Carabiners & Crampons XXXXVIII (July 2013)

Dear Family & Friends,

I survived 17 days in Hokkaido! Thank God and my wonderful friends. It
was great to be out there in cold, misty (not hazy) weather. The Grade
6 Hokkaido hike up the volcanoes that called for the use of crampons
was challenging, exciting and not without incident. There were thrills
and spills out in the snow, yet all remained safe under God's
protective cloak of love.

Seeing the team limp back each evening with stories of how knees were
"killed", ankles wrenched and bruises sustained, made me feel less
envious that I had to stay in the "lowlands" in my wheelchair! The
oohs and ahhhhs that accompanied the viewing of the photos caused some
of the "envy" to return. I wished I could be up there. But, I was
thankful I could even be there!

I love Japan for its clear air, clean toilets, beautiful scenery and
polite people. Always makes me wonder how we can raise our own service
standards. We may be efficient, but lack the "heart" and that "pride"
in our work, which is so apparent there. Somehow, it just made
everyone feel so "special"!

One fine example was my encounter with Mr. Saito at Narita Airport. He
was assigned to push me in a wheelchair to catch my connecting flight.
He was polite, cheerful and caring. He asked if I needed a drink of
water and if I needed to visit the toilet. He was always mindful that
there were five others with me and would wait for them. He shared some
Japanese phrases with us and said he knew about our famous ex-prime
minister Lee Kuan Yew. Finally he said "Come back to Japan" in
Japanese. When we entered the airplane, I thanked him. In return, Mr.
Saito bowed, smiled, whispered "arigato" and went off.

In the end, Mr Saito did not just transport me from arrival Gate C to
departure Gate E28. He had showed me the true meaning of service. He
was not just a wheelchair pusher, he was an ambassador for Japan.
Indeed, he left a great impression on us.

Before leaving for Japan, I was reading a book by Dr. Eben Alexander,
an eminent neurosurgeon who had a near death experience and shared his
spiritual experience of journeying into "life beyond death". 'Proof of
Heaven' is finally proof of the existence of God.

Well, on the rocky and icy slopes of the volcanoes in Hokkaido, the
girls personally witnessed the existence of God. How else can we
explain one of the girls sliding 20m down a 70 degree snow slope with
the guide hanging on to her left leg landing in some low shrubs and
coming out of it shocked, with small cuts on her thumb and knee? Or
another flying down a rocky slope heading towards some protruding
rocks head first and recovered with just a badly bruised left thigh?
Do we need proof? Nah, we already know He exists. And He certainly was
there, His loving hand cushioning each fall.

"In peace I will both lie me down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord,
make me dwell in safety." Psalm 4:8

God bless us all and folks, make a little "heaven" on earth for someone today!

Love,

Cheng/Liz/Lizzie

The Eden Home Project is going on nicely with some hiccups here and
there. We have faith that God will see it through and it will finally
stand as a testimony of His great love for "the least, the lost and
the last". *2 We are close to achieving our target of S$70K, but know
that anything beyond that will go towards the running cost of the
Home, till we can work towards it being self sustaining. Thank you for
your strong support, kind hearts and generous donations. God bless.

We will keep all donors updated.

Carabiners & Crampons XXXVI (June 2013)

Dear Family & Friends,

On Friday, I will be leaving with 11 friends to Hokkaido! What a wonderful opportunity to be able to still travel by the grace of God and the kind hearts of friends! I shall enjoy God's wonderful creations - mountains and people. And the cold weather, wild flowers, sushi, sashimi, ikura, ramen, udon, soba, tempura, yakitori, kare, miso ... And the onsens!

While the girls hike the volcanoes of Hokkaido, three of us will roam the foothills. I will be in my wheelchair, with Angie, Kim and my trusty walking pole next to me. As I often say - it is not the healing of my physical body that I have experienced, but the healing of my mind and the restoration of my spirit! For "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"! Amen. (Philippians 4:13)

My niece Andrea visited me recently with her husband Kay and her two kids Abby (7) and Sammy Boy (3). My sister Sylvia (the loving mother), my brother in law KS (the indulgent grandpa) and my nephew Jeremy (the tattooed good boy) were down too! So there was much comings and goings, chatter and clutter and many many makan sessions.

As I watched the two kids adapt to the weather, sweating but still happily playing with the dogs in the garden, I wondered at their immense capacity to be joyous. I smiled and wished we could all be as joyful. Happiness is a choice, joy is a given ... God given. "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness," (Galatians 5:22) I guess kids have little to worry about. So often in the Bible, we are called to be like children. Perhaps because they are fiercely trusting, blessedly sinless and innocently worry free!

Life is now back to normal. The dogs and I are slowly getting back to routine and although we enjoyed that "lau jiat" week with the family, we now enjoy the peace and quiet of Base Camp. 

My black panther, the VW Scirocco sat week after week outside Base Camp with no real offers for it. I believe God had a purpose when a friend asked to borrow her, while her car went to the workshop for repairs following a road accident. Just a day later, another friend who had run her car into a tree, needed to borrow a car as well! 

Now, it has been sold. Indeed I believe God was testing me on my "greed" level. One after another, in one day, offers came in fast and furious, each one better than the last! I settled on what was agreed with a friend ... And went no further! 

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:21) I pray to be reminded that Christ resides in my heart and that I am mindful of what my "treasures" are!

A friend once jokingly said I should do one last mission instead of climb one last mountain, when we were discussing what "last thing" we would do before we die. I thought about it and believe that at every travel we make, every place we visit, every stranger we encounter ... We are on "mission" - exhibiting as much of the "Fruits of the Spirit" as we can. Good to sometimes ask ourselves "Would people know I am a Christian by the way I live?"

Just like what I read in The Daily Bread - "A Christian is a living sermon whether or not he preaches a word." Amen to that people! 

Thank you for your continued prayers. Please pray that God will continue to use me and that wherever I go and whatever I do and say, I am mindful that I am " preaching" and am on "mission"! 

Much love,

Cheng/Liz/Lizzie