The Promised Land viewed from Mount Nebo

On 26 May 2014, we left KL for a 6-day pilgrimage tour of Israel. Our plane landed at Queen Alia International Airport, Amman in Jordan in the early morning of 27 May 2014.

After breakfast, we headed straight to the 19th Century Greek Orthodox Church of St. George in Madaba in Jordan. From Madaba, we moved to our next destination, Mount Nebo.

On 27 May 2014, my wife and I together with the other Malaysian tour group members set foot on Mount Nebo, a mountain situated at the east of southern end of Jordan River and a mere 13Km from the northern tip of the Dead Sea. During Moses' time, this place was in the territory of Moab but is now within the territory of modern day Jordan.

More than three thousand years ago, Moses climbed this same mountain to view the Promised Land - the land that stretches from Jordan river to the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. On top of this mountain, God said to Moses, "This is the land I promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, I will give this land to your descendants. I have let you see the land, but you cannot go there". Sadly, Moses never made it to the Promised Land and he died in Moab at the age of 120 and was buried there. To this day, no one knows where his grave is.

Unlike Moses who had to literally climb the mountain, we now have the luxury of being driven to the car park near the top of the mountain by air-conditioned bus on well paved road. What a difference!

Aerial view of Mount Nebo.

A map from the web site illustrates well the vast tract of land
to the west of Mt. Nebo which is present day Israel.

At the time of Moses, it was hard to imagine that over the vast desert and barren land, there could be found land of milk and honey as promised by God. This is still equally true today when we cast our eyes over this vast barren plain with hardly any sign of green and water.

The ladies of the Group posed for a group photo on top of Mount Nebo.

***************************************************

This land of milk and honey slowly emerged in a new country, Israel since its founding on 14 May 1948. With a land area of only 20,770 Sq. Km which is barely 1/3 the size of Sabah and more than half of the land is desert, Israel has managed to become a world leader in agricultural technologies. 

Compared to Sabah which has an average annual rainfall of 3,000mm, Israel experiences the opposite extreme. In the extreme south, rainfall averages near 30mm (1.18 inches) annually. In the north, average annual rainfall is around 900mm (35.4 inches).

Even as our tour bus traversed along the highway in Israel, the sights of agricultural activities speak volume of the emphasis and development in this sector.

Credit must be given to the Kibbutz which is the pioneer and the driving force behind the success story of Israeli agriculture. Kibbutz is a collective community formed originally for agriculture. Today, some Kibbutzim has diversified and ventured into other sectors such as high-tech and military industries.

We had lunch in at least two Kibbutz. In one of them, in-house service is minimal and patrons are required  to queue up for their meals and to pick up their own soiled utensils and deposit them into the large collection bin for washing by the staff.

Israel is also a world leader in the development of solar energy, water conservation and geothermal energy. 

Indeed, God delivers what He promised Abraham and Moses!

Note: This blog is last edited on 7 December 2022.

Moments with Grandchildren

After coming back from a recent trip to Perth, KK is liked a torture chamber because of the exceptional hot weather. Literally 36 degrees C everyday.

Spending time with our fast growing up grandchildren is always a welcome break. Knowing the special bond the grandparents have with them, they know how to take full "advantage" of the presence of their grandparents. The most frequent request of Nathan to the gung-gung or po-po was: Asked to be carried. Of course, he would not be disappointed at most occasions. Though technology has enabled grandparents to communicate with the grandchildren via Skype, it is still a very different experience to be able to feel and hug each other.

*********************************************************

Grace is growing at a phenomenal speed. By the time I left Perth, Grace was able to stand unaided for at least 3-4 seconds.

Nathan is maturing fast into a young boy. One of the things I am most impressed is his ability to verbally express his feeling - sad, happy or felt loved. This is truly a quality rare among most people.

**********************************************************

"This is persimmon!"

Nathan is maturing fast into a young boy. One of the things I am most impressed is his ability to verbally express his feeling - sad, happy or felt loved. This is truly a quality rare among most people.

*******************************************************

It was a feeling of endless happiness when Grace responded and crawled towards gung-gung and po-po whenever she sensed the signal for her to come. Indeed, grandchildren are God's way of compensating us for growing old.

In Memoriam of Kapal Singh 1940 - 2014

17 April 2014, a very sad day for Malaysia when veteran politician, Kapal Singh died in a car crash on the way to a court hearing in Penang.

 

A true champion of human right, justice and equality. His passing would be felt by all fair-minded Malaysians for a very very long time to come.

 

"As long as I am alive, I will continue to struggle to see a non-Malay become prime minister" - Kapal said this in 2012 that the Federal Constitution did not provide that only Malays could be prime minister. Unfortunately, he did not live to see this becoming a reality.

 

"They want to make it as difficult as they can for us here so we'll go away. But we will not go - that would be giving them what they want, and that would be wrong. We have to stay and fight". Kapal said this in an interview with an online news portal in 2014, discussing his guilty verdict on the charge of sedition

Parenting

Following the successful Marriage Enrichment Course held in October last year (Read here), the Church launched a Parenting Course in April 2014.

Parenting courses have emerged in response to growing concerns over child development, rising family stress, and the challenges brought about by changing social dynamics. The Church recognizes that as societies become more complex and traditional support systems - such as extended families - continue to weaken, many parents are left without adequate guidance to navigate the demands of modern parenting.

Research in psychology and education consistently highlights the vital role parenting plays in shaping a child’s emotional, social, and cognitive development. Increasing rates of behavioral problems, academic difficulties, and mental health issues among children further underscore the need to support parents. In response, professionals in child development, education, and social work have developed structured, evidence-based parenting programs designed to equip parents with the knowledge and skills to raise confident, resilient, and well-adjusted children.

In addition to parents, the Church also encouraged members involved in the children’s Sunday School ministry to participate in the course. 

Interestingly, the majority of attendees were still women - especially mothers - reflecting the ongoing need to involve more fathers and men in parenting and child development efforts.

"The graduates".

Gift package for each "graduate".

New Kota Kinabalu Coastal Pedestrian Walkway and Cycleway

Phase 1 of the Kota Kinabalu Coastal Pedestrian Walkway and Cycleway is finally completed and opened for public use. This is indeed a great facility that allows city dwellers to walk and cycle along this trail to enjoy the scenic coastline.

The many picnic spots are ideal for families who wish to spend a weekend together. For cycling enthusiasts, a cycling trip along the trail as a family would sure yield lasting memories.

Recently, we drove along this coastal highway and stopped to take a few shots of this newly completed trail. Phase 1 trail which is just 5.2 Km starts from the Sabah Port and ends at Likas Bay. According to City Hall, the final trail will be 25.6 Km long stretching from Tanjong Aru Town, passing KK Central Business District and ending at University Malaysia Sabah.

 

From Likas Bay in the evening, one can have this stunning view of part of KK city.

Working Visit to Singapore

Our recent trip to Singapore was more a "working visit" rather than a sight seeing tour. As the boys hardly have the chance to eat home-cooked food, it was the idea of their mom to "bring" herself - the home chef to Singapore to do the job on the spot.

Of course in Singapore, no one would visit the place without tasting some of the many many food that the place can offer. We had a chance to eat the bean sprouts chicken rice which we last ate in Ipoh (read here). I must say that it was authentic and similar to what I had in Ipoh.

At Ya Kun Kaya Toast, I reminisced the old days when I followed my grandfather to the coffee shop. Normally, one cup was ordered. I had to drink from the saucer while my grandfather would drink from the cup!

It Was as if We have Met Before.........

Sam was keen for us to meet up with the Chong's - Rachel's parents. So, when we decided to have a short visit to Singapore in late March, Sam was quick to arrange a meet up in a casual and pleasant environment - Wah Lok Cantonese Restaurant of Carlton Hotel.

 

We chatted almost non-stop the moment we met. It was as if we have known each other for years. One thing for sure, we did learn something from their significant travelling experience.

 

We look forward to our next meeting up again!

 

***********************************************

 

Quite to my surprise, CHIJMES is just next to the Carlton. The unexpected visit gave us a good feel of the majesty and ambiance of this historical building - a popular place for couples to have their wedding ceremony.

 

 

The long aisle is ideal for bridal march. Hopefully, if Nathan is given the honour to be the Page Boy, he will dutifully complete the long march!

 

****************************************

We finally adjourned to "Food for Thought @ 8 Queens Street" which is also at walking distance from Chijmes - the cafe where Sam put his barista skill to practice. Coffee and the unique pancakes were great! Thanks Sam for a great weekend.