Paul Long Warns "Beware the Dark Side"

Another reflection from Paul Long from my book, Spiritual Formation on the Run from his blog posted on Tuesday, August 31, 2010.

Ramblings on Parables and "Beware the Dark Side" and "You become what you do"

It has been a busy period for me. And it looks to be just as busy for the next three weeks. So ... it is time once again to "re-center" lest I lose my focus.

Chapter 31 of "Spiritual Formation on the Run" and chapter 40 both seem like ideal chapters to reflect and blog on especially in the light of my current sermon series on Parables of Jesus, the concept of "righteousness" and the theme of "choosing" has been very prominent. Have been thinking a lot, among other things on these two areas. Anyway, first the chapters ...


BEWARE THE DARK SIDE


George Lucas' Star Wars: Episode 3 - Revenge of the Sith was one of the most awaited summer releases of 2005. The Star Wars movies - six in total - represented a significant milestone in movie making as the computer became as important as the actors and cameras. This futuristic intergalactic war epic started off in the middle of the story with Episode 4-A New Hope. To get an idea of the storytelling, imagine reading a book from the middle and finding out the ending, and then reading it from the beginning. Revenge of the Sith tied the beginning to the end, which is already known. In Star Wars, the underlying philosophy of power is the Force, an energy that sounds suspiciously like the Tao of Taoism. The Force inside the Jedi Knights seems similar to the Chi in Chinese religions. Before watching Revenge of the Sith, we already know that Anakin Skywalker will be seduced by the dark side of the Force. The movie revealed the reason for Anakin's choice. When he chose the dark side, Anakin became Darth Vader, who was powerful in many ways, yet was in bondage to the Emperor.


There are certain similarities between the Star Wars series and another movie, Kingdom of Heaven. In the Kingdom of Heaven, a movie about the Crusades, one of Saladin's (a famous Muslim general) deputies said, "In Islam, God said `submit' In Christianity; Jesus said "choose". Both stories are about the choices that people make. Choices that destroyed a fictional intergalactic empire and a historical Jerusalem. The kingdom of heaven is the kingdom of conscience, as the narration in the movie so eloquently put it, "We choose with our minds and our hearts to do what is good and we do it" Choices that could seduce a soul, or redeem it. While the violence may not be edifying, the basic tenet of these movies resonates with our Christian faith.


In our Christian life, we are asked to choose daily. To choose to walk with Christ or to walk for ourselves and away from Christ. Our God is a God who gives His people the freedom to choose. We are not puppets on a string, manipulated by a master Puppeteer. We are given the freedom to choose, even to say "no" to God. Joshua, the military leader of the Israelites, declared at the beginning of the conquest of Canaan that he would choose Yahweh and fight his battles following the Lord's strategy. Jeremiah chose to follow the Lord even though he was asked to do some funny things to illustrate God's message. Jesus chose to drink from the cup of suffering in Gethsemane and died a humiliating death on the cross. There are also those in biblical records who chose badly. Lot chose the rich plain where Sodom and Gomorrah were. His home was destroyed and he committed incest with his daughters. David chose to lust after Bathsheba, leading to adultery and murder. Judas chose to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.


We are asked daily to choose. We must learn to do it with wisdom. That is why knowledge of the word of God is important. The Bible is a manual for decision-making. It helps us to be in the light rather than in darkness. So choose wisely. Beware the dark side.

YOU BECOME WHAT YOU DO

Brother senior disciple Ah Meng is so pious that he will be made Abba soon,' observed Ah Lek, as he continued to knead dough to made mooncakes. Every year, the Sow Lin Monastery would make mooncakes for the poor in the surrounding villages. The mooncakes were eaten to celebrate the Mid-Autumn or "Mooncake" festival held in the middle of the eighth month of the lunar calendar.

p/s This "Black Knight" is a Marvel Comic
character and actually a "good guy" :-)

"He prays so fervently that his pew often shakes and so many tear drops flow down his face that he wets his Psalter. He has memorised large chunks of the Bible too. And he is Abba Ah Beng's favourite."

"I don't like him," said Ah Kow, as he put a piece of dough into his mouth. "Yuk;' he said, spitting it out. "Senior disciple is always picking on others, looking for faults. He likes to point out my mistakes and always insists that I spend time confessing them."

"You are right. Just this morning he hit me on the head during morning prayers. Who does he think he is?" complained Ah Lek. "You were falling asleep:'

"Was not:'

"Yes, you were. I heard you snore"

"The other day he told Abba Ah Beng that my cell was dirty;" said Ah Lek, changing the subject. "That tell-tale. Abba Ah Beng made me scrub my cell and his too."

"The young disciples are ill-disciplined and not fit to be in this monastery;' Ah Meng pointed out to Abba Ah Beng during his time of spiritual direction. "They don't know how to pray, how to read the Bible properly, how to be forgiving and how to help others. I want to help them so much. I want them to be holy. I want them to good disciples. I want them to give up their selfish desires and bad habits. In fact, I feel so strongly about it that I cannot sleep at night:'

"Yes, I have been hearing stories from the young disciples about you. It is good that you are so concerned about their spiritual formation. However, be careful that in your zeal you do not cross the line to become the opposite of what you are fighting. Let me tell you a story;' said Abba Ah Beng.

"Once upon a time, during the time of the Crusades, there was a young, strong white knight who was very pious and devoted to God. He made it his personal quest to kill all black knights. The black knights were unholy and impure. Throughout his long life this white knight killed many black knights. One day, when he was old, he met a young white knight on the road. To his surprise, he was immediately attacked by this white knight. He fought valiantly but was unable to overcome the young knight. Throughout the fight, a question lingered at the back of his mind, `Why is this white knight attacking me?' Just before he was killed, he caught a reflection of himself in the shining shield of his opponent. The knight reflected in the shield was black:'

I noticed that there was a period of time this year where I stopped reading news about Malaysia. Not that I was not interested, reading the Malaysia news was frankly depressing and often made me angry on many areas and levels. So the "best" course of action for me is not to read and so avoid putting myself in such situations. Of course that was simply avoidance.

What I find interesting (to me at least) is that I am at peace with my move to NZ. This is because I "worked out" with God many conditions that had to be met before coming over so that I could be clear in my heart and mind my motives and calling. My calling to come to NZ was never in doubt and this has been confirmed numerous times in many ways since coming here.

So anyway, been mulling over my problem was more of "residue anger" which I realize has been simmering deep within me from unresolved hurts (like a volcano?), and the need to resolve it. I have noticed that Whenever there is a hint of "I am ungrateful" to abandon Malaysia (esp the church), anger would well up within and I would think, "And just what has the Malaysian church done for me that I should be grateful?" And a huge list would pop up in my mind ... a list I shall not list here :-) Needless to say, I had a huge list of grievances (and humanly speaking, a valid one too I might add) and how much I had done and yet not only unacknowledged but been even abused despite them. And when I think of the blessings of being in NZ and serving as a pastor in a great church, I find myself too often comparing my current experience with the many in Malaysia in not the healthiest of ways. I mean, I had great times in Malaysia and I have many wonderful friends who have blessed me and impacted my life ... but I don't thank God for them as often as I should. I have too often chosen to dwell on the negatives rather than the positives. This is simply WRONG!

Venting to God and even close friends etc is fine and often necessary to find healing but there has to be a time limit :-) and the need to move on! Basically I found God telling me gently this whole year that I have still pockets of anger and hurts (even residual resentment) that I needed to CHOOSE TO LET GO FULLY OR RISK LETTING THE DARKNESS OVERWHELM AND CHANGE ME INTO SOMEONE I SHOULD NOT BE.

I thank God I see more and more signs of healing of residual anger! And awareness is half the battle won.

I think of the many lessons I have been learning from my current series on Parables. Here's a partial sampling.

From The Parable of the Rich Fool - I need to share and find help in community and not "dialogue with myself". And this is a great quote from Kenneth Bailey that I did not develop on due to overwhelming material : "A naked cry for justice, unqualified by any self-criticism is not heeded by Jesus".

From The Parable of the Great Banquet - You can choose not to join in the banquet. But if you choose not to join, it is your fault and you will have to bear the consequences! And ... part of the incredible theology of the cross is how God chooses to turn his anger into costly grace! The challenge to see the reality of the power of this principle when applied in my life.

From The Parable of the Two Builders - Jesus is the foundation, and not to listen and obey Jesus is to have no foundation. It is really hard work to dig deep to get to the rock but it is necessary. Choice again ... to take the easy way out or take the tough but necessary route!

From The Parable of the Unjust Steward - A reminder of the importance of being wise as serpents but innocent as doves - my ethical foundation needs to be strong. But more important, to be wise and realize that the ultimate resource available to me is a gracious and generous God. It's a "risk" to bet everything on God but in reality it is the only "sure fool proof bet".

From the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector - The main issue is for me to have a right relationship with God. This is what righteousness is. It is a gift that comes through a relationship with God. And I can't understand and receive grace of I choose to compare myself with the failings of others rather than the perfection of God.

From the Parable of the Compassionate / generous Employer (Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard) - God is FREE to CHOOSE and He will choose to do what is right / just. The big question is, do I choose to trust Him in that "Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?". Also, everyone is equally undeserving and has access to God's grace (if we choose to accept it!). And one more ... my attitude to service should be that which springs out of gratitude rather than motivated by rewards.

It is hard to describe my main point - hence my ramblings but it is along the lines of kingdom principles / values versus worldly principles / values are very different. And while some worldly principles I do feel are valid (all truth is God's truth), kingdom principles are on a higher level. The more I choose kingdom values, the more I will allow God's light to shine in me and through me. The more I choose to work just on the level of worldly values (even the valid ones), the greater the danger of my succumbing to the dark side - not because I intentionally want to but it will happen.

Hmmm, not a very clear conclusion even if it just a "ramble" - perhaps some quick Malaysian examples?

To fight for the rights of pastors that they should be treated with dignity and respect as one would expect to be treated is a valid principle. But kingdom principles would add the perspective of call and the example of Jesus who calls us also to expect suffering and to trust in God rather than men. Without the kingdom perspective, the slow unintended and unrealized crossing over to the dark side is a very real danger. I see now how there is a lack of pastors and also how there is a danger that more and more may be viewing being a pastor as just another job among many.

To boldly speak out and fight to end racism and racial politics, and to demand for a just government and the removal and punishment of corrupt government officials and politicians is a valid principle. But kingdom principle also warns us of the danger of going the way of "the ends justify the means". I get scared that PR option is looking to be just as corrupt and more people "seem" to just close and eye? I post comments on "Malaysia Today" and I get scared when I realize that I am one of the few who refrain from using foul language and make degrading remarks. Interestingly I realized that my last 2 comments while free from foul language etc were laced with sarcasm. The gentle slope to the dark side is very slippery....

Other Paul's reflections from Spiritual Formation on the Run

Why the Hulk should be Red not Green

How expensive is your church?

How heavy is your burden?

Shout to the world

The silence in the noise

Omission and Commission

A Burning Bush

Just do it

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Merdeka

Happy Independence Day, Malaysia. May we all live in peace with integrity and honesty.


picture source

Confucian Spirituality

Tu Wei-Ming was born in mainland China, studied in Taiwan, and pursued an academic career at Princeton and UC Berkeley. Now a professor of Chinese history and philosophy at Harvard University, he teaches and writes about Confucianism. He is a proponent of "the theory of Cultural China," an attempt to be Chinese within a global context.

Time to Sell Your Hardcopy Books?

John Armstrong blogs about why he is selling off portions of his large library.

Digital Books, the Internet and the Future

I am both a reader and a writer. I once had an immense library but I have sold about 60% of it in the last four years. I sold some of my best books earlier this year, removing about 35-40% of my theology section. I confess that this was not easy to do but it became increasingly obvious that it was the right thing to do.

read more

While I understand his reasoning in doing so, I am not sure it is the 'right' thing to do. I am still in the stage of building my library and is looking into addition space to store my books (I do not have a large basement). Maybe one day I will sell some of my books...maybe one day.

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From South Africa with Love (5)

Cape Point is a promontory at the southeast corner of the Cape Peninsula, which is a mountainous and very scenic landform that runs north-south for about thirty kilometres at the extreme southwestern tip of the African continent in the Republic of South Africa.


The peak above Cape Point is higher than that above the Cape of Good Hope. The rugged sandstone (Table Mountain sandstone) ridge that rises from Cape Point at sea level develops into two peaks. There is a major peak that dominates the skyline locally but there is also a smaller peak about 100 m further south. The higher peak has the old lighthouse on the top.

graffiti "Malaysia Boleh" on second block from the top

The Cape of Good Hope; looking towards the west, from the coastal cliffs above Cape Point.


The Cape of Good Hope is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of Cape Peninsula, South Africa. There is a misconception that the Cape of Good Hope is the southern tip of Africa, because it was once believed to be the dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. In fact, the southernmost point is Cape Agulhas, about 150 kilometres (90 mi) to the east-southeast.

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Run with the Horses

Run with Horses

View more presentations from Alex Tang.

Run with the Horses

Text: Jeremiah 12:5

Text

5 “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? If you stumble in safe country, how will you manage in the thickets by the Jordan?” (NIV)

Sermon Statement

God is with you, will give you strength and will not let you face problems more than you are able to overcome

read more

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Training of Generation Y

In an interesting article published in Medscape on Training the Physician and the Anesthesiologist of the Future by Alex Macario, MD, MBA the training program of anesthesiologists is presented.

Figure 1. Factors that influence the changing physician workforce.

However I am more interested in the way he discerns the different demographic of the various groups of people involved in the training. This has relevance not only in the training of physicians but also of other areas including theological education.

Figure 2. Recent generations by year of birth.

Alex Macario's study is focused on the United States but his characteristics of Generation Y is fascinating and will be useful for educators elsewhere in the world.

Table 1. Characteristics of the Millennial Generation

Largest generation of young people in the country's history, likely surpassing the aging baby boom generation (78 million)[3]

Economically, they may not be better off than their doting parents, especially after the 2008 worldwide financial crisis

The most ethnically and racially diverse cohort of youth in United States history: 60% (a record low) are white, 19% are Hispanic, 14% black, 4% Asian; and 3% are mixed race or other.[4] They are comfortable with heterogeneity in living arrangement or socioeconomic class

Team-oriented, banding together to socialize rather than pairing off, acting as each other's resources or peer mentors

Civic-minded with a desire to make a positive contribution to society and to the health of the planet[5]

Have been spurred to achievement and display a self-confidence that reflects their being raised in a child-centered world

Comfortable with Web communications, media, and digital technologies (eg, Facebook, YouTube, Google and Wikipedia)

Easier social communication through technology may explain the reputation of the millennial generation for being peer-oriented

Accelerating technologic change may create shorter generations, as young people just a few years apart have different experiences with technology[6]

Increased global exposure through the Web, leading students and residents in record numbers to seek international educational experiences

Many millennials (42% of women and 30% of men) talk to their parents every day and many are still financially dependent on their parents; this has led to a new acronym: KIPPERS (Kids in Parents' Pockets Eroding Retirement Savings).[7] As the skills required for certain jobs become more specialized, many young people return to school for professional degrees with the hope that this additional training will help them land a job. This creates more dependence on others, such as their parents, for financial support.

Education and training in the present have to be designed to factor in the demographic of the millennials if these programs are to be successful.

Worth thinking about.

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Review of The Jesuit Guide

Here is a review of the book we shall be using for our online Book Club.

Book Review: The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything by James Martin SJ
Reviewed by Sr Janet Fearns

The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything describes itself as ‘user-friendly’. That is an understatement. James Martin SJ writes in a direct, conversational, highly personal tone, using uncomplicated language to convey profound concepts and reflections. One cannot devour several chapters in one sitting because Martin uses many thought-provoking anecdotes, often drawn from his own life, and asks challenging questions which require a reflective answer. Read more >>

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Star Trekking across the Universe

One of my favourite Star Trek song



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I love science fiction books. For a long time, science fiction is my stable diet and is still is. However I also venture into the worlds of fantasy. This interesting article from AbeBooks , one of my favourite used and rare books store explores Otherworldly books.

Otherworldly Books

by Beth Carswell

In fiction, people and scenarios are invented, but some authors take escapism a step further and create entire cities, planets and universes. A creative and skilled writer can build geography, languages, races of people, musical instruments, regional cuisine, traditions and more, unlike anything we see in reality, and the detail can be impressive.

Perhaps the best-known example is J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, the fictional setting for most of his works. Populated by elves, talking trees, hobbits and more, Tolkien even included maps. When writing about Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, JK Rowling went so far as to invent an entire sport, with its own rules and equipment.

Some authors invent not only unique worlds, but unique atmosphere to go with them. When constructing the planet of Pern (seen in the Dragonriders of Pern series), science fiction great Anne McCaffrey imagined a dangerous weather phenomenon called Thread. On Pern, Thread falls from the sky like rain, but is a deadly spore that destroys everything organic it touches, including humans. Those caught unawares risk being Threadscored or even killed. But since Pern had to be realistically inhabitable, McCaffrey combated Thread with the addition of fire-lizards and dragons, which, after chewing a specific rock called Firestone, are able to breathe fire and burn the thread before it falls low enough to endanger those on the ground.

And McCaffrey is far from unique in her ability to conjure up astonishing animals. Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy involves numerous worlds populated by talking, armored polar bears, animal representations of the human souls, nightmarish creatures called cliff-ghasts, and a fascinating species of animals called Mulefa, which have evolved the ability to use giant seedpods as wheels, increasing their speed and mobility in the world which has extensive dry lava beds to act as roads. Just to name a few.

read more

Out of This World Books

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Lewis Carroll

Alice falls down the rabbit hole to find a bizarre tea party, an unusual game of croquet, a hookah-smoking caterpillar and more.

Dune
Frank Herbert


On the desert planet of Arrakis, Spice is the most precious substance in existence. He who controls the Spice controls the universe.

A Wizard of Earthsea
Ursula K. LeGuin

In the island archipelago of Earthsea, legend says that humans and dragons were once one race, and magic is a real part of everyday life.

Coraline
Neil Gaiman

In The Other World, the parents with buttons for eyes seem ideal, at first - until Coraline explores and learns the sinister truth of their intentions.

A Wrinkle in Time
Madeleine L'Engle

The book's main characters 'tesser' to the alien planet of Camazotz, which is shadowed by The Black Thing, and has become a dark planet steeped in fear.

The Fellowship of the Ring
J.R.R. Tolkien

Middle-earth is a vast and complicated place, with as many dangers, brutal terrain and evil forces as magic, wonder and creatures that defy belief.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
Douglas Adams

The illustrious planet of Magrathea is home to the now-defunct society of builders who created luxury planets for the ultra-rich of the universe.

The Little Prince
Antoine de Saint Exupery

B612 is an asteroid roughly the size of a house, and is home to three volcanoes and a number of Baobab trees which threaten to overwhelm it.

The Colour of Magic
Terry Pratchett


Discworld is flat, so yes, there is an edge one can fall from. It is balanced on the back of four elephants. The elephants stand atop an enormous turtle.

Peter Pan
J.M. Barrie


Neverland is an island in the minds of children where children don't have to grow up. It is reached through flight via happy thoughts.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
L. Frank Baum

After a cyclone lifts Dorothy's house (with her and Toto the dog inside), she finds herself in Oz - land of munchkins, witches and flying monkey slaves.

Eragon
Christopher Paolini

Alagaësia is a mountainous and highly-forested continent where one can find creatures like shades, elves, werecats, urgals and the very occasional dragon.

The Secret Country
Pamela Dean

The Hidden Land is the mystical realm physically manifested by the game played by five young cousins. In it are witches, a magic ring, and frustrating unicorns.

A Spell for Chameleon
Piers Anthony

In the fantastic world of Xanth, one can find centaurs, mermaids, nymphs, curse fiends and more, and every human is born with a unique magical gift.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
C.S. Lewis

Narnia is a magical land created by the revered lion Aslan. Its inhabitants include animals (many talking), dryads, centaurs and other mythical creatures.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
J.K. Rowling

In the wizarding world, sports are played flying on broomsticks, the forest is full of talking spiders, mandrake roots scream, and one can learn to ride a Hippogriff.

The Summer Tree
Guy Gavriel Kay


Fionavar is the first of all worlds. It is home to gods, demigods and myriad supernatural beings, including the weaver, who creates the tapestry of all stories.

Swords and Deviltry
Fritz Leiber


Visitors to the city of Lankhmar in the ancient world of Nehwon: beware of thieves, corruption, bandits, smugglers. Have a drink at the Silver Eel Tavern.

The Phantom Tollbooth
Norton Juster

A bored little boy named Milo takes a trip to The Kingdom of Wisdom by way of a toy car and a magic tollbooth, and suddenly finds the world fascinating.

Haroun and the Sea of Stories
Salman Rushdie

In the magical story world of Kahani, the ocean is becoming polluted by sadness, tangling the story streams and making the world unhappy and frightening.

Lord Foul's Bane
Stephen R. Donaldson

The Land is home to numerous races of sentient beings, cave-dwellers, parasites, the half-human merewives, and the monstrous, partially-formed Soft Ones.

The Woman Who Rides Like a Man
Tamora Pierce

The people of Corus, capital city of Tortall range from knights and noble-borns to peasants and farmers, to sorcerers - and their enemies.

To Your Scattered Bodies Go
Philip Jose Farmer

The futuristic planet of Riverworld is covered in lush vegetation but has no visible moon, or animals besides fish and worms - until the resurrection of humans.

A Game of Thrones
George R. R. Martin

The continent of Westeros is populated by humans, giants, lizard-lions, direwolves and more. It also has unpredictable, irregular seasons, lasting indeterminately.

A Princess of Mars
Edgar Rice Burroughs

Barsoom is a wild frontier planet, loosely based on the real planet of Mars.The terrain is desert and dry seas, and its inhabitants are Earthlings and natives of Barsoom.

What are some of your favourite otherworldy books?

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Wiki for Scientists

One of the commonest complaints of scientists and people involved in research is the amount of time spent on writing papers, submitting them to journals, waiting for the peer-reviewed paper to come back and to rewriting according to specifications before these papers are published. The various journals realize this time delay and have taken the step of publishing papers online before the hard-copy comes out. Many scientists think that more should or could be done. Scientist Fabio Casati suggests that scientists should just post their papers in their websites like a wiki. Information Society Technologies (ICT) reports,

Don’t print it; post it

Following the lead of physicists and mathematicians who for years have been posting early versions of their papers on a website called arXiv.com for quick dissemination and peer critiques, Casati and his colleagues propose that all scientists jump start the dissemination of their findings by posting them online.

“The idea is that when people write papers, they put them on their webpage quickly, easily and for zero cost,” Casati says.

At the same time, Casati suggests, every scientist and research group can create its own “liquid journal” which groups publications that are interesting and relevant to a given topic.

read more.

Online The Scientist journal adds to the discussion. One of the worries is whether the papers will be up to standard. Wikipedia who have millions of articles boost an accuracy rate compatible to the Britannica. Will it work with scientific papers? Can scientists police themselves and an 'invisible college' acts to maintain standards?

Image: Wikimedia commons, Gflores

Now, information engineer Fabio Casati of the University of Trento in Italy and his collaborators are suggesting science publishing try something entirely new, taking full advantage of the rapidly evolving Web 2.0 technology.

They suggest making research -- including formal manuscripts, datasets, presentation slides, and other presentations -- available through the web without any sort of traditional peer-review process. That research would then be searchable and citable by the rest of the scientific community at no cost.

"In this way -- by looking at what people do in terms of reading, sharing, or connecting scientific knowledge -- we can have a way of finding out which scientific resources are considered good and interesting by the scientific community," Casati said.

Specifically, he and his team envision a new age of scientific journals, created by the users themselves -- the scientists. "I [could] have my own journal, which I maintain on peer review, for example," he explains. "[When I find an interesting paper], I drag and drop the pdf file [in] the journal" using the platform provided by LiquidPublication, which recognizes the file, obtains the url, and retrieves the metadata, etc. "I do this because I want to keep track of it for myself [and alert] all my team, [but] by doing this, we also share [our thoughts on the research] with the world."

Read more

UKM Medical Fellowship Alumni Retreat 2010

35 years ago, I started a Christian Medical Fellowship in the new Medical Faculty of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (National University of Malaysia). This was a new university, the second one to be incorporated in Malaysia with the specific purpose of using Malay as the medium of instruction and to produce more Malay professionals. I am the third cohort of medical students. In my cohort there are 3 Chinese and one Indian out of a class of 160 students.

I became a Christian while I was in first year and started a Medical Fellowship. I later started another Christian group in Bangi which is the main campus. To this day, both Christian fellowships are still active in the respective campuses.

The mission of the Christian Medical Fellowship is to equip Christian medical students to be leaders in the churches after they graduated.

By God's grace, that mission has been fulfilled in many ways. Some graduates are pastors, Bible teachers, elders, ministry leaders and there is even one politician. And all are still practicing medicine and a few have specialist medical and theological training.

The UKM Medical Fellowship alumni has been meeting in camps and retreats infrequently over the years. Recently a few of us wants to make it an intentional annual retreat for encouragement and mutual edification.

This year the retreat will be held in Kuching, Sarawak from 28-30 August 2010. I have been invited to speak on the theme of "Transitions: Lessons from the Life of Caleb"

My three sessions will be:

(1) Become- developing a different spirit (Numbers 14:24) - to become a man/woman of God
(2) Be- possessing the land (Joshua 14:12) - to be a man/woman of God
(3) Bequest- upper and lower springs (Judges 1:15) - leaving a spiritual legacy

I have also been invited to preach the Sunday sermon at the First Baptist Church, Kuching

I am looking forward to the ministry and the fellowship.

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From South Africa with Love (4)

Seal Island is a small land mass located 5.7 km off the northern beaches of False Bay, near Cape Town, in South Africa.





The island is so named because of the great number of Cape Fur Seals that occupy it. There are a few sea birds as well. It is an outcrop of the Cape granite and rises no more than about six metres above the high tide mark. The island is long and narrow, 800 metre long and only 50 metre wide. There is no vegetation or soil of any significance



The dense population of fur seals at certain times of the year attracts the seal's main predator, the Great White Shark. Seal Island provides unique opportunities for those who wish to observe attacks by White Sharks on Cape Fur Seal and to observe social interactions amongst both species.