in Bishan

15-3-1998               Heartstrings walk at Marina Bay with SAD

12-8-1998               Asia Deaf Christian Missions Conference in Narita, Japan

15-8-1998               End of conference return to Singapore

5-9-1998                   Wesley Camp Fire at MGS. Deaf invited.

17-11-1998           Graduate Ceremony of SCSC Course at Istana. Erni came along

13-12-1998           MHI Christmas Party

18-12-1998           BC the Story in Suntec City by Wesley Church

30-12-1998           Depart from Singapore for UK for HMDP

 

 

1999

31-12-1998           Arrive in UK for HMDP. Stayed at 99, Eppleworth Road, Cottingham, East Yorkshire, HU16 5YG.  841712

15-1-1999               First call in Hull Royal Infirmary

2-7-1999                   Label of Love at the Hull City Hall. 7:15pm. Went with Brett and Keran

28-8-1999               Flew back to Singapore

4-9-1999                   Evelyn and Regginald wedding

1-10-1999               Breakout Methodist Conference. Birmingham Conference Hall. 3 days.

5-12-1999               Erni arrives in Hull from Amsterdam

9-12-1999               Last dinner with the Bowers

13-12-1999           Last day in Hull. Return to Singapore

 

Challenges for 2017

God will always provide the wisdom and courage to be His light in times of darkness.

When everything in the society was crumbling, from administrative to social structrues, the Christian leaders rose to the occasion and too charge. When you go trhough tough times, pray for wisdom, courage and strength (James 1:2-6) to be His light shining through that darkenss.

Calamities or tragedies are God's opportunities for growth.

The empire fell apart but Go used this disastrous situation to enable the church to grow stronger for greater challenges ahead. You do not need to despair or allow yourself to be overwhelmed by hard times. Keep looking to God as your anchor, refuge and hope for the future.

Do not run away from problems by ignoring their presence.
Romans were blind ot the warning signs that their empire was heading towards disaster because it was more comfortable to cotninue life as it was. When something happens, it is often the result of things which have been in process for some times already. Ask God to keep you aware of what is happening around you.

Reflections

I was just thinking...the haze has started almost a week. Things running through my mind. I have just passed my 48th birthday. To me....wah..a long time.
But in the history of mankind..I am just another dot.

More than 2000 years ago, in ancient China, the emperor has to made sacrifices to pray to the heavens so that the people of the country will have peace, no natural disasters, healthy and happy. The Emperor intercedes for the people like a high priest in the ancient Jewish custom.
With the haze....perhaps we have forgotten to look to God for answers??

The other more ancient theories of the death of all dinosaurs. There were many theories that the scientists have proposed. Related to the haze, the theory is a large meteorite struck the face of the earth. With the explosion as the large object hit earth, it raised a cloud of dust so think that the sun was cut off. The temperatures on the earth dropped to freezing. The large dinosaurs were unable to adapt to the cold temperatures except mammals which are warm blooded. So the woolly mammoth (elephant) is able to continue to survive while the dinosaurs who are reptiles died off in large numbers.
Interesting thoughts.

Prayer Meeting for MHI

15th Sept 2010. Wesley prayed for MHI on Wednesday meeting. A routine yearly affair. It is a reminder of God's faithfulness all these 19 years.
We prayed for direction of overseas Outreach.
Saturday will be MHI  Committee retreat.

Deaf netWork

Finally finished the MHI Summer Camp 2010. Our Malaysian friends came to join us for the 3 days in Salvation Army PraiseHaven, Bukit Timah Campus. There were a tota of 8 of them. 6 from Penang Wesley Methodist Church and 2 from Ipoh Canning Garden Baptist Church.
The final day sharing and closing on Sunday after Sunday Fellowship, I stood up to share the joy I have to see the dream coming into fruition.
2008, after the Outreach Trip to Laguna Deaf School, Philippines, Patrick and the whole team brought back the excitement to share what we have with the rest. The opportunity arose when Penang reseponded after they saw the Sign Language Dictionary.
I remember Joan from Penang came one Sunday to talk to us. As our conversation progress, we discussed the possibility of having a team from Singapore to go up to Penang to see if we can help them run a camp.
The discussion turned into reality and we went up together to run the first Deaf Bible Camp in Penang at the end of 2008. There we met Annie, the Ipoh HI leader. And when we returned, we talked about the possiblity also of going to Ipoh to help them them run a camp in Ipoh.
2009 was a busy year as we went to the Asia Deaf Christian Missions Conference in Kunming and after we returned, we got a new team and we proceeded to Ipoh.
Finally 2010 June, we managed to hold a camp in Singapore with both our Penang and Ipoh friends.

I encouraged all Deaf leaders, hearing volunteers from Penang, Ipoh and Singapore to continue this trend to less others in Malaysia and elsewhere around Southeast Asia. As there are the United Nations, ASEAN, NATO, G20, etc. We can also form our network in Southeast Asia.  In 2011, is the Asia Pacific Deaf Christian Conference to be held in Luzon, Philippines. We hope to be able to see everybody there with more of our HI friends and volunteers sharing our vision and dream to touch lives of the Deaf Community in our own countries and beyond.

We need to continue to share the vision with our friends in our countries of what we have learnt and shared. Not just share, we need to help them catch the vision and mobilise them to do something about our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

I did not have an opportunity of more time cos I wanted to share with the hearing volunteers that like the story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt into the Promised Land, our duty is to listen to God. To accept that we have the responsibility to move and go. Initiatially, there is alot of reluctance as Pharoah is not too happy with the idea of the new change. Moses had a tough time. Until finally the Israelites were released, but without regret and Pharoah had to chase them into the Red Sea.

Still God was faithful. I wanted next to share with the Deaf leaders present. In the story of the Exodus, Moses was not involved in the fighting subsequently. In one of the important events, Joshua was leading the Israelites to fight their enemies and Moses was watching on top of the mountain praying and with his hands raised. Victory had to be done by the Isralites. That means, in the end, the Deaf have to reach the Deaf.  The best way for Deaf ministry is for Deaf to share the Gospel with the Deaf.

Therefore for the Deaf leaders, we can set up a network of Deaf leaders between the major cities. They must continue the ministry in their hometown. Train and encourage other Deaf people to hear the Gospel and share with others. Mobilise them and share the vision to continue more Deaf in the other cities, towns and villagers to be involved.

For the Hearing volunteers, we have a different problem. We have to fight for the vision on homeground. We have to continue to create awareness in our churches. Take up leadership roles in the ministry, in the Church committees and ensure that there is enough budget to support the Deaf. As much as we want the Deaf to be financially independent without having to borrow or ask for money, it is a known fact that most Deaf in the community will be financially and socially less well off.  We should not allow the weakness in not being able to support them financially be a hinderance to the vision. We should also look after their welfare and social support eg spouse, children, etc.

Globalisation is going to be the catch word for the next 10 years. This concept needs to be on the lips of all the Deaf ministries who share this vision. We need to learn and support one another. Break new roads.

For the hearing volunteers we also have to avoid one last pitfall. Many ministries in the church encourage "new blood". This means that when we feel that we have done enough for the ministiry, we can just sit back and watch the new leadership and support them from the distance.
I beg to differ.
I feel that Deaf ministry is a unique ministry. This is because as long as we encourage Deaf leaders to give their whole life to the ministry, we need to be also "walk the talk".  There is "no retirement" in the Deaf ministry; to borrow a phrase from our Singapore government.  We need to continue to have the passion and give up the idea of "changing ministry" as most hearing volunteers in many of the churches are doing.
We have to continue until the day that we can no longer be useful for the ministry. Until that day come, we need to depend on God for strength.


Our theme for the Camp. Hope.....Faith and the greatest is Love.
So...."Are you cross enough?" =)

Something to think about