MIRI – When my friend Michelle invited me to do a photo shoot on headbands, I had no idea that I would be meeting Borneo’s very own homegrown celebrity designers Sereni and Shentel.

Internationally-acclaimed brand, the “Sereni & Shentel, Made in Borneo” was launched in 2009 by Sereni Linggi and Shentel Lee from Kuching.

The dream label began, as I read their lookbook, as a craft project. Two years later the prestigious label has stockists in Kuching, Kota Kinabalu, Miri, Sibu, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Penang, Sydney and New Zealand.

A big breakthrough came last year when Lancôme Malaysia commissioned the girls to create exclusive headband designs for their Spring Summer 2011 Collection by makeup guru Aaron De Mey.

Catapulted in the mainstream media by the giant cosmetics company, the girls described the contract as a surreal experience to see their faces staring back at them at every Lancôme counter.

As predicted, the Lancôme special edition headbands were sold out in weeks which prompted more engaged collaborations.

For an ignorant, un-fashionista like me, surely a headband is only headband?

No, no, says Michelle.  I can vouch that this headband can be worn all day with comfort.

Nothing new too, customized headbands.

Apparently I was wrong too.

The unique design that stands out from the crowd is the Blair.

Created and named after the ever popular New York’s Upper East Side fictitious Gossip Girl character, the Blair can be customized to the customer’s whim and fancy.

Shentel helps a customer to explore the design of a custom Blair

The beautiful part is, the customer can mix and match any headband base, ribbons and stones to any color of their choice. The possibilities are of course, quite infinite – certainly acceptable to any woman and her vanity.

So tell me what more could a woman want?

(A worthy note – Sereni & Shentel created National gifts for Miss Universe Malaysia 2011 Deborah Priya Henry at the Miss Universe Pageant held in Sao Paolo, Brazil on Sep 12, 2011.

S & S headbands are available at Lot 2.35 – 2.36, 2F, Bintang Mega Mall, tel +6085.417896, 98000 Miri.)

Story and pics by Fidella Tiew

My conversion may be similar to many other Methodist Christians – born in a Christian family, was baptized as an infant, grew up in church, involved in church ministry, basically no dramatic conversion experience. Still remember my late grandmother brought my younger sister and me to Sunday School every Sunday. At that time, just like other children, I went to Sunday School because of “other” motives. When I was fourteen, through a teacher in Methodist Secondary School (now Rev. Tiong at Wesley church), I said the Sinner’s Prayer and accepted Christ as my personal Saviour.

In my adolescence, through Bible study classes, quiet time with God, pastor’s pulpit sermons and other church activities, my faith in Jesus grew. Being involved in various youth activities, taking the leadership roles gave me the opportunity to be trained and developed my leadership skills since young. All these experiences not only benefited me spiritually, but also in my career, thus grooming me to be a “useful instrument” for God.

Through ups and downs in my life, I’ve experienced God at very personal level, developed deeper relationship with Jesus, and continued to grow in faith. Through His unfailing love, God has never left nor forsaken me though many times I have failed Him and been disobedient.

The calling of “every Christian to commit one year of their life to mission” by SCAC came to me very strongly as I had been praying to God to show me the way. Praise God, in 2003, He gave me a job at Curtin University in Miri. At that time I had been working in Kuching for more than 6 years and my cell group at Trinity Methodist Church said God was sending me to Miri for a “mission”, i.e. to work among the Curtin students. I came to Miri in May 2003 and in July 2003 GMC started the Campus Gospel ministry at Senadin. Rev. Law invited me to join the team and I’ve been with the ministry until now. Being a lecturer at Curtin I have a lot of flexibility with my time and the privilege to take long leave during the semester break.

However I had never joined any short-term mission trip yet. Being a “city girl” I just couldn’t see myself going to “places lacking in basic infrastructure and amenities” for mission. I had met many brothers and sisters who went for mission trips to Cambodia. Some had life-transforming experiences. Yet I kept giving excuses. Between the years 2004 – 2005 Rev. Law of GMC asked me at least twice whether I had a burden in mission. My answer had always been “no obvious calling from God”. After much struggle and prayers, I committed myself to do the “Disciple course” last year and planned for mission trip after that. Miraculously in April I had the opportunity to meet up with Rev. Lenita in Miri and through her encouragement and sharing, I know God was giving me affirmation that I just needed to go by faith. Christ would be with me and the Holy Spirit would lead me. I was challenged not to worry too much!!

I have always prayed like Jabez in 1 Chronicles 4:10 – Oh God! that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain. For the last fourteen years, living alone away from my hometown Sibu, God has always faithfully protected me from all evils. I believe He will continue to bless me as I take my 1st “baby step” in mission to a foreign land.

So in January 2008 I spent four weeks in Phnom Penh teaching English at the Methodist School of Cambodia (MSC). It was a very enriching and eye-opening experience. Not knowing what to expect and what I would be doing there I went by faith with a very open heart and mind knowing I would be in God’s good hand.

The Methodist School of Cambodia

Mr. Stephen Yeo, my former teacher in Methodist Secondary School is now the Principal at MSC. He assigned me to do team teaching with Roatha in Grade 7 English class (equivalent to our Form One) and afternoon Level 1 English tuition. The English standard of this Grade 7 class varied from very good (90%) to very weak (5%). Those who had completed their primary studies with MSC had better grasp of English, those who just joined the school from the public primary school had nearly zero English. There were altogether 33 students in the class. So, the initial plan was to split the class. I would take the better group and the local Khmer English teacher, Roatha would take the weaker group. However, only after two classes, I was told that the Grade 7 English teacher, Roatha was resigning, giving only 24 hours’ notice. So, instead of having half a class, I had to take over the whole class. I asked Mr. Yeo if he had planned for this. He said no, he didn’t. God just put me at the right place at the right time. Isn’t God’s plan always higher than men’s plan?

R-L Mr. and Mrs. Yeo

So, with the challenge of having to teach such a class, I needed some strategy. I prayed to God for wisdom. I wanted to get to know each of the students in class, I didn’t want anyone to be neglected due to poor English. Finally this was what I did:

• Gave each student an English name from the Bible – Martha, Joseph, David, Joshua, Ruth, Grace, Faith, … so that I can called their names in class.
• Divided the students into groups of four with a leader helping the weaker ones.
• Gave each group an English-Khmer dictionary to check for vocabulary in every lesson.

With the students

It was the most challenging teaching task that I have ever done. Besides the language barrier, the content was a challenge as well. I remember in the 1st class, according to the teaching plan, I was supposed to teach letter writing format. Half way into the class, I realized that most of the students were lost because they DIDN’T HAVE an address and, they didn’t know what a stamp was, why we needed to put stamps on the letter, etc.

In the second week the students were supposed to write about their family, parents, siblings. Some of them raised their hands and asked me “Teacher, no father, no mother” Oh! my heart broke! I was not prepared and I was totally ignorant of my students’ background. I was not sensitive to their situation. Then I went to spend some time with the School Admin Assistant, trying to know my students’ background. I found out that more than half of the students in my class were under the sponsorship of different NGOs and religious groups. 2 Timothy 1:7 – God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power. With God’s mercy and power, I managed the 4-week class, learned many lessons from God. Throughout that period of time, I was clear that God had called me outside my comfort zone to show love and care to those students the Lord brought across my path.

After four weeks with these students, parting was a bit emotional. Many asked when I would go back to see them again. My love for them will go a long way and I do plan to go back to visit them again.

I thank God for the smooth trip. Besides teaching at MSC, I also visited the Community Outreach Service – Immanuel Children’s Village (COSI) and Emmaus Women’s Centre and churches in some provinces. I was able to see and experience what God was doing in Cambodia and get closer to God, while doing something different and meaningful. The trip obviously was an important milestone in my pilgrimage of life.

Thank God for providing a place to stay with modern facilities, good food, and his protection. Despite my nose allergy, I was in good health. I only had flu on the last day. December and January is a good season (cool and dry) to be in Cambodia. I experienced no hardship as described by many other mission teams. Instead of losing weight, I gained weight.

My trip inspired some if not many people around me. I had the opportunity to share with friends and colleagues. Some Christian colleagues from other churches even asked whether they could go or not. I become the bridge for MSC.

All of us can be an English teacher in Cambodia. What we need is a willing and obedient heart when God calls us. Just like in Hebrews 11:8 – By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go. I am very much blessed by the trip, the encounters with the students, teachers, missionaries and God. A few minutes of sharing in church or brief testimony like this cannot do justice to what I have experienced. You have to go and experience it personally.

Singing songs of worship during assembly

Lastly, some of my after thoughts:

• In mission field, some of my capabilities, experience, skill and knowledge are of no use because God has His own way of making things work.
• Mission is a slow and long process requiring lots of financial support and long term commitment.
• Mission is a lonely “journey”, so missionaries need our prayer support.

Reproduced with the kind permission from Fidella Tiew. The story was first published in the Methodist Connection magazine on June 15, 2008.

Note: Stephen Yeo and his wife have finished their ministry term in Cambodia and are now back in Malaysia.

IN A SIMPLE certificate award ceremony, The Reading Bus programme was concluded on December 18, 2010 at Gereja Tudan Methodist.

First launched in Miri by Grace Methodist Church three months ago, the fortnightly English reading series has produced significant results.

The Reading Bus is a mobile library programme.

It is the brainchild of Kuching-based Bethany Ministries Pastor Cheli Tamilselvam and his wife Lai Mei.

A demographic study reveals there are 20,000 residents within a 10 km radius of Tudan and Permyjaya mostly of the Iban race.

The majority of students living in this area find it difficult to cope with the increasing demands to perform well in English in school.

Many fail to make it beyond secondary education.

According to Pastor Cheli’s observation as an educator, one of the main factors for failure was the serious lack of proficiency in the English language.

The Reading Bus activity is carried out back to back with the Village Alpha.

Village Alpha provides church volunteers a basic but crucial tool for evangelizing to the unchurched.

With the seeds of Christ’s love sown, Gereja Tudan Methodist is now experiencing an increased congregational attendance in their Sunday service. In addition its Sunday School class has doubled to more than sixty children.

There were also heartwarming stories related by Mr. Richard Lin, the lead volunteer and member of Grace Methodist Church.

“We were told that the children would eagerly wait for The Reading Bus two hours ahead of scheduled time in each of our visit. We were delighted to discover a voracious reader named Romica, a 10 year old girl. We also hear that unchurched parents of the students are becoming more receptive to hearing the Good News when approached by the members from Gereja Tudan Methodist.”

Mr. Aaron Hii, the Missions Chairman for Grace Methodist Church was clearly elated with the results of this ministry.

“We encourage other churches in Miri and beyond to duplicate what we’re doing. Believe me, it is a powerful tool to do outreach. After visiting us at Tudan a few times to observe, Gan En Methodist Church and Piasau Baptist Church have undertaken to run the programmes at Lambir and Taman Tunku respectively,” he added.

A student receiving his certificate

In the certificate award ceremony the outgoing Pastor-in-charge of Grace Methodist Church, Rev. Law Hui Seng reminded the 75 recipients to use the English language often. “The English language, like all languages will be forgotten easily if not used,” he advised. “When you are proficient in English, you will have better job options in the future.”

Rev. Law also thanked all the volunteers for their sacrifice and love.

To bless all the students of The Reading Bus, a set of encasement full of books was formally presented by Rev. Law to Pastor Chan Jing Mei of Gereja Tudan Methodist.

Pastor Chan (right) receiving the bookcase from Rev. Law (left)

Early next year Rev. Law Hui Seng will be leaving Grace Methodist Church to further his studies at the Sabah Theological Seminary, Kota Kinabalu.

Clearly a man after God’s heart, Rev. Law will further develop his gift in the Bahasa Malaysia (BM) language.

With the intent of becoming a good role model to the BM congregations, Rev. Law will undertake his Master’s degree covering cultural barriers and the making of matured discipleship among the indigenous people.

More than 30 church members and guests were present including Pastor Connie Yong and her husband Pastor Wong Lik Kai, my church’s Chairman Michael Lee and his wife Michelle.

We also invited the Sunday School carolers from our church for the joyful occasion. Praise Lord for their wonderful singing and glad tidings!

Each Christmas carol received an enthusiastic applause from us!

Here’s a memorable group photo for the album!

Do enjoy the video we made to appreciate our loving and dedicated shepherd.

Pastor Law has been our church for the past nine years and more than often we take for granted that he will be with us forever.

Thank you dear Pastor for all you have done for us. From our Small Group we wish you well and leave you with this verse from Numbers 6:4,

The Lord bless and keep you.

Remember we’re just a phone call away so keep in touch often!

The theme this year is “Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.” Two thumbs up!

Members from my church, Grace Methodist, getting ready to join the parade.

Along the 4 km route around the city centre people flocked to the streets awed by the one hour procession of joyful singing with warm exchanges of glad tidings.

After the parade we assembled at this area. Rising up splendidly behind us is a newly erected Christmas tree adorned with gigantic silvery ribbons and blue lights. The 30-foot tall magnificent luminous steel structure, generously donated by a local conglomerate, was constructed in Bintulu and transported to Miri for the grand evening.

Datuk Bandar Miri Lawrence Lai Yew Son presenting a souvenir to Deputy Chief Minister of Sarawak YB Patinggi Tan Sri Dr. George Chan Hong Nam.

Christmas parade Organizing Chairman Fr. Andy Lee of the Roman Catholic Church Miri Diocese thanked the committee members and Miri City Council staff for their tireless efforts in organizing the event. “We want to give thanks to Our Almighty God too. Incidentally this is also an event of many firsts – for the first time we have a crowd of more than ten thousand; we have a manger on the stage; we have a 30-foot Christmas tree; we have thirteen denominations celebrating a Christian event together and last but not least, our Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister are with us on this wonderful occasion,” beamed Fr. Andy Lee.

Kuala Lumpur-born Vince Chong, the first winner from the reality TV show Akademi Fantasia.

He entertained the crowd with Christmas and Christian songs. But the song I liked most was the 1989 hit “Have I Told You Lately” written by Van Morrison, and made popular by Rod Stewart. Vince changed the lyrics to “Have I told you Jesus that I love you…”

Obviously the crowd enjoyed Vince’s singing.

Gereja SIB youths gave a dazzling dance performance.

I was impressed by this youth’s dancing skills!

Sidney Mohede of the True Worshippers from Indonesia brought the crowd on to their feet.

He has excellent stage presence and showmanship.

Sidney asked the crowd to illuminate and wave their mobile phones as they sang along.

This morning I attended the church wedding of my friends Tiong Hoo and Hui Chu’s son Eric. The lovely bride Olivia is from Indonesia.

All the best to you Eric and Olivia! May God bless and keep you always!

Hope to see you again in Melbourne one day, cheers!

Our team of 24 enthusiastic members congregated at church early Saturday morning.

Pastor Rev. Law Hui Seng, Lay Leader Ting Kong Yu and Missions Chairman Aaron Hii were also present to see us off for our fourth trip to Rumah Tatom this year.

For this holiday cheer season, our ministry activities carried out in Rumah Tatom were related to nativity and giving.

On giving, we remember what Paul wrote in his second letter to the Corinthians, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”

Paul had written this amazing line to encourage the Corinthians on the importance of giving.

Children’s ministry in action

Doing the Great Commission has positively impacted the first-timers in our team.

One of them is Joseph Ting.

“The blessings flowed both ways. We went to bless them with our goodies, songs and fellowship but instead I received more blessings through their love and warm hospitality,” said the 21 year old engineering undergraduate from Australian National University.

Youth ministry

Another missions volunteer and purchasing manager of a public-listed company Monica Tiong was awed by the power of the Holy Spirit. She evangelized to three adult residents who subsequently accepted Christ willingly.

“I feel so blessed to witness the Holy Spirit moving the hearts of the residents in Rumah Tatom,” she happily praised.

Our team leader Richard Lin was elated by the unprecedented number baptisms performed.

“God’s grace is clearly present here. We’ve been visiting Rumah Tatom since 2008 and we’re very encouraged by what has happened,” he commented.

There were seven residents baptized by Pastor Jonathan Nora of Selangau Methodist Church.

In the evening we hosted a thanksgiving dinner for 80 people. Following that, a health talk was presented by our team member Lina, a professional nurse.

The carolers

Christmas caroling may be a lost tradition for many but not for Rumah Tatom as its residents experienced it for the first time.

Singing door-to-door

Forming two groups, we went caroling door-to-door starting from both ends of the longhouse before re-grouping at the centre singing “We wish you a Merry Christmas”.

Group pic after the caroling

While participating in my third missions trip this year, I never expected to discover the beauty of God’s grace in Rumah Tatom. Bearing witness to seven baptisms, three souls saved and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit in action was more powerful that I’d imagine.

Clearly God’s grace was with us as we felt the joy and love in our midst of our fellowship with the wonderful folks of Rumah Tatom.

All praise and glory to God!

The missions team wishes to acknowledge and thank the following generous persons for sponsoring the welcoming refreshments at Rumah Tatom: Chia Kah Pheng, William Law, Duan Seling, Michael Lee, Patricia Kiing and Judy Cheng.

Back to back from the successful launching of the Reading Bus outreach in Tudan, Grace Methodist Church (GMC) has stepped up another level and organized training for leaders and helpers to facilitate on the Alpha course.

It is also the church’s desire to animate its congregation to impact the marketplace.

Held at its own premises, the 1½ days intensive training ended on October 9, 2010.

Forty-nine church members enrolled in the training conducted by a lay team of four members from Alpha Malaysia.

The four trainers were Alpha Malaysia’s National Director Mr. Foo Lai Wei, Mr. Yip Siew Kee, Mr. Lee Kee Huat and his wife Gay.

Last April a group of GMC leaders attended the 2010 Alpha Conference in Kuching. They discovered that Alpha members’ convictions about their faith are strong and their preparatory training on evangelism is simple, duplicable and effective.

According to the Alpha Malaysia website, over 15 million people worldwide have now attended an Alpha course. In Malaysia, thousands of people have attended courses in hundreds of locations across the country.

Alpha runs in hundreds of churches throughout the country as well as in homes, schools, national service camps, workplaces, homes for the elderly and prisons. It takes place over ten weekly sessions, and also includes a weekend away. Each week begins with a meal, tea or coffee with the other guests and the hosts of the course.

People attend for a variety of reasons. Some want to investigate the concept of God from a Christian perspective; others want to know if there is a point to life; others may have attended church their whole life, but have never really understood Christianity.

GMC’s Prayer leader Sally Tan who attended the course said she was encouraged by the tools used to reach out to the pre-Christians. She also added that the course was also a journey to discover Jesus in a non-intimidating environment.

Another elated participant and LCEC member Wendy Tiong said, “It’s an excellent training, especially the acronym for A.L.P.H.A – it’s for everyone.” (A – Anyone can come, L – Learning and laughter, P – Pasta, popiah, prata, pizza, H – Helping one another, A – Ask anything).

“The Alpha weekend was simply too great! The seeker-sensitive approach is considerate. This course will help our church as it transforms people and fills them with the power of the Holy Spirit,” said Rev. Law Hui Seng, the Pastor-in-charge of Grace Methodist Church. “We’re excited to have 191 Starfish (people) to pray for now and we are looking forward to inviting them to the Alpha course. I pray we will continue to make disciples of all nations.”

In the Alpha training course context, saving the symbolic Starfish stranded on the perilous beach is used to illustrate how one can make a difference to a pre-believer by sharing the Good News with him or her.

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” – Matthew 28:18-20

For more information on the Alpha course, please email info@my.alpha.org

A spontaneous joyful moment caught by my lens as these two ladies indulged in sweet laughter at a dinner gathering that I attended last night. How I love this shot!

Hwang Meillian has had cerebral palsy since birth. Against all odds she’s achieved more than what the average person could possibly dream of. This is the story of an outstanding painter and teacher, her remarkable journey – one filled with surprises – and her perseverance in handling whatever came her way.

Miri – August 25, 2010

IT WAS AROUND 9:00 am when I called Magdalene Huang, the Chairperson of the Social Concerns Ministry of the Miri Methodist Churches. I had intended to seek for Magdalene’s help to interview Hwang Meillian before the latter’s en route to Taipei via Kota Kinabalu. You’ve got it – James, said Magdalene happily when she called back ten minutes later. We’ll meet for an early lunch.

I arrived at the restaurant early. Magdalene was already there. Strangely my mind went blank, unsure of what to expect. You can communicate with her in English or Mandarin, Magdalene advised with a smile. Dr. Hwang is fluent in both languages.

SHE WALKED IN CONFIDENTLY, with only a slight limp, and smiled to everyone in our private dining room. We were introduced. Pleasantries were exchanged. When Meillian sat down, she whipped out her pad and wrote, “Hi, how are you?” Her spunky personality caught me off-guard. I thanked her for the interview despite such short notice. I was then introduced to her personal assistant, Miss Chu Ching-Hua. Lunch was served and the topic of discussion was on generalities. “I’m beginning to feel tired today,” Meillian wrote again in the middle of the lunch. I knew she and her PA had been in Kuching, Sibu and Bintulu for the past week giving motivational talks at schools, churches and children with special needs. Miri was her last stop.

Facing formidable challenges from birth

HER PARENTS WERE HEARTBROKEN when they learned of their child’s cerebral palsy at birth. Whether or not the disability was the result of medical malpractice, it was nevertheless devastating to know that their child’s life would be difficult in the future. But one thing they were certain of – their child was a precious gift from God and they would do anything to bring her up to live the best life she deserves. As a child, Meillian could only lie flat because her neurological disorder affected her body movement and posture. Her parents refused to give up and loved her even more. They tried every medical cure they know of. Time spent with her was ample. Meillian’s dad, a Pastor, often read bible stories to her. Whenever visitors came to the house, Meillian’s parents would always introduce her by saying, “This is our daughter. God loves her and we love her too.”

This manifestation of unconditional love deeply influenced this special child and she thrived in the caring environment of her home.

Unlike other children, Meillian’s childhood days in Tainan, Taiwan were far from cherished moments. Neighbours disdained them and often hurled sarcasm at the Hwangs. She’s a freak and only the circus would accept her, they mocked. Grandmother was often verbally abused as she was the one who spent much time caring for Meillian. Countless incidents of outbursts and tears of frustrations were part of her growing-up years.

Don’t give the child fish, teach him how to fish

MEILLIAN’S PARENTS decided to send her to school. But not until Meillian could pronounce and read like a normal child could. Her mother was determined to teach her how to write. This is easier said than done because Meillian didn’t have the motor skill to control her hand movements at will. To overcome this inadequacy, Meillian’s mother would hold her hand to guide her every stroke. Meillian painstakingly practised for a whole year and finally was able to write and paint by Primary Two. In the process of learning to write, Meillian’s mother had hoped that her daughter would learn to be independent and responsible. On hindsight this course of action proved to be instrumental in helping Meillian overcome many obstacles in her later years.

“IF I WEREN’T A CHRISTIAN, I WOULD BE WEAK AND HAVE NO STRONG OPINIONS.”

Dare to dream

MEILLIAN’S TEACHER Ma Yi-Chiang spotted her gift in painting when she was in Primary Two. Deeply encouraged by her teacher, Meillian aimed to be a good artist. But the road to success is always a bumpy one. Though one must not tar all people with the same brush, it was often her own peers who bullied her verbally and physically. Human patience has its limits and it was inevitable that one day, Meillian refused to don her uniform to go to school. Her teacher Wu Sui-Wei prodded Meillian not to give up. “Meillian, you love to read. Do not give up studying what you like because of what people say about you. If you like writing, you should read more to enrich yourself. This is your responsibility to make others respect you. God helps those who help themselves,” advised her caring teacher. This incident turned out to be the turning point in Meillian’s life.

Meillian’s primary school days might have been fraught with frustrated hopes but she rightly did not allow other people’s criticisms to prevent her from achieving her dreams. As I write now, I am still bewildered how Meillian could have endured so much hardship as a child and still possess so much zest for life today.

“RELIGION HAS MADE ME STRONGER. I’VE LEARNED TO ACCEPT MYSELF. AS SUCH, NASTY COMMENTS CANNOT HURT ME.”

Off to the USA

AT THE AGE OF FOURTEEN, Meillian’s family migrated to the USA. In spite of the difficulty of adjusting to the culture and language, Meillian graduated from high school in 1983 and chose to major in arts and minor in psychology. Her first college was Eastern Los Angeles College, and subsequently California State University. Receiving stares was a norm as Meillian attended a mainstream university, unlike her previous high school that catered to special students. She studied hard. But because of her slow motor skill, Meillian spent more time typing rather than studying her assignments. No pain no gain, as the saying goes. Meillian’s hard work paid dividends when she was awarded a full scholarship, freeing her parents from financial burden. After her graduation, Meillian grabbed an opportunity to showcase her paintings through exhibitions for YMCA in Taiwan to promote cerebral palsy awareness. After the exhibitions, Meillian returned to Los Angeles to pursue her Ph.D.

They say you see the clearest skies after the torrential rain.

After obtaining her doctorate in 1993, Meillian decided to return to Taiwan to pursue her passion. It wasn’t an easy decision as she had to leave her parents and live independently. Her uncanny wisdom born out of simply coping with her disability shows the strength of the human spirit. When asked what she would do if she were born normal, she replied, “I’m already a normal person now. Why should I need to be indifferent?”

“I ONLY SEE WHAT I HAVE, NOT WHAT I DON’T HAVE.”

Just last May, Mellian was one of the honoured recipients of the prestigious Taiwan international “Love of Lives” award. She received a medal from President Ma Ying-Jeou who praised her for demonstrating hope and love, and obtaining a doctorate despite of her severe disability.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to meet Meillian. It was a humbling experience. All too often we complain too much and fail to recognize that there are so many people out there who struggle with their lives. Life doesn’t have to be perfect.

There is perfection in imperfection as I see in Meillian.

(The title of this story was taken from the song of the same title written by Dr. Hwang Meillian).

Enjoy the beautiful song here:

Also known as MySL, the basic course started in last April. It is one of the outreach programmes under the auspice of the Membership and Evangelism ministry in GMC.

The course is intended to equip more people in the marketplace with the sign language skill for effective communication with the hearing impaired.

Twenty-one people graduated. Most of them are working adults from other church denominations.

Assisting the principal instructor Victor Hii were his wife Kristy, church volunteer Lucy Kong and 4th Miri Boys’ Brigade Captain Roseline Lee who are all proficient in the basic sign language.

Rev. Law Hui Seng presenting a certificate to a student

In his congratulatory message Rev. Law Hui Seng praised the students for their purpose and perseverance.

“The sign language itself is a language. Like all languages, if unused it will be forgotten. Seize the opportunity to communicate with the hearing impaired. It can also be a wonderful ministry in your respective church to share the good news with the hearing-impaired community,” encouraged the Pastor-in-charge of GMC.

Joseph Ang delivered his speech in English and by signing

One of the promising students is Joseph Ang.

Even the axiom “shoes come in pairs” holds true as his reason to join the class was initially just to accompany his girlfriend Genevieve, a school teacher.

Contrary to his expectations, Joseph was hooked from lesson one.

“I want to thank GMC for offering this useful course to the public. Without the opportunity I wouldn’t have discovered the fascinating world of sign language. My new found focus is now on the next elementary level. In the long term I aspire to be an instructor. I hope to create more awareness about our hearing-impaired community. Though a minority group, they too need our love and due consideration,” shared the 29-year old administration executive working in an oil and gas contractor company.

Julia, wife of Rev. Law Hui Seng received a badge for not missing a single lesson!

Registration is now open at GMC office for the upcoming elementary class (Aug 21, 2010) and the basic course (Aug 22, 2010).

For more information, please email Victor Hii at victorh@tm.net.my

“A new command I give you: Love one another; as I have loved you, so you must love one another,” said Jesus to his disciples in John 13:34.

This verse comes to mind as I try to document my Pastor’s exhortation during a Small Group combined gathering held recently.

The gathering, arranged by Pujut zone leader Alex Tiang, consisted of six groups.

Its primary purpose was to meet and fellowship with one another.

Pastor Rev. Law Hui Seng emphasized on the importance on Small Groups as they are the building blocks of the church.

The good Pastor is spot-on on this point.

Recently the United Methodists hired New York-based Towers Watson consultants to assess the declining spiritual health of the 32,000 congregations in the United States.

The researchers constructed a “vitality index” to measure each church. To help in their assessment, the experts interviewed Bishops, District Superintendents and people in the pew. In the report one of the four key areas that fuel vitality was small groups and programmes.

“Small Group is also like your second family,” reminded Rev. Law. “Not only you study the Word together but also bond with each other like brothers and sisters. You can even rely on each other for help and advice under trying circumstances.”

Pic depicts George Whitefield preaching in the fields

In his second part of the exhortation, Rev. Law talked about George Whitefield.

Largely forgotten today, George Whitefield was perhaps the best known religious figure in the 18th century. He was also one of the founders of Methodism in America.

A celebrity in his time, Whitefield was a preacher capable of commanding thousands on two continents through the sheer power of his oratory. In his lifetime he preached at least 18,000 times to perhaps 10 million hearers.

Testimonies from Small Group members
During the gathering, some members came forward to share how their lives have been impacted because of Small Group.

“There are times when I feel so tired after coming back from the office,” said Michelle Chee, a banker by profession. “But the thought of hosting the Small Group in my home uplifts me immediately. In fact you will get recharged as you fellowship with your members. It’s definitely a blessing when you host a Small Group,” she encouraged.

Nurse Lina Kana was apprehensive when the Small Group gathering was first proposed to be held in her house.

“I couldn’t see the need of joining a Small Group. Friday night was my Tai-Chi night hence I was reluctant to sacrifice my exercise. But my Small Group leader Dasline and his wife Jessy were not pushy. With my husband around, they held the gathering in my home despite my absence. When I returned home from my exercise, the whole group was still there to fellowship with me. Over time I was greatly humbled and touched by their love and care, and decided to come on board.”

Another member Richard Lin used the “brick and mortar” metaphor to describe Small Groups.

“I used to think that our meeting on Friday evening is like a visit to the petrol kiosk to top-up my spiritual wellness that has depleted over the weekdays. Now I view it differently. My Small Group has become an integral part of my faith. We are like the mortar to bind the brick wall (church).”

Zone leader Alex Tiang also echoed what Rev. Law had said earlier.

“The members should not only grow spiritually but also in numbers. Ideally a group of ten is intimate enough. Invite new friends or the present church congregation who has not joined any group.”

The Small Group Ministry is clearly crucial to the health of every church regardless of size, ethnicity or jurisdiction.

The gathering started with a potbless dinner

More heads are better than one when it comes to bible quiz


One for the album

Photographer: Ricky Law

So proud of my wife on her first attempt of the homemade bamboo charcoal bread!

Health benefits aside, the savoury bread is soft and slightly moist with a hint of sweetness that goes perfectly well with a freshly-brewed Nescafe Gold cuppa.

Now that’s what I call, a delightful Friday morning bliss.

What do we do when a disaster strikes our own backyard or our neighbouring country? Are we prepared to face a crisis head-on? Can we step up and make a difference?

These were some of the probing questions thrown at the participants during the opening session training by CREST in Grace Methodist Church Miri recently.

CREST is a non-profit Christian humanitarian organization based in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Since 1998 CREST has deployed multiple teams of Christians from various churches in Malaysia and Singapore to serve in disaster-stricken areas bringing God’s love to the poor and needy in crisis.

Its objective is to train relief volunteers to respond urgently to crises and disasters with medicine, food, clothing, shelter and other forms of aid.

Invited by the Methodist SCAC, similar trainings by CREST were also carried out in Sibu (18-20 June) and Kuching (25-27 June).

Coordinated by the Miri Methodist District Social Concerns Ministry, 132 participants as well as the District Superintendent Rev. Esther Law from the Methodist churches and other denominations attended the free training from July 16-18, 2010.

The 13-hour training were apportioned over three days covering A Biblical Perspective on Disasters, Introduction to Crisis, Personal Preparation for Disaster Response, Personal Survival Skills, Team Dynamics in Crisis Response, Cross Cultural Issues, Mobile Clinic Setup, 1st Responders Triage, Incident Command System, Crisis Response Planning, Base Camp Setup, Holistic Missions and Community Transformation.

Team discussion and planning.


Ice breaking – a team building task.

Practical after learning – a team leader explains her team’s crisis response planning and dynamics.

A played scenario: Despite careful prior planning on the mobile clinic by one team, chaos erupted when another team of “patients” sought treatment. The lesson? Always plan for the unexpected too!


Take a break, have a mini doughnut! says Pastor Connie Yong. On her right is Magdalene Huang, the Chairperson for Miri Methodist District Social Concerns Ministry.

The magnificent trainers from CREST, L-R Olivia, Lana and Steve.

“After this training, my understanding on disaster crisis relief has more depth. More than often what we see and read in the media is only the tip of the iceberg. I’m glad I’ve attended this useful training,” commented William Law, one of the participants from Grace Methodist Church.

“Always remember to put Christ first when you go out to volunteer. It’s all for His Glory, not ours,” reminded Steve, one of the trainers from CREST.

Mrs. Lana Wong, the Executive Director of CREST best summed up the training by saying, “Whatever reason you’re going, your perspective of life will be changed.”

If you or your church are interested in exploring the area of Disaster Response further, or if you want to be involved but do not know where to begin, please email CREST at crest@crestmalaysia.org

Until recently, I would describe myself as in “call waiting” mode for church-related mission trips.

“Call waiting” is a feature available on most phone networks. This useful feature shows the calling party’s ID while the called party is already on the line with someone else. Often it is up to the called party to decide whether he or she wants to respond to the caller.

For years, my Pastor has prompted me to go to “the ends of the earth” but his encouragement seemed to have fallen on the deaf ears of a disobedient Christian.

As a Small Group leader, I had never gone to any missions-related trips and I would justify my non-participation by saying that it is sufficient that I am serving the other needs of the church.

I’ve never prayed to God to use me in the missions ministry; perhaps it’s because I’ve never felt the need to go in that direction or maybe I was reluctant to depart from the comfort zone of urban dwelling.

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord directs his steps. – Proverbs 16:9

But I didn’t expect God to send a match that would change my course.

Towards the end of last December my Small Group members Richard and his wife Joyce resolved to serve in the Short Term Missions (STM) for the whole of this year.

This type of commitment calls for a trip every quarterly.

Though Richard and Joyce were new members in my church, I was amazed by their bold decision.

When Richard first invited me to join the first trip in last March, I politely declined him in an incoherent manner. My wife Roseline was not pleased by my response, and chided me for being insensitive to our own Small Group member.

The month of June came recently and Richard again extended the invitation of the second trip. This time I accepted without hesitation. On hindsight my wife also played a large role in influencing me to participate.

Twenty-one of us left on June 12, 2010 in a convoy of five cars. Our destination Longhouse Rumah Tatom, is 320 km away from Miri. Three other participants drove from Sibu to join us at Stapang, Oya.

Our initial journey was all but smooth.

We met with the first obstacle after driving for about an hour. A sister-in-Christ in my car received a nasty bump on her head as we were cruising along the uneven road at Bekenu. After applying first aid, we decided to stop by Bintulu General Hospital so she could receive further aid.

The second obstacle was more dramatic – our car engine stalled as we were nearing Bintulu. However we did not waver knowing He would not forsake us for doing His work. We called for help and a replacement car arrived and we were on our way again within the hour!

We arrived safely at the 38-door longhouse Rumah Tatom around 3:30 pm, welcomed by our host Mr. Tading Ak Rumpang and Pastor Jonathan Nora of the Selangau Iban Methodist Church.

Since our schedule had been set back by an hour’s delay due to the car breakdown and detour to the Bintulu General Hospital, we quickly proceeded to carry out what had been tasked – Children’s Ministry, Youth Ministry and Women’s Ministry.

Having the gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them. – Romans 12:6

God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary work.

As a novice in missions trips, I was amazed to see the different gifts applied for the purpose of ministry from each team member.

Husband and wife team San Lin and Cynthia were much appreciated by the children in the Sunday School activities.

Chiew Moi’s exceptional storytelling skill was manifested when she narrated the story of The Prodigal Son in Bahasa Malaysia.

The unseen hands in the kitchen were a great blessing to us. Though assigned as photographer, I was unexpectedly called to help in the F & B category. Remembering that one needed to be flexible under such circumstances, I happily obliged. My first experience of using wood for cooking was enjoyable despite the scorching heat.

We praise and thank God for answering our prayers in Rumah Tatom.

There was the tale of a drunkard man turned sober – he married and settled down, much to the relief and joy of his family. His mother subsequently requested Pastor Jonathan to remove the charm ornaments in her home. Testimonies from youths (in written and oral form) on how they were transformed after accepting Christ inordinately warmed our hearts. Showing unprecedented action of faith, a sister-in-Christ Madam Jelawa, even stepped forward and agreed to be our coordinator in Rumah Tatom!

When you feel impelled to help fill a need, when you are inwardly driven to serve – listen to those thoughts. You don’t want to miss God’s call. – Cindy Hess Kasper

We drove home to Miri the following day. Though the trip was short, I knew we had done our best to sow and plant the seed of God’s love.

Near or far, everyone should at least go once on a mission trip in his or her lifetime – not only to impact others, but also to allow others to impact us.

Because in the process of recognizing our own smallness, we’ll be embraced by God’s greatness.

Six decades ago a young American girl visited a golden sand beach in Sarawak.

Through an invitation from a British Officer, this young girl Gail Pilley Harris and her elder brother sailed from Sibu to Miri for a short holiday.

“I remember a path from the hill which we would run down to the beautiful beach and watch iguanas in a nearby cave,” reminisced the daughter of a famous mother who founded the Sibu Methodist Children’s Home.

Parents John and Muriel Pilley were American missionaries born in Fuzhou, China and so were their children.

All speak fluent Fuzhou dialect.

Gail, who holds a Doctorate in Social Psychology, now resides in Rockford, Knoxville, Tennessee.

She was the guest-of-honour at the recent 60th Anniversary Thanksgiving Celebration of the Sibu Methodist Children’s Home.

Last week I met up with Gail in Miri when she was in town for a brief visit.

Interviewing the warm and open-hearted Gail was a rare priviledge for me.

I almost fell from my chair when she started the conversation in fluent Fuzhou dialect with an authentic China accent!

For the next fifteen minutes I was mesmerized by Gail’s fascinating narration of her dear mother, the indomitable Muriel who founded the Home sixty years ago.

“It all started with four orphaned girls,” said Gail. “My mother was a strong advocate in education for all, despite the fact that during that time when it was considered ‘wasteful and a total loss’ to send girls to school. The birth of a baby girl was often met with more disdain than joy especially in the poor families,” recalled Gail.

Gail also shared her fond memories of Journey’s End (site of the present Wesley Methodist Church) in Sibu. Her mother had affectionately named their residence Journey’s End as she knew they would never return to China again.

To raise money for the abandoned and abused children, the creative founder would stage Shakepeare’s Romeo and Juliet and As You Like It in the Fuzhou dialect. Actors and actresses were recruited from the nearby Methodist Secondary School. Gail also noted that the shows were always a sold-out and that Journey’s End was often filled with beautiful costumes and rehearsals.

At the end of the session, I couldn’t help feeling emotional.

The gale of love in Gail had somewhat left me breathless.

(The interview was conducted on June 15, 2010 in Miri)

Here are some of the random shots I like. Enjoy, .

Our guest preacher was Rev. Dr. Ling Tung Kiing from the Methodist Theological School, Sibu.

The children gave an outstanding performance, much to the joy of everyone.

Applause to the parents also awed everyone with a lively action song!

Every parent received a gift from the church.

Happy recipients.

I love you Mom, says daughter.

Two Moms in a good mood.

These were the wonderful ladies giving out the gifts.

Leading the 5000 participants was my church member. A professional aerobics instructor, Jennifer also owns and operates her studio. She has rendered her free aerobics performances to Miri City on many occasions – so proud of her!

I like this pic of the VVIPs enjoying themselves thoroughly!

The crowd followed the exercise regime enthusiastically. Never before have I seen so many people in one location doing aerobics – wow!

I climbed onto a mobile ladder to take this shot.

Everyone was enjoying the healthy exercise.

No direct sunlight could deter them from staying away!

Jennifer in the background.

Aerobics at its best here!

Roseline, Jennifer and Anthea.

I was surprised that the radio chinese channel iFM 89.9 deejays (L-R green tees Lobak, Maggie Kiu and PK) are celebrities and have a huge following in Miri!

Record setting bead-woven Jalur Gemilang – congrats!

“Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” ~ 1 Peter 4:10 (New International Version)

Miri – We praise God for over 400 people who responded to the health screening at Dewan Taman Tunku recently.

Following the successful “Christian Love In Action” project by Grace Methodist Church (GMC) last June, the Social Concerns Ministry of the Miri District of Methodist Churches organized a similar health screening on April 25, 2010.

“We have two health screenings in our pipeline this year,” confirmed Magdalene Huang, volunteer worker for the Social Concerns Ministry. “The next screening will be on this coming August 8 at the newly-completed Tudan (BM) Methodist Church. Today is our first job and we are blessed to have so many volunteer workers from the participating churches of Mei Ann, Gan En, Yi En and Taman Tunku.”

The health screening is a platform that the Social Concerns Ministry shares as an outreach to the needy and the lower income group.

This free community-oriented service was made possible through the collaboration of the Miri General Hospital Eyes Clinic, the Sarawak Society for the Blind (Miri branch) and the Malaysian Diabetes Association (Miri branch).

Professional services and equipments were rendered in the areas of eye, blood sugar and blood pressure checks. From the Miri General Hospital, prominent Eye Specialists Dr. Hisham Mohd. Kalaf and Dr. Chieng Lee Ling together with eight nurses were at the Dewan from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm to serve the people.

Dr. Chieng commented, “Our primary aim is to identify those with potential deteriorating eyesight. We want to carry out corrective measures at this stage. It’s so fulfilling when you witness a visually-challenged person recovering from his sight. The joy on his face says it all.”

At hand to help were three Specialists from the Sarawak Society for the Blind (Miri branch) and five volunteers from the Malaysian Diabetes Association (Miri branch).

Here are the statistics derived:
Respondents – 426 people
Eye checks – 374 people
Blood sugar level checks – 345 people
Blood pressure checks – 340
Glasses prescribed – 111 pairs
Serious eye cases referrals for further treatment at the GH – 25

An elated Magdalene Huang summed up her thoughts and conveyed her fullest appreciation after the event, “GMC first sowed the seeds of this ministry and we took the cue. Therefore we want to applaud Ling Hui Chu and Chia Kah Pheng of GMC for their selfless efforts and for connecting us to the relevant parties. Though GMC is not directly involved in this project, we are touched when Rev. Law Hui Seng and some of his flock came to help us on their own initiative. Our heartfelt thanks also goes to the Miri General Hospital, the Sarawak Society for the Blind (Miri branch) and the Malaysian Diabetes Association (Miri branch). We also wish to thank Nestle (for sponsoring Milo drinks) and Mr. Y.K. Yang of Yang Low Ophthalmic Opticians for his passion and generousity. Last and certainly not the least, we are grateful to DS Rev. Esther Law and all the church volunteers for blessing us so abundantly in this project. All glory to God.”

To find out more about this life-changing ministry, you can email Magdalene Huang at oceanlove2727@yahoo.com

People streaming in between 11:00 am to 4:00 pm at Dewan Taman Tunku.

Blood pressure reading.

Visual reading assisted by church volunteers.

Staff from the Eye Clinic of the Miri General Hospital doing a good job.

Volunteers from the Malaysian Diabetes Association (Miri branch) doing their best for the people.

Social Concerns Ministry volunteer worker Magdalene Huang helping out.

We want to thank Rev. Lau for blessing us and we wish him all the best in his service to and for Our Father.

Rev. Thomas Lau (right) enjoying the Praise and Worship.

The Pastor started to pray during the Praise and Worship.

Referring to a verse in the Bible.

The gifted and humble preacher making a point.

Here’s a short clip of Rev. Lau’s sermon during the evening service.

One the songs by the Praise and Worship team in the evening service.

I must say I was awed by her vocal performance and expression. Clearly she is a blessed child.

Opening up presents – what a joy!

More photos at

http://4thboysbrigadecompany.wordpress.com/

During the Inter-Division meet in Kuching, I broke the Long Jump record and was awarded the Best Athlete for Boys B. Following that, Wong Hing (Discus, Div A), Ling Hoe Hung (Discus, Div B) and I (Long Jump, Div B) were selected to represent Sarawak in the MSSM in Alor Setar, Kedah.

We also won the Inter-School Boys B basketball. Those were the days when every secondary male student wanted to keep long hair and own a pair bell-bottoms pants.

And Andy Gibb was everyone’s idol.

In the group pic, Mrs. Wong (5S1 Form Teacher Class of 78) was seated at the far right. She too received a prize for fund raising for her tremendous effort.

This was one of my precious two non-sports awards I received during my school days.

As a young novice in public speaking, there were butterflies in my tummy when I stood on stage at the school hall. I didn’t even have the confidence to invite my family members to attend the function. But strangely I came in third in the Junior category. I remember my classmate Stephen Teo, now a Professor at UWS, came in second and Joachim in Form Three, the champion.

Group pic of the participants. Stephen at front row, 1st right. Das Muthy (back row, 2nd right) was my senior and excellent student in Arts side. If my memory serves me right, Das scored straight As for his “A” Levels which was equivalent to achieving a miracle in those days! Joachim the big guy, was seated at back row, 2nd left. I was at the front row, 2nd from the left.

My precious Third Prize trophy today in my possession, thanks to Mrs. Tiong!

Thanks to James Yong, for this one and only photo I have of my athletics days in St. Joseph’s Kuching.

Taken after the 1974 Inter-School Athletics Meet, the school athletes (not the full team) together the coaches and Principal Bro. Columba at the famous field of St. Joseph’s. The athletes comprised of Divisions A, B and C. I remember I was the reserved High Jumper for Division C (13-14 years old) and for some unknown reason, Benjamin Read was unable to participate and Brother Mark put my name in as the last minute replacement. As a first timer, I was very glad I was placed 5th and earned two points for my school. I also remember Bro. Mark’s indelible comments in my autograph prior to my departure to Sacred Heart School Sibu. His encouragement made a huge impact on my passion in competitive sports in my later years.

During those days in St. Joseph’s one would see the school fields crowded with boys from 4:30pm to 5:30pm. The Seniors always played “taiko” and guided the newcomers. On top of that the Brothers had their own field of expertise. For example, Bro Adrian was the hockey coach and Bro. Hyacinth in badminton. But most of the time all the Brothers were involved in all the school’s extra-curricular activities. Bro. Columba was a hawk and most feared as he would go round the classes catching those who fooled around. Aha… those were the days, .

Last night I stumbled upon this recent (and wonderful) photo in James Yong’s blog posting dated Feb 2, 2010:

L-R Bro. Adrian, Bro. Columba, (Michael Chew- Form 6 1972-3 SJS) and Bro. Mark.

The La Salle Brothers were the true educators in Sarawak, touching and making a difference in the thousands of students under their wings. Bro. Columba and Bro. Albinus were the most dedicated principals we’ll ever find.

Yes, we were the priviledged ones – being at the right place and the right time. Our heartfelt thanks and gratitude to all the Brothers who taught us.

Pic shows the St. Joseph’s Primary School Kuching basketball team in 1973.

The final match was with Ong Tiang Swee Primary School team which we won easily. We had a strong team with two excellent guard players; the Ngu brothers Simon and Peter from Miri. Our basketball coach (can’t remember his name) was strict and dedicated, and so was our fierce principal the late Mr. Chai Chin Tu who seemed to be everywhere!

Sometimes we would see the presence of the “Men in White Gowns” (the La Salle Brothers from the secondary school – Bro. Columba, Bro. Mark, Bro Adrian, Bro. Hyacinth) during trainings or competitions. Obviously they were already scouting for talents – talking about planning and preparedness!

The La Salle Brothers were the true educators of our time; the model student should be an all-rounder; not only excelling in academic studies.

Pic above shows (L-R) Back row Kho Ho Sia, James Wong, Simon Ngu(Captain), Aikman Teo, Peter Ngu, Lim Beng Tiong. Front row “Ang Kow”, Tan Kok Tiong, Adrian Chew

All smiles after the final match.

Bottom pics show I was already sporting a crew cut. Unfortunately (or fortunately) many of my Primary school buddies remember me for my hair style, haha!

Hearing Colin reminiscing about our dads and moms (they were close friends) warmed my heart. Yes, we did promise to keep in touch.

Pic circa 1964 Colin in white shirt and I, the youngest one. And here we are now taking a photo together again 46 years later.

This photograph is the only one I have of Mom in a individual pose. Her 60s suit looked so chic!

Pic circa 1964 shows Dad and I at the piano.

On the far left was Mom. I was seated. It’s a shame I can’t identify the rest of the people – would you let me know if you do?

Pic circa 1963