time flies by... but it's not over yet.

It's been more than a month since I've posted, so I just wanted to review what's been happening because time flies by so fast and things can just go by in a jiffy...

First of all, I can't believe Ivan's in army already. See you in 2 weeks man...

School's started for everyone and to those taking major exams, I know you guys are studying hard, so wishing you well. To JO, Mong, Megan, Lauren, Shihan, Henry, Eugene, Gwen, Yijin and all those who are still as committed as ever to God, I know that God is honoring you putting Him first. I am wishing you all the best in your exams.

The church has hit pass 1,100. On to 1,400. It will happen. It's going to be awesome. As each day passes, we are making history.

The year is almost coming to a close. A lot of things we were thinking about in terms of church calendar are unbelievably over already. AE, AI, School Seminar, June Holidays, countless speakers and even the South African Ambassador to Singapore, H.E. Zanele Makina has come already. Yet, somehow I get the feeling that the best is still to come for this year.

In terms of growing, it's the same. Looking back at the year, I asked God to grow me in wisdom, faith, and love. He has undoubtedly done that, but somehow I know it isn't over yet, that the last stretch will be the most exciting. But the biggest things do not lie in the events that are coming up. The biggest things have come in the unexpected days, and so they will continue to do so for the rest of 2008. 

It's going to be exciting. I can't wait.

What a Week

It is quite amazing what can happen in a short amount of time.

FOP was great - Friday night in particular. It felt so much like home. But yet, it was really the beginnings of leadership. Hail to the ushers who took the whole East section by themselves!

It's really amazing how the vision for the year is coming to pass so vividly in every aspect of the church. All this was God. All this was Him opening doors. Grow in Stature. Favour with God and favour with men.

One thing... the Indoor Stadium didn't really seem that big. It wasn't intimidating or daunting like I thought it would be. In fact, not with any arrogance, it felt quite small. We could definitely do a hall like that. We could run it but more than that, I feel we could fill it - with an atmosphere of worship and prayer that will fill the halls of our church for years to come.

Lastly, had the privilege of meeting Parachute Band. They were absolutely anointed and amazing at FOP, but more than that, they're very nice people. Omega, Al, Sam, Simon, Reese, Jeff, Matt, and Mark - I will be looking forward to seeing you again sometime.

Sam (Drums), Simon (Electric), Omega (Vocals / Acoustic), Al (Keys), Reese (Bass)

A lot has happened. And that's just one week.

There's much more to come.

Love God, Love People, Love Life.

meet my sis

Since we're in the season of spiritual adoption, this is a good a time as any to introduce you to my sis... meet Yonina.

I don't think we look much alike (though some people have said we do - ?? :S )  She 2 years and 9 months older than me and stands towering above me at 5'11" (1.80 meters) and sports orange-pink-purple hair (she says she might change it to blue in a month or two).

Aside from the striking physical differences, we're also quite different in many other ways. Though we have our fair share of what we are capable of doing, she is known for her writing and her creative side. She's a writer, layout artist, editor, animator, and many other things. Despite the fact that you can hear her a mile away (she is louder than me if you can imagine that) she likes to sit at Starbucks for hours devouring books of all sorts.

She's stopping by Singapore on Friday before she heads back to Manila. There's a chance she might come to church. I think it'll be quite amazing if she does. We used to attend church together when we were little and we even went to a Christian school, but she has not experienced anything like Heart of God Church. She'll definitely be blown away. 

Seeing in the 4th Dimension... :)

Time Passes Fast

I just had to post about this.

I got a message from a friend in the Philippines that she just got engaged to another friend. Two things - they're getting married on the 21st of November 2009, one day before my 25th birthday, AND I've known Charles since I was like 13! Time passes so quickly. (Congratulations Charles & Kaye)

It's not just that, I was looking at some people's blogs and friendster accounts and I realized, the kids I used to teach Vacation Bible School to when they were Primary 1 are now in university!

I also, realize, that it's been more than 3 years since I've been in Singapore and almost 3 years since I've been in Heart of God Church! That's almost the length of my secondary school life, which at the time felt like it was taking forever to finish. 

It really is true that time flies by. Before you know it the things that you once talked about as current affairs become part of history (the airplanes crashing into the Twin Towers happened 7 years ago!), the people you thought you knew so intimately have grown up and changed, and the decisions that we made have led us down a path we never imagined we'd be in.

Time passes quickly so the little things in life matter. Every choice made, every word spoken, every moment spent.

I Am Under Authority

Yesterday's service was great.

Authority, Order, Function, Blessing.

It all made sense.

We must first be people under the right authority established by God for our lives. That brings order which allows for function. Only after that does blessing come.

That affirms what we've been doing all these years.

That affirms HoGC 2.0.

No one will refuse blessing, but yet so many people refuse authority.

No one will refuse blessing, but yet they do not like order and processes.

In order to be a person of authority, one must first be under authority.

Make me and the things that I do a channel of blessing.

It's Been a While

I realized how long I haven't blogged when Hong Bin told me at dinner today that my blog hasn't been updated in ages. Considering Hong Bin's been in C1 for like a few weeks, that's definitely not a good sign. hahaha... :)

By the way... this is Hong Bin (thank you Henry for having all the pics on your blog for easy access) He is known for the tail at the back of his head. *grin* and the fact that his favorite color is pink. :o)

In case you didn't know... he's also a very good chef. He cooked for Roy's birthday! Unfortunately, I wasn't upstairs for the celebration and I didn't get to taste the food because I was helping out with Academic Excellence.

Okay, C1 & C3 seems to have a lot of good chefs. I knew long ago that if we wanted to bond, we gotta just keep on eating. Haha. :) But seriously, I still can't get over Charite's award-wining prawns with cheese! And today, Agnetta showed baking prowess with an Oreo Cheesecake that is hands down better than the one at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf! Happy Birthday Roy!

On Saturday it was Shihan's birthday and today it's Si Hui's so Happy Birthday guys! :o)

AE was just awesome today. Felicia blogged about study rule and Henry blogged about Pastor How's whole message on how going to school is about the training of our mind. We are different because we have the ability to progress and because of that we can be all that we want to be. This is true freedom.

John 8:32 "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

In any case, this week was awesome. Right guys?

I love my God.

I love my Pastors. 

I love HoGC.

I love my life.

Happy Birthdays, etc.

Okay, so I just realized a gazillion people just had their birthdays or are about to!

  Belated happy birthday Winifred! Cherie! Fedora! Sabrina! K'Matt!

  Happy birthday Cheryl Ng!

  Advanced happy birthday to Vanessa Han! Noni! Weihao! Jiaxin! Isabel! Denise!

Other than that, just had some things on my mind...

  Alvin, come out of confinement soon! Saw your email, we will never pang-seh you!

  Mong, have a great next 2 days of exams! 4th Dimension! 

  Yong Hui & Koon Yew, get some sleep before school starts...

  Garrett, may reservist pass by quickly!

  Yilun, enjoy one last week before reservist :)

  Darren, time to go back to camp... don't worry, just a little bit more

  Fifi, praying for your surveys :) Faith & Success!

  Dawn... come for LONDON! It's going to be absolutely fantastic! :)

I think random rambling tends to come alive at this time of the night... 

Something Interesting...

I was just looking at my old files and I found these very insteresting pictures...

  

Just in case you're wondering.. yup... that's me in the black shirt with the *gasp* curly hair. This picture was taken on October 1, 2005 and it was actually my very very very first time meeting anyone from Heart of God Church. (Fle - do you see your sister sitting beside me? :)

Seems like ages, but I still remember it like yesterday because it forever changed my life. I still can't believe I agreed to go to Martin's house without really knowing anyone. It's all Jon's "fault" -- I was about to back out ('coz Martin lives in Admiralty area which was like the end of the world to me) but Jon came along to pick me up along with some other people.

Speaking of Jon... this is what he looked like in 2005... :)

  

The interesting thing was it was also in Jon's car (right behind the driver's seat) that night that God told me this was my church. I knew it was God because my thoughts were "how could this be my church? I haven't even been to their service? I don't even know what they believe in? What if they're a cult?" 

God is interesting... I bargained with Him and went to service the next day with an open mind and He in turn answered every single question and doubt I had through a sermon Pastor How gave about choosing to be happy today. How can you argue with God? I decided fully plant myself in Heart of God Church and I've never left nor will I ever. :)

To cut the long story short... here I am today, almost 3 years later. I can't imagine what life would be like without Pastors and Heart of God Church... For me, this is for life. Like the song goes...

I have decided to follow Jesus

I have decided to follow Jesus

I have decided to follow Jesus

No turning back, no turning back.

Thank You, Jesus, for bringing me to Heart of God Church

Thank You, Jesus, for Pastor How and Pastor Lia

Thank You, Jesus, for an amazing future

I love God

I love my Pastors

I love Heart of God Church

I love my life

... too bad Jon's aunt sold off the car... sentimental ol' me would've liked to have it around for memories' sake... haha... :)

random rambler comes alive...

Okay, so I haven't been blogging for about a month

But it's just been crazy wonderful for some reason over the past few weeks. Why?

C1 & C3 is growing (literally and spiritually)! -- while having fun at the same time! Faith & success!

Welcome to Alyssa, Cheri, Wei En, Angie, Anil, Hazel, Suhartono, Zi Yan and Guan Xian!

Hope to see you again Daniel! James! Felicia! Joel! Zhuan Liang!

Megan & Si Hui - You guys make a great team! :)

Ee Loo has been mugging away while being the absolutely cutest dancer on Lynette's black list! Study hard!

Welcome back Winifred and Aretha! Happy 19th Birthday Wini!

Charite made an awesome prayer last week!

Yvonne... you rock! You did an awesome job last Sunday. :)

Yijin really really really really likes music and so is listening to her tunes while studying for her exams... Praying for you! *hug*

Ruo'En is breezing through her exams after creating her very own muggers club!

Aggie is growing taller on the inside!

Hi five girls! :)

Let's not leave out the C1 guys!

Hmm... Mong... study hard! We'll chiong in a few weeks time!

Pan - SISPEC! It was great having you out of camp the last 2 weeks!

Army boy Matthew... we shall eat stingray again when you get your next off from serving our nation!

To the guys who love to hang out -- Alvin, Gerald, Henry... next time get stuck inside church not at the white gate. *wink*

I think Ming Jian will gladly join the hang out group! 4th Dimension is the book to read right?!

JO is past soccer season and is now in study season. God bless with your A-Levels!

To all the JC students  taking their mid-years -- you are in our prayers! Gwen! Guan Xian! JO! Megan! Ee Loo! Si Hui! Ruo'En! Zi Yan! Yijin! Anil! Winson! Weien! Angie! Zhuan Liang! Zhuo'Er! Sawwah! and of course MONG!!! :)

Ruo En!!!!  you gotta put up last week's picture on your facebook so i can steal it and put it up here.. haha... :)

Keep praying! Keep believing! Keep on doin' whatcha doin! :)

You guys rock!

Warrior is a Child

There's this song that I really really like and recently I got reminded of it... 

WARRIOR IS A CHILD

by: Gary Valenciano

Lately I've been winning battles left and right
But even winners can get wounded in the fight
People say that I'm amazing
I'm strong beyond my years
But they don't see inside of me
I'm hiding all the tears

They don't know that I come running home when I fall down
They don't know who picks me up when no one is around
I drop my sword and cry for just a while
(Look up for His smile)
'Coz deep inside this armor
The warrior is a child 

Unafraid because His arrow is the best 
But even soldiers need a quiet place to rest
People say that I'm amazing
I never face retreat, oh no
But they don't see the enemies
That lay me at His feet

The first priority is to be with Him then it is to serve Him.

I am first a daughter before I am a servant.

The Best Trip of My Life

What have I been up to?

Just came back from Korea. It was the the seriously the best trip ever!

Something's changed on the inside and as dreams are birthed it will surely come to pass.

In the meantime, check out Yoido Full Gospel Church - Pastor Cho's church. Each service seats about 15,000 and they have like 9-10 services in the main church alone per week! Massive!

 

They have 11 choirs that sing for each service and when you combine them all together they come up to like 2000 people!

The church is built on prayer and faith. The importance of prayer in the church can be seen so visibly -- literally. You can't miss the big structure representing praying hands at the front of the church building on Yoido Island.

This is the church's 50th anniversary celebration -- 120,000 people in a stadium with parades and martial arts exhibitions and floats... you get the picture... It's hard to remember that this is a church when you see the massiveness of everything, seems more like a well-run nation

  

God just never ceases to amaze me at what He can do through people who love Him and give themselves to Him!

So thankful to have witnessed this.

Even more thankful to have been able to go with Pastors--just makes everything even more special. :)

Prayer. Faith. Success.

World Class Church

A world class nation has world class citizens.

A world class church has world class people.

World class people are people who have the character and the substance.

World class people don't just think of themselves.

World class people have world class generosity.

The Zeitgeist of Heart of God Church

A generation that pure and holy

A generation that is competent and successful

A generation of leaders

A generation of great and godly families

A generation of missionaries

A generation of volunteers

A WORLD CLASS CHURCH in a first world nation with a FIRST CLASS SPIRITUAL ATMOSPHERE.

HoGC 2.0

I love my church

I love my pastors

I love my God

HoGC 2.0

The past month has been simply amazing! HoGC 2.0 has been on the move and is slowly coming into place. Though some things (like God or the Bible) will never change, everything else is fluid and flexible. And what a journey it's been -- from follow-up under tables and people wondering why our church name is weird we have stepped into (and are continuing to grow into) the beginnings of leadership. 

But above everything else it's not just about hype and a cool exterior, 2.0 is about building a world class church in a first world nation with a FIRST CLASS SPIRITUAL ATMOSPHERE! Yeah!

Can't wait to go to the next level! :)

Inspired by the End

Okay, so I'm a knowledge junkie. I love learning things and news of Bible Studies like the End Times get me so excited (more than Microsoft Excel makes me happy--I know that's hard for the Ops people to believe). Above that I think Pastor How is the best preacher and teacher I've ever met (and I've heard my fair share)... so I may be a bit biased. But seriously, I have never heard the End Times presented in such a clear and relevant manner ever!

The Bible just blows me away more and more. How everything fits so perfectly despite everything being written by different people who could not have possibly orchestrated a con to make things fit--and over and above that having such vision and accuracy hundreds and thousands of years ago before modern amenities like rubber were invented (I don't think they even had toilet paper then)

I've heard about this end times stuff before but hearing it this time has one major major difference. It is a call to action. Lord, make me pure in heart, holy and set apart, strong in convictions and able to stand in the day of trouble that I might be counted worthy of the calling You have placed over my life. Lord, may I not be so selfish as to keep what I know to myself but to proclaim boldly to the world the good news and the great work You have done in my life. 

I can't wait for this Friday and Saturday. You can bet I'll be furiously taking notes!

Mac is Great

The office has converted to the apple!

It took a while for me to catch on, but I got a mac at a way cool (a.k.a. cheap) price just this month 'cause my aunt from the U.S. came to the Philippines while I was there. Woohoo! :)

If you don't trust the sheer of volume of converts or the fact that it's really really really pretty, I am delightedly willing to share my recently discovered joys of mac. Allow me to name a few...

1. spaces -- a program that allows you to separate your work into different windows so you don't have to rummage through stacks of excel sheets to find what you were working on :)

2. expose -- if spaces isn't enough, this function allows you to "expose" all the sheets you are working on in a particular window so you can easily find what you want to work on

3. dashboard -- a way cool setting that's like another screen where you can put real cool applications called widgets--some widgets can be useful like a Bible Gateway or Google search, while others are just pretty like the lava lamp. :P

4. dock -- the cool looking thing where you put all the stuff you want easy access to--and AND! you can make it pretty too!! by having it magnify as you mouse over the items! haha! :)

5. mighty mouse -- speaking of the mouse, the wireless mighty mouse can scroll 360 degrees! you can also program it to go to spaces or even the dashboard! so cool! :)

I must say... I'm far from done exploring the mac... but it's working out to be more than expected. :)

Homesick

You know how people say you don't know what you'll miss till it's gone? It's not true for everything.

Being in Manila this weekend I knew I would miss Heart of God Church; I knew I'd miss Pastors; I knew I would sorely, sorely miss the strong presence of God brought down by hungry hearts desiring to touch God.

In a state of nostalgia and home-sickness, one begins to pine for even the smaller details.

For one, my ears were itching without hearing "Yes" and "Amen" or the loud shouts of enthused worshipers praising God. I also couldn't help but miss our men and women in black smile-y-ly greeting everyone "Welcome to Heart of God Church! This way please" not to mention the Ops Teams scurrying around before service to ensure everything is just right and gathering just before doors open to pray (very loudly) and commit the service to God. I missed our Worship Team not for its musical excellence but for their ability to bring the people into the presence of God. I missed the powerful (yet relevant) word preached from the pulpit every week.

How privileged we are to worship in an atmosphere of faith and love every week. I miss my home.

Chinese New Year

I heard that the reason you give Ang Pao when you're married is because you got them when you were young so it's your turn to bless the younger generation (or pay your dues depending on how you see it)

So.... if I've never gotten Ang Pao during Chinese New Year do I have to give them in the future? Haha

We're entering the Year of the Rat... after reading Garrett's blog it hits me that the we the '84 babies are turning the full 12-year cycle... Daniel Tay, Weihao, Peck Lian own up to your age...! =)

Seriously, it's kinda funny to turn 24... when you're 13, 18 seems ages away and mid-20s are like ancient dinosaurs... when you turn 18 you're glad not yet in your 20s... but the truth is each age and season has its beauty and its lessons learnt... so, this means I need to (and will) embrace 2008 with whatever it brings.

Ecclesiastes says there is a time for everything... a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace...

If I made my own saying I'd probably say a time to eat and a time to fast, a time to work and a time to sleep, a time to take the MRT and a time to cab... haha

Time to grow up.

LOVE

For some reasons God has been putting in my heart to read the love chapter at the beginning of this year. It's interesting how one of my favorite passages in the Bible (that I've read like a gazillion times) can be so fresh and new. Isn't the Bible amazing?


1 Corinthians 13
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. LOVE NEVER FAILS.

But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.


Loving at a God level in 2008.

...Except for Elmo

... okay this picture has been transferring from blog to blog so it might as well come on to mine... haha...

I guess the only one who's not having a great 2008 is Elmo... haha...

Hmm... I wonder what he'll look like at the end of 2008... haha

A Great Year to Come!

The year is rolling along well... most people have started school except the fanciful people from NUS. Ignite Conference is coming up soon too which means Chinese New Year is coming then Easter then Red Rain and half the year will be gone again.

But before we get there, i just need to say that 2007 passed so quickly and yet, on the contrary, it seems like so many things have happened such that everything has just turned up-side down in a few short months. Seems almost unbelievable that last year at this time I was still sitting at a beachwood desk in Novena Square selling moisturizers haha. As some good friends in the admin office would say it seems like we have worked together and known each other for 6 years not 6 months. =)

And yet, 2008 is gonna be better!

I can feel the difference already... The Beginnings of Leadership.

Luke 2:52
"And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men."

This is a year where we will lay the foundations for a church of 3,000 by 2010.

This is a year where new leaders will begin to rise up and take their place as a generation that is competent and successful, pure and holy, radical, passionate, loving people with selfless faith captivated by a vision to build the church and the vision, their vision, together with pastors.

This is a year where we will increase in stature and favour with God and men.

The prayer of my heart as these things come to pass is an increase in wisdom and love and faith for myself and for the church. As we stand on the shoulders of what was built in 2007, no one's gonna stop this year from being great!

Breakthrough!

It's the day! Christmas BIG Days are here!
Santa Claus is coming to town with some elves!
41st Day is back in full power storming the gates of hell!
But most importantly breakthrough is here!

The Big Rocks

The past two weeks have been crazy busy! But super fun and, more than that, empowering! Parachute Band, Zone Camp, Getting Started, great weekend services, preparation for the upcoming events in December, etc., etc., etc.

After stopping to thing for a while, I am remind me of a short story I once heard--something that has helped me over the past years during busy times like this.

One day a wise teacher was speaking to a group of his students. He pulled out a one-gallon, wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on a table in front of him. Then he produced about a dozen fist-sized rocks and carefully placedthem, one at a time, into the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, heasked, "Is this jar full?"

Everyone in the class said, "Yes.""Really?" he asked. "Let's see." He reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of gravel. Then he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar, causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. Looking carefully from face to face, he smiled benevolently and asked again, "Is the jar full?"

His class was catching on quickly. "Probably not," one of them answered."Very good!" he replied. He then reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. He started dumping the sand in and it went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel.

When he was finished he onceagain asked, "Is this jar full?""No!" the class shouted. "Excellent!" he replied. Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and poured it in until the jar was filled to the brim.

Once again looking intently into the eyes of each student, he asked, "What is the point of this illustration?" One eager beaver raised his hand and said, "The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit some morethings into it!" "Aha, that's very good!" the teacher replied, "But let us look a bit deeper. This illustration also teaches us a higher truth: If you don't putthe big rocks in first, you will never get them in at all!"

This week, I'm excited to have all my big rocks in place--a very long time with God during rest day, some EV/integration outings, preparation for VBS and some other things. It's going to be a great week ahead. =)

Upsize 700! Breakthrough 1000!

okay, so I haven't written in what seems like ages, it's been busy but I'm going to make up for it. This is the first of many entries...

In faith we wrote down in the order of service last week that we would announce this weekend that we would breakthrough 700 in the youth attendance... God is truly a God who can do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that we ask or think...

Last weekend we not only Upsized 700 with an attendance of... wait... drumroll.... 747(!!!) but the whole church broke past 900 with an attendance of 950!!! Woohoo! Not only are we celebrating a milestone victory but 1,000 is so near--I can almost taste it!

The thing is, it's not about the number and yet it is--facts and figures can be done by many people... but every number is one life closer to God--a seed sown, a heart touched, a life changed. I do this because my life has never been the same since I met Jesus. It's been one exciting journey and what's even better is the present will pale in comparison to the future. Most importantly, we are not just focused on getting converts here, we are talking about disciples--people who are growing in their walk with God, people who will give up and sacrifice for God, people who will live their lives surrendered to and radical for God.

Just a little bit more, we will soar through 1,000. Pastor shared recently that many years ago, in 2004, when we were still maybe around 200-300 youths (?) and still in Henderson, he marked down in one of his sermons that the church would breakthrough 1,000 in 2007... Wow... =) What an exciting time to be in--I am glad to be here to see that prophetic word come to pass! =)

On to a church of 3,000 strong!

A Close Encounter

My mom came down last week and shared with me something about the explosion in Manila a few weeks ago...

It all started when my very talented and artistic but not very financially-aware sister wanted to deposit a check into someone's bank account. She didn't know that a check could be deposited at any bank branch and thought that she had to go all the way to the branch where the person opened the account; so, she borrowed the family driver and my dad had to drive.

My parents headed to Ayala Mall where my mom got off to buy some groceries. For some reason, she did not feel like going to the grocery because there was too little on her list (you must understand that my mom likes to grocery shop for fun and does so every other day, so this in itself is very unusual).

My mom went to the mall area thinking that she would shop for some shoes instead but she again decided against it--another very unusual thing. She then called my dad who was driving around the area and told him to hurry up and pick her up. My sister then called to say that she was done with her banking and would drop the driver off at the mall area. The driver came followed by my dad.

Both my parents were looking for a toilet, but the only one that was nearby was in this small restaurant called Luk Yuen. My mom, being the ultra-hygienic person that she is didn't want to go so only my dad went in for a quick trip to the john. The guard on duty told the driver that he couldn't park there, but he bargained to say that it was only for a short while. Sure enough, after a few minutes my dad came and my parents left the vicinity.

Just a few seconds after the car turned the corner (which was surprisingly free of cars that day) a loud explosion sounded from the area where they had come from and a tower of smoke billowed in the air above the mall. My parents would later learn that the explosion had come from just beside the restaurant where the car was parked just a few seconds before. The car that was just behind ours was completely destroyed. The parking space where the driver would have parked the car if my sister did not use him that day was destroyed as was the bridge that led to the shopping mall. At least 7 people died that day, many more were injured; but my family was safe.

My mom says she felt a prompting in her heart to quickly leave that place that day. It was definitely the Holy Spirit.

How can people say there is no God?