Yellow Ribbon Project 2007

The theme this year is GIVING BACK. today marks out the finale of our yfc event, mass candle lighting session. haha, actually it was a greatly modifed version. around 10 of the cast of the play Touched by Me, consisting of ex-offenders, lighted up together with us during the hourly performance. but it didn't matter la, at least it was done in front of an audience, and we managed to implement the event, though miniscule. and they thanked us((((:. greatest joy no doubt. and we also sold $1000 worth of candles. not bad, not bad.

joining yfc and choosing yellow ribbon as beneficiary of choice has indeed changed my perception of ex-offenders. in the past, i didn't really thought much of them, in the sense that i could not really comprehend the darkness they felt inside when the public outside discriminated them in one way or another. i mean, it does not concern me, and i have no dealings with offenders and ex-offenders of any sort, so why should i care? in fact, i somehow realise i would feel a little insecure and uneasy if i were to work together with an ex-offender. [yea, slap me for being narrow-minded, self-centred and just totally ignorant].

oh man, wouldn't this be what everyone would initially think of? i was in fact doubtful when fan jian proposed helping yellow ribbon, as i stereotyped the public to think the same way as me. hence, it was only after much persuasion [i think] before i finally grasped what ex-offenders really need - forgiveness and acceptance from us all. that's was the starting point for the change of my perception.

and now, after having worked with yellow ribbon and even helped them to raise funds, i totally see ex-offenders in a new light. we are all humans, offenders, ex-offenders and non-offenders alike. no one in this world is infailable; everyone is bound to make mistakes. but the distinguishing factor is whether we are willing to learn from our mistakes and repent. yet, the sole effort on the part of the ex-offenders is just not enough, for they require us to accept them back into society. just like how we forgive our friends or loved ones when they do wrong, we should extend this heart of forgiveness to those out there as well. they don't ask for much, just our willingness to forgive them. by doing this, we are helping to 'unlock the second prison', as evident from the tagline of the Yellow Ribbon Project. if you think more about it, it is just like how you would yearn for forgiveness from others when you commit mistakes. so if you expect that from others, shoudn't you do the same as well? i mean, don't unto to others what you don't want others to unto to you isn't it?

anw, that was what i thought about for the past month. but today, i gained another new insight (: that ex-offenders CAN do their part and contribute back into society. intially at the fair, when i first heard that the profits made from the sale of the yellow ribbon cookies and other gifts made by inmates were going to the Handicapp People's Association, i was puzzled. shouldn't the profits go to yellow ribbon instead, i thought to myself, afterall it is the yellow ribbon fair isnt it? i struggled with the question for the whole of the morning, until i went for the performance, a play Touched by You by inmates, did i finally understand. and i realised yet again what a myopic view i have. the cookies were made by inmates and sold to public to raise funds for the HPA => the inmates were trying to prove their worth and talents through funds raised for HPA => the inmates are able contribute back into society in their own way. oh man, i realised what an idiot and short-sighted person i have been :( i couldn't even catch such a simple link. argh!!! quite disappointed in myself :( but anw, to sum it all up, offenders and ex-offenders alike are willing to contribute back to society and help those less fortunate people, making them no less able than us. so would it be fair to to label them as the black sheep of society and the likes? i seriously would say no.

this journey has indeed been very inspirational and rewarding. learnt alot about ex-offenders and yellow ribbon, and much more about myself. i certainly didn't regret taking part in this, despite much time and effort put into it. however, there are still certain regrets pertaining to the whole project:
1) not involving the inmates in the designing and production of products for sales (as observed from the fair, products made by inmates can better bring out the cause)
2) did not carry out our mass candle lighting session together with the ribbon-in-a-heart structure ( but as i said, it's okay neverthess)
3) failing to compile a scrapbook for the inmates (hope to carry out after promos)

these are the main regrets i guess. but with regrets, come improvements. haha.

just realised i typed a really loooooooog post. oops! haha

would just like to end off with an extract from the book Giving Back

"If diamonds are not the coal will be, still a precious source of fuel is he"

and my appeal to all:

if you can help, so can they.

give yourself a chance to give them a chance.