"Someone once told me that not even for a million dollars would they touch a leper. I responded: "Neither would I. If it were a case of money, , I would not even do it for two million. On the other hand, I do it gladly for love of God."
Blessed Mother Teresa
A true essence of what EIP should be.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
EIP : Some words of wisdom from a wise woman
My all time favourite person : Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta (as I noticed in a book which I borrowed from the GYM)
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Amanda Andrew's Testimony on Maranatha Teens Retreat
Amanda is a facilitator of the Confirmation Ministry who was not so long ago a confirmation candidate - very much like most of you today. Here is her testimony for the Maranatha Teens Retreat which she attended in June this year. Hope it will encourage you to want to attend such retreats in future :
Amanda Andrew says…..
I attended a retreat in Maranatha in June this year. It was a wonderful experience. Let me tell you why.
At first I did not feel like going for this retreat because I thought I would not have friends and will be lonely. But I was wrong, I met so many new friends and they were all nice and friendly people.
I learned a lot from this retreat, even though it was just 2 days. I learnt to be more patient and calm when I have problems. I also learnt that I do not have to make a problem bigger than the Lord, all I have to do is just leave it to Him and it will be alright.
I learnt a lot also by listening to people’s sharing of their experiences. I have learnt how to make decisions in life. Now I know what I must make a priority in my life and what can wait. I enjoyed listening to Fr Larry’s sharing and the Sister from the Daughters of St Paul (what’s her name again?)
Finally, the most interesting thing in this retreat was the activities during the sessions. It was all fun. This was the best retreat I have ever been to! The place was nice, it was so calm and relaxing. The food was also good! Not forgetting all the presenters, they were also nice people. And their sharings taught me a lot. If I was asked to go for another retreat like this in Maranatha, I would certainly say YES!
Amanda Andrew says…..
I attended a retreat in Maranatha in June this year. It was a wonderful experience. Let me tell you why.
At first I did not feel like going for this retreat because I thought I would not have friends and will be lonely. But I was wrong, I met so many new friends and they were all nice and friendly people.
I learned a lot from this retreat, even though it was just 2 days. I learnt to be more patient and calm when I have problems. I also learnt that I do not have to make a problem bigger than the Lord, all I have to do is just leave it to Him and it will be alright.
I learnt a lot also by listening to people’s sharing of their experiences. I have learnt how to make decisions in life. Now I know what I must make a priority in my life and what can wait. I enjoyed listening to Fr Larry’s sharing and the Sister from the Daughters of St Paul (what’s her name again?)
Finally, the most interesting thing in this retreat was the activities during the sessions. It was all fun. This was the best retreat I have ever been to! The place was nice, it was so calm and relaxing. The food was also good! Not forgetting all the presenters, they were also nice people. And their sharings taught me a lot. If I was asked to go for another retreat like this in Maranatha, I would certainly say YES!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary
Here is some good reading on the Memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2009-10-07
Today's sermon - at SIC - Fr. was sharing about Mary's humility and willingness to be used in the God's mission. How often were we called to serve and we refused. I have been guilty of that - especially when called to do wardening on Sunday or Saturday. I usually use the excuse of being tired.
Lord help me to not shirk in my service for you. Help me to always say yes to Your Will.
http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2009-10-07
Today's sermon - at SIC - Fr. was sharing about Mary's humility and willingness to be used in the God's mission. How often were we called to serve and we refused. I have been guilty of that - especially when called to do wardening on Sunday or Saturday. I usually use the excuse of being tired.
Lord help me to not shirk in my service for you. Help me to always say yes to Your Will.
Martha or Mary : Luke 10: 38 - 42
Image taken from: http://www.bible-art.info/images/GREENE_Nathan_Martha_and_Mary.jpg
I often found this Gospel appearing at the apt moment in my life. Lately, I have come to realise that I have always been a Martha - busying myself with my work, Confirmation Ministry and my prayer group and on rare occassion - the BEC. I rarely spent my time in prayer - prayer to me was usually a quick one in the car - not even on the whole journey to work - coz I have a colleague with me or sometimes as I lay on my pillow - exhausted from "Martha"-ring around the whole day. And now I find myself being burnt out.....:-(
So who do I turn to? Where I run for help? - Christ in the Holy Eucharist
This morning, I went for Mass and in the sermon, I believe this message was for me: God has given you 24 hours in a day. How many of that hours do you give back to him in prayer and meditation? 5 minutes? 20 minutes? or less? Are you not short changing Him? As I pondered on this I realised that in the 24 hours a day I have been giving more hours to my place of work and hardly made any time for my Lord and Redeemer. How could I have cheated Him?
This morning, I went for Mass and in the sermon, I believe this message was for me: God has given you 24 hours in a day. How many of that hours do you give back to him in prayer and meditation? 5 minutes? 20 minutes? or less? Are you not short changing Him? As I pondered on this I realised that in the 24 hours a day I have been giving more hours to my place of work and hardly made any time for my Lord and Redeemer. How could I have cheated Him?
I pray today Lord that everyday I will be "disturbed" in my work - so that I may find the peace I seek in you.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Level 2 : Exposure Immersion Programme
Hi all,
We had a rather busy day last Sunday with our Exposure Immersion Programme (EIP) start-up. I was really pleased to note the enthusiasm among the candidates, parents and sponsors regarding the EIP. I believe there are many parents who on their own have made it a point to get their family involved in such activities even before attending our Confirmation Programme.
I would like to share with you my experience of EIP but not one which was part of the Confirmation Programme - like you do now - but this was organised by the prayer group where I was attending. This was when I started working. We were sent out in pairs to live with, for a few days, poor families. My friend, Anne and I stayed with an old indian couple in a squatter settlement in Batang Berjuntai. We went there by public transport - an old rickety bus - at that time there were no express busses like we do today. No air-con as well. We were met by the coordinator of a group who deals with social concerns of the community in Batang Berjuntai - not from the church but from an NGO. He took us to the house - made of wood, had a well from which we had to draw water from, had no electricity but depended on a generator at night. We met this old Indian couple - and not being able to speak Tamil, we conversed in Bahasa Malaysia.
One of the things I remember was the rice which they ate. It had a strange smell but not wanting to be rude, we ate it. Another thing was the other living creatures we encountered : a frog in the bathroom and since it was kinda dark we could not really see it until we entered the bathroom and was about to bathe. At night we slept on the floor in one of the rooms and as we looked up we saw a rat running across the panels of the wall. Good thing we had a bedsheet which we used to cover ourselves - from head to toe.
They had a television set but it was not on for long as they were using the generator. Also, we learnt how to draw water from the well. Now the best impact this visit had on me was - thereafter I never saw the need to be overly conscious or concerned with things that are not necessary in this life. Also, I learnt to be thankful for the many blessings I have received in my life.
Hope to be able to share more with you sometime. Once you have done your own EIP it would be good if you could write in to me or put a comment in this blog telling of your own testimony / experienve. A good sharing / testimony would be an encouragement to others who would need to hear it.
Make a wise choice ya?
Take care and God Bless.
We had a rather busy day last Sunday with our Exposure Immersion Programme (EIP) start-up. I was really pleased to note the enthusiasm among the candidates, parents and sponsors regarding the EIP. I believe there are many parents who on their own have made it a point to get their family involved in such activities even before attending our Confirmation Programme.
I would like to share with you my experience of EIP but not one which was part of the Confirmation Programme - like you do now - but this was organised by the prayer group where I was attending. This was when I started working. We were sent out in pairs to live with, for a few days, poor families. My friend, Anne and I stayed with an old indian couple in a squatter settlement in Batang Berjuntai. We went there by public transport - an old rickety bus - at that time there were no express busses like we do today. No air-con as well. We were met by the coordinator of a group who deals with social concerns of the community in Batang Berjuntai - not from the church but from an NGO. He took us to the house - made of wood, had a well from which we had to draw water from, had no electricity but depended on a generator at night. We met this old Indian couple - and not being able to speak Tamil, we conversed in Bahasa Malaysia.
One of the things I remember was the rice which they ate. It had a strange smell but not wanting to be rude, we ate it. Another thing was the other living creatures we encountered : a frog in the bathroom and since it was kinda dark we could not really see it until we entered the bathroom and was about to bathe. At night we slept on the floor in one of the rooms and as we looked up we saw a rat running across the panels of the wall. Good thing we had a bedsheet which we used to cover ourselves - from head to toe.
They had a television set but it was not on for long as they were using the generator. Also, we learnt how to draw water from the well. Now the best impact this visit had on me was - thereafter I never saw the need to be overly conscious or concerned with things that are not necessary in this life. Also, I learnt to be thankful for the many blessings I have received in my life.
Hope to be able to share more with you sometime. Once you have done your own EIP it would be good if you could write in to me or put a comment in this blog telling of your own testimony / experienve. A good sharing / testimony would be an encouragement to others who would need to hear it.
Make a wise choice ya?
Take care and God Bless.
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Exam Blues !!
Dearest Level 1 Candidates, ................especially those of you sitting for you PMR shortly.......getting nervous about the exam? Have faith la.....you are really blessed, you know.........coz besides your parents, family and friends praying for you, your facilitators are also praying for you, myself included of course, and in fact the whole Parish especially this weekend. I was really overjoyed to see many of you at Life Mass today and even going up in front for blessing.....Also happy to see the facilitators there as well......indeed I am sure our Lord will not forsake you.
Just to share my testimony about the power of prayer and intercessions when I was sitting for my SPM once upon a time.....(BTW you should get a copy of Word Among Us this month and read about intercessions)....the weekend before my SPM Bahasa Malaysia paper was my cousin's First Holy Communion in Penang. My family travelled all the way to Penang (and if I recall we did not have the North South Highway, back then) for the ocassion. On Sunday afternoon, before we left Penang, one of my uncle's uncle was told about me having taking the exam the next day. He then laid his hand on my head and prayed for me. I did not know anything about laying of hands or even had any idea about intercessions at that time. But what happened in the end was, I passed the Bahasa Malaysia paper with an average credit. This is one incident that I remember even today - the fact that someone prayed for me and the Lord was with me througout the exam and even after.
Don't forget to pray before leaving your house for the exam. And when you are trying to pray and there are disturbances, ask our Lord to remove the distractions. When, during the exam you are not able to answer / understand the questions, stop pray a while and then, continue.
Anyway.....all the best for the exams and know that we would lift you in prayer.
Amen
Just to share my testimony about the power of prayer and intercessions when I was sitting for my SPM once upon a time.....(BTW you should get a copy of Word Among Us this month and read about intercessions)....the weekend before my SPM Bahasa Malaysia paper was my cousin's First Holy Communion in Penang. My family travelled all the way to Penang (and if I recall we did not have the North South Highway, back then) for the ocassion. On Sunday afternoon, before we left Penang, one of my uncle's uncle was told about me having taking the exam the next day. He then laid his hand on my head and prayed for me. I did not know anything about laying of hands or even had any idea about intercessions at that time. But what happened in the end was, I passed the Bahasa Malaysia paper with an average credit. This is one incident that I remember even today - the fact that someone prayed for me and the Lord was with me througout the exam and even after.
Don't forget to pray before leaving your house for the exam. And when you are trying to pray and there are disturbances, ask our Lord to remove the distractions. When, during the exam you are not able to answer / understand the questions, stop pray a while and then, continue.
Anyway.....all the best for the exams and know that we would lift you in prayer.
Amen
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