CHIJ-Toa Payoh

Well at first glance; this may be quite a immense shocker for many who read the title of this post! But yes it is true that I'm doing a post of CHIJ-Toa Payoh. For those who don't know, of which I really highly doubt, CHIJ-Toa Payoh Primary & Secondary is a Catholic School in Singapore, founded by Blessed Nicholas Barre. The school's name may seem to be quite normal but this school is in no way at all normal, of course I mean this in a very positive way. It may even seem so extremely shocking for a guy to even write a post on an all-girls school. Hahaha! But I really am.

Over the past 3 weeks, I've been at CHIJ-Toa Payoh doing school missions for the Sec 2s & Sec3s. Actually, I've been doing these CHIJ-Toa Payoh school missions since last year. And I've also had the opportunity to be able to do School Missions with CHIJ St. Nicholas Secondary & Holy Innocents' Secondary. Basically, School Missions is a half-day program where sessions are conducted for the teens to help bond them together and also help instill a sense of awareness of the needs & problems of the modern world we live in. And alot of these sessions are centered around God. But God is known to be the one common God we all believe, so there are times when we ask the teens to actually pray in their own way to the God that they worship. So this is basically what is done at the School Missions.

But when I go to CHIJ-Toa Payoh, there is this immense spirit that is never felt when I go for school missions to other schools. And its a spirit that is definitely bonded by God. You know, there is just this amazing feeling that you feel as you enter the school and be with the students. Its a feeling that is rooted in genuine love. Even when the school missions are done, there are students of different races & religions that are bonded in the Love of God! And even we as a Mission Team, feel so excited when we go to CHIJ-Toa Payoh to do the School Missions. I would go even as far to say that, "To be in the compound of CHIJ-Toa Payoh, is to be in the presence of the unified God!"

Other than the awesome God-filled Spirit of this school, the students just amaze you with this awesome welcome that they so amazingly do. The students are able to really put on that love of Christ that our Catholic Church teaches us to do in our own everyday lives. I am not driving the point that the students of CHIJ-Toa Payoh are perfect. But what this school does the most is to drive the point that Love is the Most Important Thing in life, not just our studies.

As I reflect deeper into this point, I see how I would have absolutely loved to be a school like CHIJ-Toa Payoh. In my teen days, the essence of Love was missed ever so much. And being in an all-boys school, there was this immense absence of God. I don't think I would have even considered spending time in prayer during my recess or even waking up extra early to attend the morning prayer in the Chapel. But in this school, there are a handful of teachers that are the source of encouragement to the students to live out a God-centered life. And its these same handful of teachers that helps the students get through each day with the essence of God in their hearts. These handful of teachers are the 'Jesus' to each student, cheering them on both in their studies & their walk with God. Our modern world today is just in a great need for love to be expressed more. And the girls from CHIJ-Toa Payoh will be that model of God to this very cruel world! I mean its just so saddening to see how the women of today are being treated as such subjects in our world today. And its really schools like CHIJ-Toa Payoh that really helps these girls to keep their dignity!

I'm not saying that this is absolutely missing in the others school, But rather I'm saying that the presence of God is greater felt at CHIJ-Toa Payoh. Even the ones,who have graduated from this school, continue to possess the very values that this school teaches, its values of Compassion, Empathy & Love. And you just know when you meet a girl from this school, their personality will be their greatest evidence. But one thing to take note of is that the girls from this school can get quite crazy, but even their craziness could be quite a blessing unto you. These girls just know how to enjoy life in the way of heaven, but also know how to work hard in life.

And since I am called to the Vocation of Marriage, I not only hope, but I desire for my daughter/s to be in this school. At least in future, I know that even if I have failed as a Dad, I will be rest assured that my daughter/s will have another place to receive that immense Love of God! But surely that's not the only reason, because this school is really a gift from heaven! I will know that my future daughter/s will be in a safe place rooted in the Love of God!

May we learn something special from this school, it is really a gift from heaven unto us. How apt that today is the school's Founder's Day! Praise God for CHIJ-Toa Payoh and their constant efforts to promote love & unity in the midst of attaining an education!

PS: I wrote this post on my own accord. There was no one who asked or forced me to write this post. I really do feel so inspiried by what CHIJ-Toa Payoh has done & continues to strongly do.