HAPPINESS

HAPPINESS to me is:
I get to wake up feeling healthy everyday
I get to see my hubby going to work
I get to see my children going to school
I get to do some gardening work
I get to spend quality time with my baby and pets
I get to say my prayers
I get to sit down to read and write
I get to cook favourite dishes for my family
I get to eat any food that I like
I get to do my workout three times a week
I get to help people the way I like
I don't see any reason why I should not be happy.
Because I believe that we should thank God for every small little things that we could do, eat, see and live life;

To the less fortunate, life can be very different...

International Women Day, first thing first, go for your check up!

Subsidized Mammogram Program

In view that the International Women Day is just around the corner and my recent medicalcheck-up at the SJMC, I have decided to do a post on Breast Cancer in order to create awareness on the nation's topkiller disease amongst women.

The ultra modern equipment that are available at private hospitals nowadays are those with the latest cutting technology and are amongst the most advance in the country, if not the world. The Digital Mammogram and High Resolution Ultra Sound can pick up almost anything that is inside our breasts. Then again, nothing comes cheap. You pay top dollars to have a peace of mind.

In order to help the middle and lower income group of Malaysians, the Government has come up with a subsidy program for women to do mammogram screening at the appointed clinics and hospitals around the country.

"Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in women in Malaysia. Women aged 40 and above are encouraged to undergo mammogram screening apart from performing self breast examination and clinical breast examination" - exclaimed from the official website of the Ministry of Lembaga Penduduk dan Pembangunan Keluarga Negara Malaysia.

I urge that all women to adhere to the above advice to undergo regular mammogram screening. However, there is this category of women who belong to this high risk group for breast cancer.

Fulfillment of any one of the following matching factors will qualify a person into that category:

(a) Family history of breast cancer
i. Mother, sisters or daughters ever had breast cancer before the age of 50 years; and
ii. Two or more maternal or paternal relatives ever had breast cancer (grandmother, aunt, niece)
(b) Previous history of atypia on breast biopsy;
(c) Previous history of breast cancer or ovarian cancer; or
(d) Currently on hormone replacement theraphy

OR having any two of the following factors:

(a) Family history of ovarian cancer
i. Mother, sister or daughters ever had ovarian cancer before the age of 50 years; and
ii. Two or more maternal or paternal relatives ever had ovarian cancer (grandmother, aunt, niece)
(b) Women who have no children or who had their first child after the age 30 years; or
(c) Had her first menstrual period before the age of 12; or
(d) Body Mass Index of more than 30

For more information and registration for the above Subsidized Mammogram Program, please visit their Website.

Remember, early detection saves lives.

Zoo Volunteers, you are doing us proud!

The thought of bringing children to the Zoo can be very educational, one must agree, right? But you are very wrong.

Our pride were down the pits this morning when we visited our very own Zoo Negara in Ulu Klang with little Valerie. The place was literally unkempt from the moment we set foot until the moment we walked out. It gave people the feeling of filthy and full of fungus everywhere. From the "fungi-moist" stone chair that we sat down to feed Valerie milk till the road signs, rubbish bins, restaurant's table and chairs, they were all full of dirt and fungus, let alone the animals' enclosures.

The Zoo cannot even provide a decent place for us to have a proper meal. The "air-conditioned" restaurant we stepped in was not "air-conditioned" but the stench of ammonia gushed out from it put us off immediately. Then we walked to the nearby "open-air" restaurant, just take a look at the tables and chairs, the "out-of-order" children rides, 2 out of 2 that is, and the soiled tissues strewn around the wash basins, you simply can't blame us for feeling embarrassed sitting next to some foreign visitors. Where is our dignity?

The saving grace for the day was that we met up with a few groups of volunteers that came by providing their services to the Zoo. Saw them working full heartedly for a good cause, it should put someone responsible to shame, right?

Can you believe this bin is at the food serving place?

Is it very difficult to scrub off the road signages fungus?

Anyone care / dare to take a sit?

The broken table, chairs and children rides, all in one place...

Cleaners cleaners where are you?

A nice deserted hut with a piece of broken plank just next to the lake side

Thanks to this pothole, my hubby had a foot bath in it while he was busy taking pictures for us

Oh girls, you all certainly make this place livelier and cleaner, thumbs up to you, SMK Jalan Ipoh

Volunteers from Tunku Abdul Rahman College came in big force to help out the Zoo

In the act!

Our thumbs up gesture did help a little to drive them on

Keep it up, the future of our country!

You are doing Malaysia PROUD!

HAPPY 21st Birthday to You - Vivian

Today is the day of your "official" freedom, the day to independence, the day to adulthood...

Remember life is full of ups and downs, may you have the courage, strength and perseverance to face the challenges coming your way. Remember too that life can be very sweet, so enjoy every moment of it and live life to the fullest.

Happy 21st Birthday Vivian & lots of love from the whole family.

The More You Give

The more you give, the more you get
The more you laugh, the less you fret.

The more you do unselfishly
The more you live abundantly.

The more of everything you share,
The more you'll always have to spare.

The more you love, the more you'll find
That life is good and friends are kind.

For only what we give away,
Enriches us from day to day.

~ Author Unknown

The Difference Between Strength and Courage

Went to SJMC yesterday with my hubby for a routine medical check-up. My heart was throbbing when the Imaging Department doctor called me in again for an "unscheduled" Ultra Sound scan while waiting for the result of the mammogram which was done just a while earlier... in my mind was like, is there something they have discovered in the mammogram that needed further probing? Although it is just a few minutes of waiting for my turn, I felt like time has stopped, my heart dropped, my body numbed and my mind went astray. Those horrible imaginations came crushing in...

Then this strong arm came hugging me tightly and gave me the words of comfort, he is the pillar of strength and courage, he is the shelter of storm and thunder, he is my husband. Babe, thank you for being there.

The moment Dr. Rohaya came out from the examination room, she showed a thumb up sign to my hubby. At this moment, a relief hug was all I needed. I felt that I was given a new lease of life!

God, please accept my eternal gratefulness for taking care of me.

Not forgetting those in the stormy sea, you have my unreserved supports and courages.

It takes strength to be firm,
It takes courage to be gentle.

It takes strength to stand guard,
It takes courage to let down your guard.

It takes strength to conquer,
It takes courage to surrender.

It takes strength to be certain,
It takes courage to have doubt.

It takes strength to fit in,
It takes courage to stand out.

It takes strength to feel a friend's pain,
It takes courage to feel your own pain.

It takes strength to hide your own pains,
It takes courage to show them.

It takes strength to endure abuse,
It takes courage to stop it.

It takes strength to stand alone,
It takes courage to lean on another.

It takes strength to love,
It takes courage to be loved.

It takes strength to survive,
It takes courage to live.

~ Author Unknown

Catch up at Caring Old Folks Home

I managed to catch up with Wendy Yap, the Founder of Caring Old Folks Home in Kajang last week when I dropped by to visit the seniors there.

Wendy is truly a devoted Social Worker with 12 years experience in helping the needy. It is undoubtedly that the blood flowing inside her is filled with kindness and compassion, many people who received her help would agree to it.

On and off you can pick up some articles in our local newspapers that carry write ups on how she helped people that were on the verge of collapse; including single mothers, senior citizens, orphans, drug addicts and abused women. Here are some of her recent works; testimonies of her Godly work http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2007/12/10/central/19708064&sec=central
http://thestar.com.my/metro/story.asp?file=/2007/5/12/central/17683955&sec=central

I had also featured her in my blog last year http://sanctuaryofhope.blogspot.com/2007/02/mother-theresa-of-malaysia.html. She is truly a Saviour to the helpless. Our society is indeed lucky to have someone as devoted as her who dedicate most of her time serving the needy.

It was a nice catching up session and she had asked me to help source from kind donors like you who are reading my blog, to donate things that she needs for both of her homes, namely Caring Old Folks Home and Rumah Love and Care which are located not far away from each other in Kajang.

If you wish to donate the following items, please donate them to Wendy's homes directly or you can contact me and I can help channel the items to her.

The contact is as follows:

Caring Old Folks Home
11, Jalan Muhibah 7
Taman Muhibah
Kajang
Selangor Darul Ehsan
Tel: 03-87377680
Handphone:012-2380043 (Wendy)

Things Needed:
1. Van
2. Computer set with printer
3. Fax machine
4. CD / Radio Player / VCD Player
5. Sponsor for the old van's repair
6. Sponsor for Electricity and Water bill
7. Sponsor for repair the underground and roof leakage
8. Mosquito screens for both homes
9. Refrigerator
10. Plastic chairs/ stools
11. Non stick wok, pots, pans and cutleries
12. Plants pruning scissors
13. Dustpan & Brooms (soft and hard)
14. Bedsheets, towels and pillows

Food
1. Rice, cooking oil, milo, anlene milk powder
2. Kicap
3. Barli and rock sugar
4. Yee Mee, Meehoon, Maggie Mee, Ikan Bilis
5. Both big and small onions, garlic, potatoes

Household Items
1. Floor tiles cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, toilet paper
2. Washing powder, dish wash detergent, shower cream & soap, soap dish
3. Tooth paste, soft and medium tooth brush
4. Black garbage bag

Nursing Care
1. Adult diapers
2. Dettol antiseptic
3. Gloves
4. Medicated patch

Others
1. Garden planting soil
2. Spades

This world needs a lot more people like you, because I know that you are a kind person, because your

Kindness in words creates confidence
Kindness in thinking creates profoundness.
Kindness in giving creates love.

~Lao Tzu

Shepherd's Centre Foundation

If you see Ah Seng eating an apple, pls tell him to stop.



He is in no condition to consume anything without prior approval from his guardian, David.

Today when we dropped by to visit Shepherd's Centre, Ah Seng was caught "red-handed". He was given half a piece of apple by an old aunt and was then immediately told by Mr Clement, the Centre's Supervisor to check on his glucose level.



Ah Seng was born an acute diabetic that requires six insulin jabs a day. He can't do exercise like any other kids, he passes out whenever the sugar level escalates and exceeds the permitted limit. He is kept on guard by a senior boy at the Centre, David, who conducts jabs, medication and checks on his daily food intake.

He was abandoned by his parents from since young and was 'picked up' by Pastor Jacob David, the Chairman of Shepherd's Centre Foundation from a very far away village in Pahang. There were no visits from family members since.

After throwing away the half eaten apple to the bin, he quickly took out the medical kit and started poking into one of his fingers for a small drop of blood to test for sugar level in his body.

So, the reading was 6.6 and he was ecstatic. I asked him why was he so relief? His answer was so saddening that he said he will not be able to eat rice or do anything but to stand and wait for the sugar level drop back to normal if the reading is high. We were silent for a while...tell me why life is so unfair to such a small and innocent little boy?

This is my third visit to Shepherd's Centre. Along with Vivian and Villi, we delivered some CNY cookies and also contributed Ang Pow money to the Centre.

This is also one of the ways Vivian celebrated her 21st birthday by visiting the Orphanage and Old Folks Home

Sharing with you here are some of the latest development at the Centre:


This is Ah Seng's milk powder। One of the reasons why the Centre is facing financial difficulties...can you imagine the maintenance cost of having eight terminally ill children on board?

From left- Mr Clement, one of the residents of the old folks home, Vivian and Villi, foreground- Ah Seng

David is seen here applying lotion to Jabez, who is suffering from skin irritation and has a hole in his heart. The Centre had nurtured him from bedridden condition when he came until today that he walks freely, do you consider him a miracle boy?

Workshop for the Industrial Arts Program

Boys are seen washing the Centre's vehicles

Place of worship

Shepherd's Centre currently shelters 91 children comprising 18 girls and 73 boys out of which 8 children are terminally ill.
They also have in their care 13 homeless senior citizens.

By way of giving your kind donation in any form, you have brought

...hope to the hopeless
... vision to the blind
... mobility to the lame
... strength to the weak and
... health to the sickly

Contact:

Pastor Jacob David
Tel: 03-87231213
H/P: 019-2662525


Donation in cheque please make payable to:


"Shepherd's Centre Foundation"
Office: 20, Taman Aik Ann, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan
Foster Home: No:23, Jalan Besar, Taman Hiew Piew, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan
Tel: 03-87231212/1214
Fax: 03-8723 4243
email:shepherd@tm.net.my

Love is all around!

We were treated to a sweet surprise after coming home from shopping on Valentine's day last week.

Both Vivian and Villi had "conspired" to put up these flowers, chocolate and card in our bedroom to give us a surprise. Villi cycled all the way to a nearby shop at Taipan to buy those roses before we arrived home; At top dollars, for sure. Although I felt that they shouldn't spent so much on a day that is mainly celebrated by young couples, but deep inside us, we were truly touched by their thoughtfulness and the creativity on the handmade card. We love you, kiddos.

Our message to:
Vivian, wishing you a smooth journey back to uni and a successful year ahead in your studies.
Villi, wishing you a fruitful SPM this year with flying colours. Bear with the tight schedules, we know you can make it!

Mummy, how to spend my 21st birthday?

Vivian will be leaving soon to continue her studies. In fact, she can't wait to go back to Uni as most of her local friends have started school by now. Her plan to stay back till end of the month is mainly to celebrate her up-coming 21st birthday at home rather than spending time alone in her rented room at the Uni. I can understand that...

So, she asked me what is the most meaningful way to celebrate her birthday besides blowing birthday cake and receiving key pendants from the parents and friends?

Well, since it is another few weeks away, I did not put too much thought into it but deep inside me, I have this in mind...



what is your suggestion?

HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR

To all of you who celebrate Chinese New Year, I would like to wish you and your family a very Happy Chinese New Year and may the year of Golden Rat showers you with good health, prosperity, longevity and happiness.

Her little shadows

When people ask me why I gave up my business and be a stay home mother?
The reason is very obvious. With two grown up teenagers, Vivian and Villi, I have another sunshine at home that made me willingly gave up the world...

Valerie at two and a half years old now

This lovely poem below reflects all motherly love for their children which I want to share it with you.

****************************

I saw a young mother
With eyes full of laughter
And two little shadows
Came following after.

Wherever she moved,
They were always right there
Holding onto her skirts,
Hanging onto her chair.
Before her, behind her-
An adhesive pair.

"Don't you ever get weary
As, day after day,
Your two little tagalongs
Get in your way?

She smiled as she shook
Her pretty young head,
And I'll always remember
The words that she said

"It's good to have shadows
That run when you run,
That laugh when you're happy
And hum when you hum -
For you only have shadows

When your life's filled with sun."

Author Unknown

SOUP KITCHEN FOR THE LESS FORTUNATE

When Vivian told me that she was involved with her church's charity work, which she helped dishes out food to the beggars, the homeless and the poor on the streets. I thought that it was a good way of spending her free time during the weekends. Later I found out that it was "Soup Kitchen" run by Vital Connection, an organisation under the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Brisbane.

Their day started with preparation of food in the church's hall and later put into the chafing dishes. The volunteers will then transport the food by van to be sent to the city. They identified certain locations along the roadside and started dishing out vegetarian meals to the needy. Another van will come after that to serve coffee. The same group of volunteers with designated tasks will then clear out the site and return to the church. They do this three times a week but Vivian only joins in whenever her time permits.

Back here in Malaysia, we have a couple of Non-Profit Organisations that run the same "Soup Kitchen" to feed the poor. The soup kitchen in Alor Star which is in its 4th year running this charity work has now opened another outlet located in Jinjang, Kuala Lumpur. The Fungates Superflow Foundation is behind this social community work and its founder, Pastor Clarine Chun is overseeing the operation of the soup kitchen.

This coffee shop style eatery that provides free lunches from Sunday to Thursday to about 160 people including drug addicts, jobless youths, disables, homeless and senior citizens. Apart from providing free food, Pastor Chun also provides counseling to the drug addicts and managed to bring some of them to the rehabilitation.

Another society which run the same is Kechara Soup Kitchen, inspired and set up by His Eminence Tsem Tulku Rinpoche , a Buddhism based organisation. The centre distributes free packed dry food consist of biscuit, bread, tibbit and fruit together with mineral water every Saturday at the City Centre. The areas they cover are - Pudu Raya bus station, Pudu Market and Chow Kit. Activity starts at 4.30pm at Kechara House and volunteers will help pack and send the food to the respective areas and distribute to the less fortunate, regardless of race, religion or culture.

If you have some free time to spare and wish to spend it in a meaningful way, try to contact these centres who need volunteers:

- The Soup Kitchen, Alor Star and Jinjang, Kuala Lumpur - Pastor Clarine Chun - 04-7319189
or Angeline of Fungates at 03-798 388 27.
- The Kechara Soup Kitchen - Anna Tan - 012-6140861

Or, if you are in the Food industry and your establishment has fresh or an overrun of food and beverages that you wish to contribute, kindly send them to these organisations.

This is an awesome way of extending your compassion and practising Dharma at the same time.

LIFE IS SO SHORT

LIFE IS SO SHORT. SO, THINK WHAT IS GOOD, SPEAK WHAT IS KIND, AND TRY TO LIVE YOUR BEST, THEN THIS WORLD WILL BE BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL TO YOU WHEN MONEY IS LOST NOTHING IS LOST. WHEN HEALTH IS LOST SOMETHING IS LOST. WHEN CHARACTER IS LOST EVERYTHING IS LOST LIVE LIKE A CANDLE, WHICH BURNS ITSELF, BUT GIVES LIGHT TO OTHERS. IMPOSE YOUR OWN TERMS UPON LIFE. IF YOU DON'T YOU WILL HAVE TO ACCEPT THE TERMS OF OTHERS. LOOK BACKWARDS WITH GRATITUDE, UPWARDS WITH CONFIDENCE AND FORWARD WITH HOPE. WHEN YOU TRULY CARE FOR SOMEONE, YOU DON'T LOOK FOR FAULTS, YOU DON'T LOOK FOR ANSWERS, YOU DON'T LOOK FOR MISTAKES, INSTEAD YOU FIGHT THE MISTAKES, YOU ACCEPT THE FAULTS, AND YOU OVERLOOK THE EXCUSES. ~ author unknown ~

So, my streamyx was fixed

So, there came two technicians after several calls and queue waiting at TM Points....

They fiddled about the telephone wire and my modem, then, they suspected it is my modem that's giving the problem, so they have to try using "their modem" for "a day or two" to confirm if my modem is faulty. Then, they said they will be back to check again.

Since that was the case, I did not want to take any chance and quickly went to Summit to buy one and the new one now is working just fine.

The irony part is, they never return since...10 days after the repair. Are they giving me "their modem" for free? I wonder...

Anyway, I have no time to worry about these trivial matters cos I have more pressing matters that happened to my family during these period of settling down at my new home.

Both my maid and son was suffering from Dengue attack last week, barely one month from the day we moved into this new home. Both of them were admitted to SJMC for a few days and it was a lucky thing that our decision to send them in early had shortened their agony, pain and suffering from this deadly mosquito virus. My maid had a milder attack with a few days of tremendous high fever, shivering cold and vomit, her condition improved and was discharged with platelet count at 96,000.

But my son was not that lucky, his platelet has dropped to 16,000 at one point and was warded to the HDU, and the Doctor ordered transfusion of 6 packets of platelets to revive him. The Doctor who treated him had warned me of the danger and how life threatening this virus can be if one's immunity is low. The whole family running tirelessly shuttling between home and hospital to ensure that he eats and drinks adequately to replenish the fluids much needed in this critical time despite being on drips. What a roller coaster week!

And now I am still in the middle of finding 4 more people to replace the blood "owed" to SJMC, any volunteers out there?

To those of you who are oblivious of Dengue Fever, here are some information that I can share with you.

To those who are staying around Subang Jaya, it is our responsibility to keep our home and the neighborhood clean to prevent the outbreak which is on high alert now.

Streamyx - the sole player in town

I have never felt so frustrated before, it is almost one month now that I have moved to my new home BUT I still cannot get the streamyx up. Four times in this month I have gone to the Kedai TM at Taipan, Subang Jaya, spending long hours waited for my turn just to be told that it is system error in their computer that my request for relocation of my streamyx account cannot be processed!!

And each time I was told to call 100 to check on my status, guess what I was told by the 100 telephonist? - "Oh Cik, your request is under process, please wait for 3 to 7 days for us to complete the job." They keep repeating the same answer, week after week. So much so that I have began to wonder was I put on an automated answering machine!

How I wish that there are more competitors in town offering broadband services, so to kick those who sleeping on their job to wake up from their slumber!

Christmas came and gone, the new year is just around the corner, my plan of this year end charity drive is unlikely to take place as I am here scrambling to update my blog and checking my mails using a dial up from a borrowed computer.

I have tons of ideas for the next project, and there are so much to do and so little time, I hope that I could get back to normal routine soon and catch up with time. Perhaps I could get the fund raising going first while waiting for the computer to be up....

And I wish all of you who are reading my blog a very Happy New Year! not forgetting those who left me messages or emails, thank you so much for the encouraging words and those are the fuel needed desperately to keep this lamp burning.

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND MAY THE ALMIGHTY GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU!!