Christmas Party with RAY Fellowship

Proud to be guests of the RAY Fellowship Christmas Party at Promenade Hotel. Everyone was dressed up and looked gorgeous!


Derek gave out most of the souvenirs and prizes for the evening. We also exchanged gifts at the party. What a joy to see the excitement around the room.

The organising committee receiving a souvenier presented by Bernard. Amazed to see them coordinate this event so well!!

An extended breakfast

After mass at St Simon's, hopped on Joneville & Yvonne's car and drove to Menggatal for the famous beef noodles soup.

Hmmm cooking while chatting on the phone?? Is that the secret recipe???

Continued driving towards Tuaran and had barbecued corn... Look who's barbecueing...

Another speciality of the area... clams.

And some cheap coconut pudding... for dessert.


So, that's life in KK...

Carolers Visit

A visit from the Carolers of St Simon Church. Our turn to welcome them in our home... We have been carolers ourselves before leaving for the mission.


They proclaimed, O come Divine Messiah, the world in silence waits the day... when hope shall sing of triumph and sadness flees away.



Derek was out caroling last week with his colleagues from the Sacred Heart Parish.

3rd Sunday of Advent

by Father Thomas Rosica

Rejoice in the Lord

In today's second reading, St. Paul tells us to rejoice in the Lord always [Philippians 4:4-7; see also Philippians 2:18; 3:1;4.4). The rejoicing to which St. Paul invites us, and which forms the heart of the Advent season. But we must ask ourselves, what did persecuted Christians have to rejoice about?

The answer is their relationship with the Lord, which can even become stronger and more intimate in times of persecution. Their joy is not in their circumstance; indeed it is often in spite of their circumstance. Rather it is in the Lord.

Sheer joy arises out of a deep and abiding relationship with God that carries the believer through all sorts of trials and tribulations. Rejoicing in the Lord is a sort of adoration, and adoration often takes the form of prayer. Rejoicing constantly leads to praying and praising repeatedly. Since Paul refers to giving thanks after he mentions prayer, it is probable that the term "praying" refers to petitioning God in some form, perhaps interceding for self and others in some manner.

The opposite of rejoicing

The opposite of rejoicing and happiness is not sorrow, but deadness that often manifests itself through cynicism, meanness of spirit and smallness of mind and heart. Many of us know what that feels like: the deadness and dissatisfaction induced by a consumer culture that stimulates our senses and bombards us with largely meaningless choices, while leaving us starved for some deeper purpose.

Then there is jealousy, envy, and that gnawing feeling that we have accomplished so little because we have been so poorly motivated and made some bad choices. And when we realize that others have been able to do much because they have been rooted in God, we become jealous and envious. These are not new phenomena!

The desire to escape such deadness and dissatisfaction was one of the motives of the early desert fathers and mothers. They rejected a world whose agenda was defined by the pursuit of power, property, and pleasure. They went into the desert to tap into the source of life and joy, and discover their own true selves through constant prayer. Having found the emptiness of what their culture defined as happiness, they sought another way.

Trip to the Philippines, 25th Nov - 5th Dec

My visits to the 5th Asian Youth Day (AYD5) and the ICPE Mission centre were both very encouraging and blessed. It was great to see so many young people from different parts of Asia coming together for the purpose of knowing each other and to experience God. I was assigned to facilitate a workshop on Worship. After this event, I served the ICPE Mission by giving talks and workshops on worship leading. Amidst the busy schedule, I also met many friends and made new friends in both events. Truly, God has been very kind and I could see His blessings all the way.

The Mission trip started as I was at the airport in Kota Kinabalu. Sr. Terry had kindly connected me with a full time youth coordinator from the diocese Kuching. She was also flying to the Philippines to facilitate one of the workshop at AYD5. Her name is Stephanie Ng. We spoke about the joy and excitement of working with the youth and some of the common challenges that we encounter with the younger generation and other bodies in our church. After much sharing and discussion, we exchange contacts and are determine to see how we can network to encourage and support each other in our work.

As soon as I arrived at the event centre, the participants were given the possibility of receiving the sacrament of reconciliation. That was such a gift from God and I went. One that I needed to do for a long time.

Workshops were planned for the 1600 people that were there. In every workshop, there were about 20 participants. I gave a workshop called the “Heart of Worship”. Many of the participants who came were not so involved in worship leading nor have they experienced what we know as “charismatic worship sessions”. However, what I had prepared was to talk about the basis of understanding worship – taken from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It was well received and I felt that they were taking it in and were encouraged. Many feedback from the participants in the end also confirmed that conviction was happening as I was sharing.

Other than the workshop, I also connected with people from different parts of Asia. I could encourage them in their spiritual journey and also spoke about possibilities to network together in the future.

The time with the ICPE Mission was also a good experience for me. The 3 day seminar on worship was divided in 2 parts. The mornings were filled with teachings and discussions. The afternoons were practical and workshops. It was good to hear the feedback from the participants that they were both stretched and encouraged. I spent the rest of the time connecting with others. Even did some coachings... It was all very positive.

2nd Sunday of Advent

"Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."

I have been reading the writings of Fr. Father Thomas Rosica of Salt & Light, Canada and have been very encouraged by him. Here's an excerpt of his reflection from Zenit for this Sunday...

Advent is a mystery that transforms and not simply informs. Advent remains with its paradoxical combination of waiting and hastening, suffering and joy, judgment and deliverance, apocalyptic woe and eschatological hope. Unfortunately for our culture of instant gratification, hope requires incompleteness. To hope, in the true Advent fashion, is to live with the certainty of unfulfilled desire.

Advent teaches us that if we are quiet in our hearts long enough, we will discover the God still carves out highways and turns the desert places of our lives into oases of wonder, life, beauty, even though nothing will be as we expected.

The message of Advent is not that everything is falling to pieces. Nor is it that God is in heaven and all is therefore well with the world. Rather the message of Advent is that when every fixed star on the moral compass is wavering, when all hell is breaking loose on earth, we hear once again the Baptist's consoling message: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."

Hope - 1st Sunday of Advent

A moving reflection on hope by the late Fr. James Keller, M.M., Founder of The Christophers:

"Hope looks for the good in people instead of harping on the worst.
Hope opens doors where despair closes them.

"Hope discovers what can be done instead of grumbling about what cannot.
Hope draws its power from a deep trust in God and the basic goodness of human nature.

"Hope 'lights a candle' instead of 'cursing the darkness.'
Hope regards problems, small or large, as opportunities.

"Hope cherishes no illusions, nor does it yield to cynicism.
Hope sets big goals and is not frustrated by repeated difficulties or setbacks.

"Hope pushes ahead when it would be easy to quit.
Hope puts up with modest gains, realizing that 'the longest journey starts with one step.'

"Hope accepts misunderstandings as the price for serving the greater good of others.
Hope is a good loser because it has the divine assurance of final victory."

Wedding Reception

The celebration continued at the Promenade Hotel on Sunday evening with a 9 course Chinese meal. Captured a moment with the bride and groom. Didn't want to miss the opportunity to take a picture with the lovely bride in her elegant pink dress.


All the preparations heading towards this big event has now come to an end... We had fun together, as sisters, having our dresses tailored made for the occassion.


Took the opportunity to snap some pictures while the rest were dancing.


There's my "baby" brother with his new wife...


Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaammm sssssseeeeeeeeeeeenng..


Their first dance. O... the beautiful bride....


Koko singing "One in a million". He's worked really hard to make everything flow smoothly this evening...


...and a moment with the handsome man I danced with at the wedding banquet this evening..


The Hills, all in gold. They brought Lehing (rice wine) from Tambunan for the occasion which "amused" a number of people...


Mum in lavendar...


O this was taken earlier on in the afternoon, when we were practising a song to present for the evening, as a family. Due to managing some hiccups here and there during the course of the afternoon, we weren't able to do that...

It was a beautiful wedding... We are grateful to God for these beautiful days and the beautiful couple. Time for all of us to take a goooood resssst...

My baby brother is married!!

Fred & Gloria's Wedding on 21st November 2009


So the day has finally arrived... My younger brother, the youngest of my siblings, is married! It was such a beautiful occasion, full of emotions, happy tears and glorious music! Such a moving moment to see Fred singing to Glo as she was walked in by her parents down the aisle...


The day was filled with many happy moments of counting our blessings as a family. The choir, consisting of all my siblings and Derek plus some close friends, sang at the wedding mass. That includes Derek's brother, Terence. So, it was a family affair... All the 4 of us siblings, sang a song during Communion.


The theme colour for the day was white, pink and lavender... So, we went all out to get something as near as possible to the theme colours for the occasion. Apart from taking pictures, Derek was playing the keyboard at mass.


So while everyone else was busy rehearsing their solo parts, I was busy preparing the decorations for the reception hall, together with Charleston and Jason. Had fun doing it and was amazed at Charleston's creativity. That reminded me of my talented friends, Stefan & Trish, while decorating...


That's the main table at the reception, with mum and Adrian, my elder brother.


My sister Dorothy, taking a picture with Charleston who helped with the hair & make-up. Charleston was also the "manager" of the wedding reception event.


Time for some relaxing shots during the tea ceromony. My sister, Christine, & I woke up at 4am this morning! Too excited to sleep longer...


And a moment with my beloved...


Last few pictures before we start cleaning up!


Of course, an opportunity to have a moment with my beloved mum, the excited and happy mother of the groom!! I bought the material of this dress for her. It was fun just preparing for the wedding with the various "girls" event we did together, like going to the dressmaker and buying shoes and jewelery... Precious moments together as a family...

Hearty Forty

Celebrated my 40th birthday surrounded by family and friends, young and old...

Since many of my friends in the mission celebrated their 40th birthday in the recent years. I was expecting to do so together with them too. Never imagined it to be any way/where else...

Celebrating this special birthday at home was very special to me this year. I decided to have an "Open House" celebration from 10 am to 6pm, with different batches of people coming at different times.

My first guests were my parents in law. My mum in law called a few days earlier to ask what cake I'd like to have on my birthday. My all time favourite Super Moist Chocolate cake came to mind and she brought a huge cake with her that morning, together with many more... a few trays of cheese tartlets and a huge container of pandan jelly/pudding.

Friends from school, my colleagues, also made their way to our home, after some complications... Nurul, Su and Rhenil cooked the Bolognaise sauce together with me since they wanted to learn how to do it while Rob entertains my father in law, or was it the other way 'round??

Had lots of fun with this bunch! They brought along a Chocolate Brownie cake, another huge cake from Secret Recipe. We were at Secret Recipe together one Friday after a stressful week at school and the brownie saved our week!! Rhenil remembered how much I enjoyed it and got 1 for me for my birthday. How thoughtful!

Shaz, another colleague, arrived with another cake plus her new boyfriend... So, that's number 3! (I mean the cake...). It was another lovely chocolate cake from Strawberry bakery which she once described to me at school some months ago... Lisa prepared a lovely Filipino dessert with mango. It was a hit!! My mum in law looked on attentively as Lisa prepared it, with the intention of expanding her dessert recipes...

Then, the birthday song...

My boss and his whole family arrived with another cake, the 4th one. Liang Yoong had once baked this lovely chocolate cake which I tasted at school and she remembered that I liked it. I am indeed so moved by the thoughtfulness of all these new friends who remembered small details which meant so much!!

In the meantime, Bernie and Michi, our guests from Germany, also joined the party. They are planning to be in Malaysia for 3 months. They will be helping out in an Orphanage in Kiulu in the coming week. Bernie helped in serving the waffles that afternoon. So, we had a taste of the German waffle recipe from a German waffle maker by a German herself. How more German can this get....?

My family and friends were the next to arrive. It was nice to celebrate this special event with them. Somehow, there are no pictures of my mum, my sisters and my classmates. Hmmm, the cameraman must have been busy eating...

Just as I was saying goodbye to my friend, Jackie, a "loud" group came in singing Happy Birthday! They were the most energetic group of the day - The Lifefire University ministry leaders.

These were the bunch who were the loudest, ate the most and made the day extra special for me by honouring me with a wonderful gift. The gift of the realisation of God's faithfulness. As I looked at each of their faces while they were singing to me, again, for the 2nd time while presenting their gift to me, I was struck by the reality of savouring God's goodness in the gift of these young people. I left the German youth a year ago and never dreamt of being surrounded by Malaysian youth just 11 months after making home here again. The life and energy they bring just sparked me up with gratefulness to God. I was almost in tears...

And guess what they gave me as a gift? Their faces printed on a mug!!! God, you're amazing!!

The party ended with a story telling session. They dug out our photo albums, most probably trying to find some love letters but found photos of us in the mission, before we got married. It was nice recalling the stories again and giving them the picture of life in the mission, literally... Many questions arose among them and it was a pleasure to give them some answers and ask them what they are looking for in their lives... Always looking for opportunities to express my vocation...

A great start in becoming 40. Looking back at beautiful memories and holding on to God's promises for the coming season...