`JOnathan~~

Friday, January 16, 2009

I went to Bedok library to study with Deborah today and it became a study session like none others...
Just as we were studying, a primary 6 Chinese girl came and asked us to help her in her math homework. We agreed to help her.

Frankly speaking, i didn't expect her...
to actually sit with us till about 8pm, for around 1 hour i think.
She was feeling helpless with her math exercise, which is on addition and subtraction of fractions (this will involve knowing how to get lowest common multiple as the common denominator) Apparently, she can't even add, subtract, multiply and divide properly. So most of the time in the beginning, she was just guessing answers. She would always want to use her calculator, (which Deborah confiscated in the process) and refer to her time-tables. She didn't really understand the mathematics behind it. All she has as a guide for the entire exercise, is a completed example of the first question, copied from the teacher.

When i was teaching her, i was feeling exasperated inside. yes, inside, because i dun wanna scare her. However, the both of us decided to put down our studies and take turns to just try to help her pick up the techniques required. And so, there we are, teaching mathematics in Chinese (because she can't really catch us speaking English quick enough) in the quiet programme space of the library.

The sense of satisfaction from seeing her solve some problems on her own was DEEPLY REWARDING.

Love is patient, love is kind. Indeed, if i can actually be this patient with this child, i can practise the same thing for others as well. This girl is God-sent :) Praise God!

Jonathan posted at 12:08 AM

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Sunday, January 11, 2009

I was trying to finish my book in Expo Hall 9 after service when i met AUNTIE MARIA!
Let me introduce her to you. She came from Philippines to serve as Issac's (Shalom's brother) nanny. She is currently pursuing her dream to go to Canada, to learn about children psychology and be a teacher for kids with special needs. She is a very joyful person, who always call out to me "hi darling!" whenever she sees me...yes, always filled with the joy of the Lord, she proclaims.
We chatted for...perhaps an hour? I thank God for her, because her positive spirit and her encouraging words (which still remain etched in my memory) has inspired me, for the year ahead. I learn a great deal from her as she shared about her life.

1. Be very sure of who you are

No matter what happens or how the world sees her (like how some Singaporeans always look down on domestic helpers like her, labeling them as "maid"), she is always positive, because she knows, deep inside her, that she is a beloved child of God! She is always filled with the joy of the Lord (joy FROM THE LORD, not from the world) because she trusts that...

"In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. " Ephesians 1:11,12

Recently, she found out that she could not go to Canada soon, because her visa requires almost a year to be processed. However, since she is unemployed and may have to return to Philippines to process everything (which according to her, will be a great hassle). She prayed about it and glory be to God, God blessed her with a new employer in Singapore. Now as she waits for her visa to be processed, she could, in her free time after work, go for the Encounter weekends that she have to miss because of her past commitment of looking after Issac, and continue to spend more time getting equipped with God's knowledge! God provides!

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints..."
Ephesians 1:18

2. Write a DREAM BOOK

When she mentioned to me about her Dream Book, i was like "huh?what's that? is that some kinda dream diary?". She replied, "NO! it's where you note down youir vision, What kinda person/character you want to be, what you want to achieve and even what kind of lady you ae looking for as your wife!" She told me that she knows what she wants and these visions, having been written down in her Dream Book...she will pray, "God, may all these things come to pass! In Jesus' mighty name, amen!" What great faith she has! Yes, and she will FOCUS, to work towards her vision. For instance, she will look out for articles regarding taking care of children with special needs and cut them out for future reference. She also told me cheekily that she would only date a man who is a believer of God that serves God and she won't marry till she finds this man. Indeed, a man without vision will perish, as written in the Bible (Proverbs 29:18)

3. Final impartation of the day

She said these words to me before she was about to leave Hall 9. It seemed that she just came up with these words at the moment and she thought that these words altogether sound quite deep to her too, but you see, the meaning is as simple as the words used (yet many fail to apply, though they understand)

"Be contented with what you HAVE,

and WORK FOR what you WANT.

Do what you HAVE to do,

so that you can do what you WANT to do."

Aunte Maria

"But godliness with contentment is geat gain." 1 Timothy 6:6

Thank you, Auntie Maria. God bless you :)

Jonathan posted at 4:37 PM

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