{adapted from Gideon's facebook note. i cant write as well even though my emotions are overwhelming. Just have too much to mention, and he sumed it all up pretty much}

So here we are. The finale's over, the sets are striked, the curtains are closed, the wardrobes taken home and the make up washed off. But the memories, they remain.

Rewinding back four months, at LCE, where Pastor Dom announced the Life Charity Concert. The shock! Ignyte ministry? Putting on a musical? Of such an epic scale? It was really breaking new ground, we were doing things we never thought we would.

When we first signed up for this, I don't think any of us had any idea what we were getting ourselves into. We didn't envision something this... big. Something this epic. A 90 minute production that needed (gasp) COSTUME CHANGES, CO-ORDINATED DANCE MOVES, WHOLLY ORIGINAL MUSIC! We didn't think about rehearsals that started after school ended; about the injuries we'd get; about the friendships we forged. We didn't know about it. But we said yes because we wanted to be a part of it.

Remembering the rehearsals. Whenever sister Alicia or sister Eliza broke out a new dance move, the usual response was "WAH SEH, HOW TO DO?" Personally, I think the bladers are a testimony unto what God can do with a few willing hands (or feet, in this case) and a willing heart. Two weeks of dedicated practice and they were ready to go on stage. Not just them, but every single dancer. Sure, we had fun, but we worked our butts off! Rachel Teh's cramps, Gabriel Fang's knee, the cuts and bruises we've received are testament to that. We worked for it, because we had a lot, and we wanted to give alot.

So for the actors, thank you. For every time you ran through your lines in your head, for every time you decided to be shameless so God could use you, for every time you stirred up emotion so someone sitting in the audience could connect, thank you. You're the faces that people see, that people connect with. So thank you for those hours of practice you put in, all for a few moments on stage.

For the dancers, thank you. All of you. We were a bunch of random people that either chose to be there, or were dragged there, but at the end of the day, we were dancers who gave our all for our King :D thank you for every time you got on stage, and even though you messed up your moves abit, you smiled through. Thank you for bringing everyone together. It really did feel like one big family.

For the backstage crew, thank you. Thank you for painting sets that appeared on stage for a few moments, but that often help set the mood for the scene. For getting high on paint fumes and varnish (hee hee hee). For turning panels, for lifting curtains, you guys are the ones that we count on to come out at the right times, and really, you guys delivered.

For the tech teams, thank you. For lights that go in time with drum beats! For making sure people sound normal enough to be heard. For closing the curtains on time so we don't stand there like idiots clapping away for the whole night. Thank you. Unsung heroes that aren't seen, that aren't even on stage! We appreciate all you put into this.

For the live band, thank you! You guys really rocked the house! I'll bet it isn't easy to be in sync with the leads during their bits, or getting the music right every single time, but thank you guys for trying. We don't see all the effort you put in, but you can bet we appreciate it :)

For wardrobe and make up! Thank you! The wardrobe people are like the shoe elves in that old story. They really do alot, and we don't see much of it. I mean, I was in the changing room, I turned my back, and suddenly my hanger disappeared! I looked outside and suddenly noticed that it had appeared on the pole. You guys are efficient. And make up girls! Major respect. Sure, it doesn't always come out as everyone looking like princes and princesses, but we see how much you put into it. Your dinners this past week have been halved because you guys always need to rush up to make us up. Thank you for standing for hours on end just applying make up. In a way, we were the blank canvasses that showed your work. Thank you.

Lastly, thank you God! Heh, it's all about You, it's always been about You, and it will always be about You. Every single thing we did, Lord, it was to show Your Love to this nation. Time, effort, blood, sweat, tears, energy, sleep, we sacrificed because we knew it was not in vain. Because as 1st Corinthians 15:58 says, we can throw ourselves fully into this because we know we labor for the Lord. We love You, from the bottomest bottom bottom of our hearts.
So this is it.

Is the production over? yes.
three nights of sold out performances are over.

Is the rehearsals over? THANK GOD, yes.
No disrespect, but boy has it sucked away our social lives.

Is the laughter over? in a way, yes.
I don't think we'll have another opportunity quite like this, with so many youths together, fellowshipping as one. We definitely won't have another chance to have hair quite so shiny again.

Will the memories fade? in a way, yes.
We can't memorize every single joke that was cracked, every line that was said, every dance move. At some point we'll forget.

But one thing doesn't change: the impact this whole production has had on our lives won't go away. We may forget inside jokes (I IS GOT MANY), but we won't forget that for four months, 110 youths gave of themselves so others could be blessed, and in that way, were themselves blessed.

So thank you. Every single one of you. Whether you know it or not, the impact you have made on my life, and on the lives of others has been huge. And that impact will remain.

And if you want a visual reminder of what kind of impact I'm talking about, just go look at Jie Kai's pot. Seriously man, you need a before and after picture of that kind of "impact" :P

We acted out, we danced, we videoed, we EQ-ed, we lighted up the stage, we worked back stage, we made people up, we dressed people up, we gave it our all, for one cause.

To show love to our nation.

We did it for you, Lord, and we don't regret one tiny bit of it.





















After the final night, we removed make up and went on a frenzy of photo taking again. I couldnt manage to take photos with my other outfits except for the first and last outfit cos really no time between scenes :S We had alot of fun, and tissues were provided everywhere and anyhow. So we removed make up one last time.

After that, i was really touched when the cast and dancers gathered to decide on where to head for supper. You have any idea how many people that is? Along with a few of the crew,make up folks and couple of band members, some of them took the bus, the rest of us got into thiam kee's van and zoom zoomed to Jackson's at macpherson for a great supper. The chilli was fabulous, the cold drinks and screaming felt good and definitely the fellowship was the most heartwarming of all. I looked around, and realised we come from different centres - Adam and PL. We were part of the event in different clusters - Cast, crew, dancers, band, make up. We started off not knowing one another, giving random stares and weak smiles. But last night, it was nearly 7-8 tables worth of people just sitting together, eating be merry talk, crack jokes, sing songs take photos. I was tremendously blessed, almost to tears.



So heres to You God, for being the director in all of this, for being the captain of this production, for using me to be a vessel that would overflow of Your love. I have A lot, so take it (:

In His love & mine,
Hannah
28 June 2009

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11:59 PM