today...
Thursday 31 July 2008
Asssssssam Laksa!
Michelle, my colleague often asks me what I have for lunch since I always bring something fabulous and something good and nutritious and something colourful thanks to my mummy! I realised how fortunate I am to have a mother that cooks and packs me a wonderful lunch everyday! So anyway I was talking to her and I told her that I brought laksa today...
Then Alvin came over and he wanted to ask me about one of my students, and he was like, "Oh sorry sorry I'm interupting your conversation..."
and I said, "Oh no, it's alright, we're just talking about my lunch..." *smile*
Alvin said, "Oh what did you bring for lunch today?"
"Just laksa," I said...
"WAH LAU, you have laksa for lunch?! POWER LEH!!!"
hahaha cracked me up so bad! I didn't know that laksa got power but ok!...
And then it started bringing back all the wonderful memories I had in Penang eating Asam Laksa everyday (which my tastebuds have totally forgotten about) mmmm...!
So we got onto talking about Penang Food and this food that food, all said in Mandarin which, mind you I totally didn't understand.
Then Alvin says, "Where are you from?"
I said, "Australia..."
"Oh... then it's a bit difficult to explain to you..."
... mmm. Oh how I miss Asam Laksa and the RM8.50 Char Kuey Teow with mega huge king prawns from Penang!
Maybe my mummy can make next time instead of Curry Laksa.
Makes me hungry looking at all these pictures!
today...
@10:46 pm
Tuesday 29 July 2008
It's high time
"It's high time you two separated," said Usha.
At that moment in time, I don't know what was going through my head. But I knew that I couldn't bear to part from Pauline and Usha. We'd been in the same cell since I first came to ZPH last year... and then consecutively for the next 2 semesters. Then for the third semester, even though Pauls was supposed to be in Vips cell she backed out and came to Mingsters cell to join us. huhu. Oh the fun and laughter we had in Mingsters cell! But the time has come... inevitably.
It's high time we separated, and the high time is now. huhu.
So I joined YA and parted seas with Pauline whose now in Pia's cell. Bleh =X I wanna be in Pia's cell and Usha who's in Caroline's cell. I kinda feel sad leh, that we're not in the same cell anymore. Seriously! Like, we'd seen each other in cell every week for the past one and a half years and then now, no more. It makes you really cherish those moments spent laughing, eating and sharing with one another...especially laughing VERY loud in Pauline's case! huhu.
So I joined Jack Chia's cell. huhu. Jack Chia's cell is fun. =) Actually I really enjoy going to YA, even though I've only been once, but I find that it really is time to move on. Even Thomas said so, "It's about time..." Not only that, but the conversations are so much more relevant and you can talk to people in your age group, going through the same things. It's interesting finding out what people do for a living... there are actually a lot of engineers. My goodness, there are so many engineers talking their engineer talk ... makes my head spin from all the engineering talk, but it's interesting to hear people talk about something they're passionate about.
YA starts 7:30pm SHARP and ends early... because we all have to go to work the next day to earn our living. huhu. We are responsible people who don't come late... *cough cough* because we have flashy watches to tell us the time and flashy cars to get us there and we erm... are not silly people, and we don't play games because it's childish. huhu. Kidding (we still play games). But I really like =) and I can't wait to get to know the people better in cell.
So here ends, the Passion era of my life? huhu. Welcome me into the oldies club =)
Goodbye Pawleen and Ah Su!
today...
@9:15 pm
Thursday 24 July 2008
Plan A - Trust God
Zion Food Fest was awesome. Awesome food, people queuing up for one and a half hours just to experience authentic Kuching kolo-mee hand made from scratch, buzzing atmosphere, great music and great entertainment. But I just want to share about the "behind the scenes" of Food Fest and God's awesome-ness beyond words during the organising of the event.We had several months to actually prepare for the event. Organising the Food Fest was a privilege and it was exciting to see everything come together. I worked with an amazing, awesome events team who really helped me put everything together. I really commend Chin Seng who guided me throughout the whole process and Junior for being my back up in everything. He's so quick to think and act on anything I need help with. I really praise God and couldn’t have asked for anyone better to work with. He gave me two awesome brothers to serve with as well as the rest of the events team.
As with any event, there are always last minute problems that sneak their way in. The week before the event, we ran into problems with the food permit. The Vic Park council wanted all the stall holders to cook at the commercial kitchen in Vic Park Leisure Centre which meant that we couldn’t cook from home and bring it to the place. For the past three years we were able to cook from home and bring it to the place but this time was a different story. Maybe it's just my luck! In any way, it was an impossible request with over 20 stalls... and 3 - 4 people from each stall, cooking in one small kitchen.
The whole week I was so stressed about this food permit and wondering how we would work through it. The council man was tough, but I understand that he’s only doing his job. So whatever he says goes.
Before I went through the agonising wait in knowing whether we were allowed to prepare foods from home, I got this in my email:
A breakthrough requires a trial to break through.
It would be nice to simply wake up one day and suddenly be a mature Christian, but in order to grow up in God, we will have to go through trials. There is no other way to grow strong spiritually than to go through trials.
1 Peter 5:10 says, And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. You may not like trials, but this verse says that when you are going through trials after you have suffered a little while, you will grow to be firmly rooted and grounded (strong, firm and steadfast) in God.
So, learn to be thankful in your trials, because in order to get your breakthrough, you need a trial to break through.
Therefore, don't be discouraged during times of suffering. Know that after you have suffered a little while, God himself will make you strong firm and steadfast.
Friday was “dooms day.” We did our research on other council websites the night before and found that if the event had been a fundraiser or a charity event, then we would be able to prepare from home. So I got Lynn to call the council man again and ask if we could prepare things from home... and the simple answer was no. One word changed it all. The big N-O. But after there was no other avenue to turn to, we simple had to press on and make do with what we had and do it to the best of our ability. I felt at peace after I found out, and I was finally able to stomach my lunch at 3 in the afternoon on Friday after the agonising wait.
After I found out the news that we couldn't prepare food from home, I got this is my email which was so encouraging – God has His ways:
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 (New International Version)
Breaking the news to the stall holders was difficult and I heard that some people didn't take it well obviously because it was impossible to expect them to cook and prepare everything on site. But we bear the name of Christ and we want to do everything in our power to do things right by Him, so we must follow the rules stated on the food permit.
We had the kitchen booked from 9am till the end of the event, and me, Chin Seng, Wei Yue and Yan Pin were all on hand helping out everyone cook. I didn’t do so much cooking though, since my cooking skills is just about nil. I did however cook the kitchen towels and boiled them to get all the bacteria out =) We had a roster system in place where UWA people would come in from 9-1pm and Curtin from 1pm-5pm... and you know everything worked out fine. It was difficult, but God paved the way. Impossible task? Not for God and food mission was completed!
Our God is so good, SO good! I thought this food permit issue would cause discouragement for some people and some people might back out but in the end, I believe we all came out of it stronger and with a better sense of self-worth and integrity. In fact, I welcome trials because I know that it's another test for me - another challenge for me to work through. Another chance for me to get to know God better and on a different level. When I face trials, I always ask myself what God wants me to take from this lesson. What am I supposed to learn?
And looking back, God has never failed to teach me a lesson. There is always a lesson to be learnt. The lesson to be learnt is Plan A – Trust God. There is no other substitute. It’s plain and simple that we have to trust Him and put our complete faith in Him that He will see us through. To a certain extent, we have to do something on our part, but when we trust, He delivers and I think there's just something so magical about that. It's the loving relationship between a father and child.
Luke 11:11-13 "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"
I prayed and trusted and my team prayed and trusted and He delivered us. Glory to God! Whatever doesn't kill you will only make you stronger.
today...
@11:04 pm
Zion Food Fest
Zion Food Fest is on again!!!
Coordinated by yours truly with Junior assisting backed by an awesome events team!
Date: 26 July, 2008
Time: 6:00pm - 9:30pm
Venue: Vic for Life Leisure Centre (Corner Glousester and Kent St - same place as last semester)
You can buy tickets at the door. $2 entry and $3 coupons.
This semester we have an awesome variety of foods such as:
*drum rolls*
- Kuching Kolo Mee (It might be a little overrated, but the Kuching-er's think it's to die for...but you know, strawberry jam donuts are to die for too!)
- Tea Leaves Egg & Rojak (sounds like a wierd combination - but apparently very nice)
- Curry puff (zomg... I'm so there!)
- Egg tarts (ZOMG ... I'm so double there!)
- Chicken kebabs
- Vietnamese Spring Rolls
- Bubble Tea
- Laksa
- Everything about corn (Bijia's long time dream)
- Root Beer float from A&W and waffles
- Hot chocolate
- Coney Dog (Apparently famous in Malaysia)
- Your Mama's porridge! (woo go Mingster!)
- Economy Rice
- Mee Reebus, Zhu Chang Fen, Mua Chi, Xiao Long Bao, Goreng Pisang, Yau Cha Kueh (hmm...not sure what these are but you could tell me...)
- Pupusas Tamales (First time authentic Spanish food!)
So you know... as I would say...
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!
today...
@10:31 pm
Sunday 20 July 2008
Clothe yourselves with compassion
Imagine this. You retire to your room after a hard days work. Outside, you hear the soft sounds of rain falling. You dim the lights and pull out your favourite book reading page by page until you slowly begin to feel tired. You place your book back on the bedside table as you switch off the lamp. Pulling your thick, warm 1500 thread count Egyptian blanket over your head as you place your head on your soft duck feathered pillow... you slowly fall asleep in your snug, cosy room...
Now imagine this. It's 1am on the same Friday night and the streets are still bustling with people walking in groups. The sound of music pumping from the bars and clubs nearby. You're tired, but you can't sleep as there is so much commotion. Girls are constantly squealing and running across the street to avoid getting wet from the rain. Taxi's are coming in and out, horning at pedestrians who take their time to cross the road. You're cold. Not just cold, but kinda freezing cold. Your socks are wet from and you didn't get a chance to dry them - so your feet are cold too. You wonder when things are going to quieten down. You look around you and see people smiling, laughing and having fun on a Friday night. The plastic bag next to you are all the possessions you have.
Stark constrast right?
But it's happening right here in Perth. Not to mention every singly city in the whole wide world. Not one place on Earth is immune from poverty and it's a growing problem in our society as the rich get richer and the poor get, well, poorer.
I'm always so moved when I see a homeless person sleeping on the streets, no where to go, no source of stable income, begging. I wonder how they ever ended up in that situation, what point in their life turned so bad that they only had to streets to look to as their home? Sometimes we, we as in those who are comfortably living with a roof over their heads, food on the table and with a stable income, sometimes we overlook the needs of the poor.
I haven't travelled to many places around the world, but when I was old enough to understand the meaning of poverty and homelessness, every single place I've been to, I've experienced it. I can remember the faces of these people whom I've seen sleeping on the street, yet I felt so helpless to help them. Their faces are seared into my heart and every now and then I will think about them. What for? They're just strangers, people I don't even know, less should care about right? But no, God knows them. God knows them personally and he cares so much for them, like we should. I think we all need to have a heart of compassion. It's not enough to say that these people got themselves into this poverty-stricken situation in the first place. They may have, but what we can do is lend a helping hand to help them out of that situation.
Last year I went to Melbourne and as much as there were many happy memories, one of the things that really stood out in my mind was this homeless poet (above picture). Amongst all the memories that I had in Melbourne, this would be one of the first few memories that I would recall from my trip there. That night, I cannot even remember the people I dined with upstairs, all the while, this homeless poet was outside on the streets wondering where his next meal would come from. He was busily writing a poem with his coloured chalk on the floor, trying to get enough money that would last him for the next week? Trying his best, which was all he could do with what he had.
I went to Sydney in 2006 and 2007 and both times I saw this homeless man on Pitt Street Mall (above picture). It's not enough to say that this is just a person. He has a name too and he also has a story. His name is Brian by the way. Not that I went and talked to him or anything, but I watched a newscover by Monique on Sunrise. She went and talked to him about his story and how he ended up on the streets. It's a sad story... and I was on the verge of crying listening to his plight. He's not bitter about where he is. He just wants some respect because he's part of society too. There are so many discontented people out there who on the surface, may seem to have everything, yet Brian, who has almost nothing makes the best of what he has. He's a business man. He's also the CEO of his shoe shining business if you want to look at it that way. If you want to see his story click here and scroll down to Shoeshine Brian.
It can be all fine and dandy when we don't see these homeless people right? We won't even know they exist. But it's not enough to say, "Oh poor guy..." and then proceed to give googling stares at his plight and walk away. What can you do about it! Helen Keller once said, "I cannot do everything, but still I can do something."
Justice cannot be reduced to a project, a protest or a crusade. Justice is a HEART. It was injustice that compelled Jesus to the cross. He stepped into humanity's desperation; stood for what was right; healed the sick and lifted the oppressed. Wherever there was injustice Jesus responded. We're called to do the same. Injustice demands our response!
today...
@4:37 pm
Saturday 19 July 2008
The Room
In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features save for the one wall covered with small index-card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endlessly in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read "Girls I Have Liked." I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one.
And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match.
A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching. A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I Have Betrayed."
The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird. "Books I Have Read," "Lies I Have Told," "Comfort I Have Given," "Jokes I Have Laughed At." Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: "Things I've Yelled at My Brothers." Others I couldn't laugh at: "Things I Have Done in My Anger," "Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents." I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped.
I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my 20 years to write each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.
When I pulled out the file marked "Songs I Have Listened To," I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of music, but more by the vast amount of time I knew that file represented.
When I came to a file marked "Lustful Thoughts," I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded.
An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: "No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!" In an insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.
Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh. And then I saw it. The title bore "People I Have Shared the Gospel With." The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.
And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key.
But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him. No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus.
I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one?
Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.
Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card.
"No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was "No, no," as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood.
He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished."
I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.
This was an excerpt from the book I Kissed Dating Goodbye by Joshua Harris. "The Room" which was a dream that the author had brought me to tears realising the account of our lives that we would one day have to give to God at the end of time. Are we prepared to give an account to the Almighty? What can we say about the good things we have done in our lives and what we have achieved for His names sake, how can we even begin to explain the bad things we've done, the bad thoughts we've had, stealing songs from the internet, bad mouthing people, gossiping, lying, lustful thoughts? What can we possibly say to make up for the bad things we've done in our lives that we knew were wrong.
Sometimes I feel like I don't live a live worthy of His grace. I'm just a small miniscule dust that will be reduced to dust again when I die, yet He cares for me and loves me. I cannot even fathom the depth of His love that He sent Jesus to die for our sins, to bear our shame, to make us righteous again in His eyes. To even begin to comprehend that sacrifice is just too awesome.
We go on living our lives worrying about what we're going to eat for lunch or what shoes match our outfit, but what about the more important things in life. Have we done something today that has changed the world or a person's life? Have we encouraged someone? Have we done something to help a friend? Have we given our thanks?
Minutes, hours and days tick by faster than ever and we're all racing against time which has become so elusive. How confident will you be when you give your life story is being read out to you?
today...
@9:03 pm
Wednesday 16 July 2008
Metaphors
What do you do when you're under stress during an exam? Well that's when the creative juices flow and you come up with your best work! Here are some metaphors found in New South Wales Year 12 English essays.
Her face was a perfect oval, like a circle that had its two sides gently compressed by a Thigh Master.
He spoke with the wisdom that can only come from experience, like a guy who went blind because he looked at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it and now goes around the country speaking at high schools about the dangers of looking at a solar eclipse without one of those boxes with a pinhole in it.
She grew on him like she was a colony of E. coli and he was room-temperature prime English beef.
She had a deep, throaty, genuine laugh, like that sound a dog makes just before it throws up.
Her vocabulary was as bad as, like, whatever.
He was as tall as a six-foot-three-inch tree.
The revelation that his marriage of 30 years had disintegrated because of his wife's infidelity came as a rude shock, like a surcharge at a formerly surcharge-free ATM.
The little boat gently drifted across the pond exactly the way a bowling ball wouldn't.
McBride fell 12 stories, hitting the pavement like a Hefty bag filled with vegetable soup.
From the attic came an unearthly howl. The whole scene had an eerie, surreal quality, like when you're on vacation in another city and 'Sex in the City' comes on at 7:00 p.m instead of 7:30.
Her hair glistened in the rain like a nose hair after a sneeze.
The hailstones leaped from the pavement, just like maggots when you fry them in hot oil.
John and Mary had never met. They were like two hummingbirds who had also never met.
Even in his last years, Grandad had a mind like a steel trap, only one that had been left out so long, it had rusted shut.
The plan was simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan just might work.
The young fighter had a hungry look, the kind you get from not eating for a while.
'Oh, Jason, take me!', she panted, her breasts heaving like a Uni student on $1-a-beer night.
He was as lame as a duck. Not the metaphorical lame duck, either, but a real duck that was actually lame. Maybe from stepping on a land mine or something.
The ballerina rose gracefully en pointe and extended one slender leg behind her, like a dog at a fire hydrant.
He was deeply in love. When she spoke, he thought he heard bells, as if she were a rubbish truck backing up.
She was as easy as the TV Guide crossword.
She walked into my office like a centipede with 98 missing legs.
It hurt the way your tongue hurts after you accidentally staple it to the wall.
today...
@8:03 pm
Tuesday 15 July 2008
Frantic rescue effort saves doll, not baby
I was listening to Hamish and Andy on the way home from work and came upon this hilarious story...it was actually funnier when Hamish and Andy were telling it!
True to life ... Vynette Cernik with one of her dolls.FRANTIC police smashed a window to rescue a seemingly unconscious baby from a locked vehicle in Queensland last week only to find it was an extremely lifelike doll.
The embarrassing mistake, made in regional Gympie, is not an isolated incident and passionate creator of the "reborn" baby dolls Vynette Cernik knows just how easily they can be mistaken for the real thing.
Ms Cernik said last week's case of mistaken identity mirrored a similar incident in the US when the window of a new Hummer was broken by police trying to rescue a "baby" that turned out to be a doll belonging to the owner's wife.
Selling for up to $1000, the painstakingly hand-painted dolls were so lifelike with eyelashes, fingernails, milk spots and wispy hair that they were constantly fooling people, Ms Cernik said.
"They're even weighted to feel like a baby's weight and they flop like a baby," she said.
The dolls can even come with umbilical cords, cord clamps and their own birth certificates.
"They are so realistic, people do become attached to them," Ms Cernik said.
"You don't stop playing with dolls because you grow old. You grow old because you stop playing with dolls.
"People do have to be careful when they go out with them. I tell them to hold them properly, not dangle them by one leg or something, because other people do think they are real babies and become alarmed."
Ms Cernik said she felt sorry for the Gympie police and the members of the public distressed by the situation and suggested owners should put warning cards on the dolls.
Gympie Sen-Sgt Phil Edwards said last week's incident had been frightening for both police and members of the public who genuinely believed a baby was dying.
"It was incredibly lifelike," he said, agreeing that warning cards on the dolls might be a good idea.
He said when the car's owners were eventually found they were "nonplussed and apologetic".
By Glenis Green
July 15, 2008 12:01am
Original article can be found here
today...
@8:50 pm
Saturday 12 July 2008
Resurrection
While we cannot authenticate the story below where the original article can be found here, I believe God is working miracles the world over!
Testimony from Abby:
"My name is Abby. I am 14 years old. I live in western North Carolina. During the summer of 2008, I went on a ministry trip to Guatemala. During part of the trip, we divided up into small ministry teams (5 to 7 people) and visited different villages in the San Pedro La Laguna area. We traveled from village to village telling the Indian people about Jesus. On one particular day, we were visiting in the home of a young woman. She lived in a small village of about 14 or 15 houses. We were trying to lead the young lady to Christ, but it was not going very well. After awhile, we decided to move on. Before leaving, we asked the woman if we could pray with her about anything in her life. She told us that just the day before, she had given birth to a stillborn baby and that we could pray with her about that.
"In Guatemalan culture, there is great shame and condemnation on mothers who give birth to deformed or stillborn children. We prayed a simple prayer that everything would go well with the funeral and burial of the baby and that the mother would be spared the shame and condemnation associated with having given birth to a stillborn child. As we were praying this simple prayer, my friend and fellow ministry team member, Julia (age 17), told me that we needed to pray over the baby's body. I thought she was crazy to suggest this and that it was not a good idea. Julia was persistent. She said again that we really needed to pray over the baby's body. She told me to ask the mother if she still had the baby's body. When I asked, the mother told us the baby's body was wrapped up in a burial cloth in the back room. I asked her if we could pray over the body. The mother hesitantly said, yes. We went into the backroom and saw the baby's body wrapped up in a bundle on the bed. Julia poked her head out of the back room and asked if she could unwrap the baby's head. The mother said, yes, if we wrapped it back correctly when we were done. Julia picked up the body and unwrapped the head. The baby's head was tiny and pale. The baby was stillborn and had been dead outside the womb for 27 hours. Her skin had turned shades of purple. Our entire ministry team, five of us, began crying and praying over this baby.
"We prayed for thirty to forty minutes. At the end of that time, Julia screamed out to God, telling Him that she believed with all of her heart that this baby could be raised from the dead. After Julia screamed out, everyone was silent. We were quietly interceding and praying. Within a few minutes, the baby started moving. Then the baby coughed and began crying. The mother came rushing into the room. She was screaming, what is going on? No one could answer her. We were just staring at the baby, who had come back to life. The mother asked us again, what is going on? She began crying as she saw that her baby was alive. She ran out of the house and banged on every door in the village, telling all of the people that God is real because her baby was alive. Within about thirty minutes, the baby's skin tone and movements had become completely normal.
"The other villagers came to the house to see this amazing miracle. They asked us which of the Indian gods we had prayed to for such a miracle to happen. We told them we had prayed to the biggest God ever and we began to explain to them about Jesus. Soon, we realized we would not have time to minister salvation to each person individually. So, we gathered all the villagers together, turned on our little sound system and explained the way of salvation. Everyone in the village, 80 to 90 people, prayed to receive Jesus. Each of them was baptized in the Holy Spirit and began speaking in tongues. Many would fall to the ground as the power of the Holy Spirit came on them.
"Five days later, we returned to the village to check in on the mother and the baby. The village had prepared a big dinner in honor of our team. We enjoyed a wonderful time of fellowship together. The baby, whom they named Julia, was perfectly healthy and had gained weight. Even after five days, the mother was still shaking from the impact of God on her life through the resurrection of her child. Two days after our follow-up visit, the mother brought baby Julia to church. The mother was still shaking from the power of God on her life following this astounding miracle."
-Abby
Here's another which I decided to share from Ps. Emmanuel Tuwagiraimana who visited our church a while back. I read his book 7 Days in Heaven and it was really encouraging =) It's an easy read. Although the testimony written below alters slightly to the book, you'll get the jist of what happened to him.
I request to send you this testimony of this wonderful man of God who usually visits our house in Kampala, Uganda. Emmanuel Tuwagiraimana is from Rwanda, central Africa. Before 1994, he had been living as a Christian but he was not faithful in his walk with God. During the Rwandan genocide of 1994, Emmanuel and his friends were trapped in Kabwai School, Gitarama town, about 45km from Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. Emmanuel could not walk as he had suffered severe bomb sharpenels that had left him with severe wounds all over the body. They could not move out of the school because it was risky and very dangerous. Due to lack of medical attention, one morning Emmanuel was found dead by his friends. They wrapped his swollen and smelling body in a bed cover and pushed it in a far corner in the room. By now, smelling fluids were oozing out of Emmanuels dead body.
Emmanuel says he did not know how suddenly he went out of his body. He found himself at a big gate. Two men stood at that gate and intoduced themselves. They said: "We are angels. Now you are standing at the gate of the heaven" When Emmanuel looked upon himself, he realised that he was putting on a very beautiful body, unlike the earthly one. The two men took him through sweet smelling garden of flowers. They took him to a man who introduced himself as Christ. Jesus presented himself to Emmanuel in two forms. First he presented himself with a body of scars. He showed Emmanuel the scars made by nails at the cross. After Jesus knew that Emmanuel had no more doubts, He (Jesus) started moving with Emmanuel while he put on a very beautiful body with no scars. Jesus told Emmanuel many things. Then they came together back to earth. They went to Rwanda and stood in the very room where Emmanuel's body lay. They stood in the air and morever, no one could see them. Jesus showed Emmanuel his dead body. Emmanuel says it looked terrible. "It looked like a dead cow!" Emmanuel says. They could hear the voices of people in the room. They were saing:"Oh, the saved man had died!"
Jesus told Emmanuel that one day he would go back into that rotten body.
Jesus took Emmanuel back to heaven and showed him a city of very beautiful houses. Emmanuel says he has never seen such houses. Then he was shown a lake. Jesus told him that his time had not come yet so he coulkd not cross that lake. Accross the lake he could see living persons. When he looked closely, he saw a Moslem man he had known in Rwanda. Also, he could recognise some Christians he had worked with. He asked Jesus how these people could be there. Christ told him that these people succeeded to make it to heaven to be with God. Emmanuel asked how a Moslem could be among them. Jesus told him: "As he was dying, that man called upon my name and I saved him from eternal fire". Then Emmanuel asked about a certain dead Sister in the Lord with whom they had been ministering to in Rwanda. Jesus told him that she could not come to heaven because she died with a lot of unforgiveness and bitterness in her heart.
She had refused to forgive her fellow Christians who did not visit her in a Rwandan hospital. Then Emmanuel asked about a certain dead man with whom they were praying. Jesus told him that man could not go to heaven because he kept on stealing money collected by Christians to help the sick in hospitals.
Emmanuel was taken to hell. Hell is filthy and people are made to work day and night. There is no rest. All beings there are naked.
Then Jesus brought something that looked like a chocolate bar. Jesus told Emmanuel to eat it. He ate it and true, it tated like chocolate. He ate the whole of it. Jesus told him: "You have eaten the Bible. Now it is in your head, you will be able to memorise it every where you go" [This is true. Emmanuel has all the scriptures in his head].
Seven days after he had died on earth, Jesus told Emmanuel it was time to go back in his body. At first Emmanuel refused leaving heaven. But Jesus just touched him with the tip of his finger. Emmnuesl found himself in a dead rotten body. He says he struggled with one arm to keep the maggots out of his mouth. His friends in the room could not believe their eyes when they saw Emmanuels moving body. The straps got loose and Emmanuel sat down. His friends run out of the school shouting that they had seen a ghost! But Emmanuel also shouted calling them and assuring them he was not a ghost. He aws given food and taken to the hospital.
One of Emmanuel's arms had rotten to the extent of almost falling off. Doctors in Rwanda decided to amputate it but God told Emmanuel not to accept. In God's supernatural working ways, God appeared to a white doctor in Australia. He told him to go to Rwanda to do surgery on Emmanuel's arm so that it is not amputated. In a strange vision, God gave this doctor a picture of Emmanuel and the address of the Rwandan hospital. This Doctor obeyed and saved Emmanuels right arm in Rwanda! [note: from 1994 to 1999 Emanuel had a supporting metallic support structure on his arm fixed by this doctor. Now he had removed it].
After healing, Emmanuel started his ministry of testifying what happened to him and his visit to heaven.
These are indeed awesome living testimonies of God's power, grace and mercy! They are on-going affirmations of the truth of our faith and what is waiting for us at the end of the road. Isn't it amazing?
today...
@9:11 pm
Thursday 10 July 2008
Lessons in Life
I learnt two lessons in life from my very funny colleague today.
1. Friends come and go like tissue paper.
Sometimes we put in so much effort for friends, but to no avail. Are they ever going to change? Are they ever going to make an effort as much as you do? Sometimes you feel like giving up on them because you're drawn to the edges of the plain white A4 paper and you can't go any further. And when new people come into your life, they get pushed back and soon or later before you know it, they become"former friends" and then not a minute too soon "associates." Sometimes it's best to just let it be.
2. Life should not be like a debit/credit card.
Sometimes we give and give and give and give and GIVE! Giving has no end, yet we receive nothing in return. Should we in fact be expecting anything in return for all our giving? Does it seem fair that we give so much and yet get nothing back? All our time, effort and money is spent on giving and in the hopes of getting something in return that is of equal value... yet again, to no avail.
C'est la vie.
today...
@9:42 pm
Wednesday 9 July 2008
The difference between a dog and a cat
Excerpts from a Dog's Diary
8:00 am - Dog food! My favourite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favourite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favourite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favourite thing!
Noon - Lunch! My favourite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favourite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favourite thing!
5:00 pm - Milk bones! My favourite thing!
6:00 pm - Oooh, Bath. Bummer.
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favourite thing!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favourite thing!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favourite thing!
8:00 am - Dog food! My favourite thing!
9:30 am - A car ride! My favourite thing!
9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favourite thing!
10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favourite thing!
Noon - Lunch! My favourite thing!
1:00 pm - Played in the yard! My favourite thing!
3:00 pm - Wagged my tail! My favourite thing!
5:00 pm - Milk bones! My favourite thing!
6:00 pm - Oooh, Bath. Bummer.
7:00 pm - Got to play ball! My favourite thing!
8:00 pm - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favourite thing!
11:00 pm - Sleeping on the bed! My favourite thing!
Excerpts from a Cat's Diary
Day 983 of my captivity.
My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects. They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.
The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape. In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.
Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates what I am capable of. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a 'good little hunter' I am.
There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. However, I could hear the noises and smell the food. I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of 'allergies.' I must learn what this means and how to use it to my advantage.
Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow - but at the top of the stairs.
I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches. The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released - and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously a half-wit.
The bird has got to be an informant. I observe him communicating with the guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe. For now . . .
today...
@7:50 pm
Monday 7 July 2008
Can you please pass the salt?
Can you please pass the salt? It's only Monday =_=
today...
@6:22 pm
Saturday 5 July 2008
Lost for words
Sitting in front of my laptop... I'm speechless. I'm at a lost for words as to how I'm going to write this.
Sooner or later, everyone you know will disappoint you in some way. They'll say something or fail to say something that will hurt you. And they'll do something or fail to do something that will anger you. It's inevitable.
We can't expect friendship to last forever. Friendships end and friends part company everyday and even the best maintained friendships can end. Many end because of a change in personality or lifestyle when friends just drift apart and fade away with time. There is a retreat from seeking out each other's company and avoidance begins. The friendship slowly loses importance and finally disappears.
Unexpectedly, I stumble across something about you today. I don't know what to think of you anymore. How was I suppose to know? Afterall, we'd lost touch right?
today...
@6:16 pm
Tuesday 1 July 2008
Back to School
So the day has finally come. The day to make the final decision - whether or not to go back to study. Well, actually there wasn't even a moment of hesitation - I knew I wanted to do it, but whether or not I do it alone was the question and I don't know if I would have done it alone, but the fact that my colleague Amy also wanted to do it with me gave me the green lights to go ahead and I'm really glad that I can take the next step forward to doing something about it now.
After graduating 1.5 years ago, I'd never imagined that I would go back to study. That was the last thing on my mind, but I guess God had other plans for me. I remember early on in the year when we had the prophetic weekend, God said "Get wisdom!" A few nights after that, I had a dream which clearly said "Master of Marketing" and I woke up flipping out because no way did I want to go back to postgrad studies. At the time I didn't understand what a prophecy was but once I did, I just let it cool down and waited for it to come to pass and well... what was prophesised has and is now coming to pass! Amazing! I'm going back to study! I can't even believe it myself! On our first day of going back to school, I'm going to take pictures of us, it's just going to be hilarious!
Me and Amy rocked up at Central TAFE like dungu's! It has seemed like such a short time since I finished studying. Maybe because I was always around uni and never left? In high school, I never imagined ever wanting to work as a teacher or even at an education institution - in fact I detested it. Who would want to be surrounded by the aura of "school" forever. It wasn't for me and look where I am now.
Anyway, we decided to be geeks (a bit like the girl below).
We decided to go early because it was on a "first come first serve" basis and we didn't know if there would be a lot of people, and besides we wanted the good classes! The process was quite straightforward. We chose our units, filled in a form, enrolled, payed - and even got free chocolates! =P So I guess, the next three years are going to be a bit of a slogger working full time and studying part time, but I'm looking forward to it and the challenges ahead! It's going to be exciting!
I've been thinking about Interior Design for quite some time now and the possibilities of starting my own business... but that's for sharing another day =) Right now, I'm just happy that I'm finally doing something that I've always wanted to do and I have a friend to do it with!
I've tried so many times to leave International Office, unsuccessfully, and there's always a reason for it and now I understand why. I believe as much as I don't like the nature of my job, God wanted me to stay in IO because He knows me best. He knows that honestly, I find it difficult to connect with caucasians so He put me in IO which is practically filled with Asians. He knows that I need more support than I think and He gave me the blessings of my colleagues who have encouraged me so much. I know He has something for me to do in IO (which I won't share here). Sometimes I get so overwhelmed by the awesome goodness and overflowing grace of God. I don't know why I deserve all these blessings that He's poured into my life - going from glorly to glorly - but our God is so loving and giving and all we can do is to accept them humbly as His children. I don't deserve this Lord, but Thank You.
I've tried so many times to leave International Office, unsuccessfully, and there's always a reason for it and now I understand why. I believe as much as I don't like the nature of my job, God wanted me to stay in IO because He knows me best. He knows that honestly, I find it difficult to connect with caucasians so He put me in IO which is practically filled with Asians. He knows that I need more support than I think and He gave me the blessings of my colleagues who have encouraged me so much. I know He has something for me to do in IO (which I won't share here). Sometimes I get so overwhelmed by the awesome goodness and overflowing grace of God. I don't know why I deserve all these blessings that He's poured into my life - going from glorly to glorly - but our God is so loving and giving and all we can do is to accept them humbly as His children. I don't deserve this Lord, but Thank You.
today...
@9:02 pm
bye bye~