It’s amazing how a little faith can brings me to strange places, doing strange things. Things that I never envisioned doing before. I could never imagine an impatient person like me chatting up with old folks. Once I used to imagine them as nagging, forgetful people that probably will be a big bore to talk with.
I went to an old folks home today to interview the residents there. I didn’t prepare any questions because it has to come naturally.
Jesus has told us in the Bible that we can do anything if we rely on Him. And rely I did. I interviewed two residents there who spoke in Mandarin. And oh boy…my Mandarin flows like a Taiwanese. Well, those times when my mother used to take me to the Taiwanese movies have paid off, I guess.
It is amazing. I am so proud of myself that I could speak Mandarin so well. And Hokkien too. I could even share God’s love in Hokkien and Mandarin. I am still grinning to myself why I have such guts.
Remember, it is a video and my voice is recorded there. So, it is freaky to squeeze my rusty, limited Mandarin out of myself. But I was taking a risk. If I don’t record, I probably had to jot really hard. Jotting down may distract the subject. If I record, I will have to endure my own voice. I hate listening to my own voice. Still.
So, on a lovely Sunday today, I had spent several hours, speaking Mandarin, listened to an 80 yrs old woman singing Teresa Teng’s Moon Represents My Heart, held her hands, stayed back to eat lunch with her and went to her room to look at her old photos. I had also chatted with an 80 yrs old man who is keen to meet the Chief Minister. I promised him I will see that the Chief Minister personally go to him and shake his hands.
Well, when you are in a home like that, there are very little things to look forward to in life. They get all the basic necessities and love and care from the Sisters there. Apart from that, they had to spend their days with little else. Thank God that some of them are so faithful to God, they see their loneliness, sufferings, illness and etc as an act of love. For Jesus too suffered and died. So, too they have to endure the same thing.
Thank God for the opportunity and honour to play the role of the journalist to bring story to the online media world. *Ok, Mr. Editor, my piece will be ready tonight or tomorrow, the latest.*
If you like, I can send you a DVD of Pimsleur’s Mandarin course. Then your Mandarin will sound like a Pekingnese’s (not the bow wow).
Chingachgook – Hahaha, my Mandarin is like Ling Ching Hsia, Chen Chen, Ling Dai type cos all the movies I digested as a kid.