Project Serve

Psalm 90:10 says:

The length of our days is seventy years - or eighty, if we have the strength; yet their span is but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. 

If God be so gracious to let me live till 70, I would have approximately [(70-24) x 365] - 10 = 16, 780 days left on earth. I like to be amazed that the days I have left on earth is countable. It isn’t as long as I think I can. 

How tough it is to lose friends. especially elder mentors. Max is leaving us any second now. He was the first person in my life to individually challenge me to do evangelism in secondary school after a sunday school lesson. In my mind, he has always been a fearless Sunday school teacher. I was sharing to the congregation today, there was so much I could fellowship with this brother, learn from this godly man in my life, which I thought I still had time to do.

I still want to bring my kids and wife to visit his family at his house one day. I want to tell my children and wife how this man willingly gave me a packet of tracks because I was willing to share Jesus to my friends. And the memorable thing was that he only did it for me in the whole class. He made me at ease when I told him that I was afraid of army before I went in. He taught me what it means to give and receive. Freely receive, freely give. And I got my Bible for free. Above all, he showed me what it means to be a happy Christian. He never once complained about his children spending too much time in Church. I see him and his wife such a happy couple. Even when I saw him having to step down as head of department, which I secretly guessed wasn’t what he wished, he never grumbled or said anything negative. He was a happy man, cheerful Christian. Because he understands that Jesus came to give us life, abundant life. 

Doctors say he might not make it pass tonight. I’m not sure how to handle my emotions and feelings the next few days. I am praying for their children. They must be having a tough time. Lord have mercy.

The first SBK club gathering of 2010 happened earlier this evening at 412 tze char stall. Really great to again meet part of the boys from ATGM platoon. Kuanhe, Wenrong, Zhengquan, Clint, Marcus, Chester and myself. The food was great and all, but the new thing for me was the first time with my hands on a game that I kept hearing about but never got the chance to play - Left 4 Dead.

It was all dark and noisy at the LAN shop as usual. Game wasn’t that hard to understand after all. Very soon started the section movement. The scene and sounds were gross and foul and all, but there were many moments that reminded me of the teamwork we had back in the army. We walked out of the shop calling ourselves band of brothers.

Brothers we were, and still are, in a way that is deeper than normal friends in school. I wonder if the boys would really risk their lives to save one of us like they did in the game, should a real war call us to our rifles one day. I think we would. I asked them if they missed army on the train and there was a moment of complete silence, really rare. I guess the stories about the good ol’ days that came after the silence meant that they miss it as much as I do, and we still look forward to every reservist training each year. I don’t think it is something crazy or rare; it is just, we knew no matter how tough the training went, as long as they din kill us, they make us stronger, and as a platoon, care for each other even when out of the battlefield.