Two Lost-And-Found Cars III

The following Tuesday morning, I asked SS if she had any news from SR who was under the same faculty. She had also been trying to contact SR for other matters but could not get her. Later, she told me they were going to meet in the afternoon for the second marking of the scripts. When she was back, she brought the good news that SR had got back all her lost exam papers intact on Friday!

According to the rules from the exam unit, we had to submit the marks within five days after the exam date, with the possibility of extension, and return the scripts by the end of the exam period. Short of a single script would get us into a big trouble.

I immediately remembered that first prayer. Good really knew what was the most important to SR!

I also learnt from SS that SR, accompanied by her cousin and with the hope of getting back her car, had been instructed to drive to a remote place. Then only they recovered the bundles of scripts with a message "Fun or not?". She assumed it was a plot by someone who knew her. Thus, she was confident that the person would also return her car and the rest sooner or later.

To me, I was less convinced that it was merely a trick, because few people were informed of SR's whereabouts when she travelled from Melaka to Kuala Lumpur to settle a withdrawal problem at a bank on Tuesday 5 March. Actually she was not even very sure if she had locked her car in a hurry. Moreover, her car model was known to be one of the most popular among the car thieves. Anyway, I was not really interested to know the motive behind the car theft. I was rather excited to know if God would answer our prayers by "yes", "no" or "wait".

After the marking, submission of results, reports and validation meetings, many colleagues were busy again with the clearance of offices. I did not want to pester SR to pray with me more, who was doing the final semester of her part-time studies at the same time. So I also patiently waited for good news of her car. I heard she was temporarily driving a rented car.

Exactly three weeks later this Wednesday, I was sitting in the library when a clerk called me by telephone to open my office door. I recalled I had accidentally locked it again on Monday out of habit after spending a few hours there to eat my packed lunch and read a book, seeing that the renovation had yet to start at my level. As soon as I went out from the library with my key, SR was walking towards me! She wanted to top up her cell phone credit with a machine under the stairs of the library.

"How's your car?"

"I've got it back!"

The first thing I thought was to thank God. I seized the opportunity to invite SR for a short chat inside the library after I had unlocked my office door. It was the semester break, few students of the intercession courses were scattered at different tables. We chose a quiet corner to talk face to face.

"Tell me what's happened."

I was always amazed at SR's narrative oral skill. She was giving a chronologically detailed account. Without a pen to write down on the spot, I was only able to retain the main points in my mind. I will check with her again to verify and correct any mistakes made in this testimony due to my short memory.

Besides messages from an unknown phone number, there was no sign of her car either from the police or the mysterious caller more than two weeks after her directed trip to Kuala Lumpur. Deprived of her own transport, she stayed at home in Alor Gajah most of the evenings. Two or three days before I met her, two friends of hers had helped to buy packed dinner for her. When they arrived at a shop in Alor Gajah, one of them noticed SR's car by recognizing its model, colour and plate number! It was parked near the shop without anybody inside.

They quickly telephoned SR, rushed to pick her with her original car key and brought her to the place. Her car was still there. Obviously it had gone through a thorough wash, for it was clean and shining! She also got back her Macintosh laptop without the charger, which contained her assignments for her studies. Unfortunately, she still could not find back her suitcase and "Touch n Go" high way top-up card.

At the end of the story, she concluded, "It was somehow a miracle."

Now, she was worried that someone was in perfect detection of her whereabouts and had been spying her daily activities with bad intention. I said to her, "I believe God purposely sent me to run into you these two times. What I can help you is to pray for your safety. But first of all, we thank God for His miracle. I know you have another appointment in five minutes. If you're free tomorrow, give me a call or send me an SMS so that we'll meet at another place to pray together like last time."

Until now, no news from her. I hold her in my prayer whenever I remember. I have done my job so far. I leave the follow-up to the Holy Spirit.

Would you call all these pure coincidences or divine arrangements?

Two Lost-And-Found Cars II

Finally I asked SR, "I believe in miracles. Let's pray for one. What do you think?"

She was desperate. "I really need a miracle now."

So I got up from my chair and sat next to her. I explained to her that we Christians believe God will give us whatever we ask in His Son Jesus' name (John 16:23), that we can pray at anytime, anywhere, any situations and any directions. First I prayed alone. Then I asked her to repeat after me whatever was acceptable to her. If any words disturbed her, she could just remain silent.

As I led SR in prayer, she started to weep. Perhaps the Holy Spirit was touching her, or she was just releasing her tension. We pleaded God to help SR to find back her car and other lost objects. We trusted God to know what was the most important for her. And despite her own feelings, she chose to forgive the thieves. I also had the burden of asking God to break all the curses in SR's life.

After the prayer, she stayed in my office to mark her papers while I was surfing the net. Within half an hour, SR's cell phone rang! A male voice said to SR that if she wanted to get back her car, she could go to somewhere in Kuala Lumpur to take it back! The unknown man also assured SR that he would telephone her again later to check whether she had arrived in Kuala Lumpur.

SR looked puzzled when she told me about their conversation. She began to suspect that someone who hated her was playing a trick on her and the mysterious caller was just a middleman. Having heard Christians' numerous testimonies of miracles, I knew it was God who had stirred this person's heart to make the call. Several minutes later, she received another call from her family member with whom she discussed when he would be free to be with her in Kuala Lumpur.

She had not slept well the previous night. She had not taken breakfast, neither nor she had appetite for lunch. I thought she was not in a good condition to deal with the situation immediately. It was already early afternoon. By the time she reached Kuala Lumpur by express bus, only little time would be left before evening began. To calm her undecided spirit, I simply advised her to seek God for the second time before taking any further actions, that God would give His confirmation through more phone calls and look after her safety if she was to go for her appointment in, either alone or accompanied.

This time, I was sitting closely in front of SR. When I began to pray alone to thank God for His quick answer to our prayer, for His great work in transforming me and for His grace upon my life, it was my turn to be in sob. Then again, I asked SR to repeat after me and laid my hands on her legs while my knees were also in contact with hers. During our prayer, my right leg was shaking uncontrollably. I had seen my church members with their hands or even whole body shaking when they were praying or were being prayed for. This was the first time I experienced this physical touch of the Holy Spirit myself!

I mentioned in our prayer that God would show her the truth. SR, also in tears, placed her hands on mine and added, "and guide me." In my heart I was claiming it for her spiritual life. To me, it was already a miracle that we could pray together two times within a day. How great is God!

During the rest of the afternoon, SR was still thinking of all kinds of possible reasons regarding the loss of her car. I shared with her testimonies that I had heard: a barren woman become pregnant, a blood-vomiting cancer patient completely healed, a heavy smoker got sick of even the cigarette smell and an homosexual turned to a godly man, blessed with a pastor wife and lovely children. All the impossible had been turned by Jesus to the possible!

When SR was leaving my office to join another colleague who would send her back, I asked her to send me an SMS at her depart for Kuala Lumpur so that I would be praying for her.

The next day, no response from her.

The following day, I texted her to ask if anything was fine with her.

No reply.

Two Lost-And-Found Cars I

Yesterday SR did not contact me at all. I was not disappointed. She was driving her own car now, that was what mattered to her most. But I feel compelled to testify the miracle that God had done for her, and an earlier one for my sister Ping.

I clearly remember on 6 March morning, I arrived at the parking with my carpool colleague SS when we saw SR. The first thing she told us was that her car had been stolen in Kuala Lumpur the previous day. What had added more to the drama was that a suitcase which contained the spare car key, clothes and documents, her Macintosh laptop, the exam papers that she had just started marking, some newly packed fast food, etc had gone missing together with the car!

In the past, I would do nothing besides expressing verbally my sympathy to SR. This time, I took this sad news as a good opportunity to pray for a miracle in God's glory. As SR was going to the new academic office to collect other bundles of exam papers, I said to her, "After that, come to my office. I'd like to talk to you."

SR appeared in my office not long after I had entered it. I started to tell her how my sister, whose car was the same model as SR's, had also been a victim of car theft two times in Johor Bahru last two years. The second time, instead of helplessly letting her pay a big sum of ransom again to the syndicate through an ex-gangster "friend" who had some contact with them, I suggested to her to seek God first, then the police, to get back her car. It was the first time I told her nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37), that Jesus will do anything we ask in His name (John 14:14) and that He wants us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44).

Ping followed my advice to pray for it, lodge the police report and even ask God to bless the culprits. Several days later, her "friend" announced to her that her car would be returned to her unconditionally and instructed her to go to a place to take it. She had mixed feelings at the sight of her recovered car. On one hand, she was relieved that her transportation problem had been solved. On the other hand, she felt that this car had brought her so many bad lucks. I simply said to her, "Since God has sent this car back to you, that means He still wants you to be its driver."

My sister is still keeping this car. But after that miracle, she did not become a Christian, nor went to church. Maybe she was thinking that despite the prayers, the "friend", whom we had suspected of being also involved in the car theft, would still had asked the syndicate to return the car out of fear of the police investigation.

SR commented that she also thought the found car was most probably due to the police report. Looking at her, I said, "As a Christian, I believe in the power of prayer. There was no doubt to me that God had intervened after we had asked His help. As your Christian friend, what I offer you now is also the prayer. Since I had a successful case with my sister, I believe God can also do a miracle for you. There are so many cars stolen in Malaysia every day, you know how tiny the chance is to have your car found by only depending on the police."

SR knocked her head.

"If you're willing, we're going to pray for your car and other belongings. If you really get them back, it'll still be your free will whether to believe my God or not. I just share with you what I believe. Anyway you've learnt about the story of the children of Israel led by Moses out of Egypt. Even after they have seen so many miracles with their own eyes, they were still lack of faith."

I continued, "Of course, if nothing happens after we've prayed, I'll even have less to say if you don't believe my God."

Process Of Clearance

Last month, I received an internal email saying that two blocks of offices and toilets would be under renovation during the semester break, that we occupants were required to move everything, except for the existing furniture, out of our offices and leave the doors unlocked by 22 May. Several classrooms would be available for us to keep our desktops or other belongings temporarily until the work was finished.

Soon after the final exams were over early this month, some colleagues started their clearance. When deadline was approaching, more piles of used papers, past-year students' assignments, dusty files, expired snacks in packets or tins, old decorative items were placed outside the offices to be removed by the cleaners. Every day I walked up and down the three-level blocks, I was impressed by the quantity of trash which used to be stored for months, maybe for years, within the limited space of the offices either occupied by one person or shared by two.

While some were busy inside their offices, others were also busy travelling between their rooms and the temporary three-week store rooms. I was among the last to take action. Thanks to the foreign language subject I was teaching, I did not have to keep students' thick reports. Because of my habit to reorganize my documents regularly and pass used papers to my brother who could print exercise on the other empty side for his tuition students, minimal things were left on the shelves. Even then, once I seriously checked around, I could still throw away rubbish.

When I brought home important books and files from my office and put them in my study room, I realized I had kept many outdated brochures and old cards in my book rack. So I extended the clearing process to my house.

This week, I could no longer stay comfortably in my office of which construction workers had removed the door and broken the windows. Besides attending a two-day ICT workshop, I had been spending most of the office hours in the library. The motivation was the access to Internet rather than secular books.

While sitting in front of the computer this morning, I suddenly had the idea of deleting unimportant inbox emails which I had kept since the opening of my account. While browsing through the hundreds of email titles or contents, I realized now I judged junk mails, especially the forwarded ones, those I used to be interested in reading.

Next, I would also be getting rid of rubbish thoughts in my mind. Which process of clearance are you in?

Recall Notice From The Maker

This morning, I spent a little time to read several new forwarded messages. I particularly liked this one:
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RECALL NOTICE:

The Maker of all human beings (GOD) is recalling all units manufactured, regardless of make or year, due to a serious defect in the primary and central component of the heart.

This is due to a malfunction in the original prototype units code named Adam and Eve, resulting in the reproduction of the same defect in all subsequent units. This defect has been technically termed "Sub-sequential Internal Non-Morality," or more commonly known as S.I.N., as it is primarily expressed.

Some of the symptoms include:
1. Loss of direction
2. Foul vocal emissions
3. Amnesia of origin
4. Lack of peace and joy
5. Selfish or violent behavior
6. Depression or confusion in the mental component
7. Fearfulness
8. Idolatry
9. Rebellion

The Manufacturer, who is neither liable nor at fault for this defect, is providing factory-authorized repair and service free of charge to correct this defect.

The Repair Technician, JESUS, has most generously offered to bear the entire burden of the staggering cost of these repairs. There is no additional fee required.

The number to call for repair in all areas is: P-R-A-Y-E-R.

Once connected, please upload your burden of SIN through the REPENTANCE procedure. Next, download ATONEMENT from the Repair Technician, Jesus, into the heart component.

No matter how big or small the SIN defect is, Jesus will replace it with:
1. Love
2. Joy
3. Peace
4. Patience
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Self control

Please see the operating manual, the B.I.B.L.E. (Believers' Instructions Before Leaving Earth) for further details on the use of these fixes.

WARNING: Continuing to operate the human being unit without correction voids any manufacturer warranties, exposing the unit to dangers and problems too numerous to list and will result in the human unit being permanently impounded. For free emergency service, call on Jesus.

DANGER: The human being units not responding to this recall action will have to be scrapped in the furnace. The SIN defect will not be permitted to enter Heaven so as to prevent contamination of that facility. Thank you for your attention!

- GOD

P.S. Please assist where possible by notifying others of this important recall notice, and you may contact the Father any time by 'Knee mail'.
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Not being an expert in IT, I always felt helpless when my computer encountered a defect. But its maker never gave any recall notice.

Not being a mechanic, I always panicked when my car broke down. But its maker never gave any recall notice.

Not being a technician, I always threw away my electrical appliance when it failed to function and I had to bear the high repair cost. But its maker never gave any recall notice.

But being a sinner, my Maker God had been kindly sending me the recall notice through different people and ways until I was finally willing to surrender my symptoms to Jesus Christ to do His free repair work on me.

Will you believe or just ignore this notice?

Two Stone-Age Ladies

About three weeks ago, I sent an SMS to my former secondary school classmate and best friend SN who was working in Singapore to wish her a happy birthday. I also asked her if she would like to be added in the Sanli group email list to be updated of any information we passed around among ourselves.

She texted me back, "...I am from stone age, no MSN, no Facebook, no digital camera... What a life..."

Since recent years, I have been using a few online chatting tools and social networking websites to keep in touch with my friends and family members. Last year soon after I had started this blog, I bought a digital camera which motivated me to take pictures to illustrate my entries and to give me ideas when writing descriptive or narrative articles.

So, I replied to her assuring that neither was I IT savvy, but with a little usage of the new technology I was able to share my ideas with others more easily. Since our graduation in the end of 1994, we had hardly seen each other. Our two-way long-distance communication evoluted from letters, emails to occasional SMS messages.

Nowadays she was keeping up with my blog to learn about my recent life. Even though she had never visited me in Melaka, she had a rough idea of my house by looking at pictures in my blog. She seemed to like it.

When I told her I was living in that house without air-conditioner, the Internet connection and washing machine, she replied,

"Oh no... I can live without air con and TV but not the Internet and washing machine."

Now you are sure to find two stone-age ladies in Singapore and Melaka respectively.

Calvary Care Home

Since I started to teach at the city campus, I have been more keen in getting myself involved in social work in town, one of which is my visitations to Calvary Care Home (CCH).

All the children of the Care Home are actually not real orphans but their parents had chosen to leave them there for some reasons. Calvary Life Assembly (CLA) provides them with shelter, food, clothing, education and tender love. Full-time, part-time staff and volunteers work together to create a godly, home-like atmosphere for them.

I had first seen the boys' pictures in a leaflet about CCH, then their real faces at CLA. When I was an assistant teacher in the Sunday school, the youngest boys were in my upper-primary class. I was aware that they needed more attention than those who were under their own parents' care, but I was not to manifest my special concern for them, which might have been misunderstood as favoritism by other children.

After I had resigned from the post to focus my service in the hospitality ministry, I had been thinking of reaching out to these boys at their home where they were doing most of their daily activities outside school. The opportunity came when Wilson, the eldest CCH boy that I had known at the jumble sale last year, told me he needed a tutor for his Chinese subject.

The first two times I went there, I was in a rush. Even then, Wilson seemed to enjoy my brief presence. When I met Wilson's mother who was paying her only child a weekly visit, I realized that Wilson was very attached to his young mother and he was also longing for elder sisters. So, besides helping him in his homework, I also lend him my ears when he reveals anything in his heart.

I usually arrive at the Care Home in the afternoon, where the boys are either playing football or other games.

In the beginning, I just said hi to everybody, walked into the dining room and gave tuition to Wilson only. When I asked two other younger Chinese boys if they also needed help in the subject, at first they shook their heads. After a few times, they were no longer shy to approach me and sit next to me.

When I managed to memorize all the boys' names, I started to chat with everyone who was passing by or sitting in the room. The more they were familiar with me, the more they smiled, talked to me and showed me their home work.

Since, I also resumed my baking hobby to share some snacks with them. It was always a pleasure to see them appreciating whatever I brought, even though the results of my experiments were not always very successful.

Jesus told His disciples,"...whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me." (Matthew 18:4-5 NKJV)

I was not passionate about children in the past. But thanks to my Lord Jesus, now I have learnt to give more than a cup of cold water to these adorable little ones (Matthew 10:42).

Filipino Worship Band

Last Sunday, we had the privilege to have an all-Filipino team to lead the worship on stage during the English service at Calvary Life Assembly (CLA):

A band had just arrived from the Philippines on Friday while two other singers were Calvarites.

The five brothers in Christ from our neighbouring country had helped to improve the sound system at CLA. So we were blessed by a better sound quality in the main sanctuary hall.

These gifted musicians also brought us to a higher spirit in singing praise than usual with their lively performance of the voices, drums, bass, guitar and keyboard.

At a secular concert, fans shout to their idols from a distance according to the prices of the tickets they have paid for. At our church concert, we all also stand up to sing, dance, jump, clap or raise our hands together with the artists on stage.

But the real star is our Lord Jesus Christ who dwells in our hearts,

for He is the one who has paid for our entrance fees to Heaven!

When Ps James introduced the guest speaker Ps Glenn, I was surprised to learn that he was the vocalist of the band. Before his preaching, this well-built man sang solo to testify his love to God. His voice was powerful despite his infected larynx. What a blessing to have a pastor who sang so well!

Ps Glenn's sermon was about "How to stand in the midst of criticism". He used the Bible to illustrate the situation where Moses, a godly person, had also gone through criticism. We learnt seven points from "Numbers 12:1-16":
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1. Realize that anyone can criticize you anytime, accept that is the reality in life. (v1)

2. Reflect about the reason(s) of the criticism. (v1)

3. Remember that God heard all criticism against you. (v2)

4. Remain humble. (v3)

5. Regain your identity in God no matter what. (v4-9)

6. Respond to any criticisms with a prayerful heart. (v11-13)

7. Refrain from hitting back by letting God defend you. (v14-16)
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The biblical principles can be applied to anointed leaders as well as any other ordinary people who are willing to humble themselves before God. I was comforted by God's words through Ps Glenn's simple and clear message. My good intentions are sometimes misunderstood and criticised by others. Since I have been learning God's way to deal with the situations, I am no longer upset like before.

At the end of the service, Ps James called upon the congregation to support our Christian fellows in the Philippines both financially and spiritually. And we all stretched our hands to pray for the safe journey of this worship band who was going to perform in other churches in Malaysia.

We look forward to their visit to CLA again next year!

Mother's Day

Last year on Mother's day, I made a promise to Mum that I would correct my hot temper. And for the first time, I told her Jesus loves her. Since then, I learnt to honour her in God's way. She must have noticed my radical change within one year of being Jesus' disciple, for she is still keeping my message in her cell phone.

This year, Leong's family were going to prepare a steamboat dinner on 9 May to celabrate with Mum. Ping would not be back to Batu Pahat that weekend. Nobody was expecting Seng to give Mum any surprise. Though I was around, I did not plan to treat her with another grand meal. On the contrary, I was even going to offer her a packet of slimming products to reduce her tummy!

About ten days before Mother's day, I telephoned Mum from Melaka.

"I'm going to book you on 10 May morning... Please make yourself available between 10am and 1pm..."

The programme I arranged was to bring her to Berean.

There was a special sermon for Mother's day by a guest speaker from Kluang. The preacher shared her own testimony of how she had brought up her three very young sons after her husband, the only financial provider, had died of a heart attack. Under God's grace, this poor single mother had managed to get an accountant's job without any knowledge of it. Those who used to despise her were now envious of her car, house and children of high education. And the greatest succes in her life was that her whole family were serving God faithfully.

At the end, Pastor Ruth called upon all the mothers to be prayed for, who were also given a small bunch of flowers by the preacher and a bag of packed gift by Berean.

That afternoon, when I told Mum to pray in Jesus' name in any languages she wanted whenever she felt a need, she showed me a prayer printed in a brochure that a member of Berean had passed to her two weeks earlier when she had first gone there. I was very touched by her initiative to get to know our Father God.

In the evening, Mum was going to attend a wedding dinner. She looked gorgeous with her clothes and make-up. But above all, God's love was reflecting at her radiant face.

Batu Pahat: Hawker Centre Near My House

Even though I prefer my living environment at Paya Rumput, Melaka, I love the charm of the residential area where my family live in Batu Pahat. Apart from the emotional reason, there is an important factor which contributes to my liking for Taman Makmur. That is, it has all kinds of facilities.

In Melaka, I prepare breakfast for my guests. In Batu Pahat, I can obtain Chinese food easily near my house. Last Sunday morning, Mum dropped VC and me in front of a nearby food court when she went out with her car.

On weekends or special occasions, the traffic of the roads surrounding the hawker centre is always heavier than usual.

This double-storey food court does not only attract people with food.

Whether from the main entrance

or the side entrance,

hawkers of the Chinese nationals welcome you with their household goods all the way to the centre of the four-year-old building.

If you have time and money to spend at their stalls,

you will leave this place with both your stomachs and hands full.

The food stall on the ground floor where we usually went did not sell porridge that day, so we walked upstairs

where there were less food stalls, less people

but a nicer view with tall palm trees.

This was VC's breakfast:

We had ordered the meat porridge from Mum's friends who ran the business. I greeted Uncle whose face was always cheerful.

Aunty, after whom the stall was named, was too shy to pose in front of my camera.

After breakfast, we toured the open market next to the food court. It is another interesting place

where you can get stuff to feed yourself or your refrigerator.

Every time I go to this hawker centre, I thank God for placing my family in this residential area because Mum never gets bored to spend her mornings there.

Going home on foot, we took a short cut. VC taught me to identify different types of mangoes on the trees we passed by.

Routine can turn out interesting when you have a curious heart.

Steamboat At My Brother's House

The weather has been very hot lately. Even in the evening, we can still feel the warm air. When my brother Leong telephoned me a week ago to invite me to his house for steamboat Saturday night together with Mum and Seng, I wondered if he thought we had not been sweating enough.

VC also followed me back to Batu Pahat. So we brought the two bags of goodies of the CLA family day for my nephew and niece. He personally gave Zer Yih his newly published comic "Hibrid" to encourage the little boy to keep on drawing.

Zer Nin had the same artistic talent. The siblings had won numerous trophies in competitions.

At their age, they already had their own art exhibition!

When dinner was ready, Leong called us to be seated around the dining table.

My sister-in-law Li Chia had bought many kinds of fish balls, meat balls,

big prawns, squid, fish,

enoki mushrooms, taro, garland chrysanthemum,

Chinese cabbage and fried dumplings.

We just dumped whatever we wanted into the metal pot, closed the cover and waited until everything was cooked in the simmering pot. Then we ate the food with a dipping sauce. As we threw in more dishes, the soup tasted better.

I was paying attention to the quantity of items that I put into my bowl. But after tasting a little bit of every dish, I realized that the total portion still exceeded what I usually had for a meal.

I think I am going to sweat even more when I step on the balance.

Chicken A La Carte

Last Tuesday during the MLM class, we were shown a short film "Chicken A La Carte" by a Filipino director. It was about how some people's left-over turned out to be some other people's necessity, a real-life scenario happening daily in many corners of the world.

This true story stirred my heart. I thank God that I am neither like the ones who quit their tables with abundance of left-over food nor the ones who had to survive on refuse. When I was small, my parents never needed to frighten me by saying that I would have freckles if I left grains of rice in my plate. I just simply followed their examples to finish everything in the plates. Even when we had our meals outside, we always cleared all the dishes we had ordered.

After I had met Ernest and Nicole, I appreciated a lot the way they treasured food though they were quite well-to-do. Not only they were not wasteful, they were always willing to share their food with others.

Since I know my Lord Jesus, I am even amazed at His attitude towards food. Whatever He had, He always looked up to Heaven, gave thanks and offered to others first until all were satisfied (Matthew 14:19).

When we learn to give thanks to God, our hearts will be filled with joy even if there is only a piece of half-bitten chicken in our plates.

Oh, Man! Where Are You?

When I was a student in France, Ernest used to talk to me about God's love. I never felt that he sounded like a preacher. Now, when it was my turn to talk about how God's words had changed my life and to encourage him to read the Bible that he had left on the shelf among his reference books, he found me religious.

In an email in March, Ernest wrote:
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I imagine Lee Sah in black robes, surrounded by a pile of books symbolizing the knowledge of the Bible. On that coming day, we'll be very proud of you...
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It made me smile. At the same time, I also seriously thought of this question "How to serve God full-time without being a pastor?" I like to tell people about God's love but I would not see myself preaching to a congregation inside the four walls of a church building.

The answer became clearer when I started reading the book "Oh, Man! Where Are You?" that I had bought from the "Su Fes" bookstore one month later.

The author wrote:
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If you are willing to open the Bible to read through it, you'll realize that the whole Bible is turning around a main topic. That is, God is looking for man.

One who serves God full-time, regardless of the service, as long as he insists that he does it for the sake of the Gospel, that he may share in its blessings (1 Corinthians 9:23), is a preacher, a full-time preacher.

Even if our jobs do not seem to relate to the faith and look like any other secular jobs, we don't define our jobs as holy or not.
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The author used examples in the Bible to show that serving God full-time does not necessarily mean to give up our talents and skills like Simon and Andre who immediately left their nets and followed Jesus.

The writer also mentioned a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias who had received a vision from God to lay his hands on Saul, so that Saul's sight was recovered and that he was filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 9:10-17)

This book inspired me to be another Ananias that God can use to touch one person at each time, who, like Saul later become Paul, might reach out to thousands of people.

Knowing that God is forever looking for men, I shouted to Him in my heart, "Father! Here I am. I'm willing to serve you full-time with the language talent you've given to me!"

Do you hear God's calling?

Rabbit-Proof Fence

Two days ago, I watched a film "Rabbit-Proof Fence" on DVD that I had borrowed from the CLA library.

Based on a true story, it was about three young Aboriginal girls who had been separated from their parents by the Australian State to be taken to the Moore River Native Settlement in the north of Perth. The removal of the mixed-race children from the families was due to fears of miscegenation and a desire to attain white racial purity.

These stolen children were home sick despite the better material life there. So, They escaped from the residential school and trekked for nine weeks along 1,500 miles of the Australian rabbit-proof fence leading to their home town Jagalong. They encountered sympathetic people who gave them food and drink. At the same time, a tracker sent by the government agencies authority was trying to seize them.

Two sisters managed to return to their community while their cousin was tricked and caught again by the authority.

I had been stolen by Satan from my Father God to live a sinful life for years. Even though I believed that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, that no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6), I chose to stay comfortably in the darkness.

My Father God waited patiently for me to go back to Him, giving me one after another opportunity to set me free from Satan's bondage. At first I did not try my best to flee, so Satan pulled me back easily. When I finally decided to run away and cling to Jesus, I began to appreciate the light of life and hate darkness (John 8:12). Above all, I found the way back to the Kingdom of My Father God.

My walk along the Satan-proof fence is going to be a life-long journey. I thank my Father God for sending people to feed me with His words. Satan will always attempt to trap me. But as long as I follow Jesus faithfully, I shall not walk in darkness (John 8:12).

One Blessing Prayer, Five Miracles

Early last month, PG asked me if I would be available during the weekend of 11-12th April. Ps Francis Ng and his team from Singapore would be visiting his church. I was free that Saturday evening. So I followed PG to the Praise Celebration Centre (PCC) in Batu Pahat.

At the end of his simple but powerful sermon, Ps Francis called upon those who needed blessing prayers to step forward. PG and I stood at different places to be prayed for by his team members.

When we went for a tea after the service, I said to PG, "You must have asked for a blessing for a new job." That was his main concern since he had gone back to settle down in Batu Pahat.

PG said, "A man prayed for me just now. As soon as he laid his hand on me, he asked me, 'Job blessing?'. I was thinking of exactly the same thing in my mind at that moment! Yet, he didn't even know me."

Two weeks later, I was back to Batu Pahat again. I telephoned to PG's house and was told that he had not returned from his work. After two hours, I telephoned again. PG was at home. I congratulated him for the good news. He had a lot of things to tell me regarding his new job. So the next evening, when we learnt that the worship practice at the PCC had been cancelled, we went to a coffee house.

Below is PG's sharing:

1. On 13 April, PG received an invitation for a job interview. The next day, he went to the company. In a form he was required to fill in, he came across a question "Have you applied/been interviewed for any position in this company before?". He had sent a job application letter twice to this company last year but had never received any reply. If he answered "yes", the management would find out that PG had not even met the qualification to be called for an interview previously. He struggled with his honesty and decided to leave it to answer last.

While answering other questions, he suddenly thought of saying a silent prayer "God, if You want me to be light of this company, You'll still give me the job despite the bad impression my honest answer might give to the interviewers. Thus, he looked back that early question and wrote down what God was putting in his heart.

During the interview, none of the two interviewers mentioned PG's previous unsuccessful applications.

2. The interviewers assured PG that he would get a reply within two or three days. On the same day at about 5pm, his job was already confirmed by a phone call from the company!

3. PG had worked in several other companies previously. Only for one job, he was given exactly what he had written as expected salary. For the rest, he always received a reduced amount. This time during the interview, PG was told that the amount he had written would be the one he was going to be monthly paid for if his interview was successful. Not a Ringgit would be deducted!

4. After PG had started to work in this new company, one day he had to fetch his direct superior. On the way, his superior revealed to him that their boss Joseph Tan was the only believer of Christ among his parents and siblings in his wealthy family who had several companies! PG believed that God had purposely placed him there to be under a Christian boss.

5. On 23 April, PG finally received the formal offer letter. When he turned to the second page which showed the salary, the figure was even more than what he had been promised during the interview!

PG had been giving faithfully to God and God poured down exceedingly His blessing to PG. Not only PG, I also thank God for this wonderful testimony that I can share with others.

And I have realized that the more we talk about how good our God is, the less we talk about how bad other people are.

Family Day

Last year, after attending two foundational courses at Calvary Life Assembly (CLA), I submitted my application form to be a Calvarite. Having been in this church on and off for four years, I finally felt myself at home there and turned up on the CLA Family Day for the first time. Ps Rebekah asked me to help in the children ministry. So I spent the whole morning pumping balloons and twisting them into various forms.

This year, apart from arranging VC as an invited artist to draw caricatures, I was not given a specific task from either Ps Rebekah or my cell leader. So on 1st May, I drove to CLA at 9am to see in what I could participate.

Two huge balloon rooms were being rented specially for this event to serve as children's playground. I wished I were twenty-five years younger to be qualified to jump everywhere inside.

I noticed a line of people in front of two desks. I asked a girl and found out that early birds were rewarded. So I also queued up, registered my name and was given a small plastic bag of sponsored items.

Even though most of the snacks and objects inside the bag were obviously meant for children, I was as excited as when I had received goodies on the Children's Day during my primary school years.

It was a rare occasion where everybody was dressed casually. Even Ps James was in shorts!

When all the stalls were almost ready, he gathered all of us towards him and gave an opening speech. Then we prayed together to thank God for blessing us with a nice weather.

Our Cheng cell was selling fried noodles. As my leader told me there were enough helpers to handle the sale during the first hours,

I walked around to visit other stalls. Two boys were disguised in clowns to animate the carnival!

Not only all the games were free,

each player would get a stamp on a score card to gain some points after each game.

The top scorers would win a hamper.

No wonder the game stalls were never lack of participants.

All the cells had their own stalls. Other ministries were also selling special dishes.

The most famous stall promoter of the BM ministry

was a little monkey which was also a new member of Ps Albert's family. An adoption licence was hanging on the pillar in case anybody questioned about the legal right.

People bought all kinds of food and beverage with coupons and started eating at the canteen.

I met Jagan and we sat outside the multi-purpose hall. After some time, people entered the hall as there was a health talk on obesity by Dr Richard. I was quite interested in the topic since I had put on weight after the Chinese New Year. Not Jagan. So I still remained seated to chat with her.

As I had not digested my early breakfast, I was not eyeing any food, except for the beef noodles that I was planning to have for lunch later. At 11.30am, I was still not hungry. But the popular Vietnamese speciality would be sold out very soon. Only three bowls were left on the table. So I quickly got myself one at RM5

and enjoyed every mouthful of the hot and spicy soup noodles.

Later, while I was licking an ice-cream for dessert next to Phebe, she said to me, "If you had listened to the health talk just now, you wouldn't be eating this."

I knew. That was why later, I still happily helped VC to finish his bowl of cendol and bought four more Vietnamese fried spring rolls for our snacks...