I walked into a friend’s house n there before me was a woman
sitting on the sofa wearing a spaghetti-strap tank top revealing tattoos across
her back. She turned n smiled widely, as if she saw an old friend she was
eagerly waiting to see. I was stunned. Do I know her? But she knew me. We were
school-mates n hv not met each other for almost 30 years. Next to her was her
son, a very grown-up young man.
What’s going on? I asked myself. I cannot recall many
friends from school; I cannot remember part of my childhood days, growing up in
a convent school while playing childish games. Did I really never bother about
people around me? Or could it be that I hv “burnt the bridge” n forgotten I m
still “in this world.” Honestly in my mind I asked myself how I can be
acquainted to this woman who speaks foul language while casually lit a
cigarette after a meal in a crowded restaurant.
But it “hit” me when she asked about my “job” n honestly inquired,
“do u get a salary?” It was then I realized I’ve “lost touched” with the
reality in this world. Money matters n the objective of most people is to
accumulate as many “toys” as possible. It must hv sounded extremely absurd to
my friends that this SB, whom to them, was (supposedly) a smarter n more
promising candidate to “make it” in the world; but she seemed to hv “given up”
on all that. For awhile, which seemed like eternity, these two friends stared
at me in such disbelief when I explained to them I don’t get paid a lot but
what I hv has always been enough.
It will be a lie if I say it never bothered me when I see
the “toys” my friends r enjoying now. Sometimes I wonder if I hv made the right
decision to forsake everything in the world to follow Jesus. Those were the
times when I was spiritually low n wondered how “foolish” of me to believe in
an “un-win-able” cause on this end of heaven. Yet I know for sure I will never
be satisfied until n unless I obey the divine calling. Certain things have just
been ordained the way it should n this is how the good will triumph over evil
at the end of it all.
It was a whole week of partial-solitude spiritual retreat in
Seremban with (mostly) my OA friends. At the end of the retreat, we returned
home with a few opting to stop by Subang to visit some friends. I took the
opportunity to drop by visiting my nephews too. It was in Subang that I met
some old friends. I must confess that I was pretty “irritated” by the
discipline of solitude – no internet n I cannot “reach” the world. Tried to
“steal” one unsecured network nearby but connection was slow n intermittent.
So, I resorted to working off-line – drafting sermons. What I learnt from the
retreat was a reminder of who I am, as one being ordained by God to be just as
I am – a person who is simply defined by the “work” I do, a person consumed
with “work,” n a person who needs “work” to be energized.
Election fever is everywhere n like most Malaysians, I hv
decided n only waiting for 505 to cast my votes. When I was traveling from
Penang to Ipoh by bus n then from Ipoh to Seremban by
train, flags were everywhere. People on the street r all very excited n waiting
for the day to cast their votes. Their tone of excitement is easy to decipher
who they r waiting to vote for. Thus, I could feel the air of change, a sweeping
wave of a wind that is approaching. I m as excited as everyone else n cyber
space further fuel our excitement. I’ve not attended any ceramah this time
round. The exciting ones seem to clash with my planned activities. But this
does not matter bcoz I can watch it online in the cool of an air-con room away
from hot, sweaty crowds of people. Actually not much fun bcoz it is no fun
screaming alone!
The excitement is for the first OA candidate running for
election in the Perak state assembly against MHS! *All my 2nd RC
friends – let’s watch this constituency*
May is a month to stay put n prepare for the months ahead. I
did not realize that the SAM Penang class will be ending bcoz someone else is
teaching. We r encountering a little hiccup in Ipoh as the coordinator there seems to be
moving slowing than the first gear. Nothing is being done n I hv to intervene.
That is taking up a lot of time as I contemplate the best way to “rebuke” in
the most gracious of approach. Plz pray for us as we move forward to progress
in this ministry n as the OA church in Malaysia.
Finally, let’s keep praying for our nation till we see the
fulfillment n beyond of what the Lord has ordained for us as a nation. UBAH,
UBAH, UBAH…
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