無可救藥

發了個短訊到一前安徽學生祝賀他生日，收到電郵回訊，我心立刻又回到那群已經各散東西求學去的學生。標題的「無可救薬」當然是指我自己。如何能想到數年前短短兩個星期的交流，可以延伸成這樣長、深的情誼。

现在大陆上不了Facebook，但是fb给我发了封邮件，所以我看到你给我的祝福，我深深的、极度虔诚的说一声谢谢！

虽然不常联系，但是从没忘记。在我心中，您就像一个亲人一样! Best wishes！

中秋节祝福

想念铜陵和桐城的同学.

Day 19 - Anhui trip

I'm at the Hong Kong airport waiting for my flight.

Thank God that the past two weeks have been wonderful and fruitful. I find the lyric from the song You raised me up: "I am strong when I am on Your shoulder; You raise me up to more than I can be" sums up the experience.

 

A street in Tong Ling we passed every day on the way from hotel to school.  The weather was very hot.  Sometimes the temperature could go up to 36-37 degree celsius.  Instead of walking 10-15 minute one way, we often took a 3-wheeler or a cab.

During class, we lectured, played games, had group discussion, asked students to role-play ...etc.  Their attention could easily wander off.  See how readily they posted during class.

We moved the students frequently: they might sit in a circle, in an U-shape, in groups, or everyone crowded up in front. 

 

Outdoor game, where I lost my voice!

Outing w/ students at 天井湖, which is right across the hotel we stayed.

Picture was taken in front of a government building, at the other end of the lake.

Meeting some old students from 2 years ago in Tong Cheng!  What a delightful surprise to see 6 old students bringing 4 new friends.   All of them have grown maturer.  

Day 0 - Anhui trip

Heading to LAX (LA International Airport) in an hour ...

Will see when I update my blog, whether in Hong Kong, Anhui, or back in the U.S.?

來自哈爾濱的電郵

在桐城逗留時認識的英語學生, 在聖誕節期間﹐ 寄來一些祝福﹐問候。刊登私人電郵本不應該﹐ 但我實在想分享一下我的感受, 為甚麼有一篇 blog I left my heart at Tong Cheng, 為甚麼又會有一category 為桐城﹐ 所以就貿然摘錄兩段來自桐城高中畢業生,現在北方唸大學的電郵,不記名刊登。

...发过去的是我们学校的几幅缩影，有鸟瞰图，有摘取某一角落的涂鸦，虽然不是出自我的手，也算借鉴同学的劳动成果，但还是拿出来分享一下。

有机会来我们学校看一下，或者至少我们大家能再见一面。虽然我也知道这可能性不大，但它毕竟也作为我和我的朋友们寄托的一个美好的心愿吧。既是愿望，这愿望便如同这时刻围绕着我们的空气，看不见，也摸不着，但闭上眼睛还是能依稀感觉得到的。这愿望能不能实现也并非人力所能控制的，但至少把彼此记在心中也是一种极大的快啊！这快乐是回忆赋予，任何物质性的东西都换不来的啊！

祝福桐城同學

「願 主 耶 穌 基 督 的 恩 、 常 與 你 們 眾 人 同 在 。
我 在 基 督 耶 穌 裡 的 愛 、 與 你 們 眾 人 同 在 。 阿 們。」

哥 林 多 前 書 16:23-24

"The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
My love to all of you in Christ Jesus. Amen."

1 Corinthians 16:23-24

心裡暖昱昱

忘記在blog上記錄上星期收到幾位桐城學生電郵。 他們進了大學﹐ 上網機會自由度大了一點點﹐ 所以就聯絡一下﹐ 我當然開心到不得了。 心裡一直給忙﹐壓力佔據﹐ 他們幾句懷緬的說話﹐ 卻即時把我的心柔軟下來﹐ 想念他們。

但隔這麼遠﹐ 電郵也不知能維繫多久﹐ 我可以作的﹐ 就是為他們祈禱﹐ 求神帶領他們早日認識主耶穌。

College entrance exam in China

It's this week. The picture shows that in Beijing parents accompany their kids to the exam venue and bid them good luck. I wish for my students blessings from the Above.

Song dedication: 桐城中學同學

Thanks to Pearl, her friend Angus gave me a CD with the Cantonese version of "You Raise Me Up" rendered by 張崇基, 張崇德, 劉美娟. Hearing the song brings back warm-hearted and beautiful memories of my Tong Cheng friends.

The Friends of Anhui (安徽之友) are getting ready to fly to Anhui again this year. Regretfully, I won't be going. Still, I wonder how the kids are doing. I wonder about their university entrance exam. I wonder about them ...

Searching through my past blog entries, I'm surprised that I have not once mentioned the song "You raised me up" in any of my Tong Cheng reminiscence. It's one of the songs we taught the kids and many just loved it. Here's the long overdue lyric of the first stanza and the chorus:

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

桐城高三

I know the exam date is near. Remembering and praying for you. Study hard. Do your best. May God guide your path.

~Teacher Grace

圣诞祝福 - 给桐城中学同学

Dear kids: Greetings to you on Christmas eve. May the God I believe in shower His love and blessings upon you. Miss you much.

My other fish died

Please see Little fish's obituary.

Sorry Chad, Jason, and Albert.

Not so sad this time, 'cuz I know the memory of the people will be with me for a long time.

A thankful heart is a happy heart

[Inspired by "野猪"'s email]

When things are going smoothly, it's easy to be thankful for people and things: family, friends, teachers, school, health, love, friendship, job, church, opportunities, etc.

But when things don't go smoothly or get tough, what can we be thankful for?
- like when i failed my exam
- when i'm separated from my loved ones
- when i come from a broken family
- when a friend has gotten seriously ill
- when a close friend got drowned
- when things don't go my way

Remember Lena Maria, and remember the God that Lena Maria trusts with her life. Be thankful that God's with us. Christians are not immuned from difficulty. God doesn't give us a smooth path, but He gives us strength to get through a difficult road.

Here's one of my favorite quotes from Lamentations 3:22-23--

... for His [The Lord's] compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;great is Your faithfulness.

Good-bye, little fish

ablogaday wrote:

如果死掉的，是一尾普通的鱼儿，他的死只会给留下的同胞带来悲伤与孤寂。

如果死掉的，是一尾信耶稣的鱼儿，那他的死不过是代表著新生命的开始。死亡对他来说只是由人世进入到永生的那扇门。他要回到天父的怀抱那里，永远和天父在一起。

如果仍活著的，是一尾普通的鱼儿，他同胞的死只会再一次显示生命的无奈。生命的无奈便是你跟本无法从它带走甚麽。仍活著的他，应该在馀下的日子好好思想生命的意义和答案是甚麽。

如果仍活著的，是一尾信耶稣的鱼儿，那我想问问他：鱼儿啊，你能感受到主耶稣赐你永生的把握和出人意外的平安吗？你懂得为上帝给自己仍有生命气息而感恩吗？你会明白生命原来并不是必然的吗？

桐城的鱼儿啊，你会是那一尾？

in the past, i've quoted from and linked to ablogaday's blog here in Renaissance of Grace. 这次藉小鱼的死,引发他在本blog留言, big_head 无言感激, 也忍不住要将留言转放在比较当眼的地方.

Come to think of it, I like to write about death. See my other posts: 怕死, music spec. for my big day, and music talk: 彩虹下的約定.

Little fish's obituary

Two lively, little fishes were given to me on July 27, 2006.
One passed away on Friday, August 15, 2006.
The other passed away on Tuesday, August 29, 2006.

They're among the many wonderful creations of God. Though short-lived, their mere presence testifies to the wonder of life and the existence of a creator.

As it says in the Bible 《环球圣经新译本》

"神的事情，人所能知道的，在他们里面原是明显的，因为　神已经向他们显明了。其实自从创世以来，　神那看不见的事，就如他永恒的大能和神性，都是看得见的，就是从他所造的万物中可以领悟，叫人没有办法推诿。" 罗马书 1:20-21

Health crisis

It's one of the fish! Think it's sick. It's been quiet for 2 days. What to do??? So worried!

宋詞精粹

I received a bookmark, on which 黄庭坚---清平乐(春归何处) is printed. Thanks to google search and many software programs that switch from simplified to traditional Chinese and vice versa, I can learn what it means!

春歸何處？
寂寞無行路。
若有人知春去處，喚取歸來同住。

春無蹤跡誰知？
除非問取黃鸝。　
百囀無人能解，因風飛過薔薇。

If you are able to read Chinese, check out this external link and let me know whether the interpretation is sound. Many, many thanks la.

The two fishes now

Picture taken in my apartment in Alhambra, CA.

Tong Cheng - afterthought 2

Picture taken in Tong Cheng, Anhui.

Can you believe it -- I carried this all the way back from Tong Cheng, via Shenzhen, via Hong Kong, via Tokyo, to the US?

All the gifts, letters, notes, pictures, private words, songs, and hugs from students are very precious.

Tong Cheng - afterthought

So many memorable things happened during the brief 10 days there -- I don't even know where to begin. And all the friendship sprouted there was so special -- words simply can't capture how I feel. I miss my students!

Our theme song for the English camp is the "True Meaning of Love" (1 Cor 13:4-8) (English or Chinese). I myself learned a great deal about the power of Love. We didn't (or couldn't) preach it with our lips much, but we did plenty with our action. As one student wrote, "Don't underestimate the power of love."

This morning, I remembered these lovely faces and prayed for them. The song "Pass It On" by Kurt Kaiser occurred to me. The lyric expresses exactly my experience with them and my wish for them.

It only takes a spark to get a fire going,
And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing;
That's how it is with God's Love,
Once you've experienced it,
Your spread the love to everyone
You want to pass it on.
...

I wish for you my friend
This happiness that I've found;
You can depend on Him
It matters not where you're bound,
I'll shout it from the mountain top!
I want the world to know
The Lord of love has come to me
I want to pass it on.