Epistle to Hamers (14)

Dear Frank and Lora,

How are you? It have been quite sometime since I last wrote an email to you. C. S. Lewis said, “Whenever you are fed up with life, start writing: ink is the great cure for all human ills." Not that I am fed up with life, but this quote is always an encouragement for me to start writing, and I have 3 days off this week, so I have some time to sit down and write this email.

It has been five months since I transferred to Sibu to work. So far I am glad to work in this department and hospital that I am comfortable with, but of course there are some ups and downs occasionally in my working environment. Just that recently I feel a bit pressured from my superiors, either I am not doing well enough, or they have high expectation.

Disaster Plan for the department, done together with my colleagues and my boss.

The view from the triage counter in emergency department.

In this five months time I attended a few training courses, the notable ones are the Good Clinical Practice (GCP) in February and WINFOCUS Basic Echocardiography (WBE) in March.

The GCP is a three-day course, mainly about how to conduct clinical trial or studies on human subjects in an ethical way and how to maintain the integrity of the data for statistical analysis. To be honest it is rather a boring subject, many times I feel like I am reading a law subject. I survived through the course by keep drinking coffee. Coffee and tea were provided at the back of the hall, so even the organizer knew it is boring, However it is an important subject, especially for those going for master program in any specialty, as doing clinical research is part of the program. The reason I am attending the course is because Sibu Hospital will be one of the centre to conduct CRASH 3 trials (Clinical Randomisation of Antifibrinolytic in Severe Head injury - http://crash3.lshtm.ac.uk/), and it involves the neurosurgical and emergency department. So GCP qualification is one of the requirement to be involved in this trial. Thanks God that eventually I did passed the examination at the end of the course.

The WBE is two-day course and it is so much more interesting, as they teach you how to use ultrasound to scan the heart and do clinical judgement base on the finding. So it will be more useful in clinical practice. This course was conducted in the town of Ipoh at Perak. I took express train from Kuala Lumpur, about two and a half hour of journey,

​Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. (Psalms 90:14)

​Train station in Ipoh.

​ For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. (Psalms 27:5)

​ The funny picture in the course to remind us not to forgot good history taking and physical examination, instead of immediately push the ultrasound machine and scan the patient, lest we become "ultrasound worshipers".

In April, my family members came over for Qing Ming (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qingming_Festival), or Tomb-Sweeping Day. This is the first time I visited my grandfather's tomb. I am glad that the whole thing was done in a God-honouring way, with no ancestral worshiping was done (like burning hell money or offering food), mainly due to the fact the strong influence of Christianity in Sibu and among my relatives. I am also glad to hear from my aunt that my grandfather actually believe in the Lord before he passed away.

* * *

Recently I have been reading the Minor Prophets. The plan started since the Friday evening Bible study was on the Book of Hosea previously, now the Book of Joel. So I guess it is also a good timing to read the Minor Prophets for my daily reading, with the aid of ESV study bible, which I don't have much time to read during my housemanship/internship previously.

During driving I listened to a few audiobooks in the past few months: The Attributes of God Vol 1 by A.W. Tozer, and Everyones A Theologian by R.C. Sproul.

A few wonderful quotes from A.W. Tozer:

"God is above all things,
beneath all things,
outside of all things
and inside of all things.
God is above, but He’s not pushed up.
He’s beneath, but He’s not pressed down.
He’s outside, but He’s not excluded.
He’s inside, but He’s not confined.
God is above all things presiding,
beneath all things sustaining,
outside of all things embracing
and inside of all things filling.
That is the immanence of God."

"Two creatures may be in the same room and yet be millions of miles apart.
When we come to anything that is intellectual or spiritual or of the soul; space, matter, weight and time have no meaning at all."

"To know something in your head is one thing, to feel it in your hear is another.
And I think most Chistians are trying to be happy without having a sense of the Presence.
It's like trying to have a bright day without having the sun."

Currently I am listening to The Case for the Real Jesus by Lee Strobel. Kind of interesting to listen how this journalist investigates the criticism on Christianity. Kind of regret for not reading The Case for Christ and The Case for A Creator by the same author when I saw them lying around at the book corner in Koinonia.

One thing that struck me a lot while listening to this audiobook is on the issue of Scripture, particularly on a few texts that were included in most translation of the Bible but is questionable where it is in the original manuscript.

• The longer ending of the Gospel according to Mark (Mark 16:9-20)
• Jesus and the woman taken in adultery (John 7:53-8:11)
• Comma Johanneum (1 John 5:7–8)

I have encountered the issue with Comma Johanneum few years back when I am dealing with the KJV-only issue. This is one of the "missing" verses that KJV-only people tends to talk about, as this verse clearly uphold the doctrine of Trinity. In the book Knowing Scripture by R.C. Sproul (a book which Frank gave me few years back, and I passed it on to Ivan), Sproul did mentioned that how evidence shows that this verse is unlikely be part of the original manuscript. ESV translation did not even put it as footnote like what NIV did. Lee Strobel also mentioned that if your doctrine of Trinity only hang on this verse and if your belief in Trinity falls apart just because this verse is not in the Bible, then your belief is rather weak or even pathetic, because the doctrine of Trinity is clearly seen in other parts of the Bible. This is the conviction that I have long before I heard this audiobook.

Well the new issues are in regard with Mark 16 and John 7. I have notice this bracket "the earliest manuscripts do not have...." in the NIV Bible long time ago. But I didn't bother much about it. I just try to believe by faith that whatever is in the Bible is the authentic Word of God. But I think that is just blind faith. The account of Jesus and the woman taken in adultery in John is an inspiring account where Jesus taught us not to be judgemental, but also gave us a lesson of repentance. So it is quite a surprise for me to hear that this account probably not in the original writing by John. And also such a large portion of the ending in Mark is also probably not in the original. A simple "google" or "wikipedia" will shows bunch of articles on these things. ESV study bible also in the position that these two portions of Scripture might not be in the original. ESV study bible also gave a good insight on it.

Personally I am quite interested to know what is your opinions on it and how will you respond if someone else asks you whether you think these two portions of the Scripture are in the original manuscript. The reason I ask is because I am not very sure how I am going to respond, for example if there is a bible study of John or Mark and if we arrive at this portion of Scripture. In one way or another I will face this issue or discuss it with other people in the future. Like whether should we study them, or just skip them (because in ESV study bible they don't even have study note or explanation on the context of the verses itself).

I am quite impressed with the way how Strobel investigates all these issues or challenges as a journalist. A conclusion that he drawn out is that no matter how inspiring the account in John 7:53-8:11 is, if evidences doesn't support the authenticity of it, it is most likely not in the Scripture, yet it doesn't shipwreck our faith. Our faith doesn't hang on the account in John 7:53-8:11 or Mark 16:9-20.

By the way, the annual Klang Valley Bible Conference and Preaching Conference will be held in Petaling Jaya in July, Really looking forward into it. (http://kvbctrust.org/)

I will end this email with a few pictures and photos.

Many times I wished I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ earlier, yet He has His own perfect timing to brought me to Russia to make Himself known to me,
and He reassures me by these words:"I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten".

An interesting picture, shared by the pastor in the church I attend in Petaling Jaya.

"These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.
Impress them on your children.
Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road,
when you lie down and when you get up.
Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads."
(Deuteronomy 6:6-8)

The Jews actually follow this commands literally, tie the Scripture on their forehead and their arms. The lesson is not that we should follow it literally, but figuratively. We should remember God's Word in our mind and act according to God's Word.

There’s not a plant or flow’r below, but makes Thy glories known.
- Isaac Watt -


Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.
- Isaac Watts -

For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind,
and declares to man what is his thought,
who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth
 — the Lord ,the God of hosts, is his name!
(Amos 4:13)

Epistle to Hamers (13)

Dear Frank and Lora,

Merry Christmas from the town of Sibu. It had been a happening month especially with christians predominantly in the town.

* * *

Firstly they have a Christmas Parade on December 12, where the organiser gathered most of the churches in the town to have this parade. Everyone keep saying this is a one of a kind event that will only be seen in Sarawak. Indeed it is something that will not happen in West Malaysia.

It is a grant event, but honestly I don't feel very comfortable with it, because I don't really the see point of gather almost all the churches from different denomination (Roman Catholics, Methodists, Charismatics, etc) and have them walk around the town with decorated cars. Does this kind of event will deliver the biblical message of Christmas to the people in the town? Will people misunderstand the true meaning of Christmas? Maybe this might also be the reason why the church that I am attending (Calvary Sibu Bible-Presbyterian) didn't not participate it (although the organiser put the name in the event pamplet without their permission).

Many times it really perplex me, what is the line that divide the spectrum of these 2 extremes:

(1) 2 Corinthians 6:14 - Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?

(2) Ephesians 3:14 - until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

In this kind of event, should we be in unity, ot should we separate ourselves from them?

I also saw some photos in the net (http://www.theborneopost.com/2015/12/21/history-making-christmas-gathering/) where a Methodist church in Sarawak organised some sort of gathering during Christmas and invites people from other religions like Muslims and Buddhists. I don't really know how to respond to this kind of event since I am not sure what is their intend to organise it.

* * *

On December 22 we have a fellowship dinner to celebrate both Christmas and Winter Solstice at a sister's house.

We have a wonderful time and have gift exchange as well. This cell group is under David Ngu, the pastor of City Harvest Church in Sibu. The sharing that he gave (that Christ is the centre of the Christmas) is true, but at the same time rather simplistic, and this gave me more reason not to attend their regular Sunday Service.

Calvin will be going back to his hometown in Penang from December 22 to January 3 to celebrate Christmas and New Year with his family.

* * * 

On the Christmas day itself, my church Calvary Sibu has morning service, and thank God that I was able to attend it after my night shift in the casualty department.

In the evening 5.30pm they also have a Christmas dinner in the church, followed by Christmas message from the pastor, testimony from siblings of four, many choir presentations, dance performance, Bible quiz, and also a sketch on the Book of Jonah. The sketch was surpirsingly very good, with just enough of humour, but most important was the sketch faithfully followed the entire Book of Jonah from the first verse to the last verse. Overall the whole Christmas celebration good, in the sense that the Christmas message was proclaimed and the call to repent and turn to Christ for salvation.

The attendance for the dinner was surprisingly good, 4-5 times of the usual attendance on Sunday service. A sister told me that many grandparents and parents came to see their grandchildren and children to perform during the celebration. They usually didn't attend Sunday service,  and usually will not come for other events that organised by the church, except this Christmas celebration, ie. they only come to church once a year, on the Christmas day only. Kind of sad to hear that, but may they hear the message presented during this time of the year.

* * *

Recently I read through a few interesting messages for Christmas in the Internet.

https://youtu.be/3eyLISSSlAI

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2015/december-web-only/five-errors-to-drop-from-your-christmas-sermons.html

http://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/santa-claus-harmless-fun-or-christmastime-diversion

http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/christ-centered-silence-for-noisy-advent-season

http://www.desiringgod.org/messages/jesus-the-son-of-god-the-son-of-mary

* * *

A picture shared by Joshua.

Christ Jesus, who,
though he was in the form of God,
did not count equality with God
a thing to be grasped,
but emptied himself,
by taking the form of a servant,
being born in the likeness of men.

And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient
to the point of death,
even death on a cross.

Therefore God has highly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name
that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus
every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth
and under the earth,
and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

(Philippians 2:5-11)

A Not-So-Orderly Account

Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning,

it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you,

most excellent Theophilus.

Luke 1:3

This is the reason Luke wrote his version of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hence I am going to write also an account of this encounter with her, for myself, as a reminder of this painful lesson.

It was in summer 2010, this lady approached me via MSN messenger (something that was popular at that time), just a simple encounter, to ask whether I have this particular book. She is not a believer (for some it is not important, but for me it is utterly vital) Neither one of us will ever know how thing will further develop at that time. Since we have an intermittent chatting, via this web chatting.

This kind of chatting getting more complicated when we came back from summer holiday in fall 2010. We start to chat more and more frequent, eventually to daily basis. Neither one of us know that we have start to fall into this dangerous pit. We start to talk about all things, school life, family, classes, lectures, friends. Though we are not from the same age, yet we chat, and chat, and chat. And not without ending a chat with saying a proper 'good night'. And both of us gladly want to keep everything in this small chatting window, and not letting others know that we start to develop this relationship, maybe both if us fear the unnecessary gossip from unnecessary people.

From the bottom of my heart I start to know, something is not proper. She is not a believer. She is not. I keep remind myself that there is a boundary that I cannot cross, yet I can't control my heart. I still develop this special feeling for her. I keep using this excuse that I want to share the Gospel with her. I literally share the bible verses from Genesis to Revelation to her. Eventually I share the Gospel with her, invited her to Christmas dinner with the proper Christmas message shared in that event. I keep deceived myself that she is responding to the Gospel, but the fact is that the seed never grow in the soil, before the seed lands on the soil it was snatched away by the bird. She never confess, she never seek the truth, she never believe in this Saviour. Why? Simply because she never recognise her sins and her need for a Saviour. The born again experience never occurs in her life. That Christmas event is just an occasion for her to exchange gift. That Christmas is just an occasion for us to exchange Christmas card. The Word never went into her ears.

One of the reason she starts to open up to me, is because initially I am not too close, so that she can secretly share her deep feeling with me, her deeply wounded heart, from her previous relationship. She had a boyfriend before, and apparently that person hurt her deeply. I used the word "apparently" because I only heard this version of the story from her and not from other people around us. The part that very annoyed me is that she keep dilly-dally with this person that she hated so much for hurting her. But people said love and hate are the flip-sides of the same coin. I can sense that she still have feeling for this person. And it annoyed me. I was here willing to spend time with you and you keep thinking about this person that so-called hurt you.

I tried to keep a distance from her, tried to temporary stay away from this web chatting. But my heart is still thinking of her. I even shared this with my pastor, and he offered tremendous advice and counsel, and prayers. The scary part about her, and the part when things get more complicated was when she started to rely more and more on me. I mean, even to very simple thing. I tried to help her, I offered her help when she need it, I even pray with her (once only). But what she need is not me, but God.

The twist of the account is when she started to complain more and more about the people around her, and thing worsened when she started to complaint a brother of mine in the church. Although she was very close to me that time, but how dare she bashed my brother in Christ. I tried to solve thing peacefully with her. But she keep murmuring, and it showed the ugly side of her, by using not foul language, but very disgraceful words. Eventually I directed the conversation to her. I confronted her of her sins and her need for repentance. She was annoyed, she was pissed off. She just stop the conversation with the excuse of headache (we were both medical student at that time, please don't bluff me with this kind of stupid excuse).

Anyway when the conversation was done, I quoted Hebrews 3:15 "Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion." on my messenger status. She saw it and confirmed with me whether it is referring to her. My affirmation triggers her anger. She is offended to be known as 'rebel', she denied that she is in rebellion, she sees not her sins against this Holy God. She was so offended by the last part of the verse that she forgot the first part of the verse, where I wanted to remind her to not harden her heart if she hear God's voice. Seems like she didn't hear His voice. The Word of God is like so sharp, like a double-edged sword, it either pierce the heart of flesh and break the pride of the believers, or it pierce the heart of stone and offend the mind of non-believers. Apparently His Word did the latter to her. The worst is she understand not the concept of forgiveness, so she bashed the core of my belief.

This confrontation also end our relationship abruptly in summer 2011. She did apologised of her rudeness. But I see no repentance of her sin of unbelief. I need not her apology in this matter, I only want her repentance and her confession of a need of Saviour. But it didn't happen. Eventually I keep myself away from her. A broken glass can never be fixed back. And we became strangers, or even worse than that. I didn't even attend her convocation which I promised (my preparation for examinations was more important at that time). I met her 2 years later in the hospital, but I pretended that I didn't know this person. She either doesn't recognise, or does the same thing that I did - pretend didn't know me.

I do recalled a event where we actually asked each other, what we were to each other. We only mentioned that we were friends. Neither one of us confess that we think each other as someone closer than friends, we never said it out, though my heart think otherwise. The sad part is that I saw her revert to her belief in Buddhism that she followed all these while. I don't think it is correct to use the term "revert" since she never believe Christ in the very first place.

A painful encounter, but a deep lesson.

___________________

 

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

Proverb 4:23

Epistle to Hamers (12)

Dear Frank and Lora,

It has been about 1 week in this town called Sibu. Nothing much is going on. Done with the orientation in hospital, going to start working in emergency department this coming week.

Calvin invited me to join a small group on December 4th, Friday evening, consisted of rough 8 people, mainly doctors and some medical-related people. But sadly to say that this small group is under this City Harvest Church in Sibu. City Harvest Church (CHC) is a charismatic church, found by Kong Hee in Singapore. Recently Kong Hee was just sentenced for 8 years together with other five church leaders for abusing church fund for the music career of his wife Sun Ho under the Crossover Project.

Anyway, we did have a good time of fellowship that day. Sharing from each member, food (because we are Malaysians), and summary of previous week sermon from 2 Chronicles 20 (topic: what you should do when you are helpless, something like that). But some of the points in the summary doesn't sound very right, not say heretic, but just doesn't sound right.

For example, 2 Chron. 20:13 All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the LORD.

They said (or their pastor said), "stood there before the LORD means to do your part. We must do our part, then God will do His part."

Although I think what they meant is something like "continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose" (Phil. 2:12-13), or to put in John Piper's wording, "act the miracle", but the wording is very dangerous, as it sounds arminianistic, or if to the extreme, can be stepping on the path of work-based salvation. And in the first place, I don't see that verse in 2 Chron. 20:13 have anything too do will "doing our part".

Another example is when they said, "when you pray, not just simply pray, but pray in the way that you believed God have promised you the blessing." Eg. praying to get a child, praying to pass exam, praying for work.

Again it is not totally wrong, and I think they meant it in such a way as James described in James 1:6 - "But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."

But this can raised a million of questions. How should we know this is a blessing that promised by God? Is everyone blessed to have a child? Joshua and Jean tried very hard but they still haven't get a child? But Hannah prayed and God gave her Samuel. Is everyone blessed in their vocation? Will everyone passed their examinations? How should we ever know that the blessing that we think is promised by God is actually what God's plan for us? Deut. 29:29 says, "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law." Many of the answers to those question is not made known for us.

Recently I just re-watch the movie "Facing the Giant", the protagonist and his wife have difficulty to conceive, yet the wife says, "Lord even if you didn't give me a child, I will still love you." Isn't that it suppose to be? We pray, and ultimately we surrender unto God.

The dangerous part of what they said is that it can be stepping on the path of prosperity gospel or Word of Faith movements. However the is an important point in what they said. We do have to believe in the promises of God, as written in the Scripture. Eternal life, salvation, "Never will I leave you not forsake you" are real and solid promises that God gave us, and these promises we do have to believe and hold firm unto it.

You might ask why I didn't raised all these question during the meeting. Firstly is time constrain. Second is that I don't want to be appear so hostile during my first appearance in their meeting. Thirdly like I said above, I don't think they what they said are wrong or bad, and actually it is a summary of their pastor's sermon.

They invited me to to their church, but I am really reluctant to attend a charismatic church.

Today is the Lord's Day. Instead of going that City Harvest Church, I went to Calvary Sibu Bible-Presbyterian Church, is sister church of the church that I attend in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. It is a small church, with congregation of approximately 30 members. Only chinese service is available. I am more comfortable with this church, as the is less likely to hear heretic or possible heretic teaching,

Sibu is a chinese-dominant town, hence most churches provide chinese service only, and this imposes a problem for Calvin. He can speak chinese, but not reading or writing chinese. And chinese terminology in Christianity is basically a foreign language for him. Not only in understanding the sermon, but imagine he will have difficulty to sign the songs, public reading of the bible, and some churches sing the Doxology chinese with another lyrics (same meaning but not the version that we sang weekly in Koinonia). So far he is only attending this english small group only, and to put in his own words, he is not "ethusiastic to go to these churches" due to language barrier. I am very sad to hear that. This reminded me the time we were in Russia, where language is a serious problem, and this is also the reason why Koinonia appears. I am still very impressed that Joshua stayed in those Russian churches for 3 years.

Anyway, I managed to ask around my friend, and found out there is church that provides english service, called Wesley Methodist Church. Not sure whether they have sound teaching (the sermons in their YouTube channel are private http://wesleysibu.sarawakmethodist.org/). I mentioned it to Calvin already. Maybe we should find a time and visit it, and hopefully it will rekindle Calvin's enthusiasm.

Still waiting for the renovation of the place that I will rent, hopefully it will done as soon as possible, so that I can move in earlier. Now still living in my aunt's place, like a traveler, as I cannot unpack my stuffs and bought new utensils and other things. Yet this reminds me that we are just travelers or sojourners, passing through this world only, as we have a better home prepared for us in His kingdom (now that is another promise of God that we have believe).

During the mission conference, Joshua reminds me that if I will have the burden or calling for mission (maybe not now), I should live in such a way that prepare me for mission. Live like a traveler, not to accumulate to much unnecessary asset, not to have to much liability like housing loan or car loan, even when looking for spouse, should look for those who has the same vision for God, who willing to follow the calling for mission (if not we will end up like William Carey, who was willing to "attempt great things for God", but his wife Dorothy was unwilling, and end up with mental breakdown.

Some photos I took in Sibu. Still remember those photos taken by Lora with bible verses.

​

In Christ, 

Kevin.

Epistle to Hamers (11)

Dear Frank and Lora,

How are both of you? I am fine. Before I came to Sarawak, Joshua and Jean invited me to attend a mission conference on 27th-29th November, organised by Oversea Missionary Fellowship (OMF), used to be know as CIM (China Inland Missionary). This year is their 150th anniversary. This organisation was initially leaded by Hudson Taylor. A very inspiring conference, with speakers from different places: Dr Patrick Fun and Dr Jennie Fung from Singapore, Matthew Goldsmith, Dr Chew Wing Chee, Dr Alex Matthew, etc. Good bible exposition, with wonderful forum and testimonies from mission workers. I am glad to know that different people from different fields can play a role in mission. I still remember Frank told me that there is a great mission opportunity to be a medical worker. And I still remember the vision that I have 2 years ago, but I am still feeling the call to hold on and wait until God opens the door for me.

I travelled to Kuching (capital city of Sarawak) on November 30. It is an early flight, 7.05am. Airport is quite far from my house. So have to wake up at 3.30am. After arrived at Kuching International Airport at 8.55am, my uncle in Kuching picked me up and sent me to the Sarawak Public Health Department to register. I met a few "Volgogradians" when we register at the office. They assigned me to Sibu Hospital. So I bought a flight at 5.00pm, and reached Sibu at 5.45pm. At the mean time I am staying at my auntie's place while looking for a place to stay.

Registered with Human Resources Department in Sibu Hospital on December 1. Still waiting for the placement of the department as the director is not around. I met Calvin in the hospital, he is working in the Radiology Department. Cherrie left Sibu few months back and transferred to Sungai Buloh Hospital in West Malaysia few months ago.

Some history on this town of Sibu. Located in the centre along the seashore of Sarawak. My ancestor, Wong Nai Siang, a methodist christian from Fu Zhou, China brought a group of people to Sibu in 1900-1901. Two-third of the group are christians, hence many churches around in the city, predominately methodist churhes. The bible-presbyterian church that I have been attending in Petaling Jaya have a sister church in Sibu as well, but only chinese service.

Today morning I just got a news that a batchmate of mine when study in Volgograd, just passed away in a motor-vehicle accident in Temerloh, Pahang while driving to work with her younger sister, who survived from the accident. She used to be staying in Kim Hostel. The news is sudden to all of us.

The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away, may the name of the LORD be praised. (Job 1:21)

“Missions is not the ultimate goal of the Church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever." - John Piper, Let the Nations Be Glad.

Countless lives on this earth still haven't heard the gospel of Jesus Christ. And countless lives are passing away everyday. The conference and the lost of this friend reminds me this quotation from Piper.

Currently reading Morning Rain, a biography on James Fraser, a missionary in Lisu, China. The way he learn chinese language, really put me to shame, as I didn't take effort to learn russian language.

By the way recently while waiting to be transfered to Sarawak I made some drawings, after inspired by few artists.

The artists that inspire me to draw:

Andrew Chai, a missionary in Cambodia
https://www.facebook.com/cartoonsforfaith/?ref=br_rs

They put C.S. Lewis' writings into video-illustration
https://youtube.com/user/CSLewisDoodle

They do an overview on different books and theme in the Bible in video-illustration
https://m.youtube.com/user/jointhebibleproject

That's all I guess for this time. Take care.

In Christ,

Kevin