Join us! :)

I myself benefited a lot from BOOT CAMP and especially from every PLAY and THINK session that I attended. Some of them:
- I've been made aware of the utmost importance of reflection. It is vital to reflect. And we could actually reflect on ANYTHING. To reflect means to use our senses to observe. From the observation we generate learning points that we could apply next time. By applying the learning points we will improve our life each day.
Since I started to join TMA last August, I have forced myself to reflect at the very end of everyday.
-I've been made aware of the importance to find my vision in life, AND the ability to articulate it (not just in my mind only). And to based my vision by the right values. Pastor Glenn (my mentor) has a stack of folder on his vision, mission, life purpose statement, short-term and long-term planning, etc. Complete, man! Amazing! I'm still a long way to go on this...
-I also learnt some practical skills like facilitating games & small groups, how to do a presentation a framework, how to empower people through socrastic questions instead of didactic questions.
-And a lot more :)
So... what are you waiting for? Join us! :)

Souvenirs from Bandung

After more than one year, I finally went back my lovely hometown, Bandung, from 1-8 Nov :)

Now, let me unpack my bag and check whether I had souvenirs from Bandung...
Hmm... yup, I had quite a lot :)

Souvenir 1
Lord, thank you for the Revival Meeting I attended that once again reminded me about death. I was asked two questions about death:
The first question was "Are you afraid of death?"
To answer this question, I would say, "No, I'm not, because even if I die, I know for sure that I will be with the Lord in the best place."
The second question was "If you have to die now, are you ready?"
Logically speaking, if I'm not afraid of death, I should have answered "Yes" for this question. But somehow I couldn't feel confidence to answer "Yes", because in my mind and in my heart I believe that I haven't lived my life to the fullest. I haven't done well what God has called me to be and to do.
The second question has been a small wake-up call for me to start to take action of what I'm going to do in my future... I keep on praying that everything will go well according to HIS plan.

Went home from Revival Meeting to find a shocking news that one of my dogs has gone blind! Both eyes!T.T

Souvenir 2
Had a rare chance to gather with the complete set of my extended family from my Mom's side! :) Many of them intentionally came to Bandung. All of us went to photo studio and took pictures! That was the first studio photo I had since I moved to Sg 3 years ago.
I still believe that family members are the best people for me to be with. I felt safe... I felt love... I felt protection... and I felt that I didn't need to put a lot of efforts to bond with them again eventhough we haven't met for so long... it just happened naturally...

Souvenir 3
Went to doctor to consult on my blocked and runny nose that had been going on for 1 month. He gave me two kinds of medicine and gave me 2 advise to improve my immune system (the lack of it has resulted to the prolonged blocked nose):
First, not to sleep very late (which I always did in Sg). I usually went to sleep between 2-2.30am.
First, not to go on a diet. Well, I wasn't not really on a diet, but I think the problem is I have not eaten enough healthy food. I eat a lot, but not much nutrition on the food I consumed in Sg.
What the doctor said to me has made me thinking whether I had been taken good care of my health when I was in Sg. Well, I didn't think so. It seemed that I had difficulties take care of my health if I'm far away from my parents. Last year when I went back to Bandung, I got quite bad uric acid (asam urat) and high cholesterol >.<
Since I came back to Sg on 8 Nov, I have been trying to sleep early. About food, it's still quite difficult for me to get healthy food here... On the process to live a healthy lifestyle...

Souvenir 4
When nobody couldn't drive me to where I wanted to go, I would take taxi, therefore I had a chance to chat with some taxi drivers.
There was one common theme on what they would talk about: They would "complain" that nowadays it is very difficult to earn for a living. Two main factors that contributed to it are competition with other taxi provider and traffic jams.
Along the way, I would ask them about their family. It somehow make them realized that things haven't gone so bad as their family still afford basic needs as foods, house, and clothes. They even still be able to afford the school tuition fee! Well, not that bad, rite? Maybe we should reflect on what we have before we start to complain :)
I hope in the future I could meet people like them and help them realize to be thankful of the things they have instead of complaining because of the great things that they did not have...

Souvenir 5
My friend's wedding! One of the happiest moment in my life :)
It gave me a chance to welcome some friends to come to Bandung.
Well... I'm very very very proud of Bandung! Nice weather... reasonable price... friendly people... good food... :D

Well... there are some of the souvenirs I took from Bandung...

After the refreshing and recharging moment in Bandung, I went back to Sg to find myself loving my job more. Just luv it and enjoy it. And I also learn to spend time with GOD more. I slept earlier, woke up earlier, and double up my quiet times. Just nice!

What a worth getaway :D

My Heart Boiled When I Read This News.... Ministry of Foreign Affairs Must Do Something!

Abused Indonesian maid dies in Malaysia: police

AFP - Monday, October 26

Abused Indonesian maid dies in Malaysia: police

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - – An Indonesian maid who was allegedly severely beaten by her Malaysian employers, and then bound and locked up in a toilet for two days, has died in hospital, police said Monday.

A Malaysian market vendor and his wife have been arrested over the abuse of 36-year-old Mautik Hani from Surabaya, in the latest in a series of cases that have prompted Indonesia to temporarily ban sending domestic workers here.

The neighbours are negotiating a deal on salaries and conditions aimed at preventing mistreatment of maids, who currently have no legal safeguards on their working conditions.

"I can confirm that Mautik Hani has died in hospital," district police chief Mohamad Mat Yusop told AFP.

"We have to wait for the hospital's report on her cause of death before deciding on the next course of action regarding her employers. They are still being detained," he added.

Hani was rescued from her employers' home a week ago. She was found by another Indonesian cleaner hired to replace her who noticed a foul smell coming from a locked bathroom.

Police said that when she was found she was tied up around her arms and legs, and was bruised all over her body. Among her injuries were a serious wound to the right leg that exposed the bone.

Local papers reported Hani had been abused by her employers almost daily during the two months she worked at their home.

One of Asia's largest importers of labour, Malaysia depends heavily on domestic workers, mainly from Indonesia, but has been criticised for not passing legislation to govern their rights and conditions.

In May, the government announced plans for new laws to protect domestic workers from sexual harassment, non-payment of wages and poor working conditions.

Indonesian maids typically work seven days a week for as little as 400 ringgit (113 dollars) a month.

Life as per 26 Oct 09

I'm supposed to do something else, but cannot resist the urge to blog. Feel guilty after abandoning it for about 3 weeks :p
Life now.... is wonderful. Enjoying it :)

Currently living in S'rangoon.
The owner only turn on the aircon from 10.30pm to 6am.
But...
The house is so clean. Rental fee are much cheaper. The owner is very nice. Closer to my workplace (can get up later compared to when I stayed at AMK).

Work runs normally.
One of my colleague will leave the company this week.
But...
Am loving my job. And loving the people I teach.

Loving all the sessions of The Mentoring Academy.
Trying to articulate my life mission statement. Getting inspired by Pastor Glenn Lim (my mentor) in every session. Hope to become an inspiration someday.
Will be getting involved more.

Just started a Small Group with Dyna.
Finally... a prayer answered.
Quite discouraging to see only 3 people turned out (excluding me & Dyna).
But...
Really grateful to GOD for a partner like Dyna.
It was a good session, because although it was the first time we gathered as a group, the level of the sharing content is deeper than I expected.

Last but not least... Preparing to go back to Indo! :D
Preparing my heart to talk with my parents regarding the plan to study further, hopefully next year...

Once again, thanking GOD for the opportunity to live the true life in HIM!

A "Spiritual Giant" That Has Been A Source of Inspiration for A Woman That Has Been An Inspiration For Me

by Amy Carmichael

Amy Carmichael’s Confession of Love

My Vow
Whatsoever Thou sayest unto me, by Thy grace I will do it.

My Constraint
Thy love, O Christ, my Lord.

My Confidence
Thou art able to keep that which I have committed unto Thee.

My Joy
To do Thy will, O God.

My Discipline
That which I would not choose, but which Thy love appoints.

My Prayer
Conform my will to Thine.

My Motto
Love to live, live to love.

My Portion
The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance.

Teach us, good Lord, to serve Thee as Thou deservest;
to give and not to count the cost;
to fight and not to heed the wounds;
to toil and not to seek for rest;
to labor and not to ask for any reward
save that of knowing that we do Thy will, O Lord our God.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Quoted from
The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael—A Chance to Die
written by Elisabeth Elliot.
This was Amy Carmichael’s Confession of Love.
Amy Carmichael (1867-1951) was an Irish missionary to India.
She spent fifty-three years in South India without furlough.
She was known as “Amma” or “mother” by the hundreds of children that she
rescued from moral danger and raised to love and know Jesus Christ.
Amy was a Godly woman who gave her life unreservedly to serve the Lord.

Note:
Hope you understand the title :)

Hint:
A woman that has been an inspiration for me = Elisabeth Elliot

King of My Mind, My Heart, My Life

Wow.... What a king!
And what a privilege to have HIM as my King! :)

Who Am I

Baru balik dari Kesaksian "Masa Depan Bumi". *Pa Radiman bersikeras kalo ini bukan seminar :P*
Wow... speechless... dunno what to say...
Baru menyadari betapa BESARnya jagad raya ini dan betapa keciiiillllllllnya manusia yang tinggal di bumi. Ga bisa digambarin. Terlalu luar biasa.
Oh Lord, I feel so insignificant... I feel like nothing...
YOU, GOD that creates the universe. The unfathomable GOD.

Menyadari betapa HIDUP itu suatu anugerah yang mengagumkan.
Di antara jagad raya yang luar biasa besarnya ini, TUHAN pilih bumi sebagai SATU-SATUNYA planet dimana manusia bisa hidup.

Bumi, yang kecilllll sekali jika dibandingkan dengan bintang-bintang....
Bumi, yang intinya adalah magma super panas, tapi dilapisi oleh permukaan selebar 40 km supaya manusia bisa tinggal....
Bumi, yang sebenarnya kapan saja bisa hancur karena tabrakan komet, KAU lindungi dengan Jupiter sebagai perisai...
Bumi, yang bisa hangus karena semburan kecil matahari... yang bisa kiamat karena badai es...

Oh, betapa rapuhnya keberadaan manusia... dan betapa hebatnya pemeliharaan Allah atasnya...

Sungguh, keberadaan manusia di bumi tidak mungkin sebuah kecelakaan.
Ada tujuan. PASTI ada tujuan.
SEMUA MANUSIA harus sadar akan hal ini. Mereka HARUS DISADARKAN bahwa mereka dicipatakan oleh Sang Pencipta dengan suatu TUJUAN. Manusia tidak boleh hidup sembarangan.

Suatu hari bumi akan berakhir. Dan hari penghakiman akan datang. TIDAK ADA yang bisa menerka. Bisa terjadi KAPAN saja.

Semuanya ini mengingatkan saya akan apa yang dikatakan Kitab Yakobus....
4:13 Jadi sekarang, hai kamu yang berkata: "Hari ini atau besok kami berangkat ke kota anu, dan di sana kami akan tinggal setahun dan berdagang serta mendapat untung",
4:14 sedang kamu tidak tahu apa yang akan terjadi besok. Apakah arti hidupmu? Hidupmu itu sama seperti uap yang sebentar saja kelihatan lalu lenyap.
4:15 Sebenarnya kamu harus berkata: "Jika Tuhan menghendakinya, kami akan hidup dan berbuat ini dan itu."

Dan mengingatkan saya atas sebuah lagu...




Who am I?
That the Lord of all the earth,
Would care to know my name,
Would care to feel my hurt.
Who am I?
That the bright and morning star,
Would choose to light the way,
For my ever wandering heart.

Bridge:
Not because of who I am,
But because of what you've done.
Not because of what I've done,
But because of who you are.

Chorus:
I am a flower quickly fading,
Here today and gone tomorrow,
A wave tossed in the ocean,
A vapor in the wind.
Still you hear me when I'm calling,
Lord, you catch me when I'm falling,
And you've told me who I am.
I am yours.
I am yours.

Who am I?
That the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
And watch me rise again.
Who am I?
That the voice that calmed the sea,
Would call out through the rain,
And calm the storm in me.

Go to Brigde

Go to Chorus

Go to Bridge

Go to Chorus.
I am yours.

Whom shall I fear
Whom shall I fear
I am yours.
I am yours.