{"id":1554,"date":"2021-02-17T17:21:57","date_gmt":"2021-02-17T09:21:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.epworth.sg\/?p=1554"},"modified":"2021-02-17T17:21:57","modified_gmt":"2021-02-17T09:21:57","slug":"celebrating-the-chinese-new-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.epworth.sg\/?p=1554","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating the Chinese New Year"},"content":{"rendered":"[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” overlay_strength=”0.3″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”12″][vc_column_text]By Mr Tan Khye Suan, Executive Director<\/em><\/p>\n

Traditionally, when we celebrate Chinese New Year, our celebrative activities are focused on the family.\u00a0 During the festivities, we turn our attention away from economic activities; from commerce; and, from social interactions with friends.\u00a0 All these activities take a temporary halt.\u00a0 The family takes precedence!<\/p>\n

Family members gather together for a Reunion Dinner on the Eve of each Chinese New Year.\u00a0 We visit the elders of our families to pay our respects during the fifteen-day duration of Chinese New Year.\u00a0 All these are wonderful reminders for each of us of those who have loved us; those who have contributed to our growth and development; and, those who will continue to walk with us in life\u2019s journey.\u00a0 In this way, we express respect, gratitude and know that we have been blessed.<\/p>\n

The focus on the family is a wonderful reminder of God\u2019s intended purpose.\u00a0 The family unit is designed to be closely knitted, so that members of each family can love, care for and support each other.<\/p>\n

However, not all families are functioning well.\u00a0 Some are fractured, unhappy and acrimonious.\u00a0 Some families have completely fallen apart.\u00a0 Some of these have family members not speaking to each other and being left to nurse their own wounds.\u00a0 This leads to much pain and anger.\u00a0 I have seen people, young and old, who have expressed anger and even hatred, for their family members during such family-centric festivities.<\/p>\n

A strong family provides love, care and support for each member that belongs to it.\u00a0 We all know this!\u00a0 But we have taken this for granted.\u00a0 Very often, we allow small differences and disagreements to ruin our family relationship that is a powerful source of strength to overcome the challenges we face every day.\u00a0 We allow these small differences and disagreements to become incredibly large and irreconcilable, causing the breakdown in family relationship.\u00a0 In today\u2019s world, where there is much stress and challenges, the breakdown of family relationship also takes away the resource and support that can help maintain our mental well-being.\u00a0 Hence, we see more people suffering from mental health issues.<\/p>\n

Epworth Community Services is a social service agency that believes in the value of having Strong Families<\/em><\/strong>!<\/p>\n

We promote Strong Families<\/em><\/strong> through Epworth Family Welfare, working to rebuild family relationships that have broken down; between children and youths, with their parents.\u00a0 The department also works with at-risk youths whose parents find hard to manage them, helping them to build on common grounds and bridges.<\/p>\n

Where there are difficulties in rebuilding bonds and relationships in biological families, we help children and youths to grow and develop in a family environment through Epworth Foster Care.\u00a0 Foster families can provide a temporary and good substitute to support children and youths from biological families that are facing much difficulties in reconstituting.\u00a0 Studies have shown that children and youths still develop better in family environment instead of institutions.\u00a0 Hence, we are working hard with foster families, supporting foster children and youths to do well despite being away from their biological families.<\/p>\n

As Epworth Community Services continues to work towards building Strong Families<\/em><\/strong>, we seek your support through donations during this Chinese New Year period.\u00a0 Beyond the Chinese New Year period, we will be having a virtual \u201cFlag Day\u201d on 20 March 2021.\u00a0 We will be launching the virtual \u201cFlag Day\u201d donation drive over a four-month period from March to June 2021.\u00a0 Please give generously to Epworth Community Services through Giving.sg.<\/p>\n

Our work in the community will continue to grow in the coming years.\u00a0 We ask for your continued support through donation, volunteerism and prayers.\u00a0 We will be sharing our work through our quarterly newsletters and social media.\u00a0 Stay connected with us![\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row type=”in_container” full_screen_row_position=”middle” column_margin=”default” scene_position=”center” text_color=”dark” text_align=”left” overlay_strength=”0.3″ shape_divider_position=”bottom” bg_image_animation=”none”][vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1\/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” overlay_strength=”0.3″ column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][divider line_type=”No Line” custom_height=”12″][vc_column_text]By Mr Tan…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1554","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-lifestyle"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t