I am looking forward to see the response to my new book 比喻人生 that will be introduced at this year's Christian book fair in Tsim Sha Tsui from Oct 14 for a week. It is so unreal that the publisher (Tien Dao) could get it ready in four months. Not bad for a two years' and counting sojourn in Hong Kong so far. The excitement died down after I got hold of a copy, which goes to confirm the journey is better than the end. By the grace of God, I hope I could generously put them into the hands of pastors, who truly are in need of encouragement more than ever. Despite the book, the month began with a bad dream last night (1st), featuring my brother, that kept me awake from 3 am on. Middle age has its angst.
On my day off (6th) I went with Wife to Tsuen Wan's mega J store for the first time and bought two new pants, my first after two years here. I was supposed to get HK$142 change but on the way out I realized I only received HK$112. I returned to tell the young men at the counter, who then told me they would return the HK$30 only if they have extras unaccounted for. I did not mind because I just wanted to be a good citizen and tell the truth. It took them some time to count the money but, under eight pairs of eyes, two of them supervisors, they found HK$89 extra. Still they counted a second time. I promptly told them I had no reason to lie by now as I am a pastor. By this time Wife was worried and looked for me. I did not hear how much extra they had the second time but they returned the money and said "Fair." I asked what it meant but they avoided answering and said they will return the money to me. They also did not answer my question on how much extra they had the second time. I objected and said I do not want the money if their money is not balanced. On the way out the young man at the counter had softened, knowing I am pastor, and said they would have to call the police and review the monitor if there was a problem, so there was no fault on my part. Can you imagine they still have customers' HK$59 extra from the first count?
Yesterday (10th) night I sent out an announcement that my new book is released: "親愛的弟兄姊妹, 感謝神, 我的新書「比喻人生」終於出版了！由10月14日至20日, 天道書樓將在今年的基督教書展 (尖沙咀街坊福利會) 給消費者85折. 今天在美國是慶祝"教牧日" (National Clergy Appreciation Day
http://www.christianitytoday.com/holidays/clergy ), 你不防考慮送一本給你的牧者.葉福成牧師"
The responses have encouraged me:
"Dear Pastor, Thank Lord for your new book published. When can we purchase the book here in US? May our Lord continue to use you and glorify HIM. May our Lord continue to bless you and Doris. You are in our prayer always. Love, J.J. and Tan Chu"
"Dr. Yap, 恭喜！恭喜！我會買的。支持你！Carmen"
"Dear Victor, Thank you for your sharing and may God continue to bless your preaching ministries. Ellis"
"叶老师, 哦，感谢主，有机会能买到你的书。"
"Dear Victor, Congratulation for your new book! I called you today and could not reach you. Hoping you to see you in the coming Saturday. God bless! Luke"
"Congratulation! Ruth"
"好的，謝謝通知及提議！"
"Dear Victor, Congratulations on your new books. Good Job! Hongi"
"親愛的葉牧師：多謝您推介，願天父祝福您及保守您的身體壯健，使您的事奉更有力﹗你的學生"
"Victor, Congratulations. I will get a copy and read it. Allen"
"葉牧師: 為您感恩。我已想起六位朋友了，我會送您的新書給他們呢! 雖然我們沒多聯絡，但我每星期會一、兩次讀您和師母的Blog。繼續為您們祈禱。祝平安！主內, Wing"
"hi Pastor Yip, Congratulations, I will definately buy one...Ivy"
"Dear Pastor Victor, Thank you for your sharing. Congratualtions!! God Bless, Pauline"
"Dear 葉牧師：恭喜你出書，希望在中心書房也可以買的到。In Christ, Rachel Lin"
"恭喜Victor！timlam"
"good, congratulation to your book's publish. i will go to buy one and hope is fruitful. alice"
"葉博士: 恭喜大作完成，我們稍後會到書展。謝! Henry & Amy"
"Dear Rev. Victor, Warmest regards: Congratulations. Keep on writing and publishing.
Dr. Tan Kim Sai."
"葉福成牧師：感謝主！恭喜你的新書《比喻人生》已面世，真為你爭光，將一切榮耀歸與神。Lok Wong"
"你好！我是大陆的教徒！我想问一下！你们出版的书籍「比喻人生」是不是要卖！这本书你们这么卖！卖到杭州要多少钱！邮递费要多少！谢谢"
"Victor, I would like to get 10 copies but as you know, I am inside China. Hope to reserve the copies and perhaps I can get them later. H Hui"
"恭喜老師！願一切榮耀歸我們天上的父神！懇求主繼續大大的使用您成為眾多人的祝福！Rubin"
"葉牧師：Congratulations! 我還是縂從您的講章裏得到許多獨特的領受，感謝主賜您如此的恩賜。
May you continue with the good works. Boon"
"Dear Pastor & Professor Victor: It is very,very good news to hear that You press a new good Christian book. May God use you through his power and grace. In Him,Anna"
Today (11th) is the last treatment day for Wife. She decided to stop writing her blog, with her last entry appropriately entitled GOODBYE!. We celebrated by having German pork knuckle for dinner at our favorite restaurant in Ma Wan. At home we ate the Mango cake Wife bought in the afternoon for the occasion - she ate a fourth and I an eighth. Tomorrow she will return to work. By God's grace we have survived the last 9 months, but it could have been worse. A lot has happened to friends during these 9 months too, including unemployment, death and marital problems.
A weird and amazing thing happened today (12th). Our landlord called today and said he is selling our rental unit to a buyer who will be coming to look at the house this Saturday, four days later. I thank God that yesterday was the last treatment day and we can move on, no matter the rent, which is over the top now. The buyer bought it in August last year for HK$1.8 million and was looking to sell it for HK$2.15 million, but got HK$2.3 million instead. There is no reason to be jealous.
Today (20th) is my day off, a day I took in midweek to work with younger pastors, but I ended up ministering to Wife instead before the pastors' ministry gets busy. This morning I cleaned the floors of the apartment. Next, I carried her books and trekked up the school hill with her when the school bus did not show up. After that, while she is at work, I bought two 2-ltr bottles of mineral water for the apartment. Now I have just finished an American breakfast and read my e-mails. The schedule for the rest of the day includes shopping for food, followed by lunch at the cafetaria and reading a book I brought. I will head home early tomorrow morning and hope to make it to work before 830am, thus ending my 2 nights midweek stay experiment in Macau.
I just returned from an early morning swim just when the weather started to turn chilly in Hong Kong (16 C). At first I hesitated but I saw a friend's dad 20 something years older twisting/wiggling his body before he dived into the water. If a seventy something year-old man can brave the cold water, I have no excuses. Well, I survived, without a sneeze. Today (27th) is my weekly no-pay day off again, set at Wednesday this quarter. Instead of joining Wife, I will be speaking a school chapel.
Here is what a night student has to say about my new book:
"我已拜讀了大半的《比喻人生》, 很吸引呢!! 有點像你教導的部份查經法, 歸納在一起, 只是有些現代生活化的比喻, 我尚膚淺不太理解與整章的關連, 但你也引用不少電影題白, 我相當有共鳴, 因早年我觀戲甚多, 尤其是西方電影, 當中也蘊含了不少值得再思的片段, 故此讀下去很有親切感呢! 我會推薦予我們查經組的肢體呀. 請繼續分享你的恩賜呵!!Carmen"
Night swimming is no better than a morning swim, it is just as cold, as I found out today (28th). There was no one in the water when I arrived at 630p. I thought maybe the indoor pool is opened, but it wasn't. The lifeguards also had left their post with no swimmers around. A lady joined me later but she left before I did. On the way home I saw a teenager cycling on the no-cycling pedestrian walk, and told him off. I felt good later because the cyclists cycle fast and could hurt kids and seniors. Locals usually keep to themselves.
The same night I spotted my neighbor in the floor's corridor and exclaimed, "I haven't seen you for a while." She said, "I am here everyday." I countered, "I haven't seen you walking your dog." To which she replied, "It left." I asked, "Why?" She said, "Birth, aging, sickness, death." I added, "Then you must have cried sadly." She said, "Yes." A dog can't have a better life outside of Park Island. Previously in the summer, I asked her what she did for her summer holidays. She replied, "What holiday?" and then told us she cannot take a holiday because she had to take care of the dog every night after she got home.
