Messiah College's Community Covenant

Lately, the spotlight has been on Messiah's community covenant as a result of an openly gay student's decision to leave the school stemming from incidences of harassment. For a while there, it was the first Google news entry concerning Messiah College (though to be fair, Messiah does have it's share of weird stories from time to time), but I only got to know about this because there's an actual petition going out asking Messiah to strike the "homosexual" clause from its community covenant.

We've come far as a society, and we've learned to tolerate and embrace a lot, 'cause as the human race we just have a suicidal tendency to seek out the smallest things that can divide us. In all this time, I believe that we've learned that we can get along with people, without necessarily agreeing with them or supporting them.

I empathize with the student who had to face that kind of discrimination. No one deserves to have death threats or any unbecoming behavior strewn their way - whether it be from peers or even teachers. What I do take issue with is this disordered desire for people to erase one injustice using another. A school is more than just the bricks and mortar that are used to put its buildings together; it is mainly the community and the tenets that bind that community that are the true heart and soul of the school.

Messiah is by its own admission a Christian school, and it's tried to base its principles on that (whether they succeed or fail is another matter altogether...but then again Christ never expected us to be perfect, but rather to work out our faith with a view towards being Ipse Christe - same as Christ.)


One friend of mine wrote that we Christians fail when we tolerate a porn-addicted pastor, but scoff away at people from the LBGT community. This reminds me of a friend from High School who once talked with me at length about the story of Jesus and the Adultress. My friend's take home message from the whole thing was that we are not supposed to judge people no matter what they do, and we should just 'live and let be'.
But there is an addition to that whole lesson: Jesus didn't condemn that woman, but He certainly didn't commend/condone what she was doing either. He extended mercy out to her, but He also enlightened her... He didn't set the bar lower so that the hooligans wouldn't have an excuse to execute the poor woman!!!

Seeing as the Community Covenant is in-line with Christian teaching, there is no need to change it. What does need to change is the hooligans who choose to take out their wrath on people they view as different. The school Provost admitted that the school does not screen students to find out whether they are homosexual or not. I'm guessing the school doesn't screen for hooligans, bigots, smokers, drunkards, philanderers, sluggard or a host of behaviors spanning the gamut of human failings either - that would be a logistical nightmare.

But they do have principles by which to proscribe this behavior, and hopefully remain relevant as Christians in a world where people are either deserting their Christianity or resorting to some trends that bear only a superficial resemblance to Christianity.
Apart from the whole discriminatory incidents, was the gay student really expecting a traditional Christian school to support him in his openly-gay demeanor? (Messiah is not Episcopalian, last time I checked).

This reminds me of a quote from that oft-misunderstood social commentary - the Boondocks:

"Not every [black person] that gets arrested is Nelson Mandela"

And so too with this case, the "LGBT query" is not the last unanswered wrong that humanity has not righted. We are called upon to be tolerant, but we don't have to condone. And I certainly would never condone this being used as an excuse to change a Community Covenant that is not the source of the problem. People will always find reasons to hate, but our moral compass always needs to hold true.

God Bless.

Toughest place to be a ...

 

I just finished watching the BBC show "Toughest place to be a ...", which, I guess was done as a special feature - only 3 episodes were made. The basic premise consists of taking a bunch of consummate professionals from the UK (bus driver, paramedic, midwife), and giving them an analogous work experience in a different part of the world, obviously minus a lot of amenities that they've grown accustomed to. (watch for the culture shock)

I believe the characters were well chosen because they espouse a certain humility and good work ethic (the BBC could very easily have ruined this experience by courting from among the roster of characters that plague various reality TV shows), and this brings out the humanity in all the situations that they go through - both humorous and heartbreaking.

It's very easy for a program like this to be misunderstood, because despite the real human dilemmas it tries to highlight, there's a chance that it could merely become a shock-fest of things from third world poverty. It reminds me of an experience during chapel-time at Messiah College. This student got up on stage to talk about his time spent doing mission work at the Kibera Slums in Kenya. He then proceeded to get emotional on stage and obviously alienate a whole contingent of international students who were in attendance that morning. I have nothing against the guy personally, this just requires a short accompanying factoid

• Despite hosting a large number of people, the residence of former President Moi at Kabernet Gardens sits a few kilometers from Kibera
• The student spent his entire summer break - 2 or so months - in the slum  

I actually know about Kibera, and I wouldn't be happy spending more time than I had to around there...and I'm not even talking about the slum portion of it. Everybody has that kind of part around where they live or at least somewhere in their country - it's what we like to call "The wrong side of the tracks". And c'mon, even if you see the worst-of-the-worst, it needs to be balanced with a view of what else exists out there, at least even at the middle class level, and maybe even get a taste of the opulent. You've got the massive Nairobi National Park close by (maybe just a few hundred yards away if you're in the right part of the slum!)....but I digress.

I'm not trying to defend my country blindly here, 'cause true to the matter, we have one heck of a record-breaking slum. But getting the full picture helps people understand that the disparity is sometimes based on policies that need to be changed. Josh West (the bus driver) highlighted this perfectly when he got to see the village area that his host Rogelio hailed from. The coastal town was truly beautiful and an obvious step up from the squalor that he faced in the city, but the search for employment drove him to the city.
This is a lesson that perhaps we shouldn't just concentrate on turning our cities into 'havens" of employment to the detriment of the countryside, but concentrate on investing in those same fringe areas, and at the same time decongesting the cities and returning them to a semblance of health.

Again, I thank BBC for a job well done. Rather than putting people on the offensive, it reminds us of things that sometimes we overlook, or never thought about. To cherish those gifts that we have, some of which we've worked for, and others which our parents toiled for. And I believe all those involved were affected positively.
There are no real happy endings here because a lot of the poverty that was seen is institutionalized, and needs the concerted effort of decent politicians working with the people to get things changed. But the friendships made and the shared experience are a step in the right direction. I hope that this is the kind of change I'll be able to bring when it's called upon on my part.

May God be with us all.

Hope

Someone once asked me what it was that I wanted to do with my life over the course of a semester. Basically, if I could use my life to do one thing, what would it be?

My answer to that was that above all things, I wanted to give people "Hope". It's just one of those things that gives life its spice. Nothing diminishes the human spirit more than despair, nothing weakens us more than hopes being crushed.

There is no substitute for hope. I've seen people try to plug the deficit with money, with their unbridled passions, or perhaps revert to an impervious form of cynicism. All of these attempts will at best render someone 'functional' in this cruel world, but they never quite live that life that the Lord aimed for us to have (I come that you might have life, and have it in abundance - John 10:10)

I've heard people say that life is short, but you never really get time to think about it while you're going through the motions. But if you live through life without any hope, every day lived is an eternity; your passions which are meant to make you so wholly attuned and at peace with this world will only make things worse. Devoid of a driving force, pleasure fades from things once enjoyable, and I think numbness would probably be a more pleasant respite [than living with the memory of what it once felt like to be 'normal'].

Back to that matter at hand - preserving/restoring/renewing another person's hope. Hope is a tricky thing to start with. I'd err on the side of caution and try to preserve it simply because there is no exact remedy for bringing it back. In this world "when it rains, it pours"; a tender crushed heart is just primed for another speedy beating.
Another reason I advocate preservation is because it's something that's relatively easy to do. Acknowledgment of another's presence, a kind word of encouragement, bearing another's burden, a loving smile, showing patience and letting a slight against you slide, forgiving the unforgivable, being there to listen...

Humans have progressed a lot in these past centuries, but in spite of that progress we might still overlook the very basic potent power inherent in every human being, the mystery that we've been so well put-together since the beginning; so well put-together, in fact, that we're supposed to heal this world and those around us if they need it. And of course, it's the small details about our interactions that count the most.

I realize my penchant for going on tangents, but allow this one: my mind gravitates towards one lyric in love songs I always heard growing up - "I'd swim the seven seas for you" [pretty dated, I know].
Pretty bold statement for a man to make, but I always wondered whether that same man would be prepared to put up with his lady's insecurities, annoying habits and other idiosyncrasies...or even take her shoe-shopping?
And the same thing applies to life: it's not about giving up the "now" for the 'promise of the infinite', but rather living a full expression of the "now" in preparation for the infinite.

So if hope be that potion that assures you abundant life, guarantee that it steadily increases within your life. And by all means, SHARE IT!

God Bless

Memories

My mind is currently on a long hiatus - prefers the comfort of spacing out to waxing philosophical and stuff. Must be the effect of a dreary winter and a fickle spring. Can't wait till Autumn finally comes thru' later this year (...that's when I shine).

Anyhow, lately my mind just gravitates towards an early memory from my first year at Messiah College, which just happened to be my first brush with a REAL winter. My two future roommates (and best friends) Collins and Luke took me to the Lottie (School Cafeteria) for a spot of breakfast, and they especially made sure I took a load of sausages;

You shoulda seen the glee on their faces when I bit into those things. I'm not knocking American culture or cuisine, but those sausages were nasty (strange considering how their other delightful meats turned me into the Carnivore that I am nowadays). And those two practical jokers got to pull a fast one on me - priceless.

Dunno why the memory came at me so strong recently. Maybe 'cause of Deja vu with Chinese sausages (香肠 which translates to "Flavoured Intestine"...and boy do they taste like it!!!!), or maybe it's cause Collins has a date with destiny (impending wedding)...or might be that it's been 5 years since I've seen a lot of the friends that I had in College.
Whatever the case may be, I'm thankful to God for all the experiences, and like a friend of mine (Janice) reminded me I gotta stay in touch with my people.

So, in this the year of the Rabbit 2011, while of sound judgment and reasonably better financial status than other years, expect to hear and see more from me, my dear friends.

God Bless

And God speed with the wedding plans Collins

The Music of Pat Metheny – The Way Up

This song brings back dear memories to mind. It is my FIRST actual PMG recording purchase. I didn’t know much about it before it was released, but I played the heck out of the little snippet that they had available on his website, and I knew then that I had to have it. I had only just graduated from college that May of ’05, so this song forever stands as a hallmark of my coming of age.

Listening to it was something else altogether different. The Way Up has certainly polarized PMG fans; some do not like his new direction neither do they appreciate the fact that the typical PMG humming that they’ve come to love is only restricted to a mere 2 minutes in Part 3. A lot of his fans would describe this as his Magnus Opus. Judging from the complexity of just listening to the piece in its entirety, without having listened to his entire discography, I was already convinced that it was a masterpiece.

In the Opening, the Group goes all “space-age”, racing through a whole bunch of motifs and key changes. It literally starts off sounding like the cacophony from an oncoming train. It is a good introduction to the new line up and the vast array of sounds that they are capable of producing. (Until I watched the DVD version of this concert, it was nigh well impossible for me to know which instrument was producing which sound. The Ghostly whimpering from Cuong Vu’s trumpet is beautiful, and Metheny’s use of an E-Bow was a new experience for me).

Part I, starts off with the main theme (the first 4 minutes was the website snippet released to the public), played out in its simplistic beauty. A standout performance from Antonio Sanchez, his drum work sets this piece apart. Remaining as a force, ever present to guide the work through all its changes, and managing to keep it technical, but so very musical to even an untrained ear like mine.
This is the longest portion, but probably also the easiest for a person to digest first time around.

Part II - well, the crescendo about 2 minutes into it - presents us with a snippet of yet another theme, which is eventually fully elucidated in Part III. The Piano work of Lyle Mays is at its most beautiful and haunting within the relative stillness allowed in Part II. The PMG definitely “throws down” in Part II, guided first by Cuong Vu’s trumpeting, and then by the PMG lineup’s most unique inclusion - Greg Maret’s Harmonica. (Truthfully though, percussionist Nana Vasconcelo's "instrument" from Farmer's Trust, definitely takes the cake as strangest inclusion)

Part III begins with a deep resounding bass line and then settles into a full exploration of the aforementioned theme drawn from Part II. And towards the end, the wordless humming of the PMG draws us through to a beautiful climax: the main theme played out in beautiful artistic contemplation, each instrument adding its own nuance. Personally, hearing it lifts my soul each and every time: it is the crowning moment of a job well done. So much hope is imbued in the beautiful exploration of such a minute section.

I can certainly say that the first listen wasn’t easy …but this is not one of those pieces that you have to be trained to appreciate – the appreciation comes on its own. I once heard the expression,

Everytime you ought to rewind, you find there’s more to find

This work typifies that expression. It is so densely packed with planned nuances and little touches that are a joy to discover anytime you peruse through it. I have the joy of discovering each of these little jewels at my own pace, but I have to respect the genius who within a limited span of time planned for the pacing of it all, and the unity of the composition.

The Way Up, of late, has become something else to me – a source of hope. I recently listened to one of the PMG’s earlier recordings, where a nascent inkling of The Way Up’s main theme can distinctly be heard. This earlier recording predates the current release by about 30 years. To think that someone can be inspired so deeply, act on that inspiration, and not being satisfied retain that inspiration in his mind (allowing it to ruminate), and come back 30 years later and concoct a masterpiece…now that is certainly divine.

It gives me hope to think that perhaps the wisdom born of my mind and the yearning of my soul is indeed useful. I need to note down the vision, but I also have to be wary of what changes may come, and I might need some help clearing the vision up. I suspect that is what Lyle Mays is to Pat Metheny – a soundboard who understands what Pat’s vision is when everyone else might think he’s out of sorts.

5 years later, 5 years out of college, this masterpiece is always one I turn to, even while still discovering his earlier impressive discography that shows me what led up to the Magnus Opus.

Being back home, and the Referendum

It feels great to be back home after two years spent in Wenzhou, China.
Seems like nothing much has changed around here since I left. I’m just glad culture shock isn’t such a big deal after you’ve gone through it more than once. Yeah, right, I know….it’s China – which in some circles is still considered “developing” – but if you’ve been there recently, you’d know just how far ahead of the game China is. My favourite city, Shanghai, literally gives New York a run for its money.

Strangest thing I had happen to me this week was that I had to make a call to a Chinese teacher to sort some stuff out at school. I guess in the course of that conversation I must have dropped a few Chinese words or two. In any case, soon as I was done with the call, a Kenyan right next to me broke out in fluent Chinese (tongue-in-cheek) asking me whether I spoke Chinese. I’d have to meet, it was the most random place I ever expected to have a conversation in Chinese, but it shows me that perhaps there are more of us out there than I usually assume, and mayhaps it was a good decision to go to China.

Anyways, the gist of my entry is about the referendum that’s sets Kenyans abuzz with such euphoria lately. That people are so excited about something this meagre is partly confusing and a little embarrassing to me personally. Let me qualify my statement with the fact that recently a companion described me as being very “dismissive”.
A bit harsh of a classification I think (but I guess I’ll accept that characterization nonetheless).

Lord knows this country needs a good constitution and people have been neglected in the past. In that same vein of thought, a Good constitution would safeguard all the rights of the citizen, correct?
(At this point, Batman’s nemesis – the Joker – would poignantly ask “Then why so sad?”)

I’m not focusing on what the constitution says, good as it may be; rather, I’m focusing on the actors who are meant to implement the constitution’s requirements. As was commonly said in times past, “80% of the previous constitution was good; 20% was bad”
What we witnessed, however, was blatant snubbing of even the good part of that very same constitution. Bottom line is that without changing the “actors” or their “mindsets”, things are still bound to go down the same road no matter what constitution we choose.

In a related event, people have been complaining of our educational system, 8-4-4, claiming that it demands too much of our students, saddles them with too much technical knowledge. I would think the same of this referendum; for people to expect the common man to browse through tonnes of legal lingo (in their own free time for no fee), and come to the right decision is expecting too much. To help us out, they could at least have whittled the thing down to the 20% which is actually CONTENTIOUS.

And here is the reason why I am embarrassed – our legislators are actually paid tonnes of money to work out such matters. And ideally, this is boring work, which we pay them to do, so that we don’t have to deal with it (We salute a long list of professionals who we pay to deal with our mundane tasks, so that we don’t have to: Lawyers, Accountants, Auditors, Historians, Anthropologists, Geologists, etc)
Far be it from the MPs to even attempt to understand what they are doing, but they drum up a whole circus of festivities, trying to excite the common man about things mundane, and gain political mileage at the same time. And, adding insult to injury, they peddle their confusion to the gullible masses, so that as the Lord would say,
“…they take away the keys to knowledge; themselves not entering, and hindering those who wish to enter (the kingdom)…”

Most embarrassing of all is how they even got the church embroiled in this whole mess. I’m Catholic and fully pro-life, but the stupidity contained in the Church’s arguments leaves me shocked. As a future medical professional who’s done his bit on philosophy and ethics of care-giving, and reading the same constitution, I don’t know where they came up with the idea that the new constitution allows for anyone in an allied medical field (even physiotherapy or even Morgue attendants) to prescribe an abortion.

I’m embarrassed as a Christian, a future medic and as a human being that such lies are being peddled by “respectable” religious personalities. If they know they are lying, God will deal with them. If they are honestly ignorant, it only further proves the point that they are dabbling in matters for which they are not properly equipped; it obviously isn’t their calling.

So I’ll just sit out this little referendum, and hope people keep their heads despite everything. The proof is in the pudding for me – the implementation.
Shame on you legislators for failing your country yet again; for stirring up emotions where none were required at all; for gross dereliction of duty and for misleading your people yet again.

May God and this great land of Kenya forgive you for your failure.

Early one morning...

I was walking through one of the dorm kitchens early this morning and I came across the beautiful moth. Gone are the days when it was assumed that butterflies relegated their "cousins" to the ugly heap.

This particular beauty (hoping I got my classification right) should be a (Male) Luna Moth - Actias luna. Since these guys only last about one week in their adult life, I figure he's probably not got much time left. But even with finite and fragile aspects of life, God's creativity shines forth.

He actually freaked out one of my friends, but he's harmless. No mouth parts on him apparently, all his feeding was done when he was younger. Hence, despite the 4.5 inch wing span, short of flying at you, there really is nothing harmful he can really do to you.

For more info on other interesting moth species, you can follow the link below:
World's weirdest moths,

...and for a twist of something that's beautiful but deadly, check out the Asp Caterpillar

(Pics courtesy of Neha Drivya)

Lessons from the World Cup!

This has got to be the most arduous balancing act I've ever had to pull off to enjoy a World Cup. For the whole schedule to so perfectly coincide with my exam period here in Medical school means every moment spent watching a game has to be weighed against the missed studying time.

All things considered, it's been an enjoyable experience. Seems like karma's been putting things right with this World Cup (England-Germany disputed match of '66, France-Ireland qualification debacle, Italian win through questionable means in 2006...);

The exit of some big names early on in the tournament is proving something to most people (one point especially that my Mum always emphasized) - the fundamentals are very important, and no team, no matter how great it is can get by unless it is DISCIPLINED. There's no discounting the odd bad luck that may befall a team (preview Ghana vs. Uruguay), but lack of Discipline is a guaranteed faux pas. The dissension among the ranks in the English and French teams proves this.

Striking at the World Cup? The team that had the dubious distinction of pulling that move off in 2006 was Angola, and didn't the world breath a sigh of relief when that team didn't progress any further.
If I were to wax philosophical, I would say,

And over all these skills put on DISCIPLINE, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

I say this with particularly heavy-hearted emphasis on my own country Kenya's football aspirations. Plagued by chaos stemming from a Top-Down lack of recognition of what it takes to make a great team, we've always been disappointed in international competition. Not for lack of talent, nor opportunity, but a basic failure to inculcate discipline into our own ranks.

I think it is very telling that Nigeria would go so far as to suspend their National team from international competition for 2 years of basic rebuilding. Granted, not everyone might be able to pull this off, nor would it bode well for FIFA's planning if every country under the sun were just to up and take a 'sabbatical'...
...but, for my country's sake, maybe that's just what we need; breathing room to step back and gain a sense that the ultimate prize here is not individual fame and fortune, but the respect and honour that it brings to your Mother-Country. I can't think of a time when people are more united as when they cheer for the same team. All differences put aside, all hopes and prayers raised towards one end. That's the way I'd like to see my national team unite the country.

...And, having just watched the Ghana-Uruguay match, I would love it if we also had the chance to carry the continent's aspirations.
Unfortunately, lesson number 2, short and pithy as it is, comes from that same game,

Sometimes it's the lucky team that prevails

Contrary to pundit previews, Ghana was the better of the two teams today (hands down!!!). I guess the question then is whether you'd rather be "Good" or "Lucky"?

Anyhow, back to the old studies. Enjoy your World Cup, whichever team you support (GERMANY)

God Bless

The Medical Lecture Series

As a medical student, sometimes we cannot help but lose sight of what our finals goals are in the medical field, particularly because of the vast (and varied) scope of material that we are expected to cover within class. “Where does it all fit in? ...is it really of any use?”

Thus, it was rather timely that this semester has witnessed a fledgling effort by SIS students to bring more medical professionals from the WMC’s affiliated hospitals to the Chashan campus to give us a kind of ‘practical medical orientation’. The inaugural event consisted of a lecture held by Dr. Teng Hong Lin (’96), a spinal surgeon, and it covered Bone degeneration disease. The most recent lecture, held on April 29th at the Xu Guang Hall, featured Dr. Zheng Xiao Feng (’87), a general surgeon, who presented a case study on Perforation of the Ascending Colon, interspersed with video displays of laparoscopic surgery.

Truthfully speaking, the lectures were well-thought out and presented, and introduced us to the complexity of the DDx - ‘differential diagnosis’. In addition, it presented us with a tangible example of what the “finished product” of a fine medical education should look like – the elegance and poise that comes from the dedication to detail, with a resultant display of ‘Excellence, Honour, and Compassion’ in caring for any patient

Students who have had the chance to visit the 1st affiliated hospital for “Doctor-shadowing” during the last summer and winter holidays can attest to their familiarity with these two alumnae; and for the rest of the students, it was a wonderful chance for them to become acquainted with both the Dean and Vice-Dean of surgery at the hospital. Similarly, the doctors were enthusiastic about the response shown by the students in attendance and have agreed to work with the students towards broadening the scope of subsequent lectures by entrenching a ‘lecture series’ as a staple of the semester’s calendar.
(An immediate fruit of this was the invitation extended to all students to attend the surgical demonstration by Ohio State University’s Bradley J. Needleman, MD. this past Sunday - May 16th 2010 - at the 1st Affiliated Hospital’s Medical Center)

.......A heartfelt vote of thanks goes out to the doctors of WMC for availing themselves to remind us why we are proud to be part of the WMC family. (Also deserving noteworthy mention are Navin Chutturghoon and Mohamed AlHalwachi, two students whose antecedent efforts paved the way for the rapport between the perennially busy doctors and the underclassmen).

[Photography by Usman Asaf]

Medical Lecture Series

Well, today I finally got the impression that some plans I've been trying to put into action for sometime are actually workable.

This stems from last year, during which time Senior students at my school (Mohamed and Navin) serendipitously gave me the responsibility of acting as a liaison between the second year students and the doctors whom they had befriended at the hospital. This was a wonderful inroad that they paved, since it gave us students the chance to shadow the doctors at our Affiliated hospitals, and to gain a newfound sense of respect for the professionals allied to our school; but my deepest regret was that there was only a limited number of spaces available for students at the hospital.

I always felt it would be more convenient if the doctors could be brought to the school to present professional lectures before the students. Case presentations were a convenience that most teachers denied us in their theoretical classes, because they just assumed since we'd have to learn it in our 4th year, there was no reason to burden us with it. To tell you the truth, I think adding a little 'humanity' to the large tracts of text that we have to read sometimes help us remember why we chose this career path in the first place.

So, on the one hand, the doctors were ready to come on over, but it was a logistical idiosyncrasy that basically stalled the process. I always felt that something this important would have warranted the use of Xu Guang Hall, a very beautiful hall room within our school that is well suited to hosting multimedia presentations. Alas, I haven't been able to get the venue - I think I've been cursed with the bad luck of missing out during these past two semesters.

Well, today, forgoing the venue, we had the "maiden" presentation by Dr. Teng (Spinal Surgeon extraordinaire), and it reminded me of why I've been trying to get these doctors to come speak to us. He exuded a professional demeanor, an elegance that is testament to the great time he's spent honing his skills and the respect he shows for his craft. I think a lot of students need to see that, particularly when the routine gets a little arduous and boring, or when we begin to doubt that all this learning that we do is worth any good.

It is a blessing to have those in your midst who are gifted with the ability to teach. I look forward to getting more of our esteemed doctors to come speak to us, and I hope that the students can benefit from this experience as much as I have; my hope is renewed.

Thanks be to God

Easter 2010!!!

This was an awkward kind of week. The Lenten season had drawn to a close and I was looking forward to a glorious celebration of Easter - well hopefully, I was hoping to put more intention and effort into the Holy Week than I had with a "neglected" Lent.

Good Friday was weird. Sat down and listened to a sermon which was the antithesis of a sermon I had given the previous Easter.
Saturday was great. Went for the late night vigil at the Catholic Church downtown. It was all in Chinese, but with my ever-worsening knowledge of the Chinese language, I could still make out quite a bit (surprisingly!)

Rolling over into Sunday, the shocking report comes through that the "state-recognized" Church where we hold our services is on fire. Initial reports stated that the fire was small, probably confined to the area where we held our "English" service; a glimpse from afar presented me with a billow of smoke that was pretty foreboding...and a close-up view of the fire was devastating: top 3 floors were razed, and the 2 bottom floors were left untouched.

A fire is nothing pretty to watch..ever!!! A burning church on Easter Sunday is the most ominous thing ever. It's like something in the earth's essence was crying out.

A church is certainly not just the bricks, stone and mortar; it's the people most importantly. But still, I couldn't help feeling torn; that building was after all a rather powerful symbol. The first time I had seen it - a mere 3 years ago - despite the obvious fact that language would be the biggest barrier, it brought me great joy to find that Church, a striking contradiction in a land that for so long was considered none to tolerant of religion.
And on the first day we got to hold a service in that church, I was simply ecstatic. And since then we've held services there, hosted our Christmas party there (2009), and basically a part of the local Christians' family.

The fire didn't raze any of this camaraderie...but it sure strained things for all people involved. A lot of investment goes into "bricks and mortar", technology and all the fine trimmings that were used to accessorize the church.

All that's gone now, and I'm not exactly in a position to offer any sort of financial help; but as always I will offer up prayer: for peace of mind for those most affected by this tragedy; for the ability to recover quickly and rebuild things even better than before; and lastly, for unity in the church, despite everything that's happened.

Works: The First Kiss(2)

She is beautiful!
I Know not who she is, but this feeling escapes description.
She is no substitute for my FIRST…but she was never meant to be.
Heart of my own heart, she is my very lifeblood.
Even before I met her, I knew her. Her deepest memory etched beneath my very skin.
A lingering memory of her and all those before her now also ingrained in me.
I will never have to prove myself before her…but I would certainly relish the chance to do just that.

It’s criminal that something this great is free.
She is not of my own choosing; she’s Heaven sent.
She will find glory in my innocence and ignorance, and she will draw hope where I only glean despair.
Her touch will always be welcoming, a soothing balm for any malady.
Nestled so close to her, breathing in her scent – as pure as earth’s essence,
All fears vanish, my joy is complete.

She runs a hand through my hair; each stroke of each lock imparts a sweet little jolt.
Instinct has already taught me to loathe helplessness, ...
but her kiss reassures me that I can let my guard down, that I can trust her; that she will not hurt me.
To only she who could ever understand me so completely, to whom I owe an eternal debt,
I pledge my heart, come what may, to honor, love and edify.

好

Works: The First Kiss (1)

There’s no other way to describe it,
Except to say that I feel complete.

It’s just me and you, and you have me swaddled in endless serenity.
I know of no one else; nay, I need nothing else,
Except to reside in this one perfect moment
My mere presence pales in comparison to you,
But I understand the inherent beauty of it all:
You are the FIRST, and your love is the template against which I’m fashioned.

But something in your countenance tells me that I can’t stay.
I wouldn’t call it an apprehension...it’s more like a premonition.
Of one who’s arrived too soon; one who’s achieved the peak of success without an ounce of effort.
I see it oh so clear now – you have to let me go!
I’m simultaneously at my beginning and my end. I lie in this moment – timeless.

It’s not without a little reluctance on your part
It seems like you’re almost sad to see me go…like I may not make it back.
….but this rite of passage is not without its own merit. You’ll be letting me go, but I sense you’ll never be far off.
You embrace me, and you kiss my head so deep.
An emptiness stirs down within, and I know that I will never forget you.

(Ref: Ecclesiastes 11:5b)

To "fail because of sticking to one's principles" ... (Part II)

Time to finish off what I started.
Well, the details of the incident have been elucidated. I guess in the end I can only ask if all the ruckus was really worth it.

I figure I'm pretty docile most of the time, and I won't pick a (verbal) fight unless I really have to. For one, I've got to be pretty sure of myself before I plunge into anything.

But despite how justified or wronged I may have felt, there's also the need to assess how much of this was driven by pride. Recently the point about Submitting as if unto the Lord...despite circumstances is something I've had to mull over.
Being disconfirmed by the authorities was a definite insult; having to bear the punishment for a lapse not of my own doing, despite proposing an amicable solution was more salt on the wound.

I'd say that above all things, I was making a point for "precedent". Since the batch of students within which I currently find myself is practically a 'pioneer' group, I'm wary of the fact that any measures that are rashly imposed as a stop-gap reaction to our 'flaws' might become the Gold Standard for any future dealings with our issues.

If re-taking that test went as scheduled, we would merely have dealt with the symptoms and not the cause of the malady. And to tell you the truth, I think it was completely hare-brained of someone to steal the easy Preventive Med. paper, when there were far harder exams waiting for us in the wings

I was certain that if someone had stolen that easy paper, then they were bound to try something with the more difficult papers. There was no way I was going to subject myself to having to study twice for something like Pharmacology/Acupuncture/Lab Diagnosis.

At the end of the day, I think it's clearer that anticipating the idiosyncratic behaviour of my fellow students and drafting policy to deal with that is the only way to fix things. I didn't need a whole semester of Preventive Med to know that "Prevention is obviously better than cure".

As for me, I'm just going to lay low. Fielding THREE different sorts of allegations within half a week definitely made my life hell; I'd rather not have anyone expect me to step in to sort things out for a while...I'm keeping my distance.
...But at the end of the day, you'll still find me sticking to my principles; that is unless you can prove me wrong, in which case I'll do the honourable thing and just back down [I'm strong-willed, NOT Pig-headed].

God Bless

To "fail because of sticking to one's principles" or To "succeed by cowardice" - that is the question!

Hey everyone.
This story is a tad old, but the drama from this situation only recently cleared up, so I can address it now.

A most untenable situation played itself out during our previous exam period. One of the papers ended up leaked/stolen. Actually, whichever way you look at it, it was a minor mishap that was blown way out of proportion.

Truth be told, it was the culmination of minor mistakes by both teachers and students that had been allowed to fester for some time. The only thing was that when it was time to own up to the mistake, no one wanted to take responsibility.
The teachers, citing the 'devilishness' of the students, had resolved to have us retake the test a mere 3 days, (nay!) 2 days after the incident was discovered; meaning, we took the test on a Thursday (Jan 7), Friday (Jan 8) morning they declared the test void, slated the retake for Sunday(Jan 10), and then moved it to Saturday(Jan 9).

That might have been alright, were it not for that fact that there was no convenient time for the 'new' test in an already jam packed exam roster. The students on the other hand, were also sticking to their guns as 'thick as thieves'. Most students, were oblivious to the whole thing didn't mind a retake...they just wanted it on a different day. And some students were just against the idea of a retake altogether.

Thinking that communication between Teachers & Students was all that was needed, I got in there and asked students to sign a petition seeking a change of date for what was set to be an inevitable retake test and presented that to the Teaching Office. From my fellow students I got some half-hearted responses; some people would only pledge support when the crowds were there, but would definitely not be there for the long run; others went about diluting the process by holding on to the untenable notion that "...since they were not responsible for the mess up, they would not assent to a retake of the test."
And some students were in the precarious position of not being able to ask for any special favours from the school.

And nothing really positive came from the teachers. Some understood the stressfulness the students were facing, but they were powerless to control the situation, and some just straight out refused to listen. It seemed like the test would go on as planned.

To tell you the truth, the paper - Preventive Medicine - A general education course, was something I could have passed very easily...BUT it wasn't the thing that worried me. In only a few days I was set to take an Acupuncture test that scared me in a manner few things seldom ever do; and every spare minute I had was also spent preparing for the big finisher - PHARMACOLOGY.

For one measly (failed) test to demand so much time from me, in terms of studying again was too much to bear. (I was sure the teachers would set an even harder test to avenge our mischief....at least I would if I were in their place!!!)

For better or worse, I was just gonna sit out the test!
I'd tried the "diplomatic" thing with the people-in-charge, but that failed, so I felt like I had no other choice. Other students said they felt the same way, and so it seemed like people were just gonna sit out the re-take exam.

But this played itself out just like the situation with getting signatures for the petition - too many conflicting interests, too many confused people, some people suggested radical things which were sure to spiral out of control; and the clincher was that some people claimed they would only sit out the test if EVERYONE ELSE sat out the test (...as if I was meant to guarantee such a condition!)

Anyway, the day to retake the exam came, and we had decided we'd show up for the test, voice our disapproval at the way things were handled, and then just sit-it-out.

Ideally that's how things should have worked out!
At exam time, most of the student group - almost 130 - were camped outside one set of classrooms waiting to speak to someone with even an ounce of decent authority. But some students just sat down and took the test, which of course set off a chain-reaction whereby other students felt that they also had to take the test or suffer consequences.

Meanwhile, a shouting match of sorts ensued among the group of students who were still sticking to their guns. "Mob Mentality" had set in, and I thank God nothing drastic happened (I'm not exactly in a place where this kind of dissent is tolerated). But at that point all was futile! I just tried to calm things down a tad, 'cause I was wasting time - I needed to be studying. I said what I had to and left.

In the end, only 49 of us sat-out that test. At that point it was merely a numbers game. This was an embarrassing situation for our school in particular, and I didn't know how they wanted to address it.
If the number of dissenters was very low, hard punishments could easily have been meted out. Another thing was the character of the dissenters, and that made the difference between the incident being viewed as a 'tantrum' or a 'valid complaint'.

Our names are labels, plainly printed on the essence of our past behaviour

It did help that we had a list of scholarship recipients among our ranks, and I know it spoke in our favour. So luckily a few things went in our favour

1. I was not expelled
2. I didn't lose the scholarship from the school
3. I got to retake the test - devoid of any ill effect - last week

Some things didn't go so well though.

1. This amorphous group of students was brought together in a semblance of unity not previously seen before, but the fall out from the whole incident means that type of unity probably won't be seen again.

2. The embarrassment to the school breaks my heart. "Their glory is my glory" and I wish things could have worked out better.

3. Some people turned on me. It was bad enough to find yourself standing without support in the midst of all the goings-on, but it was even worse to turn around and hear that students accused me of forcing them to sign the petition and Lord knows what else.

That last bit hurt. Almost made it seem like there's never any good reason for standing up for something

(Really long post...I'll round it up in the next one....)

In the fullness of His time

I feel really blessed lately.

Things seem to be coming together for a lot of people that I love. Kinda hard to go through life feeling that you're not living up to your full potential...and God knows this is a really thankless world already...but having to live through it as one disconfirmed really makes it that much worse.

That's why it feels really good when things take a turn for the better for people whom you feel really deserve good from this world.

God has put eternity in the hearts of men, but we cannot tell what He has done from beginning to end! The wisdom of Solomon indeed.

In the fullness of His time all things come to pass as He wills them, and I'm sure glad He has a handle on things in this ever changing world. More than that, I'd like to thank Him for putting up with all the whining, procrastination, excuses and sheer disappointment that undoubtedly comes from placing His trust within our hands time and time again.

A mark of recognition also goes out to those who look ahead and pray blessings into our lives. Mothers, Fathers, family, friends who pray into the life of something so new, with such infinite potential that the road ahead cannot be fathomed; in all things putting decent humble prayer, and despite the chance that they may not see the fruits of that prayer realized, forsaking comfort and being able to trust in One so Faithful, so Loving, who hears every word and brings those prayers borne of humility to fruition.

Never did I feel so happy in this life as when fate and the bustle of life rendered me powerless...powerless enough to just teach me to reach out and embrace Him the way I was always supposed to: as His docile child. Powerless in His hands I was initially created, and yet again powerless my soul will eventually return to Him.

With what time I have left - each precious moment - I dedicate to Him and His purpose. And to this world, His world, I will freely render my gifts just as they were freely given unto me. And when I think of someone in need, if there's nothing more within my power that I can do, I will at least intercede for you, as countless others have interceded for me and were never put to shame.

In the fullness of His time He makes all this right.

I Love my Catholic Tradition

I just attended Catholic Mass today!

Ideally, that seems like a mere paltry event, but considering that I live in Wenzhou, (South East) China, which is relatively unknown to most foreigners, it is nothing short of amazing.

Not long ago I had mentioned my adventure with regards to tracking down the Catholic Church within my city. Well, since late last year, a number of like-minded Catholics have also tracked the Church down, and we now have a fledgling "English-Speaking" fellowship - which gets to have an English Mass on the 3rd Saturday of every month.

I love Catholic tradition, particularly its solemn tones; I always loved being able to sit back in Church and marvel at the work it took to put together a service, particularly the music section. I fondly remember Ms. Kioko from Our Lady Queen Church [based in Karen, Nairobi] - our Organist.
The time she devoted to the church and her meticulous understanding of her art form always impressed me, and examples like these urge me to share my gifts (musical or otherwise) with the rest of this world



I really love tradition, and I miss the Latin Mass. Haven't attended one in quite some time. I especially loved "The Missa de Angelis" - Latin Mass VIII.
We (international students) get to perform all the musical pieces during the Mass, and gladly, in a blessed happenstance,I got to perform a duet of "Sanctus".

It blesses my heart to be able to praise the Saviour in a manner that my predecessors initiated. And in all that time since, I can share in the richness of those traditions. The continuity is astounding, and it binds me more closely to a 2000 year old mystery (with all its antecedents) and everyone who played a special part in it.

And, as we sang it, I was delighted to hear the Chinese celebrants (most of whom barely spoke English) join in with their Mandarin version of the lyrics.
This universal loves binds us all. It reminds me that within Christ, we are one body - many parts, but one body nonetheless.

God Bless

Advice for A Fledgling Parent.

Happy New Year!
Old habits really die hard, but I'm hoping to start this year by making more regular entries to the blog.

This past Sunday I was privileged to attend the naming ceremony of Baby Joshua Terry Allan Kommey, my classmate's son. Born in the glorious month of October, exactly one week after my birthday (mine - 11th, his - 18th), he's a welcome addition to the family.

Friends of the Kommey family contributed towards making it a special occasion with songs from our choir, a christening performed by Terry Sills, and lighthearted anecdotes. And then Emcee put us on the spot, asking us to give advice to the new parents.

To tell the truth I didn't exactly feel I was the one meant to impart wisdom to the parents. Being a lastborn (of sorts), I've never had to raise any of my siblings or younger cousins. And currently, being as single (content nonetheless) as I am right now, I didn't mean to make light of the obvious feats faced by my friends and their little bundle of Joy.

I just had to wax philosophical.
In learning about temperament recently - seeing it as the blessing that it is whether in the Brooding Melancholic, Controlling Choleric, Boisterous Sanguine or the Peaceable Phlegmatic - I can only imagine what parents have to deal with.

Each child is unique! Each is a gift that shows up without a manual (...and unfortunately the gift can't be returned!) And despite it all, the parents are expected to do a good job.
I think it would probably be easier on every parent if they had a Sanguine for a child, one with such outward expression of joy (and occasional mischief) such that the parents would be sure their child was FINE

Imagine having to deal with the quiet, overly shy child! I'm sure introversion from children sometimes causes parents to contemplate that their child might have some emotional deficits, or more likely be a candidate for Schizophrenia or social separation.

But with each child, their temperament is just as much a part of their destiny as any other integral part of them; a God-given eccentricity that enables them to perceive a unique set of colours in the vast palette with which God painted this world.

DESTINY! What it always comes down to! Terry reminded us that Children are basically 'on loan' from God to their parents.

When they're young they rely on their parents; when they grow older, they seek out INDEPENDENCE; when they grow even older, they learn to rely on their parents' wisdom once again and their community - INTERDEPENDENCE; finally, when we grow even older, our knowledge comes full circle and we learn to trust in God more fully as "the little children" that we'll always be to Him - MATURITY

I tend to think of the role of a parent in a rather crude way:
"A Parent's job is to train you well enough so that they can kick you outta the house!"

OK let's soften that punch. This is not meant to portray any insinuations of animosity between parent and child. A parent is only meant to train you to find God and to believe in yourself and your abilities.
The beauty of being 'Predestined' is that you can be assured that in as much as you have a plethora of talent that you may be clueless about, there is a SPECIFIC God-given use that it serves. As long as you're following God, author of your destiny, you can't go wrong.

So my advice to a new parent is short -
1. teach your child to seek after God, and the child will slowly inch his/her way towards that destiny [...the opposite path would be the for parent to decide the child's destiny - a massive mistake by all counts].

2. learn your child's temperament, and nurture its strengths and mildly embrace and smooth out its weaknesses

May God grant parents everywhere hearts full of abundant Love, Patience, and the Joy of achieving the impossible in a crazy world: raising us to be Loving, Responsible and God-fearing.

God Bless

Finding Joy in the Small Things in Life

Look at how rapidly the time passes! (My neglect for this blog is certainly showing :)

Anyway, I had the deep joy of being able to preach on "Contentment" recently, which surprisingly is something the Church skirts around (...in favour of a Prosperity-laden message in some quarters).

That message will be up here soon, but it is long...even by my standards. Sadly, what you're forced to cram into 40 minutes using the 'gift of gab', turns into quite a long transcript when finally penned down. But I must admit, the message is beautiful.

Instead, on this tour, I'll give you one analogy of life that, unfortunately, I had to delete from my sermon (time constraints!)

...So, I was in my bathroom the other morning getting ready to wash my face; then, on the glistening sink surface, I spotted this little ant. [seems everything from humidity to rain to wintry cold occasionally brings some ants into anyone's life]. That little ant was perched next to a drop of water, and he was literally cleaning himself so meticulously, just sprucing himself up - Antennae, Legs, Body.
Like a good episode of the Discovery Channel's shows (minus the "Peeping-Tom" factor), I watched this intently for about 3 minutes...

I bet everyone has one of those moments when you come face-to-face with the Creator through something on this earth. I'm more impressed when it comes through the simple things - the kind money could never ever buy.

I imagined for a second where a situation similar to this could have played out, and my mind just set on Jesus as He told His disciples not to worry. In the midst of blessing His followers with this message, His mind (and probably His gaze) was transfixed by the wild Lilies of the field, and He noted that those lilies in their mere simplicity were more marvelously clothed than great King Solomon could ever have dreamed. [And who better to know this than Jesus, since this whole world was created through Him]

I have something of a love/hate relationship when it comes to grass and/or wild herbs. When I took my Plant Taxonomy class, classifying and identifying massive trees was hard enough. But Dr. David Foster - good friend and upright individual as he was - always knew what would draw a protest from me in particular:

"...today, let's study and classify some grass..."

For someone who, despite having an Agricultural Consultant for a father, remained practically disinterested in plant life, it was beyond difficult. God (sadistically) had placed so much detail into "mere grass" such that to differentiate it I literally had to be armed with a magnifying glass in my hand, and the added Patience of a Saint.

So, yes, Jesus example of the Lilies is definitely not lost on me; and neither is another thing - looking at that ant that morning, it reminded me that if God can put that much thought, detail, beauty into the small unnoticeable things of this world...THEN WHAT MORE WILL HE DO FOR HIS OWN CHILDREN?

Take home message: Be content!
To put a new spin on a cliche, "God is in the details".

Most of the time, we're probably hoping He moves a mountain just so we know He's around, but I'm happier knowing that

"...He knows my name, He knows my every thought, He sees each tear that falls, and He hears me when I call."

Thank you for everything Father! For making everything beautiful in its time, and placing Eternity within our hearts. May we inch closer towards beginning to understand.

Tending to the long overdue

I took a trip out into the city yesterday and finally did something that was seriously long overdue: I tracked down the local Catholic Church here in Wenzhou.

Don't get me wrong - it's not like I've been a heathen all this time. I'm part of a local church we medical students put together, and, despite my introvert nature, I get to drop a sermon every semester in front of the congregation.

But going down to the Catholic Church was something long overdue. Let's just put it down to laziness [because I'd actually sighted the church once 2 years ago when a rather crazy taxi driver - a lady no less - cut through the city in a bid to get us to our destination as quickly as possible; (sanity intact optional)]. So I actually knew it was there. Shamefully, on my last trip to Shanghai, I only spent 3 days in the city, and would you believe I managed to track down and pray in that Catholic Church on my way back to the medical school.

Someone would wonder what the fuss is about a little ol' church - "a (Christian)church is a church after all, right?"
In some ways that is true, but personally, the Catholic church is one of my touchstones no matter where I am. I remember back in 2002 when I was in Grantham, Pennsylvania at Messiah College, and my first visit to the Elizabeth Ann Seton Church helped clear the bout of homesickness that I was feeling.

The things which put some people off about Catholic churches just seem to draw me closer:
1. The well established liturgical tradition, which is practically the same no matter which part of the world you'll find yourself in.
2. There's something about the ornate decoration, the quiet pace of things and the traditional structure that reaches out to the melancholic in me [...the pull was even stronger after my break-up in 2006, and if ever there was a time I seriously considered joining the priesthood, it was then.]
3. The chance of maybe catching a Latin mass; I loved them, but it's probably been 8 years since I've taken part in one. I sorely miss them.

I've seriously been needing a touchstone in my life lately. I'm feeling like that line in the Goo goo Dolls Song "...bleeding just to know that I'm alive".
And I'm glad to say that doing a long neglected duty helps bring the spark back to the ordinary mundane life.

Thank God for finding contentment in the "small victories" in life.

A Good Death/The Benefits of the Cross

(My sermon from Easter Sunday '09 delivered to the Wenzhou Medical College Christian Fellowship)

Hymn: How deep the Father's love for us by Stuart Townsend

How deep the Father's love for us,
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

How great the pain of searing loss,
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the chosen One,
Bring many sons to glory

Behold the Man upon a cross,
My sin upon His shoulders
Ashamed I hear my mocking voice,
Call out among the scoffers

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished

I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection

Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
(REPEAT)

I’d like to thank you all for this opportunity that you have given me to address this congregation on this very special occasion. In case you may not have noticed it, I was privileged to address you during Christmas, and now during Easter; so I guess the experience has come full-circle because I get to speak during the commemoration of Christ’s Birth and Death/Resurrection.

In the Christian Church, two seasons in particular are the most celebrated: Advent, which culminates with Christmas, and Lent, which culminates with the Holy Week. The reason for this is that these two seasons in particular are the fulfillment of God’s promise of redeeming humanity by restoring that bond (between God and humanity) that was damaged by sin.
The sermon today principally addresses the notion of “A Good Death”, and for some it seems like I’m taking a step back. In some Christian traditions, Lent is a really somber reflective period during which the “alleluia” and “Gloria” tend to be omitted from the services, and, in particular, Good Friday, is a day when (in the Catholic tradition) the Church is left dark, and people retreat, only to return for the Candle light vigil on Saturday night, and rejoicing breaks out on the morn of Easter Sunday (Resurrection Sunday) replete with chants of “Gloria” and “Alleluia”.

So, it seems like I’m taking people back a step by focusing on “Death” at this point, so please bear with me (the message is just as pertinent).

In celebrating Christ’s Death, one issue in particular usually trips up a lot of individuals: Christ’s choice of last words. “My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?
Depending on which of the Gospels you read (Matt 27:45-46; Mark 15:34;
Luke 23:46; John 19:30), His last words can either be,

a) “My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?”
b) “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”
c) “It is finished”

It would not be too far-fetched to imagine that He actually did say all of these things before He passed away; the problem appears to be the various ways in which people interpret this one statement (“My God, My God…). Concerning this issue, I have heard the following explanations

i) Jesus was delirious with pain, hence in deep agony He blurted out this answer
ii) Jesus felt abandoned by God
iii) God had actually abandoned Jesus because the Son was covered with our infirmities and God abhors sin. (Ref: 2 Cor. 5:21; Hab. 1:13; 1 Pet. 2:24.)

I have a different view, which becomes clearer once you examine the notion of “A Good Death”

In defining A Good Death, I think Christ came pretty close when, in John 15:13, He talks of a person laying down his life for his friends as a great act of love. On a personal note, this is my definition of the best of deaths:

To die peacefully in one’s bed, surrounded by the ones you love, having made peace with God and fellowmen (…and ideally, parents should be buried by their children)

From the start, my notion of death seems is at odds with Christ’s death, because in His particular case His mother witnessed His suffering, and eventually laid Him to rest. However, from the prophecy of Simeon in Luke 2:35 (“…a sword will pierce your heart…”), I think it’s safe to say that His mother knew, especially towards the end, that her son’s own death would precede hers. In contrast to this, I will also give you my definition of a bad death:

To be walking down the street, and getting tragically run over as you cross the road. Barely a moment for your life to even flash before your eyes, and no chance to say goodbye to anyone or put your affairs in order

I think every person on this earth would at least want to have Dismas’ chance of earning some last minute salvation (Luke 23:39-43). I am basing this on two very important aspects of what impending Death means for our lives.

1. Clarity of mind
Death forces you to come to terms with what’s important in your life. I recall once as a college student, a situation in which I rode my bicycle and slammed face-first into a brick wall. In the space of time that it took me to pick myself up, clean my wounds and rush to the clinic for a check-up (roughly 5 minutes), I noticed that the vision in my right eye was severely affected (akin to a fuzzy TV screen).

In that moment when I realized that something that I usually take for granted was gone, everything else faded in importance. My clarity in the situation was perfect: that which I was about to lose was worth more to me than anything else I ever hoped to gain. At that point I just had to negotiate with God, and I believe I just might have promised Him the world so long as I did not permanently lose the use of my right eye.

Suffice it to say, I recovered the use of my eye after (A LONG!) seven or so extra minutes, and my eyesight is unaffected. I’m sure you can appreciate the parallel between this situation and that of impending Death…only with Death, it is starkly more serious. Then you learn, or are forced to come to terms with those things that matter most in this life. Knowing that “…Man is fated to die once and the face judgment…” (Hebrews 9:27), you will reflect on all the wise sayings laid out in the book of Proverbs and a myriad more laws contained in the Bible. But principally, I think you would remember the Greatest Commandment – To Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and your neighbour as love yourself yourself (Mark 12:32-33)”

Hence, you have to be at peace with God, and to be at peace with God you also have to be at peace with your fellowmen, especially those whom “the fingerprint” of your life directly affects.

2. Making peace with God & fellowmen.
In the typical model of a parent ideally being buried by his/her children, my mind is directed toward that time in most College-aged students’ lives when, having left home for the first time, their parents (and elders) load them with knowledge in terms of typical parental/family requests. These usually go beyond the typical “study hard”, “avoid mischief”, “keep good company” type of advice, and delve into other issues like
 “the type of tribal affiliation of which they are forbidden from bringing back home as a fiancé/fiancée."
 “the distinct vocation that they are supposed to undertake in College” (usually based on the fact that the family is renowned for producing generations of doctors,lawyers,etc... and so like it or not, you too must be a ...”
 “the type of things that you must attain for the family once you start to work”, etc.

As relates to parents, God laid out a specific commandment (No.5) emphasizing how children are meant to honor them. Deut 5:16 spells this same law out with a promise of longevity for the children. However, when you get down to tracts like Col 3:18-21 & Eph 6:1-4, you can see that God also expects the parents to treat their children in such a way that they will not end up frustrated. So, impending death safely sweeps away all the accessory requests and things are distilled to the bare minimum.

In also remembering that Jesus Himself warned us that God would judge us for every careless word that we utter (Matt 12:36), the words from a dying person are weighed more importantly. In my own view, the words of a dying person can be measured in Gold.

So, with these two issues in mind (Clarity of mind, making peace with God & Fellowmen), we still have to address the issue of Christ’s words (“My God, My God…).
One very important thing we must remember is that any words that our Lord uttered are steeped in the “shared experience” of His society. We would tend to lose the meaning when we decontextualize things; literally, we ought to best understand them in terms of “shared experience”.

Borrowing a lesson from my “communication’” classes in college, I remember that it was estimated that as much as 75% of our interpersonal communication could consist of non-verbal cues. What I find, especially the closer our relationships are, is that even within the minor portion expressed through language, there is a point at which we can anticipate each other’s responses; hence, we can deduce entire meanings by merely being given either the beginning or ending of certain phrases.
For example:
“God is good…” in certain circles immediately evokes the response “…all the time”
“The Lord is my shepherd…”
“To everything there is a time, and a season for every activity under the sun.”
“I have a dream...” Ideally this can be ambiguous, but once someone hears the long drawn out Bishop-type overtones used to convey these words, then they are immediately associated with Martin Luther King jr.
“Our Father…”
In our particular fellowship, hearing the cue “Surely…” immediately evokes the response "…goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…” (Psalm 23:6)

One example of personal significance comes from my past. In slightly less than 2 months, I will celebrate the 10th anniversary since my father passed away. My family consists of five children (3 elder siblings and a twin brother). However, during my father’s last days, my 3 elder siblings were abroad; hence, it was only my mother, a close family friend, my twin brother and I, who were around to hear my father give his last true testament a few days before he passed away. He had brief specific advice for each of us, but when he got to me, the 4th child, he paused a bit longer than usual. My mother prodded him twice with the question: “What advice do you have for Opiyo?”

At last his answer was thus: “Opiyo, Open up!”

My legacy from my father is in reality a mere 2 words long!
However, because I knew my father, and he knew me, I know exactly what he meant, and it honestly is a hard task trying to fulfill this mission till this day because it carried a lot of depth.

With this guiding notion of “shared experience”, to understand Christ’s words on that day, we ought best to understand what His “shared experience” was. We could of course base it in His Jewish roots, or the small town of Nazareth where He grew up; but, in light of His importance as “the word” (John 1:1), an ideal shared experience of Christ is actually a firm understanding of the Bible because it all points to Him.

There is a sentiment that we start to see in the Bible as early as the Book of Joshua (Joshua 1:8), where Joshua is advised to meditate on the Law (day and night). By the time we get to Jeremiah (Jer 31:31-34), this sentiment has changed somewhat, and it is carried in this very form into the New Testament (Roman 2:12-15; Heb 8:10; Heb 10:16): the law is written on their hearts.

The Bible’s message is most potent when it infuses our very being – when it becomes one with our heart, soul and mind. Such an issue perturbed Jesus concerning the Pharisees because they revered the very Word that alluded to Him, but did not understand the Word well enough to practice it in its entirety.
Suffice it to say, if we understand the Word, we understand Him (Jesus). We also need to reflect on the fact that some of the things Christ did were specifically for our benefit and not His; being of one being with the Father, He knew exactly what the Father desired (John 11:41-42); the manifestations were principally for the benefit of our disbelieving hearts.

With this in mind, we can now look to the Bible for specific precedents with regards to Christ’s words, and surprisingly, they are the first line of David’s lament in Psalm 22. The “lament” is a unique stylistic device that may not exactly be familiar to most people. Though, in the course of life’s hardships we usually question whether God sees our suffering, this does not mean that we mistrust Him or have despaired. Reading the whole of Psalm 22 (lengthy as it is) should convince anyone that these are not the writings of someone in despair. If anything, this person (David) still persists in his faith despite being openly mocked for it (Verse 9).

This sense of victory and trust in God is clearest in the last third of this Psalm (Verse 22-31), and the last words in verse 31 (“…for he has done it.”) sound exactly like “It is finished” (John 19:30). Notice also that the whole incident plays out just as Christ’s Passion, so finally we see that there was nothing random about the choice of this Psalm.

And I believe that this is the most perfect translation of Christ’s words. There was no despair in Him despite how bad things were. "It was His love that held Him there…” as the song says. Even as He lay dying, knowing how distraught and frightened it would make His followers, there He still is giving us hope. Ideally, Christ could have quoted a lot more benign sounding things in His last words; He could have used the more user-friendly Psalm 23 or Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (of a poetic quality widely approved by Christian & non-Christians alike). But just as I experienced with my own father, even with a drastic economy of words, you can convey the deepest of meanings to those whom you’re intimately associated with.

And this is what A Good Death comes down to: HOPE. In 1 Peter 3:15, St. Peter wrote that we should always be ready to give an answer as to the reason for the hope that we have. In dying, as everything becomes truly clear, we are forced to answer this question. In my father’s last testament, he let me know that he knew where he was going, and this fulfilled my hope for him; and, in his confidence, he spelled out his hopes for me, and what was necessarily for my life.
Hope shared, hope building upon hope, my father’s hope in his destiny reassuring my own hope for his destiny, and his hopes for my life passed down to me such that despite his absence, there is still continuity.

This is the same thing that happened with our Lord. There is no ambiguity in His words, there is no despair, and there is no weakness. He is simply giving us Hope (as He always has), and that is why this was A Good Death.

Not one to end on a somber note, I’ll also give you the Benefits of the Cross portion of this sermon.

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*You know what God will do for you, how far He’ll actually go.

In my last sermon, I mentioned that the ways of this world play out like a game of chess: the King is protected at all costs, and everybody else can be sacrificed first (the lower the status, the more likely the quicker you’ll be sacrificed - pawns).
This is probably why Christ’s death troubled people so much that they had to come up with ways of explaining it. Two very unique heresies arose because of this: one asserts that Christ was not fully human, implying He did not bear as much pain as we would expect on that cross; the other suggests that God cast the image of Jesus on a certain traitor, and it was in fact this man who was crucified while Jesus was safely spirited away (Ref: The Gospel of Barnabbas).
These heresies are probably meant to soothe the soul, but inadvertently they commit the same mistake as St. Peter in Matt 16:23 when he put the things of men above those of God. The reality is that our King died for us, for the not-so-bad to the most wretched ones among us. Truly, the Father’s Love for us RUNS DEEP.

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*I once read someone’s Facebook status and the message put up was:
“Back home life is hard right now; that’s how you know history is being made”

Bringing us to yet another truth: we are more likely to reflect on God’s true power when the illusion of grandeur and control is stripped away. In those moments when we are truly broken, when hope is at an end, when we just can’t go on, then, as St. Paul proclaimed, “…God’s power is made perfect in our weakness.” (2 Cor 12:9)
And when we do realize how powerful He really is, then we understand that He is not limited by circumstance. After all, who else could elevate such a notorious torture tool as the cross into such a revered symbol for believers the world over?

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*Finally, I would like to reflect on Ephesians 2:10
“We are God’s creation, created in Christ to do good works that He prepared in advance for us to do”

In a prelude to the sermon, Oliver (Bennet) talked about God’s aim to Re-concile and Re-connect us to Him; to basically Re-generate us. And in my reading of this verse, I have always understood that it spoke of the original unspoiled plan; that God always meant for us to do these good works, and as soon as we strayed from the path, He always intended to bring us back, and He set this work of salvation into play. Hence, none of this is random. The God who made us from nothing cares for each one of us and He desires for us to be with Him, and He acts upon that.

In relation to this, and in closing, I reflect upon my very first chapel at (Daystar) University. While we the students sat there, naïve as ever, the Chaplain laid depressing words upon our hearts in his opening speech:

“Every system in this world will fail you!”

He then went on to expound on how every system that we rely on in this world (parents, friends, finance, etc) would one day fail us. But at the end, he brought things full circle and he completed his opening statement:

“Every system in this world will fail you….BUT THE LORD WILL NEVER FAIL YOU!”

I wish you all a happy Easter, and hope the joy and clarity of mind that this season bring will never be far from your heart. May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Amen.

The Voice of the Defeated

Man, I know things are bad when someone's gotta remind me that I haven't placed a blog entry in a while. So, for the love of all things deep, here's my thought for the moment.

(Interesting thing happened since I last blogged...Seems my college has wisened up to the idea of blogging, so I no longer have to do this via proxy. What a welcome change!)

My prayers go out to all the people who were affected by the recent Gaza strip incident involving the Israelis and the Palestinians. It's going to take quite a lot to fix that situation, especially way more than George Bush (jr) - the person who once had enough power to spearhead the effort - ever put in.

Listening to Sarah Palin during the run up to the election, I just heard the reiteration of George Bush's position on the whole state of Mid East affairs:

"We (and Israel) are the good guys and the rest are bad guys."

Not exactly the conciliatory tone needed in this situation. Then recently during Obama's tour of Israel he of course stated that he wouldn't feel at ease if rockets were falling within earshot of his family's house, and he would of course try to keep them safe.

Snapshots aside, Obama's sentiments are universal. It is not merely an Israeli or American position to want to keep one's family safe; it is also a Palestinian position....ultimately, a human attribute. Therefore, with each victim racked up on either side, whether considered "collateral damage" or "terrorist-attack victim", the same human emotions are evoked: grief and anger. Given no rational level-headed outlets, you can pretty much expect radical alternatives as a means to settle the situation.

Another snapshot here: I'm reminded of an Introductory Bible class that I sat through in College, when one Prof. suggested that

"Christians are descendants of Abraham - through Isaac - just as the Israelis are; hence, we should side with Israel in what they do."

OK, I may have been attending a Christian College,....but come on! Immediately my critical thinking forced me to go over anything I learnt in that class (and any other religious classes) with the utmost scrutiny. People just get lazy when it comes to religion. No wonder it had that "opiate of the masses" label tagged to it.

Judging from history, everyone knows that the Israelis have had it very very rough. The holocaust and all other shames that they've been forced to live through are an embarrassment to humanity. But, luckily I'd say, at least the world recognizes that injustice; it is declared worldwide in the history books for the most part (in some countries it's even a punishable offence to deny the holocaust), and I believe some compensation has even been paid out. This is a mere token of course, never making up for even an iota of what happened...but my point is that this sin against humanity did not go unrecognized.

But there are more sins out there that are still not recognized. My mind flashes back to a Facebook debate I had with one American on a totally unrelated topic.
(Despite being Christian, I don't hesitate to hold Non-Christians, particularly Gandhi & Confucius, in the highest of regard for many of their views which sounding very Christian in their tone reflect that humanity is not totally-depraved.)
Anyway, my counterpart tore into Gandhi, blaming him for the tensions between India and Pakistan, and painted him as a "thorn in the side" of the British, what with all their plans to improve the standard of living in India.

I was shocked to say the least. If my counterpart had been more of a radical, he might have called Gandhi a terrorist. From my experience with people who've experienced Colonialism in all its glory, which is the vast proportion of this world, I know Gandhi is lauded as a peacemaker. But, the vast majority of this world only speaks with "the voice of one defeated"; one who has been put to shame. These people do not write the history books - the Victors do.

That's why the Aborigines in Australia had to wait till last year (2008) to get an apology for all the wrongs that were wrought on them; Nelson Mandela, proudly described as a terrorist by Margaret Thatcher, only got taken off the USA's terrorism list late last year. That man whom the world respects, imprisoned for dealing with an unjust system (an unjust system which the British had no qualms about supporting), and for the longest time he's still considered a terrorist.

And for me the injustice still lives on; to be born only one generation after colonialism ended in my country, to have relatives who lived through it and its injustices, still having to live with colonialism in some ways because the tools have changed ("Economics" vs. yesteryears "Brute Force")...only for an American student & his history professor to glorify a moment when my countrymen were put to shame.

That is the voice of the defeated.

Now, let's reflect back to the Palestinians. Land issues have always been a big problem, particularly when it comes to this colonialism issue. Some wars in Africa concerning lands (even now in the 21st century) trace their roots to the manner in which the African continent was partitioned. Lord knows shortly after independence that wars fought in the name of re-unifying lands lost to other countries could have taken a dastardly toll on the continent, but somehow the situation did not explode.

Back to the Palestinians and their land issue. The Zionist movement to restore the Jews to their homeland, which was colonized by the British, was effectively a one-sided affair. People in power felt it had to be done, and that homeland was established, neglecting the fact that the Israelis had been gone for so long, scattered so far and wide, that the people who were brought back were practically "alien" to the Palestinians among whom they were meant to be settled.
And to go from that, to the current state of affairs where Israel calls the shots in the region, and the Palestinians are basically a bunch of refugees who have to beg the rest of the world so that they can establish a country of their own is a particularly saddening affair. And it all happened as the world looked on.

This is why thus far, Americans, the people the world looks upon to fix this whole mess, have barely been able to do anything, especially lately. They do not understand the Language of the defeated. Personally, as I rue in my state of defeat, I'm more likely to retreat into my shell and recite the last line of Psalm 137 for my enemies - Happy are those who seize your children and smash them against a rock. But the people of the Middle East, particularly the radicals, deal with things in a totally different way...the kind that goes boom!

I look up to Mr. Obama to fix this situation, because judging from his collective past, he more than any recent American leader understand what it means to be put to shame, and that those feelings of shame, grief and anger do not vanish simply because the history books may have written them away.

Bring back the voice of the moderate in that region. Tame Israel's wanton destruction because bloodletting only begets more bloodletting. Take away the foot soldiers of the radicals by protecting the innocent children, mothers, fathers and extended families from harm, for truth to be told, if as a Child I got to see my Mother's life sacrificed in the name of "Collateral damage", I can't deny that I wouldn't consider making a similar example of my enemy's mother too.

For just like Mr. Obama and everybody else, at the start of each day, and its eventual end, I pray for my family to be safe, no matter which side of the line I sit on, no matter which country, creed or race I claim - I want my family to be safe.