Epistle to Hamer (9)

Dear Frank and Lora,

Greeting, how are you? It has been a few months since we last contacted each other. I have finished my posting in surgical department. It is a tough posting, as the superior are strict and sometime irreasonable, and your hard work is not really appreciated. Yet it is a memorable experience as I learnt many new things, especially in the operation theatre.

Now I am having a few day leave before I enter the next posting which is obstetric and gynaecology, a posting that I do not anticipate, as it is never a subject of my interest since in medical school. But I hope this fact will change after starting this posting.

I have been undecided about the future of my carrier. I am still undecided whether to continue in clinical fields or in non-clinical fields (radiology, pathology). I am a bit tired of clinical field due to its long working hours and not having time with family and fellowship. Yet Kok Tong still encourage me to continue in clinical field as it will be more useful in missionary. I am in dilemma whether to follow the path of Martin Lloyd Jones or the path of William Wallace.

Recently I read 2 books that I picked up from the local Christian bookstore, first is "The Hole in Our Holiness" by Kevin De Young, second is "Defending Your Faith" by R. C. Sproul.

Sproul expounds the important of the task of apologetics and start with the four essential principles of knowledge in the first half of his book:

1. The law of noncontradiction. He explains that the Trinity and the incarnation of Jesus are not contradiction, but paradox.

2. The law of causality. People misunderstood this law as "everything must has a cause", but should be understood as "every effect must has a cause". God is not an effect since he is eternally existing and self sustaining. He is the uncaused cause or first cause.

3. Basic reliability of sense perception. That we can know God through our sense from the revelation of God: (1) general revelation from the nature and the written law in our heart, (2) specific revelation fro  his Word.

4. Analogical usage of language. Language can be used in different manners:

(A) univocal, in the same sense. Like "good artwork" and "good woodcraft". "Good" carries the same meaning in both phrases.

(B) equivocal. In "good sermon" and "good grief, I hit my toe",  "good" carries a different meaning.

(C) analogical. "Good person" and "good dog". "Good" in both phrases carries different definition, but the person's goodness is directly proportionate to his being human, and the dog's goodness is proportionate to its being an animal. They are not identical but analogical.

In a similar way, we, as finite being, able to use our finite language to describe our infinite God, eg. the goodness of God, in analogical way.

Sproul later talks future about natural theology, Aquinas, Kant before he future explains about the existence of God and biblical authority,  which I haven't read yet.

I tried to meet up with Joshua, Jean and Kok Tong during these few days but all of them seems to be busy at the moment.

Hope to hear more from both of you. 

Kevin.

Past Miracle and Future Grace

Looking at what need to go through to arrive here,

Looking at what happens around Jerusalem where I am working,

Looking at the people that work in the temple built by Herod,

Looking at the unknown of the future,

Looking at what happens to other people,

The voice keeps screaming in my heart,

That I have chose the wrong path,

That I have chose the wrong profession.

But the blessings that was poured out in Nazareth,

The miracles that was performed at Mount Olive,

The fish that was drawn up from the Sea of Galilee,

The Scripture, stories, accounts that were heard in the synagogue,

The Great I AM that I met at the land of Galilee under that blue sky,

Told me that,

"No, it is not a mistake."

"No, it is not by chance."

"No, it is not out of my sovereign control."

"No, you are not on the wrong path."

"Yes, it is my degree will."

"Yes, my will will be done, on earth as in heaven."

He says,

"Therefore...... 

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, 

and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 

Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, 

but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, 

because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, 

whether he is slave or free."

(Ephesians 6:5-8)

____________________ 

 

 The past miracle happened at the Red Sea 

to deliver us from Egypt - the land of slavery, 

gives assurance to us to trust in the future grace 

that will be poured out at the Jordan River, 

to deliver us to Canaan - the land of promise.  

面子书

在面子书看见很多老板工作背后的另一面。
（真是顾名思义的面子书）
忽然觉得面子书很恐怖。
你看见别人的另一面，
但别人也可以看见你的另一面，
那真实的一面。

深感无奈

无端端的忽然需要为一装小事

写 explanation letter。

只能深感无奈。

为什么自己没有在打多一通电话，

然后写下来。

为什么没确保那到袜子。

为什么留下那么多烂摊子给别人。

最终还是自己要扛下那烂摊子。

现在还要写这无聊的 explanation letter。

开工七个月，还是第一次写酱的信。

而且同事还连夜打追魂电话。

只能深感无奈。

巴宁老师，

虽然从你身上受益量多，

对外科及手术深感兴趣。

但在这里中央医院的外科经验，

只能说，每天带着忐忑不安的心。

老师真是抱歉，

多数不会在外科读专课吧。

PS: 这里居然没做 McBurney's incision。

还是那一句，

只能深感无奈。

Those Days

I miss those days, 

when after squeezing in those crampy bus or van, 

I can go to this place, 

flipping the same pages of the Book.

 

I miss those days, 

when after traveling through those blizzard, 

I can go to this place, 

to have a cup of hot tea, 

and have these candies in the mouth

 

I miss those days, 

when after those hectic classes and lectures, 

I can go to this place, 

to share those thoughts and dreams,

that usually won't discuss with neither family nor friends.

Yet the Bible says,

 Do not say, "Why were the old days better than these?" 

For it is not wise to ask such questions. 

(Ecclesiastes 7:10)

摩天轮

今天和中学的朋友一起去 i-City。
基本上是个游乐场，但设施简陋。
比较特别的只是夜灯很漂亮。

本身很少在夜晚的时候出去。
在这夜晚玩的时候，
第一个想到的是你。

回想起以前在伏尔加各勒，
当时你邀我一起和其他一班朋友，
打算夜晚去看雷射秀。

虽然没看得成雷射秀，
虽然和一大班不是很要好的朋友在一起。
但却很享受和你一起看街边喷漆彩绘，
一起和你在咖啡厅喝茶，
一起和你走路回宿舍，
在安静的夜晚和你分享心声。

这一切时光，
都留下了刻骨铭心的回忆。

现在在这人潮拥挤的 i-City 里，

想和你一起玩碰碰车，
想和你一起坐海盗船，
想和你一起享用晚餐，
想和你一起观赏夜灯，
想和你一起搭摩天轮，
想牵你的手，
敞开各自的心声。

但我们分隔两地，
不知何时才能和你
一起共渡这样的时光。

你想和我一起搭摩天轮吗?

Epistle to Hamers (7)

Hi Frank and Lora,

Glad to hear from you again. Thanks for your prayers! It is glad to know that someone on the other side of the earth is praying for you. I am also glad to hear that you have a eventful Christmas this year.

Due to the presentation about paediatrics emergencies that I was assigned to do on December 26, I can't fully concentrate for this Christmas. However I was able to attend a Christmas choir singings on December 21, and I managed to get my offday on Christmas, so that I can attend the Christmas service. The atmosphere was different, but the centre of the message is still the same, that is Christ Jesus.

It is really saddening to know about the bombing cases in Volgograd. Let us continue to pray for their safety.

Now I am able to adapt the flow of my work in the hospital better, but many things still need to catch up and learn. The week before Christmas I was assigned to paediatric oncology together with another friend. I had many new exposures and learnt new things during that one week from my friend, who is a senior house officer.

I have to pass 2 assessments to finish my posting in general paediatric. Today I have approached my consultant and passed my first assessment. It was not easy, I can't sleep well the night before, but thank God for His strength and His mercy. Indeed, "Great is Thy faithfulness, morning by morning new mercy I see".

But this is still the beginning. Another assessment will be with a paediatric dernatologist. I also need to pass Neonatal Resuscitation Programme (NRP) at the end of January before going to neonatal unit.

Yon is working at orthopaedic department now and I heard from him that the workload is not heavy in that department.

Janice is working at obstetric and gynaecology department.  I heard from her that her mother kept her bible away before she went to Miri (the city she is working now) so that she can't read it. However she is now joining a fellowship in the hospital, and during Christmas she was able to attend a Christmas service and received a new bible as a present. "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided." (Genesis 22:14).

May both of you continue to guide both of you and provide opportunity for you to serve as we enter into 2014.

Epistle to Hamers (6)

Dear Frank and Lora,

Recently though I am not doing very well in my work, yet the situation is getting slightly better. Although I didn't present all the 5 cases to the specialists, yet my supervisor allow me to "off-tag" and present other cases later during my posting in paediatric department. Thanks for your prayer.

This mean that I don't have to work 7am to 10pm everyday. I was not able to attend service and bible studies for these few weeks. But this coming Sunday I will be working on night shift, therefore I can attend Sunday service.

Yon will have his induction course next week, so most probably he will start working the following week.

I understand the difficulty to settle down in a church. I still haven't look for another church. Maybe I am too afraid to leave the "comfort zone" in my church.

By the way how is Koinonia now? Any news or update? Recently I saw a video posted by Isaac.

Let us "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Tim. 6:12).

Epsitle to Hamers (5)

Dear Frank and Lora,

It has been quite sometime since the last email that I sent. I have started my work recently. Before start working I need to attend an induction course. My induction course was from 21st to 25th October, in Malacca, the place where Yon is living. After the induction I managed to meet up with Yon and other friends. He brought us around the city for sight seeing. Malacca is historical city like Volgograd, it is a tourism attraction area.

By the way Yon and Janice haven't start their work yet, since their have their interview later. Yon is currently preparing for his USMLE examination at the end of November

I started my work in Kuala Lumpur General Hospital from 28th October, My first posting is in Paediatric department. But it is tough and difficult. When entered into a new department, I have this "tagging" period. Until now I still don't understand why is it called "tagging", since we are not tag along the seniors, We are still doing the same job, but the working hour is longer, from 7am to 10pm everyday, but weekend is until 5pm, and every 7th day we have a day off.

But I started my tagging on Tuesday, so my day off is on Monday, so I didn't manage to attend Sunday service and bible study these two weeks. This tagging period should be 2 weeks, but I also need to present 5 cases to specialist (asthma, gastroenteritis, febrile seizure, pneumonia, dengue fever) and perform some procedures before the medical officers (MO) before I can "off-tag". Although I have been in the department for 2 weeks, but so far I only manage to get specialist's signature for 2 cases. Those 5 cases are common, but somehow I managed to present pneumonia and gastroenteritis only to the specialist.

Life is not easy in the hospital. I can't seems to adapt the work in the hospital. There are many things I do not know in Paediatrics, and I am not able to apply what I have already know in my work. My passion in medical field is not as strong as before. My incompetency also make me feel ashamed to called myself a christian in front of others.

I remember the account of some of the kings of Judah like Asa, Joash, Amaziah, Uzziah, They started well and do what is right in the eyes of the Lord, but they end up miserably. The lesson to learn is that we must continually trust the Lord, do not turn away from Him and do not rely on our own strength or other people's strength.

It is simple and obvious to say, but difficult to apply in life. Please pray for my work in the hospital and the joy in my vocation that God has called and be a faithful servant and witness in the place that I am working. Thanks.