Living with Understanding and Compassion

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1 Living with Understanding and Compassion NOVEMBER OCTOBER issue issue BC s Blog 85th Anniversary Celebration Dinner GB Friendship Day 2012 A Journey of A Thousand Miles begins with One Single Step Recruitment Camp 2012 National Day Parade 2012 & UG Cheer Competition Singapore Youth Festival Ice-Skating Service Leaning It is more blessed to give Cambodia Trip Hand in Hand We Work Together Leadership Across Borders Surabaya Trip Serving the LENS in Hong Kong Officers Retreat 2012 Upcoming Events

2 BC S BLOG GATHERING Gathering this reminds me of a song I learnt when I was in primary school: The more we get together, the happier we ll be..for your friends are my friends.. Fellowshipping and coming together is vital to The Girls Brigade s ministry and work. We gather at GB meetings, camps, national competitions, celebration dinners, outings, Christmas parties, team buildings, birthdays and at many other events. Without such gatherings, there would be no GB. GB is a body made up of you and me. At such gatherings we make friends, enjoy each other s company and have fun. I would also suggest that we intentionally take such occasions to encourage one another, offer a kind word or a word of appreciation to energise and lift the spirit of a fellow Brigadier. Look out for those who are lost and do not feel at home; make it a point to bring them into the fellowship, into the Circle of Life. Recently, I had the privilege of being invited to a birthday celebration of a GB officer who has just turned 80 years old. It was a great time of enjoyment, celebration, appreciation, thanksgiving and the uplifting of one s spirit. Well done, GB girls and officers! Caryn Ong (Exco) Evelyn Yip (Exco) Jimaia Wong (GBHQ) Emily Ding (1 st ) Esther Mak (1 st ) Amanda Tan (4 th ) Cynthia Chua (5 th ) Lau Kar Yin (6 th ) Kao Hui Wen (9 th ) Rebecca Beh (10 th ) Christina Koh (10 th ) Chow Zhi Ying (19 th ) Darlene John Johnny (19 th ) Lee Kai Ting (19 th ) Loh Ke Hua (19 th ) Joreen Ng (19 th ) Editor-in-Chief Hee Piang Chin Managing Editor Iris Lee Associate Editors Kent Francis Anita Low-Lim Pearl Pang Contributors Designed & Printed by The Print Lodge Pte Ltd Published by Tok Zi Hui (19 th ) Tan Ee Jun (44 th ) Joleen Sew Wan Ting (44 th ) Edaline Wee (47 th) Yeo Yang Bing (65 th ) Joy Wong (71 st ) Samantha Teo (78 th ) Rachel Toh (78 th ) Joyce Chua (79 th ) Lee Hui En (79 th ) Alvy Rose (79 th) Celine Sim (79 th ) Teoh Ming Hui (79 th) Amanda Goh (84 th ) GBHQ So, I would encourage you that at your next GB gathering make it a point to say a kind word, a word of encouragement or show appreciation to your officer or your fellow Brigadier. Make the day for them! The Girls Brigade Singapore 795 Upper Serangoon Road Singapore Mainline: Fax: gbhq@gb.org.sg Website: Charity Reg No: MICA (P) 014/03/ All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be produced without the prior and written permission of The Girls Brigade Singapore Ms Evelyn Yip Brigade Commissioner pg2 GBloG

3 85 th Anniversary Celebration Dinner It was a family reunion of sorts at our 85th Anniversary Celebration Dinner held on 22 July 2012 at Raffles City Convention Centre, Fairmont Ballroom. It was a memorable evening for the 1,000 guests, gathered together to celebrate the birthday of a grand dame. To add glam to the night, the dinner was graced by our Guest-of-honour, President Tony Tan Keng Yam and Mrs Mary Tan, our Brigade Patron. For the past 85 years, The Girls Brigade has been focusing on advancing God s Kingdom through our work with girls and women. How apt it was then to have the celebration centred around our theme Growing Girls, Becoming Leaders, Beyond Generations and Borders. At the dinner, Ms Hee Piang Chin was also honoured for her 45 years of unwavering commitment to the organisation and for being an inspiration to many girls and officers. Ms Hee received a rousing standing ovation as she received the award from President Tony Tan Keng Yam. To further celebrate this milestone, a series of 12 commemorative banners were unveiled. As the dinner drew to a close with the hymn To God be the Glory, we truly praise God for His faithfulness and goodness these 85 years. Mrs Caryn Ong, Assistant Brigade Commissioner Officer, 72 nd Company [Balestier Hill Primary School] The dinner celebration commemorating GB s 85th milestone was unlike any other event. Girls and officers got to enjoy each other s company at a classy evening. The dinner was a great way to celebrate God s blessings and the many friendships forged over the years. I found myself unable to sit at the table for long as there were many familiar faces to catch up with. The photo booth was a special and fun way to create new memories. It was heartwarming to see different generations of girls and women coming together which was also the theme of the evening. I am very thankful to be part of such a family and amongst people like Ms Hee Piang Chin who continues to inspire through serving God faithfully in GB. The celebration concluded fittingly with the resounding voices of many girls and women singing the familiar vesper as one. I have never felt more proud to be a GB girl. Ms Darlene John Johnny 19th Company [Unity Secondary School] pg3 GBloG

4 GB Friendship Day 2012 This is the second year that The Girls Brigade Singapore, together with Willing Hearts, cooked, served and befriended the Lonely, Elderly, Needy and those with Special Needs (LENS) in our community through GB Friendship Day (GBFD). Last year, we served some 1000 LENS at the inaugural GBFD. This year we expanded our service to include about 5000 LENS over the two-day event on 14 and 15 July GBFD 2012 was supported by National Integration Council and many new citizens and international students volunteered as performers and befrienders. GB girls, officers and other volunteers put up performances for the special guests during the two days. Performances ranged from morning exercise by 72 nd GB Company, to songs, music and dances by 51 st GB Company and Jurong Christian Church, Temasek Polytechnic, 1 st GB Company and Methodist Girls School, 16 th GB Company, Sin Ming Xin Cantonese Opera, People s Association and NTU Malay Language & Cultural Society. This project also equipped GB girls with skills to serve the LENS in our community through service learning projects. In the process, GB Singapore hopes the girls will also be able to demonstrate the values inculcated in the GB programme - values of humility, compassion, responsibility and service. GBFD 2012 was graced by Brigade Patron, Mrs Mary Tan, wife of President Tony Tan Keng Yam on 14 July 2012, and Brigade President, Mrs Tay Poh Imm on 15 July Girls from GB Companies all over Singapore celebrated GB Friendship Day on 14 and 15 July The event was held for the LENS. I was looking forward to the event as it was my first. There were groups of elderly folk from different homes. My friend, Cheryl and I were with a group from Chai Chee. They were mostly friendly but some kept to themselves. We listened to their stories and I saw how contented they could be with whatever they had, even asking to keep the packaging of the eggs, citing its many uses. Though most of the elderly had trouble walking, they showed enthusiasm for the activities. I remember particularly an older woman, who despite being aged herself, still talked about bathing her elderly mother after this event. I learnt how fortunate I really am as I listened to their stories of being deprived of education as they had to support their families. I could not have asked for a more memorable experience as I have learnt values and the importance of giving back to the community with more than just monetary donation. LCpl Rebecca Beh 10 th Company [Bukit Batok Secondary School] pg4 GBloG

5 A journey of a thousand miles begins with one single step In 2008, seven girls from Pasir Ris Crest Secondary School were the pioneer batch of the 78th Girls Brigade Company. Though we were small, we had many fun experiences from the combined programmes with the 103rd Boys Brigade. The following year, six more girls enrolled. We were happy but there were times of disappointment since our strength was too small to make up a squad and could not participate in drill competitions. It was a demoralising period where many of us skipped meetings as we did not know how to bring the company up. Fortunately we had additional volunteers from Faith Community Baptist Church that brought us back together. We had badgework, worship sessions and activities such as Corporals Camp, Sergeants Weekend and Leadership Conference where we grew in spirit and mind. Though we were small, we had many priceless experiences. be discouraged. Even though things may not always go our way, we are sure that the Lord will always be there to encourage and support us! We have never regretted being in GB as it has made us better leaders. Once a GB Girl, Always a GB Girl! (: SSgt Samantha Teo & SSgt Rachel Toh 78 th Company [Pasir Ris Crest Secondary School] We want to take the time to thank the church volunteers, officers and teachers who have contributed in nurturing us. They have been our pillars of strength and role models. We will not forget and will put what we have learnt to good use. The friendships formed through the journey will remain in our hearts forever. The Bible teaches us The Lord Himself goes before you and will be afraid with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not Recruitment Camp 2012 This year s recruitment camp left me with many experiences that I will carry with me forever. It was the first time I was put in charge and even taking attendance was terrifying. We learnt how frustrating it was to teach drill and that it took a lot of patience and confidence. Through ice breakers that we played, we learnt more about one another, and tension, if any, disappeared. We can now chat about any topic trivial or serious. We learnt how to work as a team and help each other. We also had night trails and outdoor cooking. At home I never learnt how to cook. So preparing even simple noodles was really intriguing. Although faced with many problems, we learnt many things while having fun, such as confidence, patience, initiative and appreciation. Hopefully next camp will be better since we now know what is required for a good one. LCpl Alvy Rose 79 th Company [Riverside Secondary School] pg5 GBloG

6 National Day Parade 2012 I never expected to be asked to be Contingent Commander for The Girls Brigade in National Day Parade (NDP) 2012! Initially I was hesitant as I had not done drill for some time. I had to make adjustments to my schedule but I had faith that God would lead me. Meeting girls from different companies was interesting as initially, everyone was reserved but eventually warmed up to each other as the weeks passed. Training was never easy and by the end of rehearsals, we were all sweaty and sticky! We pulled through and stood proud in front of the entire nation as representatives of The Girls Brigade on 9 August 2012! I was more extremely proud when we emerged as champions of the Uniformed Group Cheer Competition. As NDP concluded, it dawned on me that no one person can make it on their own. All of us, regardless of role, rank or status play an equally important role. I watched This is my second time participating in NDP and being in the Majulah Moment flag party was exciting as I got to take part in a different segment of the parade. I had a really enjoyable time, making many new friends and learnt more about the various stakes involved in making the parade a success. This experience is truly a memorable one. SSgt Esther Mak 1 st Company [Methodist Girls School] I am honoured and proud to represent The Girls Brigade as part of the Majulah Moment team for NDP The journey was a fruitful and enriching experience as I learnt to work with students from other uniformed groups with different perspectives. Teamwork is vital as every group contributes something different to the success of the flag raising ceremony. I would like to thank GB for the opportunity to play a part in the parade. SSgt Joy Wong 2 nd Flag Bearer 71 st Company [Gan Eng Seng School] with amazement, everyone serving with one heart and purpose. I am reminded of how blessed I am to be an officer - to seek, serve and follow Christ. Ms Yeo Yang Bing - 1 st Contingent Commander Captain, 65 th Company [Anglican High School] I was excited as it has always been my dream to experience NDP as a GB girl. Yet, I was apprehensive as it was my final undergraduate semester and unsure of the time commitment. Nonetheless, I placed my trust in God that everything would fall into place. Training at Nee Soon camp was tough and exhausting but could not compare with the unpredictable weather at the floating platform. We had to march in the rain during the first public rehearsal but the show had to go on. We were wet, sticky and smelly but despite the odds, the girls remained energetic and enthusiastic. Looking back, I knew God would never fail me. The friendships built and the lessons learnt have made the journey priceless and unforgettable. People serving the Lord with passion wherever they may be is what being a GB girl has always mean to me and I am proud to be part of this family. Ms Edaline Wee 2 nd Contingent Commander Officer, 47 th Company [Orchid Park Secondary School] Singapore Youth Festival 2012 great learning experience. It was tiring though as I had to make time for SYF training and school. Through the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF), I learnt what it is like working with other uniformed groups. Others may call SYF a mini National Day Parade, but I feel that they are different. Given a chance to participate is a Working with the other girls in the contingent made me realise that while everyone is different in their own way, it is heartwarming to see those differences disappear when they take the effort to bond with each other and enjoy themselves. It was a great experience for me as I stepped beyond the comfort level of my company to know more about younger and older girls from other companies. SSgt Amanda Tan - 1st Contingent commander 4 th S Company [Paya Lebar Methodist Girls School (Secondary)] pg6 GBloG

7 UG Cheer Competition When we heard we have to come up with a cheer, we were worried since we did not have much experience doing so. Coming up with a suitable cheer that was catchy enough was tough but due to the team s effort, we came up with something that we were happy with. It was great to see the girls effort in coming together to learn something new despite having to meet earlier on Saturdays. At first we were shy and less than enthusiastic but over time, we managed to reach a standard that was expected of us. Before the competition, we were nervous and lacked confidence despite our efforts because the other uniformed groups were usually better and had more experience. We did our best and were exhilarated to see our efforts pay off when we won the first prize! Despite having come from different schools and companies, the competition made us closer than ever before. To achieve a common goal together was a really great experience! SSgt Tan Ee Jun & SSgt Joleen Sew Wan Ting 44 th Company [Springfield Secondary School] Weeks into our training, a cheer competition for Uniformed Groups was announced and we were tasked with creating something for NDP. Nobody was willing to contribute and procrastinated as we were caught off guard. Two weeks before the actual competition, people began voicing their opinions. A simple cheer was put together and enthusiasm grew with each passing day. We practised for hours for those two minutes needed on the big day. With spirits and confidence high, it felt as if everyone was putting in 101%, we cheered for the Engagement Committee and hoped God would do the rest. As cliché as it sounds, winning was never a priority. Cpl Amanda Goh 84 th Company [Singapore Chinese Girls School] 1 st Congratulations to The Girls Brigade Team for wining first prize in UG Cheer Competition! Through my involvement with the Singapore Youth Festival opening ceremony 2012 as a flag bearer, I really enjoyed spending time with the contingent girls and working with other flag bearers from the other uniform groups. It was a well spent two weeks! SSgt Christina Koh 1 st Flag Bearer 10 th Company [Bukit Batok Secondary School] I am grateful for having the opportunity to take up the role as contingent commander for the Singapore Youth Festival Opening Ceremony held on 30 June Taking charge of 30 girls was an all new experience for me as it was quite large compared to my early days as a drill instructor. Part of my duties as contingent commander was to train and instill discipline to the contingent which was made up of girls from different companies and drill backgrounds. It was heartening to see the effort they put in to put up a good show and the friendships that were fostered during this training period. As there Although it was only two weeks of training, I must admit it was one of the toughest I ever experienced. Nevertheless, the journey was enjoyable and special as I learnt flag drills which were not taught in my company. Valuable friendships were also gained, not only within the flag party, but also with the contingent girls from various schools. I am very thankful for the love and guidance from the officers who took care of us. SSgt Joy Wong 2 nd Flag Bearer 71 st Company [Gan Eng Seng School] were two commanders for the opening ceremony, I had the chance to work with fellow commander and drill instructor Amanda Tan of 4th S Company. As we were both from different companies, I was exposed to her leadership skills and training style which I learnt many new things. All in all, participating in a national event as a contingent commander was a fruitful and memorable experience. SSgt Lau Kar Yin - 2 nd Contingent Commander 6 th Company [Guangyang Secondary School] pg7 GBloG

8 Service Learning - It IS more blessed to give Helping others in need is a joy to oneself! Volunteer work was carried out on 5 June 2012 by 10 th Girls Brigade, 53 rd and 84 th Boys Brigade as well as volunteers from sponsoring churches. It was meaningful and we bonded as if we already knew each other for ages. The lady whose house we painted was grateful for our help. It was sweet of her to provide fruits for us and even commented in Mandarin to eat more papaya as it would make our skin smooth! She also made for us iced Milo which was a little too sweet for my taste so I made a pun for my friend Kai Ting. This Milo is so sweet because it is filled with love! We had to stop and persuade her to stop whenever she picked up a brush to help us. I recall how grateful she and her husband were as he could no longer help around the house due to multiple surgeries. Sadly, he passed away before we returned. I was shocked and sympathised with her. I am thankful for the experience as I have learnt to be more grateful and respectful of my parents. Some of the old folks were abandoned by their own children and have taken care of themselves when their children should have taken responsibility. Personally I think we can continue to help the elderly by donating basic necessities or just by smiling whenever I can to cheer them up! Cpl Loh Ke Hua 19 th Company [Unity Secondary School] I feel this is very meaningful. Though my muscles ached and my hands were stained at the end, I felt a sense of accomplishment. Cpl Joreen Ng (19 th Company) I felt that I have learnt more about teamwork. If not for teamwork, we wouldn t have been able to complete so much within a day. Cpl Chow Zhi Ying (19 th Company) I learnt how to plan things, paint and communicate with people on a deeper level. Through this, I ve bonded well with my officers and juniors. Cpl Tok Zi Hui (19 th Company) Ice-Skating On 2 July 2012, in order to attain the Physical Badge, 17 secondary two GB girls went to The Rink at J-Cube for ice-skating lesson conducted by none other than GB 1st Company s very own Ms Elaine Toh. Ms Toh is a GB officer at Methodist Girls School, and a qualified ice-skating instructor at the Kallang ice-skating rink. Before we took to the ice, we were first given lessons on land. Ms Toh taught us a method of side-stepping, the foundation of ice-skating. If not mastered correctly, we would not be able to push off well. We were told to step heavily, with our feet parallel to each other in order to avoid falling. We practised this in our skates. Not an easy task as all our weight was being balanced on two thin blades. We learnt not only the side-stepping technique, but also how to balance. Mastering this, we went out onto the rink. At the rink, we found that it was much harder to balance on the smooth, slippery ice. Ms Toh ran through the steps again starting from learning how to step forward. Soon, we were all mobile, able to move around in small, v-shaped glides. We moved on to more challenging maneuvers such as the Swizzle, which was basically moving your feet inwards and outwards in a wave-like manner while in motion; to skate backwards by wiggling our skates from side to side. Each lesson was guided by Ms Toh, who patiently led us towards mastery. The lessons were fun and enriching and we enjoyed it, but most importantly, it taught us life lessons such as perseverance, physical control and starting small. Each success was a moment of happiness, and each fall a lesson to learn from. Cpl Emily Ding 1 st Company [Methodist Girls School] pg8 GBloG

9 Cambodia Trip - Hand in hand we work together The 19th GB Company went on their third Brigade trip to Cambodia, together with the 10th GB Company and the 53rd and 84th Boys Brigade. This trip to Phnom Penh on June 2012 is my favourite. We started the trip with a visit to Cheung EK Memorial to learn about the history of Cambodia s civil wars. On the second day, we travelled to Pusat 2 Home on a painting mission. The children at the Home left a deep impression on me. Even though it was our first time meeting, the children welcomed us excitedly with a smile! Although there were language barriers, we were still able to communicate. The children were very helpful as they took the initiative to help us scrape off the old coat of paint before the volunteers started. No matter which company we were from, we worked together with a common goal of giving the children better living conditions. We continued with the painting at Pusat 2 Home on the third day. We were motivated to continue even after a tiring day as the children were happy to help. Without them, we would not have been able to complete the painting on time. Our next destination was a public school where we were split into pairs and assigned to teach Basic English to students of various ages. I realised how fortunate I am, being able to live in Singapore where we have advanced technology. However, the Cambodians were satisfied with their living conditions. They are not demanding unlike Singaporeans who go out of their way for the latest trends. I also realised how well governed Singapore is. We have proper public transport systems whereas Cambodians have to rely heavily on their own trishaws or cars. The trip made me understand that being wealthy does not equate to being happy. We should not take things for granted and be thankful to our parents. Cpl Lee Kai Ting 19 th Company [Unity Secondary School] pg9 GBloG

10 Leadership Across Borders Surabaya Trip In line with The Girls Brigade Singapore theme Growing Girls Becoming Leaders, Beyond Generations and Borders, the Leadership Across Borders (LAB) initiative was launched this year as a programme to develop leadership skills and healthy attitudes in our girls. The pilot trip in June 2012 to Gloria Christian School in Surabaya, Indonesia comprised several LAB teams consisting of both primary and secondary school girls. We also engaged stakeholders such as school leaders, teachers, parents and alumni to be part of the team making it a truly Beyond Generations experience. Ms Jimaia Wong, Programme Executive (Community Development) [GBHQ] On 8-11 June 2012, accompanying me to a short but worthwhile combined mission trip to Surabaya, Indonesia were 14 girls from primary five and secondary three as well as five other teachers and officers. The fun, camaraderie, fellowship and hype resulted in lasting memories. The planning of Fast Food and Fuzz Camp taught me meaningful lessons and most importantly, to give thanks because our lives are truly blessed. What stood out for me was the power of ceaseless prayer. One important thing that I learnt from my mentor prior to the trip is to be able to think on my feet in the event of unprecedented changes. It gave us assurance as we made our way through the campsite. I felt this trip was strongly supported by spiritual comfort through prayers during difficult moments. I would like to applaud the fighting spirit of the officers, alumni and parent volunteers. The added human touch made my maiden overseas trip a memorable one. Ms Cynthia Chua, Teacher-in-charge 5 th Company [Presbyterian High School] pg10 GBloG

11 Serving the LENS in Hong Kong On 3 June 2012, the 79 th Girls Brigade Company together with other uniformed groups of Riverside Secondary School went on its first trip to Hong Kong. A total of 11 GB girls were selected to be part of this trip. Our main purpose was to serve the LENS (Lonely, Elderly, Needy and those with Special Needs) and visit the GB Hong Kong headquarters. The first day was mostly sight-seeing to learn the local customs and traditions followed by our first old folks home on the second day. We expected it to be dilapidated but surprisingly was huge and air conditioned. However, the elderly had poor health and we were instructed to put on masks. We sang songs and performed items that we had practised and our hard work paid off. Their smiles were rewards for our efforts! We later received an unexpected task of having to interact which was also our biggest challenge as they could neither speak English nor Mandarin! Through sign language, we were able to understand that they were abandoned by their own children while some felt they were burdens and chose to come to these homes. I sympathised with them as it must be torturous. GB Singapore, it was an honour for us to show what we learnt from our National Drill Competition and Creative Cheer Challenge in GB. The trip was enriching and memorable as we understood the real meaning of values from the people around us. If one perseveres, things might not be as bad as it might have been. We should always try even if we do not succeed initially. The lesson of integrity affects how others judge us. The Hong Kong officers and our tour guide taught us the lesson of passion through their efforts despite being unable to speak fluent English. All these taught us not to give up easily and to give our best in whatever we do. Cpl Celine Sim & Cpl Joyce Chua 79 th Company [Riverside Secondary School] The third day, we visited another home for the elderly. It was far less advanced and was a single storey building located on a slope. There was little we could do apart from repainting the railings leading up to the home. While we performed, the old folks joined us despite being on walking sticks. Their smiles gave us a sense of accomplishment. What we learnt from them is the importance of being optimistic. Their stories were sad yet they remained cheerful. We should be grateful to have someone take care of us. On the fourth day, we visited GBHK headquarters. We imagined it to be similar to what we have back here but surprisingly, it looked like a shop in a HDB void deck. Everyone thought we were at the wrong place. The people at the headquarters welcomed us warmly and were well prepared with sessions of Singspiration, games and local snacks. Since we were representing The positive attitude towards life of the elderly in the old folks home inspired me and reminded me not to give up easily when we encounter obstacles in life. Sgt Teoh Ming Hui (79 th Company) This trip made me more matured and considerate towards others. It also made me be more sensitive towards others feelings instead of only thinking about my own welfare. Sgt Lee Hui En (79 th Company) pg11 GBloG

12 Officers Retreat 2012 The Girls Brigade Singapore held the annual Officers Retreat on 1-2 September 2012 at Fort Canning Lodge, YWCA. I initially thought the Officers Retreat was just another camp but with a little less running around and a little more relaxation but after those two days, I have to say that I walked away with a totally different experience. One thing that really touched me was the hearts of all the officers I met. As a girl who grew through the ranks, it was really touching to see the very same officers who brought me through my secondary school days in GB and helped to claim those shiny pins for me, still serving so fervently doing God s business. Even though we are serving in different companies, it brings much comfort to know that we are serving the same one God and impacting young lives in our own unique ways. Throughout the two days at Fort Canning Lodge, I had a good time of rest, fellowship, planning and learning. The study of Proverbs 31 was a good reminder of how we as women in leadership should display compassion, wisdom and courage in our service to work, family or in GB. Seeing the huge turn up for this retreat also encouraged me that I am not alone in this ministry and in striving to be a woman who is seeking after the Lord s heart. Planning for next year s activities was an eye opener as I witnessed the passion and love of the officers for the girls under their care to make the best out of their four years in the Brigade. I was also reminded that indeed, God was and is the only one that is able to hold everything together. After graduating from being a girl many years ago, it was refreshing to be able to join other officers run around Fort Canning trying to solve puzzles and doing crazy things as if we were still girls. I had the most awesome adventure with my team and am really looking forward to next year s Officers Retreat. Praise and thanks be to God for He has been blessing this ministry for the past 85 years and He will continue to guide and lead us to extend across generations and borders. Ms Kao Hui Wen 9 th Company [Westwood Secondary School] UPCOMING EVENTS NOVEMBER 13 Remembrance Day GB Asia Officers Conference 17 85th Anniversary Thanksgiving Service