Today was supposed to be a "retreat day" of sorts to read, pray and take time off work.
But it didn't last past noon, before we know it calls from shipping agencies came in to inform us that our container has been diverted to Laem Chabang port near Pattaya instead of Bangkok due to the floods. And we had to rush all the paperwork to be sent to the agent to clear the cargo on time.
Should the container clear by this week, we should be able to receive the container in Phetchabun by next week, but we're praying that the extra fees wouldn't be too exorbitant. Thats the first thing.
Now the second thing.
With the retreat down the drain, I decided to go back to the drawing board to re-organise RADION for the year ahead. There are many NGOs out there that are doing an awesome job, but in pursuit of doing more, the slowly evolved from a faith based organisation to a secular one.
I guess for RADION, the core must always be Christ-centredness. And after 4 years of being on the helm, it apparent that if we do not make a deliberate attempt to make this so, we'll soon deviate from our actual purpose to reflect Christ.
The balancing act is not an easy one. On one hand ensuring that the gospel is presented in non-coercive ways (No one likes someone shoving his/her religion down another's throat) and the other hand to ensure that the organisation stays in-line; following God and loving his people.
Do keep me in prayer as the next 2 months will be critical in our vision setting for the next 4 years ahead.
About Me
- Eugene Wee
- Join us as we embark on this journey of faith. Journey with us by praying alongside & supporting us every step of the way. May this journal and our lives be a testament of God's love in a hurting world.
Monday 31 October 2011
Sunday 30 October 2011
Diary : 30 Oct 2011
Apologies for the extremely long lapse in updates.
We're all back safely in Chiang Mai and I'm recovering from another bout of headaches.
The 18 days in Singapore was awesome but passed way too quickly. We didn't even have time to meet everyone we hope to meet.
Tim & Puu enjoyed the trip thoroughly and it was really fruitful !
I'll start with the good news. We have managed to raise our targeted 60K for our first phase of our integrated complex and hopefully this building will be up mid-2012 ! We'll finally have our very first home (or office) to call our own !
So thats the great news ! Now for the less cheery news.
1 ) BKK Sea port is closed.
We received a note from the port authority to inform us that the port has been closed indefinitely due to the flood. We've already did our best to put the container on the first ship available and its scheduled to arrive tomorrow night. We can only keep our fingers crossed, worst case is when our cargo has to be rerouted to another port and that will spike up our shipment cost.
2 ) STK2 Grades
Today was the parent-teacher meeting. It was not pleasant. All but 1 boy had grades suspended for not completed school projects. It was terribly disappointing and we had to come down harsh on the kids today.
We took much effort to ensure our kids are given the very best and even made special efforts to get them to visit their families during the holiday. But after coming back, some had lovebites on the necks, others got attached, and other lost their drive to study and wanted to quit.
Some wanted to give up because studying was so hard, they rather choose the easy way out, go with the flow. Drop studies, get married young and go back to the fields.
Today we had to sit out kids down, talk and discipline them in love.
We spoke about self respect and a courage to fight for our own future. Some of the kids just wept remembering the dreams they had when they first stepped into the centre Their tears just rolled down their cheeks as we prayed for them, restoring hopes and dreams again.
At the end of the meeting, everyone was teary eyed. I guess its not the pain of the physical punishment, but them knowing that they have let the care staff down.
Later, Jong my 12 year old girl came up to me.
She said "I'm not very good in school, sometimes i don't understand, the kind that is not too smart."
I smiled, and said "for what we lack in talents we can make it up with hard work & diligence"
She looked up, eyes sparkled...."yeah.... I could definitely have done better"
We're all back safely in Chiang Mai and I'm recovering from another bout of headaches.
The 18 days in Singapore was awesome but passed way too quickly. We didn't even have time to meet everyone we hope to meet.
Tim & Puu enjoyed the trip thoroughly and it was really fruitful !
I'll start with the good news. We have managed to raise our targeted 60K for our first phase of our integrated complex and hopefully this building will be up mid-2012 ! We'll finally have our very first home (or office) to call our own !
So thats the great news ! Now for the less cheery news.
1 ) BKK Sea port is closed.
We received a note from the port authority to inform us that the port has been closed indefinitely due to the flood. We've already did our best to put the container on the first ship available and its scheduled to arrive tomorrow night. We can only keep our fingers crossed, worst case is when our cargo has to be rerouted to another port and that will spike up our shipment cost.
2 ) STK2 Grades
Today was the parent-teacher meeting. It was not pleasant. All but 1 boy had grades suspended for not completed school projects. It was terribly disappointing and we had to come down harsh on the kids today.
We took much effort to ensure our kids are given the very best and even made special efforts to get them to visit their families during the holiday. But after coming back, some had lovebites on the necks, others got attached, and other lost their drive to study and wanted to quit.
Some wanted to give up because studying was so hard, they rather choose the easy way out, go with the flow. Drop studies, get married young and go back to the fields.
Today we had to sit out kids down, talk and discipline them in love.
We spoke about self respect and a courage to fight for our own future. Some of the kids just wept remembering the dreams they had when they first stepped into the centre Their tears just rolled down their cheeks as we prayed for them, restoring hopes and dreams again.
At the end of the meeting, everyone was teary eyed. I guess its not the pain of the physical punishment, but them knowing that they have let the care staff down.
Later, Jong my 12 year old girl came up to me.
She said "I'm not very good in school, sometimes i don't understand, the kind that is not too smart."
I smiled, and said "for what we lack in talents we can make it up with hard work & diligence"
She looked up, eyes sparkled...."yeah.... I could definitely have done better"
Thursday 13 October 2011
Diary : 14 Oct 2011
We arrived safely in Singapore on 8 Oct
9 Oct was our first presentation at Jubilee Church and after that a relaxing dinner at Changi Beach
10 Oct - Brought them to take the MRT for the very first time. Went for meeting with SOT. ANd allow puu & tim to go around shopping. They got a chance to eat cheesecake at NYDC ! With thanks for Shirleen.
11 Oct - Brought them both to Science centre, while i heading for a meeting with Salvation Army. Followed by a swim at my sister's condo.
12 Oct - Tim had drum lessons while Alvin & me where tieing up the final details. Later we headed to Mustafa centre.
13 Oct - A whole day to pray and prepare our speech !
Exhausted after a long day. But it felt great being able to meet our donors again and sharing with them what that is happening in the mission field.
We're hoping to raise 60K for the first phase of our integrated complex.
May the Lord's will be done.
9 Oct was our first presentation at Jubilee Church and after that a relaxing dinner at Changi Beach
10 Oct - Brought them to take the MRT for the very first time. Went for meeting with SOT. ANd allow puu & tim to go around shopping. They got a chance to eat cheesecake at NYDC ! With thanks for Shirleen.
11 Oct - Brought them both to Science centre, while i heading for a meeting with Salvation Army. Followed by a swim at my sister's condo.
12 Oct - Tim had drum lessons while Alvin & me where tieing up the final details. Later we headed to Mustafa centre.
13 Oct - A whole day to pray and prepare our speech !
Exhausted after a long day. But it felt great being able to meet our donors again and sharing with them what that is happening in the mission field.
We're hoping to raise 60K for the first phase of our integrated complex.
May the Lord's will be done.
Friday 7 October 2011
Diary : 7 Oct 2011
What a mad rush week. Getting all the invites in place, checking on all the necessities bringing Tim over to Singapore. All the buying of clothes, getting him ready.
Tomorrow, we'll finally be flying into Singapore. The final lap of our journey back to Singapore.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdbU50QMuD8
Tomorrow, we'll finally be flying into Singapore. The final lap of our journey back to Singapore.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdbU50QMuD8
Tuesday 4 October 2011
Diary : 4 Oct 2011
In a work frenzy to confirm all the attendees of PROJECT LIVES! Fund Raising & Supporters Dinner. And also trying to juggle between counselling schedules for a domestic violence case.
Having my hands really full and sure feels rather draining.
Greatful for faithful friends who stand by you in times of difficulty and when you feel like giving up.
Truely friends are a gift from God !
Now for the updates. I just got back from Phetchabun and the journey back to Chiang Mai was less than smooth. Floods, landslides and others. Should we be a little earlier, we would have been swept down a cliff. But we arrived safety !
Here is a picture that I took yesterday from a newspaper. Yes. Public buses in Thailand are really not that safe.
Having my hands really full and sure feels rather draining.
Greatful for faithful friends who stand by you in times of difficulty and when you feel like giving up.
Truely friends are a gift from God !
Now for the updates. I just got back from Phetchabun and the journey back to Chiang Mai was less than smooth. Floods, landslides and others. Should we be a little earlier, we would have been swept down a cliff. But we arrived safety !
Here is a picture that I took yesterday from a newspaper. Yes. Public buses in Thailand are really not that safe.
Monday 3 October 2011
Saturday 1 October 2011
Mass Food Distribution 1 Oct 2011
Today's turn out for our monthly mass food distribution was huge ! Some 70 adults and 120 children appeared !
And some apparently did not even come for the food, they came just to listen to the gospel message and be around believers who cared.
Today, I was lead to share from John 4 about the Samaritan woman.
It was not a fanciful sharing, no great effects nor theatrics, just the simple word of God.
I made it a point to preach as simply as possible least I take the glory for a eloquent message that moves the superficial man and does little to the inner man .
I shared about God's love, about how God that waited for the Samaritan woman. A God that is so omnipotent but yet so involved in our lives. A God that see our every hurts and cares for us.
Towards the end of the sharing, I invited both the backsliders and the new believers to recommit their lives to Christ.
There was no ministry song to lead people in, there was no guitarist, it was just 5 mins of quiet waiting.
Surprisingly, the new comer stood up. And walked toward the alter !
Normally in the tribal culture, people will usually not receive Christ on their first visit, rather its progressive over a course of knowing the preacher & all.
But today, the unexpected happened.
The first time visitor came up, and followed by 4 more new comers. All of whom are the first time at our mass food distribution and came because they heard about us.
5 ladies stood at the alters, and before I knew it all 5 of the ladies were just weeping, sobbing, and when you see the Lord ministering to these ladies, I too couldn't hold back my tears of joy !
You can literally see lives reborn in the spiritual realm !
What an awesome day !
I guess after today, I'll trade 100 nonchalant, crowd driven "salvations" for 1 of these changed lives anytime !
Sorry for the blur picture. Its one of the best we have in view of the poor lighting
Today, I was lead to share from John 4 about the Samaritan woman.
It was not a fanciful sharing, no great effects nor theatrics, just the simple word of God.
I made it a point to preach as simply as possible least I take the glory for a eloquent message that moves the superficial man and does little to the inner man .
I shared about God's love, about how God that waited for the Samaritan woman. A God that is so omnipotent but yet so involved in our lives. A God that see our every hurts and cares for us.
Towards the end of the sharing, I invited both the backsliders and the new believers to recommit their lives to Christ.
There was no ministry song to lead people in, there was no guitarist, it was just 5 mins of quiet waiting.
Surprisingly, the new comer stood up. And walked toward the alter !
Normally in the tribal culture, people will usually not receive Christ on their first visit, rather its progressive over a course of knowing the preacher & all.
But today, the unexpected happened.
The first time visitor came up, and followed by 4 more new comers. All of whom are the first time at our mass food distribution and came because they heard about us.
5 ladies stood at the alters, and before I knew it all 5 of the ladies were just weeping, sobbing, and when you see the Lord ministering to these ladies, I too couldn't hold back my tears of joy !
You can literally see lives reborn in the spiritual realm !
What an awesome day !
I guess after today, I'll trade 100 nonchalant, crowd driven "salvations" for 1 of these changed lives anytime !
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