The reason I went to Singapore last weekend for just 4 days, was to
1. See my Mom and Step Dad and Nai Nai (I hadn't seen Nai Nai since March 2009).
2. Do service with my Mom and Step Dad - we supported a teacher training that Mom did, on the new Grades 2 and 3 of the Ruhi Book 3s. Very interesting materials - and another deeper level of learning, that we can incorporate into our lives and marriages and also teach in neighborhood children's classes. I highly recommend learning about Grades 1 (now 24 instead of 15 lessons!), Grade 2 (more prayers, quotes, music and games have evolved to very cool Drama, and coloring has advanced to "Drawing" also very cool opportunties to learn, create and be of service, and another aspect called "Reflection" something to develop - like we should take ourselves into account each day, training early to learn this, and Grade 3 - new prayers and quotations, more DRAMA and DRAWING, and MUSIC. And the material covered is very interesting: "God's Manifestations, The Lives of the Manifestations Who Appeared During the Prophetic Cycle, The Life of the Bab, a Twin Manifestion, the Life of Baha'u'llah, a Twin Manifestation.
3. To do this service together in honor of Grandberry and Grandmother - both were born on June 23rd. And in honor of Grand Dad, and Grand Father and Nai Nai's husband, Ah Ha. I also did this in honor of parents.
It was a very, very, very good way to have a trip. Fun, Service, Family, Food.
We went shopping - which was fun because it was mostly for other friends and then I got a pair of red shoes. Which I like. A lot. We shopped on Orchard street and other streets of "lesser caliber".
We watched 4 carefully chosen movies together in 4 days too (I had brought 3 of them to share with them):
- The King's Speech - very nice and a true story of Queen Elizabeth's father's struggle with stuttering,
- Hope in a Changing Climate by local Beijinger's John and Kosima Liu (I just met Kosima the week before at a visit to Beijing's Medicinal Herb Garden) very inspirational
- What the Bleep Do We Know - let me know again and again how important our thoughts are to our reality. As Abdu'l-Baha says, our thoughts are our reality.
- The Next Industrial Revolution - narrated by Susan Sarandon, the story of Bill McDonough (architect) and Michael Braungart (chemist) and how they are working for a sustainable future, system by manufacturing system and buildings, at a time. inspirational.
We went out to eat together and shared the expenses. I treated them to a great meal at CEDELES the first night we could share a dinner together. My step Dad made sure the home always had enough DURIAN for Nai Nai, and the rest of us (Mom doesn't love it) which I love for sure now. It's a decision. Lovely fruit.
Service at the Baha'i Center - went to the Singapore Baha'i Center for the Grade 2 and Grade 3 training and the next day for an impressive Reflection Gathering mostly about ways to provide wonderful neighborhood children's classes there.
Family Time - spent some nice time with Nai Nai joking and playing and chatting. I gave her a little panda bear pen as a small present from the Hong Kong airport.
Highly recommended!