Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays ...

Wishing all of you a Blessed & Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

 

Hectic September & October!

The months of September and October had been very hectic with several events!  In mid October, we are proud to celebrate Kim's graduation with her Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) from the University Putra Malaysia.  She's the second engineer in the family and the 2nd grandchild; and what a memorable moment for the grandparent and of course her parents.  She's currently pursuing her Masters in Project Management in UK.  Praying for her continual success (and we're looking forward to being in UK for her graduation, also!

Families at the Convocation at UPM Serdang! 

In mid September, I went to Seoul and Busan to attend the Water Congress and it was a wonderful learning experience.  Val went with me, and so we were able to enjoy the beautiful Fall weather and experience our first typhoon!

  

At Cultural Concert with the entire Sarawak delegates and spouses.

Val and I at one of the palace in Seoul!

Seaside temple in Busan.

Rev. Haesun Kim, Director of Scranton Women Center, a friend I had known for almost 20 years!  Had a wonderful time of fellowship with her in Seoul.  Should have taken a better picture!! :D

At a palace in Seoul (yeah, realize I am very bad with remembering names of places!)

Lunch picnic at a beach in Busan!  Wonderful time with Autumm and her husband.  Thanks for showing us around!

 

In early October, I also visited Bangkok for a couple of days for pleasure and work.  Thus, had a wonderful time of sightseeing and also what a paradise for shoppers, although, I didn't quite enjoy the later. 

Temple in Bangkok!

Ngagau ke diri ...

Beberapa bulan tu endang ngagau amat aku, segau-segau baum, bemain, serta berjako di merata endor. Kebuah iya? Laban ati ke rindu endal ngah begulai serta bersulu enggau pagan diri. Taja aku tu ukai orang ke udu bejako ;) tang meh rindu amat ngah mending ke bala bercerita lucu sida!

Pun Ogos tu kemari, kami sebuat nurun bemain bowling enggau bisi nuka 15 iti tem. Siti tem, 4 0rang sekaban. Aku laban ke ari kawasan Maludan (SIDS Sibu) lalu bekaling enggau bala indu ari opis aku empu ke mega nyadi kaban SIDS Sibu. Stedi kami, champion baru!! Auk aku tu nadai dianjung, bol aku tembu nuchi parit aja! :D

Kiba-Kanan: Mundun, Aku, Lynda & Elizabeth -
semua orang kuat bowling (ko kenu aku nya, nyukup ke tubuh aja!)

Tu bala ari kelas ngaga tangu; setiap hari enam aba opis SIDS Sib. Aku tu nyengguk orang aja, mata (ke lebih agi pengelandik kerja jari) nadai dianjung! Rindu meda sida ketugau ngaga tangu. Ke ngasoh kelas tu rami, sida kaban tu; sambil jari berkerja, mulut bercerita jenaka! Tang meda aku sekeda mayoh agi ke ketawa ari berkerja! Semina tangu-tangu tu tembu sebedau Krismas tu ila!!


Ujung minggu Julai tu kemari, bisi 70 orang bala kami nurun nemuai ngagai Rh. Imba, Sg. Passin. Naka meh penjauh menoa, naka meh pemerinsa nadai ai paip! Rumah panjai sida endang chukup manah serta tegap; tang nya meh nadai ai paip & elektrik! Empai datai pemansang ke baka nya, taja menoa bukai udah chukup mansang.

Penatai kami disambut enggau chukup basa. Manok dibiyau, babi digayang! :)

Bala ke diluan moto enda tentu ragak, nyangka laban aku ke bisi kini bala malu bercerita jenaka. Sida ke dibelakang express ukai enda chukup ragak! Dinga kami di luan cerita sida!!

Nemuai & ngirup tengahari enggau 2 orang kaban ke enda berpengerai ianya Pn. Monica Giri & Pn. Juliana (Indai Daniel). Rindu ka betemu baka tu ambl erandau enggau pagan diri.

Quiet Moments ...

Its been a busy & challenging time for me since May!

In May, was involved in the annual Gawai dinner celebration, then I had to do some speaking engagements to Johore Baharu, Miri, and Kapit. On top of that, a birthday ;) and then more traveling/trainings. After more than 10 years, I finally got on an express boat and make my way on the mighty Rejang River to Kapit. I was so humbled and pleased to have met the Kapit ladies and in particular an old Iban woman and her granddaughter, who specifically came to hear me, and they walked all the way!

June was another hectic & challenging time. I was invited to participate in a women leadership program, and was an aggressive program involving making several trips to Kuala Lumpur! Last minute was also asked to head a state level conference of water engineers and had to organize it within a short time of about 4 weeks or so, and that was 'tiring' albeit uplifting. Met a fellow blog engineer after many years of reading each other's blog! So if your reading this, I got to say you sing karaoke and dance very well!! :D

Aaahhh July is still upon us, but I felt 'drained' and the Lord had issue a challenge to lead the General Conference of Methodist Women. Against all Odds (reminds me of the movie with same title), I was elected to be the President of GCMW. Chances of winning was ZERO; but we might plan, the Lord determines! I am at peace and will do my best with the new team! However, I did have a 'worrying' moment when for almost 12 hrs my mind was blank ie no ideas on what to say for my 'maiden' speech as the Incoming President. I prayed and couldn't even write 'good morning' on the paper! Amazingly, the words just flow when I was at the podium - Faith, Hope, Unity, Holiness, - some of the key words that was shared! Next week, am off again to do work with the rural women; speaking engagement and I am not looking forward to the 3 hours boat ride, low tide, etc but most of us who love giant fresh prawns which will be served are real excited!!!

Alright, till next time ...
.

Betemu Kaban ke Enda Disadang!

Kemari kena 20 April 2012, beruntung endal aku betemu enggau bala kaban kitai indu Dayak ari gerempong Sarawak Dayak Graduate Association. Kami tu tadi betemu enda disadang laban ke sama-sama enggau ngulu siti randau pasal 'Women Director Programme ke diatur Ministry of Women, Family & Community Development Malaysia di Kuching.

Sida iya meda lalu ngelala asai ko; nasib meh sida iya lalu negur baka ke udah ngelala; baka kaban lama. Endang bakanya meh ke diandal ke aku; enti kitai betemu ie bala kitai indu Dayak/Iban, endang kitai tu semadik sekaban sama-sama ngemansang ke bala! :D

Pagi kemari, terubah iya aku betemu enggau Lucia & Hazelina (seduai tu diri madik lalu bisi komponi ngatur pengawa (event management), Doris ke mega Pengerusi SIDS Siol Kandis, enggau Pengerusi SDGA bagi Indu, Noelle! Terima kasih ke tempoh ke diberi begulai enda lama. Arap ke kitai ulih begempung & mansang enggau manah/tinggi agi pengudah tu.

Bala kami begambar begulai pengudah Randau. Kiba-Kanan: Lucia, Hazelina, Alice, Noelle, Doris

Pemansang kitai Indu Iban ...

Mayoh pengawa ke dikerja bulan Mac tu kemari, lalu semua berkaul enggau kitai indu Dayak/Iban. Pemansang kitai endang patut diperati ka lalu di atur manah agi ngambi kitai ulih berdiri sama tinggi. Pelajar & pangkat nya semina dua iti ari pemansang ke dipupuk kitai. Pemansang alam pengawa dagang, pemansang ngenuai ke diri serta mayoh agi pekara mega sekeda pekara ke deka dipupuk kitai. Kena pun bulan Mac tu kemari, aku enggau Uchi & Sinah bisi dikagau betemu enggau Perdana Menteri Malaysia alam siti progrim 1Karisma di Stadium Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur. Rindu ngah enggau - taja aku endang enda rindu enggau orang besekut, bebaris ... lama! Terima kasih ngagai Biro Wanita Sarawak ke udah bisi SIDS, Sibu peluang ngari ke kitai indu Iban ke pengawa tu.



Maya nya kemari, kami tiga ianya siti gerup bala indu eknik Sarawak alam progrim nya. Bala sida indu Bidayuh (DBNA), indu Kayan & Orang Ulu mega bisi enggau. Tang ke sayau amat, pengari ari indu eknik ke diasoh sida bejako ngari ke kami ianya ari gerempong Women for Women, Margaret Bedus; lalu taja iya kaban SIDS serta indu Iban; buah jako iya ngari ke gerempong iya lalu enda nyengkaum bala bukai. Ringat amat bala sida ke bukai ninga buah jako iya!

Maya nya mega bisi betemu enggau YB Deputy Speaker Dewan/Senator Doris Brodie, siko indu kitai Iban ke udah mujur bendar alam pengawa iya.

Begambar begulai enggau YB Senator Doris Brodie enggau tuai-tuai indu eknik Sarawak.


Begambar enggau semua bala kaban indu Sarawak.

Kena pun Mac tu kemari, SIDS Sibu mega bisi ngatur siti seminar serimbai enggau Aum Taun; lalu temuai kami maya nya iany Profesor Madya Dr. Madeline Berma siko ari indu kitai Iban ke landik bendar. Iya profesor di Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia serta mega megai pengawa pemansang orang indu di universiti nya. Terima kasih ngagai iya ke ulih limpang bejako setengah hari tentang pemansang indu Iban.

Begambar begulai enggau Prof. Madya Dr. Madeline Berma


Tuai-Tuai SIDS Sibu 2012-2013

Lemai nya, SIDS Sibu mega ngatur bepilih ke tuai-tuai. Terima kasih ke pengarap ke udah diberi kita ke aku agi megai serta nambah ke pengawa pemansang kitai indu Iban kelebih agi di Sibu. Tuju pengawa ke taun tu mega ianya:-
1. Ngerembai ke Sarakup ke bala indu Iban di menoa pesisir,
2. Ngemansang ke bala Indu alam pengawa dagang, pelajar, & ngenuai (leadership),
3. Ngenan ke main asal - taun tu, kajat, kerja jari (pua kumbu & tangu), serta
4. Ngansak bala indu Iban ke biak/bepelajar enggau masuk Sarakup.


Ujung bulan Mac tu kemari, sekula Methodist Secondary/Primary bisi ngatur gempuru besai ngingat ke sekula dua iti tu udah 110 taun. Maya nya, gaga ati ketegal sempat betemu enggau bala kaban ke lama! Asai ke baru kemari ke tetundi berandau duduk aba parit mit sekula; diatu nuh udah berumur serta uban pun mayoh sekeda! Ke taun tu semina ulih betemu enggau lebih kurang 10 orang aja. Arap ke taun ke dudi ila, ulih betemu mayoh agi!

Tu iya gambar kami sebuat!! Peda sida ke indu ke mayoh agi ka betemu. Nie sida ke laki?!

Lubuk Lebak! Lubuk Lebak! Tu kedua kali aku ngagai menoa atas bukit tu di Sarikei. Manah amat menoa, lalu enti dimaju ke ulih baka English countryside diatas bukit! Bala Indu Methodist ditu mayoh tang semina 18 orang aja ke enggau nyadi kaban. Puji Tuhan kali kedua aku kitu; mayoh agi bala datai ninga ke ajar/aum Pelajar Sehari. Penyaum & Pengarap kitai mesti bisi enti kitai ka ngerja pengawa. Lalu aku meda, bala indu ditu kelalu dikokong siko indu kitai; nyangka enggai belaya meh nya - munyi ko siko ari indu ke dia!

Tu sekeda bala indu ke bisi enggau ngulu pengawa sehari nya.

Working on it ...

Its a constant battle for me to seek the Lord's mission/purpose in my life. Personally, I know what I want to do and I work towards achieving my personal goal. However, I do wonder whether my personal goal is what the Lord wants me to do. What is His calling? What is His purpose for me? These questions at times leave me puzzled, and at times I do realize there might have been situations where its My Purpose Vs His Purpose! One thing I do know is that - I shouldn't be AFRAID, as He is with me!

Second thing I do know (or think I do :D) is that He wanted me to be involved with Women Ministry whereby He 'drag' me to serve, filled with lots of fear & uncertainty. Since that fateful day in 1990; He has placed me where I shouldn't be, He has connected me with people whom I shouldn't know, and He has equipped me where I am clueless! Thank You Lord for your continual presence and guidance!

With Bishop Hwa Yung & the GCMW EXCO members on 8/2/2012

Lubuk Lembak, Sarikei on 11/2/2012 doing Women Ministry

Over the weekend, I visited two (2) longhouses at two (2) different areas ie Lubuk Lembak, Sarikei and Ng. Assan, Sibu and having to deal with different groups of women and challenges. It took me almost 2 hours driving to reach this beautiful longhouse, crossing many mountains (small) and rivers to reach Lubuk Lembak. I was expecting to meet up with several of the Methodist women; and these women remind me of the 'bent woman'. How to resolve? How to 'free' these woman? Its interesting to see how the Satan works within our women, our church, and our community. I will be returning to the same place next month; so pray for me so that I would have the wisdom and His grace to resolve/handle the situation!

The next longhouse I visited is Ng Assan, longhouse sweet longhouse! I am so thankful and happy to see the women growth in their faith! Alleluyah!! I want to hug each and every single women there!!! However, I didn't - I didn't want to shock them!! haha That's how happy I am! Not only have their faith grown and strengthen; it has transmit to the children ie their children!! Children Ministry had started in the longhouse, again!! The Children Ministry was in place decades ago; but it stopped - the why? Don't know :) In this, I want to thank the Ipoh church for creating the interest for the children!

This women ministry outreach will form part of my activities for this year and please pray for me as I venture into this. Pray for the strength, good health, wisdom, and the finances - so that I could do it well with a heart full of love, joy, and peace.