Wednesday, July 5, 2017

medical mission


Here we are in the Phillipines.

We are here for the first time to do medical mission with the local church to reach out to the poor in Santa Rosa, a settlement area for the victims of Typhoon which plagued Philippines in 2013. Mission has been something that is very close to my heart since before I started medical school, and it is interesting that after such a long hiatus from medical mission of 10 years (our last trip was in 2007 in Cambodia), we are with the same team again, this time with more knowledge, experience and hopefully wisdom too.

So how did we end up here?

If you had told me last year that i will be volunteering my time in mission this year, i would have stared at you blankly and say: Sorry i have got no time. Also I am not in the right frame of mind and spirit to do this. My work and family are more important.

The past few years have been years of wandering for me. My entire focus during that time was to be the best that i can be in order to excel at work so i can enter into the surgical training programme and flourish in it. This became my world, the thing that i took a lot of pride in. I eventually got accepted into the SET programme and started my surgical training in 2016. There began a slippery slope toward either alternating self aggrandisement (when things go well) and self-destruction (when things go bad). I thought this was going to be a fun ride, i finally got what i wanted, but instead, it was a journey marked with a lot of pain and deep struggles. Feeling lost so many times, feeling concussed from a massive whack on the head out of nowhere, going through anxiety and depression, confronting many things which i did not, absolutely did not like about the world and myself. 

Of course it would be inaccurate to say all of it has been mired with frustration and struggles. I did experience a far deeper measure of God's grace through the dark valleys, and there were interesting days and experiences filled with joy and small victory. But as humans, we tend to let the bad things stick more than the good. 

Now i see it all as part of God's breaking process for my life. Had He not allowed me to crash and break into many pieces, i can't imagine what monster i would be right now. And yes surely i was headed toward a certain gravely path had God not intervened. Not that i don't still have those monstrous elements in me right now, but God in His infinite wisdom, brought me thru dark valleys, which in turn, saved my soul.

Thankfully He placed people in my life to guide me in the right path. Two such people are my wife and son. They have taught me more about what is important in life than anyone else. My wife had told me that i needed to come to this trip, despite the fact that she is 5 month pregnant and had to look after Jonas when i am not around. She said God is not done with me yet. Even though what we are doing here mostly is treating cough and cold, infections, skin diseases, asthma, stuff which i knew little about, the fact that i am once again immersed in God's works advancing His kingdom purpose rather than mine, is in itself a reward. I am deeply grateful for her encouragement and sacrifice.

I don't know what to expect. But the words of Jesus: therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Matt 28:19) resonates deep in my heart. So here's to a great adventure in the Philippines!


At the Cairns airport, waiting for departure
Having lunch with the local church

Reminded by my wife to drinking Vitamin C everyday :)


Cairns


We have started a new life in Cairns. I am second year into my surgical training, my wife got a job as a pharmacist in Cairns Hospital, and our boy - Jonas has settled in his daycare - Pelican Early Learning Centre. We have moved into an apartment in Lake Street called the Edge Apartments, about 1km from the hospital and very close to the daycare as well, so everything is within short distance of each other. It makes commuting very simple and it saves a lot of time for us.

One of the most exciting things i was looking forward to is being close to a very dear brother of ours - Jeremy. Jeremy and i have known each other since 2006 when we started medical school together. For the few years we were in school, we have climbed the highest mountains, dived the deepest seas, and hiked the longest valley together. He is a guy whom i really enjoy being with, because of his simplicity, the values which he holds dear to his heart, and the similar passions that we have, which are adventure and mission. We then got separated in 20010 when i came to Australia to complete my medical school, and a series of life events/changes also happened between 2009 and 2013 which brought us further apart. I am really glad God brought us back to each other again and we are able to work in the same hospital and live close to each other again. The older i get, the more i am convinced that life does not consist of material abundance or accomplishment, but the depth and quality of relationships we develop.

Here is to a great and adventurous and fun 2017. :)



Spending time with cousins in Singapore
First day in Cairns
Being on call and trying to eat my lunch
A fun evening with Godpa Jeremy at Botanical Garden
Surprising my wife with a convertible, a fun day out at Tableland and roses for our 4th year wedding anniversary 
Lake Barrine 
Curtain Fig Tree\
Running along footpath in Esplanade
Jonas running toward daddy when i picked him from daycare
Jonas' best friend - Mason