H.

H for Hey!

H for Home!

Hey! I'm Home!

...

One of the first beautiful things I saw upon touchdown at KLIA was a pair of nurses who were in the aerotrain heading towards where we were heading. What was beautiful about them was how one of them was Malay, and the other was Indian. The hurriedly got off their seats and walked toward the wrong exit.. and upon realizing they were about to hit into a wall, they quickly turned around, giggled, and ran the opposite direction together. They were both wearing the same jacket (not part of their uniform, mind you), so cute.

And during the flight, we were served by a very kind Malay air steward who midway through the trip smuggled 6 big packets (consisting of little individual packets inside) of yummy salted peanuts that they always give during the start of the journey. We were Chinese and Indian (or, half Indian and a mix of many other things ;)).

I smiled when I saw two Indian families dining at Restoran Soon Tuck just outside where I live.

And how this Malay man working for Rentokil (a company that kills household pests - no, not children, but termites and those sorts) came to Su-ling's house, and he kindly told us to be careful as we were about to go out. He said that in this festive season, there is an increase of snatch thefts around. As we left, we wished him Selamat Hari Raya, and he beamed at us.

This afternoon, my greeting of Selamat Hari Raya got me two huge beams from this two ladies who were serving me at Bread Story. Their beam was as if this was an unusual greeting coming from one of a Chinese descent.

I've always felt loved when a Malay friend or person greet me Gong Xi Fa Cai when I celebrate my new year. It is always doubly special when it comes from someone of a different race.

I love how I can try to speak in Bahasa, and attempt to put on the Malay slang to my words. And how my Malay friends can add on a Chinese slang and "Ah Moi" me when I see them. And how the Indian Mamak "kai sou" (calculates the final bill) in Chinese.

...

It gives me a unique sense of warmth.. and pride that the colours blend so harmoniously.

And it gives me the biggest H word that keeps me sane every time I contemplate buying a ticket to go back to Adelaide..

Hope.

In my despair after hearing so much negativity from friends and family about my return to this land of "no hope", I struggled to reconcile a God worthy to be praised and One who does mighty and wondrous deeds - with the current situation of the nation I am in.

And, (this is really becoming a play of words) in another moment of despair, I was directed to a passage in Habakkuk (another H word! :)), where he was complaining about the situation he was in.


Habakkuk's Complaint
² How long, O LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen?
Or cry out to you, "Violence!"but you do not save?
³ Why do you make me look at injustice? Why do you tolerate wrong?
Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds.
⁴ Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails.
The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted.

The Lord 's Answer
⁵ "Look at the nations and watch—and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told.

...

He is doing something in these days.. not me. And He is doing something I wouldn't believe, even if I was told.

Idealism is for the birds. I reckon, perhaps not. We've been promised Hope, soo much Hope for this decaying world.. that if only more of us believe enough in that Hope promised to us, share it around.. and take up our role seriously in making that Hope a reality.. I wonder how much things can and will change.

Hoodnights.