Y’S MEN INTERNATIONAL Southeast Asia Region “Active, Unity & Growth”
Welcome to the Quarterly E-bulletin, January 2021 Area theme : “Make a difference” Slogan: “Inspire” “To acknowledge the duty that accompanies every right”
Y’s Men International . Southeast Asia Region
Quarterly Bulletin
January 2021
social dialogue. We are even busier than before and such technology has brought us even closer. We are constantly thinking of new ways to host Club Installations, Regional & District Meetings, Seminars and Programs and even virtual tours. Such ingenuity can only come from the Lord for we are His and His people. Praise be to God for His ingenuity, ideas and innovativeness.
MESSAGE FROM SMIT DISTRICT GOVERNOR(20/21) As the saying goes, ‘time and tide waits for no man”. Like the fleeting wave, 2020 had slushed by and now we are already in the early month of 2021. Indeed 2020 had been a watershed year for most of us with the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing us into uncharted waters of doing business, communications and social interactions. We need to adjust to this unanticipated virulent environment – with social distancing, masking, PPEs, lockdowns and working from home coupled with mandatory quarantine and clinical testing. Yet the pandemic is unabated. The basic rudiments of living and commerce have been rudely disrupted with shutdown of international travel and gatherings. These put entire governments (especially the healthcare sector) in disarray – trying their best to combat the negativities created by the pandemic – in search of vaccine(s) for this deadly virus. Praise be to God, vaccines have been discovered and to be administered. We pray that they will be effective to combat and even eliminate the COVID-19 pandemic.
On another subject, I would like to share the meaning of the acronym – SMIT – which encapsuled the direction (under my watch) for various Clubs in the SMIT District (Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia & Thailand, inclusive of Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar and Nepal). So, when you think of SMIT District remember this: Supporting Missions Internationally by Trusting our Lord. By SUPPORT, we support each other in our quest to bring Christ to our fellow mankind in different countries with our varied capabilities & resources and rich cultural background & traditions; By MISSIONS – we share our experience & lessons (successes and even failures) in our various missions manifested by our past campaigns, projects, endeavors and adventures with the newer clubs or younger crowd; By INTERNATIONALLY – we do not confine our YMI’s experience to ourselves but share the joy, pain and excitement with other clubs in the SMIT district and beyond; and
So while COVID-19 play havoc with our lives, are we as Y’s Men & Menettes still concerned with the objects, organizations, plans and projects that we have embraced and embarked on prior to 2020? Are we still fervent in our quest to “acknowledge the duty that accompanies every right” or we adopt the ‘Que Sera Sera, (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)” or “Cie la Vie” attitude? Thank God, such laid-back dispositions have not occurred within our Clubs.
By TRUSTING our Lord – in all that we do, we must remember to “ Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 May 2021 be SMIT-oriented and may the grace, blessings, favours, protection and love of God abide with us always! Wishing all of us and our families, friends and fraternities a blessed and prosperous Lunar New Year!
In fact, most members are embracing the modern technology of Zoom, Google Meet, MS-Team, WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, Twitter, Instagram to communicate for meetings, planning and organizing and
DG Peter YB Tay SMIT District (20/21)
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REGIONAL NEWS Amazing Extension Progress in Myanmar The latest meeting on January 26, 2021 was arranged by Manugmanug Win, National General Secretary of YMCA which called all key leaders from clubs and YMCAs together to discuss the arrangement of club charter. During the meeting, ISG Jose Vargheses and AP David Lua gave an encouraging speech while club representatives from Myitkyina and Myanmar clubs presented their plan. The meeting accelerated the progress of club charter.
There was an amazing progress on forming Y’s Men Clubs in Myanmar. Four YMC clubs in Myanmar are going to charter together which is scheduled end of March.( Note: The schedule is suspended due to uncertain political situation) The project of extension in Myanmar is a joint effort made by National YMCAs , Myanmar and Southeast Asia Region plus the liaison work done by ASD-YL Kohei Yamada. Various meetings were held before between regional officers and potential members coming from Myitkyina, Loikaw, Mandalay from October 2020 to January 2021 with the help from Loikaw YMCA, Mandalay YMCA, Myitkyina YMCA respectively.
The extension for Myanmar is a good model of working with YMCAs. Appraised the great effort made by below extension team members : By RD Joan Wong
Kohei Yamada Edward Ong David Lua Area President (AP) Area Service Director(ASD) Area Service Director (ASD) Extension & Membership Conservation(EMC)
YMCA Liaision(YL)
James Kong Rachan Maneekarn Peter Tay Regional Service Director (RSD) District Governor(SMIT) Regional Service Director(RSD) Extension (EXT)
YMCA Liaision
National of YMCA, Myanmar 2
Joan Wong Regional Director (RD)
Deepak Bhandari Regional Secretary(RS)
REGIONAL NEWS WEEK 4 WASTE Task Force – Southeast Asia Region In response to YMI Cleaning Up Project, the Region had called the 1st Meeting on December 26, 2020 (Boxing Day). The Task Force Committee was chaired by RSD-CS/PRD Patricia Lim. The meeting was to discuss what can be done for the project and how to promote the campaign to clubs in the Region. The members of Task Force are: Chairman: RSD-CS/PRD Patricia Lim (Singapore)
DG/RD Joan Wong (Hong Kong) DG Peter Tay (Singpore) RS/CP Deepak Bhandari (Nepal) RSD-YL/DGE Rachan Maneekarn (Thailand) DS Doris Moh (Singapore) PCP Justine Lim (Malaysia) Y’s Lady Helen Cheah (Malaysia) Thank you so much to AP David Lua and ASD/CS Paul Lim for joining the meeting and giving ideas to the Region. The task force had sent an outline to all clubs for promotion.
WEEK 4 WASTE
April 18 to 23, 2021
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CLUB NEWS Y Eagles of Johor Hope @ Box Social Enterprise Project Since the inauguration on 20 August 2020, Y Service Club of Johor Eagles has been in the search of its creative way to serve the community in Johor, Malaysia. Being very new to the work of community service, the Y Eagles started out by strengthening the spiritual bonding of members through prayer and Bible study. A weekly prayer and Bible study fellowship immediately after the inauguration was started and is ongoing until now. This fellowship, even though not attended by all members due to work commitments, is the prayer house of Y Eagles club. In search of our first community service project during this pandemic period, it has been the prayer of Y Eagles to launch an innovative social enterprise project to help the needy. In November 2020, our prayer was answered when the club came across the PWD Smart Farmability Hope Box project by Dr. Billy Tang in Malaysia. This Hope Box is an enclosed terrarium with organic vegetables planted in nutrient-dense soil, 100% protected from pests & diseases, and is selfsustainable with minimal watering. This is an innovative urban farming solution grown out of the vision of Dr. Billy Tang where “Everyone can farm!”. Envisioning the potential of this urban farming product, the Y Eagles club immediately initiated an order of 10 boxes of Hope Box with Dr. Billy Tang and started our first step in community service and social enterprise roadmap. We crafted a Hope Box @ Christmas project where we aimed to distribute the 10 boxes of Hope Box to the needy such as the old folks’ home. However, due to the fact that this is a new product which involves simple farming procedure, the club decided to identify interested members and non-members to test out this product. To better equip ourselves, 4 Eagles club members drove to Kuala Lumpur to receive simple training from Dr. Billy Tang himself and transported 8 boxes to Johor Bahru with 2 boxes adopted in Kuala Lumpur itself. The Hope Box offers vegetable selection of spinach and watercress and requires only 2 times per week watering with rice water preferred. The result so far has been encouraging and the harvested vegetable is delicious and can re-grow in 1 to 2 weeks’ time.
Moving forward after 1 and half month’s trial, the Y Eagles club plans to roll out a social enterprise project with this Hope Box product at a larger scale which aims not just to feed the needy but also to generate job and business opportunities in society with sustainable revenues in the longer term. “ Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path”, with Psalms 119:105 in the Bible as the guiding verse, the Y Eagles club aims to execute its social enterprise roadmap in divine rhythm and optimise its benefits to the society it serves. By CP Desmond Lee, Y Service Club of Johor Eagle
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CLUB NEWS Community Service in Chiangmai
On October 31, 2020, a cleaning project organized by the Nation University & Y’s Men’s Club of Chiangmai, Y’s Men’s Club of Lanna Chiangmai at Ban Bun Koet Child Development Center, Tambon Phrabat, Amphoe Muang, Lampang Province. The YMCA of Chiangmai, Y Development Cooperation Co., Ltd., and Y’s Men’s Club of Chiangmai donated Hygienic Face Masks and snacks for 320 students and 30 teachers of Ban Pa Mai Daeng School, Doi Saket District, Chiang Mai through School Director - Sriphat Saengprat on 6th January 2021. This project has been partially supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), & the National Council of YMCA of Korea (NCYK).
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CLUB NEWS Clubs in the Hong Kong are still fighting COVID-19 with YMCAs
As the Government imposed server restrictions on social distancing in view of COVID-19 pandemic rebounce since November 2020, it was hard to organize any community services. However, the Chinese YMCA in collaboration with volunteers from YMC Island East sent warm regards to 60 home alone elderly by delivering hot soup and food on November 11, 2020. By Y’s Men’s Club of Island East
Blessing Bags Donation On 5th February 2021, with the presence of RD/DG Joan Wong and DDG Kenny Choi, CP Gabriel (TST Club), PP Andy Fu and PP Rose Yun, accompanied with RS Vivian of YMCA of Hong Kong, presented a total of 180 blessing bags to the elderly, low-income families at Tung Chung, Hong Kong, and particularly the youth under the Children Development Fund. All were hotly welcomed by the representatives of the families!
May God have mercy on earth, with great love and care for all the needed families! By Y’s Men’s Club of Tsim Sha Tsui cum YMCA of Hong Kong 6
YOUTH NEWS Three youth Clubs in Nepal will Charter on the same Day Initiated and sponsored by YSC Lumbini, three youth clubs namely YYC Lumbini, YYC Kawasoti and YYC Samata School were successfully formed and submitted charter applications to the International. The idea of forming youth club in Samata School was greatly supported by the Principal Mahesh Prasad Bhurtel. The Principal hoped that the establishment of youth club could have
opportunity how to learn helping people and the community. Three Clubs participated in the secondary level football competition organized by Samata School on January 27, 2021, YYC Kawasoti won the gold medal and awarded school bags. The awards was sponsored by YSC Lumbini Nepal. Three clubs will receive orientation training first and will charter in March. By RSD- YI Kenny Choi
Y Service Youth Club of Samata School
Y Service Youth Club of Lumbini
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IBC NEWS YSC LUMBINI AND YMC KITAKYUSHU REACHED IBC AGREEMENT After several meetings, YSC Lumbini and YMC Kitakyushu finally reached an IBC agreement. Congratulations to both clubs for a successful breakthrough. Both clubs conducted an exchange meeting on January 15, 2021 again in which youth members from YYC Samata School, YYC Lumbini & YYC Kawasoti were invited to attend too. During the meeting, Japanese students from Calligraphy Department of Plum Optical University perfomed calligraphy (new year greeting words) in 6 minutes. It was incredible and amazing exchange. Special thanks to ISD-IBC/AS Keiko Tonegawa , SEA RD Joan Wong , SEA RS Deepak Bhandari, CP Ms. Masako Kinugawa, IPP Hisashi Sogabe, Japanese members and University students for their support. Both clubs will sign International Brother Club in May. By RSD-IBC Norman Wee
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CHRISTIAN EMPHASIS Monthly Prayer Meeting In Southeast Asia Region
Devotion of Hopefulness 2021 All Is Gift All Is Grace
Since the 1st Saturday of December, Southeast Region kept on organizing prayer meeting monthly. It was a great fellowship platform in the region.
Dear SEA Region Alliances,
Allow me to quote Archbishop Elder Desmond Tutu leadership emphasis on Truth & Reconciliation of South Africa: “What we are, what we have, even our salvation, all is gift, all is grace, not to be achieved but to be received as a gift freely given. God’s bias in favor of sinners is so immense that it is said we will be surprised at those we find in heaven whom we had not expected to encounter there.” ―Desmond Tutu, No Future Without Forgiveness, p. 85.
Last time, we were happy that PISG Takao Nishimura joined and shared a devotion with us. Every time, the prayer meeting was wonderful. Thank you so much to below team members for their dedication to God and Southeast Asia Region. Chairman : RSD-CE Rev PJ John Worship Leader : CP Desmond Lee Volunteers : RD Joan Wong & RSD-YL/DGE Rachan Maneekarn
As this is a message of hope for this new year 2021, let’s continue to pray and support especially SEA region for its goodwork if extension to Malaysia, Myanmar and Nepal as well as actively participating in monthly prayer meeting.
Do join our prayer meeting on 1st Saturday of every month. All Y’s Men and non Y’s Men are welcome.
We need participation of our leadership networking and alliances in a 2021 SEASON of renewal of body, mind and spirituality throughout our dynamic movement. Our wonderful positive servant leadership and fellowship must be inclusive as we engage in leadership as well as with united intercession. Let nothing dampen our current spirit of fellowship, unity and Christian Emphasis spirituality shared among us as we overcome current challenges. As a region, we are moving into phase 3 of the pandemic in 2021 until 2022, there will be limited international travellers allowed, therefore let’s gather in zoom training and other programs. As SEA Region intentional leadership organised to inspire and help in small groups wherever we are in Y’sdom. Y’sly as discussed in past monthly prayer fellowship, including as many younger people and youths together to reach them and families we are serving. Prayer is making first thing first building desire towards faith, hope and love (1Cor.13:13) but the greatest is love. God bless, By RSD-CE Rev Dr P J John 9
INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME February Emphasis – TIME OF FAST (TOF)
Hello all my friends! I hope all of you are safe and healthy through this difficult time. As you know the Covid-19 is a global pandemic that is effecting all around the world whether with our daily life and financial condition and of course it is also effect our organization, Y’s Men International!
The Y’s Men International has many distribution funds such as Brotherhood fund and Time of Fast Fund. Especially “Time of Fast” is one of the most important fund of Y’s Men International. Many clubs around the world donate for this fund including our clubs in South East Asia Region. As I mentioned earlier that the global pandemic is effecting around the world, it is also effected our TOF Fund. The donation for TOF Fund has dropped from the
Donation is Easy ! Simply go to Y’s Men Website and pay by credit card for TOF Projects. If Clubs wish to apply for TOF fund, please submit the project proposal to YMI. Deadline of Submission :March 15, 2021
past and this is the reason why I’d like to encourage all of you to donate for TOF more. I believe that if we work on it together we can make it happen! I’d like to share some of my home club ideas, Y’s Men Club of Chiang Mai. We also effect by the Covid-19, we couldn’t meet our friends more often as before. It is a hard time for us to keep moving forward for our programme. So, we have made a decision together with our club’s members that when we meet we will have just a simple meal or only coffee and cookies. That is the idea that we plan to do for our next meeting so we could save some money for donating to TOF Fund. Earlier, I’ve seen the post from our ISG Jose Varghese that he won’t celebrate his birthday this year so he can save the money and donate it to TOF Fund. This is a good idea for celebrating and help other people at the same time. The Y’s Men Club of Chiang Mai also have another plan for the TOF Fund, when the situation is getting better. We plan to have a garage sale that our club members will bring their secondhand stuff such as cloths, jewelry and housewares for selling. Then we can donate all incomes to TOF Fund. These are the examples from my home club. We plan to do this together to move forward our donation for the TOF Fund. What is your plan? I would like to invite all of you to do this together for our Y’s Men Family and other people around the world. As I know, some clubs may face some problem when they have to transfer the money for donation and they have to pay the fee as well. I’d like to ask our region to help every club for this matter. By RSD-TOF Supaluck Promkuntha
Message from Bulletin Editor
Very happy to send the third quarter edition of the e-bulletin, this issue spans the Lunar Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day, also has the most happy things to share ! On 10 February , Island South of Hong Kong District will send the festive food to the elderly in Kwai Chung to express our concern ! What kind of activities have your club prepared? Looking forward to sharing in the next issue! Wishing you a happy Chinese New Year , good health & stay away from viruses! By RSD-BE Pinky Seung
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News are always most welcomed. Please send your stories/write-ups not exceed 150 words with high quality images to us. Next Issue: April 2021 Last date of Submission: April 17, 2021
Pinky Seung Bulletin Editor
Deepak Bhandari Bulletin Designer
Joan Wong
Regional Director