Assalaamu'alaikum~
Apa khabar semua? I'm still reeling from so many activities in the last few days haha :) Ok here's a report of the event:
Alhamdulillah, Bros Zaidi, Faisal, Amirul and Sisters Fathimah, Ain (adik Alang), Salsabila and Filzah and myself attended the Voicebox opening @ An Nahdhah on Saturday, 7th November 2009. This event was to officially open An-Nahdhah Youth's (NADY) Voicebox and to present its newly formed committee.
Upon arrival and registration, we were given some door gifts. These were a small box filled with sweets and a solat reminder bookmark, and a aL.I.V.E file containing An-Nahdhah's mosque newsletter and a NADY poster showcasing their events. Good stuff.
We toured NADY's very own youth hub, or room. The Voicebox, as it is known, is located on the fourth floor of An-Nahdhah mosque. It will be used as a meeting and 'chill-out' place. About the size of a small classroom, the Voicebox was recently renovated at a cost of $1K (donated by a kind insan). It is furnished with a chairs, cupboards, a sofa, dart board and even a soccer table! To top it off, colourful graffiti adorn the walls...cool!
We were then treated to some awesome food outside . Fried beehoon, bubor chacha (no, not our Chacha), delectable fruit tarts and other kuih-muih filled our stomachs and washed down with either tea or juice. There was also delicious chicken, sausages and fish balls barbequed by NADY's youths.
A mishap happened in the barbeque though. Glowing hot coals burned through the thin aluminium tray that contained them and resulted in an explosion, breaking the tile underneath. Lesson learnt: Elevate the coals off the ground when you're barbequeing.
As we ate, NADY's youths entertained us with a silat performance, jokes, music, and performances by Bros Zaky (the emcee) and Syahril, backed up by drums and electric guitar. Bro Zaky then introduced the NADY's newly-formed committee. Headed by Ustaz Effendi Suparde, NADY's Youth Development Officer (YDO), the committee comprises of specialist departments, namely Islamic, Creative, Development and Outdoor. Youth leaders from various mosque youth organisations were also invited to give some words of wisdom and well-wishes.
The event closed with a touching tadzkirah by Ustaz Effendi, about the 7 factions who will be under Allah's Protection; one of which is the youth who grows up in worship of Allah. May Allah Includes us among them too, Insya Allah.
All in all, I felt it was rather thoughtful of NADY to invite us for this event. In this way, they are opening to us, sharing with us who they are, and what they do. This in turn will open opportunities for us to network and to collaborate, and to learn from each other. By opening this bridge with us, we are constantly reminded of our work and struggle, and that there are others in the same fight as well; no 'us and them' mentality.
May Allah Bless us all, and our efforts, big and small.
Wassalaam.
Bro Imran
Arrijal Vice-Chairman
Click here for more pictures
