I have been trying to get active in my blogger, as I don't wish to
stop improving my writing skill. I planned to write more posts in my blogger
during this long holiday. I never wanted to waste time for something
meaningless. Besides, I found it very beneficial to improve my expressiveness
with this habitual practice. Thank God for helping me to keep this habit. Here
I got some inspirations during these few days, from different people and
places. I decided to write something for the sake of my memories. They were all
informative and inspiring to me, while they are also challenging my thoughts
and convictions most of the time.
My eldest brother's girlfriend has a
younger brother who suffers for a weird and rare disease ever since he was
given birth. His physical growth has been disordered. His hands do not get well
formed, hands with no fingers look like bones covered by imperfect skins alone.
His feet have the same problem; he doesn't have toes at all, but a foot-like
bone covered by the skins. He is skinny due to the lack of muscles and his body
is being attached with various herbal plasters. His room was filled with the
somewhat awful smell due to the herbal plasters which made me a little bit
uncomfortable in the very beginning.
My brother and I delivered an air filter
machine to his house, we did a short period of machine checking. I passed by
his room, gave a glance at him from far seeing him lying in his medical bed. I
knew he was there looking very helpless and poor. However, I felt reluctant to
approach him or even get to have a clearer view at him. Perhaps I scare I would
show unpleasant expression naturally that might get him unpleasant eventually.
Eventually, I went away his house without paying him a greeting. What a great
shame it was!
When I was home, I started to think about
how I should treat this little boy. What would my Lord Jesus Christ probably do
to him? I strongly believe that he would express his love towards the boy, and
he would approach him in order to concern him genuinely. He did this act of
kindness and mercy many times during his life of service. I don't know if I can
do the same thing, but he definitely asked me to imitate him. I prayed
sincerely to him for helping me to show my concern to all my neighbours so that
they might be benefited by my little kindness.
Unexpectedly, another chance to interact
with him was given to me very soon! I was left to his house and his sister was
going out with my brother in order to buy something necessary. Eventually, he
and I were in the house. I decided to stay with him in his room instead of
being in the hall. Obviously he was doing okay with his Macbook, having no
intention to talk with me. I saw him using Macbook enjoyably with his unique
hand, he is not clumsy at all using the laptop that way, I can tell that he has
been used to it. Then, spontaneously sitting on the sofa beside his bed, I
started the conversation with him sincerely, I believe it was a great thing
that I have ever done.
In the beginning, I started by asking a
few things about his daily activities in order to understand his daily routine
and activities. It might seem to be very unnecessary because we would expect
him to have nothing much to do in his life with this poor physical condition.
However, I was just trying to make sure by questioning. Slowly, I was trying to
be very direct so that he would be able to express some of his feelings and
thoughts frankly. Somehow, I was wondering why I was bold enough to be so
straight-to-the-point. I asked in Mandarin "Sorry~ May I ask you something
very personal? How do you find your life like this? With this so-called
unpleasant experience? What do you think of yourself? other things about
yourself? I just want to understand you for I never experienced your ordeal so
I can't understand your feeling at all."
He was shocked of my question but he
showed his willingness to share with me by responding to me. He has been
worried about himself and his future. He worried the coming of the day where
his parents were very old and scared of being helpless to take care of his
parents that time. He was struggling with his bad feeling sometimes when he
failed to help his parents to get rid of some unhealthy habits. He realized
that he got angry and upset often for the failure and helplessness. He is
really a good boy of course for being thoughtful of his parents' welfare.
Sadly, he gave up of worrying so much about his life and future, rather he
stopped bothering the problems and just lives on as usual. He found himself helpless at all even if he has been worried for long. The worry doesn't help to make things right, instead it often led him into sorrow and despair. Well..I can imagine the severity and understand the feeling of helplessness.
I shared with him my points of view on him
and his life. I said there are a lot of things he doesn't manage to do. But
still there are many things he can do if he really wants to make a difference
in his life. Therefore, I encouraged him to cherish the things he has, fully utilize them
and they can bring him great changes that he has longed in his life! I said:
There are two ways to make your life meaningful, (i) being a helper to benefit
the people around you (ii) being a learner who never stops enjoying the process
of learning and the outcome of learning. Those who don't learn never grow,
those who don't grow can hardly bear the fruit of life for the feeling of
success. By benefiting the people around you, it gives you the feeling of being
significant.
I encouraged him to get another hobby for
himself. Reading is one of the great hobbies. It helps you to read and get to
know many things. The more you grow knowledgeable, the better you may feel. The
more you read, the more you find the world no longer small!" I encouraged
him to learn writing as well, so that someday he can express all of his
feelings to the world. I just hope that he can express the helplessness deep inside
his heart, it doesn't help him to solve the problems, but I believe it can help
him to move on strong. I do believe the sharing of his experience can inspire
other people's life if he can make a change in his life!
In our conversation, I asked him, "Do you believe in
God?" He said:" He doesn't believe in God." I replied with
surprise, "Then how are you going to explain your situation now? There are
things called the will of man and the fate. This must not be the will of man of
course. Then it would be the so-called fate which doesn't have any certain
explanation at all." He kept silent and seemed to be pondering. " How
are you going to explain all these if you don't believe there is a God?"
Surprisingly, he replied:" I do believe the cross." "Why?"
I asked with curiosity. He replied:" It looks nice, people make it an
accessory."
With this reply, I was given a great
opportunity of my preaching. I started sharing with him the gospel of the Bible
patiently and enjoyably. He was enjoying in my passionate sharing as well. The
full and rough gospel was being delivered within a few minutes. Of course, I
told him that he needs to believe Jesus Christ for he loves him truly. He is
the only one who understands him and is able to give him the everlasting hope
of life. He is with him all the time and he is never alone.
Before I left him, I taught him how to
make a prayer. I told him the function of the prayer and taught him the correct
way of making a prayer. I made a prayer as a closing of our conversation.
Sincerely, I hope he can understand the messages I was trying to bring out and
hope through the conversation, he can get the hope of life and live a great
life in the love of Christ. Last question he asked me with tender," Do you
have girl friend?" I said: "No. Why?" He said:" A guy like
you should have a girlfriend normally." I asked again:" Why? What
made you think so?" He replied happily:" Because you are
caring." I smiled contentedly and left his room. I think...I might not
have done something great, but I have done something greatly right. Thank God
for the chance. I might not change him, but that has changed me somehow in a
positive way.
