LOVE IS NOT ABOUT SPOKEN WORDS

No words are needed to express love. It is best displayed by action. A touching clip about a father's love for his daughter.
Lesson to be learnt: we should always appreciate those around us and not be ashamed of them. Show it when they are still around because you might not get a chance if you missed it.

SLOWLY, BUT SURELY I MADE IT TO THE TOP.

Mount Belumut (Gunung Belumut), standing at 1,010 metres (3,314 ft), is located in the state of Johor, Malaysia. The trek can be completed within a day, while the average climber would take two days one night. For the average climber, the climb to the summit takes 5 to 6 hours and the return to the foot (by the same route) takes 3 to 4 hours.

The route upwards to the false and true summits is uphill almost all the way. It is considered quite a tough climb for those less fit or first timers. It takes about 20 mins to reach the true summit from the false one. Except for a huge boulder there was not much of a scenary.
Just a brief account on my trip on sunday september 4^th 2011. We arrived at the entrance at around 0830hrs and started climbing immediately after posing for some photos.

The starting trail was quite easy, but after a couple of km was steep all the way, with a few flat land then it's back steepness till eternity. I must have walk for miles. Have you ever walked until you can't walk anymore and all you wanted to do is to sit down, have a cold drink? That was how I felt, but I knew I had to keep on pushing myself in order to complete the hike. For this expedition we had a group of 14 people , the oldest was about 65 years old. Everyone took their own time and at their own pace. It took me 3 hours to reach the peak and about the same time down. It rained on my way down and the wet condition makes it quite difficult to descend and I had to slowed down abit. At one point there as a fallen branches and I had to bend low to get to the other side and got in the way of a twig ,which cut across my forehead between my eyes. Had it been a few inches nearer I would had been blind. Finally reach the foot of the mountain at around 1550 hours. This is by far the highest peak I had climbed and the most difficult one for me and I don't think I would be in a hurry to try another similar or higher ones. Even if I wanted to I doubt my body could take such punishment anymore. Here are some photos that serve as memories of the trip.

                                           difference species of mushroom

the main entrance

at the peak

a pyramid like pinacle at the peak

On the boulder at the peak

the crown rock and from here another 3km to the summit

masterwordsmith-unplugged: God Will Take Care of You

Read this on MWS's blog and it is such a nice message and it will be such a pity if I don't share it.
Hope you enjoy the deep truth in it. Also enjoy the little boy's singing.I just love it.

masterwordsmith-unplugged: God Will Take Care of You

SOUL SURFER

If you are looking for an inspiration movie. this is it.

I cried watching the trailer. Looking forward to the movie already.




more about Betheny Hamilton  here and here

AN UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT.

What was suppose to be a simple dinner turn out to be nightmare for me tonight.  I had just finish dinner and was on my way back to my home. I stopped at red. Then I heard siren, I looked on my mirror and saw a fire engine speeding by right behind my car. There was no space on my side , the only choice was to turn to the left. I almost got clear, when I heard a loud bang . I knew someone had bang my car. Got down to have a look, it was just my bumper. Just then  a car came by and stop behind my car and two persons got out of their car and started shouting, I told them to calm down but to no avail especially the female whom i presume must be the wife of the driver. To avoid problem and inconvenience  I was prepare to pay for the damage, but when they gave me a rather absurd amount, I told them in that case I will make a police report and they could claim from the insurance company. Since it was also the company's car I was driving it was the only logical thing to do. But they would not  allow me to leave and insisted I settle with them. I tried reasoning but they got  more aggressive. I make a quick report to my General manager to let him know what had happen.  He came  within half an hour and brought with him two policemen. Even they could not calm down the lady. We were all summon to go to the police station to file our reports. Even after the report have been lodged, that lady was still cursing away when she saw me. I just don't understand why people behave like that? It was an accident , what had happen had happen which is something nobody wants  but the inevitable had happen. why can't they accept it and discuss like a human being. This is so unlike the one I encountered a few months ago. I was at a round about and waiting for the traffic was clear. unfortunately the car in front of me stopped half way and I jammed my brakes , but not soon enough. My car (not the same one I drove tonight) just  hit his bumper , a Honda . A guy got out with his lady friend. This was a real gentleman, no shouting. I  told me it was my fault and I was prepare to pay for his repairs and gave me call card , and he gave me his.
From his card I could tell he was someone important  who works in an international company based in singapore. What he said really left a good impression on me. Whether it was to impress his lady friend, I do not know. This was what he said," I will call you if there is anything, but I don't think I will be calling you" and with that he left with another piece of advice, please drive carefully.  What a contract with the one I had to dealt with at this recent accident. After more than an hour it was done and could not wait to get out of the police station.
This is one place I  would not like to go again. I was looking forward to September, but I guess it did not start off too well. Let's hope it will end well.

SEPTEMBER

September, the nine month of the year. Three more months to the year close.  I have been looking forward to this month and it is finally here. Another 13 more days, I will be back home. Gonna hugged my darling wife tight, Hi -five my son and  my  precious daughter. Played with my Dog. Yes, I will honour my word and do a photo shoot with a girl whom I had promised.  Once I have give my word I will do it. Then I gonna chilled out with my former gym buddies.  Lastly I will also be taking a group of 40 hikers to one of the hills at Kuala Lumpur.  September is gonna be fun.

Roll’ of English

A worthy cause that need mentioning. Perhaps all is not lost for those children who's English is lacking.

story in yesterday's star

Armed with four-wheel drives, volunteers and lots of books, two teachers hope to improve the reading and English skills of disadvantaged children.

JUST a short walk away from the swanky bistros and trendy boutiques along Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur, lies the Sri Pahang flats.

The low-cost flats house families who would not otherwise be able to afford a roof over their heads. I am sitting in on an English language reading programme for children in the small community centre.

A mobile library used as part of the Reading Bus programme initiated by Cheli Tamilselvam and Kong Lai Mei.

Holding a colourful picture book before him, teacher Cheli Tamilselvam is leading his class of young charges on animal noises. “And what sound does a cat make?” Cheli asks, to which the children respond with enthusiastic meows. Two welfare workers sit nearby, carefully observing the lesson and occasionally getting up to coax in curious children peeping from the doorway.

Adding to the mix are a group of university students who are here as part of their Moral Studies course and to individually guide the children with their reading.

While the scene looks like a run-of-the-mill community outreach programme, it is in fact the remarkable result of the Reading Bus initiative started by Cheli, 51, and his wife Kong Lai Mei, 50.

Reaching out

After teaching in Sarawak for the past 27 years, Cheli and Kong decided to pack up and move back to Kuala Lumpur, partly out of a desire to start a Reading Bus here.

‘Around 140 children turned up when the tuk-tuk (Reading Bus) pulled into the village! It was a touching sight,’ says Kong Lai Mei.

The premise of the Reading Bus is simple: stack up a four-wheel drive (4WD) vehicle with books, drive out to a community in need once a week, unload the books and coach children on reading skills.

Cheli explains that the process is repeated for a set duration of time, before the books are left in the community to serve as a library.

“We identify locals in the community, whom we then train to continue the programme.

“The books are loaded in a customised wooden set of shelves, which can be folded away for easy storage,” says the father of two sons aged 22 and 25.

After starting out with just one 4WD in Kampung Pasir Ulu, Sarawak, they now have eight Reading Bus vehicles; six in Sarawak, one in Sabah, and one in Peninsular Malaysia.

Cheli says that the project began out of a desire to address the difficulties rural students had with the English language.

“I was concerned by how these students were going to cope with their studies in English when they don’t have sufficient exposure to the language.

“After discussing the idea with some friends, we managed to raise enough funds for the bus (4WD) in two weeks, and set off to Pasir Ulu with 400 books.

“Our mission is to give every child the opportunity to enjoy their school studies through a love for reading,” he says.

‘Even my former students who have gone on to university would return to help coach the children,’ says Cheli Tamilselvam.

The initiative has also since expanded beyond Malaysian shores – to Cambodia.

“Lai Mei and I went to Cambodia last year, and we were so overwhelmed by the situation there,” says Cheli.

“We felt that the Reading Bus model was applicable, so after making some contacts with the locals, we started the project there in June.”

Operating in a small village in the Baray district, the Cambodian “reading bus” is in fact a tuk-tuk.

“Around 140 children turned up when the tuk-tuk pulled into the village!” exclaims Kong.

“It was a touching sight; some of the kids looked like they had barely enough to eat, and so little to wear, but they were so excited at the chance to flip through the books.

“They had such a hunger to learn.”

Safe haven

Aside from the Reading Bus series, Cheli also started an after-school centre in Kenyalang Park, Kuching.

According to Cheli, the centre’s aim is to help weaker students catch up on their studies in a safe environment.

“When I was the vice-principal of SMK Bandar Kuching No 1, I found that around 20% of my students found it hard to cope with their studies.

“The problem with mass education is that it does not target the cream of the crop, and it does not meet the needs of the weakest.

“For years, my primary focus was on how to keep those who were struggling in school, and how to teach this group because the school hours were just not enough,” he says.

As a result, the couple set up Bethany Home, which aims to provide students a conducive place to catch up on their studies.

The centre also provides food and transportation, thanks to the help of generous donors.

“We would have 50 students showing up daily, just to do their homework or revision,” says Cheli.

“While we encouraged independent study, we found that students were ever ready to help their weaker peers.

“Even my former students who have gone on to university would return to help coach the children at the centre.”

He adds that most of the students who came regularly to the centre went on to do well in their examinations.

Bethany Home continues to operate with the help of volunteers, while Cheli has replicated a similar centre in Segambut, KL.

“The model works, so I thought it would be a good idea to use it to cater to students from marginalised communities here,” he says.

Driving force

When Cheli speaks of his community projects, it is clear that they all have one common driving force – his students.

“Schools tend to operate like prisons, but I want them to be like gardens, where children can bloom and be the best they can be.

“But I guess my ways are quite radical,” he says with a smile.

These “radical ways” involve getting to know his students, listening to their problems, and even treating his more “problematic” charges to cakes.

“I want to hear their (the students’) stories,” says Cheli.

“We tend to forget that when students act out, there may be more to them than meets the eye – and I think most children want a second chance, a chance to be heard.

“The minute I stop writing them off as ‘problem children’, I see them change for the better; it’s not an easy process, but they do change for the most part.”

In fact, some of the students’ stories are hard to ignore; like the student who constantly got involved in fights in retaliation to his abusive family environment.

Or the 15-year-old boy who was late for school because he delivers newspapers from 3am to 6am to supplement his family’s income.

Cheli adds that while his former students have gone on to be doctors, lawyers and engineers, he is equally proud of the ones who have managed to complete their schooling despite the odds.

“I still meet up with former students to catch up on their lives,” he says. “At one such reunion, I was with students who were getting by with average jobs – clerks, mechanics, and sales assistants.

“But they were happy and content with earning an honest living, giving their best in what they do – that, to me, is what an education is supposed to be about.”