BBSG 2014 – a trolley of food

After being wowed at the grand launch and taking wefies with VIPs, the girls went for our first BBSG 2014 groceries run last weekend!

Happy to sweep some halal canned food off the shelves.  The girls were really excited to be doing this, and 3.5 year old B was especially enthu in picking cans off the shelf (“Let me put it in, let meeeee…”). Possibly partly because every little girl goes through the phase of wanting to be a supermarket cashier. I know I did – *beep* goes the scanner, *kerching!* goes the cash till, super fun.

We loaded a variety of sardines, mackerel, tuna, baked beans, mushrooms and corn kernels into our trolley.  We referred to the photo of halal canned food posted by BBSG but even after scrutinising some of those cans, we couldn’t find the halal logo. But since those exact products were posted by BBSG, we figured they couldn’t be wrong!  Overall, my advice is, when in doubt on which is halal, just go for Ayam Brand, which definitely is. Plus it’s local, and I heard that they partner with charities too. So, support Ayam brand!

Then we packed in the Milo 3-in-1 sachets, cos Nestle is kindly matching donations to BBSG one-for-one. Woots for corporate social responsibilty.

Then we did a cheesy obligatory shot (with their leaflets!) with the obliging BB boys on faithful duty. Well done boys, in giving up your time and energy towards this project.

Have a heart, share a gift today!  When we care, we share.  We’ve shared, will you? All are this year’s taglines, which you’ll be familiar with if you’ve been receiving feeds from the BBSG FB page.  The third tagline is actually on the Fairprice online portal, which my friend alerted me to when she was kindly making a donation there.

As I went about this grocery run, it hit me that it’s a tad analogous to God’s work of salvation. He is fully capable of choosing and saving us as he predestines, and he need not have us respond.  But he requires it, and our response is but an act of His grace to have us participate in His work.

In a sense, we could all just donate cash to BBSG, who could put in the exact order required, and NTUC could directly send truckloads to BB for packing. Then there need not be any consideration about whether folks were donating too much rice but too little canned food, etc.

But by retaining this option, it intentionally gives Singaporeans a chance to participate, to have a chance to choose and pick out food that will reach the needy.  In doing so, we consider the recipients specifically, and somehow it seems, we begin to care more.  As with the delivering, it makes this process very real, and we put faces to those who have been given to, and they exist in our hearts and prayers.

Through being part of the process, I believe, that as with salvation, something changes within us irreparably. It is grace, that we are given an opportunity to participate in this act of giving, in a very tangible way, that benefits us (in internalising a heart of thankfulness and actually caring for the person at the end of giving chain), more than anyone else.

BBSG and NTUC have made it so convenient – go to your nearest outlet today, and pile the goodies in!  Here’s what they need now.  You can make a quick check of this page to get the latest update of what is most lacking.  Let’s fill in the gaps!

And if you are overseas, or tied up as many parents with littles are, the online portal where you can choose to donate prepacked bundles, is perfect for you. This facility is newly launched this year, so that everyone, no matter their circumstances, has a chance to share.  If AXS stations are your thing, you can even donate there!  Amazing. 🙂