Ya' Gotta Watch Out For The Crazies

A girl on a scooter sideswiped me today as a result of an illegal move on her part. I was okay, but she lost her balance and fell down. The best part was that there was a policeman standing right on the corner who witnessed the whole thing. After ascertaining that the girl was physically okay, the officer proceeded to scold her for her carelessness. He told me I could go on about my business. In any case, another reminder that even when one is technically in the "right" according to traffic laws, "Ya' Still Gotta Watch Out For The Crazies!!"

Wedding

We went to a wedding the other day. It was the son of one of our former Taiwanese teachers. They had especially invited our whole family. I knew the kids would not be impressed, but it was good for them to see what a Taiwanese wedding was like.

At the reception, the food was all seafood. The kids didn't eat much, but they got to see what a "traditional" wedding was like.

I enjoyed myself. Maybe the next time the kids will enjoy themselves more.

I Have A Daughter

I have a daughter. Actually I have two daughters, and one son. But it is my oldest daughter that I want to talk about. She was conceived in Taiwan, but born in Canada. To this day, her favorite food is plain steamed white rice. But I digress. Before she was born, doctors in both Taiwan, and then Canada, gave her little to no chance of survival following her birth. The doctors in Canada said it would be a miracle if she even survived to full term. Well, guess what? God did a miracle, and more.

Erin was born at full term, small, but healthy. As we were told beforehand, she did have Down Syndrome. She was our first child, and we received her into our own and joyous arms. It was a time for celebration, not mourning.

We were shaken however, as first time parents, and not quite sure knowing what to do with this special child. We believed she was a gift from God, and we accepted her with all the joy and grace any parent would accept any child.

Since then, she has blessed our life more than we could have ever imagined. She has opened doors no other child could. She has shown us what it means to accept others, no prejudice, no pretense. Erin has always had a zeal for life that we find unmatched in others. When she is offended, she is the first to forgive, and quickly restore the relationship. She is the epitome of unjudging love and acceptance.

One of my greatest pleasures in life is to cuddle with her at bedtime. She still wants me to sing to her and tell her a bedtime story, anything about her being a princess and me being the King that comes to rescue her. She really loves her mom, but in many cases, it is only her Dad that is good enough to help her with certain things.

All three of my kids are a blessing, and I love each of them. But Erin, is, of course, special. I used to ask God why He created her the way He did. Now I just thank Him. I thank Him from the bottom of my heart. This young girl that has brought such joy and love into my life.

The Bible says that in heaven the imperfect will be made perfect. When I think of Erin, that makes me a bit sad. I love Erin the ways he is. Without the Down Syndrome, she would not be who she is. On the other hand, I look forward to getting to know fully the daughter that I only know in part now. One day, she will have the verbal skills to express all that she has felt in this life. She will be able to tell her brother what a great brother he has been. She will be able to tell her little sister how important it was for her to HAVE a sister. She will be able to tell her Mom & Dad all that she has silently harbored in her heart these many years.

For now, I am Erin's Dad, and that makes me both proud and special, for she indeed is a special girl. Erin, you are special, but you are also a daughter, a sister, a granddaughter, and a friend. When we look at you, we see you as a person first, and the DS second.

Erin, I love you! Nothing, NOTHING, will change that.

Vacation In Kenting 2009

For the past three summers we have gone to the southern tip of the island for our family vacation. Kenting is a place that offers lots to see and do for the visitor. In addition the Kenting National Park, there are many beaches for swimming, sunbathing, or snorkeling.

Our kids always love the beach. We went almost every day, but took a break on a couple days. It is hot, and the UV index is usually very high, so it is easy to get a bad sunburn real quick if you don't use sunblock.

We also enjoy visiting the National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium every time we go down. Again, this place is a big hit for the whole family. There is a great blog article about it here.

Finally, one of my favorites in the town of Kenting is the Night Market. Night markets abound in Taiwan, but being a tourist town, this one has an especially festive mood. Its layout is a bit different in that it simply lines the main road, and the crowd moves up along one side, then back the other. For more pictures of our time in Kenting and the night market, you can view the albums on my Facebook page.

Ah-Hong - Update

Past readers will recall my meeting and subsequent friendship with Ah-Hong. He has been moved around a lot, from hospital, to rehab center, to home, and then back to hospital. He's basically been confined to a hospital bed for the past 14 months. The hemorrhage in his brain is not under control, and the left side of his body is still paralyzed. I admit that unless God intervenes and heals him, there doesn't seem to be much hope for recovery.

I had stopped by to visit him 10 days ago, but he had just gone into surgery (his 8th one in the past year). His father told me later that this latest surgery lasted 14 hours! I went to see him this past Saturday. In the past he has always been talkative and happy to see me. This time he didn't want to make eye contact or hardly say anything. I could see the suffering on his face. He has told me before, and did so again this time, that he just wants to be free of his suffering, and if death is the only way, then so be it.

I had brought my Bible and hymnal along with me. I read Psalm 90 to him in Taiwanese, and tried to encourage him. I also sang a song for him (God Will Take Care of You). Tears welled up in his eyes as he listened. For the rest of the time I just sat by his side, praying. He asked if I would pray that God would take him home. I said I would pray that God would work out His will for his life, whatever that might be. In Ah-Hong's situation, I see only three options: Either God heals him, God takes him home soon, or God allows him to continue to suffer. I admit I don't like the thought of that third option. I don't understand what His purposes might be for letting Ah-Hong to continue indefinitely like this. I feel guilty for asking God for patience and understanding for myself in this, when it is Ah-Hong who is the one suffering.

I still pray for healing for my friend Ah-Hong. If God chooses not to heal, then I pray that he would be released, and pass through death into new life. Ah-Hong has that hope. Indeed it is the only hope he can see right now. And that is a hope that comes from true faith.