once bitten twice shy?

*during dismissal*
“Goodbye Teacher Yanni… Goodbye Friends!”

“That’s fast! Child S is at the playground… Wow enjoying her biscuit some more!” I thought to myself as I wait at the door with the rest of the children,

“Hmm… something is not right! Child S’ mother is not on her left, Child S’ brother is not on her right, Child S’ grandmother is nowhere to be seen too!” I thought.

“OH NO! Without me knowing, she walked over to the playground on her own, despite her guardian hasn’t come yet!”

“VOLCANO ERUPTING” was written on my face! I immediately walked to the playground, without any questioning… I grabbed her hand and brought her back to classroom, threw away the biscuit she was eating and started my scolding! Guess where did she got the biscuit... she asked it from a stranger (her friend's mum) by the side.

I scold… I scold… I scold… I SCOLD and SCOLD… *Child S cried*
*believe me… at the point, I was realllllllllly very angry! The thought of “what if” she is lost just frightened me!

Not only did I just scold, I also did reason with her- telling her the danger of her going/being alone. So when the mum came, I tried to tell the mum what happened as she was on a important call but she did replied me- “Yes! I understand… she naughty!”

After that… I was talking to one of the auntie who knew what had happened, she made a statement:
”Children like them… maybe they will only learn after something really happened”

But I myself think that… that is only 1% true because afterall they are children, young children. We really cant afford to let ‘one’ thing happened to make them learn their lesson.

*Just like- the day before this incident, our school actually received a call from the police, to check on our 2 K2s children- trying to ask how they were being dismissed, as their form of going back are by school bus. Shortly after, we knew that both of them was being send up to bus from school and by school bus, they were sent back home but they were lost when their parents brought them out to playground and without the parents who was busy chit chatting knowing, this 2 children wander off and get lost in a unfamiliar place. But thank God they were found not long after by one of their mum’s friend.

Conversation we had with one of the child who came back to school the following day:

Chers: So, Child B, what happened yesterday?
Child B: *smile shyly*
Chers: What happened to you and Child P (another child who was lost)?
Child B: We go playground… then we walked… and walked
Chers: Then you cant find your mummy already?
Child B: Yes…
Chers: Then what happened?
Child B: Then… I very tired… so I sit down… at bus-stop
Chers: Then what about Child P? She was not with you?
Child B: I don’t know
Chers: Oh… then after that?
Child B: Then… my uncle sees me… he carries me to police station. Police station there, I saw Child P.
Chers: *flipped*
Child B: I hug my… mummy
Chers: Did your mummy scold you?
Child B: No… she talks to me only… she said next time cannot do it again
Chers: So are you afraid, want to anyhow walk away from mummy again?
Child B: No…
Chers: Then why Child P never comes to school today?
Child B: Think… she is very scare… so never come

*ALL things are possible*

"today the title of my message *Living out God's best*" said my CGL

“oh… this title sound familiar, think heard before already” me thought to myself

*BANG* something hit me!

“during my QT yesterday… didn’t I tell God that if He is willing, to give me the peace through His Word or His presence during cg/service?”

*listen doubly hard to the Word of God*

“All things are possible” … is a very “common” verse in the bible. I’m very sure all of us know this verse verrrrry well… can even read it the other way round. For myself too… each time I heard this verse, it will always be a “Amen!” reply from me. But during cg’s ministering time, when my CGL is praying… for the 1^st time! 1^st time I wept when I heard my CGL saying, “all things are possible”,

At the end of the day… though somehow the sermon didn’t really show the direction God want me to take, the path God want me to go… but this is a very good encouragement and assurance that truly with God “ALL things are possible!”

THANK YOU JESUS! =)

Qualification I don’t have… Confidence level going down and down… Situation around me don’t seem positive BUT I just want to trust God with whatever I have. Been telling myself this few days, “ALL things work out good for those who love Him”… just got to trust God that He is in control. =)

whatever little u have will become much when placed in God's hands...

HmMmMmMm....

Just last week, I went to visit one JAMs student, E (not from my bus). My helper, Xiaoying who been to his house before was sharing with me the few times she been there with E’s Bus Captain (BC), they seldom meet the mother at home and the BC ever shared that is better without the mum, not so “scary”. Jokingly, I told Xiaoying: “Hmm… maybe today special, I come mahz, so maybe the mum will be at home!”

We walked past a living room, saw through window this lady sitting on sofa watching tv, her eyes was starring BIG at us, “unfriendly” was written on her face. We reached the doorstep, looked at the unit number & double check on our address list, “OH NO! This is the house of E… and that must be E’s mother! “Aiyoyoyo, today really special ar!”. We struggled a while before we knocked on the door by faith…

“YES?!” … said the mum (unfriendly face still)
“Hi… we’re looking for E and S (E’s sister).”
"WHO ARE YOU?” … said the mum (currently no smile on face)
“We are their church teachers from JAMs” … (forcing a smile on our face, hiding our “fear”)
“THEY ARE PREPARING TO SLEEP ALREADY!” … said the mum (no sign of smile appearing)
“Oh… they usually sleep early?” … (Yanni and Xiaoying knowing the time is only 8pm!)
”YES! NEXT TIME PLS COME EARLIER” … said the mum (face constant)
“Oh okies! But is it possible we see them for a short while?”
“NO! THEY ARE PREPARING TO SLEEP ALREADY” … said the mum
“Oh okok… then can you help us passed this to them and let them know we came”
“OK!” … the mum took it reluctantly
“Thank you! Sorry to disturb you!”

Just when we walked past the living room, we saw E through the window beside- my heart break when I saw his position! Not on bed preparing to sleep, not on table doing work BUT sitting on a chair peeping through his room door. Next moment I heard the mum shouting “E, KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!” I guess at the end of the day, E wasn’t preparing to sleep, the mum purposely kept E in his room and despite how much E wants to come out to see who came, he was totally not allowed to.

Xiaoying and I quietly called for him to the window and talked to him… just for a short while and quietly too cause we don’t want the mum to hear and come and scold him. How I wish we could stay longer to talk to him and I’m sure he hopes us to too cause I could see his excitement when he see us but to avoid any scoldings from the mum, we didn’t. But thank God we still get to see him though, I left him by telling him to always love his mother no matter what. Really pray our that short visit to him at the point of time will really cheer him up.

Some background- E the only son, position #2 among sibling. Mum don’t like E, totally don’t like! The mum always scold E and find faults with him (really very bad one). Mum is a Catholic, to her- having E (special child) is a curse, a punishment. How I wish I can go to his mum, give her one good shake to wake her up... if to her, E is a punishment then I dont know what other parents will feel when their child's intellectual condition is not so good like E. To me, the most saddest part is- E himself know that the mum dont like him.

The reason why I blog this visit down is really cause this “hit” me a lot- after that visit to E's house, my heart really went out for him, E kept coming to my mind! That Sat when I went JAMs, I made it a effort just to say HI to him. When I was praying for him, I was reminded about one thing for sure- though E's mum's love to him change and is not strong, but God's love for E will never never never ever change!

Jesus for All Minds! =)