J'aime vie...: His Love Endures Forever...

HELLLOOOOOO! Thank you ALL for your well wishes! Whenever you remember me, please remember to pray for my future little nephew / niece...Thank You! HUGS! The whole family is ecstatic with the impending babe. They're planning a new house already...So, lots happening at home. Think it's really a good timing for me to go home for a few months this year and stay till at least after Jenny gives birth. I can help in her school and also around at home to prepare for the new addition to the family...and just in time to go back to Melbourne to move to new house and get the house ready...

Love is patient...it does not give up...

"Give thanks to God...for He is good. His love endures forever..." (Psalm 118:1)...God's been very good to me and my family, including the extended family...the last trip and this trip back, God's been showing me His grace and love each time through my family and testimonies of things God is doing in the midst of my family. Today (yesterday by now), i went and visited an aunt (my dad's eldest sister...i call her "dai gu ma"). Some of you might remember that I had a cousin sister who passed away of cancer sometime back. It was the year 2001, I think. She was very young and had 3 children..the oldest was just about to enter primary school. Anyway, after a long battle, she went back to be with the Lord. Since her departing, her children are in the custody of the dad and are not allowed to see their grandmother (my "dai gu ma"), because he is afraid that she will influence the thinking of the children. He left her in the middle of her sickness and went for a younger woman. When my cousin sister departed, she wrote a letter that was read out during her funeral service and she expressed her wish to see her family, especially her parents, saved..and that through it all, God's been her anchor. Last year, my uncle and "gu ma" were water baptised. How did this happen? They did not immediately accept Christ after my cousin sis passed away, especially my uncle "gu zhiong" was very stubborn. But about 2 years ago, my "gu zhiong", who has been a drinker for a big part of his life got diabetes and started to lose control of his bodily functions as well...he started having difficulty even walking and remembering things. It's because of the years of damage to the nerves due to his hard core drinking. In those years when he drank a lot, he used to come home very drunk and used to beat up my "dai gu ma", but my "dai gu ma" never left...When my "dai gu zhiong" fell ill and couldn't take care of himself, she was there beside him...and took care of him and still does until today. There were many church members as well who showed loving kindness to my uncle and aunty...and he opened his heart to accept Christ a year and a half ago. Last year, sometime in Dec 2004, they were water baptised...Today, when we went to visit them, my "dai gu zhiong" came out singing to my "dai gu ma" - "You are my sunshine...my only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are grey. You don't know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away." He was singing to my "dai gu ma". I was so touched...had to hold back my tears...This "gu ma" is an amazing woman. After all those years of abuse, she is still faithful to love and care for my uncle and not a single unkind word from her...still speaking to him with so much care. My "dai gu zhiong" started to share with us how he appreciates God in his life now...and realises how much he is fortunate to have my aunt as his wife. He said that it is so good to be a Christian and he wished that he had accepted Christ earlier...I was very very touched. Here is a man totally humbled from his pride and finally coming into a loving relationship with His Creator. Even though he could not remember well, but he shared what he could about the new-found life he has in Christ. Although he can't walk and has been deteriorating slowly, but he has peace...All he has and loves now is the "Loving Bible" (as he calls it) and God..."Dai gu ma" has had to endure so much...an abusive husband for many years...losing her daughter to cancer and bearing the heartache of seeing my cousin sister's husband walk out on her because of her sickness and go to a younger woman...and after losing her own daughter, she also lost her grandchildren because they are not allowed to ever see her again...Now her life is resigned to caring for an almost bed-ridden husband who has finally learnt to love and appreciate her after such a long time...And yet, she is still smiling and greeted us with such warmth. I can see where my dad got his softness and his kindness. It is from this eldest sister...and I praise God that His mercy has shined upon this family and brought salvation in the midst of hopelessness and 'seeming' tragedy. God is indeed our everlasting hope...our only hope. Never give up our hope in God...even when it all seems impossible and hopeless.

"Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God...Psalm 146:5