365 Days with the Lord

I treasure everyone of the gifts I receive as I appreciate the thoughtfulness of the giver. But frankly, most of them are now in the drawers, where they may stay put until forgotten. However, there is a gift that will never leave my mind as I make use of it practically every single day of the year. It is the Biblical Liturgical Diary named "365 days with the Lord".

I got the first one in the year 2013. Immediately, I was captivated by the layout and content. On each page there is the Bible passage chosen for the daily Mass. What follows is a reflection on it, guiding the user to meditate on and be inspired by the verses. Space is also provided for the user to write a few lines about his thought provoked by a key question. Since then the Liturgical Diary has helped me make daily prayer a habit, which I think, is a great enhancement to my faith.

Previously, I had but scanty prayer moments. When I did pray, it was only a brief communication of my thoughts initiated by incidents of my daily life. I said prayers of thanks for my blessings and prayed for my own needs as well as the needs of those I cared about. I did not forget to pray for important world issues, of course. The problem, however, was that it was somehow a one-way communication with me doing the main part of the talking. I was hardly aware of God’s presence, let alone listening to Him.

With the help of the Liturgical Diary, my prayer is no longer seen as an obligation to abide by unenthusiastically. I read the Bible passage aloud two or three times and then spend a few silent moments pondering, focusing on one or two phrases, by which I hope to be inspired. Next I proceed to the reflection, marveling at how it coincides with my thinking or feeling amazed at the inspiration that I have overlooked. This is no monologue. Instead, it is a form of communication with God, getting to know what He expects from me and feeling His attention to the problems I confide in Him about. The prayerful start of the day somehow brings peace amidst the chaos of our lives.

I have just got the one for the year 2016. It is more attractive with the addition of quotations of Pope Francis. On the first few pages is a comprehensive explanation of the Extraordinary Jubilee Year of Mercy based on materials from the Holy See. I just can’t wait to start using it on New Year Day.

 

My New Year Resolutions

According to my fb reminders, I wrote the blog article ‘2014 - A Year of Enrichment’ this day last year. Now, however, I would like to write about my new year’s resolutions instead. The word ‘resolutions’ may sound a bit weighty. But there are indeed a few things I hope to achieve in the year 2016. 

On top of the list is a planned pilgrimage to Jerusalem. I have chosen this destination among the different options available for several reasons. Firstly, this being the Holy Year of Mercy, Pope Frances has ardently advised on the participation in pilgrimages. Besides, I have long craved for an opportunity to visit the Holy Land to search for the footprints of our Lord in his brief life on earth. This had not been possible in the previous years because the tours offered often took place on school days. Now that I have retired, the date of the pilgrimage will not be an important consideration. Moreover, the Bible course ‘Bible in Eighty Weeks’, which I have been attending for more than a year, will come to an end in January and the pilgrimage is organized as a post-course activity especially intended for us attendants. I would enjoy the companionship of those with whom I have been sharing about the Bible verses every Tuesday over the past year. 

The past year has seen me spiritually enhanced through my participation in the Bible course, both as a regular group leader (a reading companion) and occasionally an inputter ( a course instructor). Another spiritual commitment is my work of translation for a book entitled ‘The Story of the Mass’. However, with the imminent termination of both the course and the translation work, I need to seek to take on other responsibilities to ensure my further spiritual pursuit. I will avail myself of church services within my ability. This will require my enthusiastic involvement in activities initiated by the few religious groups of which I am a member. 

One important ‘project’ I have attempted to carry out for years but with little success is to clean up the messes in my living environment. The messes include books and folders piling up on desks and shelves. Also waiting to be sorted and disposed of are clothes of different seasons. I am well aware of the need to do something before the wardrobes finally burst  open, scattering the content on the floor. The PC and the tablet are also yearning for more storage space. There are steps I can take to effectively solve the problems. But unfortunately, when to start and what to start with is itself a problem. 

 A new year brings hope.  My hope is to start the  year with renewed strength of persistence to get the necessary things done. For this, I will pray hard and strive hard.

Christmas is no humbug

 

http://www.scmp.com/comment/insight-opinion/article/1892505/bah-humbug-what-happened-hong-kongs-christmas-spirit

I refer to Yonden Lhatoo’s article “For too many in HK, the season of giving offers only crumbs” (December 18), in which he raises criticism against the spirit of Christmas. I would like to point out that his criticism is only partly justifiable. In my opinion, it is how people celebrate Christmas that is to blame, not Christmas itself.  

I agree that Christmas has long been commercialized with excessive consumerism, widening the gap between rich and poor. However, this is due mainly to the misunderstanding about the spirit of Christmas. Christmas is the celebration of Jesus’ humble birth in a manger. So it is by praying and churchgoing that Christians praise and glorify the arrival of their savior. Glamorous decorations and boisterous festivities are way off the mark.  

The spirit of giving associated with Christmas means generously sharing our possessions with those in need. Visits to the poor and the sick are encouraged as sacrificing time for the needy is a loving act of giving, too. The exchange of gifts among friends and families, though serving to spread the joy of Christmas, should not, therefore, lead to luxurious spending. 

Instead of being “something as magical and complex that cannot be fully explained by, or limited to, the mapped brain activity alone,’ as quoted in Yonden Lhatoo’s article, the genuine spirit of Christmas is understandable and can be easily put into practice. 

By no means is Christmas humbug!

 

 

Leave better kids to our planet

I refer to Yonden Lhatoo’s article “Keep screaming kids off regular flights to give us all some peace” on November 4. I understand how annoyed he must have felt at being startled out of sleep by loud screams from children nearby on an overnight flight when he was supposed to have been enjoying a few hours’ rest. I have had a similar experience at a friend’s wedding. The new couple was toasting with champagne and delivering a vote of thanks to the relatives and guests when a few kids were playing with a device for blowing soap bubbles. The bride’s heart-moving words were drowned out by the ‘braying bambinos’. The soap bubbles also kept floating among the buffet dishes. Imagine the effect on the guests’ appetite! There seemed no efforts, however, to stop them except for the occasional “ssshhh”. 

Lhatoo’s suggestion about putting unruly kids on a separate flight may seem impracticable but I do agree that it is the parents’ responsibility to see to their proper behavior in public. Parents are very much concerned about having their children dressed presentably. But do they realize that they impress others not so much by their appearance as by their behavior? 

Children ought to be educated on the importance of showing respect for others. They ought to learn to be thoughtful and to avoid selfishly seeking fun at the cost of others’ peace of mind. 

In addition, the traditional proverb “spare the rod, spoil the child” still holds good. Appropriate punishment is necessary as children need to be aware of the consequences of improper behavior. A culture of impunity, on the other hand, will lead to the breeding of a generation with no regard or respect for the law. 

Lhatoo quoted a Canadian writer as saying, “We talk so much about leaving a better planet to our kids that we forget to leave better kids to our planet.” This is more than a reminder that child education is of utmost significance to ensure the betterment of future society.

Think before you leap

In her article entitled “Motherhood is no Facebook fantasy life” in the South China Morning Post dated November 24, Miss Amy Wu raises doubt about the increasing attempts of single women to pursue motherhood, taking advantage of the ease afforded by advances in medical science.  

I fully agree with her that careful consideration is essential before one decides to ‘jump on the baby bandwagon’, as Miss Wu puts it. Single parenthood may have been glamourised through the flow of photographs and posts on Facebook, but raising a child solo is by no means easy or rosy.  

The single mother will be confronted with serious problems for the foreseeable future. It is widely known that raising and educating a child can be a huge financial burden these days. Besides, even with the help of a babysitter, the single mother must dedicate a lot of time and attention to taking care of the child. Moreover, as the child grows up gradually, the unpleasant realities of life without a father will gradually make themselves felt.

In the present world one needs to survive great challenges. The single mother ought to be ready to bring up a child brave and strong enough to endure life’s hardships that exacerbate with calamities such as global temperature rise, conflicts between nations and others . 

In addition, consideration ought not to be taken only from the mother’s point of view. While thinking how much she will benefit from having a child in terms of personal satisfaction, should she not also give some thought to the child’s own needs? If the child could, would he choose to be born of a single parent? Would he not see the lack of a father a regret in life? 

By no means do I want to spread pessimism. We have heard of the success of people born of single parents. But as Miss Wu says, ‘unwed women ought to think carefully before taking a leap where there is a point of no return, for better or worse’.

Inspirations from a Book Launch and Signing Event

Last Sunday I attended a book launch and signing event. My initial intention was to support RM, my ex-student who was one of the three authors hosting the event, but, to my delight, I ended up finding my long-dormant writing urge awakened.

During the book launch speech the three authors shared about their own writing experiences. Naturally, each told his stories, which were interesting for their own sake. However, there happened to be several ideas they had in common, the most impressive being the need for reading. It was agreed that though there are writing skills to master, the best key to successful writing is frequent exposure to the language through reading extensively. RM, for example, had been on school visits promoting reading to students of different grades. When asked whether he also taught them writing skills, he remarked that his style of writing was not appropriate for students of young age. But he believed that good writing can result from a well developed reading habit and that so long as we read, we can write.

I couldn’t agree more. For a few weeks, I had left my blog unattended all because I had not been reading much except when preparing myself for a sequence of Bible sharing presentations. Consequently, apart from reflecting on my experience of those talks, I was uninspired for other topics even when I felt like writing. Now that the talks have ended, I can switch back to my usual kind of reading: reading novels for pleasure and reading newspapers for information. Hopefully, my urge to write will gradually be awakened, as mentioned above.

RM also mentioned one very precious concept: it is important to keep trying in spite of setbacks. He was referring to the attempts to get an article or story accepted for publication. Few publishers can remain indifferent to a well-intentioned contributor with invincible tenacity and persistence. They will gradually get used to the name of the author with frequent contributions and will finally give his works their favorable consideration.

This made me think of my attempts to have my articles published on the Opinion Page of the SCMP. I did get one posted but got no response to the rest of the few I sent. I guess my opinion pieces are not of interest as I’ve been writing from the point of view of a Macau citizen. There may be other reasons, too. Having been turned down several times, I’ve given up the attempt though I’m still keen on responding to some social and world issues.

I am glad I got inspired by the talk of the authors at the book launch. I believe I will get more enlightened through reading their books, on which they have gladly signed their names.

Constructing a ‘Sponge City’ - a Solution to the In-City Sea’

那天，無意中發現一份名叫"羊城日報"的報紙，被一篇文章標題所吸引，溜灠了一會，發現所帶出的環保概念非常正面，以下是文章的翻譯版本，希望和大家 - 特別是關注環保問題的朋友 - 分享。

As in most of the cities, cement is used in large quantities for road solidification in Zhuhai. More and more of the lawns, channels and green fields have been converted into roads. With the increase in area of impermeable surfaces, the drainability of the roads is becoming worse and worse. Besides, to maintain the scenic landscape, almost all the green fields are above the surrounding areas. Once it starts raining, the rain water tends to pool on the road surface. The green fields, which are supposed to be capable of moderating the drainage speed, cannot function effectively, thus adding to the pressure from flood discharge.

As a coastal city, Zhuhai has frequent rain and yearly typhoons. And each time a rainstorm occurs, the result is usually the flooding of the streets. 

According to the ‘Zduhai Green Infrastructure (GI) (Green Project in brief); Zduhai is  rich in water resources, of which, however, only 38% are exploited. Frequent urban floods are closely related to the city’s loss of the ‘breathing ability’. According to the designer of wood landscape and urban planner, the soil of the city ought to be like a sponge with the ability to absorb and store water, which, when the weather turns hot and dry, can evaporate (breathe out), the way a human lung can function, thus regulating the water quantity of the whole city.  

In 2014, following the suggestion of the Housing Department, Zduhai, which has been dedicated to developing into an internationally habitable city, started initiating a plan of constructing a “sponge city”. 

The main reason for urban inward drainage is to enable the rain water to drain and dry instead of gathering in low lying regions. According to the people related to Zduhai’s Urban Council and Lumbering Department, the “sponge city” will make full use of the ability of saving water of the green fields, rivers and other ecological systems. This is especially true of the sunken green areas, which enable rain water to flow in, thus forming a natural ‘reservoir ’ that can perform the function of moderating and minimizing the amount of water flowing into the urban drainage system, thus reducing the pressure of flood discharge.

Having gone through the ecological or chemical process of collection and treatment, the rain water has achieved the standard quality and can be applied to use in the ecological environment, various urban uses, greenery, etc. The one responsible for the landscape and architectural design suggests that in the construction of embankments, the solidification of the protective banks can be replaced with more green areas, rain parks, ecological ditches all along as a target towards building a ‘sponge system’, so as to turn the city into a ‘reservoir’ of high capacity, minimizing the harm done to ecology.

According to the related plan, Zduhai’s residential buildings, roads, parking lots, parks, squares, service districts, industrial districts and warehouse districts will all make use of permeable surfacing, green rooftops, plant retaining channels, sunken green fields, water storage tanks, ecological plantations, grass planting ditches, etc.

Among them the newly built sunken green residential areas should occupy no less than 50% of the city area, permeable paving should not be less than 75%, the green rooftops of the newly constructed district should not be less than 20%. On various roads, there will be the use of permeable road paving or water permeable tiles. In areas surrounding the open parking lots, in particular, there will be sunken green fields such as rain parks, grass planting ditches. Excessive rain water will be directed to the surrounding green areas, where it will sink. There will also be rain collecting areas, where the rain, after proper treatment, will be used for watering plants and for irrigation in the green belts. 

According to the experts, Zduhai has plentiful rain. The green area per capita is the first in the world. The river network is widespread, and there is a high capacity of water storage. All this is the concrete base for building a ‘sponge’ city. 

According to the project concerned, the new Huengchin (橫琴) district, and the ecological zone in the west will be turned into a demonstration zone for the Zduhai Sponge City.

The two questions

 

It is with great joy and gratitude that I recall my experience of coordinating three talks on the “Letters of St. Paul”. I still feel the satisfaction from having accomplished a challenging task, to which I had devoted about two months’ preparation. 

When Fr. Peter did the round-up at the end of my presentation, he asked me two questions. Quite taken aback and not having quite recovered from the excitement of the talk, I said something which did not quite make sense; at least it made little sense to me when I recall the whole matter now. I think I owe him and everyone of the attendants that evening a more thoughtful and more sincere answer.  

The first question was how much I had acquired from my preparation for the three talks. Well, to talk about the great benefit from it, I must first tell how I actually did the preparation. I started with flipping through a book I had borrowed. I was at first put off by the simplified Chinese characters and decided that I would not be making much use of it. I then switched to online browsing instead and was amazed at the discovery of several well written articles closely related to the assigned topics. Having thus decided on the main focuses of my talks, I was able to devise the initial plan. I then read the articles in detail, trying to decide on the points to be included. The points were then organized, evaluated and then reorganized for the presentation. Of course, the content of the articles was not all that was needed. To elaborate the chosen points, I referred to several other books for related details. Even the book I had at first disregarded did provide some useful information. The most important was, of course, to get back to the reading of the Bible, and, thus inspired, I proceeded to work on the enhancement of my plan with more confidence. In addition, I derived tremendous joy from drafting the powerpoint presentation. It was a great delight to match the text with vivid, attractive illustrations. And I was still polishing it during the final hour before the presentation. When asked what part of the preparation work I found most challenging, I would say it was the attempt to commit to memory all the important details. This ought not to have posed much difficulty with the help of the slides, but still there were facts and concepts that could easily slip off the mind. So I recorded my reading of the script, topic by topic, and I listened to the recording repeatedly to familiarize myself with the details. This proved quite effective, for during the presentation, I felt words flowing out without much effort on my part.  

So, what have I acquired? Undoubtedly, I have learned a lot. Reading the Bible, as I now realize, is not simply reading stories. We should not be content with knowing just what happened. It is worth spending time pondering the verses to see how some situations can be interpreted differently with relevance to the background and the sequence of incidents. The writers of the articles I used for reference explained so well that I now understand much better about St. Paul’s boasting of his weakness. We who tend to seek a sense of superiority through showing off our strength should learn to identify the power derived from suffering for Christ’s sake and to feel God’s comfort so that we can also learn to comfort others. Of course, these are concepts that demand very careful thinking. Despite all that preparation work I have done, I won’t claim to grab even a little of St. Paul’s thoughts. However, I am sure I can read the rest of his letters with more interest and confidence. I must also extend my appreciation for the effort of the writers. When my friends complimented me on my presentation, often for politeness’ sake, I said inwardly a word of thanks to those able writers.  

Father Peter next asked me how my preparation had affected my faith. In my immediate response, I mentioned the chest pain that had been bothering me over the past weeks. It reminded me, I said, of the thorn in St. Paul’s flesh. St. Paul had begged God to have the thorn removed but he was later convinced that the pain was there to remind him to glorify God. My chest pain is partially the result of the stress from my preparation for the talks. I believe the pain may still be felt occasionally even after it has been cured. And it will always be part of the treasured memory of my talks.  I will also remember St. Paul’s remark that weakness is the cost of apostleship. So when doing evangelical work, we should bear in mind that we are the containers only and the Word of God, which is contained, is what matters. We are not to seek applause through displaying our wisdom and talents such as eloquence of speech. While we may attract others with good powerpoint presentation skills, our main target is proclaim the Word of God. In fact, there is so much to learn from the wisdom in St, Paul’s concept about boasting of his weakness and about being united with Christ’s suffering. 

I feel gratified for having had the opportunity to share about St.Paul’s Letters. It will be an experience to treasure for the rest of my life. It will also be a useful reminder of my responsibilities as a follower of Jesus Christ. 

To Annie

I was among the hundreds of attendants at the Mass held yesterday in celebration of Miss Annie Liu’s retirement. It was a thanksgiving Mass, at which we expressed our sincere gratitude to God for having blessed Sacred Heart with a great teacher like her. 

Fr. Peter Chong’s sermon focused on Miss Liu’s selflessness and Christlikeness, for, like Jesus, who had sacrificed His life for our salvation, she had shared her life with her students through her long years of teaching. Following the Mass, a few friends were invited on stage to share about how they had got along with Miss Liu. From the two teachers and the student, we came to know about Miss Liu’s serious work attitude, her vitality in class presentation, her artistic talent and her caring concern for her students and those she worked with. Sister Yip, the current principal, and Sr. Franca and Sr. Dorothy, the ex-principals, also expressed their appreciation for her great sense of belonging, loyalty and integrity. If there had been time, the sharing could have gone on and on. The sharing brought down the house. Like all others, I clapped until my hands felt numb and nodded in agreement to what was said about Miss Liu. Inwardly, I kept saying, ‘That’s not all!’ Yes, there was a lot more we could have shared about her. 

To me, she is not merely Miss Liu. She is Annie, my dearest friend. We had been colleagues in Sacred Heart for more than a couple of decades. Even my resignation about twenty five years ago did not put an end to our working relationship, for we have been serving together as Sunday school teachers in Mong Ha Church since then. I had never before imagined myself teaching on Sunday, considering my tight work schedule for the rest of the week. I had even wondered aloud how Annie, with a greater workload than mine, could spare the time not only for Sunday school teaching but also for her service in several other religious communities. However, Annie had gradually convinced me, not with words, but with her own example that God will provide time so long as we are willing to serve Him. It was, in fact, under her influence that I got more and more involved in church work. I, therefore, owe her a lot for having turned me into an active church participant now. If not for her, I would still remain a lukewarm Catholic that I had been for years. 

More importantly, Annie has become almost a member of our family. She has shown her support with her presence on quite a number of our family occasions, both joyful and sad ones. She has a very good memory for birthdays and feast days and is always ready with timely delights and surprises for me and my daughter. She even reminds me of some important dates that I myself may have forgotten. And she is forever the sympathetic one, with whom we can entrust even our innermost hidden thoughts and feelings. I remember crying on her shoulders at my mother’s funeral. And, her visits to my sister in hospital can give her the most needed peace and consolation. She is, indeed, a loving family member to us.                                                                                                                 

I thank God that I have Annie for a friend. Now that she has retired, I pray God that she will start another stage of her life with confidence and happiness. May God also bless her with new inspirations and new challenges, allowing also time for fun and relaxation, of course.

When the child is born

The publication of a book is often likened to childbirth. The long expectation, the laborious process and the joy that comes with its final accomplishment can well explain the comparison. And I am now more convinced of this because of my recent participation in the work of compiling a commemorative book in celebration of Macau’s Biblical Association’s 20^th anniversary. 

When I volunteered to do the proofreading, my confidence came from my related experience as a member of the editing committee for a youth magazine. My long experience of marking compositions as a language teacher could also be helpful, I believed. And, most importantly, I had great trust in the support from Sherry, my partner. 

There was not much difficulty in the work initially as the articles were mainly from experienced and skilled writers. However, I gradually found my ability of intensive reading and language awareness put to the test. I had to work with high concentration to ensure linguistic accuracy, checking even such details as the correct Bible verses and the correct use of punctuation marks. I read the edited article repeatedly before sending it to my partner for further proofreading. She in turn sent it back to me after the rechecking and remodifying. This way, the article was passed between us six or seven times before the editing was finally confirmed. During the process, either she or I would contact the original writer to have the modifications identified. The writer might not approve the editing and we then discussed and, together, we decided how well to improve the expressions in question. I found this communication very helpful as it enabled us to clarify misunderstanding and make the article serve its purpose better.  

The work became more pressing as the articles came one after another in the fortnight before the submission deadline. There were moments when we had several articles in hand and we had to race against time. However, we would not allow our work quality to be affected as a result. In fact, we were so much concerned about the articles’ best quality that we did reediting even after sending them to Patsy for compiling. Consequently, we changed the file name from ‘the edited version’, to ‘the reedited version’ and lastly to ‘the final version’. Indeed we owe Patsy an apology for the great inconvenience thus caused.  

What followed was the creation of the page layouts. Meetings were held to discuss the necessary details. Lots of ideas were suggested and Sandy, who was responsible for the overall visual design, was obliged to make changes again and again. Even outside the meetings, discussion went on via WhatsApp as opinion was divided regarding the orderly presentation of the articles, the text fonts, the background colours and others. Even on the night before the draft was ready to be sent for the printing, there was still doubt about the name list of the committee members of the Association. And of course, no less importance was attached to the book cover design, for which Tim also went through a hectic time making changes again and again before being granted the final approval. Obviously, the success of the publication was everybody’s great concern. 

Now that the ‘child’ is born, it is hoped that all the articles will be read with interest as everyone of them is the writer’s sincere sharing of his/her pursuit of the goal of promoting Bible reading. It is also hoped that the book will not be seen merely as a propagandizing publication but will be treasured as a track record of the enlightenment and blessings from God over all these years of the Association’s development.

Threat or Opportunity?

(http://programme.rthk.hk/rthk/tv/programme.php?p=6677&e=314738&d=2015-07-28&m=episode)

Ageing can be a cause of anxiety and even a serious threat to society. If, however, the threat can be turned into an opportunity, it will be more than a blessing. And I am delighted to have learned from a recent TV program called “銀齡設計@台灣” how Taiwan is blessed this way. 

In Taiwan 11% of the population is above the age of 65, lower than Hong Kong’s 15%. 

However, by 2005, Taiwan’s ageing population is expected to be 20%, ranking among what the WHO defines as a “Super Ageing Society”. To welcome this ageing population, Taiwan is resorting to designs, ranging from designs for seniors’ products, to designs for daily life and for society. 

Taiwanese who are gradually approaching old age were among the postwar baby boomers; the majority are educated and materially well provided, thus having certain expectations about life. Therefore, the local government does not see the ageing population as a threat. On the contrary, they are ready to turn it into an opportunity for the aged to enjoy consumption of goods and services, thus leading to an economic take-off. 

To enable the youth to have close contact with the seniors, Taiwan University has established the ‘Age of Wisdom Association’, focusing on concern for the aged, establishing interdisciplinary colleges and interdisciplinary curriculum. 

Professor Kong She Jong, coordinator of the ‘Age of Wisdom Association’, had himself been a student of civil engineering. He thinks that it is important to integrate the important elements of the designs for the seniors into the minds of students of various academic fields to enable them to establish an ideal dwelling place for the aged. 

One attraction of the course is that the university and a care centre for the aged will jointly establish a daily life laboratory. There students can have the opportunity to communicate with the seniors, who can also try their designs : chairs for seniors when putting on the shoes, hanging walking sticks, TOUCH GAMEs, etc. 

In 2010, all counties in Taiwan advocated the “Senior Friendly Project” initiated by the WHO: flattening and smoothening the roads, purchasing low-platform buses, providing more leisure seats on roadsides; encouraging both state-run and private eateries and shops to join the “Senior Friendly Station”, where the seniors to go in for a rest, a drink and for the use of the washroom. 

Chan Hui Chee, Ex-Associate Professor, Department of Nursing at Fu Jen Catholic University, who is enjoying her retirement, said, “Ageing is a natural process, but we must find out how we can enjoy greater convenience of the external environment and the products we are using without feeling being socially excluded and how we can enable ourselves to live very well. ”

The Benefit is for life!

The past week has seen a sequence of closing and graduation ceremonies in primary and secondary schools. Pictures of school kids with trophies and medals in hand occupy pages on facebook. Parents of the award winners cannot hide their joy and pride. What is more delightful than seeing their own children enjoying the sweet fruit of their effort?

I share the joy of these parents. They well deserve the honour as they have dedicated intense attention to monitoring and guiding their children’s learning. I have heard of parents who decline an invitation to a feast just because their kids are having a test on the following day. I have also seen kids practising spelling on the bus, their parents beside them prompting and urging them to do better. Parents’ anxiety about their children’s achievement is understandable. Their support is an important incentive for their children’s academic pursuit. In fact, these children owe much to their parents’ effort for their success.

Among these caring parents there are some I admire more than the rest. They are those who see the need for their children to develop the ability of independence and self-management. They will not get too much involved in their school work lest it should undermine their ability of self-care and self-learning. This does not mean they will leave the children entirely on their own. Instead, they still keep a close watch on their learning progress. While giving them the chance to solve problems and overcome challenges by themselves, they assure them of support and encouragement where needed. This way, the children still feel cared for while gradually developing a sense of self-reliance and responsibility.

Nevertheless, this must not be confused with negligence and inattention on the part of the parents. There are parents who do not care the least about their kids’ academic performance. Some are speechless when asked what class their kids are attending. For them, it suffices just to pay the tuition fees. They may even boast of their excessive spending on a tutorial class for their kids. It is doubted how much these kids can amount to. Of course, there are kids who really learn to be self-reliant just because they lack parental care. But these are very rare cases, I must say.

Therefore, parents ought to nurture among their kids the ability of self-management and self-learning. Winning an award for academic performance may bring only momentary joy. But the benefit from the ability of self-learning is for life.

Not Another Nightmare Again!

 

The news about the inferno following an explosion at a 'color party' at Formosa Water Park in New Taipei City last Saturday was devastating! What makes it even more heartrending is that there is no telling when the victims will ever wake up from the nightmare. The treatment will be a lengthy, hectic journey for both the survivors and their families. Among the many things left to be done to make the experience less of a nightmare, there is the need for a detailed review of the disaster to avoid the recurrence of a similar incident.

Through working on the translation of a related document recently, I have come to know about the importance of risk management, which involves risk estimation, analysis, interpretation and evaluation. Among the various requirements there is one that I find most impressive: Anyone who wants to apply to be the operator of an adventure or outdoor activity needs to be audited for compliance with the safety audit standard. If he passes the safety audit, he will be given a certificate that specifies the activity audited. This implies that the potential operator must show careful concern about safety – the safety of the participants and the staff in particular.

In the case of the 'color party' , had the operator been audited before being granted the licence? Prior to the event, had there been risk estimation? Were there people with recognised qualifications, skills and experience offering technical support? Had the powder been tested for its inflammability? In fact, there ought to have been a lot of careful involvement in the risk management procedure.

On the other hand, the participants should also be aware of the significance of risk estimation. Though most of the people are deprived of professional training, some potential risks are easily understandable. Is the number of the staff members in the right proportion to the participants'? Are there too few taking care of too many? Is firefighting and medical support within easy access? (The fire engines in the vicinity of Macau's firecrackers' zone during the Chinese New Year are a very good example). Are the participants packed in such a confined area as to leave no moving space at all, thus exposing themselves to the risk of a stampede when an accident occurs? In brief, we all need to develop a sense of crisis. Before we choose to participate in an activity, especially one that involves a big crowd, we must do some risk assessment and be ensured of safe evacuation in case of emergency.

We pray hard for the recovery of the victims and for consolation to their families. We also pray for better wisdom and a stronger sense of responsibily of the organizers and the staff so that a nightmare of this kind will never occur again. 

A Visit to the Big Apple

Unlike many people who consider America just one of the places they have often vacationed in, I had never been there until I was given the opportunity as the Grand Prize for winning the ‘My American Dream Contest’. As mentioned in my article “the Real America”, it was a country I had taught about for many years in my Geography lessons. Because of my tight work schedule, pleasure tours were a luxury to me, both in terms of the cost and time. And when I did go on vacation, America was never in my itinerary as my option had always been a nearby country, one that was less time consuming and more economical. My New York trip in April was, therefore, a long-cherished dream come true. During my brief week there, I had amazing experiences, and the happy memories will keep me upbeat for a very long time to come.

I was particularly delighted to discover things that matched my descriptions in the article. I wrote, for example, “The American people are also well liked for their open mindedness and friendliness in many parts of the world disregarding racial variations.” And my encounters with the locals were good evidence. As individual travelers without a tour guide, my partner and I had to ask for directions from time to time, especially when trying to board the right subway train. And, fortunately, everyone we approached offered his best help. A few instantly took out their iPhone and started Google searching for the place. And they looked sincerely regretful when they failed to provide the needed information.

In my article, I also mention my daily reading of the Bible with reference to “the online site of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops”. I had thus been prepared for evidence of early Christianity in the city. And, imagine my delight when I got the chance to visit several Catholic churches and even attended the Sunday Mass at St Patrick’s Cathedral. The grandeur and magnificence of the churches were proof of the great attention and efforts of the early settlers who had “overcome challenges and obstacles before they finally settled down to a life of peace and freedom,” as stated in my article.

Of course, Ellis Island, being the theme of my article, was the most treasured high light of our tour. Viewed from afar, the island looked somehow like a fairyland with those fantastic yet classical houses, not at all like a place that served the purpose of an immigration center. The park surrounding it added to its attraction as a tourist sight. But the Immigration Museum made all the difference. I spent a long time there viewing the display boards, each presenting articles related to the Story of Immigration in America. In my article I wrote about people who found themselves oppressed and abused in their homeland, thus determined to look for a place to start their new life. To this I found a parallel from a displayed article entitled “A Godly Society”, which started with this sentence: “When Puritan preachers convinced their flocks to leave England, they launched one of the first large-scale trans Atlantic migrations to the land that would become the United States” , thus explaining how America gave hope to those striving for religious freedom. On the other hand, I also came to know about some other reasons behind the Story of Immigration.” One article, for example, began with this statement: ‘Economic Pressures in their home countries sparked the desire to emigrate for most.”

Later, I went to the Great Hall upstairs, where immigrants years ago were processed before being admitted. Though merely an empty hall now, it was reminiscent of those days when thousands of immigrants were waiting for inspections, sometimes obliged to stay overnight in case of need for resolution of medical or legal matters. It may not be a place of interest but there is definitely a lot to learn from the museum. And on the day of our visit, we saw a group of students apparently on a guided educational tour.

Before I left the island, I recorded a short video expressing my joy and gratitude for the opportunity of visiting the island. It has been rightly called a place of dreams to the immigrants, who were ancestors of many who are now doing so well in America. And without doubt, I had chosen the right place for my article.

Of course, those were not all; there were other delights out of our expectation! The weather was intriguing and delightful. On our arrival at the Newark Airport that April afternoon, we were welcomed with great warmth that could have passed for our temperature in early summer. I could not help frowning at my trunk containing my thick warm clothes. But when we went out that very evening in Manhattan, a strong cold wind was blowing, almost sending us flying across the pavement. On the days that followed, the temperature range remained at a steady level but whenever the wind rose, it was often accompanied by cold rain. I still remember how we struggled down Wall Street one afternoon with our umbrellas battered, almost hopeless of ever reaching a subway station. But when it was not raining, the sky was beautiful beyond words, with the heart melting blue that I had missed for a long, long time! The blue sky, indeed, topped the list of attractions that sparked my camera urge.

Then we could not help but giggle at the sight of quite a few New Yorkers, including young kids, practically in summer wear when the rest of us were so thickly clad as to leave only the eyes exposed. At a temperature of only 9 degrees Celsius, wouldn’t they even shiver a bit? Well, this may not have raised the eyebrows among the locals. In an open and accepting society like New York, nothing seems strange. And this is perhaps what makes it a lovely city.

Yes, New York is a lovely city. I am even more convinced of this after the visit. There may be less attractive areas that we have not explored. And our stay may have been too brief to give us a thorough understanding of the actual situation. But I am content with what I have experienced, and I will treasure the memories of those joyous days for the rest of my life.

There are people I would very much like to thank for this amazing trip. And, most of all, I am grateful for God’s loving care on the trip and for blessing my retirement with pleasant surprises.

Happy Memories of the New York Trip (3) - Ellis Island

 

Viewing Ellis Island from afar

Battery Park

On the ferry

Ellis Island viewed from the ferry

 

At the entrance to the Museum of Immigration

The picture is tilted to take in the tower.
 

In the park surrounding the Museum

The ferry that took us on the return journey
 

The exhibition hall

One of the exhibits

Another informative exhibit

Too much information to be acquired on a single visit

 

A place of inspiration

Totally absorbed in the exhibits
 

Very much engrossed

Not a bit of information was to be missed.

A place where I could have spent hours

The Immigration Hall where the immigrants were kept waiting for inspections

 

Looking down to the Hall from the floor above

The floor above the Hall

Endless visitors to the Hall

Ellis Island viewed from the ferry
 

The ferry cruise ride