IT’S ALL ABOUT LOVE

Today, I shared the following in church. Just something that I have been learning from the Lord for quite a while now....but intensified for the past week. I find that our Christian life is always about love. Why am I so impatient with my children? With people who are slow? Why do I get so worked up over someone who does not do as I expect? Literally get mad at people who do not obey the traffic rules? Whatever my reasoning may be....it boils down to lack of love. 

So this week, I prayed and spoke to the Lord, that I truly want to be filled with His love....not that I have not asked before. Just that I feel I have failed (countless times!) and want to be diligent to change in my ways. especially so, now that I want to go out and pray for people, for healing and deliverance, and to just SHOW others God's love. 

First mention of LOVE in the Bible

GENESIS 27:4

And make my savoury meat, such as I love (157), and bring it to me, that I may eat; that my soul may bless thee before I die.

(From Lexical Aids to the Old Testament)

SC Hebrew 157 אָהַב Ahab (verb). desire, delight, like, be fond of, covet, be beloved, amiable, be a passionate lover. It implies an ardent and vehement inclination of the mind and the tenderness of affection at the same time.   Ahab has the extensive sense of the English word “love”. It is used to describe the unspeakable love and tender mercies of God in the covenant relationship with his people. This word appears about 250 times in the Hebrew Bible. It denotes a strong emotional attachment for and a desire to possess or be in the presence of the object of love.

Things were loved in the OT :

Savoury meat (Genesis 27:4)

Oil (Proverbs 21:17)

Silver (Ecclesiastes 5:9)

God’s law (Psalm 119)

Evil (Psalm 52:3)

Truth and Peace (Zechariah 8:19)

Salvation (Psalm 40:16)

Wisdom (Proverbs 29:3)

Vanity (Psalm 4:2)

Cursing (Psalm 109:17)

Death (Proverbs 8:36)

God loved His people (Deuteronomy 4:37, Isaiah 43:4, Malachi 1:2)

We are to love God, and with all that we have (Exodus 20:6 first mention of us loving God Deuteronomy 6:5 first instruction to love God)

Above all else, Jesus instructed us to Ahab (love) God more than anything else (Deuteronomy 6:5), which is one of the pillars that the entire OT and NT rests (Mark 12:30,31). God certainly loved His people, and the Greek counterpart is agape (26) and agapao (25).

 First mention of the word LOVE in the New Testament

Matthew 5:43-46

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love (25) your neighbor and hate your enemy.’

But I say to you, love (25) your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.

That you may be the sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

For if you love (25) those who love (25) you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

SC Greek 25 Agapao, to love  indicates a direction of the will and finding one’s joy in anything.  Contrast with phileo (5368), to be contented with, denoting common interests, hence befriending. Agapao is used of God’s love toward man and vice versa, but phileo is never used of the love of men toward God. Agapao, and never phileo, is used of love toward our enemies. Agapao stands higher above phileo because it is love that expresses itself in compassion.

SC Greek 26 Agape, love, a word not found in Classical Greek but only in revealed religion. It means benevolent love. Its benevolence is not shown by doing what the person loved or desire, but what the one who loves believes and knows is needed by the one loved. E.g. ‘For God so loved…..that He gave…” What did God give? Not what man wanted, but God knew man needed, His Son to bring forgiveness to man. God’s love for man is God doing what He thinks best for man and not what man desires. But for man to show love to God, man must first appropriate (suitable and proper for a condition or circumstance) God’s agape, for only God has such an ‘unselfish’ love. 

(Most of the explanation of the Biblical words are from Lexical Aids to the OT and NT)

It is amazing that God would put the passage on LOVING OUR ENEMIES as the first mention of 'love' in the New Testament. He certainly knows what is good for our heart  and soul!  And loving God is about appropriating, i.e. doing what is suitable and proper for a condition or circumstance (to and for our neighbour!) God's love! God's Word is truly amazing!!

 I have learnt through the weeks that I need to do all I can to maintain the following attitudes, in order that I be kept in the love of our God, and to show forth His love :

1.         THANKFULNESS

1 Thessalonians 5:18

2.         JOY AND PEACE

Roman 14:17, 1 Thessalonians 5:16

3.         PATIENCE (perseverance, suffers long)

1 Thessalonians 5:14, 1 Corinthians 13:4

4.      FORGIVENESS

          Matthew 6:5-15

When I find that I lose any of the above, that is, complain instead of being thankful, upset and agitated instead of having joy and peace, impatient (!!!)....I DO know something is wrong. And I think the most important of all is to forgiving. We are people that get easily offended. Don't! It is not worth it! That is why Jesus said that this is a serious matter - if we do not forgive, then God the Father will not forgive us. We would be in serious trouble if we do not forgive! 

This is what I have been learning ....to be thankful for those we know, the things we have, and just enjoying God and the people around us. Learning to be patient with all (I was sharing that I am homeschooling my children so that I learn PATIENCE!) and always forgiving.

SHALOM!!

PAPA...THE HUMBLE LEADER, THE LINGUIST, A GENEROUS AND GIVING MAN, A WONDERFUL FATHER, AND A FAITHFUL SERVANT OF THE LORD

Written on 18 September 2014

In two days’ time, on the 20^th September 2014, it would be papa’s 75^th birthday. I thank God for the times we had with my father. Though I would wish more time with papa, but the Lord has determined that it was not meant to be so. But we are thankful for the things that we now have, memories of him, being…

THE HUMBLE LEADER

It is from the mouths of many of his colleagues that we discovered the leader that papa was. He hardly talked about what he did at this workplace. We did not even know that he was one of the founders of IJM until much later, when he retired! When I pass IJM building in Jalan Yong Shook Lin, I think to myself, who would still remember papa? As time goes, even now, many would have forgotten about papa. But I have heard of the things he has implemented in IJM and ICP, and some of the people from IJM and ICP have shared some of these.  Being the humble man that he was, papa did not tell us such achievements.

Papa was a man with brains. Lots of it.  And papa was very hardworking. Unfortunately, I have not taken this side of him, especially the hardworking part. I take things the easy way and did the bare minimum to do well to remain in the first class throughout my years in school.  My sister Yoke Mei and Yoke Ping probably got the best of papa in this aspect.

Yet, papa taught us many valuable lessons, without really sitting us down and telling us, or giving ‘lessons’ as such. He taught by his example, and I still do them, and have always instructed my children as well. One of them was table manners – we are to eat what has been put before us, and do not slurp when drinking soup! One safety measure was to always lock the car door before driving and also not to stick any of our (my 3 younger sisters and I) body parts out of the car. Whenever I see parents who allow their children to stick out their heads and limbs out of the car, I truly get upset that these parents are irresponsible for allowing their children to do that, and putting their children in danger! And….do not get out of the car until the gate is closed, just in case someone is watching and takes opportunity to rob.  To me, leading by example makes papa a great leader.

THE LINGUIST

Everyone who knows papa would know of his passion for the Chinese language. Papa was English educated but he studied Malay and Jawi (which rubbed off on me and I can read basic Jawi) on his own and had a good command of the Malay language. I often marvel at papa’s determination in what he put his mind to do.  Maybe some did not know that he also studied Japanese, and could speak basic Japanese, but did not pursue the language later in life. His first love was always Chinese, and he studied Chinese diligently in his 50’s and was able to read the Chinese newspapers and often listened to the radio in Mandarin. I was told (after his passing) that when he was the Managing Director of ICP, he had his staff learn Chinese for free, after work!  Though many did not develop his passion, the non-Chinese could speak some basic Mandarin.

Papa’s dialect was Hakka, but he said follow my mum, whose dialect was Hokkien, because to him, “mummy’s Hokkien is better than my Hakka”. At home, we often hear papa, say, “Kong Hokkien oi!” meaning, “Speak Hokkien!”.  The tendency was, for my sisters and I, as well as the grandchildren, to speak English, or Cantonese.  When I remember papa’s diligence in encouraging us to learn Hokkien, I say the same to my children, “Speak mandarin! (As they are learning Mandarin) Speak Hokkien!”.

It was a pity that none of his children were in Chinese school, as my mother was teaching in a kebangsaan school (national school with Bahasa Malaysia as the medium) and it would be too ‘troublesome’ for her to ferry us to and from the Chinese school. I did wish that I had gone to Chinese school, now having to take Chinese lessons!

A GENEROUS AND GIVING MAN

Papa did not have to tell us to care for the needs of others, and to be generous, because his actions have always taught us to be so. I saw him taking care of his mother, my grandmother, the late Madam Thiam Lai Yean. I saw his great love and respect for Ah Ma when she was alive, and when she was unwell. He set up the Thiam Lai Yean Foundation for charitable purposes in 2008 in memory of his mother. He shared with us on his 70^th birthday that he learnt to give to the needs of others because of the example of sharing and giving of Ah Ma.

This is the part of my papa I cherish the most. It makes me want to do more, it makes me care for others even more. And I know that this aspect of my father’s life will continue to live on in me and my family, and in the many people who have been blessed, and is being blessed, by my father’s legacy of giving.

A WONDERFUL FATHER

Papa was a quiet man, and have never shouted at us. Maybe because he never had too since we were generally quite good daughters : ) !! Papa never caned us.  Mummy did not either. All he did was say a stern word, gave us a stare and we knew what we were supposed to do. By God's grace we turned out pretty ok! With my children, I had to cane and shout (Noel controls me in this) and think that they would need these or they will turn out to be indisciplined and rude! 

When we were young, I remember that papa was very busy at work and was frequently away in Penang (with IJM and setting up ICP) but he was always home for dinner when he was in PJ. To me that was important, being with us...though most of the time he did not speak very much. Papa never spoiled us, but provided us all that we needed, especially a good education, having been through difficult times himself to have an education. It was only during his later years (especially on his 70th year and onwards) that he spoke on what happened to him when he was young (one being, he almost drowned, and another, was in a bad accident). I am glad that papa made it a point to have yearly family trips for all my sisters and our families for the past 5 years. 

A FAITHFUL SERVANT OF THE LORD

When he found out that his health was deteriotating fast, he said, “All my Chinese wasted!” I was wondering why he said that. Later I found many Chinese Christian books that he had, and I know it was his desire to share his faith in Chinese, but felt that in his passing, he would not be able to do so. Yet, in his own way, papa has done much to serve the congregation in his church, Grace Assembly. Many times, he has also offered his help to other Christians and I am thankful that in his last few years, papa has been able to do his part in the Kingdom of God. Again, he may not have told us the things he did, the humble man that he was, but I have heard and seen his heart for the Kingdom of God. Papa’s faithfulness to His God is what will remain for eternity.

MY MUMMY

My mummy said to me today, "Have a rest, you can nap with me." I thought, I will do that because most of the time, my mum will say, No! As I just looked at her as she was laying on the bed (she was having a swollen right eye due to some allergic reaction), I felt a great love for my mother. Mummy has not been the same since papa passed away. She has been rather negative and prefers to stay in her room and keep to herself. The Lord wants us (me and my sisters) to learn to be patient and understand what it means to truly love our dear mother. 

I asked her, while trying to get a nap, "Do you remember how it was when you gave birth to me?" She replied, "Aiyo, you have also given birth! So long ago, cannot remember la!" Thinking that this is my mother, the one who gave birth to me.....made me cry. Made me think how difficult it is for her that papa is no longer around. Now that she is a widow. How the Bible calls us to take care of widows. She was always close to papa, and papa loved her very much, and took care of all the household matters. Even my relatives tell me how much papa loves mummy. Only yesterday, she was telling me the fact that she does not know how to do so many things because papa used to do it for her, and how papa had 'spoiled' her. I think papa spoiled all of us sisters too, in some ways. Now I have to handle the shares that he bought for us....before, he did it all for us. 

MUMMY AND PAPA - you look so, so pretty mummy!
December 1964

MUMMY AND PAPA - still very pretty!
2013

Mummy...your face is so smooth lah!

ALL THE DAUGHTERS AND THEIR HUSBANDS
PAPA'S 70TH BIRTHDAY 2009
Mummy, you still look very good!!

We are blessed to have mummy. Jaden said yesterday, "At least we still have Ah Ma with us." Yes, sometimes it can be disheartening when she does not want to do what is good for her, like going out and being with people, but we will always love her and cherish her, and take good care of her. I am sure the Lord will make all things well! We love you mummy! Heaps!!!

........And I think I take after your good looks (of course I think you are better looking than I am....and papa is handsome too! ) since everyone says I look just like you! He he!

MY FATHER, MR. LIM YONG KEAT

I speak of my dear papa as if he is still with us. And very much so. I feel he should still be with us here on earth. But we have to come to terms that he is no longer with us....yet so much alive in our hearts and lives. I thank God that my father wrote about his childhood, about his life. It was a great effort for him to log on and email me all that he has written. I am glad I have those with me and I hope I will be able to get it published within the next year. 

MR. LIM YONG KEAT
(20 Sept 1939 - 3 Jan 2014)
My papa in his favourite shirt....
taken during Hari Raya (August 2013)

Yesterday, I was at the IJM building to look through papa's things, as they were required to be shifted out of his office room. Since retiring (I really don't know when he retired as he never seemed to have!) he was given a room, being one of the founders of IJM and ICP.  My father is a very humble man. Even with his vast experience and qualifications, we have NEVER seen a time where my father talked about it. It was only after his death that we knew what a great person he was....we heard so much from the staff and people who knew him....of what he had done. There is so much that have been shared... and I will be getting staff, friends and people who knew my father -  to share some of the things my father has done that have left a lasting impression on their lives. 

One of the Chinese calligraphy scroll that I brought back had my father's name on it...but being the 'banana' that I am, I didn't understand what it meant, so I asked a friend to translate for me. She said this is what it meant :

LIM YONG KEAT....TO HAVE RIGHTEOUSNESS IN DOING ALL THINGS BOTH IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH, TO LIVE A SIMPLE LIFE, NOT COVETING AFTER EXTRAVAGANCE. SOW IN TEARS BUT YOU WILL REAP, AND BLESSINGS WILL FILL YOUR HOME.

I don't know whether my father specifically asked the calligrapher to write this or someone asked, but I DO know this is WHO my father is and this is the WAY he lived. Papa, I love you and miss you so very much. Thank you for the legacy of giving that you left to me and my children and to their children. 

These photos were taken on papa's 70th birthday in 2009

                             

OUR TRIP TO MELAKA.....

Yesterday (29 April 2014) was our 2nd day in Melaka. It was a really hectic day...for me! I planned every place to visit at what time of the day as well as which good makan place to go to. And Waze (GPS)...though useful most of the time, made me go around the bush a couple of times!
Our first stop was Chop Chung Wah Coffeeshop for their famous Chicken Ball Rice. Information I had was that it opens at 7.30am. So there we were....but found out from locals walking around that it opens at 8.30am. So we went around the vicinity of the coffeeshop as it was near Melaka River and there were lots of things to see....like monitor lizards swimming in the river, and the replica of the fort built by the Malay Sultanate. The shop opened at 8.36am. The only difference is that the rice are rolled into balls. The verdict by the boys and my mum....so, so la...the Ipoh Chicken Rice in PJ is better! For me, since I have lost my sense of taste/smell (for those who do not know....can't taste the distinct special taste of food, I can only taste sweet, sour, bitter, salty.....sad, isn't it? Anyway, long story...) I could not comment and just makan saja....

The uncle that served us the chicken rice balls

We people tucking into the food. Very famous one man!! That is what I tell all of them.....at 8.40am, we were  extremely hungry!!




Then we were off for the Melaka River Cruise. It was a nice 45 minute ride along the river with glimpses of history on the walls of the houses along the river. Then we went to visit the famous A Farmosa, the Portugese Fort. There we met an interesting artist who was selling his artwork - Daniel. He is half Javanese, half Portugese and was a very nice man, and shared with us that he has been around A Farmosa for the past 36 years, and used to work for 6 years with a Portugese station in Portugal. He told us that this is not A Famosa as that would be the whole fort. What we see is the Porta de Santiago. His drawings in pen/pencil were very reasonably priced - purchased 3 pieces of art. Then we were off for MORE food!! 



We have been waiting to go to Jonker 88, the famous place for chendol and assam laksa. They only open at 12.30, so we went there then...but of all times, the shop was being renovated and we were told to come back tomorrow, i.e. today, 30 April at 10.30am. So we had to settle into another coffee shop nearby....a disappointment to Noel who had nyonya laksa. I had Japanese popiah which was actually nice! I said I don't want to take second best. I had planned to only go and eat the best of the best, as we did not have time to eat 2nd best, and no space in our tummies too! When we came back to our car to go to the next place on our list.....we had a fine for not displaying the parking ticket, which was there on the dashboard!! I checked the details of the parking ticket we put and it was the right date, and it was a whole day ticket! i was really upset (it's wierd that we are given a ticket for not displaying a valid parking ticket!) and thank God there was a police beat nearby and was told to go to MBMB 'Majlis Bandaraya Melaka Bersejarah' and we were told where to do.....which would disrupt our schedule!!! Aarghhh!! So there was a MBMB pondok at Taming Sari (Read about this place here) and we had to wait for the person who gave us the ticket to come. Anyway, he said we could have put the ticket AFTER they gave us a fine! He showed us pictures he took of the dashboard but only part....so I said you did not take the whole dashboard! I told him....would I try so hard to escape paying RM30 and do such a thing? I really didn't know what to say and asked Noel to talk to the officer. RM30 was not a lot of money and I could just have paid to solve the problem, but we were not in the wrong! I don't know what transpired, but Noel finally paid RM10....reduced fine with receipt given.
I am glad that the next stop was the Klebang Coconut Shake....needed to cool down!! There are lots of places selling this but this is where it all started. We spent about 20 minutes to get there (which included figuring out what Waze was trying to tell us!!) but it was worth it! The drink was a blend of coconut water, icecream and coconut flesh. Yums!!!


On Wednesday morning, we had breakfast at our hotel, The Baba House Hotel. It is quite nice, and it is strategically located on Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, next to Jonker Walk. Jonker means Junior in Dutch.....where the junior officers used to live. Only thing was that it was under renovation and the tables were all dusty and yikes!! I had a rat run pass me which made me hop on to a chair.....which made my children laugh!! Of course I complained....but I was thinking it's because they are renovating....









Then we went to Stadhuys. We were disappointed as the Museum was closed for renovation until next year. Stadhuys was built by the Dutch occupants in 1650 as the office of the Dutch Governor and Deputy Governor.
But we really enjoyed the trishaw ride.....which was fun. Su told me later what Nahshon asked, "Guess who is heavier? Both of us?" Su said, "I think your mummy and your brother (Net)!"
We finally got to try Jonker 88's assam laksa...but found out that they used canned tuna (we do not eat canned foodstuff) instead of kembong...and everyone (that is all who were there : )) says, the chendol at Calenthe Cafe tastes better. Next, we went to Taming Sari....read all about it here. It was a little scary looking at Melaka town from the top! But a thrill for Jaden and Nahshon!















We were meant to collect the pineapple tarts we ordered but was told that they were still being baked...so we went to have one more round of the Klebang Coconut Shake. Then it was back to the pineapple tarts. Watched the pineapple tarts being taken out of the oven and had to wait for it to cool a little....really yummy when warm...best of all it is homemade!



Finally, we went to the Reptile Farm in Air Keroh - again a request from Jaden - before we headed back home. Nothing beats HOME SWEET HOME! It was tiring but I am glad we took some time away from home, and see something new and try Melaka food!!

Now I truly understand "as proud as a peacock"
When the peacock sees us coming near, it will
open up and come near us...the nearer we
come, it will show it's plumage, and come
nearer and nearer....to show off!!
So proud!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DEAR HUSBAND, NOEL!!

Today is my husband's birthday. Noel turns half a century today! Not a century but HALF!!! Yesterday the church celebrated his birthday with a wonderful gift of .....you can see it for yourself! And.....the other T-shirt with '21' signifies the number of years he has been the pastor of our church All Nations Church. There was also a half century egg (you know...the black black one....)  that was presented to him, which he ate.This morning, the boys (that means including Noel!) prayed together, and I am so grateful to the Lord for extending Noel's time with me and our boys. After prayer, he encouraged his sons to be faithful to the Lord and hunger for the Word of God. Despite going through many hard times in his life, God is always good.  As I have written in my book God's Word & You, I believe it is God's grace towards the boys and I, that he is still very much physically alive. It was by God's grace that he was able to have a heart bypass which was extremely risky for him, and come out alive to declare God's grace upon his life. We value each other a lot more because of this...of course we still have our little squabbles!....but the Lord is truly good in our lives!I remember that this is the man that the Lord gave to me. The Lord brought me all the way to Australia to know Noel. All the way to meet this man whom I thought, "This man is a fanatic!". I did not understand that this is the way a disciple of Jesus should be living. To me, we do not say "Praise the Lord!" or "Hallelujah!" in public. And the way he desired after God, and the way he spoke about God's Word made me term him as a fanatic. His 'fanaticism' rubbed off on me and I guess it was my turn to be labelled as a fanatic! I learnt to love God for who He is, and to love Him because I wanted to love Him. I learnt that what was important was having a desire for God, for the things of God. I saw Noel's love for God's people, desiring to see them love God the way he did, and to encourage and challenge them to seek God, obey God's Word  and what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. To me, the most important thing that I have learnt from Noel is faithfulness to God and the love for God's Word. I first learnt how to study God's Word from him. To my dear husband, Noel Joseph Ha Thien Sen. You may be unassuming and have a tendency to 'take the back seat', but you are a great person because I know you have touched many and influenced many, to love God and love His Word. Thank you for being a faithful and loving husband and father, ever increasing with time! May we, as a family, grow and continue to serve our Lord faithfully and love Him with all that we have!                                                ............................................I intentionally booked a trip to Melaka last week, without letting Noel know. If I ask him when he would be free, it will be never! He always seem to say that it is difficult to go away. So I just told him last week that we will be going to Melaka....and here we are!! Here are some of the photos of places we have been today....mainly makan places lah.......

We had nice chendol and nyonya laksa here - Celenthe Art Cafe

Watching a Malay uncle making onde-onde

At the reception area at our Hotel - The Baba House. 
That is my dear mummy. Nice place!

At the STRAITS CHINESE JEWELLERY MUSEUM. 
We actually went to the wrong place...wanted to 
go to the BABA NYONYA MUSEUM...will visit tomorrow
Still a good experience. The picture on the right shows what 
young nyonya ladies learn to do manik (for putting onto shoes)
....one of the requirements to be eligible to get married.

All the good nyonya places were closed (most are not open 
On Mondays) but have read about this great Tandoori place, 
Pak Putra, but did not know it was only walking distance from 
The Baba House. That is their famous tandoori Chicken....
Noel had some!! For those who do not know, 
HE DOES NOT EAT CHICKEN


.

Last, but not least, thank you all of you guys from ANC for a wonderful and blessed celebration yesterday!!

A TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL CORNELIUS SELVAM VELLU - BE GOOD IN ONE THING.... AND PUT YOUR ALL INTO IT !!

My friend Jessica and I made a truly last minute decision on Saturday, 19 April, 7.45am, to go to Ipoh for the special service (was scheduled at 9.30am) for Michael Cornelius Selvam Vellu, Karpal Singh's personal assistant. I wanted to go when I knew about this service at 6am, because I knew that Michael's family members are in India, and I just wanted to be there. On the way to Ipoh...I thought, why don't we just drive to Karpal's place in Penang since we were half way? So the decision was made then that we would go to Penang too after Ipoh. We prayed that the Lord would take care of things and lead us wherever we were supposed to go!!
Jessica and I shared many things on our journey. We were in Ipoh at 10.30am and was so glad that the service was still on. Then we continued our journey to Penang after lunch and arrived at 144A, Jalan Utama, Penang at about 3.30pm. We shared what we have been learning from the Lord, especially after reading David Davis' book From Broadway to Mt Carmel. We find that these people just were sold out to the Lord and whatever, WHATEVER, the Lord said to them, or put in their hearts, they would just do!! And they put everything that they had to do that ONE THING that God put in them. Jessica shared that if it is sweeping the floor, then do it well with all your heart!! If it is teaching God's Word, then spend all your time doing that! 
And that is what Karpal Singh and Michael Cornelius did. We have read so much about what Karpal did and what he stood for. He put his heart and soul in helping people, and the nation cried for this man. Every person I know felt tremendous sadness over his death. Why? Because he was a man of action. A man who cared for people. He put all his time and effort in listening to people's problems and doing something about it....even when others say cannot be done or have given up hope. Can we, as disciples of Jesus, do just that! Sold out to the cause of Christ? Of course....but we have to CHOOSE. Choose to live according to God's way. Choose to give up our ways. And to GIVE. Even if it is just to give my life for one person. That is what Michael Cornelius did.
Yesterday, I read the following in the news that touched my heart :
Even as Karpal Singh is remembered for his contributions to many, there is another man who cannot be forgotten for his sacrifices for one man.
Michael Cornelius Selvam Vellu, the personal assistant to Karpal, would also remain in the annals of Malaysian history for his devotion to his 'Boss'.
Michael was literally the man behind Karpal since the 39-year-old would 'push' his boss around in his wheelchair wherever he went, including to the Parliament, courts and his office at Jalan Pudu.
Karpal's daughter Sangeet Kaur Deo, in a Bernama report, said Michael was a 'faithful servant to his master' and stayed with him even in death.Michael met Karpal in a hospital in India while the latter was undergoing medical treatment in 2005, the year the former DAP chairman and Bukit Gelugor MP was paralysed as a result of a car.
Michael, who came from a poor family from Vellore, Tamil Nadu in southern India, then agreed to return with Karpal to Malaysia as his assistant.
Micheal practically “gave his life for Karpal” working around the clock 24-7 for his boss, said the writer of the biography ‘Karpal Singh: Tiger of Jelutong’ Tim Donoghue.“Without Michael… attending to his every need, and Gurmit (his wife), Karpal would not have been able to live the life,” Donoghue told Astro AWANI yesterday.

Read more at:http://english.astroawani.com/news/show/michael-cornelius-the-man-behind-karpal-singh-34156?cp
It is the poignant description given by Sangeet Kaur Deo about Michael Cornelius, the assistant to Karpal Singh.“From the day Michael worked with my father, he fasted every Tuesday as his personal vow so that my father could walk again,” said Karpal’s daughter, Sangeet when met at the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital yesterday where a special prayer service was held for the Indian national before his body was taken to the KL International Airport to be flown back home to his wife and family. “He was a vegetarian and a man of faith. He carried the Bible on him and prayed all the time,” she said. Sangeet related that on Wednesday afternoon, the day before the accident, her father and Michael were jovial in the Kuala Lumpur office. “They were laughing and joking with the office staff when my father said ‘without Michael, I would be dead’ to which Michael replied ‘without Boss, I would be dead’,” she said and stopped as she remembered the tragic accident. Taken from https://my.news.yahoo.com/karpal-angel-michael-heads-home-india-225500790.html
And this is what Karpal said of Michael :
In an interview with FZ.com previously, Karpal had described Michael as his “shadow”.
“He has to wake up every few hours and turn me as I cannot sleep in one position for long… the poor fellow has no life, he has to take care of me all day and even sleeps in the same room,” Karpal had related in the interview.
Karpal also said of Michael: “If he’s not around, I’m in trouble!”
A friend of Karpal’s also remarked that “God was great in wanting Michael to stay with Karpal to help him in heaven”.
Michael, who last saw his family over a year ago, had also expressed that it was hard for him to leave Karpal’s side.
“Very hard for Boss because others don’t know how to carry him,” said Michael, who has never seemed to mind, and was in fact, happy to serve.

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Michael, a trained nurse, served Karpal with all his heart....he bathed him, changed his clothes and even slept in the same room with him in order to turn Karpal. Reading about Michael fasting for Karpal, and being ready to serve his Boss 24/7, made me cry, because Michael was an example of a servant, a man of God. And most important of all, he showed Karpal who a disciple of Jesus was. Michael enabled Karpal to be the great man he was until his death. And God made Michael a great man who served ONE man, Karpal Singh. Michael, you may have served only one man, but you served him well! I know that Michael will be accorded his place in heaven...as a good and faithful servant of our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank you Michael, for showing us what it means to do well in that ONE THING. May your family and friends find strength and comfort in who you are - a faithful servant of the Lord.


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