Monday: Beginning of a good week

I go to Open Door once a week to help sort clothes.  Once a month, Open Door gives away all the clothes that they receive (a giveaway).

We sorted them based on gender and size.  We also sort them base on cleanness and for the right season.  There's not enough room to keep winter clothes in the summer time.  Even if they are brand new we have to give it to Good Will.

Tonight was one of those night which we prep for a giveaway.  Tomorrow is a giveaway and we have to transfer all the clothes from the storage room to the store.

Sometimes we look forward to the weekend.  Sometimes the beginning of a week can be a wonderful thing.

All ready to move out.

The storage room.  So clean.  

Some clothes had a dry cleaning receipt.  Dated 2007!

Thanks to Debbie and the crew for faithfully serving for so many years.

I love Mondays like these.

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

Matthew 25:34-36

Reflection

Fairchild TV is a Chinese TV station in Canada. On Saturday, they are doing a story on me, my liver transplant at Sick Kids and my triathlon and 'athletic' achievements. I use the term athletic loosely as after all the triathlons I completed, I still do not consider myself as an athlete.

For the coming interview, they asked me to invite my friends and my family to come and share my story and my experience.

Coincidentally during this week at work, my coworker told a new coworker that I had a liver transplant and how I am very healthy and active. Naturally I started to share about my past and how it is a miracle that I am alive today.

Heh. It is funny how I often forget. Last month when I taught the Sunday School about how the people in Exodus keep forgetting what God had done for them, that's like me.

Tonight I am looking through the photos to print out for Saturday. As I looked at the races I done. From my first triathlon, to an Ironman, to Transplant Games, I can't stop to realize that wasn't that far ago. It felt very distance away.

At the same time, I pause as to see where God had took me from a few years ago.

When I was in highschool, there were nights when I lie in my bed, telling myself I had to be successful in life. Then at University, the desired to become financially independent was enslaving. Friendships were broken for the sake of a dollar. Right after I graduated and right before I started coming to Church, I wrote a list of things I must accomplish. And guess what, they all revolve around making money and making riches. To support family and be financially independent.

Now in a short five years, that list which compel me to go, no longer dimmed attractive. By God's Grace, I am freed from the slave of worldly wealth. I caught a glimpse of a treasure that is worth more than anything I own or ever will own. Nor can I afford it. Yet it was bestow upon me without a price, yet at the same time with such an immense cost.

And if there is anything, I can testify that God do indeed have the power to change heart. He did it to me. Hehe..without my approval or my awareness.

Tonight, I was at Open Door sorting clothes before heading to fellowship. And as I walked by Open Door where they served dinner to the needy on every Thursday, I was greeted by a familiar face. She and her family were regulars. She remembered when me and my fellowship played bingos with the group last year gave everyone presents.

And this is what I cherish now. The longing of a kingdom that this world desperately needs but does not realize nor care. A kingdom fill with grace, mercy and compassion. A kingdom that is so radical that it welcomes the unrighteous and the 'righteous'. A kingdom that breaks the grip of this world not by power or might, but by humility and gentleness.

I said it before and I say it now, I never consider what I did as something great. Nor can I take credit for what's happening in my life. I am nothing more than an observer of a great One who is working through me. I am just a messenger of the One who came 2000 years ago and will be coming. I am nothing more than passerby in this land. A sojourner. An exile. And someday I will go back to my true home.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

Matthew 13:45-46

The poor gets harder

I was at Open Door tonight. They had a General Meeting.

One of the members was talking with the recent change in the grocery store in not providing free plastic bag, they have trouble getting them. At the store, you can now pay five cent for a bag. This is good for the environment. But it makes it tighter when someone is making barely enough to pay rent.

One of the touching story is a girl asking her mom why she works all the time and there is no food on the table.

When I heard stories like that, it made me sad. I am sad because I often take things for granted. I didn't realize that 5 cent bag is a huge difference to something who is barely paying bills. The question is how come I don't realize it?

Sometimes I shake my head at the thought of majority of the world make less than 2 dollars a day.

It re-affirmed me that I am 'rich' even when I think I am poor. It also made me realize how insensitive I am. Even a little thing is a big thing. It also shows how a little change in the community have a huge affect on the marginalize.

Though, the night was not end with sadness. There were many tales of how God is working with the poor, the needy through Open Door. That will be shared in the next post. Indeed God is among us. EMMANUEL!

What I thought was small...

I was at Open Door last night sorting clothes. I was speaking with a lady who regularly attend the dinners which my fellowship served earlier this year.

She recognized me and got into a conversation. During the dinner, we organized a Bingo game to get everyone involved. To be honest, I didn't thought too much of it. It seemed like a minor thing and not very significant.

To my surprise, she mentioned how much her kids enjoy the games. She asked when my fellowship would help served dinners.

I was reading Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Life Together while I was in Australia. Ok, I actually just read one chapter. It was simply very deep and I spent about a week re-reading and thinking what Dietrich was saying. It was on fellowship. One section, Dietrich mentioned that sometimes what we think is very small and weak might be what God is working (sanctification).

I thought the bingo games were ordinary. Yet, the response from the lady it seemed that this is where God is working.

Operation Bring The Kids Back to School

Hey everyone,

I hope everyone had a great long weekend. I sleep in today and got up at 11 something :D.

I was speaking with Krista from Open Door and she mentioned to me that the kids need school supplies to go to school.

I know when I was in grade school, the school use to provide supplies. Like glue, crayons and markers. (Hehe, I use to take them back home.)

Nowadays the school doesn't supply them anymore and the family needs to provide them.

I was thinking of creating a few kits to help bring the kids back to school. I don't know if anyone is interested. If you can support financially or have a few school supplies at home and like to donate, please let me know.

Here is the list of items Krista suggested:

I have made a list of suggestions for school supply packages.

• Back Packs, kids and teens
• Binders
• Pens, blue, black, red
• Highlighters
• Pencil Crayons
• Crayons
• Markers
• Rulers
• Pencil cases
• Pencils
• Erasers
• Compass and Protracter Kits
• Lined Paper
• Blank Pater
• Glue

I will be flying to Australia in Aug 20th. Therefore, I like to have these kits ready by Aug 17th.

If you want to help out, super! Just let me know.

Thanks everyone!!

Cheers,

Cliff

To serve...to love...

Once a month, some Christian friends and I go to Open Door to help out. On Thurs night, they serve food to anyone who wants it. The tiny room is usually packed with hungry parents, elderly and kids.

For the past two months, I was in charge of organizing games after they had dinner. These past weeks, it had been busy with work and the week prior too I was feeling stress from organizing.

In fact, leading up to Open Door on Thursday, that's all I thought about. Gotta do this. Gotta do that.

On Thurs, I went to Square One earlier. I spent five minutes sitting and reflecting on Open Door. I calm myself and reminded that I am here to serve and to get to know my community.

Before the games, they were having a dinner. I was standing on the side as another group served. The place is always pack. Someone finish a meal early and left. I was thinking, would Jesus stand by the corner, play a game and leave? No way. That's program thinking. That's not serving or caring.

Taking hold of the opportunity, I went and sat down. I start mingle with the people on my table. Just talk about this and that. I even had a meal with them.

...we latter played Bingo and everyone left with a price (Timmies Gift Certificate). IT was goooood times.

I looked and wondered where i was thinking prior to that night. All the time spent on 'organizing' ...in the end what people need is someone to talk and share life.

Oh how often I forgot about that and focus purely on the program.

Confession: Lack of compassion

An email I sent to a friend:

Open Door was very interesting..i walked in and there was a lady waiting outside. She is one of the regular-ers. She was saying how she needed a jacket now and cannot wait for tomrorow.

To be honest, she was very rude and I do not want to help her. After a while we took the clothes from the storage room to Open Door. The lady who is organizing there was very kind to her. The lady who wanted a jacket kept changing her mind and later walked away with two.

She kept saying "God really blessed me, thank you so much" and even kiss the lady (who was in charge) on the hand...

I feel totally convicted..shame on me as i should have more compassion and not less. She needed more help not less.

A little lesson and a reminder. I am here to serve and not to judge. To help those who Jesus will help and not be served.

Shame on me.