International Forum (UPLB-UMS): YOUTHS AND ASPIRATIONS
International Forum between the University of the Philippines Los Banos (UPLB) and University Malaysia SABAH (UMS) : YOUTHS AND ASPIRATIONS
Written by:
Ooi Christopher,
BSc. (Food Science and Nutrition)
School of Food Science and Nutrition
Universiti Malaysia Sabah
Date of Forum: 27 May, 2009
Excerpt:
This article describes my life during campus years in line with the forum’s theme ‘Youths and Aspirations’. It begins with a foundation that I live on, and continues with my youths and aspirations based on that foundation. Within the elaborations are briefed about the Student Body of my school, the School of Food Science and Nutrition in Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), the Student Representatives Council of UMS, and Sky Campus Community (SCC, a non-governmental organisation), based on my experience. The article ends with a list of challenges I think we as students face with. Footnotes are inserted wherever deemed necessary as a reference for further information.
(This article focuses on the general aspects of YOUTHS AND ASPIRATIONS. It was revised upon blogging due to the grammatical errors and long-winded contents in the 1st printed version that we distributed during the forum. Information about UMS’s schools and academics was not included in the forum; it was given in details during an appointment with the School’s Dean and Deputy Dean on 28th of May, 09, and is also briefly attainable at the official website of UMS: http://www.ums.edu.my)
BUILDING ON A STRONG FOUNDATION
First and foremost, having spent nearly 2 years in Universiti Malaysia Sabah, I thank God for the abundant blessings he has bestowed on me and my family throughout the moments of our ups and downs. I firmly believe that, for a growing life, not only during our campus years but also throughout all life stages, our aspirations should be founded on two indispensable living-principles – (a) relational or communion-based and (b) educational or knowledge-based principles.
a. Relational or Communion-based Principles
It is my daily mission to realise the importance of genuine relationships (vertically) with God and (horizontally) with my neighbours – that is, the people who are closely related to me (e.g. my family) and those who are around me (e.g. my friends). And to me as a Christian, Lord Jesus the Messiah should be the centre of our focus and attention for all strong and genuine relationships.
b. Educational or Knowledge-based Principles
Practical education equips me as richly as it is made clear to all Malaysian citizens in the National Education Philosophy (NEP) of Malaysia:
“Education in Malaysia is on-going efforts towards further developing the potential of individuals in a holistic and integrated manner, so as to produce individuals who are intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically balanced and harmonic, based on a firm belief in and devotion to God. Such an effort is designed to produce Malaysian citizens who are knowledgeable and competent, who possess high moral standards and who are responsible and capable of achieving high level of personal well-being as well as being able to contribute to the harmony and betterment of the family, the society and the nation at large.”[1]
In my opinion, both the relational and the practical, educational principles can be based on and integrated by Mark 11:29-31 of the Bible:
In Mark 11:29-30 is written “The most important is… you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength…”, which indicates our communion with God, the heart, soul, mind and strength of that verse corresponding respectively to the NEP’s four knowledge-based attributes – the spiritual, emotional, intellectual and physical attributes, and, integrating to the horizontal relationship with such vertical, revitalising communion as well as with those four attributes and other characteristics compacted in the NEP, we can apply in our lives what the Lord Jesus calls his second-most important commandment to mankind – that is, “…You must love your neighbour as yourself” [v. 31]. And Mark 12:29-31 ends with an emphasis: “… No other commandment is greater than these.”
YOUTHS AND ASPIRATIONS ROOTED IN A STRONG FOUNDATION
The two indispensible living-principles lay the foundation on which I can discover boundless possibilities of successful and secure aspirations. It is a continuous process; I believe that, for us as campus students, our youth is a period as good to be grounded in that foundation as to apply it in our lives. Thus, a campus student should not just rely on academic achievements. I have personally taken part in various activities such as organising different programmes, trips, and farewell dinner for my school, SSMP, involving in the Stage-designing Unit of UMS’s Ang Pow Festival (i.e. an annual Chinese Festival for all UMS residents and the public), and participating church activities. Today, I am a member of UMS’s Student Representatives Council. Now, as a leader, juggling between academic and non-academic matters, it has never been easy to remain passionately motivated and motivative. I made many mistakes, and I find continual learning crucial for continual leading.
Youths
In The Student Body Of SSMP – 2008
Being an undergraduate in the School of Food Science and Nutrition (SSMP) in UMS has never been more exciting. In addition to the profesionalism of the academecians are the opportunities for the students to get involved in practicals as well as non-academic activities. In the year 2008 I took up responsibility to help the Student Body in organising a practical programme called “Healthy Lifestyle (or Gaya Hidup Sihat in Malay)” especially for the Nutrition-course students. In that programme we practised what had been taught during lecture, namely the way to measure Body Mass Index and to educate nutritional knowledge to the general public.
Among the other various activities that the school’s Student Body also organises are AIM Night (an annual dinner specially organised for final-year undergrads), field trip or visitation to food factories or farms (as an exposure to the working place), family day (to orientate new students), Food Bites publication (magazine of SSMP’s Student Body), seminars and talks (to equip students with extra knowledge), inter-school sports competition (to promote health awareness and harmony in UMS) and, just recently hosted by SSMP in the year 2009, the National Food Carnival (to harness inter-university-and/or-college connection nationwide) – I only managed to commit myself in helping to organise the first three activities mentioned here besides the “Healthy Lifestyle” practicals, but those involvements in fact paved the way for me to become what I am today, that is, a member representing SSMP in the Student Representatives Council of UMS.
In The Student Representatives Council (MPP) – 2009
The Student Representatives Council (MPP) of UMS has the vision to dignify UMS students in a global arena. MPP declares its five missions as 5Ks – that is, (1) Kesarjanaan, (2) Kokurikulum, (3) Kebajikan, (4) Kesahsiahan, (5) Kesepaduan, the Malay words respectively for (1) Academic excellence, (2) Non-academic achievements, (3) Welfare, (4) Morality and (5) Unity, and its motto echoes this way: “To generate the supremacy of the community.” The general policies it upholds include the National Principles (or in Malay, the Rukun Negara), student right, the responsibility to liaise between university administration and students, organisational effeciency and effectiveness, and balanced growth in four attributes – the intellectual, spiritual, emotional dan physical attributes – mentioned also in the NEP. The challeges that MPP faces with are to increase students’ commitment, involvement and co-operation in the events organised, the policies proposed, in handling campus issues and in coming out with new resolutions about those issues, as well as to continually gain students’ trust in the MPP. The bureaucratic organisational chart is also one of the main challenges since many resolutions failed to be realised on time with such time-consuming system.
It was not until after I received a vision from the Lord, was encouraged by my lecturers and friends, and was motivated by various speeches and readings that I chose to step out of my comfort zone and register myself as a candidate for the annual campus election in October 2008, which I then won with a slight majority and made it into UMS MPP. Up to now, I am in charge of the portfolio, Exco of Student Housing and Services (Exco 3P), alongside with my counterpart, Hazimin bin Awang (a student rep of the School of Social Science), until the dismissal of the Council towards the end of 2009.
This is the vision of Exco 3P: To ensure that student hostels and the facilities within as well as the various services in the campus are kept in good condition and in a well manner, and to see improvements realised duly, for the benefit of all UMS residents. And this is our mission: To liaise between the university administration and the students of UMS for the welfare of the latter – conveying any of the former’s messages to the latter, voicing any of the latter’s needs to the former, and proposing solutions to any existing-problem before attempting with best effort to carry out those solutions – so as to realise our vision, continually.
Other than making connections and cooperating with the Student Bodies of our respective schools to take care of students’ welfare and with the Committee of Student Welfare to handle issues in all student residential colleges, our responsibilities also include coordinating campus bus services and conducting ad-hoc matters such as surveying students’ response/satisfaction towards our services and the recent issue regarding the privatisation of campus bus service. Besides, we at times are also privileged to welcome visitors in UMS ranging from honoured guests to secondary school students. The MPP also has occasional retreats, the previous one being done at Membakut, Sabah.
In A Non-Governmental Organisation – 2008-2009
Before I become a student rep I also joined a non-government organisation, called Sky Campus Community (SCC), formed under Skyline[2], the church I belong to in Sabah. We had Emotional Quotient Seminar (EQS) – the main speaker of which was an internationally recognised consultant and former professor in the University Malaya (UM)[3], Prof. Dr. Leonard Yong, who formulated the L.E.O.N.A.R.D. Personality Inventory (LPI)[4], Sex and Sensibility Seminar, mission trip to the interior of Sabah at Timbua village, outings to various places (such as Sapi Island, Kiansom Waterfall, Kinabalu Park… etc) in the state dubbed the Land Below The Wind, and freshies night/dinner. The target participants of SCC events consisted largely of UMS students. One of the most unforgettable experience for me was to present in front of the camera to introduce and report our mission trip at Timbua village through SkyNews (i.e. a video-news production) to the church. In short, my participations in SCC have been none other than a blessing to me, exposing me to and equiping me with various life-values, knowledge and skills.
Notwithstanding, upon having been elected to be a member of UMS MPP, I have since then withdrawn myself from the core organising team of SCC, called ‘the Ablazers!’, and have become a participant of rather than a contributor to the organised events, in order to fully concentrate on my service in MPP, a ministry which I regard as a calling from God as I did equally SCC ministry. Such positional switch to MPP, as I have mentioned above, has been tough, and many of my weaknesses has been exposed, just like what Dr. John C. Maxwell wrote in his book, that “Defining moments defines your leadership”[5], and till now I am still a learning leader, learning from my mistakes.
Nonetheless, as the saying goes, ‘A wise person learns from his mistakes. A wiser one learns from others’ mistakes. But the wisest person of all learns from others’ successes.’ I believe God works universally, and I agree with Dr. Maxwell’s saying that “Every person has a potential to teach us something.” Futhermore, we should always learn to serve within people of different ethnicities, religions, traditional backgrounds… etc, a practice which in fact has always been emphasised by all the prime ministers of Malaysia since our Independence Day on the 31st of August, 1957. For example, the One-Malaysia Concept is recently propagated by our incumbent prime minister Dato’ Seri Mohd. Najib bin Tun Haji Abdul Razak to “preserve and enhance unity in diversity”[6]. I believe that the gist of all these can be applied from what Mark 12:17 of the Bible indicates, and it can be written this way: “Give back to the Nation the things that are the Nation’s, and to God the things that are God’s”.
Aspirations
Having personalised the two indispensable living-principles mentioned in the beginning of this article, I also find influencing them to my family, my friends and the society vital, too, as a leader, and that is why I have joined all the aforesaid activities and events. In the near future, what God holds for me I may not have clearly understood yet, but this is a calling for me: I will become a businessman-leader who contributes also to needy people and the nation’s welfare. I am currently pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Food Science and Nutrition, the minor subjects of which, in UMS, are compulsory business-related studies. If God wants to, after graduation I will further my studies through a master’s degree if not a PhD. study in Food Science and Nutrition (probably also taking a certificate/diploma programmes on Psychology, for I am interested in it) and, perhaps, I will work as a tutor if not a lecturer first, since I am also fond of teaching and public speaking, and then take some courses if necessary – maybe the Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) – before venturing into my own business, throughout the process of which I pray that the mission reaching out to needy people will not die out in my heart, whatever situation I may be in.
CHALLENGES AND CONCLUSION
In spite of the many youthful events and the very ambitious aspirations that each of us as campus student has, many challenges lie before us in the present and the future. For example, some people may think by common-sense that to remain academically competent in lieu of the various involvements is most challenging. Some others concern about choosing the right friends and eventually the one-right life-partner, which (honestly speaking) are not any less difficult! I agree with all that, and all the more with Maxwell’s popular saying, “The one thing that you need to know to be a great leader is that there is more than one thing you need to know to be a great leader” and “Leaders are developed daily, not a day”. In this way, then, remaining firm in a strong foundation we will strain on forward for the aspirations God has laid in each of our hearts, for the good of those around us.
Proverbs 16:1,9
“Preparations of the heart belong to human beings,
but the response of the tongue is from the Lord…
… A person plans his way,
but the Lord directs his steps.”
Postscript and Acknowledgements:
Preparing for this forum has indeed caused me to reflect and realign my life, especially with the ideal theme ‘Youths and Aspirations’. It is my prayer that through this sharing every forum panelist (or the readers of this article) is benefited and blessed. In addition, I count it my privilege to also introduce UMS, specifically about its School of Food Science and Nutrition, with regards to the student activities, internationally. Last but not least, I would like to thank the administration of UMS and its counterparts in UPLB for giving me the opportunity to present this sharing. Thank you all and God bless you!
[1] Source: Official Portal of Malaysia’s Ministry of Education. http://www.moe.gov.my/tayang.php?laman=falsafah_pendidikan&unit=kementerian&bhs=en
[2] Skyline SIB Official Homepage: http://www.skylinesib.com
[3] Offical Portal of UM: http://www.um.edu.my
[4] Source: Official website of L.E.O.N.A.R.D. Personality Inventory. http://www.leonard.com.my/
[5] Source: Leadership GOLD © 2008 by John C. Maxwell.
[6] Source: One-Malaysia Portal. http://www.1malaysia.com.my/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=358&Itemid=93&lang=en
Things I Should Have Done (A Good Friday’s Sharing)
Alighting from the bus this afternoon, I realised that I did not do the things I should have done properly. Passing a friend by, my mind was so focused on things and works that I overlooked greeting him/her or, even worse, his/her greeting to me. Waking up at 5am almost every day, instead of spending time in communion with God I had almost every time gone back to sleep.
Things like that happen often, and I am usually struck with a sense of guilt and sometimes depression at the moment I found that I did not do the things I should have done; something or someone is missing in my heart. That often makes me feel bad; that often makes those around me to feel bad. The disciples were not attentive, “… he found them asleep…” [Matt 26:43] and that, as we know, was followed by a disaster.
In today’s perspective, owing to mankind’s weakness many disastrous incidents happen, but we must not give up, “… All things are possible for God” [Mark 10:27]. Nevertheless, while no one knows whether the little things that we are doing will result in fruitfulness or a disaster, the important principle is that immediately when we hear from God we obey, now. What made Good Friday and Easter Sunday significant to us is this: hope is bestowed to the hopeless, and reconciliation to the deserted.
“Never let the sense of failure corrupt your new action.”
Oswald Chamber
Therefore, I must not let mere-guiltiness disable me. Good Friday commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus; the assurance of forgiveness stems only from faith in the unique Son of God – “… I resolved to know nothing except Jesus the Messiah, and him crucified…” [1Cor 2:2]. From such faith comes the confidence to dare to fail and try again (not the license to sin and sin again).
And I believe this is the essence of Easter Sunday commemorating Jesus’ resurrection: “… not be based on human wisdom but on God’s power…” [v. 5]. It is an ever-renewing life to see God’s greatness despite our weaknesses; it is the reality of Emmanuel – God is with us.
Friends, are you and I living in communion with the Risen Lord daily and continually? Or is that kind of reality… far from us?
At Membakut, Sabah (A Christmas ShArIng)
After a moment of mental preparation, I was in tears while sharing on the topic of leadership during an impromptu public speaking session in the Student Council’s Induction Course organised by the university’s Student Affair Department (or Hal-Ehwal Pelajar) at Membakut, Sabah, on the 13th – 16th of December, 2008.
To begin with, I spoke to the participants – that is, the leaders within the Student Council – about what I learnt from the book “LEADERSHIP GOLD” by John C. Maxwell. Then, at one point of the sharing I roughly quoted Patrick Morley by saying that “although terrorist bombing is not common in this nation, imagine this: if it happens, the destruction would be disastrous and its aftermath hard to recover. So it is if we fail to control our emotion and anger as a leader: you just need one explosion and that’s it.”
After that, I went stuttering, being deeply troubled in my heart as some thoughts came to my mind and bursting out in tears before choosing finally to articulate it clearly to the audience: “I regret some of the things I did to my juniors last time as a captain during secondary school, now that after graduation I could only pray and hope that they will be influenced correctly by a good leader now and in the future.”
Subsequently, (after calming myself down,) I went on sharing about what I meant a good leader. “An effective leader might not always mean a good leader; Adolf Hitler was very effective, wasn’t he? Nevertheless, a good leader must be effective.” And I ended my sharing with this: “Therefore, even as I read different kinds of books and am open to many advices, I must look off to a good leader and hold on to a main, authoritative reference to truly understand the standard of living. So I present to you that, to me, the good leader is Jesus Christ, the only one who has never done anything wrong on earth and thus was and is and forever will be called the perfect Man, and the main reference is the Bible.”
What I had shared among them I also share with you now. That was just one of the many aspects of being changed by the Word of God. I was a hot-tempered person, and after knowing Jesus I wasn’t immediately changed; I went through a process of renewal by the Word of God and today, although I like you am by no means immune to the temptation to anger, I know at least that there’s an alternative way to overcome and to live a truly standard life, and that way is found in the Spirit of the Messiah as well as the God-breathed words in the Bible.
That way is neither to live by mere sound philosophies nor to merely adhere to laws and regulations – it’s a loss to think that the Bible and Christianity contain only those things – but the way of the Saviour and the Lord of heaven and earth is far more than just philosophies, laws and regulations; that way points to a genuine relationship between God and mankind restored through Jesus the Messiah. (Messiah in Greek: Χριστός, pronounced as khris-tos’ and translated as Christ, which means the Anointed One or the Chosen One.)
“In the beginning, the Word existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God.” – [John 1:1-3]
As the saying goes, “Like father like son”; “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son…” [John 3:16] the Word also so wanted to be genuinely related with mankind that he humbled himself in this way: “The Word became flesh and lived among us.” [continued from John 1 above, verse 14] That Word is God’s only Son.
This has come to pass after a cry was heard at a little manger in Bethlehem, on Christmas day. It was a cry of an innocent baby bearing the consequence of mankind’s sins. And, going through human growth from baby to childhood to adult, he has taught us by setting himself as a sinless, perfect example (and thus, as a good leader) while he was on earth and, more than that, he suffered, died (not for his own sin but to take away our sins) and rose from the dead before sitting down at the right hand of the throne of God, from whom he came [Hebrew 10], for us to follow him and his standard of living. Today, such genuine relationship continues through his Spirit, until the time we see him face to face during Perfection in the Last Day – until eternity.
That is the Good News according to the Bible. And that is why I celebrate Christmas. Friends, do you celebrate Christmas? Is the reason behind that celebration the Good News according to the Bible or something else? Don’t replace what is perfect with what is imperfect. “No human is perfect…” shouldn’t end just there; it should instead end this way: “… except Jesus the Messiah.”
Let me end this sharing with a song,
Jesus loves me, yes I know,
for the bible tells me so.
Little ones to him belong,
they are weak but he is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so!
(This is a sharing for Christmas in the year of 2008 with 888 words including reference, excluding this last sentence, counted with Microsoft Word.)
Throughout November, 2008
A list of thanksgivings for things that has happened in November, 2008.
Managing Money
The church started a sermon series on Money. Different pastors teach on topics ranging from tithing, giving and saving to investments, debts and lending, incorporating them with biblical perspectives as well as guarding them against the system of the world. I’m very impressed when pastor said, “If you love God with all your heart and mind and strength, that doesn’t mean that you’re a good parent/leader/student; you have to learn to be one.” Practical skills are important in our life on this earth. I find this series of sermons very practical for me as a student.
Growing in exercising spiritual gifts
Pastor John gave us a list to assess our spiritual gifts. My result from highest to lowest score: (1) Administration, (2) Leadership, (3) Help, (4) Discerning of the spirits, (5) Word of wisdom, (6) Teaching. We’re told that the score changes from time to time, but the basic principle is to use the gifts God has given us to serve him and the people around us. God multiplies the gifts he has for us as we keep desiring and practising the gifts that he has already given.
Exams
Alright, I made a blunder in some of the subjects… Yet thank God overall still OK (according to my target, hopefully). Hmmm…
Overcoming Temptations and Habitual Sins
Temptations are bound to come… When God’s words is not in my heart (or in other words, if I forget God’s Word), I often find myself yielding to temptations and evil thoughts, resulting often in evil actions, and before long I find myself falling into habitual sins. The root problem is whether God’s Word is in my heart or not. If he is not in my heart (or in other words, if I forget/ignore him), it means lies and deceptions. God help me to live a repentant life, to stop sinning, and to continually do his will. Examples of habitual sins: mumbling, grumbling and complaining.
High School Musical 3
I watched the movie High School Musical 3 with my cell group friends just a few days after it was released (before exam). The songs compositions and dance choreographies were very nice, though the messages that are sent out should be understood in the correct perspectives. We had a discussion after the movie. It was good.
Lifestyle
I ate a lot during this exam month… grumbled a lot, too… Hmmm… talk about discontentment… Got to learn the way to live a lifestyle with contentment…
My Themes For The Previous Years
… about My First Year Theme : The Year Of Manna
“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way these 40 years in the desert, to humble and test you in order to make known what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to be hungry, yet he fed you with manna that neither you nor your ancestors had known, in order to teach you that human beings shall not live by food alone — instead human beings are to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.” – [Deuteronomy 8:2-3]
My first year as follower of Jesus was one like a desert year. It was this period that I faced all sorts of spiritual attack, seeing evil and false spirits, dreaming bad dreams and being shown camouflaged visions frequently. From then, as I look back now, God directed me to depend on his Word and his Spirit and nothing else to grow spiritually.
… about My Second Year Theme : The Year of Being Rooted
“This set of instructions is not to cease being a part of your conversations. Meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to carry out everything that’s written in it, for then you’ll prosper and succeed. I’ve commanded you, haven’t I? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be fearful or discouraged, because the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” – [Joshua 1:8-9]
My second year journey with God was a year consolidating what he had put into my heart in the first year – to keep relying on his Word and his Spirit and keep growing. I was still struggling in the area of spiritual warfare, but thank God for all my pastors and friends who are from Bukit Mertajam Baptist Church (BMBC) and who are with me throughout those hard times. Half-way through the year I moved from Penang to Petaling Jaya, attending Damansara Utama Methodist Church (DUMC).
… about My Third Year Theme : The Year of Evangelism
“The harvest is vast, but the workers are few. So ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest.” – Jesus [Matthew 9:37-38]
That theme came with three visions during worship with the Church before I came to Sabah. In my third year of Christian life (Last year) I came to Sabah for the first time. In that year, I was further equipped in the area of evangelism besides continuing the course of discipleship. I have been studying in University Malaysia Sabah (UMS) and attending Skyline SIB church.
… about my Fourth Year Theme
I’ve been blessed throughout all those three years in the Lord despite my past disobedience. Now that the fourth year has begun, I’d like to share with you about my fourth year theme in the next post.
Kiansom Retreat
Sky Campus Community, an NGO supported by SIB Skyline, organised a retreat to Kiansom on the 18th to 20th of July. It was a wonderful retreat and we stayed in a semi-D house in Kiansom Baptist Retreat Centre. We had lots of fun. There were games, visitation to Kiansom Waterfall, and, above all else, sharings that built us up and equipped us for coming challenges in this our campus life. Here’s some pics…
I thank God for the opportunity to bond with new friends (the juniors).
Announcement: Nights Of Fire
NIGHTS OF FIRE
Date: 16th – 22nd of June, 2008
Time: 8pm
Venue: Dream Centre Auditorium
2, Jalan 13/1, Seksyen 13
46200 Petaling Jaya
Selangor, Malaysia
Click here for the Location Map
They went out and proclaimed everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through the accompanying signs. – [Gospel of Mark 16:20]
There are two ways of witnessing the Good News - one is by the members of the church bringing it out to the public, another is by the public joining together and listening to it with the church. The former allows more personal interaction while the latter enables a corporate experience of the power of God.
Then blind eyes will open,
deaf ears will hear.
Then the lame will leap like a deer,
the mute tongue will shout for joy… – [Isaiah 35:5-6]
Let’s just pray together for this event and for all who attend. And let’s come believing God for signs and wonders. If you have family members or friends with any kind of sickness or disease, don’t ever give up hope but be encouraged by the Word of God and come together and experience the miracles of Jesus Christ, the Lord of all.
One of my FIRST TIMEs
I just came back from prayer clinic (a seminar to learn prayer). Thank God for my pastor, Clarence, and his wife as they helped me arrange transport and take me to eat. Their simple acts of kindness bring showers of blessings to me.
The prayer clinic was conducted by Pastor Jean Lim, who is greatly used by God not only in pastoring/teaching ministry, but also in the healing and deliverance ministry. In fact, the FIRST TIME I came to get attracted to Jesus Christ and received him as personal Lord and Saviour is because of her famous Jesus Heals Ministry (http://www.jesushealsmi.com/). I remember she went to penang a few years ago and conducted a Jesus Heals Service. My aunt brought me to that service…well, lo and behold, this is what I saw:
1. A man sitting on a wheel chair WALKED after prayer by pastor Jean.
2. Testimony of a woman (showing photos): how she, with her eyeballs all white (without pupils), was being healed when the pupils just appeared after pastor Jean prayed for her.
3. Many others testified how they, when the doctor said, “you have only a few months left because of that cancer/tumour growth,” were HEALED after a simple prayer of faith in Jesus’ name.
At that time, I really marvelled, “Wow, I can’t believe that such things are real.” Now, no boasting about human, human cannot do this by own effort, only God can, so all glory be to Jesus. Nothing is impossible in Jesus!
Therefore, I thank God that this week, for three days (15th – 17th May, 2008), I had the opportunity to meet with pastor Jean Lim, who is also called to be a prayer warrior or intercessor, in one of the Glory Place Prayer Centres (http://www.gloryplaceprayercentre.org/) she has set up with the help of our church member Dato’ Edward Ong, the owner of Sutera Harbour. I learnt practically a lot about praying and also about living as a Christian. Owing to my ‘MISSplan’, I’ve got to stay in Sabah for extra two weeks when most of my friends had already gone home. However, God turned my mistakes upside down, that it should result in me meeting with a servant of God – Pastor Jean. Jesus is always like that:
When you did a mistake, he always wanna help.
When you are sick or diseased, he always says, “I want to heal you.”
When you are sad and distressed, he always reveals his love.
When you are faithless and hopeless, he always says, “Believe in me.”
When you are helpless, he always says, “Learn from me.”
And, now read carefully,
When you die, he has the authority to say, “You live.”
Jesus is always like that, I can’t do anything but just say, “thank you, Lord!”
I will serve the King always, I will follow Him all the days in my life.
For He is God, from everlasting to everlasting,
the One and Only, who died and rose again,
with the marks of the nails,
in the heart and hands and feet.
He is risen! He lives forever! He alone is able to save completely!
I will serve the Master always, I will follow Him all the days in my life.
