rediscovering eden
Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth
Would care to know my name
Would care to feel my hurt
Who am I, that the bright and morning Star
Would choose to light the way
For my ever wandering heart
Not because of who I am
But because of what You've done
Not because of what I've done
But because of who You are
I am a flower quickly fading
Here today and gone tomorrow
A wave tossed in the ocean
A vapor in the wind
Still You hear me when I'm calling
Lord, You catch me when I'm falling
And You've told me who I am
I am Yours, I am Yours
Who Am I, that the eyes that see my sin
Would look on me with love
and watch me rise again
Who Am I, that the voice that calmed the sea
Would call out through the rain
And calm the storm in me
whom shall i fear
whom shall i fear
i am yours
dailies
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
-8:45 PM
Hi. Ahem. Hee hee. And yet again. There she goes again...
Optimist Club Speech by Janelle Tam
Good Evening honorable judges, esteemed fellow contestants, ladies and gentlemen. Why me, why not?
Have you ever asked yourself the question: Why me? Why was I given so much?
I asked myself that exact question as I stepped off the boat on a tour to Ha Long Bay in Hanoi, Vietnam. Suddenly, children surrounded us – the rich tourists – and began begging in broken English for us to buy them a can of Coke.
I looked at their dirty, ragged clothes, their bare feet, at their face with expressions of hope, all clamouring to invoke our sympathy and move us to give them one can of Coke.
That could’ve been me.
Closer to home, I’ve seen children my age stricken with diseases that have left them immobile and stripped them of their abilities. I’ve seen them lying limply in their bed, defeated. I sense their hopelessness and feel awkward about my inability to help.
I think, that could’ve been me.
Millions of people live day to day, just worrying about getting enough food to sustain their lives. Just getting a warm place to sleep for that one night.
Most of us never think about whether we’re going to have lunch today or where we’re going to sleep tonight. We just take it for granted. We are instead precoccupied with that dance on Wednesday. That skiing outing tomorrow. Oh, and that huge project that due that I’ve been putting off!
We have to stop what we’re doing and think. Here in Canada, if we want to eat, we would either go to the fridge or to a restaurant. In Malawi, if they want to eat, they would either have to dig for termites and roots or go hungry. As we jump, play and run about, others can only watch wistfully from the sidelines, disease wracking their body to the point where they cannot even stand up. And we appear oblivious, contained in our own world.
Every single minute, 100 ipods are sold and millions of dollars are spent on the newest cosmetics and designer clothes. In the same minute, 105 people die from disease and war and hundreds more are diagnosed with a terminal disease.
Why? Why is there so much inequality in the world? Why is Canada blessed with rich natural resources and beauty? Why does Canada enjoy one of the highest standards of living in the world? Why did I have the opportunity to come here and enjoy everything Canada has to offer? Why was I born into a stable family? Why am I healthy and strong? Why?
I turn these questions over and over in my mind, pondering searching. Then the answer comes.
To help.
The reason we’ve been given so much is so that we can give much back. The phrase “It is the responsibility of the rich to help the poor” is on many people’s lips nowadays. But how many of us actually follow it? Being rich does not only refer to having money. It also means being healthy, having a loving family, good friends, education and a job. Canada, having been blessed abundantly has a responsibility to help other countries less fortunate than her.
I think deeper still. How does this apply to me?
The Bible says to those whom much is given, much is expected. This is the time for me to gain the skills, knowledge and experience and to use them in a beneficial way to help people.
I was introduced to the work of Dr. Marie-Anne Zajdlik by my mom who encouraged me to emulate her as a great example of a person who has given to society. She founded the Masai Center, situated in Guelph to treat HIV positive and AIDS patients. Her goal is to help people locally, regionally and globally and now, she is successful in raising money to set up clinics in Lesotho to make drugs available to stricken patients there. Although she is busy as a wife, mother and family physician, she still devotes time to this cause because it matters to her and she wants to make a difference. She has inspired me to use what abilities and talents I have for others as well. Because the reason I was given all these blessings is to bless others with them. And in the process I receive a blessing and the process goes on. So why me? Why not?
20th February 2008 