+ Heartfelt of Cambodia+

Following is the letter to my friends on my experience while serving the people of Cambodia.

Dear friends,

                   I hope it did not seem like eons to hear my update on my experience of serving the people in Cambodia. I apologize for the delay, as I was caught up in the cosmopolitan hassle while back on Sunny island and at same time, the chunk of emotional and spiritual insights was a kindred that needed a time of sorting, of reflection. Assimilating somewhat into my being, here I bring to you my heart-felts of the Cambodia experience.

                     I really thought it was the usual meet the poor, treat the unfortunate and play-with-some-kids mission till I brushed face on with the agonizing evidence of the blood bath in the recent history of Cambodia. So recent, that it might have occurred after some of you were borned, only 30 yrs ago; the nation’s generation of professionals, the innocent and thousands of children were murdered unabatedly on the green plains of phnom phen. Hiding behind my shades against the blaring afternoon rays, I remembered the headset transmissions narrated to me the massacre of the Cambodians. The last words they heard before they were fired, naked bodies stacked into thousands in the deep pits, kids flung against the trunk of the tree became a vivid illustration on the powdery, dry grass that I stepped on. Powdered it seemed, as it held fresh tiny fragments of bones mixed with soil. There were teeth scattered too, blood stains on the tree bark and numerous elements of memorial along the massacre path. Behind my shades, tears could not hold.

             It was this massacre that crippled the nation, nestling it in perilous years of poverty, overtaken only by corruption and hitherto, politically unstable. This historically agonizing backdrop pricked my core such that it dawned on me that the heart of God has been with Cambodia; sending countless missionaries to the country, God undoubtedly yearns to shower His love and bless these people. 

 

              That was the first day when I reached Cambodia. So timely, so inviting; God has a way of shaking my ideas up,so that I was there for the right reasons. The people I served were normal villagers, or commoners who were attracted to free doctor and dental consultations. Each day, about 100 plus to 300 plus people registered and while they waited, a petite Cambodian lady evangelist would share with them the gospel and invite them to pray with her. Salvations hit at least 120 each day. Thereafter, New life church contacted them for discipleship.
  
             Strikingly memorable was a middle age man who could barely walked and was brought to us by his wife and a friend. He must have had a slip disc as he suddenly had backache that resulted in loss of sensation and control over his lower limbs. Six months he bore this affliction, and poverty had him till he saw us. He needed clutches to hold himself up, left on his own, he collapsed into a heap. There was no need for an expert eye to discern the severity of his back condition and if we could have done anything more, was to ride him to a hospital 2 hrs away for a great hope of rehabilitation. We prayed for this man, shared with him the gospel and that God loves him. Unexpectedly, quiet a man that he was, he started shifting about the floor that we left him to wait for his friend. As if acting in faith, he tried to pull himself to a sitting position, moving about to be independent while alone. There was not even an overt sign of gross dismay. If he was the slightest bit of upset, I believed I would have understood; having waited for a possible hope until now, we only left him with a prayer and harsh instruction to visit the country’s hospital. So unsettling was his movements and my inability to discern this unusual reaction. I could only resolved later that day, that it was either a gritting tough decision of resolution and acceptance, mixed with a budding courage to be resilient in spite of abnormality, or hopefully, faith has touched him. That day, though limping away, he left in my mind, that lush illustration of live courage, resilience, humility and faith.

                Another poignant moment was this 17 yr old orphan boy who was my translator for a short while. Though a while, he frantically searched for my friends and me to pray over us when we were about to leave. How else could we find such sincerity and humility to serve in a 17 year old? Praying with such a stoic conviction, it was impossible to dismiss his strong faith in God and in prayer. It was a remarkably blessed moment to be prayed by this faithful 17 yr old. We later gathered that this boy was their child leader in the orphanage and they are praying for him to be the next prime minister!
               

                Cambodia, I believed will continue to be in God’s attention. The gospel has to reach more, particularly at the next generation, so that banking on biblical principles, the country could be lifted in integrity and sound values. This is merely my opinion. Nonetheless, the extent of poverty and scum living conditions are a world of difference from our blessed lives. (To be honest, a place of religious freedom, prosperity and safety is a scarcity, Singapore is one of the few, at least in SEA.) It makes me wonder; what sort of grace, what sort of favor, that God destined me in a tiny, fortunate spot of Singapore. 
 
               Attached is a picture of the donation to a orphanage in phnom phen and the 17 yr old orphan boy.

Thank you dear friends for supporting and being with me on this insightful journey to Cambodia ! 

In God’s love,
Xueli

Merlion’s speech

1 Crescent, 5 stars and 5 million stars trekkers

Perhaps, because I do have some adult experiences, I am beginning to see the vast implications of developments in various happenings, or in some cases, guess the reason behind some ostensible explanation with certain discernment.

 I believe I am not alone. Many like-minded people in Singapore are also more ready to air their opinions in the various social platforms.  Though initially, I do find them a little too angsty, loud and hot-headed, examining their lives and then their thoughts, seem to prove me wrong entirely. Behind these public rancorous rants, hide many patriots who would weep at the recital of the Singapore pledge, battle to preserve the coffee-shop culture, jump and squeal when Lions won, and roar when the nation’s flag glide in the Olympic air. They all celebrated in thin clothing, sun-tanned in Sunny Island’s blaze, and come in all forms- comedians, movies directors, opposition politicians, angry bloggers, doctors etc. 

Basking in Sunny island’s heat, I am-in all degrees of gladness, sometimes with some grunts, and spoilt-brats’ complaints, thankful to be with these people.  😛

www.mrbrown.com

LOL :P

Hitherto, no news have intrigued me as much as the politics frenzy in the local scenes this year. Much heavily discussed, sometimes in sarcasm, most times in comedian-teasing delivery, the jokes all doubled me up in gulps of laughter.

Mr Brown

“If you’ve been lucky enough to have a dream come true in your life, make sure you have another dream.” – Kevin Spacey

Take off mode.
Experiencing the Withdrawal syndrome. I miss the sun- blazed beaches, dazing on a hammoth, comatosed by an overdose of coke and chips,and a gripping book on my lap!

Wings fFly

Feeling

Though trapped in the old white uniform for years, the adventurous spirit that I am, will continue to soar the horizons and visit places of inspirations, excitment and new experiences.

Welcome!

Here’s kopisoh’s kopi garden.

Located at secluded durian lane, against the backdrop of spangled sky. Durians sparkle here   >o<

I’ll show you the menu in a while…..

Uhmm… Main courses:

1) Salad of humour, of crude jokes, dry laughs, some coughs and a scatter of hur-hur- chuckles.

2) MEat loafers- Raw emos, cooked with bitter cause, a tingle of oli sorrow, garnish with shreds of “her-many-complaints”

3) Desert: lovey pies. Chocolate, sweet tooth bathe in candy floss yearnings. Takes 6 hrs to bake. Just wait. Love comes with patience.

Feel absolutely free to partake any of the above with an open heart, and good ears. Leave the bane of grouse alone, take in what’s best for your nourishment. And, the owner wish, with ALL her heart that you would comment, sometimes, some things, and some how….

p/s: Your encouragement will keep my inspirations going. 😛

Muses float in mid-air

Alas !!

The exclamation mark is warranted.

If you had been away from home for a while, you missed the warmth of your mother’s home cooked dinner,  and when you finally returned, that’s exactly how you would have felt- a great sense of belonging, assurance and gladness. Alas!!

Somehow, along the wringe of years and the many events that unfolded, I have forceably suppressed this side of me (I think). This part of me who loves to narrate the happenings I’ve met – I relish in the written mode of my spew of insights and running thoughts. When they finally coloured the blank page, they are as a cascading waterfall, magnificantly outpouring; picturesque to the memory .

Picturesque because when many years have gone by, I have looked back at my mere 21, and a smile of pride formed.

And, magnificent because, these were the lives of those who have touched me deep within; some changed the way I think, others sober me up relentlessly- the quiet heroes who crossed my path.

As aptly as this blog was name, it is a sacred garden when I kept running back here to find my thoughts, or where my thought have found me as musings that float in mid air, rising and settling with the gentle breeze. THis garden, is where I am where I belonged, where I am, me.

The Muses have gone up mid-sky now. I begin again.

(Not to mention too, that I aweed at some old photos that I took yrs ago. I could never get that sort of perspective again, no matter how hard I tried.)

The writer returns! A new beginning.

Alas ! Alas !

A grand opening to a new beginning!

This place is found again.

For a whole load of celebration, here’s my  contribution to Diabetes Lifestyle.  It got published. My writings will see its first debut in the April- July’s issues. 

 

      In a most apathetic fashion, drained of all enthusiasm, Miss X wearily answered the questions during the yearly diabetes assessment. Her disinterest rang such hint of undying burden that it alarmed my immediate attention towards her. It was a pale face of disintegration, a loftiness that was guarded yet telling of certain despondency. And, I asked her, “So, how are you coping?” In a shaking voice, she asked me most tremblingly, “Will my complications come?”

Miss X is in her late thirties this year. She was diagnosed in her twenties, just about the time when she was about to be engaged. However, the initial diabetes consultations that were blasted with long lectures of the potential complications and warnings provoked her fiancé and her to break the engagement. From then on, she carried the sentence that the complications will surely come. Worry-stricken, she also broke off the relationship with her long-time boyfriend.

                Hope was what she lost. Though it was a mere misunderstanding in the knowledge and information, this false perception changed her whole life. It sapped away all her drive in life.

                My 5 years’ experience as a certified diabetes nurse educator taught me more than the expert skills in education, or the most up-to-date information in the market. It is neither the constant pouring of information nor the tight scrutiny on our patients’ adherence that will enable them to manage their lives as a diabetes patient. Rather, it is the empowerment, and faith that normalcy and even more so, a good quality of life is still attainable with diabetes. In this modern era where information is vastly and readily available, patients need the channel to discuss their doubts, challenges and be empowered to manage their lives with or without the complications. Though it is a fact that complications will come with long term poorly controlled diabetes, no patient should be stripped of the hope that accurate and promptly management can provide; the hope that their lives can be as victorious as they want it to be.

                I spent the next one hour explaining to Miss X the pathology of diabetes and its complications and what has been done and would continue for early detection and management. Slowly a smile formed on her lips and she beamed like a lit candle. Before she stepped out of the room, she turned back and said, “No one has told me this before.”

Though, I have not done anything unusual from my regular duty that day, I was glad Miss X was more cheerful and hopeful at the end of our session.  And, I will always remember that glimmer from her face when she left. It was a glimmer of life, of hope, of joy and assurance. All that happened was a change in her perception and it made such a difference in her demeanour. Our lives are what we made out of it; it is what our thoughts make of it. Have hope in your thoughts and you change your universe.