i went to my great grandmothers wake on friday at Choa Chu kang. i when for prayers with my parents and aunties.There were 4 prayers altogether, my parents and I when for the first , third and the last. My mum also invited her colleagues over at the wake and my mum's collegues said that i look very alike like my Mum.This was the last day of my great-grandmother's wake,so we prayed sincerely.When we were praying around the coffin, there was a moth flying around. According to what the monk said he said that the moth was a symbol of the Goddess of Mercy who felt that the grandchildrens and the great-grandchilderens which were known as the kana-sun had the heart to pray for the deceased of their relatives, thus sending the moth to give our great-grandmother blessings.The whle prayer session ended at 10pm and then we when home.

1st april 2006
Procession

we set off at around 8 .45 am to pick my uncle and my other great grandmother in toa payoh. dammm i was tired i didint sleep well last night. The reason probably lies in me seeing the dead body in the coffin i think! the coffin look very crampy enuff to fit the body in i think this is embalment.We were told to bring a red t-shirt along with us, after the prayer we told to changed form our white T-shirts into red t-shirts to bring back LUCk. At 9 am we changed into our white T-shirts and wore white socks. Then a group pf band members marched into the wake.Few moments later, i could hear the erhu, drums beating their rhythm away. The first song was sad. my grandmother who was sitting infront of me started tearing her eyes all red . then after that the songs were quite Ok.. not too bad. When it came into the last prayer everyone was so emotional. "Au lang sai" song was played when we pay our very last respect to her at choa chu Kang. we walked around the coffin 4 times and prayed for her.Then afterwards the car which was supposed to store the coffin came. The time arrived the coffin has to be moved into the car. It was not a van. the car was shaped like a pickup but behind is transparent one, abit longer.Then we just walked with out wearing white socks only until the main road. When we reacehd the main road we boarded the charterd bus with leather seats and cooling aircons. The weather was pretty humid. The journey took about half and hour to reach Mandai crematorium and coulbarium. My first time there too. It was so clean that not even a sign of dust is there. It looks like and airport. The interior designs were not too bad. Then we were ushered by the monk into a room. The room looks like a prayer room The seats resembles the church features and teh coffin was pushed infront. Then we prayed again. Afterthat, we when into the viewing hall 1. this was the most interesting and sad part of the story. There were so many relatives and friends came. We could see it throught a transparent glass window. Finally, the coffin which was placed on and automated machine rolled in and everyone was chanting "Na mo A Mi Tor Fo" repeadtedly. The Ah soh and the aunties were red-eyed. By the way, my greatgrandmother life was bad. She was put in the OLD aged home and she died there on Tuesday.. She is 97 years old this year. Then finally the coffin was lifted out and slowly enter the blast furnace, the blast furnance was right inside so we couldnt see any fire but darkness. Then teh brown wooden door close and thats the end of my story. We when back to the wake adn eat buffet, before that we washed our hands and face with petal water.ok If u asked me whether i did cry, i didint cry but i just felt sad.I was not very closed with my great-grandmother, infact we didint exchange words. Every Chinese new year my parents and I when to visit her, she was so sick, with a feeding tube inserted into her nose for like 2 years and her eyes were always close. ya so i didint get to talk to her. sad.My great-grandmother also left behind some money about 8 dollor plus It was inside a red packet placed inside her clothes which she wore in her coffin. My aunty say take for blessings so i take 20 cent and i kept it separately in my red cushioned box which is used to put jellwery.Its the last thing i got from her. So is very precious money cant buy it back. Rest in Peace!