28 Apr 10 Wed - Small beginnings

Some weeks ago, it did cross my mind that I can teach Luke to blow the shofar. But when I asked him, he will shake his head.

Today, I left the shofar in the living room, while I worked in the kitchen. Then he came to me with the shofar in his hand and tried to blow. He tried hard but no sound came out. But it is a wonderful small beginnings.

Checked his bank a/c, and found that MINDS-EDC has banked in his allowance. It is his FIRST salary. He received $42.36. Well it is not much, but at least he is earning towards his own keep. Thank God for another wonderful small beginnings.

26 Apr 10 Mon - Down with cough

Luke's cough got worse on Sat 23 Apr. Got slight fever. Dr Kwan put him on antibiotics. On Sunday the cough was still very bad. He does not know how to spit out the phlegm. Brought him to see the usual chinese physician and gotten some medicine. He gets well faster taking the medicine from this physician. Since he started the antibiotics he has to complete the course. Chinese physician gave him 2 days MC for Mon & Tue.

He is slightly better today. Still got cough and phlegm. Didn't go for Public speaking. He is happy to be at home, resting and playing his favorite computer game Halo.

Since Luke start work, this is the first time he goes on MC. He is on probation till end of April. I pray that the workshop will confirm him to work after April.

17 Apr 10 Sat - No need specs! Normal!

Today Luke has appointment for eye checkup at Woodland MINDS.

He is long-sighted and has high astigmatism. But he insist on not wearing specs. He will remove it when we are not watching, or pull the specs so low that he is not looking through it. As such, he basically has stopped wearing specs for like 7-8 years.

His 2008 Refraction report showed:
Left SPH +3.75 CYL -4.00 AXIS 175 VA 6/15
Right SPH +3.50 CYL -3.75 AXIS 10 VA 6/15

I brought along his Refraction report, fully expecting the eye checkup to highlight his eye condition and required that he needs to wear specs.

But the results was beyond my expectation. After 3 stations of test and doctor examination, the doctor said he is fine and don't require specs as he is able to function normally without them.

Amazing! Hallelujah!

20 Apr 10 Tue - Luke trimmed nails w/o prompt

Since Luke started work, we practise a slightly different routine on Tuesday morning. We wake him up earlier at around 6.10am, so that he can follow us to Church. We will leave the house at 7.15am. Luke is a very good boy. Not once did he complain or delay in getting ready. I will attend the Tuesday morning prayer meeting until 8.30am, then drive him to work.

This morning, I noticed that he put a nail clipper into his pouch.

After prayer, I droved him to work. In the car, he showed me his fingers. The nails are nicely trimmed. He must have cut his nails while I was praying.
He did it without prompting from me. Praise the Lord!

19 Apr 10 Mon - Looking up!

Every Monday I will go to MINDS-EDC to pick Luke for Public Speaking. He attends Public Speaking class every Monday afternoon. Each week when I pick Luke, one of the training officers will give me some feedback about Luke. It is always about something that Luke must change or improve. Well at least I get to know how Luke is doing. Examples of feedback:
. He is slow in his work
. He insist to do work his way, refusing to follow training officer or peers' instruction
. His finger nails need trimming
. His walk is not stable, so he can't be given the task to carry the bags of headphones
. He insist to carry his CD with him to the canteen

However, today the training officer Ms Sharon Kong gave me a positive feedback about Luke. He now lifts up his head when people talk to him. It is an improvement. Praise the Lord!

6 Apr 10 Tue - Blow the Shofar to usher in the healing!

Joshua 6:20 'When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed...'

The trumpet is a victory call.

I felt that God wants me to blow the Shofar daily to
1) Declare God's healing over Luke
2) Celebrate each step of improvement that I see in Luke

Lord, may you help me to pray for Luke and blow the Shofar each morning.

4 Apr 10 Sun - Blow the Shofar when Luke is healed!

Today is Easter Sunday. We celebrate Jesus resurrection. We know He will come again, and the symbol of His coming is the trumpet (Ram's Horn).
1 Thess 4:16 'For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.'

One of the worship song is about the sounding of the trumpet and we will see the Lord in His glory. I brought in the Shofar and Ben blowed it during the singing of this worship song. After the service, Chun Lan asked me 'It is that I will blow the Shofar when Luke is healed?' Her comment brought to my mind the trip to Lagos Africa for the Reinhard Bonnke Crusade, where one of the participants at the Fire conference Gabriele Webinger from Germany told me to blow the Shofar when Luke is healed. She will 'hear' it in Germany.




Lai Pheng, Gabriel Webinger, Rachel
Nov 2006, Lagos Nigeria

2 Feb 10 Tue - 1st day of work at MINDS-EDC

Luke waiting for the bus and taking the bus transport to work.

Today is Luke's first day of work at Minds-EDC (Employment Development Centre) at Rosyth Road. Working hours are from 9am to 4.30pm. Luke takes the Centre bus transport to and from work. The bus number is 5158. Bus picks him at 8.35am and returns at 4.45pm. He is in Unit 211, and his training officers are Ms Sharon Kong and Mr David Ong. His unit does the packing of SIA headsets.

I thank God that
1) Luke is allotted a place of work at MINDS-EDC. In prior years, the waiting time for a place could be up to 2 years. Due to the opening of more centres, the waiting time is reduced to zero. Hallelujah!
2) His Public Speaking classmate Lucious is in the same unit. At least there is a familiar face at the work unit, and Lucious is a good buddy.
3) His training officer Mr David Ong is a Christian and he worships at Agape Baptist Church. He is jovial and encouraging.