2 Sundays ago, I was leading my Hopekids Lifegroup on the topic of Service. I began to think to myself - How can I bring out the point of serving others to 8 year olds? They are kids never in lack. So, how can I bring that point across?
I decided to share with these 8 year olds the work I did in a Children's Home before. I shared with them the mode of entries to the Home - emphasizing more on the orphans. I shared also beautiful these kids are. I then asked them to make Christmas cards to the Children Homes in Singapore.
I love drawing time. I love how they snatch the colors and splash it across their paper. I enjoyed it totally when one kid made a mistake and drew what looked like a H into a star above the Christmas tree.
Now, just as all the kids were hustling and bustling circling around me snatching for colors and paper, there was this one kid that was seated a a corner. He probably lifted his bum off the floor when he needed to change his colors. When my friend and I wanted to peep, he refused to let us see. I kinda just paid lesser attention to him (since he was so nice & quiet).
When all was done and handed to me, I dismissed the class after a prayer was said. I went through every card, amazed at their drawing. When I reached the Quiet Boy's card, I gasp at the beauty of it. In his nicest handwriting, he wrote "I hope that all of you will have a better life in future." At the bottom of his words was a picture of a gift box. He drew and arrow and named the box - Christmas gift of Happiness. On the other side of the card, he drew plenty of cone trees. In between 2 trees, he drew 2 stick men, 1 taller than the other, holding hands, as if it's parent & child.
That was like the best thing that had happened to me that Sunday. That answered my question - What is my capacity as a Christian Social Worker? It's not just to solve problems. It's not just to ensure that their lives is up and running. It's really to show the love of God to whoever we speak to. In all that we do, we do it out of love.
Lord, refresh me and teach me your ways. Help me to see through the eyes of Jesus. Give me the simplicity of a child.
Thursday, December 02, 2010
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
Seasons in life
I have grown to appreciate the different seasons in life. The learning, the letting go, the healing, the pain. The adjusting to new things, the failing, the laughter, the joy, the tears.
I have come to appreciate that I don't have to be strong all the time. It's okay to be weak. It's okay not to have answers to all things.
There is, indeed, a time for everything. When I was young, it was the time to absorb and rely on my parents for answers. On the reverse, as an adult with my mother now, I am taking time to appreciate how to answer her questions and fears. When I was young, I thought what it'll be like to be married. Then I went through the roller coaster rides of laughter & tears falling in and out of relationships. Now that I am married, I saw how silly I was in those previous relationships. Yet, somehow, there was this gladness that I went through the pain.
Life at work also has its season. Trained as an Engineer, I never thought how absorbed I could be as a helping professional. It is really one thing to remind myself to 'draw the line' and to really draw the line between a client and a worker. After leaving my alma mater that saw my foundational years as a Social Worker, I finally found myself slowing down & breathe. Irony of it all was that it's in this process that I began to wonder - What exactly is my capacity as a Social Worker? What is my role? Who am I as a Social Worker? I began to cast doubts upon myself on whether am I even fit to be one.
Like an orange, a few months back, I started this peeling process. A layer at a time - First the thick skin then the veins (or whatever that's called). By and by, I saw how closely entrenched in a relationship I was with the children I had worked with. What was not my responsibility, I took it all upon myself. What had gone wrong, I blamed myself. What had been right, I don't remember giving myself more than 2 pats on my own back. Humble? No... Definitely not. Digging deeper then I saw that this IS how I often manage situations in my life. First point of blame often is not others. It's often what have I not done enough, what could have been done better?
It was a humorous process how God sent his healing and answers to my questions. Now, I am more rest assured in this promise made - "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it BUT God made it grow." I am but the hands of God in my workplace. I am glad for the open doors at my current organization where I am also under the umbrella of the Christian faith.
Looking back, I think God has been really kind to me. His grace is so ever sufficient. I may have been like just bumping around but He really knows my needs better.
I have come to appreciate that I don't have to be strong all the time. It's okay to be weak. It's okay not to have answers to all things.
There is, indeed, a time for everything. When I was young, it was the time to absorb and rely on my parents for answers. On the reverse, as an adult with my mother now, I am taking time to appreciate how to answer her questions and fears. When I was young, I thought what it'll be like to be married. Then I went through the roller coaster rides of laughter & tears falling in and out of relationships. Now that I am married, I saw how silly I was in those previous relationships. Yet, somehow, there was this gladness that I went through the pain.
Life at work also has its season. Trained as an Engineer, I never thought how absorbed I could be as a helping professional. It is really one thing to remind myself to 'draw the line' and to really draw the line between a client and a worker. After leaving my alma mater that saw my foundational years as a Social Worker, I finally found myself slowing down & breathe. Irony of it all was that it's in this process that I began to wonder - What exactly is my capacity as a Social Worker? What is my role? Who am I as a Social Worker? I began to cast doubts upon myself on whether am I even fit to be one.
Like an orange, a few months back, I started this peeling process. A layer at a time - First the thick skin then the veins (or whatever that's called). By and by, I saw how closely entrenched in a relationship I was with the children I had worked with. What was not my responsibility, I took it all upon myself. What had gone wrong, I blamed myself. What had been right, I don't remember giving myself more than 2 pats on my own back. Humble? No... Definitely not. Digging deeper then I saw that this IS how I often manage situations in my life. First point of blame often is not others. It's often what have I not done enough, what could have been done better?
It was a humorous process how God sent his healing and answers to my questions. Now, I am more rest assured in this promise made - "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it BUT God made it grow." I am but the hands of God in my workplace. I am glad for the open doors at my current organization where I am also under the umbrella of the Christian faith.
Looking back, I think God has been really kind to me. His grace is so ever sufficient. I may have been like just bumping around but He really knows my needs better.
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