Padang..All shaken UP

Despite the discontinuity of news about the major earthquake which occurred in Padang in Sept 2009, many are still in need of help.

I visited this particular village where many families are still living in tents as they wait for their houses to be rebuilt. Their water filtration system was made up of soil instead of the advanced technology that Singapore uses. The color of the groundwater would deter me from taking any bathes and I can't imagine not bathing in a climate similar to Singapore's. I certainly appreciated my hot showers back in Singapore and guess what....I am motivated to take shorter showers now.

The joy of the children in this village was puzzling. How could they smile and play in the midst of their circumstances? They seem to be happier than many of the children back in Singapore. We have so much to learn from them. Probably joy is not found in the possessions but in the simplicity of life?

The average income of each family there was about S$120 per month. Even though things are cheaper there, but that's poverty! These people do not have a choice and I suspect they are thinking of survival more than anything else. I think twice now about the things I buy in Singapore and am a lot more appreciative of the choices and lifestyle I have in Singapore.

It's amazing how a visit to a village can widen my horizon and instantaneously help me appreciate my riches in Singapore.

Experiential transformation

We live such comfortable lives in Singapore. Yet so often we hear of complains arising from everyone around us and even within our very own hearts. We desire contentment yet crave for more with the same breath. Will there be an end to the struggles within?

Perhaps the answer lies beyond Singapore. Only when we see the little our neighbors have can we appreciate the abundance we have. It cannot be read in a book nor viewed on a screen, but a personal witnessing can there be an awakening of the heart.

Despite the increasing awareness of environmental issues, I suspect self-discipline and efforts are limited even with the sincerest of hearts. A deep experiential awakening is needed to propel us out of our comfortable habits. I would not hesitate to bathe for 30 minutes until I witnessed the lack of clean water in villages.

The aim of this blog then is for different ones who have experienced this transformation to pass the fire on!