I have never thought of myself as rich. Neither do I claim to be poor. Yet someone said that by United Nation's standard of measuring: those who own a dwelling, with access to running water and electricity, own at least one computer and a bank account per household are considered to be rich, definitely within the top twenty percent of the world's population.
Therefore by this standard, I am considered to be rich. As I read James 5:1-3: "Go to now, ye rich man, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days." I am shocked to think that one day I may have to account for my stewardship of whatever limited resources in my hand. The other day I was challenged in that what was I doing about Africa's poorest of the poor. Really, nothing. I have not traveled to any part of Africa yet. Whatever images of the poor, war ravaged and suffering people I saw on TV remained images only.
Perhaps besides sending usable second hand clothes to Indonesia, Silver City, Thailand, and Philippines, I will have to put aside long sleeve shirts and long pants that come my way to explore the possibilities of them being sent to Somalia. Last year I heard from a nasi lemak (coconut rice) lady that the religious teacher in charged of the Muslim prayer house collect clothing for the needy in Somalia. Until now I have not sent any to them because I could not make up a single bagful of suitable clothing at any one time out of any one consignment. I know that is no excuse as I could put whatever number aside rather than clearing all recyclables within 48 hours. I don't have any spare cash to send to charitable organization. I can't see myself raising fund by hosting dinner. Neither am I ambitious enough to start a new venture. But according to my optimistic husband, each person can usually find something they can do towards a worthy cause if he or she is serious about it. Now, I will just have to put on my thinking cap and observe all that is around me to see if I am uniquely positioned to be able to do something for the poor folks who could not help themselves, especially those in the continent of Africa.
Thursday, August 30, 2012
(40) Roman Holiday
This is a 1953 black and white film that was nominated for ten Academy Awards. Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn starred in the light and fun show. The latter captured an Oscar for portraying a modern day errant Princess.
There have been lots of other beautiful movie stars since Hepburn. Yet there is a refreshing innocence about her that I seldom see on silver screen these days. My husband commented on her impossibly tiny waist accentuated by the blue and white outfit she ran away in. I suppose she was really slender, as well as that calf-length skirt made of meters of material made her look thinner.
Millions of young girls dream of becoming a princess through marriage. A girl from Australia was married into a European court. Kate Middleton wed Prince William in a widely watched ceremony of the decade. Yet I suppose the dream of a well brought up Her Royal Highness is to be free for 36 hours. In this show, she grabbed it. After the much dreamed about freedom, she could return to her royal routine. It is like she had the cake and ate it.
There have been lots of other beautiful movie stars since Hepburn. Yet there is a refreshing innocence about her that I seldom see on silver screen these days. My husband commented on her impossibly tiny waist accentuated by the blue and white outfit she ran away in. I suppose she was really slender, as well as that calf-length skirt made of meters of material made her look thinner.
Millions of young girls dream of becoming a princess through marriage. A girl from Australia was married into a European court. Kate Middleton wed Prince William in a widely watched ceremony of the decade. Yet I suppose the dream of a well brought up Her Royal Highness is to be free for 36 hours. In this show, she grabbed it. After the much dreamed about freedom, she could return to her royal routine. It is like she had the cake and ate it.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
(39) Challenge
This article is about the same teenager in 791. Through the many months of faithful follow up and a firm but kind approach, the pent up ball of energy in the body of a 13 year old girl has taken to my daughter, Elizabeth.
The young girl came to a group activity of much older girls. She came prepared with a design all mapped out on a piece of A4 paper. Elizabeth was very impressed with the serious approach. After all, none of the other older folks made any such preparation.
This time, the crisis came when the young girl took exception to a grown up spelling her name wrongly. Of course, the mistake was not intentional. The girl's mother chose to spell her name in a rather unusual way. Let's say she is called Yvonne. But on her legal documents, it is spelled as Evon. It would not be unusual for others to spell it the former way as a matter of convention. Yet we must also see the matter from the point of view of an underdog who has been teased all her years in school for this very fact!
Elizabeth was very taken aback when Evon went to tell the "culprit" directly that the latter had hurt her feelings. In doing so, Evon did not consider that the person she confronted was twice her age. Neither did she realized that this person was volatile in character. Elizabeth chose to intervene and made peace between the two. Although she did restore order and somewhat resolved the matter, she was looking to me and other more experienced people for wisdom.
I personally think that she did the best she could under the unusual circumstances. Of course she could bear in mind in future that such conflict came from years of suppressed emotions. Logic alone could not solve the entire problem. I am not saying that Evon did right by confronting, but I suppose it is a step forward for her to assert her rights after being boxed in by severe school discipline for six long years. Like it or not, it is a healthy step forward for her. We would do better in moderating the seething emotions and teaching her how to express herself in a socially acceptable manner. My days of working with such children are over for good. But it is interesting that Elizabeth has started her season when God sent Evon to stretch her group in learning to love and deal with individuals who required a lot of tough love and patience in the healing process. Definitely I am more than grateful that I can continue to write about this topic through listening to Elizabeth's experiences.
The young girl came to a group activity of much older girls. She came prepared with a design all mapped out on a piece of A4 paper. Elizabeth was very impressed with the serious approach. After all, none of the other older folks made any such preparation.
This time, the crisis came when the young girl took exception to a grown up spelling her name wrongly. Of course, the mistake was not intentional. The girl's mother chose to spell her name in a rather unusual way. Let's say she is called Yvonne. But on her legal documents, it is spelled as Evon. It would not be unusual for others to spell it the former way as a matter of convention. Yet we must also see the matter from the point of view of an underdog who has been teased all her years in school for this very fact!
Elizabeth was very taken aback when Evon went to tell the "culprit" directly that the latter had hurt her feelings. In doing so, Evon did not consider that the person she confronted was twice her age. Neither did she realized that this person was volatile in character. Elizabeth chose to intervene and made peace between the two. Although she did restore order and somewhat resolved the matter, she was looking to me and other more experienced people for wisdom.
I personally think that she did the best she could under the unusual circumstances. Of course she could bear in mind in future that such conflict came from years of suppressed emotions. Logic alone could not solve the entire problem. I am not saying that Evon did right by confronting, but I suppose it is a step forward for her to assert her rights after being boxed in by severe school discipline for six long years. Like it or not, it is a healthy step forward for her. We would do better in moderating the seething emotions and teaching her how to express herself in a socially acceptable manner. My days of working with such children are over for good. But it is interesting that Elizabeth has started her season when God sent Evon to stretch her group in learning to love and deal with individuals who required a lot of tough love and patience in the healing process. Definitely I am more than grateful that I can continue to write about this topic through listening to Elizabeth's experiences.
(38) The West and the East
I read Rana Foroohar's The Curious Capitalist in the July 30-August 6, 2012 issue of Time. She gave reasons why Marissa Mayer is a smart pick to helm Yahoo. In the same issue, I found on page 72 an article on the first female Afghanistan boxer participating in the London Olympics, Sadaf Rahimi.
Both of them are trail blazers in their own right. Mayer is the youngest at 37, out of 20 female Fortune 500 CEO; she is also the only one to become CEO while pregnant. Rahimi is 18, the third female Afghan athlete ever sent to the Games. Mayer will probably work through the few weeks of her maternity leave. Rahimi was given the advice by her former mentor, Shahla Sekandari, not to get married. Afghan traditions dictates that once a woman gets married, she belongs to her new family. If they don't want her to box, she does not have a choice.
Anywhere in the world, women normally have to work extra hard to break into men's domain. I guess those who have great passion would pay the price to overcome whatever obstacles involved to reach their goals.
Both of them are trail blazers in their own right. Mayer is the youngest at 37, out of 20 female Fortune 500 CEO; she is also the only one to become CEO while pregnant. Rahimi is 18, the third female Afghan athlete ever sent to the Games. Mayer will probably work through the few weeks of her maternity leave. Rahimi was given the advice by her former mentor, Shahla Sekandari, not to get married. Afghan traditions dictates that once a woman gets married, she belongs to her new family. If they don't want her to box, she does not have a choice.
Anywhere in the world, women normally have to work extra hard to break into men's domain. I guess those who have great passion would pay the price to overcome whatever obstacles involved to reach their goals.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
(37) The Falcon's Malteser by Anthony Horowitz
In this series we have the world's most inept private investigator Tim Diamond. His brother, Nick, is a totally different kettle of fish. He is quick, possesses imagination, daring, and bright as a new pin.
As detective stories go, this is like a fresh breath, very much different from the normal fare. It reminds me a little like Enid Blyton's Secret Seven series. Those characters in Secret Seven have loving families to go back to. Nick and Tim only have each other. Their parents immigrated to Australia.
There is a second book of the Diamond brothers: Public Enemy Number Two.
As detective stories go, this is like a fresh breath, very much different from the normal fare. It reminds me a little like Enid Blyton's Secret Seven series. Those characters in Secret Seven have loving families to go back to. Nick and Tim only have each other. Their parents immigrated to Australia.
There is a second book of the Diamond brothers: Public Enemy Number Two.
(36) Rich in time or cash?
I spent the past three days helping a friend manning a mission organization booth in a Chinese Christian book exhibition. On the first two weekdays, moderate number of visitors came. On Saturday, more turned up. Interestingly, I noticed more folks actually bought books on Saturday. Sad to say, hardly any one stopped to look at our books, brochures and talk to us on the third day.
Retired folks have more time to spend walking around a book exhibition. Homemakers and students too. But their purchasing power cannot rival that of people working at full-time employment. Isn't that a sad thing? When a person is rich in leisure time, there is often less disposable cash. Then people earning good money often have little time and opportunity to spend their earnings. That is why multi-level marketing's selling point of building up a marketing empire sounds attractive to both groups.
Retired folks have more time to spend walking around a book exhibition. Homemakers and students too. But their purchasing power cannot rival that of people working at full-time employment. Isn't that a sad thing? When a person is rich in leisure time, there is often less disposable cash. Then people earning good money often have little time and opportunity to spend their earnings. That is why multi-level marketing's selling point of building up a marketing empire sounds attractive to both groups.
(35) A Thing of Beauty
When Zelda decided to leave this country to meet her internet heart-throb, she gave me a costly marble table. When her brothers heard about it, they presumed that it was given to me because Zelda owed me money. Later, it was known that she chose to give it to me because I appreciate the beauty of the natural markings in the marble. They were indignant that Zelda did not sell it for money.
It is a rather big table, easily seating ten people. I am putting it in my small living room, waiting for the day that I will move to the rural area to a bigger house. Right now I am typing on this lovely cool marble table, enjoying Zelda's gift.
Most of the furniture in my house were chosen for their functions. It is easier to live with cheaper furniture as we have moved around a number of times in Silver City. The only item of beauty is the marble table. It some how satisfies some tiny corner of my soul to look at this thing of beauty.
It is a rather big table, easily seating ten people. I am putting it in my small living room, waiting for the day that I will move to the rural area to a bigger house. Right now I am typing on this lovely cool marble table, enjoying Zelda's gift.
Most of the furniture in my house were chosen for their functions. It is easier to live with cheaper furniture as we have moved around a number of times in Silver City. The only item of beauty is the marble table. It some how satisfies some tiny corner of my soul to look at this thing of beauty.
(34) Microbes
A group of people were sitting around a table, eating and chatting. The topic of conversation turned to how one person chose not to take any antibiotic so as not to destroy the useful microbes in his gut.
It turned out that another person had experience with wild life in captivity. When a young calf was isolated from its parents because the keepers feared the father harming the calf, the vet immediately injected the mother animal's blood under the young calf's skin. As the blob of blood was gradually absorbed, the young was protected with the mother animal's antibodies.
But how does this young animal derive the protection of useful microbes since it did not suckle the mother animal's milk? The answer shocked some of us: just dab a bit of the mother's dung into the young's mouth! Now, we would rather not do that for babies who do not suckle, would we?
It turned out that another person had experience with wild life in captivity. When a young calf was isolated from its parents because the keepers feared the father harming the calf, the vet immediately injected the mother animal's blood under the young calf's skin. As the blob of blood was gradually absorbed, the young was protected with the mother animal's antibodies.
But how does this young animal derive the protection of useful microbes since it did not suckle the mother animal's milk? The answer shocked some of us: just dab a bit of the mother's dung into the young's mouth! Now, we would rather not do that for babies who do not suckle, would we?
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
(33) Hit and run?
Lately we have heard that there have been cases that folks' car have been hit from the back, once the driver gets down he is robbed and sometimes the car was taken.
My neighbor left town at 5:30 am recently. He stopped at a traffic light. Moments later his car was hit by a black car. He was stunned momentarily. There was a car next to his even at this early hour. The driver from this car got out first; he was a big and strong man. That very second, the culprit backed and sped away. My neighbor walked over to the big and helpful man, who being an observant onlooker, took down the number plate of the culprit.
For readers in my home state, the registration number of the black car is WKP 2565. Of course it could have been a stolen car. But according to my neighbor's wife who was in the car, all five people were straining to look at the car, none of them could even see a shadow of the driver, the windows were heavily tinted.
Whether it was hit and run, or the errant driver had the intention to rob, we really do not know. But my neighbors were thankful that the car only sustained scratches and that the good Samaritan cared enough to get down in that situation.
My neighbor left town at 5:30 am recently. He stopped at a traffic light. Moments later his car was hit by a black car. He was stunned momentarily. There was a car next to his even at this early hour. The driver from this car got out first; he was a big and strong man. That very second, the culprit backed and sped away. My neighbor walked over to the big and helpful man, who being an observant onlooker, took down the number plate of the culprit.
For readers in my home state, the registration number of the black car is WKP 2565. Of course it could have been a stolen car. But according to my neighbor's wife who was in the car, all five people were straining to look at the car, none of them could even see a shadow of the driver, the windows were heavily tinted.
Whether it was hit and run, or the errant driver had the intention to rob, we really do not know. But my neighbors were thankful that the car only sustained scratches and that the good Samaritan cared enough to get down in that situation.
(32) The Happiest People on Earth by J.&E.Sherrill
I first read about the Armenians as a people group in Agatha Christie's stories. In this personal story of Demos Shakarian written by John and Elizabeth Sherrill, I read about the tragic history of the first Christian nation on earth.
This is my second reading, after borrowing one copy at least fifteen years ago from a church library. Once again, I am struck by how God led him and how obedient he was, both he and his wife. It is easy to serve God in our spare time. But to take off months at a time, incurring in expenses that no one would reimburse, moving the children to another town, running oneself ragged? How many men would be fool enough to do it? After all, he is just a businessman brought up in the dairy industry. He is not a Pastor, nor is he a missionary.
He was honored by God to start the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship with a few men. I have read a similar story of how YWAM (Youth With a Mission) was started too by one man's vision that was given by God.
According to Shakarian, if any of us find out the precise purpose God created us for in this world, and we make use of every gift he endowed us to carry the mission(s) out, then we would be the happiest people on earth.
For Shakarian, he was to help found the FBGMF to lead business men and women to fellowship together, sharing their testimonies of how God help them and what the Creator of our universe is meant to them.
This is my second reading, after borrowing one copy at least fifteen years ago from a church library. Once again, I am struck by how God led him and how obedient he was, both he and his wife. It is easy to serve God in our spare time. But to take off months at a time, incurring in expenses that no one would reimburse, moving the children to another town, running oneself ragged? How many men would be fool enough to do it? After all, he is just a businessman brought up in the dairy industry. He is not a Pastor, nor is he a missionary.
He was honored by God to start the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship with a few men. I have read a similar story of how YWAM (Youth With a Mission) was started too by one man's vision that was given by God.
According to Shakarian, if any of us find out the precise purpose God created us for in this world, and we make use of every gift he endowed us to carry the mission(s) out, then we would be the happiest people on earth.
For Shakarian, he was to help found the FBGMF to lead business men and women to fellowship together, sharing their testimonies of how God help them and what the Creator of our universe is meant to them.
Saturday, August 18, 2012
(31) Hire a maid?
I was shelling beans in my brother's home. As usual, I was speaking nineteen to a dozen things, jumping from topic to topic. It is a good day as my mother has had enough sleep the previous night and the usual chores are not too tiring for her.
The day before I met up with a childhood friend and we asked after each others' mums. Hers is older than mine and is currently facing mobility as a challenge. Mine is still diligently brisk walking each morning for at least half an hour. She just returned from visiting her youngest brother in Canton, China. She may have passed her eightieth birthday, but she is still game to travel and see new places of interest.
My old friend was surprised that my mum was still shouldering household responsibilities at such an advanced age. Well, she thought a maid should have been hired to take over. In this beloved country of mine, families are divided into two broad groups: those with maid(s) and those without. For those with maids, you find some with infants and young children and senior citizens requiring care, but some families simply hire maids because they can afford to and would rather spend their time doing more interesting things than house work. For the second group, you find families who do very well without help (like mine) and those who limp along refusing to live with full time maids as a matter of choice. My brother's family fell into the last sub-group. This last segment of this society is very small. As the choice to do without help is not due to the lack of finances. The choice has much to do with the risk of bringing the wrong person into the home.
In the newspaper we read often of maids being heinously abused. Not many people would high-light how employers are regularly being made fools of. When maids run away, employers must make police reports and each report costs several hundred dollars. Employers lost not only the sizable amounts paid to agents, they may lose items stolen by absconding maids, and they lost the convenience of having household help for x number of months. After saying all these, you may wonder why people are so stupid as to run such risk time and again! Well, the flip side of the coin is I have met maids who have worked 6, 8, 11, and 18 years for the same families. Such maids are treated more like an elderly aunt by the entire clan.
I have met a high-flying lawyer who has had such reliable help that in all the years of bringing up her four children, she never have to do a diaper change. In all her married years, she never washed a single item (as a tea cup) in the kitchen.
Interestingly, people like my lawyer contact are often extremely impressed with any of my children being well trained in performing household chores and assisting me without being asked in or out of the house.
The day before I met up with a childhood friend and we asked after each others' mums. Hers is older than mine and is currently facing mobility as a challenge. Mine is still diligently brisk walking each morning for at least half an hour. She just returned from visiting her youngest brother in Canton, China. She may have passed her eightieth birthday, but she is still game to travel and see new places of interest.
My old friend was surprised that my mum was still shouldering household responsibilities at such an advanced age. Well, she thought a maid should have been hired to take over. In this beloved country of mine, families are divided into two broad groups: those with maid(s) and those without. For those with maids, you find some with infants and young children and senior citizens requiring care, but some families simply hire maids because they can afford to and would rather spend their time doing more interesting things than house work. For the second group, you find families who do very well without help (like mine) and those who limp along refusing to live with full time maids as a matter of choice. My brother's family fell into the last sub-group. This last segment of this society is very small. As the choice to do without help is not due to the lack of finances. The choice has much to do with the risk of bringing the wrong person into the home.
In the newspaper we read often of maids being heinously abused. Not many people would high-light how employers are regularly being made fools of. When maids run away, employers must make police reports and each report costs several hundred dollars. Employers lost not only the sizable amounts paid to agents, they may lose items stolen by absconding maids, and they lost the convenience of having household help for x number of months. After saying all these, you may wonder why people are so stupid as to run such risk time and again! Well, the flip side of the coin is I have met maids who have worked 6, 8, 11, and 18 years for the same families. Such maids are treated more like an elderly aunt by the entire clan.
I have met a high-flying lawyer who has had such reliable help that in all the years of bringing up her four children, she never have to do a diaper change. In all her married years, she never washed a single item (as a tea cup) in the kitchen.
Interestingly, people like my lawyer contact are often extremely impressed with any of my children being well trained in performing household chores and assisting me without being asked in or out of the house.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
(30) Children from rich families
My good friend has three sisters. All the three sisters received sizable inheritance from their parents. On top of that, sister number 1 worked at a successful business with her husband. Sister number 2 is enterprising, she has further accumulated wealth on her own. Sister number three and her husband both work at high paying jobs.
All three sisters have grown children. The interesting point is that none of the children of these three families are married. The ages of the children range from 35 to 21, there are equal number of boys and girls. One day my good friend was wondering aloud why her three nieces from her second sister are still unmarried. The nieces are aged 33, 29 and 27 respectively. At that time, another niece from her third sister answered,"Well! They live in a house with amenities that are better than those offered by a 5 star hotel, why should they get married and move out? There is no way they can afford to buy a house up to the standard that they are accustomed to." That was the opinion of a 23 year old.
Today I visited a childhood friend whose husband has done exceedingly well financially. Her house costs her husband about $3 million. I look at the size, the decoration, the lighting fixture, the air-conditioners in every room, the furniture, the curtains... and I have to agree that to live in such a house is more comfortable than in any hotel I have been to. Co-incidentally there are four daughters and three sons who are still single. The youngest off spring is 24 years old. Is there some truth in what the 23 year old girl said? Right at this point I have to bring in the traditional Chinese belief that a Chinese man is an utter failure in life if he does not propagate his blood lines, no matter how rich and successful in life he is.
When I told my husband about what I observed, he told me that 80% of the world's resources is in the hands of 20% of the population. The rich are becoming richer and the poor are becoming poorer. As we have famine in Africa, even people in my country are spending hundreds of thousands in slimming. He is reading about The Tear Fund, they raise fund for poverty eradication programs and well digging in dirt poor communities. For every pound they raised, the country receiving it is repaying three pounds in loans bearing high interest to another richer country. The world's economic system is shaped in such a way that there are in built injustice. Contrasting to the rich people I have tried to describe above, the poor have many children. Isn't it funny? Those who can afford to may choose to be childless. And those who cannot even feed the children from one day to the next continue to have one baby after another.
All three sisters have grown children. The interesting point is that none of the children of these three families are married. The ages of the children range from 35 to 21, there are equal number of boys and girls. One day my good friend was wondering aloud why her three nieces from her second sister are still unmarried. The nieces are aged 33, 29 and 27 respectively. At that time, another niece from her third sister answered,"Well! They live in a house with amenities that are better than those offered by a 5 star hotel, why should they get married and move out? There is no way they can afford to buy a house up to the standard that they are accustomed to." That was the opinion of a 23 year old.
Today I visited a childhood friend whose husband has done exceedingly well financially. Her house costs her husband about $3 million. I look at the size, the decoration, the lighting fixture, the air-conditioners in every room, the furniture, the curtains... and I have to agree that to live in such a house is more comfortable than in any hotel I have been to. Co-incidentally there are four daughters and three sons who are still single. The youngest off spring is 24 years old. Is there some truth in what the 23 year old girl said? Right at this point I have to bring in the traditional Chinese belief that a Chinese man is an utter failure in life if he does not propagate his blood lines, no matter how rich and successful in life he is.
When I told my husband about what I observed, he told me that 80% of the world's resources is in the hands of 20% of the population. The rich are becoming richer and the poor are becoming poorer. As we have famine in Africa, even people in my country are spending hundreds of thousands in slimming. He is reading about The Tear Fund, they raise fund for poverty eradication programs and well digging in dirt poor communities. For every pound they raised, the country receiving it is repaying three pounds in loans bearing high interest to another richer country. The world's economic system is shaped in such a way that there are in built injustice. Contrasting to the rich people I have tried to describe above, the poor have many children. Isn't it funny? Those who can afford to may choose to be childless. And those who cannot even feed the children from one day to the next continue to have one baby after another.
(29) For Now, Forever by Nora Roberts
Daniel is the father of Allan, Caine and Serena. Roberts wrote three books covering these individuals, their spouses, one cousin of Daniel and a brother of Allan's wife.
Borrowing what Mrs Higgs said on page 112: falling in love is like riding a roller coaster
being in love is like going round a carousel
staying in love is like being in a maze
There is a well publicized case in my country: a school teacher was about to marry her sweetheart. The day before he was to say I do, he died mysteriously in some corruption investigation. Since the marriage was hastened by the impending arrival of a baby, this poor lady went on to deliver her son in the traumatic aftermath of the untimely death of her intended. To "make" the heir legitimate, she submitted to a "Taoist marriage" with a ghost in the yin world.
Daniel wanted to marry Anna right from the first moment of meeting her. But Anna was not willing to give up her lifelong dream of becoming a surgeon. Therefore she compromised: she lived with her beloved until her graduation. Well, she is lucky in that she was able to have her cake and eat it.
Three old friends of Elizabeth came to celebrate her birthday from Silver City. I grabbed hold of the golden opportunity to tell them a story or two. It took half an hour to transport them from the subway station to my place, I have a captive audience along the way. I have known these girls since they were seven years old. Since one of them recently snared a boy friend and just came back from visiting his parents, it is time to talk about Aids. A friend of mine is a General Practitioner in Singapore, she counted five single girls from good backgrounds who came for HIV tests in her clinic last month. Each of the five girls has only one sexual partner, the guy they planned to marry. Sad to say, three of them tested positive.
There is this 24 year old handsome young man I have known very well all his life. He is on to the fourth girl friend now. Well, it is like the program Friends with Benefits. Since he was abroad for almost five years, I really don't know how many sexual partners he has had. Within a period of two weeks, he has had stomach problems and purged many times. For his parents' sake, I certainly hope it is just a case of poor food choices.
Borrowing what Mrs Higgs said on page 112: falling in love is like riding a roller coaster
being in love is like going round a carousel
staying in love is like being in a maze
There is a well publicized case in my country: a school teacher was about to marry her sweetheart. The day before he was to say I do, he died mysteriously in some corruption investigation. Since the marriage was hastened by the impending arrival of a baby, this poor lady went on to deliver her son in the traumatic aftermath of the untimely death of her intended. To "make" the heir legitimate, she submitted to a "Taoist marriage" with a ghost in the yin world.
Daniel wanted to marry Anna right from the first moment of meeting her. But Anna was not willing to give up her lifelong dream of becoming a surgeon. Therefore she compromised: she lived with her beloved until her graduation. Well, she is lucky in that she was able to have her cake and eat it.
Three old friends of Elizabeth came to celebrate her birthday from Silver City. I grabbed hold of the golden opportunity to tell them a story or two. It took half an hour to transport them from the subway station to my place, I have a captive audience along the way. I have known these girls since they were seven years old. Since one of them recently snared a boy friend and just came back from visiting his parents, it is time to talk about Aids. A friend of mine is a General Practitioner in Singapore, she counted five single girls from good backgrounds who came for HIV tests in her clinic last month. Each of the five girls has only one sexual partner, the guy they planned to marry. Sad to say, three of them tested positive.
There is this 24 year old handsome young man I have known very well all his life. He is on to the fourth girl friend now. Well, it is like the program Friends with Benefits. Since he was abroad for almost five years, I really don't know how many sexual partners he has had. Within a period of two weeks, he has had stomach problems and purged many times. For his parents' sake, I certainly hope it is just a case of poor food choices.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
(28) Lovely stones
What do we see? A lump of inert rocks? A peak to conquer? The home of the Gods? Snowy peaks? I may be a romantic, I see jewels of rosy hues, something lovely God created.
I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, my soul will be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with garments of salvation, ... as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. Isaiah 61:10
Photo credit: Ms Ong Bee Lian
(27) Sun and rain
Look at the majestic mountains! It will be another day in the sun. Pitiful is the person that hides from the sun his entire life, whether by choice or not.
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Matt 5:45
The above photo is used with the kind permission of Ms Ong Bee Lian.
(26) Wheat
I read in the news that wheat harvest was dismal in quite a number states of the America lately. By next year, we will see definite increase in grain prices.
In the Garden of Eden, Adam did not need to plant nor reap. God richly gave everything for his enjoyment. But after the fall, the prince of the air, Satan, worked against everyone in the world; especially those whom God call.
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat Luke 22:31
Photo below is used with kind permission of Ms Ong Bee Lian
(25) The Fabulous Concubine by Chang Hsin-hai
This is the first book published by Oxford Paperbacks written by a Chinese that I have ever come across.
The story is set against the background of the bureaucratic corruption and the webs of intrigue and deceit which flourished in China before the overthrow of the Manchu dynasty.
The main character, Golden Orchid, was a sing-song girl who became the concubine of the Chinese Ambassador to Germany and Russia. As I read this historical novel, I can't help but contrast the details of living between 1895-1904 to what I saw during my two short trips to Shanghai and Canton earlier this year.
At least in the two cities that I visited, housing and transportation rivaled that of Singapore. The cuisine in Canton is indeed something to be remembered for a long time. From what I read recently of western press and what my cousins told me, the present government officials are not any less corrupt than those in the by gone years. But at least the citizens have decent housing and there are many new and expensive cars on the road driven by ordinary folks.
Of course the big difference is that free trade enable the free movement of people. Many professionals from abroad relocated to work there for the sake of the spreading of the gospel. The many decades of suffering of the Chinese people could be seen as the price that brought about the religious reform.
The story is set against the background of the bureaucratic corruption and the webs of intrigue and deceit which flourished in China before the overthrow of the Manchu dynasty.
The main character, Golden Orchid, was a sing-song girl who became the concubine of the Chinese Ambassador to Germany and Russia. As I read this historical novel, I can't help but contrast the details of living between 1895-1904 to what I saw during my two short trips to Shanghai and Canton earlier this year.
At least in the two cities that I visited, housing and transportation rivaled that of Singapore. The cuisine in Canton is indeed something to be remembered for a long time. From what I read recently of western press and what my cousins told me, the present government officials are not any less corrupt than those in the by gone years. But at least the citizens have decent housing and there are many new and expensive cars on the road driven by ordinary folks.
Of course the big difference is that free trade enable the free movement of people. Many professionals from abroad relocated to work there for the sake of the spreading of the gospel. The many decades of suffering of the Chinese people could be seen as the price that brought about the religious reform.
(24) In from the Cold by Nora Roberts
This is the Ian portion of The MacGregors.
Since my country was under British Colonial rule for some time before we achieved independence, I actually learned British English in school. When I went to further my studies in America, it struck me that Americans really went out of their ways to do things opposite to the British standards. For instance, British drive on the left while Americans drive on the right.
Roberts was able to recreate the type of feelings and passion towards throwing off the imperial rule from the British throne. Perhaps the students I lived with for three years were far removed from the revolutionary war, they personally had nothing against the British. In fact many of my friends who were English majors went London Abroad for one year as exchange students. Now I am another step closer to understanding the historical sentiments early Americans had toward the motherland.
One month last year there was a Nora Roberts film "festival" on Astro - a digital pay network offering TV programs. I caught three of the movies out of probably seven. They were interesting films that were pretty well made. For the past few days I have been having a book marathon reading three MacGregor books from Roberts. Now I can see why her books have been selected to be made into movies. For even a non-romance novel person as I could learn many things hidden in her books.
Since my country was under British Colonial rule for some time before we achieved independence, I actually learned British English in school. When I went to further my studies in America, it struck me that Americans really went out of their ways to do things opposite to the British standards. For instance, British drive on the left while Americans drive on the right.
Roberts was able to recreate the type of feelings and passion towards throwing off the imperial rule from the British throne. Perhaps the students I lived with for three years were far removed from the revolutionary war, they personally had nothing against the British. In fact many of my friends who were English majors went London Abroad for one year as exchange students. Now I am another step closer to understanding the historical sentiments early Americans had toward the motherland.
One month last year there was a Nora Roberts film "festival" on Astro - a digital pay network offering TV programs. I caught three of the movies out of probably seven. They were interesting films that were pretty well made. For the past few days I have been having a book marathon reading three MacGregor books from Roberts. Now I can see why her books have been selected to be made into movies. For even a non-romance novel person as I could learn many things hidden in her books.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
(23)Tempting Fate by Nora Roberts
This is the
Caine half of The MacGregors.
I have read my share of love stories in my teens. Yet no other romance author brings
interesting side issues to life like her. If you have been reading the notes I
have written on Roberts’ books, you will realize that I pick them not for her
talents of describing what happened in between the sheets.
As I read
about Diana Blake, I was comparing her at the back of my mind to a young lady
who has a gift with words (we’ll call her Leela). For my readers who have not
read Tempting Fate, Diana’s parents died when she was six. Her brother, who was
sixteen, took her to her aunt and left her there. For twenty years he did not
see her, not because he did not want to. It was the aunt that made the
condition. He quietly sent monthly checks until she graduated from law school.
She grew up suppressing her love and need for the only brother she had,
thinking that he abandoned her. It seemed that the in-grain habit of operating
on logic had severed her emotions until she could no longer be comfortable with
her feelings.
On a few
occasions I met Leela. She is a young mother of three, managing on her own in a
foreign land. After I listened to her mother’s struggles, I began to see why
she had a problem in her childhood. A short summary would be her own words: by
choice, she separated her emotions from logic to survive the pain many years
ago. Now, she is surrounded with four males, her husband and three sons. It
would not be unusual for at least one of her sons to take after her father, who
seemed to be the source of her painful childhood.
It is
probably unlikely I will see Leela in the near future. I am glad of that. I
wish her well, of course. Since I am not a psychologist, I cannot be of help to
sort out the tangles in her heart. Now, a few days ago I was asked to pray for
a lady, she was so concise with her statement of prayer point that I confessed
I did not know how to ask God to help her. Then and there I resorted to praying
in tongues for perhaps forty seconds as that usually help me to pray when my
mind was a blank. To be honest I cannot remember even one phrase out of
the prayer I uttered on her behalf. It must have been reasonable as those
around the table took what I prayed in their stride. After I prayed, both in
tongues and in words, it became clear to me that this lady has a similar
problem like Leela (As the days passed, this conviction deepened). Now, you must be wondering if I am going off my rocker!
Let me
explain, since young I have been periodically having flashes of insight that I
cannot command nor explain. They often came when I did not expect nor want them. It helps
me to see people for what they chose not to reveal to others. I might blurt out the precise thing my conversation partner was trying to avoid. Some people
thought I was mediumistic. But I have checked, there was not a single medium on
both sides of my family lines for 4 generations.
After I
became a practicing Christian, folks said it is the gift of knowledge. An
unbelieving family member said it is what was described in Blink by Ted Dekker (I hope I have the correct name down).
Whatever you call it, I am stuck with it. Part of it was probably in born: the
ability to see patterns where others fail. God could have sanctified the
natural talent to become a gift of the Holy Spirit to serve others. What
remains is if I have a chance to speak to this second person alone sometime in
the future, I would have to thicken my skin to tell her what I heard while
praying. If it is indeed from God, then that could be the root of the problem
to her Eczema.
Monday, August 13, 2012
(22) Playing the Odds by Nora Roberts
This is the Serena part of The MacGregors.
It is an interesting story of a very rich young woman falling for a gambler turned casino-hotels owner. I am afraid I have the middle class phobia of gambling. It is not exactly unheard of to know of people who gambled a fortune away and then in a moment of despair, the poor guy jumped from high enough to die instantly leaving behind a widow with young children. Both men and women have incurred in big debts in our only hill top casino and later disappeared without a trace: either they run away successfully or they died.
In one of my life groups, a man was a compulsive gambler before he turned his life over to Jesus. He said it is like alcoholism, he just lives one day at a time. He has been clean for more than fifteen years now. Any game of chance still attracts his attention. Daily he simply prays and resists the pull. It is not difficult to say no but he would have to continue to say no to betting of all types.
I suppose a game like black jack holds better odds than slot machines or other forms of gambling. My father had been a betting man. According to my mum, overall he lost more than he won in a life time of betting 4 digits that used to be based on horse racing. He borrowed money to get married. Had he worked and saved money to pay back the debt, it would have taken him many years indeed. When his first born son came home, he won a lottery that paid him many thousands of dollars. He was a practicing Taoist all his life, there was nothing to stop him from gambling and hoping for quick gains. Of course money that came that quickly also dissipated quickly. He would never say no to poor friends and relatives who asked him for a loan when he had money in his pocket. He might not have been a wise man but he was open handed. I suppose those who lend to the poor and do not oppress them can be taken as lending to the Lord. Throughout his life, he has never been in need of money. God had paid him back amply. You see, God is no man's debtor. Although my father did not know Him while alive, he had been living by biblical principles, therefore he had been enjoying the blessings of God even as an unbeliever.
It is an interesting story of a very rich young woman falling for a gambler turned casino-hotels owner. I am afraid I have the middle class phobia of gambling. It is not exactly unheard of to know of people who gambled a fortune away and then in a moment of despair, the poor guy jumped from high enough to die instantly leaving behind a widow with young children. Both men and women have incurred in big debts in our only hill top casino and later disappeared without a trace: either they run away successfully or they died.
In one of my life groups, a man was a compulsive gambler before he turned his life over to Jesus. He said it is like alcoholism, he just lives one day at a time. He has been clean for more than fifteen years now. Any game of chance still attracts his attention. Daily he simply prays and resists the pull. It is not difficult to say no but he would have to continue to say no to betting of all types.
I suppose a game like black jack holds better odds than slot machines or other forms of gambling. My father had been a betting man. According to my mum, overall he lost more than he won in a life time of betting 4 digits that used to be based on horse racing. He borrowed money to get married. Had he worked and saved money to pay back the debt, it would have taken him many years indeed. When his first born son came home, he won a lottery that paid him many thousands of dollars. He was a practicing Taoist all his life, there was nothing to stop him from gambling and hoping for quick gains. Of course money that came that quickly also dissipated quickly. He would never say no to poor friends and relatives who asked him for a loan when he had money in his pocket. He might not have been a wise man but he was open handed. I suppose those who lend to the poor and do not oppress them can be taken as lending to the Lord. Throughout his life, he has never been in need of money. God had paid him back amply. You see, God is no man's debtor. Although my father did not know Him while alive, he had been living by biblical principles, therefore he had been enjoying the blessings of God even as an unbeliever.
Sunday, August 12, 2012
(21) One Man's Art by Nora Roberts
This book carries the Grant part of The MacGregors.
Personally I have not met a man who lives all alone in a disused light house. Perhaps the constant need to meet dead lines as a cartoonist might require such an out of the way place. I am glad that I am still writing for fun. Should I need to write 6-8 hours or a certain number of thousands of words daily, I may have to find a quiet place myself.
I was tickled that Roberts captured the opposite qualities of Grant and Gennie so believably! In real life people tend to marry someone totally opposite to themselves in some ways. Take me, for example, my brothers would tell you I was an out and out chatterbox when I was young. I married a relatively quiet man. Interestingly, through the years, I became more quiet but he talks a lot more now. I spent more time watching people and thinking my own thoughts in crowds. On my own I need to reflect and fine tune my feelings. Should I talk, it is to use someone as a sounding board to see if what I was planning to write sounds worthy of being recorded. If I open my mouth and talk non-stop, at the end of the day I will have nothing left to write.
Roberts brought a new element into this story: the death of some one close for both the guy and the girl. Grant lost his father to an assassin fifteen years ago. Gennie was involved in a car accident where she lost her dear sister. I have not considered how such personal losses would affect a person's inclination to courtship or marriage.
Personally I have not met a man who lives all alone in a disused light house. Perhaps the constant need to meet dead lines as a cartoonist might require such an out of the way place. I am glad that I am still writing for fun. Should I need to write 6-8 hours or a certain number of thousands of words daily, I may have to find a quiet place myself.
I was tickled that Roberts captured the opposite qualities of Grant and Gennie so believably! In real life people tend to marry someone totally opposite to themselves in some ways. Take me, for example, my brothers would tell you I was an out and out chatterbox when I was young. I married a relatively quiet man. Interestingly, through the years, I became more quiet but he talks a lot more now. I spent more time watching people and thinking my own thoughts in crowds. On my own I need to reflect and fine tune my feelings. Should I talk, it is to use someone as a sounding board to see if what I was planning to write sounds worthy of being recorded. If I open my mouth and talk non-stop, at the end of the day I will have nothing left to write.
Roberts brought a new element into this story: the death of some one close for both the guy and the girl. Grant lost his father to an assassin fifteen years ago. Gennie was involved in a car accident where she lost her dear sister. I have not considered how such personal losses would affect a person's inclination to courtship or marriage.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
(20) Nikita
This is a French film by Luc Besson.
Nikita killed a cop in a failed robbery. After her trial, the authorities faked her suicide and took her to a special school for operatives. After three years of training, she was set free to be an agent. She found love and did well for quite a while. Then an assignment involving getting espionage info from a foreigner went awry, she had to run to save herself.
That led me to think, not every person could live a double life. One could pretend to be someone else successfully for a little while. But how do you keep the one nearest to you from knowing anything long term? Perhaps a male who is few with words and usually behaves like a loner might be able to pull it off with a good and discreet woman as his wife. Nikita certainly could not do it. Her fiancee found out about her secret life before the botched attempt at the embassy.
Nikita killed a cop in a failed robbery. After her trial, the authorities faked her suicide and took her to a special school for operatives. After three years of training, she was set free to be an agent. She found love and did well for quite a while. Then an assignment involving getting espionage info from a foreigner went awry, she had to run to save herself.
That led me to think, not every person could live a double life. One could pretend to be someone else successfully for a little while. But how do you keep the one nearest to you from knowing anything long term? Perhaps a male who is few with words and usually behaves like a loner might be able to pull it off with a good and discreet woman as his wife. Nikita certainly could not do it. Her fiancee found out about her secret life before the botched attempt at the embassy.
(19) All the Possibilities by Nora Roberts
This is the first part of Roberts' The MacGregors. Here we have Senator Alan MacGregor meeting his match in Shelby Campbell.
It seems that there is a real person that parallels Shelby's life. If there is a daughter of the deceased Senator Robert Kennedy, then it could be a fictional account of that lady's life. It must have been traumatic to lose a father to a bullet when one is a child. But as to if that event would affect a young woman's choice of a mate for marriage is a moot point.
There are many people who are good at making money in this world. But it is not often that a person could be engaging herself in her passion and yet make a bundle of money out of it. Shelby loves to potter with clay and could retail her crafts herself. That is indeed a rare combination of artistic gift coupled with hard headed commercial abilities!
Out of an entire crowd of presidential wannabes, there are not really many who would get nominated to be voted. Yet the swirling political masses continue to swarm the many parties given in Washington DC. It is certainly not a crime in being ambitious!
It seems that there is a real person that parallels Shelby's life. If there is a daughter of the deceased Senator Robert Kennedy, then it could be a fictional account of that lady's life. It must have been traumatic to lose a father to a bullet when one is a child. But as to if that event would affect a young woman's choice of a mate for marriage is a moot point.
There are many people who are good at making money in this world. But it is not often that a person could be engaging herself in her passion and yet make a bundle of money out of it. Shelby loves to potter with clay and could retail her crafts herself. That is indeed a rare combination of artistic gift coupled with hard headed commercial abilities!
Out of an entire crowd of presidential wannabes, there are not really many who would get nominated to be voted. Yet the swirling political masses continue to swarm the many parties given in Washington DC. It is certainly not a crime in being ambitious!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
(18) Five hundred people q up for free ice-cream
When my husband and I drove to dinner today at 6:30 pm, the road was unusually jammed. I did not think much of it. After dinner we went to buy a few things from a local super market, it was rather empty. Perhaps because it was breaking fast time, everybody was home eating.
Then we went to pick up some dvd movies. The commercial district was choc-a-block with cars looking for parking lots. We managed to find one lot near a bank, it was closed by then. Lo and behold, we saw long queue of people of all ages, both sexes waiting to get free cones with one scoop of ice-cream each. Interesting! Those cars that are still coasting around are mostly imported cars: lots of Toyotas and some Hondas, there are not many Kancils and Protons. These folks are not poor! But why are they waiting in line for more than at least half an hour for something that probably costs around $3.00?
Is that the way to celebrate a silver medal in badminton? Or is it because the ice-cream is free, one must not lose out in not claiming it? We also saw a few teenagers who went to McDoanald to get a few cones first before joining their friends who were waiting in line.
Then we went to pick up some dvd movies. The commercial district was choc-a-block with cars looking for parking lots. We managed to find one lot near a bank, it was closed by then. Lo and behold, we saw long queue of people of all ages, both sexes waiting to get free cones with one scoop of ice-cream each. Interesting! Those cars that are still coasting around are mostly imported cars: lots of Toyotas and some Hondas, there are not many Kancils and Protons. These folks are not poor! But why are they waiting in line for more than at least half an hour for something that probably costs around $3.00?
Is that the way to celebrate a silver medal in badminton? Or is it because the ice-cream is free, one must not lose out in not claiming it? We also saw a few teenagers who went to McDoanald to get a few cones first before joining their friends who were waiting in line.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
(17) Folk cure for jaundice in infants
This is an old folk remedy for new born babies that show yellow in their skin: jaundice. The cause is the liver could not keep up with the processes necessary for the breakdown of the red blood cells.
An old lady helped in the care of her great grandson. Within the first week of his life, the baby has jaundice. Doctors would normally recommend sunning in early morning sunlight. They would suggest that the mother spoons and force feed the baby with water in little spoonfuls if the infant is bottle fed. Should the infant be breast fed, it should have sufficient water from the breasts.
This old lady found unprocessed goat milk and fed the breast feeding mom one glass one morning. The infant suckles and went to sleep. Two hours later he passed motion, lots of yellow liquid came out. The next morning, the baby's color turned normal, the yellow tinge is gone.
Supposing it is a bottle fed baby, she said two spoonfuls of goat milk collected fresh from goats let out to pasture would do the trick if we feed it to the infant. I do wonder if it is safe to feed a new born unpasteurized milk. Perhaps it would be safer to heat the fresh milk to short of boiling first.
I sunned and force feed water to Kenneth for three days and had to send Crystal for photo therapy in the hospital overnight. For that hospitalization, Crystal was like a little pin cushion: she endured a few sessions of blood taking.
An old lady helped in the care of her great grandson. Within the first week of his life, the baby has jaundice. Doctors would normally recommend sunning in early morning sunlight. They would suggest that the mother spoons and force feed the baby with water in little spoonfuls if the infant is bottle fed. Should the infant be breast fed, it should have sufficient water from the breasts.
This old lady found unprocessed goat milk and fed the breast feeding mom one glass one morning. The infant suckles and went to sleep. Two hours later he passed motion, lots of yellow liquid came out. The next morning, the baby's color turned normal, the yellow tinge is gone.
Supposing it is a bottle fed baby, she said two spoonfuls of goat milk collected fresh from goats let out to pasture would do the trick if we feed it to the infant. I do wonder if it is safe to feed a new born unpasteurized milk. Perhaps it would be safer to heat the fresh milk to short of boiling first.
I sunned and force feed water to Kenneth for three days and had to send Crystal for photo therapy in the hospital overnight. For that hospitalization, Crystal was like a little pin cushion: she endured a few sessions of blood taking.
Monday, August 6, 2012
(16) Forgiveness
In a short article on page 133 of the March 2002 Reader's Digest I find what Marilyn Elias wrote in USA Today being summarized.
Elias was quoting Stanford University psychologist Carl Thoresen: Forgiveness doesn't mean forgetting or condoning offences, or reconciling with the offender. It means giving up the right to be angry.
In the group treatment Thoresen's team built, they emphasize:
- Shifting rigid personal "rules" for how people should behave to "preferences," and accepting that no adult can control another.
- Seeing the hurtful incident from a neutral viewpoint.
- Moving from blame to understanding, then moving on.
I personally have not seen a better definition of forgiveness than this in the past 22 years.
Elias was quoting Stanford University psychologist Carl Thoresen: Forgiveness doesn't mean forgetting or condoning offences, or reconciling with the offender. It means giving up the right to be angry.
In the group treatment Thoresen's team built, they emphasize:
- Shifting rigid personal "rules" for how people should behave to "preferences," and accepting that no adult can control another.
- Seeing the hurtful incident from a neutral viewpoint.
- Moving from blame to understanding, then moving on.
I personally have not seen a better definition of forgiveness than this in the past 22 years.
(15) Crooked Stick by martin chow
First I want to state that I admire Chow for self publishing when he has something to say to the Christian community who has been supporting his ministry of helping the poor and marginalized in China.
Since he self published, his books would not be sold in any book shops anywhere. His contact email is martin.chow63@gmail.com. For my readers residing in peninsular Malaysia who go to churches that support Chow and his family, they will make his books available when he speaks there.
Both Martin and Diane Chow are highly qualified with two degrees each from universities in Malaysia and UK. They gave up highly lucrative jobs to bring a seven year old daughter to Yunan to make a difference to the minorities there.
I found it interesting to note how small acts of kindness can lead to open doors for the gospel. During WW2, a nameless American pilot was very kind to a Chinese boy, he gave candies and taught the boy to say 'ok' with his fingers. The boy grew up deciding that he would return such acts of kindness to other Americans. Many years later, his daughter became a student of Ethel Wallis in a college in South-western China. The former led the latter to the man who vowed to help Americans. You see, this man's childhood friend became the Governor of Guizhou. With the special introduction, a community work project started in Guizhou.
While it is not a highly polished book, there is much substance and a straight forward sincerity in the telling things as they are with no frills. Hopefully the author would see the need to rewrite and improve it, as well as have a few friends who are well versed in publishing to suggest slight changes that would improve the book at least in terms of lay out and appearance.
Since he self published, his books would not be sold in any book shops anywhere. His contact email is martin.chow63@gmail.com. For my readers residing in peninsular Malaysia who go to churches that support Chow and his family, they will make his books available when he speaks there.
Both Martin and Diane Chow are highly qualified with two degrees each from universities in Malaysia and UK. They gave up highly lucrative jobs to bring a seven year old daughter to Yunan to make a difference to the minorities there.
I found it interesting to note how small acts of kindness can lead to open doors for the gospel. During WW2, a nameless American pilot was very kind to a Chinese boy, he gave candies and taught the boy to say 'ok' with his fingers. The boy grew up deciding that he would return such acts of kindness to other Americans. Many years later, his daughter became a student of Ethel Wallis in a college in South-western China. The former led the latter to the man who vowed to help Americans. You see, this man's childhood friend became the Governor of Guizhou. With the special introduction, a community work project started in Guizhou.
While it is not a highly polished book, there is much substance and a straight forward sincerity in the telling things as they are with no frills. Hopefully the author would see the need to rewrite and improve it, as well as have a few friends who are well versed in publishing to suggest slight changes that would improve the book at least in terms of lay out and appearance.
Sunday, August 5, 2012
(14) Prophetic Dreams?
Many years ago, George (a youth leader in my church) related a dream to me.
In his vivid dream, he was on a ship waving good-bye to my daughter, Elizabeth, who was on shore sending him off. He shouted and thanked Elizabeth for arranging all his itinerary and helping him to keep his myriad appointments in the port.
I was very curious, the first opportunity I could insert in a question, I asked him if he was in a temperate, tropical or very cold place. He took a while to look into his inner images and answer it was not cold, but there were greenery. He did not know what country it was.
A month or two later I in turn had a vivid dream. In the dream, I knew it was related to George's dream. I saw a rather old building, probably British colonial in origin, and I was in a very spacious room which I knew to be Elizabeth's living quarters. Kenneth asked if there was a single bed or a marital bed. No, I saw only the many tall and narrow windows in the semi circular wall, there was lilac translucent curtains flapping in the warm breeze. Purple is Elizabeth's favorite color. There were comfortable chairs arranged in a cluster next to the windows. Then there is a long and tall book shelves filled to overflowing dividing the rest of the room from the reading nook. Near one end of the book shelve, we have an ornate staircase leading both up and down from the room.
When Elizabeth was waiting for her high school result, she initiated an application to Logos II or OM (Operation Mobilization). We managed to fit in three months of service. It would be a costly trip as all candidates would have to raise their own funding and pay OM room and board to serve. Of course I know that if it is God's perfect will for her to go, funding would not be the obstacle. While she was getting the church's recommendations, objections ruled. All sorts of reasons were given from different levels of the leadership. The most logical came from our Junior Pastor, she said that Elizabeth could apply after her first degree. After all, it is important that we grab the Government University posting as we are a family of slim means. To let her go like that, what if she was detained due to whatever reason, she would not be here to submit the uni applications. Since Elizabeth has not set her heart on going, she decided to submit to the church leadership and give up the application.
Zelda (who recently follow God's leading and relocated to USA) and Violet (the founder of Amazing Book Room in A Dream and A Dream 2) both felt that I should have urged her to follow the application to the end, it would have been OK if we could not raise sufficient funds. They are of the opinion that God would have provided money somehow for Elizabeth to take up the US partial scholarship offer even if she has missed the local university placement.
All this is water under the bridge. What matters to me is that Elizabeth is extremely happy with her English studies in the nearest local uni to where we live. Should she desire to apply to OM upon graduation, I would definitely support her all the way. I wonder if the two dreams are from God, and if one day when I release her to serve God in the Ship ministry would she be assigned to a room that is exactly like what was revealed to me in my dream?
In his vivid dream, he was on a ship waving good-bye to my daughter, Elizabeth, who was on shore sending him off. He shouted and thanked Elizabeth for arranging all his itinerary and helping him to keep his myriad appointments in the port.
I was very curious, the first opportunity I could insert in a question, I asked him if he was in a temperate, tropical or very cold place. He took a while to look into his inner images and answer it was not cold, but there were greenery. He did not know what country it was.
A month or two later I in turn had a vivid dream. In the dream, I knew it was related to George's dream. I saw a rather old building, probably British colonial in origin, and I was in a very spacious room which I knew to be Elizabeth's living quarters. Kenneth asked if there was a single bed or a marital bed. No, I saw only the many tall and narrow windows in the semi circular wall, there was lilac translucent curtains flapping in the warm breeze. Purple is Elizabeth's favorite color. There were comfortable chairs arranged in a cluster next to the windows. Then there is a long and tall book shelves filled to overflowing dividing the rest of the room from the reading nook. Near one end of the book shelve, we have an ornate staircase leading both up and down from the room.
When Elizabeth was waiting for her high school result, she initiated an application to Logos II or OM (Operation Mobilization). We managed to fit in three months of service. It would be a costly trip as all candidates would have to raise their own funding and pay OM room and board to serve. Of course I know that if it is God's perfect will for her to go, funding would not be the obstacle. While she was getting the church's recommendations, objections ruled. All sorts of reasons were given from different levels of the leadership. The most logical came from our Junior Pastor, she said that Elizabeth could apply after her first degree. After all, it is important that we grab the Government University posting as we are a family of slim means. To let her go like that, what if she was detained due to whatever reason, she would not be here to submit the uni applications. Since Elizabeth has not set her heart on going, she decided to submit to the church leadership and give up the application.
Zelda (who recently follow God's leading and relocated to USA) and Violet (the founder of Amazing Book Room in A Dream and A Dream 2) both felt that I should have urged her to follow the application to the end, it would have been OK if we could not raise sufficient funds. They are of the opinion that God would have provided money somehow for Elizabeth to take up the US partial scholarship offer even if she has missed the local university placement.
All this is water under the bridge. What matters to me is that Elizabeth is extremely happy with her English studies in the nearest local uni to where we live. Should she desire to apply to OM upon graduation, I would definitely support her all the way. I wonder if the two dreams are from God, and if one day when I release her to serve God in the Ship ministry would she be assigned to a room that is exactly like what was revealed to me in my dream?
(13) M.I.T.?
A pastor often goes to Burma for ministry. He is going to a seminary to speak, among his many engagements. The last trip he took a taxi, when he told the taxi driver that he was going to M.I.T., the latter asked if it was MI of Technology or MI of Theology?
Even a taxi driver with limited English vocabulary knows that MI of Technology teaches people to build things but MI of Theology teaches people to build people. These two institutions are side by side geographically.
I am impressed that even a man in the street (who probably is a Buddhist) thinks positively of a seminary. That is what a real testimony is about!
Even a taxi driver with limited English vocabulary knows that MI of Technology teaches people to build things but MI of Theology teaches people to build people. These two institutions are side by side geographically.
I am impressed that even a man in the street (who probably is a Buddhist) thinks positively of a seminary. That is what a real testimony is about!
(12) The cost of writing
It was a small lapse. We were in a fellowship meeting. One of the members' child started to act up as it was well past bed time. Mandy asked her to go as the former could hitch a ride home with my husband and I. At that very moment I had switched my mind to what I would blog about that night. When the group finally disbanded, I merely walked behind my husband and went home using 10% of my attention to put on the seat belt and got home. If my husband did not realize Mandy did not come with us half an hour after we reached home, until today I probably would not have thought about it. We of course called the next day and apologized.
Mandy said it was a minor thing and she has forgotten things like that before. Mind you, I did not forget about her request; I did not register it in the first place. It was not because I was selfish, neither was it because I did not like her. From the past I realized that when I choose to write, I would likely go into trance like state thinking my own thoughts and letting my emotions full reign. Normally I am a most logical person. Yet when I need to write I must switch on my emotions, else the writings would be flat. My mother used to say that I was heartless. Things she said during my thinking-writing spells probably never penetrate through the air around my ears.
Sometimes I am afraid of the call to write. Even in producing a few blogs a day, I could become absent minded. What would happen when I need to write eight hours a day?
Mandy said it was a minor thing and she has forgotten things like that before. Mind you, I did not forget about her request; I did not register it in the first place. It was not because I was selfish, neither was it because I did not like her. From the past I realized that when I choose to write, I would likely go into trance like state thinking my own thoughts and letting my emotions full reign. Normally I am a most logical person. Yet when I need to write I must switch on my emotions, else the writings would be flat. My mother used to say that I was heartless. Things she said during my thinking-writing spells probably never penetrate through the air around my ears.
Sometimes I am afraid of the call to write. Even in producing a few blogs a day, I could become absent minded. What would happen when I need to write eight hours a day?
Saturday, August 4, 2012
(11) Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen
It is difficult for me to believe that one can fill 359 pages on the courtship of two girls. Austen might be old fashion, but she certainly made the characters come to life. I cannot say that any of the chapters is uninteresting.
Both Elinor and Marianne suffered heart breaks. The only difference is that Marianne's choice lacked constancy. At the threat of being disinherited, he quickly ran to marry the first available rich woman. Elinor suffered through months of knowing that her beloved's foolish early engagement definitely would jeopardize her own future happiness. Yet she was bound by a promise of secrecy not be able to appear unhappy.
The only twist in the plot is that Edward (Elinor's beloved) thought he loved Lucy. But Lucy was rather opportunistic and she tended to flatter her way into rich and conceited people's hearts. While Robert (Edward's younger brother) was trying to break Edward and Lucy's engagement, Lucy was able to worm her way into Robert's affections. When Robert and Lucy eloped and married away from all their kin, The way is opened for Edward and Elinor.
It takes all sorts to make the world! Heaven helps people like Edward and Elinor when the ample purse strings are held in the hands in selfish, mean-spirited folks like Edward's mother. I supposed blood is thicker than water, Austen was able to end the story with Edward and Elinor being given enough to live happily on by the dragon mother. Marianne caught an older but richer man. The two sisters lived in close proximity for the rest of their lives.
Comparing fiction with real life, no one can really claim that she can live happily ever after. Perhaps, one can claim that when the storms in life hit, the loving everlasting arm of our heavenly father would be there to support us. But no one is exempted from unexpected troubles.
Both Elinor and Marianne suffered heart breaks. The only difference is that Marianne's choice lacked constancy. At the threat of being disinherited, he quickly ran to marry the first available rich woman. Elinor suffered through months of knowing that her beloved's foolish early engagement definitely would jeopardize her own future happiness. Yet she was bound by a promise of secrecy not be able to appear unhappy.
The only twist in the plot is that Edward (Elinor's beloved) thought he loved Lucy. But Lucy was rather opportunistic and she tended to flatter her way into rich and conceited people's hearts. While Robert (Edward's younger brother) was trying to break Edward and Lucy's engagement, Lucy was able to worm her way into Robert's affections. When Robert and Lucy eloped and married away from all their kin, The way is opened for Edward and Elinor.
It takes all sorts to make the world! Heaven helps people like Edward and Elinor when the ample purse strings are held in the hands in selfish, mean-spirited folks like Edward's mother. I supposed blood is thicker than water, Austen was able to end the story with Edward and Elinor being given enough to live happily on by the dragon mother. Marianne caught an older but richer man. The two sisters lived in close proximity for the rest of their lives.
Comparing fiction with real life, no one can really claim that she can live happily ever after. Perhaps, one can claim that when the storms in life hit, the loving everlasting arm of our heavenly father would be there to support us. But no one is exempted from unexpected troubles.
Friday, August 3, 2012
(10) God Spoke Tibetan by Allan Maberty
God Spoke Tibetan is a fascinating Account of the incredible hardships and difficulties which had to be surmounted in an effort to bring the Word of God to the people of Tibet in their language. Essentially, this is the story of how consecrated men, inspired by the Spirit of God, willingly risk their lives to bring the Word of God to millions of people who had lived so long in spiritual isolation.
I just quoted what was printed on the back cover of the book published by New Life Literature(Post Box No 8415, Bangalore - 560 084 India). It seems that this story was published by Evangel Bible Translators and Harvest House Publishers in earlier years.
It took many men dedicating their entire lives, some foreigners and some Tibetans, to translate the bible to Tibetan. The manuscript traveled from a valley near Tibet to India by mule and from India to London by ship. The precious manuscript was kept in an underground vault in a cathedral which was hit almost directly but thank God the bomb did not detonate. Then after the war it traveled back from London to India. It took many attempts of quite a few men before it was ready for printing. One courier died in the avalanche in the mountains while carrying a copy of the manuscript. Finally it was printed at the time God determined.
One communist military boss actually bought Chinese and Tibetan bibles and conduct courses for his soldiers to force them to learn Tibetan.
Some months ago I met a family who worked as professionals in a forbidden area near Tibet. No wonder they faced tremendous obstacles just living there, it is a spiritually dark area. The enemy is entrenched and strong. Just like the translation of the bible, each convert in that region would have to be fought for. Merely living in the region as Christians would be difficult as every day would be fought as in a full scale war with unseen enemy. But victory has been won, the soldiers of Christ merely have to persevere and fight on.
I just quoted what was printed on the back cover of the book published by New Life Literature(Post Box No 8415, Bangalore - 560 084 India). It seems that this story was published by Evangel Bible Translators and Harvest House Publishers in earlier years.
It took many men dedicating their entire lives, some foreigners and some Tibetans, to translate the bible to Tibetan. The manuscript traveled from a valley near Tibet to India by mule and from India to London by ship. The precious manuscript was kept in an underground vault in a cathedral which was hit almost directly but thank God the bomb did not detonate. Then after the war it traveled back from London to India. It took many attempts of quite a few men before it was ready for printing. One courier died in the avalanche in the mountains while carrying a copy of the manuscript. Finally it was printed at the time God determined.
One communist military boss actually bought Chinese and Tibetan bibles and conduct courses for his soldiers to force them to learn Tibetan.
Some months ago I met a family who worked as professionals in a forbidden area near Tibet. No wonder they faced tremendous obstacles just living there, it is a spiritually dark area. The enemy is entrenched and strong. Just like the translation of the bible, each convert in that region would have to be fought for. Merely living in the region as Christians would be difficult as every day would be fought as in a full scale war with unseen enemy. But victory has been won, the soldiers of Christ merely have to persevere and fight on.
(9) Zelda's Rest
Cont from (749), (361), (383), (401), (487), (520) and (994)
I just came back from talking to Zelda in her sister's house.
She arrived safely in New Jersey. Her intended was waiting for her out in the arrival hall. They went straight to her hostess' house. Believe it or not, she had a long chat with her elderly hostess for five hours on the first day! It seemed that they are both sold out to the Lord Jesus Christ. They serve the same Lord and have the same objectives in life. Our hostess considers her big house in a nice area of town a mission house. The house is open to pastors, full time workers and missionaries year round. The hostess believed that Zelda is the answer they have been praying for the man Zelda went to meet. On the spot she reassured Zelda that she could stay for the next six months.
What I really am happy to hear is that the real person matched the image Zelda built in the internet communication. Sure they will have a lot of cultural differences to overcome. But two people willing to work together in a loving spirit of give and take can overcome a lot of obstacles.
So it looks like Zelda and her beloved would spend the next six months getting to know each other in a church community. Then she would have to cross the border to leave the country and then to enter USA again for another period so that she could get married. This reminds me of a Chinese folk tale that the old man in the moon would tie red threads (invisible to mankind) to infant girls to infant boys. When the time comes for the guy to meet his gal, they would some how meet and fall in love. That really seemed to be the case here, except that the old man is God in heaven. The "instigator" is Zelda's very good friend who insisted that she sign up in Christian Cafe and the friend actually paid for a three month subscription initially. And I as a supportive friend, sat through her correspondence with at least thirty possibles within more than one calendar year. For this trip, we have been praying and waiting for God's guidance and providence for at least four months. Finally, the venture matured and we will see the end result we prayed for, both in this country and by a different set of people on the other side of the Pacific, within the next seven months. We praise God that He has wonderful plans for each of us if we look to Him, walk in His ways and wait upon Him for His plans to unfold, no matter how improbable those plans may seem to be.
Zelda is in a foreign country, she is unable to work, she will have to trust God that He will take care of her through her intended. Through this coming six months, the Lord will restore her many years eaten by the locusts. After a few failed relationships, two divorces prior to her conversion, one child raised as a single mother, she has been waiting for the man God promised to bring her for fourteen years. It looks like that waiting is over, the sweet interval of biblical courtship has started. The prophesy given by a man of God from Singapore three years ago will probably come to past: she will be wed in February!
I just came back from talking to Zelda in her sister's house.
She arrived safely in New Jersey. Her intended was waiting for her out in the arrival hall. They went straight to her hostess' house. Believe it or not, she had a long chat with her elderly hostess for five hours on the first day! It seemed that they are both sold out to the Lord Jesus Christ. They serve the same Lord and have the same objectives in life. Our hostess considers her big house in a nice area of town a mission house. The house is open to pastors, full time workers and missionaries year round. The hostess believed that Zelda is the answer they have been praying for the man Zelda went to meet. On the spot she reassured Zelda that she could stay for the next six months.
What I really am happy to hear is that the real person matched the image Zelda built in the internet communication. Sure they will have a lot of cultural differences to overcome. But two people willing to work together in a loving spirit of give and take can overcome a lot of obstacles.
So it looks like Zelda and her beloved would spend the next six months getting to know each other in a church community. Then she would have to cross the border to leave the country and then to enter USA again for another period so that she could get married. This reminds me of a Chinese folk tale that the old man in the moon would tie red threads (invisible to mankind) to infant girls to infant boys. When the time comes for the guy to meet his gal, they would some how meet and fall in love. That really seemed to be the case here, except that the old man is God in heaven. The "instigator" is Zelda's very good friend who insisted that she sign up in Christian Cafe and the friend actually paid for a three month subscription initially. And I as a supportive friend, sat through her correspondence with at least thirty possibles within more than one calendar year. For this trip, we have been praying and waiting for God's guidance and providence for at least four months. Finally, the venture matured and we will see the end result we prayed for, both in this country and by a different set of people on the other side of the Pacific, within the next seven months. We praise God that He has wonderful plans for each of us if we look to Him, walk in His ways and wait upon Him for His plans to unfold, no matter how improbable those plans may seem to be.
Zelda is in a foreign country, she is unable to work, she will have to trust God that He will take care of her through her intended. Through this coming six months, the Lord will restore her many years eaten by the locusts. After a few failed relationships, two divorces prior to her conversion, one child raised as a single mother, she has been waiting for the man God promised to bring her for fourteen years. It looks like that waiting is over, the sweet interval of biblical courtship has started. The prophesy given by a man of God from Singapore three years ago will probably come to past: she will be wed in February!
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
(8) Recycling four cocktail dresses
Last Sunday I received three bagful of clothes, sheets and accessories. It was interesting that Mr Gurdip commented while he helped me pull out the huge bags,"These people are rich!" The clothes came from mainly his daughter in her early twenties, his son and his wife. In three or four batches of recycling, I have yet to find one shirt or a pair of pants in his size.
While sorting through the college girl's clothes, I found four cocktail dresses. One is peach colored with a very distinct asymmetrical tail in the skirt hem. I am not very good at judging sizes, it is probably a size 1. It is made by Susanna. Elizabeth found the label on the internet and the merchandise is priced in pounds. Therefore it was probably British made. We talked Serena into trying it, she looked divine in the dress which seemed designed for her. First the rosy hue brought out her delicate complexion. Serena has sharp features and has a face as fair as Korean stars. The soft fabric lent an angelic feel to her slim body.
There were two little black dresses: one halter neck and the other a bare back with sparkly stones in front on the bodice. Serena fitted those dresses well even though she did not look as striking as in the peach colored one. The labels were Naf Naf and M-Hews, respectively. It was providential that Serena was invited to my place to meet Elizabeth's uni room mate Penny. I normally do not keep any clothes more than 48 hours in my tiny home. Serena later thanked me for my generosity.
The way I see it, I did nothing except telling everyone I recycle clothing. Once the clothes started coming, I just make sure I sort them within 2-3 days. Some would go to a Filipino maid friend of mine, she sends them home in big boxes by ship. Others may go to an Indonesian maid friend of mine in Silver City. I already started a small collection of ping-pong (table tennis) bats for the orphans in Maechan, Northern Thailand. My husband is organizing a visit in December 2013. For this particular batch, Mrs Gurdip specifically requested that I keep her daughter's pieces in our country. Elizabeth and I managed to talk Penny into taking another elegant black long dress. She thinks she will take it home and find someone to cut and sew the maxi into a knee length dress.
Both Serena and Penny are first year uni students. Each year they would need to borrow, buy or tailor make a dress for the faculty party. Therefore these dresses come very handy during their summer break.
This recycling venture started when I visited Northern Thailand. One December day I was in a hill top village at about 10 am. I, who am afraid of the chill had three layers on. My husband had on only a thick T-shirt. Little hill tribe children between 2 to 5 were running around naked and bare feet. Of course their noses were running. I asked if it was their custom to have the children unclothed. The answer brought laughter in the group, these children's mothers saw sunny weather and washed the children's only clothing. None of the children has a second piece of (spare) clothes. That is the ultimate poverty I saw in the rural area of a developing nation. After I returned, with friends and neighbors and contacts, I would tell them the need of clothing in poor communities, and ask them directly to contribute used clothing through me. Through the years, I managed to collect all kinds of clothes but it was difficult to bring them to Thailand. Each trip I made I managed to bring 10 to 12 kilo. It was not practical to send by post as the postage itself would have paid for similar new clothing from China. Hence I resorted to send via maids who would return to their home towns at least once in every two years.
While sorting through the college girl's clothes, I found four cocktail dresses. One is peach colored with a very distinct asymmetrical tail in the skirt hem. I am not very good at judging sizes, it is probably a size 1. It is made by Susanna. Elizabeth found the label on the internet and the merchandise is priced in pounds. Therefore it was probably British made. We talked Serena into trying it, she looked divine in the dress which seemed designed for her. First the rosy hue brought out her delicate complexion. Serena has sharp features and has a face as fair as Korean stars. The soft fabric lent an angelic feel to her slim body.
There were two little black dresses: one halter neck and the other a bare back with sparkly stones in front on the bodice. Serena fitted those dresses well even though she did not look as striking as in the peach colored one. The labels were Naf Naf and M-Hews, respectively. It was providential that Serena was invited to my place to meet Elizabeth's uni room mate Penny. I normally do not keep any clothes more than 48 hours in my tiny home. Serena later thanked me for my generosity.
The way I see it, I did nothing except telling everyone I recycle clothing. Once the clothes started coming, I just make sure I sort them within 2-3 days. Some would go to a Filipino maid friend of mine, she sends them home in big boxes by ship. Others may go to an Indonesian maid friend of mine in Silver City. I already started a small collection of ping-pong (table tennis) bats for the orphans in Maechan, Northern Thailand. My husband is organizing a visit in December 2013. For this particular batch, Mrs Gurdip specifically requested that I keep her daughter's pieces in our country. Elizabeth and I managed to talk Penny into taking another elegant black long dress. She thinks she will take it home and find someone to cut and sew the maxi into a knee length dress.
Both Serena and Penny are first year uni students. Each year they would need to borrow, buy or tailor make a dress for the faculty party. Therefore these dresses come very handy during their summer break.
This recycling venture started when I visited Northern Thailand. One December day I was in a hill top village at about 10 am. I, who am afraid of the chill had three layers on. My husband had on only a thick T-shirt. Little hill tribe children between 2 to 5 were running around naked and bare feet. Of course their noses were running. I asked if it was their custom to have the children unclothed. The answer brought laughter in the group, these children's mothers saw sunny weather and washed the children's only clothing. None of the children has a second piece of (spare) clothes. That is the ultimate poverty I saw in the rural area of a developing nation. After I returned, with friends and neighbors and contacts, I would tell them the need of clothing in poor communities, and ask them directly to contribute used clothing through me. Through the years, I managed to collect all kinds of clothes but it was difficult to bring them to Thailand. Each trip I made I managed to bring 10 to 12 kilo. It was not practical to send by post as the postage itself would have paid for similar new clothing from China. Hence I resorted to send via maids who would return to their home towns at least once in every two years.
(7) Room by Emma Donoghue
It is one of those books that grips the readers from beginning to end. As a mother of daughters, I have been teaching them from very young not to trust strangers, especially those that ask for directions, help with cat or dog, help with an arm in a sling ...
This nineteen year old girl who was captured did nothing wrong except wanting to be kind to a stranger to help a dog. For that desire to be of help, she was confined for seven long years in a 11x11 feet room. There she was raped repeatedly and carried two babies to full term. The first one was suffocated at birth. She managed to raise the second one, a son, to be five years old. Mother and son worked to escape and they succeeded.
It was a tale of utter horror. Yet, the readers saw it from the angle of an innocent five year old. To the captured mum, it was a prison. But to the kid, the 11x11 room was his entire world.
To quote the New Yorker, "It's a testament to Donohhue's imagination and empathy that she is able to fashion radiance from such horror."
This nineteen year old girl who was captured did nothing wrong except wanting to be kind to a stranger to help a dog. For that desire to be of help, she was confined for seven long years in a 11x11 feet room. There she was raped repeatedly and carried two babies to full term. The first one was suffocated at birth. She managed to raise the second one, a son, to be five years old. Mother and son worked to escape and they succeeded.
It was a tale of utter horror. Yet, the readers saw it from the angle of an innocent five year old. To the captured mum, it was a prison. But to the kid, the 11x11 room was his entire world.
To quote the New Yorker, "It's a testament to Donohhue's imagination and empathy that she is able to fashion radiance from such horror."
Sunday, July 29, 2012
(5) Eligible bachelor
A friend of mine has a son who is tall, fair and handsome. To top the physical appearance, he is a scholarship medical student. Once he was in a traffic jam, a moment of inattention and he hit the car in front. It was a good thing the driver in front is not a road bully. Far from what we imagine, he was being treated very well by the lady whose car was slightly damaged.
When he shared about the experience, one of the older men straight away guessed that the lady driver has a daughter about the same age as our eligible bachelor. When he went to study abroad, he received more than his fair share of kindness from the gentler sex. On his first summer vacation home, within the first weeks he started hosting female students visiting.
It really looks like my high school teacher's son's life story being repeated. Except for being thirty years or so older, both are good to look at. Each has much higher than average IQ. To be able to compete for difficult to get medical scholarships, they must be very driven and have much discipline. The elder guy was booked early and got married within days of graduating from medical school. I wonder how long the younger one can stay single?
When he shared about the experience, one of the older men straight away guessed that the lady driver has a daughter about the same age as our eligible bachelor. When he went to study abroad, he received more than his fair share of kindness from the gentler sex. On his first summer vacation home, within the first weeks he started hosting female students visiting.
It really looks like my high school teacher's son's life story being repeated. Except for being thirty years or so older, both are good to look at. Each has much higher than average IQ. To be able to compete for difficult to get medical scholarships, they must be very driven and have much discipline. The elder guy was booked early and got married within days of graduating from medical school. I wonder how long the younger one can stay single?
(4) Blur versus being sharp
While talking about our children, one mother said that she was not about to let her son(Hugo) spend one month vacationing in Melbourne unless a close friend's elder daughter, Betty, goes along. She went on to say that Betty is sharp and capable of getting by on her own as well as looking after others. The other girl (Jenny) is about as blur as Hugo. To let these two go without Betty is liken to one blind leading another, that just won't do.
These three young people are childhood friends from three families. We will look at the children from each family. Betty has a younger brother, while Betty is sharp and street smart; her brother is rather blur. Hugo has an elder sister who is an exact opposite of him. It would not be too difficult to pull wool over Hugo's eyes. Hugo's sister could probably back pack round the world without bringing much worry to her parents. Jenny has an elder brother who really has his act together. Mind you, three pairs of siblings who are exact opposites of each other even though they have the same natural parents and similar upbringing. It is rum, isn't it?
These three young people are childhood friends from three families. We will look at the children from each family. Betty has a younger brother, while Betty is sharp and street smart; her brother is rather blur. Hugo has an elder sister who is an exact opposite of him. It would not be too difficult to pull wool over Hugo's eyes. Hugo's sister could probably back pack round the world without bringing much worry to her parents. Jenny has an elder brother who really has his act together. Mind you, three pairs of siblings who are exact opposites of each other even though they have the same natural parents and similar upbringing. It is rum, isn't it?
Saturday, July 28, 2012
(3) The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
The last time I read an abridged version of Huckleberry Finn, I was still in school. Funnily enough, I remembered the part where he dressed as a girl. He was caught because he closed his thighs to catch an item thrown to him. You see that guys would close their pant clad legs to hold an item but girls would open their legs wide to let their skirt hold it.
In our time, we would consider Huck's household an alcoholic single parent family. We would see him as a victim of family circumstances. But I suppose life was simpler then. He was brought up to be able to live off the river. With a raft they salvaged from a flood, "borrowing" an old and leaky canoe, he was free to live on the river away from authorities who would catch him to place him with foster parents.
It was hilarious to read about the capers of the two crooks: the King and the Duke. Like a cat with nine lives, Huck and Jim the runaway negro slave seemed to be able to land safely after each fall. Then Enter Tom Sawyer to "rescue" a slave who had been set free.
I wonder if there is anywhere on earth in civilization today where children could enjoy the great outdoor like Huck and Tom? Most children in my city are imprisoned within four walls and play computer or hand phone games. Perhaps those who live in the rural areas would fare better than the city bred kids!
In our time, we would consider Huck's household an alcoholic single parent family. We would see him as a victim of family circumstances. But I suppose life was simpler then. He was brought up to be able to live off the river. With a raft they salvaged from a flood, "borrowing" an old and leaky canoe, he was free to live on the river away from authorities who would catch him to place him with foster parents.
It was hilarious to read about the capers of the two crooks: the King and the Duke. Like a cat with nine lives, Huck and Jim the runaway negro slave seemed to be able to land safely after each fall. Then Enter Tom Sawyer to "rescue" a slave who had been set free.
I wonder if there is anywhere on earth in civilization today where children could enjoy the great outdoor like Huck and Tom? Most children in my city are imprisoned within four walls and play computer or hand phone games. Perhaps those who live in the rural areas would fare better than the city bred kids!
(2) Sleepwalking
As the conversation in (1) developed, we went on to talk about sleepwalking. Apparently, our friend who sleep talks has a cousin who successfully walked downstairs, unlocked and opened the front door before his mother physically bundled him to bed. There after the house keys were hidden in undisclosed location for the safety of the eleven year old.
Each of us chipped in and added what we read about: people who would sleep walk and cook, those who could drive in that alternate state of consciousness. When a person who is asleep driving caused an accident, is he or she liable to be punished? What about a person who commits a crime while in the sleep walking state, what will happen to him or her? Prison sentence or psychiatric care?
Each of us chipped in and added what we read about: people who would sleep walk and cook, those who could drive in that alternate state of consciousness. When a person who is asleep driving caused an accident, is he or she liable to be punished? What about a person who commits a crime while in the sleep walking state, what will happen to him or her? Prison sentence or psychiatric care?
(1) Sleep talking
A few days ago someone mentioned that she was a sleep talker. When she was little, she lived on the first floor of her parent's noodle shop. Forty over years ago in a tiny town, no one lock their house during the day. One evening she was tired out, she went to bed early. Her little play mate came up and looked for her, she started talking and they carried on a conversation.
The next day, the playmate reminded her of what she said the night before. But she had absolutely no recollection of it. Now I can relate to a part of it: when Elizabeth was stressed up, she used to talk in her sleep. The only difference I can see is that Elizabeth talked to someone in her dream but my friend could actually answer questions from a live person right beside her bed.
I am not qualified to know the fine differences between the two phenomena. But it seems that these are different states of consciousness: awake state, asleep state, coma, under hypnosis, talking in dreams, carrying a conversation while still asleep ...
The next day, the playmate reminded her of what she said the night before. But she had absolutely no recollection of it. Now I can relate to a part of it: when Elizabeth was stressed up, she used to talk in her sleep. The only difference I can see is that Elizabeth talked to someone in her dream but my friend could actually answer questions from a live person right beside her bed.
I am not qualified to know the fine differences between the two phenomena. But it seems that these are different states of consciousness: awake state, asleep state, coma, under hypnosis, talking in dreams, carrying a conversation while still asleep ...
Friday, July 27, 2012
(999) Bare necessities vs choice
Let us look into Elizabeth's wardrobe, namely seven years ago and now:
When she first moved from Silver City to the the Capital city, she owned two pairs of long pants: one pair of Kiko black cotton pants and one pair of Dek Dek blue jeans. She has one pair of sneakers and one pair of sandals.
Now as a university student, she has 22 pairs of long pants, and six pairs of walking shoes. All of the 22 pairs came as recycled pants. She must have tried on hundreds of pairs of pants through the past seven years as I engaged in my activities of gathering clothes for poor Thais, Indonesians and Filipinos, usually passed to restaurant workers and maids(my friends). Out of the six pairs of shoes, she paid for two branded pairs with her own savings. One pair of Nike is so old and worn that she kept it for muddy activities in the fields. The other Nike is so new that she only uses it for jogging on sunny days. The third pair is Clarks that came as a gift from a very kind church lady who took pity on her miserable looking shoes. The fourth pair she bought with $5 in a second hand store. The fifth(basket ball) pair came as a birthday gift from her youth group. The Sixth pair she bought with $10 at a school jumble sale.
We look back and saw how in spite of our reduced finances God has blessed her in her clothing and foot wear. Yet interestingly, she finds that life was much simpler back when she has no choice, when Kiko is wet, she puts on her Dek Dek. When she had a formal event, she wore her only pair of shoes. Other wise she put on her sandals.
But, would she give away her extras now to live like she did seven years ago? Of course not! It is natural to expand, nobody will willingly shrink back to elementary basic necessities.
When she first moved from Silver City to the the Capital city, she owned two pairs of long pants: one pair of Kiko black cotton pants and one pair of Dek Dek blue jeans. She has one pair of sneakers and one pair of sandals.
Now as a university student, she has 22 pairs of long pants, and six pairs of walking shoes. All of the 22 pairs came as recycled pants. She must have tried on hundreds of pairs of pants through the past seven years as I engaged in my activities of gathering clothes for poor Thais, Indonesians and Filipinos, usually passed to restaurant workers and maids(my friends). Out of the six pairs of shoes, she paid for two branded pairs with her own savings. One pair of Nike is so old and worn that she kept it for muddy activities in the fields. The other Nike is so new that she only uses it for jogging on sunny days. The third pair is Clarks that came as a gift from a very kind church lady who took pity on her miserable looking shoes. The fourth pair she bought with $5 in a second hand store. The fifth(basket ball) pair came as a birthday gift from her youth group. The Sixth pair she bought with $10 at a school jumble sale.
We look back and saw how in spite of our reduced finances God has blessed her in her clothing and foot wear. Yet interestingly, she finds that life was much simpler back when she has no choice, when Kiko is wet, she puts on her Dek Dek. When she had a formal event, she wore her only pair of shoes. Other wise she put on her sandals.
But, would she give away her extras now to live like she did seven years ago? Of course not! It is natural to expand, nobody will willingly shrink back to elementary basic necessities.
(998) The month of Ramadan
These are real incidence and fact related below:-
Elizabeth's friend's younger brother was in a hurry driving to school. He is a newly minted driver still on probation. As he saw the light turned yellow, he decided to run it as he knew from experience that if he stops, it would be eight minutes before it turns green. Sad to say, before his front wheels touched the next white line, the traffic light turned red. So technically he just run a red light.
A policeman was waiting and promptly flagged him down. The authority asked if he knew he just committed a traffic offence. Yes, he admitted. The man in gray uniform asked how much money he had, he answered ten dollars. This young man knew that should he receive a summon, his probationary period would be lengthened. His will weakened and he peeled off the only note in his thin wallet. The policeman accepted it gladly and waved him on.
Well, it is the holy month of Ramadan. It is not unusual that policemen lie in wait in the usual spots to catch errant drivers to squeeze out some cash so they would gather some extra dollars to supplement their meager pay. After all, the extra big family of many children dictated by culture and religion would required much money to clothe and feed. Moreover, some policemen may have a few wives to provide for.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Apparently there are many obese women in Egypt. As researchers worked at the numbers and data, they found that it was around the months of Ramadan that the women generally gained the most weight. It seems that during the entire month, women from that country have a tendency to sleep for long hours in the mornings and spent the most part of the night cooking and eating. As soon as the sun rises, those who work at home go straight to sleep after a heavy meal. Although it was just one month in a year, if they could or would not shed the extra weight during the remaining 11 months, the accumulated weight gain each year add up to create a big group of obese women.
For further reading,
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/07/cairo-the-sun-slips-beyond-the-nile-and-the-fast-is-broken-as-they-have-done-for-centuries-during-the-holy-month-of-ramad.html
Elizabeth's friend's younger brother was in a hurry driving to school. He is a newly minted driver still on probation. As he saw the light turned yellow, he decided to run it as he knew from experience that if he stops, it would be eight minutes before it turns green. Sad to say, before his front wheels touched the next white line, the traffic light turned red. So technically he just run a red light.
A policeman was waiting and promptly flagged him down. The authority asked if he knew he just committed a traffic offence. Yes, he admitted. The man in gray uniform asked how much money he had, he answered ten dollars. This young man knew that should he receive a summon, his probationary period would be lengthened. His will weakened and he peeled off the only note in his thin wallet. The policeman accepted it gladly and waved him on.
Well, it is the holy month of Ramadan. It is not unusual that policemen lie in wait in the usual spots to catch errant drivers to squeeze out some cash so they would gather some extra dollars to supplement their meager pay. After all, the extra big family of many children dictated by culture and religion would required much money to clothe and feed. Moreover, some policemen may have a few wives to provide for.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Apparently there are many obese women in Egypt. As researchers worked at the numbers and data, they found that it was around the months of Ramadan that the women generally gained the most weight. It seems that during the entire month, women from that country have a tendency to sleep for long hours in the mornings and spent the most part of the night cooking and eating. As soon as the sun rises, those who work at home go straight to sleep after a heavy meal. Although it was just one month in a year, if they could or would not shed the extra weight during the remaining 11 months, the accumulated weight gain each year add up to create a big group of obese women.
For further reading,
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/07/cairo-the-sun-slips-beyond-the-nile-and-the-fast-is-broken-as-they-have-done-for-centuries-during-the-holy-month-of-ramad.html
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
(997) Life long dream
I decided to follow Jesus when I was 24 years old. When I informed my father that I wanted to be baptized, he was pretty upset. His reasoning went like that, why couldn't I continue to attend church and wait until I find a husband before getting baptized? After all, women normally out number men in any church in our country. My decision did not coincide with his reasoning, I told him if I could not get a Christian suitor, then I would stay single all my life. He laughed and said that he hoped that I would not be single at 45 and felt desperate to be wed.
What happened later was God did provide me with a believing husband. Years passed, I have two friends now who have passed the 45 mark. The first friend somehow was forced to divorce and lost her three children to her ex-husband when she decided to return to her home country. She deals with loneliness on a daily basis. Whenever she allows her thoughts to turn to self-pity, she cries. It is not that she desperately need to marry again to have a legal husband. But she has fears of dying alone in her own house. What she needs is someone to do things with and talk to everyday.
My second friend is divorced twice and has a grown daughter. For whatever reason, she never had a chance to wear the dream dress in her previous marriages. She became a Christian after both her divorces. Now for many years she has a dream of putting on a beautiful gown and walking down a church aisle to say I do. Finally I realize that my father is right, unless a woman gives up the idea of marrying totally, she would progressively get more desperate to find a husband when she is close to 50 years old. I suppose crooks make use of that quiet desperation to con such women out of their properties and life savings. Some women may even marry serial murderers who kill them for their assets or insurance compensation. It was by the grace of God that I do not face my friends' problem today.
What happened later was God did provide me with a believing husband. Years passed, I have two friends now who have passed the 45 mark. The first friend somehow was forced to divorce and lost her three children to her ex-husband when she decided to return to her home country. She deals with loneliness on a daily basis. Whenever she allows her thoughts to turn to self-pity, she cries. It is not that she desperately need to marry again to have a legal husband. But she has fears of dying alone in her own house. What she needs is someone to do things with and talk to everyday.
My second friend is divorced twice and has a grown daughter. For whatever reason, she never had a chance to wear the dream dress in her previous marriages. She became a Christian after both her divorces. Now for many years she has a dream of putting on a beautiful gown and walking down a church aisle to say I do. Finally I realize that my father is right, unless a woman gives up the idea of marrying totally, she would progressively get more desperate to find a husband when she is close to 50 years old. I suppose crooks make use of that quiet desperation to con such women out of their properties and life savings. Some women may even marry serial murderers who kill them for their assets or insurance compensation. It was by the grace of God that I do not face my friends' problem today.
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
(996)The Illuminati by Larry Burkett
Within a week, two books written about the illustrious ancient organisation passed through my hands. I have really enjoyed reading the first novel of Burkett. Before this book he wrote 15 books on finance or related subjects.
I have first come across the supposedly defunct organisation when I read books from Dan Brown. If the Illuminati or the Society is indeed an elite group within a bigger group of the Free Masons, then it is probably active and powerful.
In the Left Behind series, it took many books to go through the tribulations until the second coming of Jesus Christ. Here Burkett used 306 pages to detail one attempt at one world government from the US side. Whatever he wrote about, it is highly believable! For all we know, with the first African American President, the stage could be well set for a financial collapse and a one world-one religion regime.
Even though the author claimed that this is not a prophetic book, the series of events which include uncontrollably escalating debt of the US, a cashless society and earth quake - Tsunami may turn out to be something which this world have to go through before better times arrive.
For my readers who are interested to read more about the society, try Apollyon Rising 2012 by Thomas Horn.
I have first come across the supposedly defunct organisation when I read books from Dan Brown. If the Illuminati or the Society is indeed an elite group within a bigger group of the Free Masons, then it is probably active and powerful.
In the Left Behind series, it took many books to go through the tribulations until the second coming of Jesus Christ. Here Burkett used 306 pages to detail one attempt at one world government from the US side. Whatever he wrote about, it is highly believable! For all we know, with the first African American President, the stage could be well set for a financial collapse and a one world-one religion regime.
Even though the author claimed that this is not a prophetic book, the series of events which include uncontrollably escalating debt of the US, a cashless society and earth quake - Tsunami may turn out to be something which this world have to go through before better times arrive.
For my readers who are interested to read more about the society, try Apollyon Rising 2012 by Thomas Horn.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
(995) A View to a Kill
This is the last movie made by Roger Moore. As in all Bond movies, action is aplenty and we have at least one very beautiful woman.
To think that one person could envision using sea water at pressure to worsen a fault line, adding lots of explosive to cause a huge explosion which would lead to a devastating earth quake, that is truly evil. This is done to level Silicon Valley so that the villain and his cohorts could have a monopoly of the IC market. Enter James Bond to tail him from Paris to San Francisco.
We see palatial buildings supposedly in France. The actual action happened in an underground mine. As in the ultimate villain, all his hired hands were either drown or machined gunned to death. He thought whoever remaining would die in the detonation, but James and his chief assistant moved the detonator far away from the explosives. The aerial combat over the Golden Gate Bridge was very realistic.
I suppose it is difficult to fight against age, in some scenes we can see the lines deeply etched on Moore's face. Not only female has limited shelf life in the movie industry, men can only look good for so many years to play the role of 007.
To think that one person could envision using sea water at pressure to worsen a fault line, adding lots of explosive to cause a huge explosion which would lead to a devastating earth quake, that is truly evil. This is done to level Silicon Valley so that the villain and his cohorts could have a monopoly of the IC market. Enter James Bond to tail him from Paris to San Francisco.
We see palatial buildings supposedly in France. The actual action happened in an underground mine. As in the ultimate villain, all his hired hands were either drown or machined gunned to death. He thought whoever remaining would die in the detonation, but James and his chief assistant moved the detonator far away from the explosives. The aerial combat over the Golden Gate Bridge was very realistic.
I suppose it is difficult to fight against age, in some scenes we can see the lines deeply etched on Moore's face. Not only female has limited shelf life in the movie industry, men can only look good for so many years to play the role of 007.
(994) Zelda flies to USA
This is an ongoing series, read (749), (361), (383), (401), (487), (520), and (9).
After months of uncertainty and waiting, she will leave for America at the end of this month. No one knows if she will be gone for six months or six weeks. She changed her mind rather rapidly over four areas. She believed that if God wants her to go to London, she would have discharged all her obligations by now. Instead, she decided to go to meet her internet heart throb. It will be supervised by this man's pastor. She will be staying with an older woman from his church.
Interestingly, since it could be a short vacation, the idea that she could not clear her bank loans does not bother her. As long as she could meet the installments and her son's living expenses, she feels she is still being a responsible person going for a break. If she could work in evangelism for his church and be paid a stipend, she will go for it. In fact, that directly contradicts her earlier stand of not willing to leave her home country.
Much earlier, she was adamant that a man ought to go to his intended's country to seek her hand in marriage. Now she thinks that it is OK for her go first, then if they decide to marry, they will make a visit back to her country after they tie the knot.
Anyway, I am pleased that she changed her mind over all her stubborn ideas. You may think I am a naive person. Despite millions of internet scams, I have come across two couples who met over the net: an American man met a country woman of mine, he flew over here and met her family, she traveled back with him on a fiancee visa to be wed in his home church. My cousin in Canton met his wife on the internet, they courted during the week ends and they are happily married now. I sure hope all will go well with Zelda. She seemed to have checked of everything I could think of about him and his church. It is a good thing she is already 47 years old and not 27. Age and experience would work in her favor as she has never been to America before.
Please read also (749), (361), (401), (487), and (9)
After months of uncertainty and waiting, she will leave for America at the end of this month. No one knows if she will be gone for six months or six weeks. She changed her mind rather rapidly over four areas. She believed that if God wants her to go to London, she would have discharged all her obligations by now. Instead, she decided to go to meet her internet heart throb. It will be supervised by this man's pastor. She will be staying with an older woman from his church.
Interestingly, since it could be a short vacation, the idea that she could not clear her bank loans does not bother her. As long as she could meet the installments and her son's living expenses, she feels she is still being a responsible person going for a break. If she could work in evangelism for his church and be paid a stipend, she will go for it. In fact, that directly contradicts her earlier stand of not willing to leave her home country.
Much earlier, she was adamant that a man ought to go to his intended's country to seek her hand in marriage. Now she thinks that it is OK for her go first, then if they decide to marry, they will make a visit back to her country after they tie the knot.
Anyway, I am pleased that she changed her mind over all her stubborn ideas. You may think I am a naive person. Despite millions of internet scams, I have come across two couples who met over the net: an American man met a country woman of mine, he flew over here and met her family, she traveled back with him on a fiancee visa to be wed in his home church. My cousin in Canton met his wife on the internet, they courted during the week ends and they are happily married now. I sure hope all will go well with Zelda. She seemed to have checked of everything I could think of about him and his church. It is a good thing she is already 47 years old and not 27. Age and experience would work in her favor as she has never been to America before.
Please read also (749), (361), (401), (487), and (9)
(993) A Dream 2
This is an update to (830).
Last Saturday I went to the college town where my eldest is reading English language. We: the founder, her former church youth group members( a married couple newly retired), and I worked at sorting, cleaning the fittings of the former restaurant preparing them for sale. We are very thankful that the owner of the shop trusts us enough to give us a lease for five years, rent free.
We also viewed a first story shop lot which would be partitioned into four spacious rooms and a commodious living area which will be furnished in a month's time. Another owner from this same family graciously offered us a five year lease too. Our cups overflowed. We are indeed thankful for God's providence. I can actually start amassing books in my tiny abode now that the next trip up there will be a place to keep the books.
On top of this wonderful arrangement, another member of this blessed family actually agreed to renovate this shop lot for us at no cost to us. We will need air conditioners, glass doors and partition walls between the book area and kitchen. I am humbled by the generosity of this family. The first offer would mean $2,000x12x5 over five years. The second offer would mean giving up a potential of earning $350x2x4x12x5 over five years. The third may well cost him anything from $40,000 to $100,000 up front.
But I am sure these owners are not losing. They are giving to the almighty God. God is no man's debtor. He will bless these three individuals and their family members a hundred fold.
Last Saturday I went to the college town where my eldest is reading English language. We: the founder, her former church youth group members( a married couple newly retired), and I worked at sorting, cleaning the fittings of the former restaurant preparing them for sale. We are very thankful that the owner of the shop trusts us enough to give us a lease for five years, rent free.
We also viewed a first story shop lot which would be partitioned into four spacious rooms and a commodious living area which will be furnished in a month's time. Another owner from this same family graciously offered us a five year lease too. Our cups overflowed. We are indeed thankful for God's providence. I can actually start amassing books in my tiny abode now that the next trip up there will be a place to keep the books.
On top of this wonderful arrangement, another member of this blessed family actually agreed to renovate this shop lot for us at no cost to us. We will need air conditioners, glass doors and partition walls between the book area and kitchen. I am humbled by the generosity of this family. The first offer would mean $2,000x12x5 over five years. The second offer would mean giving up a potential of earning $350x2x4x12x5 over five years. The third may well cost him anything from $40,000 to $100,000 up front.
But I am sure these owners are not losing. They are giving to the almighty God. God is no man's debtor. He will bless these three individuals and their family members a hundred fold.
(992) Untold Stories of Missionary Yoo by Byung Kook Yoo
Since I was fourteen years old, I have been on the look out for missionary stories. The above mentioned book is the very first I have come across that featured a Korean couple who took their two little girls to west Africa.
I was amazed that as they prayed and trusted the good Lord, he actually sorted out their knotty problem in a miraculous way. You see, they were in a very backward and poor country. There were three schools their children could go to, one is a Baha'i School, the second being an American International School and the third is a boarding school in the next country. They felt the children were too young to leave them, so the boarding school was out. Neither did they want the children to attend a school with mostly Muslim children, out went the Baha'i School. Somehow they scraped together enough money to pay the high fee of the American place. But it was an elementary school, what would they do when the children finish elementary school?
A complete set of strangers wrote and offered to take the two girls for six years until they are ready to go to college. They are a godly Korean couple who resides in America. These god fearing and obedient folks heard from God that they were to care for the teenage girls. Actually they have three children of their own. It seemed like a family of five agreed to host two teenagers who grew up in Africa for six years. It is unbelievable for my mind to fathom.
All that actually happened as God planned, the elder girl is married and in medical school in USA. The younger girl has graduated from college at the time the book was written. When people obey God's call, although it looked like they would compromise their children's future, it often works out far better than our wildest imagination. God not only owns all the cattle on a million hills, he works things out creatively beyond what we can plan, think, or dream.
This book was published by WEC Publications (www.wec-int.org.uk)
I was amazed that as they prayed and trusted the good Lord, he actually sorted out their knotty problem in a miraculous way. You see, they were in a very backward and poor country. There were three schools their children could go to, one is a Baha'i School, the second being an American International School and the third is a boarding school in the next country. They felt the children were too young to leave them, so the boarding school was out. Neither did they want the children to attend a school with mostly Muslim children, out went the Baha'i School. Somehow they scraped together enough money to pay the high fee of the American place. But it was an elementary school, what would they do when the children finish elementary school?
A complete set of strangers wrote and offered to take the two girls for six years until they are ready to go to college. They are a godly Korean couple who resides in America. These god fearing and obedient folks heard from God that they were to care for the teenage girls. Actually they have three children of their own. It seemed like a family of five agreed to host two teenagers who grew up in Africa for six years. It is unbelievable for my mind to fathom.
All that actually happened as God planned, the elder girl is married and in medical school in USA. The younger girl has graduated from college at the time the book was written. When people obey God's call, although it looked like they would compromise their children's future, it often works out far better than our wildest imagination. God not only owns all the cattle on a million hills, he works things out creatively beyond what we can plan, think, or dream.
This book was published by WEC Publications (www.wec-int.org.uk)
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
(991) SparkTop.org
Janine Addis from USA wrote Good Investment in YOU SAID IT, Reader's Digest November 2006. In the short two paragraphs she mentioned that she read Maria Bartiromo's profile of Charles Schwab in Money Matters:"To Tell the Truth,"RD September 2006. Apparently Schwab is dyslexic. He developed SparkTop.org that allows children to view the brains of famous people who had learning difficulties, to work with the creative part of their own brain and to communicate with other kids just like them.
Elizabeth located the site for me and it looked pretty attractive and interesting.
Elizabeth located the site for me and it looked pretty attractive and interesting.
(990) Can You Keep a Secret by Sophie Kinsella
While there is nothing wrong in reading a chick flick for relaxation, we must be mindful that this may be an unrealistic fantasy story. To quote First Things First (by Stephen Covey, Roger Merrill, Rebecca Merrill): ... we live with the rescue fantasy ... that someone or something "out there" is going to magically solve all our problems ...(page 57).
There is a place for fairy tales in childhood as many such tales actually teach about core values that underlie many different cultures around the world. In Malay (a language close to Indonesian), there is a genre of old literature which I really enjoy. One example is Pak Pandir, here we have a simple man who somehow had a series of wonderful luck that against all odds, he inevitably came out much better than more industrious and intelligent fellow neighbors.
In "Can You Keep a Secret?" I find Emily as the victim of Kerry, an orphan who usurped Emily's rightful place in her own nucleus family. It took her new boss millionaire boy friend to reveal how mean Kerry was in refusing Emily's application of an internship in Kerry's firm which Emily's parents financed as a start up. I know what it is like to be side lined in one's own family for a cousin. I was lucky that my cousin only turned up during school holidays. If things had been different, I would have probably worked abroad or out of the city just to avoid such a petty, conniving and mean female.
I may sound unforgiving, but truth be told: as soon as my cousin started earning good money she came to visit us less and less. I am very fortunate that she has her own parents and siblings to fuss over her. This is like forty five years later, I am actually one of the only three people in my clan who are on easy speaking terms with her. The rest no longer answer her phone calls, nor do they welcome her in their homes. It is very sad! But self-centerness coupled with expert acting skills could not fool everyone over a long period of time.
There is a place for fairy tales in childhood as many such tales actually teach about core values that underlie many different cultures around the world. In Malay (a language close to Indonesian), there is a genre of old literature which I really enjoy. One example is Pak Pandir, here we have a simple man who somehow had a series of wonderful luck that against all odds, he inevitably came out much better than more industrious and intelligent fellow neighbors.
In "Can You Keep a Secret?" I find Emily as the victim of Kerry, an orphan who usurped Emily's rightful place in her own nucleus family. It took her new boss millionaire boy friend to reveal how mean Kerry was in refusing Emily's application of an internship in Kerry's firm which Emily's parents financed as a start up. I know what it is like to be side lined in one's own family for a cousin. I was lucky that my cousin only turned up during school holidays. If things had been different, I would have probably worked abroad or out of the city just to avoid such a petty, conniving and mean female.
I may sound unforgiving, but truth be told: as soon as my cousin started earning good money she came to visit us less and less. I am very fortunate that she has her own parents and siblings to fuss over her. This is like forty five years later, I am actually one of the only three people in my clan who are on easy speaking terms with her. The rest no longer answer her phone calls, nor do they welcome her in their homes. It is very sad! But self-centerness coupled with expert acting skills could not fool everyone over a long period of time.
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