Camels
A mama camel and her baby camel are talking one day when the little one ask, " Mum, Why I havegot these 3 toed feets?"
Mama Camel replies, Well my little camel, when wetrek accross the dessert your toe will help you stayon top of the sand so that it will prevent you fromsinking.
I see! said the little camel.
A few moments later, the little camel ask, Mum,Why I have these lovely long eye-lashes?"
Mama camel replies, they are there to keep the sand out ofyour eyes on the long journey through the hot dessert.
Thats wonderful Mum, replies the little camel.
A short while later the little camel asks again , Mum,Why I have got these great humps on my back?
Mama Camel replies, Oh, they are there to help youstore water for our long journey accross the dessertso we can go without drinking water for very longperiods.
Wow!! That great, replies the little camel. We havegreat feet to stop us from sinking into the sand, longeyes-lashes to keep the sand from entering our eyesand the humps to store water, BUT Mum !!!
Yes, my little camel? replies Mama camel.
BUT THEN,"WHAT ARE WE DOING IN THE ZOO??"
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The feet, eyes lashes and the hump of a camel were created for travelling in the desert. That is the purpose of these of that which they were given to the camel. Being stranded in the zoo these were not no longer really needed and fulfill their purpose.
How about us? We don't have big feet (or maybe some does) the long eye lashes and hump, but we were created to trust and obey God. And He wants us to be witnesses for Him. If we are not, then what is?
Are we in the zoo? or are we suppose to be out there....
praise the Lord
11:23 PM
Ritchell Lim The One Who Keeps Me Safe
Concert presented by Asia Major
Ritchell Lim is 13 years old. She sings and plays the piano. She writes her own songs and has her own albums. And Ritchell is visually impaired.
Release of second album, You Keep Me Safe ….
Ritchell Lim, released her new album “You Keep Me Safe” in October 2007, featuring newly composed uplifting songs of her love and faith in God and her hope in this world.
Award winning arranger Martin Tang and Jonathan Koh were the producers of the album. Martin won the “Golden Melody” award for best arrangement for his work on Sun Yanzi’s album “Desired Happiness”. Between them, their works can also be heard on albums featuring artistes such as Ah* Mei, Coco Lee, F4, SHE, Wang Lee Hom, Jacky Cheung, Jeff Chang, Dick Lee, Panda Xiong, Eric Moo, Sammi Cheng, William So, Fan Fan and many more.
For the last two years, Asia Major brought Ritchell and her family to Singapore for a series of concerts. She has since sung to more than 50,000 audiences from churches, organisations and schools. Many were blessed by her songs and testimony.
Ritchell will perform songs such as “The One Who Keeps Me Safe” from her latest album and also the crowd favourite songs such as “Here Is My Song” and “Hear My Prayer” from her debut Heavenly Gift album.
Quotes from some who have heard Ritchell in Singapore:
“Her singing is incredible, so crystal clear and pitch perfect. She’s world-class...”
“..She’s got such a heart for God! And gifted with such a beautiful voice and gift of music! Personally, I was just so touched by them because they’re so real and they’re just her prayers to Him.”
“… She didn’t just sing. She exhorted. Melodically. Simply. Her resonant voice reverberated throughout the whole sanctuary powerfully, yet gently at the same time. She also played the keyboard while she was singing. Perfectly, not missing a key. She was great, basically. And if you think what’s so wonderful about her, you must hear her for yourself. She has the strength in her lungs of a professional adult singer, but she’s still...a child.”
Ritchell’s Story…
26 October 1995 is a day that I will never forget. It was a fresh morning in Indonesia when I was called into a room to see the surgeon. He explained that my wife’s condition was critical and that I needed to make a very difficult decision in order to save her life.
I was advised that our 30-week old baby needed to be delivered instantly or my wife would die.
After an emergency caesarean, our much awaited baby daughter, Ritchell was born. Weighing only 1kg and measuring 35cm long, with only one functioning lung, bruising to her rib and considerable blood loss, I was convinced that she would not survive. In my desperation, I instinctively called out to a god I did not know, but he was silent.
We immediately arranged for Ritchell to go to a hospital that treated premature babies. Much to our distress, none of the hospitals were willing to treat her with the exception of one. However, because they did not have available room in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, she was nursed in a normal paediatric ward and placed inside an incubator for two and a half months. This resulted in the damage of Ritchell’s eyesight.
We were consumed with anger at the reality of what had happened, but God used this opportunity to open our spiritual eyes. He saturated us in His supernatural love, which was reflected to others. As a result, my parents, brothers and sister came to trust the Lord with their lives. The most miraculous conversion was that of my 95 year old grandfather who gave his life to Christ a few days before he died.
Miracle Child
Ritchell displayed a fervent love for God ever since she was two. It is this love that compels her to sing of His tender mercies with the beautiful voice that God has blessed her with. Ritchell has also been composing songs and playing the piano since she was six. At age nine, she released her debut album “Heavenly Gift”. Ritchell is truly a miracle child that God has given to our family. Not just because she could survive from her
condition at birth, but also because it brought a lot of souls to come to know the true God. When people listen to her songs, they cannot help but feel God’s grace reflected in our little girl.
Ritchell is now twelve and studies at Thornlie Christian College (normal school). She does the same curriculum as her classmates and is capable of doing the entire academic lesson without any difficulties.
Ritchell came to public attention when she won the Canning Vale Superstar, a small version of Australian Idol. Since then, she has also appeared in Telethon, one of the most significant television charity appeals in Australia dedicated to raising funds to improve the lives of children and young people throughout Western Australia. In 2004, her first professional concert, “A Touch of Hope” saw more than a thousand people touched by her songs. Her songs and story has also reached Singapore and Indonesia. In the past two years, Ritchell has already sung to more than 40,000 audiences in Singapore alone.
She never forgets to pray for everyone who needs prayer and she also prays that God will heal her one day. There were occasions we were concerned about her prayer request concerning her eyes. One day we asked her, “If God doesn’t heal your eyes, would you feel disappointed?” Her answer surprised us when she replied, “No, I will not be disappointed. I have my spiritual eyes.” How could a little girl like Ritchell have such great faith?
A lot of things have happened since Ritchell started singing and sharing her story publicly and in churches. We can’t mention it all, it would be too long. We hope that you might enjoy meeting our little girl, Ritchell Lim, and hear the story of her life.
- Widjaja Limawan, Ritchell’s father
Background on Asia Major
Asia Major is managed by a group of like-minded people whose passion is in participating in creative productions (eg concerts, musicals, films, plays) that offer a special message of hope.
Our inaugural show, Children’s Letters To God, which was staged in July 2006, won the hearts of many. Asia Major also organised Ritchell Lim’s Christmas Concerts in Singapore (Faith Methodist Church, Paya Lebar Methodist Church, St John St Margaret’s Church, Church of Praise, Asia Pacific Missions Fellowship and other fellowship groups) in December 2006. We were also the marketing/publicity agent for the Australian gospel singer/songwriter Deb Fung.
For the next two years, Asia Major will not just be organising Ritchell Lim’s concerts in Singapore and beyond but also playing a major role in the production of her second album.
“We saw the incredible impact Ritchell had on the audience. We know that this is going to be a concert that will touch and change lives. We cannot but be compelled to be involved,” says Cindy Koh, Director, Asia Major.
About The Asia Major Team
Cindy Koh manages her communications company, The Write Stuff Pte Ltd and events company Asia Major Pte Ltd. She has more than 15 years of experience in editorial, marketing communications and public relations.
Evelyn Lim has her degree from the Mackintosh School of Architecture, Glasgow, Scotland. She brings fresh impetus and perspectives to the projects she oversees in both companies.
Koh Bee Bee, an experienced theatre practitioner, was an auditor with Price Waterhouse before switching her career path to the arts with ACTION theatre and Wild Rice.
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Good News, you will get a chance to meet her on the 13 of Dec 7:30 pm right at BlessedGrace English/Chinese service !!!
Posted by: Pastor Billy
praise the Lord
7:47 PM