I love my mum

and she is just a great blessing to my life!

Her courage and love.
And she's "cute" as well! Late last year, she suddenly wanted to write for the church magazine.

So here's from Cecilia Chua:

Last September, I flew from Labuan to Kuala Lumpur with my family to be treated for breast cancer. I had to have a mastectomy and other medical treatment. Pastor Ling and a few Christian friends supported us throughout the hospital stay. Without them, we would have been quite lost. During my first chemotherapy session, my white blood cell count plummeted to 0.5. My immune system was extremely weak as white blood cell count of a normal person is about 4. Clots of blood were also coming out from my uterine.

I was really scared. I was rushed to the hospital's emergency ward by my eldest daughter Sarah, who was on holiday and could hence be with me. Praise God for His timing. Dr Jamila who saw me at the emergency insisted that I see the gynaecologist who scanned my uterus and found that I had fibroids. I was treated with hormones. Later, during my quiet time, I read Psalm 121. I could not stop crying. I sensed the Lord reaching out His hand and saying that my walk on earth was not finished.

However, the bleeding did not stop. During my third chemotherapy session, my white blood cell count was then 1 but I had no fear. God's peace was with me and 2 Corinthians 5:7 kept coming to me. "We live by faith and not by sight." From then on, the lyrics in the song became real. Tissues were my best friend during praise and worship in church as I would be overwhelmed by tears of thankfulness and awe of our great God. Thank God too for my husband, Meng Yong who was with me through all my six chemotherapy sessions.

I could sense God's presence everywhere even in the hospital. While I was given my 11th herceptin (a new anti cancer drug) intravenously, one of the nurses in charge came and held my right hand. I felt God holding my right hand as another nurse took my blood. Isaiah 41:10 flashed. "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Today I am still on treatment and have six more courses of herceptin. Through Him I had victoriously gone through six chemotherapy sessions and 11 courses of herceptin.

Senior Pastor Daniel's message about "people do not care how much we know until they know how much we care" is true. Sister Pang whom I knew from an alter call prayer, messaged me early one morning before treatment and told me to collect a second book she wanted to give me. It made my day sparkle to know someone cared. People in the hospital asked me why I continued smiling. I shared with them that I was not alone and that there were people in my church who cared. I pray that I will also make a difference in other peoples' lives.

One afternoon when I was very down, God prompted Shirley (whom I met during the 21 days of prayer and fasting) to call me. Her call really reminded me of Hebrews 13:5 which says "Never will I leave you, never will I forsake you." Shirley has been a blessing. She takes me out to lunch and also brings my helper Herliani, my second daughter Sabrina and I home from church faithfully.

I thank my SS14 cell group and Herliani's Bahasa cell group for upholding me in prayer. Thank God too for providing Sabrina who has just finished her South Australian Matriculation programme, to be with me. I am also thankful to everyone who has helped me. I look forward to
have my youngest daughter, Serene joining me next year. Indeed, God is good yesterday, today and forever. I trust my Almighty God and I confess His healing words everyday.

("My Help Comes from The Lord." Floodgates Issue 42, pg 4 Jan-Feb 2008)



Happy 52th birthday mum!

I am..

...reminded of God's amazing faithfulness!

For Jane

I don't normally do this but since it's a request by msn all the way from London, here goes :)
8 random facts about me:

1) I grew up in a small island that is so small that there's no McDonalds! (yea, laugh, laugh. There's KFC and Pizza Hut thought!)

2) Because I grew up surrounded by the sea, I can tell the difference between saltwater fish and freshwater fish by taste.

3) And I never knew that most people can't tell the difference in "fish taste" till I moved to the big city of KL and had people exclaim in amazement that I could.

4) I drink green tea everyday (more antioxidants! haha)

5) I have a spot on my sclera which looks like a haemorrhagic spot. I distinctly remember being bitten by an ant when I was very very young.....but I don't know how reliable my memory is! But it is a good way of telling if someone is looking into my eyes when they notice ;)

6) I had a milk tooth extracted when I was 19 because it just did not fall off.

I am running out of things to say....

7) I never wanted to become a doctor but a war/current affairs journalist (so naive, and of course the lack of insight on my writing skills!)

8) I am sensitive to caffeine and thus avoid any trace of caffeine even in Coke or tea after 6pm. But I make an exception for chocolates!

Won't be tagging anyone.

Just a picture from one of the storefronts in Darlinghurst, the uber chic area near my hospital.

An amazing quote!

"Yet the silence of God is not the same as the absence of God"

from: A Turkish Theologian.
An excellent account of the persecuted church.


More:

...This reality forces us to take another look at what Paul means in Romans 8:28 by "our good." If our good is a stable, safe, healthy, happy, and reasonably wealthy middle-class life, then logically one can conclude that God really does not work for the good of the largest portion of the global church today.

Similarly, when we look at Paul's list of sufferings in 2 Corinthians 11, it's clear that Paul's life will never be known as a good one by today's pop psychology or quick-fix spirituality books....

...But, our highest good is not a problem-free life; it is to be like the Son....