A few posts back, I wrote about this
After being away for a year, it was interesting to return back to the streets of Chow Kit.
As it drizzled prior to starting, the humidity mixed with the fumes of the traffic in addition to the clouds of cigarette smoke nearly choked the atmosphere under the tent. Yet the stench from the nearby garbage dump did not dampen the appetites of those who were gathered. Just a few familiar faces I recognize, I wonder where the others I knew have gone; prison? a changed life? death?
Grey hairs have started to colour Ps Richard's hair, no doubt the opening of another drug rehab home specially for women is busy work. The street ministry has grown even more than what I read about; there's now another street feeding at the same time in Brickfields, ministering to the dumb and deaf.
Since Christmas is coming near, a cell group has came to sing carols. The significance of the song Away in the Manger hits home as the voices strain to compete with the honking from the streets. No crib for his bed, indeed, many of those there had no real home.
I feel awkward returning, I struggle to speak my terrible Mandarin and my Bahasa now has a weird accent. Also, now I feel more comfortable hiding behind my medical knowledge; I found it easier to talk to a man about cutting down on smoking rather than about Jesus. Plus they are suspicious of me as well, a stranger. I used to know the regulars and they were my friends.
The visit back has tug a few heart strings. I am encouraged that the IMU juniors are trying to go every forthnight. I used to sell this ministry to CF and cg to not much success and yet a group of juniors I don't know have chose to go. Which I feel is God's timing as if people went during my time, I would have probably claimed the credit but now, it is God's.
Yet with it comes the reminder of my lost dreams. Certain things I dare not even hope or think about because the future is so fluid, unpredictable.
Anyway, I had pictures but silly me forgot to bring back my camera cable.
1 comment:
You left behind that legacy because every now and then we would hear people say, "do you know that the previous CF president Sarah Ong made it a point to go to the street feeding every fortnightly?"
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