i had a dream

i had a dream two nights ago
one i can recall of course
most of the time i cant remember any of my dreams
it was of my late dad
since his passing nineteen years ago cant say i ever dreamt of him
ya off and on memories of him came to my mind but never in a dream
not that i was thinking of him more lately
so i was pleasantly surprised to find dad in my dream
i remembered him suffering symptoms due to lung cancer
problems with constant phlegm, breathing difficulties depriving him and mum of rest
going in and out of hospital back in our hometown
with su li close to 2 years old and carrying ming in my womb i couldnt make it back to hometown as often as i would like to
the last i talked to him was when i went back to my hometown during one of the school hols
he was at home then
lost his voice but we were 'talking' tho it was a strain to him
that was when he revealed he had been to church sunday school in the old old days under the missionaries ... ie when he was young..
i never knew that!!!!! well times spent with dad were few and short cos dad worked on two jobs in kl city and came back once a month for a day or two..
sometimes if work did not permit once in two months but the money he sent mum would be relayed to us through the company salesman who dropped by my hometown
when dad passed away i didnt make it to see him at the hospital

so in my dream when i saw him lying down
i moved towards him to see him, expecting to see his frail, gaunt face stricken and drained of energy coughing endlessly
BUT i was surprised!
I saw the healthy-looking, slightly flushed face of my dad - the face and undiseased body of my dad before he contracted cancer
oh dad is OKAY!!!! he even got up and we hugged each other
i felt so happy inside .... then hazy pictures...one clear one being..
a scene in a home with many people and dad was sort of speaking to people sharing the love of God!!!! some sort of a home meeting
WOW! isnt that great? a second surprise!
Though my husband and i shared the gospel of Jesus with dad on our last visit, he, with his barely audible voice expressed his intention to become a Christian but cant- citing the reason- my mum didnt believe so as a couple they should be together
So you understand why i felt even happier seeing dad in the final scene
well i am not trying to interpret the dream i had
i had in those years after my dad's passing prayed to God to let my dad come into my mum's dream to tell her he had gone on to be with God in heaven
there is this fascination among many asians about deceased loved ones 'contacting' thro dreams
how fantastic it would be cos then mum would be more open to follow Jesus and when it was time for her to go she would be able to be with dad!
that was what and how i wanted to happen.... but sorry no dream for mum about dad
even till my mum's demise more than a year ago
i woke up still walking on air
you know the kind of feeling you experience when something good has happened to you
SOMETHING GOOD HAS HAPPENED TO ME ... YES it s true
deep within us are matters and needs that we ourselves know not of except our beloved Maker
And i believe my Maker has made part of me whole again
who knows i may have another dream?????

right under your nose

karthic - a case in need
ya the twelve year old boy who came to us in church school
scrawny, tall, handsome yet 'small' for his age
dad out of a job five years ago bec of inconsistent attendance at work
mum has been working as a cleaning lady in a restaurant for twelve years on daily wage
lately at a food court stall for three months earning 25 rgt a day her most recent position
former home demolished to make way for highway
compensation of 5000 rgt went to purchasing a motorcycle
dad supposed to stand in as babysitter for karthic and 2 year old brother while mum works
but alas this too he cannot accomplish faithfully...
and what is the scenario all too familiar among the urban poor?
he doesnt get karthic going to school--weak in studies n dropping out of school bec of absence
he goes out to drink with pilfered hard earned money from the wife
he gets drunk comes home and gets into fights with his wife who works from dawn to dusk
when he doesnt come home she has to go search for him for fear of harm befalling him!
.............am sure this scenario still unfolds in many a corner in malaysia
we can try to help karthic n the sibling so that they dont get entrapped in the vicious cycle of poverty but there is only so much we can do to alleviate the problem
Getting him back to school, arranging transport to school so that he doesnt miss any more classes....really pray it is not too late for him to catch up...already very weak in basics
helping the mum in provisions or better paying cleaning jobs with shorter working hours??
but how can we help his dad???
the incidences of drunkenness, fights and possibly or potentially physical abuse on the domestic front ... beyond us to monitor or handle!!!!
well there's no miracle wand to make the scenario whole again and instantly
we can only trust God to grant us the wisdom to do whatever is needful for this case right under our noses.....

set free

just read ming's latest blog
a gloomy pic with light emanating from ahead to illuminate the present darkness
he titled it 'the curse is lifted'
he shares his long encounter holding the position of class monitor over the years
in the beginning i believe there is joy and pride to be appointed or elected captain of the class
whether in primary or secondary
but sad to say i see with the lack of compassion on the part of many teachers
who pass the load on to the poor monitors
all joy is robbed and pride turns to burden
and in ming's case ... a curse...
well for ming and kit this year and for li not too long ago
the termination of the monitorship "contract" definitely is significant
it spells the beginning of normality in their lives as students
they can finally breathe
kit excitedly yakked at dinner..."when teacher asked where is the monitor? oooh he doesnt have to stand up..when teacher asked who is absent? he doesnt have to report anything...yeah...."... i definitely hear and sense elation as he related all these to us.
i thank God for you folks for faithfully and perseveringly carrying out your monitor duties to the upmost of your ability.
am very proud of you monitors! Job well done.
And i share with you the joy of being set free.....You hv liberated yourselves hurray!!!!

a potential ripple effect

last christmas oops i meant of the year 2007
the idea came but it never materialised
the most recent christmas the idea became a reality
its the "no gifts for ourselves but gifts of hope for children thro world vision" idea among the children who gather at my mum-in-law s place for christmas each year

instead of the uncles, aunties and grandma buying them gifts
why dont they just put in the amount they would spend for the gifts into a common pool
and the children who are the recipients make a count of the collection and choose gifts of hope for many less fortunate children in many parts of the world?

the proposal had full support from my teens and their cousins but it was kind of discouraging to meet with not so keen participation from some of the adults
"oh so pitiful once a year give presents and we want to deprive the kids of them"...one comment rings this way..
another asks how much and put in what would have been put in when approached by a stranger who comes seeking for donation for such and such a charity....
but there are others even among the young who parted with what cash they received though it wasnt expected of them...what an encouragement to gladden my heart....

honest..i expected warmer reception or response...
i was excited more for the opportunity for the teens to be themselves excited about doing something together to share with those less fortunate and blessed
i say to myself ''well not everyone is as used to sharing as you are"
and more important "dont give up just carry on there 's always a first attempt as a precursor"
so it came to pass... the teens came together to make choices of the gifts of hope to give and not receive
and despite everything my heart is glad
nothing to shout about but a small step, a tiny drop really....
and as i titled this, it is a potential ripple .....