Something right

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.