So many things I have been thinking of and yet the situation does not permit me to speak it out.
It frightens me how vulnerable we men and guys are to sin and temptations. People who are 'up there' and in the field recognise their danger of falling, and we who are 'normal' going to church on Sundays, and perhaps, lead groups, do not see the danger. And it is those who think they are stable who will fall. Each compromise leads us closer to the edge. I have heard, seen and experienced things that show me clearly the dangers of sexual sin. It doesn't matter if you're a pastor or an overseas worker or a church leader or just one of the normal members, you ARE vulnerable, and if you fail to admit that, you are positioning yourself for a fall.
And I see we don't have an accountability group back in Bethany (not that I know of). Even the overseas workers here are meeting up twice a month to check on one another.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
Chicken a la Carte
Email I got from Salome a week or so after Weiz showed me this video.
Makes me think of the condition over here. Some regions, the farmers can only grow enough food for half a year, because of the climate and land. They tend to starve the other half so death from starvation isn't an uncommon thing though we might not see it back at home or even in cities here.
A short film about hunger and poverty.
Click on the Link below and see.
This video really touched my heart, hope it touches yours too. =)
After watching the video, let's think about this.
-What can we do to help? For real, not just pity talk.
we may already be so used to being apathetic to the people who suffer alongside us in our society, on a daily basis...
how will we go after the needy, the poor,the widow and so on?
we've got to tear down the walls of religion,
wake up for the call of loving, starting with people near us.
live like Jesus. love like Him.
Chicken a la Carte : Director: Ferdinand Dimadura | Genre: Drama | Produced In: 2005
Synopsis:
This film is about the hunger and poverty brought about by Globalization.
There are 10,000 people dying everyday due to hunger and malnutrition.
This short film shows a forgotten portion of the society.
The people who live on the refuse of men to survive.
What is inspiring is the hope and spirituality that never left this people.
http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/1081/Chicken-a-la-Carte
Makes me think of the condition over here. Some regions, the farmers can only grow enough food for half a year, because of the climate and land. They tend to starve the other half so death from starvation isn't an uncommon thing though we might not see it back at home or even in cities here.
A short film about hunger and poverty.
Click on the Link below and see.
This video really touched my heart, hope it touches yours too. =)
After watching the video, let's think about this.
-What can we do to help? For real, not just pity talk.
we may already be so used to being apathetic to the people who suffer alongside us in our society, on a daily basis...
how will we go after the needy, the poor,the widow and so on?
we've got to tear down the walls of religion,
wake up for the call of loving, starting with people near us.
live like Jesus. love like Him.
Chicken a la Carte : Director: Ferdinand Dimadura | Genre: Drama | Produced In: 2005
Synopsis:
This film is about the hunger and poverty brought about by Globalization.
There are 10,000 people dying everyday due to hunger and malnutrition.
This short film shows a forgotten portion of the society.
The people who live on the refuse of men to survive.
What is inspiring is the hope and spirituality that never left this people.
http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/1081/Chicken-a-la-Carte
Friday, May 8, 2009
祷告 - 赞美之泉
祷告，因为我渺小
祷告，因为我知道我需要
明瞭，你心意对我重要
祷告，以假装不了
祷告，因为你的爱我需要
你关怀，我走过的你多都明白
有些事我只想对你说
因你比任何人都爱我
痛苦从眼中流下
我知道你为我擦
在早晨我也要来对你说
主耶稣今天我为你活
所需要的力量你天天赐给我
你恩典够我用
Beautiful song...
I pray, because I'm so small
I pray, because I know that I need to
Understanding the importance of Your will
I pray, I can no longer fake it
I pray, because I need Your love
Your concern, Your understanding of all that I've been through
There are some things that I wish to tell You only
For You love me much more than anyone else
Even as pain flow down in the form of tears
I know You'll wipe them away
In the morning I will come to You
Lord Jesus today I'll live for You
You grant me the strength that I need each day
Your grace is sufficient for me
Lyrics from http://kohpatsy.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!31184E3A8CB2FAC5!1984.entry
You can hear the song from the links there as well.
祷告，因为我知道我需要
明瞭，你心意对我重要
祷告，以假装不了
祷告，因为你的爱我需要
你关怀，我走过的你多都明白
有些事我只想对你说
因你比任何人都爱我
痛苦从眼中流下
我知道你为我擦
在早晨我也要来对你说
主耶稣今天我为你活
所需要的力量你天天赐给我
你恩典够我用
Beautiful song...
I pray, because I'm so small
I pray, because I know that I need to
Understanding the importance of Your will
I pray, I can no longer fake it
I pray, because I need Your love
Your concern, Your understanding of all that I've been through
There are some things that I wish to tell You only
For You love me much more than anyone else
Even as pain flow down in the form of tears
I know You'll wipe them away
In the morning I will come to You
Lord Jesus today I'll live for You
You grant me the strength that I need each day
Your grace is sufficient for me
Lyrics from http://kohpatsy.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!31184E3A8CB2FAC5!1984.entry
You can hear the song from the links there as well.
关于爱，我们每个人都有不一样的想法。但每个人的想法都未必是对的。和 Gin 谈了后才了解，其实对爱很了解得未必是在谈恋爱或是有过恋爱经验的人。可能是所谓的旁观者清，当局者迷吧。一个平时能够耐心果断地细考问题的人大概面临情感的问题时也比较难以逻辑来解决。感情的事是多么的平常，但在我们周围又有几个人敢向别人提自己的问题？说到底，这是个信任的问题吧。不只是感情，也有很多其他深沉次的问题。
也因如此，我开始在找三种朋友：走在我前方的、和我并肩走的、和走在我后边的。每一种朋友都会带来不一样的友谊，而且都重要。或许我们会问，为何需要回头帮助别人，对我们又有什么好处。在这时刻，我也没有任何的答案，不过我往往在帮助别人时，受益不浅。
我在这又发挥了吸尘机的功效。不过，吃了这么多，我有个问题。到底多跑到哪儿去了!?
也因如此，我开始在找三种朋友：走在我前方的、和我并肩走的、和走在我后边的。每一种朋友都会带来不一样的友谊，而且都重要。或许我们会问，为何需要回头帮助别人，对我们又有什么好处。在这时刻，我也没有任何的答案，不过我往往在帮助别人时，受益不浅。
我在这又发挥了吸尘机的功效。不过，吃了这么多，我有个问题。到底多跑到哪儿去了!?
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
A call for update so here it is.
I heard of a story yesterday. There was this worker who came from overseas to share the Word in a particular village. He worked there for years, teaching and sharing with the people there songs and living with the people. Years passed and when World War II broke out, he was killed when the Japanese invaded.
His daughter returned to the village years later when she was already 80+ years old only to find that the work her father had done was lost. The villages still remembered this particular person, and some of the songs he taught, but besides that, nothing changed. The church is being used for something else, only being truly a place of worship on Christmas itself. She was so upset, she wept.
It makes me think, will what I do be burnt to the ground in the end? Would I escape, but just with my life, everything else gone? How does it feel to have all my hard work amount to nothing?
Little did I know I was to feel that exact feeling just later in the evening.
In order to plant more vegetables in the garden plot at the office, the soil had to be tilled. One of the staff, in doing that, destroyed most of the garlic I had been growing and caring for the past weeks. Losing my work wasn't a good feeling; there were feelings of anger and loss. I didn't have to sacrifice my life for these plants, and yet the feelings were intensed. It would be much worse for the daughter.
A passage came to mind with regards to these, plus a comment from a book I was reading just that day.
Unless [He] builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless [He] watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat -
for he grants sleep to those he loves. (or for while they sleep he provides for those he loves)
Of interest is the later part of this chapter (Ps 127) which I only noticed and started to think about recently:
Sons are a heritage from [Him],
children a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.
Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.
And this reminds me...
Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
"For whom am I toiling," he asked,
"and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?"
This too is meaningless -
a miserable business!
- Ecc 4
Building and standing guard has been linked to sons (and daughters, don't worry sisters). Work is not doing things, but reproducing (you know I'm not talking about multiplying your genes in the biological sense), otherwise, it'll all be meaningless at the end of the day.
And this particular book I was reading just in the morning was talking about whether we are building His kingdom or ours. If we were building His kingdom, even when all my plants and effort was destroyed, as long as I have put in my best, I will not be (too) upset. He gives and He takes away, may His name be praised.
One comment which sounds like a modern day Ecc so I'll state it in that manner, which I think all of you have heard before.
Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
Young men work and toil at the expense of their health,
and in their old age expend all of it in order to regain it.
This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
I heard of a story yesterday. There was this worker who came from overseas to share the Word in a particular village. He worked there for years, teaching and sharing with the people there songs and living with the people. Years passed and when World War II broke out, he was killed when the Japanese invaded.
His daughter returned to the village years later when she was already 80+ years old only to find that the work her father had done was lost. The villages still remembered this particular person, and some of the songs he taught, but besides that, nothing changed. The church is being used for something else, only being truly a place of worship on Christmas itself. She was so upset, she wept.
It makes me think, will what I do be burnt to the ground in the end? Would I escape, but just with my life, everything else gone? How does it feel to have all my hard work amount to nothing?
Little did I know I was to feel that exact feeling just later in the evening.
In order to plant more vegetables in the garden plot at the office, the soil had to be tilled. One of the staff, in doing that, destroyed most of the garlic I had been growing and caring for the past weeks. Losing my work wasn't a good feeling; there were feelings of anger and loss. I didn't have to sacrifice my life for these plants, and yet the feelings were intensed. It would be much worse for the daughter.
A passage came to mind with regards to these, plus a comment from a book I was reading just that day.
Unless [He] builds the house,
its builders labor in vain.
Unless [He] watches over the city,
the watchmen stand guard in vain.
In vain you rise early
and stay up late,
toiling for food to eat -
for he grants sleep to those he loves. (or for while they sleep he provides for those he loves)
Of interest is the later part of this chapter (Ps 127) which I only noticed and started to think about recently:
Sons are a heritage from [Him],
children a reward from him.
Like arrows in the hands of a warrior
are sons born in one's youth.
Blessed is the man
whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame
when they contend with their enemies in the gate.
And this reminds me...
Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
There was a man all alone;
he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
"For whom am I toiling," he asked,
"and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?"
This too is meaningless -
a miserable business!
- Ecc 4
Building and standing guard has been linked to sons (and daughters, don't worry sisters). Work is not doing things, but reproducing (you know I'm not talking about multiplying your genes in the biological sense), otherwise, it'll all be meaningless at the end of the day.
And this particular book I was reading just in the morning was talking about whether we are building His kingdom or ours. If we were building His kingdom, even when all my plants and effort was destroyed, as long as I have put in my best, I will not be (too) upset. He gives and He takes away, may His name be praised.
One comment which sounds like a modern day Ecc so I'll state it in that manner, which I think all of you have heard before.
Again I saw something meaningless under the sun:
Young men work and toil at the expense of their health,
and in their old age expend all of it in order to regain it.
This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Staff holidays coming up on Thursday and Friday. One of the staff will be going back to his home village and I'll be going back with him. Living conditions might be harder, but I'll get to try out farming and seeing the rural areas. Excited, but at the same time, a little unwilling to leave the comfort of the city, hahaa.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
This particular verses stood out very strongly for me. Weiz and Jia should know why.
When you make a vow to [Him], do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfil your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfil it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, "My vow was a mistake." Why should [He] be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?
Ecc 5
When you make a vow to [Him], do not delay in fulfilling it. He has no pleasure in fools; fulfil your vow. It is better not to vow than to make a vow and not fulfil it. Do not let your mouth lead you into sin. And do not protest to the temple messenger, "My vow was a mistake." Why should [He] be angry at what you say and destroy the work of your hands?
Ecc 5
Thursday, April 23, 2009
An English version of my previous post, at the request of a reader.
Not an exact translation of my previous entry but along the same theme and similar in content.
The staff are a fun bunch, and understanding their language, character and background helps build the relationship. I realised, once again, that a little humour and lameness goes a long way in getting people to warm up to me, or in this case, warm up even more. So it's Isaac's lame jokes, Chinese version. I needed to be more proficient at the language, however, so it kind of took a while. I was even quieter, if it were even possible, here during my first 2 months, but an unexpected lame comment, the kind which might make Jia roll her eyes, and the ice breaks.
9 more months. Time is short!
Not an exact translation of my previous entry but along the same theme and similar in content.
The staff are a fun bunch, and understanding their language, character and background helps build the relationship. I realised, once again, that a little humour and lameness goes a long way in getting people to warm up to me, or in this case, warm up even more. So it's Isaac's lame jokes, Chinese version. I needed to be more proficient at the language, however, so it kind of took a while. I was even quieter, if it were even possible, here during my first 2 months, but an unexpected lame comment, the kind which might make Jia roll her eyes, and the ice breaks.
9 more months. Time is short!
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