Going to KBU was really exciting I thought and indeed it was exciting. It's that freedom I was looking forward. Yeah, I got to help out a lot in college, CF and church. However, things soon got mundane. Want to online to update this irregularly updated blog, no WiFi and laptop at student house. Want to watch the opening of Beijing Olympics 2008, have only that buzzy and blurry television with unexciting commentaries of RTM1. Want to wear fresh new clothes, got to wash by hand and experiment with the quantity of washing powder needed and still CANNOT get odour-free clothes!!! Mundane, boring, and MONOTONOUS!!! And that economically monotonous vocal chord plus the tonnes of unending assignments...
Then out of the blue, my Ah Yi texted me that she'll be going back to Kuantan to visit Popo. WOOHOO, finally there's something different. Can't wait to get out of this mundane place! I'm already so envious of Chan who went back to Kuantan twice. Still humans like Calvin always share his blessings with others, he provided a ride back for him despite previously he couldn't offer any rides back to Kuantan for me. Haha, not saying he's that bad. All the people he tumpang back can only fit one extra person and I still haven't get fed up with KBU mundacity.
God has been really good to me I must say. He knew I needed some rest and just like in Psalm 23, He was that Shepherd who lead me to cool and gentle streams and make me lie on green and quiet pastures. It was an exciting Friday evening to watch the opening of Beijing Olympics 2008 despite the very low quality images we saw. The people there made everything exciting. Jason and Chan were there. Even when during the boring walking of contingents, I was maximising my utility (in Economics means satisfaction) by learning to play "Happy Birthday" on the guitar from Jason. Then we three talked on issues of how to become good husbands and fathers. Seriously I had no idea how that topic sprang up. However, the only thing I can conclude is that we three are potential future househusbands...
Then the trip back to Kuantan. We started off by 7.30 am, as you know Calvin still struggles from rising early and especially after a late night talk on how to become potential future househusbands... guess what? I woke up early but continue sleeping at highway! Isn't that AMAZING? I can foresee many "L" shape fingers... Lame...
Enough lameness, so I woke up and find myself in Kuantan when Chan was still dozing off in a peculiar sleeping rhytm. His head keeps fall down to his shoulders then he forces up to be straight then do the same thing again. Probably due to over-sopan-ness, always tries to straighten up his head while being a guest in somebody's car.
One of the benefits you go home is SOUP to drink...However, as interesting as things become, I was devastated by my grandma's condition. She looked so thin, thinner than me! She was suffering from stomach ulcers and couldn't eat solid food. Practically every time she eats, she vomits and now she refuses to eat. She just simply lost the smile on her face. And that glow on her face was growing dimmer by day. I couldn't help of the thoughts of preparing for the worst. I can just only pray, I felt so small and helpless.
In that depression, my fellow Ghost Heads (that's how I call my siblings in my blog) were busy telling me all the stuff that happen. It kind of lifted my drooping spirit up while recapitulates me of the fun moments we had together before leaving to KBU. However, Mr Calvin who sleeps alot continued to sleep the rest of the afternoon. However, sleep did not come as easily as expected. I prayed for my grandma a lot and then God just dropped this bombshell in my prayer: "What about trying to pray for your grandma in CANTONESE out LOUD?" Wow, me? You asked to pray in English is already hard enough and now CANTONESE?
Okay, God I'll just give it a try, no promises, no pinky fingers! I struggled to get the words out and what should I pray. And the words did came out and I never knew I can pray in Cantonese. However, that was me praying silently all my by myself under the pillow in that enclosed room. How am I supposed to pray out LOUD to grandma? She might feel I'm some WEIRDO in Jesus' Name. Anyway, God comforted me and gave me rest...
That night JIC Choir was coming to church so I went with my family but inside me I keep on worrying something bad will happen to my grandma. What if she... What a grandchild I am? So many years I haven't tell her about the Good News... Will I see her in heaven? However, God is gracious again. Nothing happened and as I listen to the melodious choir singing about the Son of God, I realise all that is impossible with humans is made possible through the death and resurrection of the Son of the Most High God. From there, my faith grew stronger and I knew something miraculous is going to happen tomorrow...
Sunday morning worship was amazing. We had three churches under one roof. The Kuantan Chapel folks, the Jalan Imbi Chapel choir members and the youth of Sri Damansara Gospel Centre all united to worship God alone. It's really incomprehensible why every time another church come to our building, God enjoys switching off the TNB lines. So just like RBS Evangelistc Night, no electricity again. The three churches held the Believers Hymnbook and PRAISE! Hymbook in darkness struggling to read the lyrics and of course no electric means the keyboard also not working. A Capella worship!
The Holy Spirit just moved mightily and lead the whole worship session. By the way, for those who do not know, my church practices open worship meaning no worship leader but people stand up to give songs. The first song was For A Thousand Tongues To Sing. The first problem I realised was JIC and KC people sing the hymn using a different tune, but KC learned from JIC people how to sing the new tune by following and you can just feel the songs rise up truly as an offering with pleasing aroma. The rest of the worship session was just amazing. Probably God was giving us an opportunity to worship as in the days of the New Testament disciples - no air conditioners, no piano, nothing but our heartful voices coming from the inside out. Perhaps it was a chance for us indifferent Christians to realise how dark is darkness that reigns in the world and it's only God's light - His Son that can overcome such darkness. And enough that wonderful and reflective experience that only during the sermon when the LCD projector was needed did the light came back. LET THERE BE LIGHT sounds so meaningful now...
The Sri Damansara GC people join us for Bible Class and it was really fun knowing and learning together with them. I heard gradual improvements in Bible Class as well, something I really prayed for quite a long time. Keep up the good work, Bible Class chaps!
The crazy crowd of Sri-D youth and KC Youth
Another shot where almost everyone is smiling...Bible Class ended at 12 something and next four hours before leaving Kuantan for KL is like a roller coaster ride. From 12 to 1pm I was rushing to let the barbaric barber to mercilessly slash my hair with that hair-eating-monster-machine and the scissors that is waiting for the moment to poke into my delicate cerebrum. Even the paper-cutter-like-thingy which is used to shave the sideburns and "back"burns which was the only thing I enjoy in cutting hair was not enjoyable. I want that ALCOHOL cool sensation! I want the SIFU's amazing technique that removes all the cut hair from stucking in the mass of hair which practically leaves you need not to bathe after hair cut! Fine, paid 8 bucks for that. If not because cutting hair at Centrepoint is expensive, I wouldn't come here...
Then from 2-3, I was rushing to find information on Mahathir for the Malaysian Studies assignment. Type, click, highlight, copy and paste, AND again type, click, highlight, copy and paste... Print and print and print... This is gonna be a tough time reading through all the materials!
Ah, one more hour to take off (*as if I'm taking a plane to BU...*)!!! Oh dear, I still have to pray for Popo out LOUD in CANTONESE! Die lor, all my stuff I also haven't packed... Then suddenly God threw that brick right on my head and shouted: "YOU FORGOT I'M HERE, IZZIT?" (For your information God knows all languages including Manglish) So I packed ASAP and went to Popo's place.
When I reach Popo's place, she was watching some TVB Xinghe shows with super archaic kungfu moves. I procrastinated a lot. I really do not know what to pray even after I "planned" my prayer. Then Ah Yi asked me to bring the stuff up the car and then MUMMY came over and then PAPA came over. So many people here already, PAISEH lah to pray. They will though their kid went pyscho already...
Then, Chan pulak came with his parents all smiling while I was desperate to pray for my grandma. It was total chaos in my mind. However, it was at the peak of the chaos that I found courage to tell my Ah Yi not to leave so soon because I WANT TO PRAY FOR POPO... Suddenly everything calm down, she said okay go pray. Then I brought Chan in to meet my Popo because she was scared that I was mixing with the wrong crowd. Charmed by Chan's smile, she smiled and told Chan "I'm Hokkien Lang too!" Then Chan went outside with my Ah Yi and it was the moment of most anticipation...
I went to Popo and said Goodbye and ... [She grabbed me and immediately hugged and kissed me] in the hugging and kissing I said I wanted to pray for her... so I held her hands and these were the words I remembered saying to her...
"Loving Father in heaven, I just want to thank you for giving me such as a great Popo to take care of me since young. She cared and cooked for me with love and never complained throughout the years. But now, Lord, she has stomach ulcer and can't eat well and is becoming very weak. I realised I can do nothing but to pray and plead to You. This sickness came because sin entered this world but You sent Your Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins, so that by your stripes we are healed. I know You can heal Popo's sickness in Jesus' name! So, Lord, know that there is such a God like You who loves her so deeply and You have given her me to love her as well. I pray that her stomach ulcers will heal soon and be able to eat, and when she stands up she would not feel dizzy. You know I'm leaving soon, and I put my trust in You that You'll take good care of her. Help her to know there's still love and hope. I commit everything into Your loving hands, In Jesus' Name, AMEN!!!"
It was a sad departure for both us... tears rolled but I know greater things are yet to come and greater things are still to be done!!!
Psalm 23
A psalm of David.1 The LORD is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
2 He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
3 He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.
4 Even when I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.
5 You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the LORD
forever.
