Life is full of the unexpected

Just when my physical condition is satisfactory and my spirit is high, it comes the cold weather. It is my first time to join Oxfam Trailwalker in the cold. Well, it happneed for a few years before that the temperature dropped a bit due to the rain (even thunder storm), but it wasn't like this year - we are really hiking in the cold! I couldn't guess that the challenge for me this year is - the cold weather!

I cannot say that I am scared of cold weather, but I can bear hot much better than cold. When people are wearing short/no sleeves, I can wear the same thing plus a thin jacket/coat. In the old office where I could adjust the room temperature, it was always set at 26c and I still needed to put on my jacket. When the air-con was down in the office with most people turning on the small fan and sweating, I could still sit comfortably in front of the computer, working. When it is April and some people already turn on the fan/air-con, I am still sleeping with my winter blanket and long pyjamas.

And there is another reason why the cold weather is a challenge for me. My air tubes are sensitive to cold. That means, the condition will become asthma relatively easier than it is hot weather. There are already a few people telling me yesterday that my voice has changed a bit (that means, my air tubes are not feeling too happy with the weather). Since the temperature started dropping last week, I have already paid more attention to protecting and preventing myself from getting sick, especially cold/flu that triggers my asthma easily. And I am thankful that so far, up to this moment, I am not sick and have no difficulty in breathing! But I still need to be very careful this coming half-day and during the 100km hike, especially at night time when the temperature will drop. My team should start the 4th session (after CP3 on the map below) on Friday at 8:30pm the latest and will probably arrive at our next and last support point (Shing Mun Reservoir, about 30-45 minutes' walk from CP6) by 6ish am on Sat. [My team has only two support points this year, CP3 and Shing Mun] It is going to be really cold and windy especially with the landscape and height on Ma On Shan.

Well, the cold weather may compel/motivate/force me to walk faster and avoid stopping for long rest - (a) to keep myself warm, (b) to finish the hike earlier and go home! haha... But who knows? It is my first time to hike for so many hours in cold weather conditions, so I have no idea how my body and mind and spirit will react!

For me, there are many uncertainties and unknown in this year's TW. However, I do know one thing -God is watching over and taking care of me at all times; He knows my strengths and limitations, and has provided me with supportive teammates and friends! 

Honestly, I am a bit nervous. I am nervous before every hike and every TW. And I always wonder how I am going to spend the so many hours on the mountains. Guess it is part of the TW! Well, my personal experience is that - our human brains can really 'not think'. haha! If you ask me what I was thinking about during the hike/TW in the past years, I don't know.  It just seems that my brain was 'blank'! ... But still, I cannot help asking myself the same questions every year (guess because I am a person who likes to think) - do I think? do I need to think? what should I think about? how am I going to spend so many hours? ... 

Life is full of the unexpected, and it is also an adventure. It just depends on how one thinks and looks at it.

And I am going to enjoy this year's Oxfam Trailwalker in the cold with my teammates and supporters and volunteers! :)

Thank you God, for giving me another opportunity to walk for the poor and needy - the peoples who are also so dear to You!

p.s. If you have time and are curious, you can check our progress online at Oxfam Trailwalker. Our team number is 0348, starting time as 11am (Fri Nov 20).

Cold weather... you had made me a bit lost for some time. For the first time in ten years, I didn't know for sure what to put on and what to bring for Oxfam Trailwalker. Bringing not enough means cold, bringing too many means burden. But I am glad that I have sorted it out finally. Sure, my backpack will be heavier than before, but I am ready to go.  

Cold weather... despite the fact that you have caught me by surprise, I am happy to meet with you, a new friend, in Oxfam Trailwalker this year. I don't know what and how it is like to hike with you for so many hours in the sunlight and in the dark, but I am sure that it is going to be a new and exciting experience, and I do look forward to it.

Why aren't you here yet? I miss you... and see ya soon!

It is my first time in ten years to have this thought and feeling - why isn't Oxfam Trailwalker (TW) here yet?

Many years ago, TW was held on the first Friday in Nov. Then a few years ago, it had been changed to the second Friday in Nov. And this year, it will be on the third Friday in Nov. Though it is only a week difference (from last year), I realized that I am getting a bit impatient about it!  

Since more than a week ago, I have started counting down, and always feel that TW seems so 'far away'! Some people may wonder why I have this feeling .. I guess, I begin my TW training around the same time every year, so my biological clock and mental state has been automatically switched to certain pattern after so many years. There is a lot more TW preparation than physical training - my work schedule, my habits of eating and drinking and sleeping ... all need to be adjusted at least a few weeks before TW. And somehow, I have already started this process much earlier than usual this year. For example, I started going to bed earlier since the third week of October. Well, earlier means before 12 midnight (there were a few nights I went to bed at 10ish pm! ). Of course sometimes I couldn't make it but I did try my very best to go to bed earlier.  For those who know me well, I am not fond of sleeping. And sometimes when I sleep too much, I feel even more tired. So, going to bed earlier, even the act of trying to do it, does require much effort and determination. I guess, I am getting a bit tired of trying to sleep earlier! 

But I do discover something 'new' this year. I did jog every year for TW training, but I didn't really like it so I would do some other cardio exercises instead. Oh, I did enjoy jogging back in year 2001, when I was still living in Ap Lei Chau .. As a student, I was able to find time to just go downstairs of my home and jog along the ocean... It was great! But after that, I didn't have time to do it.. Somehow jogging indoor is different from jogging outdoor ... But this year, somehow I enjoy jogging, and jogging indoor. Guess my physical condition is much better than last year. Well, last year ... Honestly, I wasn't physically fit after the asthmatic attack in March last year. My friends said, which I also agree, it wouldn't be that bad if my asthma had been well treated. But it hadn't due to the doctor's incorrect and irresponsible diagnosis and treatment (well, don't want to go into the details here; but I will never see this doc again!). So, I hadn't been trained and prepared well for TW last year. I had to quit at CP5 last year as I knew I was just barely making it... the heatstroke plus my breathing difficulty, irregular heartbeat...  I didn't want to drag down my teammates. It was a difficult decision. It is always a difficult one. But as I always say, I quit but I am not giving up! Thanks to my teammates who have been so supportive. Well, true, I am confident of my physical state this year. But who knows? I believe that no one can truly say with 100% confident that s/he will definitely finish the 100km hike.

Okay. This is my 10th year at TW. Why do I keep doing it, though I had numerous times that I wouldn't join again? Well, it is not about taking a challenge. Truly, it is a way for me to show my love, care, and support to the poor and needy people in actions. It is not just about raising funds for them, but the act of walking/hiking is to join them in their suffering, especially many of them have to walk a long distance to fetch water, go to school, see the doctor .. (well, the latter two also depends if they have money). But there is still a lot of differences - I have shoes, they are probably bare-footed. And I have water and food to drink and eat along the way, they are probably thirsty and hungry as they drag their bodies to satisfy some basic human needs... I know that what I can do is minimal, but at least this is what I can give - my energies, my time, my money (and others' money), my hours of sleep, my sore feet,  and my heart.

This year's TW is on Nov 20-22. My team... I am hiking with three big guys again this year (this has been so since year 2004, with some changes in the guys teammates every year). We are all graduates of China Graduate School of Theology! And do pray for our preparation (physically and mentally), support team arrangement, teamwork and team spirit, the weather (well, of course we want 'good' weather.. not too hot, not too cold, no raining, but weather is like a woman's heart!), safety for all participants (there will be more than 4xxx people joining TW plus many volunteers).

TW, see ya in nine days! 

If you would like to sponsor our team ($100 or above - tax-deductible)

1. Cheque made payable to "Oxfam Hong Kong". Let me know so I will send you my address.

2. Donate online: Chinese English (Our team number is 0348)

3. Cash: when you see me face-to-face

No matter what kinds of support you can give to our team/TW as a whole, just want to say thank you on behalf of the poor and needy people!

God didn't promise day without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain.

But He did promise strength for the day, comfort for tears and light for the way.  

~ Author Unknown ~

What are we wearing today? 

“Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith..."

~ 1 Peter 5:8-9 ~

The Bible reminds us to stay alert and watch out for our great enemy, the devil (New Living Translation). However, we don't need to be afraid at all! God is with us – He is protecting and watching over us! And we need to put on the full armor of God, as in Ephesians 6:10-18 –

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. ¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. ¹⁸And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”

How is temptation and sin torturing you (and I)?... I am sure that we can all fill in the blank here with our own struggle and misery...

Praise be to the LORD that in Him there is salvation and forgiveness of sins. As Christians, we are new creations - we live for God with the freedom to say no to sin and temptation! What a blessing we have been given!

So, what are we wearing today? Let's put on the full armor of God!

Earn this

"Earn this. Earn it!", Captain John Miller said to Private James Ryan just before his last breath.

Saving Private Ryan is a movie set during the invasion of Normandy in World War II. Captian Miller received the order to go back to the battlefield, together with seven others, to search for Private Ryan who was the last surviving brother of three fallen servicemen. At the end of the movie, Ryan and two other characters survived the battle at Ramelle. Ryan was with Miller as he died and heard his last words, "James... earn this. Earn it."

Some forty to fifty years later, Ryan the elderly veteran was at Miller's grave. He asked his wife to confirm that he has led a good life and that he is a "good man", and thus worthy of Miller's and the others' sacrifice.

How about us? Are we living our lives worthy of Jesus Christ's sacrifice - His humble incarnation, cruel rejection by others including His beloved disciples, and brutal crucixification on the Cross? We should be thankful that God does not treat us as our sins deserve. We may 'fail', but God's love, mercy and grace is forever present with us. However, this should not become an excuse for us not to make the effort to live our lives worthy of our calling - in fact, Jesus' sacrifice should become the strength, motivation, and the very reason for us to live for Him every moment. Christ has died for us, and He deserves our complete devotion and allegiance. He is even worthy of our dying for Him!

Pray that when we see Jesus face-to-face, we will not be ashamsed and will hear Him say, "Good and faithful servant!"