Have been very hectic at work. Feel like penning something
down to clear my mind. Just finished a press event for Transformation by Grace
project. Transformation by Grace project is raising funds for Salvation Army-
Gracehaven with the collaboration of Inner Beauty Crusade and support from
other organizations and individuals where the public can make their donations
in any amounts here.
This project comes with three docu dramas from the real life stories of previous
or current residents at the Gracehaven home. These docu dramas present how
these youths’ lives changed with opportunities and support from the benefactors
who choose to pass the kindness on to them. The press event which happened just
now was the launch of this project with its first docu drama which can be
viewed here.
The second docu drama will come in August and the last in September. Such docu
dramas are to create awareness and educate the public that there are some needy
youths with dysfunctional backgrounds who need support and help in some ways even
in this developed countries. In fact,
there are many more tragic life stories around. Are we even aware of that? Do
we think that all people are as fortunate as us?
How did I get involved with this project? As usual, I saw my
friend’s Facebook request for actors and actresses the day before the shoot and
I replied to her request on impulse as my 1st project of my personal
outreach. I have always had this passion of serving the youths and enjoy
serving the youths as I believe the youths are the hope of our future. I have
stopped serving the youth ministry for years and it is now time for me to
serve. I used to be a rebellious student with a lack of family support. I had a
very tough time through my school life since Sec 2. I was notorious in schools and often got into
troubles with teachers. There was one point when I almost got expelled from
school. I was blessed enough to go through my education with the help of
friends and teachers along the way. One even put me through my A level which I
flunked due to some reasons and she did not give up on me and gave me a 2nd
chance by leaving her legacy for my Polytechnic education. If not for these
kind souls, I would not be here enjoying life. So, I would like to carry on the
legacy of this deceased loved one by sharing her love with the others. Love
multiplies only through sharing while becoming corrupted if we choose to keep
it to ourselves. Love is purified only when shared unconditionally.
I wanted to act as a
grandmother at first. When the organizer saw me for the first time on the day
of the shoot, she exclaimed I looked young. The makeup artiste took a long time
to draw more lines on my face and dull my eyes for me to look like a mother.
When we were about to start the shoot, I suggested to them that y role should
be acted out by this other woman as she could fit into the role better than me.
I was very touched that they wanted me to continue with the role. I just needed
more time to get into the role as I got my script one hour before the shoot. I
did not mind if they passed the role to this other woman as long as the result
came out better. This drama is not for fame. It is for raising funds for the
youths in the home. As long as this drama can touch other people’s hearts
deeper with this woman taking over the role, I am more than happy to give it
up. It was alright for me to make a wasted trip there. I was also prepared to
be laughed at or criticized by people about my acting skills or my old look. I
still went ahead with the role with the encouragement of the team.
Transformation by Grace not just applied to the real people
in the drama but also to me as an actress. There was a crying scene. At first,
they wanted to spray water into my eyes for the tears. In the end, I told them
I would rather try to cry with real emotions. They were all very helpful. They
kept asking about my real life situations. At first, I thought it was my
current failed career or unhappy family or the death of my deceased loved ones
which would make me cry. But, it was none of these. What made me cry was one of
my youths’ suicide two years ago. Then, I realized that it hit me hard. The
camera crew members were very funny. They saw my tears and quickly proceeded
with the crying scene. When I looked at the face of the leading character who
was my son in the drama, I saw my deceased youth’s face. Those tears were from
my heart. I was very heart broken he went to the path of no return. That gave
me a breakthrough in this drama. One of the panelist asked if the parents in
the drama were the real parents as the expressions were real. He even joked
about recommending us to Jack Neo for dramas. These team members had given me
the time and confidence to get into my role though we were rushing to finish
the scenes. I was transformed by them through their encouragement. This other
woman whom I suggested to take up my role advised me along the way how a typical
mother should behave and talked as she had many years of dealing with these
youths and their parents. They did not give up on me.
God blessed me with the miracle of pulling through the shoot
to the end. As I could not take the heat of the lights and hot weather on that
day, I puked twice and suffered from serious migraine attack. While resting,
the rest of them went for other scenes I was not involved with. I took the
chance to rest and prayed hard that I could continue with the shoot in a
restaurant later. I still fell very sick after my taking my painkiller. When we
reached the restaurant, the team members were considerate. They took a lunch
break for me to rest. I rested for awhile. When I was fine, they started the
shoot. They joked I was sick at the right time as that scene required me to
look haggard, disappointed and sad for my son who refused to change at that
point of time. I managed to pull through the scene and completed my part. I
know God was at work and I was trying my best to pull through it all. I kept
telling myself it was not about me but for the youths who need the funds to
have better lives. I do not want them to end up like me getting stuck in my
career and cannot earn much for rising cost of living just because I do not
have a degree. Not many people knew I was in a bad state during my school days
and I understand how it is like to go through painful moments without support. I
was trying to turn my own frustration with myself into positive energy to help
the youths from getting into my situation through this project. I always
believe that knowledge and education empower people in life. I do not need any
praise for this project. I know my deceased loved one would be proud of me and
that is more than enough.
There are many needy youths out there who really need support
and help. I could not agree more with one of the panelists who shared the
definition of grace. The meaning I gathered from him was grace is a gift that
we do not deserve. Transformation by grace would be our lives are transformed
with the gifts from the people in our lives which we do not deserve. Not all of
us can do great things in life. But, all of us can do small things with great love
and this will make the world a better place. It could have prevented my
deceased youth from taking his own life. I know I cannot save every youth in my
life but I just want to do my best to help them. Never belittle the kind deeds
done by a few people. Such love out of kind deeds will spread and can be life
transforming. Look at Jayden, the character
in this drama. If Gracehaven did not accept him into the home, where would he
end up in? Would he even have the chance to study in UK under Navy’s
sponsorship? Where does Gracehaven get enough funds and support to house these
needy youths? This would only be possible with the support, time, funds and
love from the others.
My friends had good laughs at the video because of my half
past six acting skills. Some of my friends are feeling down. I know they would
laugh at me when they saw me on screen with my lousy acting skills. If my
acting skills are good, it won’t be funny anymore. I am happy as long as they
are happy. I am fine to be a laughing clown. I was all prepared for criticisms
as this docu drama is not for my fame but for the needy youths.
Throughout the docu drama I was in, God was at work. All these
actresses and actors for all characters were gathered the day before the actual
shoot and all of us only met one another for the first time on the actual day.
We had no experience of acting and yet we could do well. This is Love at work
(pun). It means Love was working as inspired by the Holy Spirit and Love worked
out from the finished work of the docu drama. We had a lot of laughter though with a little disagreement
at times. Despite some conflicts, everyone rose above the disagreement and this
drama was completed.
Going forward, I will look into where I should be serving.
My mission here is not to please everyone but to do my best to help others as
much as I can. I hope to see more successful stories of transformation by grace
like Jayden. Here, I would like to thank my team members and friends who give
me encouragement for this project. Really appreciated from the bottom of my
heart. Thank you for being blessings in my life!
With Love,
Elena
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