Hillsongs United Live in Tokyo

(Click on image to see enlarged version)

This is an Australian band concert that youths all over the world are excited about! May you be touched by the magic of Love even through its music and action-packed atmosphere!

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MOL Christmas in Singapore this Dec!

Have friends in Singapore to invite to this spectacular treat? Drop an email here or anyone you know on the MOL Tokyo teams NOW! =)

Sharing Magic in Love Everywhere

Do you know that our big magician Lawrence also spearheads his very own Lawrence School of Magic, which initiated “Project SMILE” (Sharing Magic in Love Everywhere)? This charity scheme is conducted in conjunction with welfare organisation Touch Community Services in Singapore.

Before the Magic of Lawrence and Priscilla performed their Magic of Love at the next stop Shenyang, they had already been there for three days last week to work with 53 students from the top universities in Shenyang on Project SMILE. The Magic team was given an official opening by the Chinese Communist Party’s Youth Wing to work with these college students! At the end of the three days of classes, Lawrence brought the entire team to serve in an elderly home in the city. Five major TV stations were there to cover the event. Lawrence has also been invited back to the universities next year to speak on leadership and other youth related issues. What an opportunity!

We believe that MOL Shenyang (2-6 November) is going to excite and touch many too!

The Story of how the (new) Tokyo Raiders got to Tokyo

If you have been frequenting this blog, you would have heard of the (new) Tokyo Raiders' 'glitch'-erous journey to Japan on 3 October. Now watch them on the 'big' screen.

Straits Times News featuring Magic of Love!

[Actual news report on the main English paper in Singapore]

Oct 9, 2006

SITNews
S'pore adds a little magic to Japan ties
by Kwan Weng Kin

TOKYO - FAMILY MAGIC: The father-and-daughter team of Lawrence and Priscilla Khong easily overcame the language barrier at their charity magic show.

MAGICIANS Lawrence and Priscilla Khong are in the business of putting some magic into the lives of people wherever they go.

The father-and-daughter team from Singapore mounted an hour-long magic show in Tokyo last week that enthralled a nearly 150-strong audience of mostly pre-schoolers and the mentally handicapped.

The charity performance, held in Tokyo's Minato ward, was part of events marking the 40th anniversary of Singapore's establishment of diplomatic ties with Japan.

The Singapore Embassy, which organised the performance, is located in Minato ward.
'The embassy's objective is to portray a softer and kinder side of Singapore in the ward. We are also promoting the show as a kind of Singapore culture,' said an embassy official.

An interpreter was on hand during the show to help with translation whenever the magicians spoke in English.

But the illusions on stage hardly needed explaining.

Mrs Maureen Tan, wife of the Singapore Ambassador to Japan, Mr Tan Chin Tiong, was in the audience.

She said after the show: 'The audience was really responsive. At first, I thought they would be a bit shy. But you can hear the children's spontaneous shrieks of joy especially. There was no language barrier.'

The Singaporean magicians were here for a three-day run of their 'Magic of Love' musical extravaganza, following a successful tour in the US. The Tokyo shows ended yesterday.

The embassy also plans to invite two well-known Singapore chefs, including celebrated French chef Justin Quek, to prepare a series of formal lunches and dinners for distinguished guests in the next two months.

In December, the embassy plans to stage an event showcasing Singapore culture, which will include an opening night performance by the T'ang Quartet, Singapore's highly acclaimed chamber music group.

In December, the embassy plans to stage an event showcasing Singapore culture, which will include an opening night performance by the T'ang Quartet, Singapore's highly acclaimed chamber music group.

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Up next in Lawrence and Priscilla's travelling performances: Shenyang!

Tokyo Raiders : Day Six - MOL, truly a hit in Japan!

For the only evangelistic MOL show which was yesterday's matinee, it was reported to us that there were 149 salvations! Wow, many in the audience were truly touched by the magic of Love.

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Tokyo Raiders split into 3 groups this morning to visit three churches' Sunday services:
Yeang Cherng, Stella & Lirong - Shalom Shinjuku Church's Youth Service
Adele, Meiqi & Dan - Tokyo Sunshine Church
Mirabel, Clarence & Chee Aik - Shalom Saitama Church

Some of us shared our testimonies - of salvation, of being in the G12 vision, etc - with the churches. We believed that not only did the testimonies bless our brothers and sisters, they blessed our own hearts too when we heard of how Jesus has transformed our lives and caused us to grow.

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Heading back to MielParque Hall, we were all excited about this last MOL show! Everyone's spirits seemed especially high today, no matter if we were in worship, praying and interceding, selling the merchandise and magic tricks, or simply welcoming the guests with smiles. We gave in our best and attained an incredible sales record. We believed that every small effort truly counts.

To all our Japanese friends who came for the shows with our MOL tickets, thank you for the support and wonderful comments you have given to us about MOL!

Watch this blog for "Funniest Videos of Singaporeans in Japan" soon!

Tokyo Raiders : Day Five - Supporting MOL at MielParque Hall

Tokyo Raiders : Day Four - MOL first day, a success!

[News Headlines]

MAGIC OF LOVE STOLE THE HEARTS OF INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS
Reported by Tokyo Raiders Correspondants


Tokyo, 06 October 2006, Friday - 170 dignitaries from the Singapore Embassy in Tokyo made way amidst their tight schedules to catch a magic musical, Magic of Love, at MielParque Hall, Tokyo this evening.

A source told us that when His Excellency, the Japanese Ambassador, bought and gave the tickets to their international diplomats (in conjunction with commemorating the 40th year of the partnership between Tokyo and Singapore), they all said 'Yes i will come'. And guess what ALL of them came.

During the intermission and after the show, Tokyo Raiders overheard uncountable accolades in amazement and delight about the Magic of Love from the diplomats, and also the rest of the enthusiastic crowd who swamped around the awesome magicians Lawrence and Priscilla to get their autographs and catch a shot.

Magic of Love definitely stole the limelight tonight in many international hearts.

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Lawrence Khong - The Man

Look at how warmly he smiled to very person who came to him for an autograph or picture after the show.

He was extremely tired (after one whole day of rehearsal) but yet he even turned to me at the very end and said "Well done guys!"

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We gave out all 49 MOL tickets on our hands by today!

Tokyo Raiders : Day Three

Tokyo Raiders began Day Three with the usual worship and word, but we particularly asked God to grant us ALL to see miracles today in Tokyo. So carrying the theme of 'miracles', we set off once again to raid the streets with love and friendship! =)


.:Miracle:. at Takanawa Community Centre

The magic show by the Magic of Lawrence and Priscilla was a treat both for the Japanese friends who came, and also for us who went to support the community show. The whole team thought that it was a miracle when Lirong shared that he discovered today that doing Project Smile (a magic learning project) brings him so much joy exceedingly. It was something that he never expected or even asked for. What a wonderful heart to give which was thus blessed. =)

.:Miracle:. at Tokyo University of Science

When we were sharing about Magic of Love and giving out tickets at the university in the evening, we were slightly surprised that the students there were actually more friendly and open than we expected. =) An English teacher, Matt, even invited Yeang Cherng and Chee Aik into his English class and let them promote MOL with the entire class! They blessed Matt with two MOL tickets before they left the class. Such a scenerio was also beyond the plans of Yeang Cherng and Chee Aik; it was such an unexpected wonderful time of interacting with the Japanese students for them.

The adult team led by Ps Caleb, Ps Christina and Nira were at Yasukuni Shrine (near Tokyo University of Science), and they met a group of ten youths who said yes to the invitation to MOL shows right inside the shrine! A staff at this famous shrine (where the former Japan Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi made annual visits from 2001 to 2006) also accepted two MOL tickets there. =)

.:Miracle:. at Samurai Cafe

Just when the Tokyo Raiders decided to end the day with a debrief, we did not know that we were going to meet the managers of our hostel and its cafe who would be so enthusiastic to go for MOL Shows. Mr Kenta has been such a wonderful help to us in the accomodation booking; meeting him was such a delight, especially for Adele who corresponded with him. See you all at MOL! =)


Total numbers of tickets given out by Youthnet team so far = 39. We were so glad to bless the Japanese to watch Magic of Love! =)

Tokyo Raiders : Day Two

Tokyo Raiders hit the Shibuya streets today with our magic tricks! Gosh, the wave of lunchtime-style rush even during non-lunch hours.

Learning points for today:
+ Abruptly stopping a Japanese lady in her path can scare the wits out of the lady and also ourselves. =p
Scenerio: "Hello!" (Jumps in front of lady), followed by this response "No. No. No!" (as the lady frantically waves her hands and tries to run away with a traumatised face)

+ The Japanese looks even more beautiful when they smile. =) Thanks for being so friendly when we approached you and 'wow'-ing at our little tricks! Sorry that we could not teach you the secrets of our tricks. =p

+ It is polite in Japan for a gift to be passed to the hosts before we even enter the house. (To Ps Matsumura, sorry that we took so long to remember to take out our gift. Hope you like it! =p And thanks for all your help for our Singapore Night. I am sure we all had a wonderful time)


Today we gave out 20 MOL tickets! Hooray! =)

Friends, see you at MielParque Hall very soon! =)

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Miracle? Want to hear more? Stay tuned to this space! =p Meanwhile enjoy the picts.

Tokyo Raiders : Day One

Tokyo Raiders just arrived at Oak Hotel (it's a hostel) an hour ago... it is past midnight here! We had planned to have dinner with our friends from Shinjuku Shalom Church at Harajuku and to have a corporate hair-cut session...

Well well, while we are still asking God why the plane's technical fault and flight delays, we gave thanks even in this circumstance, and had lotsa fun roaming around Hong Kong airport etc. Watch this space for hilarious videos and photos taken during our 'lost moments'!

Amidst all the additional glitches, such as two of our members 'losing' their luggages at Narita Airport (their luggages ended up still being in Singapore!), quite a few of us falling sick (including their team blogger, which explains why she is here blogging and not having supper with the rest out there =p) etc., we want to give thanks that we connected with a Japanese couple on the late night's train to our hostel. You should have seen how Adele and Stella exhilaratedly performed their tricks! Adele took the chance to invite them for MOL with the poster. Though they could not come for any shows, they were keen enough to ask "Will MOL be coming again next year?"

Thank God for divine opportunities! More to come!

New Whereabouts of the (new) Tokyo Raiders