Just tryin' to understand

Malaysia to assist southern Thais with education, not mediation

"...Malaysia agreed Thursday to launch several programs with Thailand to lift the social economic standing of Thai Muslims in the conflict-riddled south, but it will not play a mediator role to end the violence there...The roots of the violence, he said, are not a clash of religions between Muslims and Buddhists. The former are a minority overall but dominant in southern Thailand, which shares a border with Muslim-majority Malaysia. "The Muslims and Buddhists have lived in the area peacefully for a long, long time. This [conflict] has a lot to do with social-economic problems," Syed Hamid said. Malaysia agreed to offer vocational training to youths from southern Thailand as well as scholarships for education. Malaysia also offered to impart its brand of moderate Islam to southern Thailand, teaching how to incorporate religious studies into school curricula and administration of religious affairs..." - Kyodo News, Thursday March 22, 8:05 PM

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I find this interesting, 'religious studies' incorporated into school curricula for Thailand. Think of the integration of religion with a nation's socio-economic situation. I really wonder at the wisdom of compartmentalising issues that were meant to be viewed much more wholistically, and at the feasibility of making 'religious studies' into simply an educational program.

Okay. Here's my dilemma: South of Thai is conflict-riddled right now, and Malaysia has stepped in to offer help. How? By imparting 'religious studies' meant only for education and not mediation. Yet the roots of violence (that led to the need for Malaysia to step in to offer help in the 1st place) are not the clashing of religions (that's what they say). So how is this a solution for Thais? And how can education void of the intention of mediation be of any value to resolve socio-economic conflicts?

[janice mentally measuring the percentage of help we're really giving Thailand]

*shake head* Tak faham lah! Perhaps Someone could shed some light where I'm seeing only darkness...

sabah sun, sand and sandpit

going thru some photo albums, and realized i shoulda blogged abt this island trip...haha! it was quite a cool trip.












highlights of the trip:

• ridiculous slippers game that eric received 'revelation' for....haha!
• tim running into the sea like a girl (gotta see the video to know what i mean!)
• the 'posers' picture by the rocks, amazing picture
• dying giant jellyfish, ultimately killed by one of us - shh!
• construction of molar teeth and paul's obsession with a huge sand pit
• super fun and wet speedboat ride back to the city

my favourite part - time with these two:











it's been a loooooOOoonng time.
miss irene a lot.

[From the account of the Great Battle in 2 Chronicles 20]

Jehoshaphat: "...For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."

GOD: "Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's."


May it be true, O GOD, at this trying moment in my history, for the battle is beyond my capacity and the landscape far more perilous than I imagined.

The battle is not mine.

I pray it is Yours, Yahweh.

one's existence = answer to one's greatest cause

he who hath nothing to live for doth not truly live
such a man awaiteth death come ravish his mortal shell
he who hath nothing to die for still wilt die in no relief
for in causelessness shalt his days wasteth to no avail

what can one hope to attain in fourscore and five years
whilst in grey mystique of Life made of dust he doth roam?
should a man findeth something to live for, he then discovers
every reason in peace to depart when Cause taketh him home

~ gen_lite

it's always sobering to remind oneself of life's greatest cause.
but...is it humanity? is it world peace? is it 'save mother nature' and endangered species? is it medical relief for every deprived nation, or a cease of famine for every parched land? is it education, economy or entertainment? is it government funding or foreign investments? is it philosophy, politics or policies?

i think the greatest cause is to know How i came into existence and for What shall i continue to exist. only then will i have Something to live for and Everything to die for, and every cause of man will take on hope, faith and love.

a battle to rescue homeless victims?

is that home on earth or in heaven?

"Indonesian rescuers, police and troops in inflatable boats have helped evacuate Jakarta residents stranded in severe floods that have killed 29, as thenumber left homeless approached 350,000. Tens of thousands of houses have been inundated after rivers and canals which criss-cross Jakarta burst their banks following days of torrential downpours in the city and the adjoining towns of Tangerang and Bekasi." - NST, 06 Feb 2007

what is the worst that can happen, past famine, homelessness and utter material loss?
an eternal displacement from the home that is called paradise. that would be an indescribable agony that no rescue team can ease, a suffering beyond human years on earth.

THINK: when one finds everything on earth, only to lose one's own soul - what, then, is left when death comes?