Sunday, August 1, 2010

Milestones, Aug 2010

It's been one milestone after another lately. Yesterday (Jul 31st) was our wedding anniversary, which we celebrated at a local restaurant, eating our favorite German pork knuckle. However, it was Wife's worst day yet after her 5th shot four days ago, and she had a fever at night. Praise God, she was fine the next day. Upcoming milestones this month include turning half a century (16th), facing the final sixth shot (17th), living two years in Hong Kong (18th), wearing out two pair of shoes, doing mentoring ministry with a local church (September), and getting published (October). On top of that, preachchrist.com surged over 30,000 visitors last month for the first time for a single month this year.

It is difficult to make and keep friends in Hong Kong even for one as sociable as I am, so I was glad when old friends visit, one from the States last week, one next week from Singapore, and another from USA again in two weeks' time. Local people and pastors just do not have the time to socialize or chat unless it's business. I must admit my night class students are different and more mature; they love to eat out and have fellowship with me. I found out yesterday (3rd) I will probably lose another friend due to job change.

I had a great time at the Kowloon Hong Kong revival meetings today (7th), being the only day I could go. The experience and exposition were much better than last year's and I was proud that I could go two years in a row since we have been here. After worship I had lunch with one of the speakers, whom I got to know in Los Angeles. It is good to take my mind off things and it is exciting to hear a good message for a change. The speaker tells me that only 200 max would attend a similar revival meeting if held in Singapore.

How do you stop a plagiarist? A minister had plagiarized my writings since the beginning of this year. When I asked him to stop naming himself as the writer of my sermons on his church webpage, he apologized, asked for forgiveness and took down the titles I named promptly. Later I found out that he did not take down the titles I did not mention, of which one of those left was also mine. Then we did a Google comparison of the ones left on his church website and found out most writings belong to other writers who also contributed to the same website I do, which the plagiarist conveniently swiped. I wrote to him again yesterday (12th) but he no longer cared to reply.

It is my birthday today (16th) and I took the day off to accompany Wife to hospital to check whether she can get her last shot tomorrow. I am actually writing this paragraph from the hospital. We brought the PC and wifi because we anticipate it is going to be a long day, usually staying till 3 pm. At least I got to have an earlier birthday dinner with a good couple friend from the States last night. I was worried I won't get to have dinner with close friends since I do not know enough local people long enough to have that kind of deep friendship. In response to Wife's question, my birthday wish is none other than Wife's health. The checkup ended at least an hour earlier at 220pm, when she was cleared for the last shot tomorrow, which unfortunately was not the case for a lady there from Tin Shui Wai. Wife was happy as a lark, so we went for hight tea, later she bought a Mango cake while I bought half a soy sauce chicken for tonight's celebration. However, I am not forgotten this day in Hong Kong. I have received three calls from locals for lunch/dinner. Who am I to moan after seeing this video of an armless man two days later and the World Blind Football Championship highlights?

Time flies and we are into the last Monday of the month (22nd). The next week or so is crucial to wife and I. She will return to work and it would be a stern test for her. I will take some days off to be with her there. As for me, the next phase is mentoring ministry and a new quarter at school. I am looking forward to meet the new students, especially at the Master's level, which I find more challenging to teach than the Bachelor's level, where independent thinking is unpopular.

We had a scare with Wife's persistent fever that started five days ago (26th)till today (30th). A doctor at Macau's Kiang Wu Hospital said it is abnormal, but a doctor at Hong Kong's Princess Margaret Hospital today says it is normal for her condition from medication. It seems the last shot is most upsetting, but not to the doctor who said that she missed out on the reactions on her previous cycles. The reactions are usually from day 8 to 11, but this time it is day 11 to 15 and counting. We rushed home from Macau early this morning, catching the 6am ferry from Macau and hopping into a taxi to take us straight to Princess Margaret. Wife's temperature was taken at the immigration checkpoint but they did not detain her, praise God. The hospital tests were done by 1220pm and I bought groceries after our lunch while she headed home directly.