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| In conjunction with Lent, acts29 organised a 24-Hour FAST (For Asia Solidarity Together) which was participated by 138 Catholic and non-Catholic youths. The FAST, held at the CHIJ Toa Payoh Secondary School on 1 and 2 March 2008, kicked off at 3:00 pm with participants taking the FAST pledge, followed by an opening liturgy. The youth were given “Sponsor My Fast” forms where they approached family and friends to sponsor their Fast. Their efforts helped raised a total of $1,820.65 which was presented to the Caritas Singapore Community Council for Charities Week, the annual Archdiocesan fundraising event. During the next 24 hours, the youth stepped into the life of the poorest of the poor by surrendering their comfort and luxuries such as mobile phones, MP3 players, sleeping bags, clothes etc and learned how they can play a role to eradicate poverty in the world today through talks by guest speakers and interactive sessions. The youth learnt more about Catholic Social Teachings through games. They also had the opportunity to go out to one-room flats in Toa Payoh to hand out rations to the elderly and interact with them. The youth were in solidarity with the poor not only physically but also spiritually as they prayed and interceded for Asia. The Night Vigil consisted of the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Way of the Cross. The night ended with the youth settling down to the cardboard shelters they had built for the night. The FAST was not only restricted to the compound of CHIJ Secondary as friends of acts29 from countries around the region were invited to join the FAST from wherever they were. The FAST ended with the Eucharist celebrated by Rev Fr David Garcia, OP. This is the second year that acts29 had organised the FAST and it will continue to be an annual event during Lent in support of Charities Week. |
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