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ESQUINA DE NANCY |
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"“THROUGH THE EYES OF A CHILD”" |
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October 2006 |
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One humid night in May this year, I was in the swing with my youngest daughter Gracie, she’s ten and we were singing Sunday school choruses just after dinner. And without any warning at all, the lights went off.
By the way, I went home for a vacation in the Philippines this summer because my elder daughter (BabyShayne) is graduating from elementary School. She’d been asking me to bring her to Pangasinan in Luzon right after her Graduation, that’s where my elder sister lives and she wants to live with them and to spend her high school over there, the reason? She just can’t stand her younger sister anymore. She just wants to get rid of her because according to her, not a day goes by that they won’t fight. So I spoke to my mum and my sister about it and after deliberate considerations, we agreed.
So off we went and took this trip after my daughter’s graduation. I spent my entire time with them and I almost kill myself because, she was right. I’ve seen it myself how difficult Gracie was. Shayne claims that she’s unreasonable, stubborn, hard headed, annoying…Hmmm.how can I put that in one word? Aha! Spoiled brat! Yah, that’s it, or maybe? Well, whatever. The point is, Shayne is really, really dying to be separated with her sister,” poor thing”. Anyway, so we traveled from the end of the Philippine map to the other end. We actually enjoyed each other’s company with all the relatives but not with out the agonizing and head-splitting fighting of these two sweet girls of mine. Sweet? Yes they were, and they still are when they were asleep but I love them soooo, very much, they means the world to me, mind you. Children are children, they can be angels sometimes and they can be monsters many a times but no matter what, they are still the angels in the mother’s heart. Won’t you agree with me mothers out there? I’m sure you do.
Well, so after a grueling but enjoyable month, we went back home to Mindanao minus my eldest daughter, she stayed behind with my sister in Pangasinan.
Then a couple of nights before my flight back to Malaysia, as I was saying, that my youngest daughter Gracie and I were in the swing singing and chatting, the lights went off. “This place really sacks.” I murmured, (I’m not supposed to say that, am I?? please forgive my language.) You should have stayed with your sister, I was telling my Gracie but I was totally caught off guard by her response.” Why don’t we pray to Jesus and ask him to bring back the light?, I always asked and he always does, you know” she said, and amid my embarrassment, I said “okay you pray” but she asked me to pray instead and I felt very shameful to my daughter and especially to God because at that very moment I don’t feel like I have the right to ask God for favor. So I asked her again to pray and she prayed aloud saying “Jesus please bring back the lights now!” Coincidence? That’s for the almighty God to judge because at that instant, the light came back and to my daughter’s joy and excitement, she bolted out of the swing and ran inside the house to her grandma and granddad announcing that she prayed and Jesus answered her, again. Wow! She is amazing! As I was left on the swing in deep contemplation, I was thinking, “is this the girl whom her sister can’t wait to get rid off?” This annoying or whatever her sister called her have this huge faith in Jesus that I don’t even have at that very moment. She saw the need to pray; the need to come to God in a very simple situation like this that I failed to recognized it myself. In her little girl’s heart, she demonstrates her dependency to Jesus and her belief that He always and always gives what she ask. At this moment, Matt. 7: 7 flashes my mind and in this verse, Jesus was telling us that when we ask, it shall be given us…I’ve known this verse since I was a child but sometimes I failed to recognize the need to be dependent on God for simple things like this. I then realized that God made me saw my failures through the eyes of a child (my little Gracie), the annoying child but with an amazing faith in her little heart.
I can never forget this instance and when there are times of feeling down; I thought of her faith and ask God to strengthen mine.
If it so happen that you are reading this, I hope that this “not so interesting” story will helps to, or at least reminds you when you forget to depend on God’s strength and provisions even the simplest of things.
God blesses you all!!
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"“MIRACLE REVEALED”- New KLBC Building" |
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October 2006 |
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Its only half past six in the evening but the upper and the lower sanctuary is already crowded and packed with people; the hall, the foyer and the alleys. People have been trying to get their place to have a better view of the front. Look at the lightings; it’s stunning and gorgeously designed. Not to mention the ceiling, those “twinkling little stars” in rainbow colors its magnificent! As if you are directly looking in the starry evening sky. The sound system is incredible and there is so much excitement and anticipation around. What is going on? What is there to be excited about? Well, don’t hold your breath, or shall I say take a deep breath and inhale, exhaleeeeee and take it all in. Ready? Well, Its one of the millionth “miracle” that God the almighty did to His people, to KLBC in particular. And by the way, today is the first of October 2006, and it is the “Grand Opening Ceremony” or shall we say “Dedication Ceremony” of the new KLBC building. Isn’t that enough to get you excited? Excited and curious to keep on reading? Because you are about to witness one of God’s miracles, as you’ve never seen before Go on, have a go and I promise you, it’s worth your time and effort to read until the end. Way back more than two years ago when the “children” of God in KLBC led by the senior Pastor, the Rev. John Kok and his set of board of administration, started fasting and praying and continuously crying out to God and raising funds for a new KLBC building. And as the Rev. recalls somebody says, “If Pastor John can raise 10 million ringgit (Because that was the proposed budget), it would be a miracle” and someone says “ It is a mission impossible”. But it was in January 21, 2004 when Pastor John received the approval from the authority of the Malaysian government. So the Rev. decided to look for a temporary “place of worship”. In March 18, 2004, members of KLBC abandoned the building. “The Lord closed all the doors for us” as the Rev. was saying on his message, “and the Lord open a window at Berjaya Times Square” I murmured. The senior Pastor of KLBC recalls the negotiation he made with somebody in authority at BTSquare, “How about a thousand and seven hundred fifty ringgit” a week? Pastor John answered when asked how much could he afford to rent, Well, in this scenario, I must think that our senior Pastor must have a unique sense of humor, don’t you think so? Because the “guy” told Pastor John that the rental is worth 40,000 ringgit a week, whew! (But, don’t get dismayed, cheer up!) Because the guy said it’s okay. It’s okay? Can you believe that? Isn’t that amazing? He said “okay”, Ain’t Pastor John a charmer? Shussssh!! Don’t tell him please, he’s gonna kill me, just kidding Pastor. But mind you, it worked, but not the charm, it’s the “faith” that the Reverend had and always has with God that make things possible. Well, this is just the beginning of our Almighty God’s miracles for KLBC, showing us that there is nothing impossible to Him if only we “trust and believe Him”, and that was what Pastor John has been doing, trusting our heavenly father in everything. And the rest is history, so they say. The celebrations starts with the multimedia presentation. It is a video clips about the building construction in progress from ground zero to finish. The construction started from 2004 to 2006. Pastor Eddie Tan (our one and only “guapong Pastor of “FCCC”) with his partner on stage, (one pastor was with him to interpret in Chinese what he says in English), Charming the audience/congregation and then calling the combined choir from the English, Chinese. Filipino (what a shame, there were just a few of them, what happened to the rest of the FCCC choir? Alright, alright, I am not with them, I should have been there, didn’t I? Anyway, the “few” FCCC choir looks extra-ordinaire in their “Philippine flag “ dress.) And Myanmar congregation choir looks wonderful too. These combined choirs rendered their opening song, “Agnus Dei”, Praise and worship was followed and led by Peter Ng and his team. Then as the congregational singing is about to end, there on the stage, the curtain of the dedication ceremony was slowly pulled down to reveal the caption “To God Be The Glory!” in big bold letters, as the whole congregation in standing ovation singing to God be the glory for the things He has done”. Amen! Indeed, to God is the Glory! Rev. John Kok together with Rev. Bobby Lam went on stage for the “message”. You might wonder why there are two of them. Again as I mentioned earlier that there should be an interpreter and that would be Rev. Bobby Lam to interpret in Chinese what the Rev. says in English.” Arise, shine! For the glory of the Lord!” as the Rev. commenced. We have lots of guests tonight! (Of course, the entire sanctuary is filled and more than a thousand people are here, that’s my poor guess “lah”) he continued as he starts welcoming people from other churches, as Pastor Bobby interprets in Chinese. In behalf of KLBC, I want to welcome the presence of the “Florida Baptist Convention choir! Pastor John said as he asked two people to show the banner that says “Welcome Florida Baptist convention choir”. Then he asked the Mandarin choir to present their special song “Holy is He”. Aren’t they beautiful in their choir gown? And its time for the Florida Baptist Convention choir to render their songs. (I can’t wait to be wowed by their singing). Wow! They look awesome and as if the heaven’s doors were opened and the “angels “ came down on earth!! Just look at them! They look like angels (Only they don’t have wings, shussssh!) in their white tops and black skirts (the ladies) and black pants (the men). There must be more than a hundred of them, and their conductor? Where is he? Wait, they are looking upward. Oh, there he is, up in the balcony! They sung in different voices, and believe you me, I feel like I’m in heaven listening to the angels choir. Can’t help but to join them (silently of course) in singing “Magnify the Lord with me” and as I looked around at the audience/congregations, they are in awe and (mouth close please, I said as I saw some with opened mouth in awe). And most of them swinging their heads as they too sing with them quietly. They sung at least three songs before the English choir joined them, they sung “Your glory dwells” among others and before it ends, the rest of the congregations stands and joined them. I felt like the entire building vibrates with the sounds of angels singing. The Reverend’s message was all about a “Miracle” and his text is found in John 2: 3-11. This is about the miracle Jesus performed at a wedding that took place in Cana of Galilee, he also mentioned about the like the parting of the red sea, the miracle of the Jericho wall, Daniel in the lion’s den, walking on the water and the virgin birth, among others. The Rev. was saying that these miracles are to manifest and reveals the power and the glory of God. Thus the disciples put their faith in Him. “ If Pastor John can raise 10 Million, it’s a miracle”, , “ This is a mission impossible”. These were the words of individuals who by the time the Rev. proposed the 10 million budgets for a new KLBC building project. “With God, all things are possible” and God is behind it all not pastor John. “Behold! This building is a miracle in itself”. The Rev. was saying as he summarizes that there are two members who took 100,000 RM each out from their “will” and gave it to the “Building fund”, and one lady who took off her wedding bond to donate it to the building fund, one man who Pastor John don’t even know, gave his calling card and walked away, donated all the bricks needed for the building and another man donated 1million ringit, who doesn’t want to be known, but he is here tonight and I want to say thank you, Pastor John said addressing the humble anonymous man in the audience, (God bless your heart brother) Brother Thomas and I can sleep easy now with less nightmare, we don’t even want to see each other’s face, I lost a lot of weight but he gains a lot, Pastor was saying in a jokingly manner as he apologized. “I’m sorry if I offended you in anyway, I’m sorry and I ask all of you for forgiveness”, he said. “To God be the glory for the things he hath done!” he said ending up his message. The kingdom youth rendered a beautiful song and they kind of dance the music and pantomimed it especially the last song entitled “Thank You”. (Oh, I love that song) Then the chairman, brother Thomas was asked on stage to be given a “Token” and his wife was asked too with sister Grace, (Pastor John’s wife) to hand a bouquet of flowers to the chairman’s wife. Pastor John thanking the Florida Baptist Convention choir for their presence and announce to the congregation that we finally coming back to the new building for the worship service starting next Sunday. Tommy Green closed in prayer after the benediction singing. Indeed, this is a miracle! Who would have imagined that more than two years ago, it seems impossible to raise 10 million ringgit to put up a new building? No more wondering brothers and sisters, because this new building we are in at the moment, indeed the living and concrete evidence that there is nothing, and I repeat, nothing is impossible with God. Please don’t stop believing in “miracle”, because the air you breath at this very moment is more than a miracle in itself and still there are miracles to come that are beyond your imagination and comprehension. Just believe and trust God in everything. In Matthew 19: 26 Jesus said “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” I hope you enjoyed reading but most of all, I hope that you got it all. God bless you all!
NLAP
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