Protest at the airport

The spouse came back from Beijing and said that there was a protest going on at the airport. The people were protesting about the airport being built very close to their homes and it noisy and destroying their environment. That's the problem I see in this country. The welfare of the people is completely ignored in their quest to be super (sounds familiar?). Just like the lead poisoning case. How can approval be granted for factories, involving in highly toxic manufacturing, to be set up in  residential areas?

Kite flying…again

Ann wanted to fly her kite again. In fact, the night before she was praying, "God, please give me good weather for flying my kite, amen." So cute, so adorable. Just melt you away. We decided to go again in order not to disappoint her. It was a much better day to fly the kites. Wind was much stronger and this time, I brought my camera. The last time, the spouse used his iphone to take those pictures.

After church, we headed down to the square again..




Much nicer pictures. Ok, who needs iphone?


Kids do the darnest thing!


Do you see the little boy in the red jacket? Wherever the kids went, he followed them. He just wanted to be part of the fun. I guess being an only child is lonely.  (China practises the one-child policy)



I snapped more pictures of him. I will do a collage and bring down to the square again next week to give it to his mum, who is a kite seller.


Ann took this lopsided picture, just before we left. Cute right?

This could be the last time we were flying kite for the season. As we were leaving the square, we felt the wind was turning a little cold. That marked the coming of the bitter cold winter…

Where art thy soul?

Plant closed after high lead levels in 25 kids
By Cai Wenjun and Xu Chi | NEWSPAPER EDITION
2011-9-16 01:41

Production at a battery manufacturing plant in Shanghai has been halted after dozens of children living nearby were found to have high levels of lead in their blood.
The Shanghai Johnson Controls International Battery Co was the major discharger of lead in Kangqiao in the Pudong New Area, the city government said yesterday.
The Shanghai Xinmingyuan Automobile Accessory Co in the same area was also ordered to cease lead-related production.
A staff member at the Johnson Controls plant, operated by Johnson Controls Inc in the United States, said the plant was shut on Wednesday.
The children's high lead levels were discovered during routine check ups for kindergarten recruitment, an official of Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau said.
The Pudong government launched an immediate investigation and arranged for health officials to conduct wider checks on children in Kangqiao.
So far, 25 children in Kangqiao have been detected with excess levels of lead in their blood…(Shanghai Daily)

Kangqiao, Pudong New Area was where we used to live. In fact, we stayed there for a year before moving out. Thank God we moved out.

When I was living there, I had often felt very uncomfortable with seeing smoke coming out from tall funnels. These funnels stuck out from factories lying all over the district. This district is very popular among locals and expat families. In fact, one international school is located in the area. 

Sadly, this city is so focused on money-making that moral values are fast eroding. I fear for them and the lives of the billions staying here. I honestly feel that they are toying too much with Mother Nature.

God helps those who turn to Him

The spouse and I have made the decision to return to Singapore. The main reason is to provide a better environment for the children to grow up in and to give them an opportunity to build strong lasting friendships. More so for Kai who will become a teenager very soon. Above all, that's HOME!

Looking at my own life, friends that have been with me through the years are those whom I have known since I was in my teens. Today, we have our own lives, our own families yet, we know that in a part of our heart, there is always a place for each other. That's exactly what I want my children to have. Good, solid friendships and the only way is to invest time with people around them.

When THE decision was made, the openings given were 1) stay in Shanghai 2) return to USA. These were the locations with job openings for the spouse. We prayed together as  husband and wife. We prayed together as a family. We made known to the children our decision and what may come with it. Kai was older and he understood the issue better than Ann. He asked his papa what happened if there was really no job in the SG office? "I will look for one elsewhere." That was his papa reply to him. Kai's eyes lit up. Yes, a child-like faith. A son, putting his trust in his father.

We have seen God's faithfulness in our lives and even in the lives of our family members. Like Kai, we are putting our trust in our heavenly Father.

"I tell you, do not worry. Don't worry about your life and what you will eat or drink.
And don't worry about your body and what you will wear. ..
Look at the birds of the air. They don't plant or gather crops.
They don't put away crops in storerooms. But your Father who is in heaven feeds them.
Aren't you worth much more than they are?


Can you add even one hour to your life by worrying?
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the wild flowers grow.
They don't work or make clothing.
But here is what I tell you. Not even Solomon in all of his glory was dressed like one of those flowers.
If that is how God dresses the wild grass, won't He dress you even better? …


So don't worry. Don't say, 'What will we eat?' Or, 'What will we drink?' Or, 'What will we wear?'
People who are ungodly run after all of those things.
Your Father who is in heaven knows that you need them.
But put God's kingdom first. Do what He wants you to do.
Then all of those things will also be given to you.


So don't worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry about itself..."  Matthew 6:25-33
 
"所 以 我 告 诉 你 们 ， 不 要 为 生 命 忧 虑 吃 甚 麽 ， 喝 甚 麽 ； 为 身 体 忧 虑 穿 甚 麽 。
生 命 不 胜 於 饮 食 麽 ？ 身 体 不 胜 於 衣 裳 麽 ？
你 们 看 那 天 上 的 飞 鸟 ， 也 不 种 ， 也 不 收 ， 也 不 积 蓄 在 仓 里 ，
你 们 的 天 父 尚 且 养 活 他 。 你 们 不 比 飞 鸟 贵 重 得 多 麽 ？


你 们 那 一 个 能 用 思 虑 使 寿 数 多 加 一 刻 呢  ？
何 必 为 衣 裳 忧 虑 呢 ？ 你 想 野 地 里 的 百 合 花 怎 麽 长 起 来 ；
他 也 不 劳 苦 ， 也 不 纺 线 。
然 而 我 告 诉 你 们 ， 就 是 所 罗 门 极 荣 华 的 时 候 ，
他 所 穿 戴 的 ， 还 不 如 这 花 一 朵 呢 ！ 
野 地 里 的 草 今 天 还 在 ， 明 天 就 丢 在 炉 里 ，
神 还 给 他 这 样 的 妆 饰 ， 何 况 你 们 呢 ！
 
所 以 ， 不 要 忧 虑 说 ： 吃 甚 麽 ？ 喝 甚 麽 ？ 穿 甚 麽 ？
这 都 是 外 邦 人 所 求 的 ， 你 们 需 用 的 这 一 切 东 西 ，
你 们 的 天 父 是 知 道 的 。
你 们 要 先 求 他 的 国 和 他 的 义 ， 这 些 东 西 都 要 加 给 你 们 了 。
 
所 以 ， 不 要 为 明 天 忧 虑 ， 因 为 明 天 自 有 明 天 的 忧 虑 ；
一 天 的 难 处 一 天 当 就 够 了" 。馬 太 福 音 6:34
 
Without looking for a new job, the spouse now has to decide which offer to accept and all are based in SG. Our God is GOOD!

Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Ps 37:4
要 以 耶 和 华 为 乐 ， 他 就 将 你 心 里 所 求 的 赐 给 你 。詩 篇 37:4

Well done, my son!

The spouse and I were there yesterday to see Kai received his awards for best in English and Science. It was good that the spouse took half the day off to be present. It meant a lot to Kai. At the end of the ceremony, he came up to his papa and said, "thank you for coming".

That's the way, my son. Knowledge is important, gratitude is more important. I see that the decision to be a stay-at-home-mum is finally seeing its rewards. *SMILE*

Some things don't change
 
Kai - 2007 and 2011. Every where he goes, a book goes with him.  Nevermind if his surrounding is a big chaos as long as he is in a world of words!



Best in English


Best in Science


Sharing his joy with his parents, sister and fellow winner - best in Math


His trophies. What do they remind you of…Star Awards…红星大奖？I thought so too.

I gave Kai a final goal as he finishes up his primary school education…to have a clean sweep next year. (Last year) I can see that he is very motivated.

You are not running alone, my son. Mama will be pacing you.

Sign of maturity

"Mum can you revise with me on algebra?"

That was from Kai. In the past, I was the one who was asking him if he had revised for his test and exams. His reply had always been "I already know."
Yesterday, he asked me to revise with him for a Math test that was coming.

Sign of maturity. Taking responsibility for his work. *SMILE*

Go fly kite

Yes, literally, we went kite flying. Offices and schools were closed for the mid-autumn festival. We took the opportunity to fly our kites. Nice cool, windy weather. Most ideal!




That was how high they flew!

At the square, we saw a man selling sweet potatoes. The foodie in me just has to check them out!

A big cylinder, with charcoal at the bottom and wire gauze on top. Sweet potatoes placed on the gauze, roasting away. Weighing the sweet potatoes to see how much it cost. Two for 6RMB.
Nice. Reminded me of school days where we had overnight b-b-q at East Coast park. Those were carefree days…stayed awake the whole night, chatting away.

Spot the difference

What can you see?

Can you see anything wrong?

Ok, enlarge to see clearer…


Spot on! The fence on your left is white and the fence on your right is wooden brown. This is our rented house and the management came to change our fence last week. But they stopped after changing one side. When will they finish the other side? You guess is as good as mine. Oh well, it is not my house, I am not going to fret over something like this.

"Mama saved us"

Ann came home from ballet class and told papa, "mama saved us."

Ok, this was what happened. I brought Ann for her ballet class and we were trapped in the lift. It just refused to move. I pressed 'door open', it refused to open. I pressed 'door close', it refused to close. There was just a tiny gap between the two doors. It just refused to shut tight and the lift was jammed. Ann was frightened realising that nothing was going to happen. Well, we are in China, aren't we? So, nothing surprising.

If I pressed the alarm, we probably would still have to wait for half an hour or maybe two hours before help arrived. Guess what I did, I pried open the door with my two bare hands and … it opened!

China…the land of many adventures!