The paradox

As my youngest sister and I were just talking, her statements surprised me.

"When so many bad things happen, you end up feeling "whatever."New bad news doesn't make you so sad anymore, but you also don't feel happy when good things come. You become numb."

I am not surprised at the statement itself, because it's been what I've felt this year. My sobering surprise was that she, at 17, have lost the innocence and rose colored glasses while I only woke up to this rude reality called life at 21.

As I look back at this year, I am still at a lost to respond correctly to God/people.

A new sensitivity awaken; to participate in the fellowship of suffering.

This post is a new year request to pray for the following people.
People I hold with regard, whom I cry for; because if it hurts so bad in my own minor hiccups, I know the struggle must be so much more magnified in theirs.

1) The Chin family.

I can only marvel at their love for God. The choice they made in staying in a tiny village away from Phomn Pehn, where there's no electricity or running water! For Ps Kenneth to give up his engineering career. Learning a new language. The kids who are home schooled, not having a fridge let alone a TV or internet.

And yet there's a deeper story still, because their son Jonathan has a hole in his heart. Having been to Cambodia, the rural hospitals are such that cows graze 50 meters away, where not every hospital has electricity (forget about basics like X-rays or even sterilizing equipment). Yet they are willing to take up their cross and obey.
Do pray that God's favor will rest upon this family and their ministry.

2) My grandmother
When I came back in July this year, I actually made an emergency flight from KL to Sibu and back in 1 day because my grandfather was deteriorating. I've never spoken of it, but it was depressing as he was nose-fed and had both legs amputated to his thighs. Ever since his dementia, she was his primary care giver. He passed away on my birthday this year.

Due to my bad Hokkien we have rarely spoken deeply. And my mother has had her own cancer thing to deal with at the same time, so it's hard to physically show care and His love to my grandmother.
Do pray for her that, although I don't know how, she will know this God who love enough to die for us.

3) Our IMU senior
It's odd because I've never met this guy and don't know him personally.
Yet when I read his site, I couldn't help but feel for him as well.
Perhaps there's a sense of connection from reading all the get well messages from IMU CFers around the world on his blog. Perhaps because he was/is part of IMU (IMC) CF.

A man at the peak of his career; coming out of this unknown med uni in Malaysia called IMU, going overseas, probably with the big financial sacrifice of his family and finally making it in Mayo Clinic. A man who has chosen a tough specialty, Onco/Haem. And from the request IMU CF recently received from SAD's Charlene to pray for him, most likely a very active Christian during his student days in IMU. For more info, visit his site as I can't write what I have no 1st hand knowledge about.
Do pray that God will be gracious and watch over him and his fiancee.


There are more friends, people I do care about but I just can't list out as due to privacy/ respect. Pray for them and me included, that in the ups and downs in life, somehow beyond human understanding, He will be more than enough.