Tribute to My Dad

there's just so many things I'm grateful to my dad for...

his dedication to God, family and ministry...

his love for people...

his liberal mind....

his humbleness....

his leadership...

his correction.....

his encouragement......

his "never say die" mentality...

his youthfulness....

his wisdom.....

his integrity....

Pa, there's just too much to thank you for...

all I can say is that you are the best role model for me...

I hear you everyday..eventhough you're not here in Romania...

Love you with all my heart...

and I want to wish you...a Joyous 51st Birthday..

"SUCCESS TO SIGNIFICANCE"

Siva is here already....this guy studied with me in Taylors College, Subang, Malaysia. Real good lad, he is. I spent a week introducing friends of mine to him and the ways of the "Romanian life". I think he's getting the hang of it now....

Its snowing like crazy now...and temperatures dip as low as -14 on some nights... but its classes as usual here.... Anatomy is really a challenge for me.... as I'm absolutely hopeless at memorizing... I try to use stuff in my daily life to remember terms and names.... Some are quite obscene (laughs) but the more outrages, the better I remember.

If all goes well I will be visiting my parents late December. Probably spend a couple of weeks there before I return to Iasi. Iasi is immaculate when it snows....everythings just white and beautiful....

The city needs a direction and a valid cause. At the moment people are just getting psyched up about Romania being in the EU in 2007..... but they have no other passion for anything except $$...... Pious, they are.... but with "strings attached".....

"Above me is I and below me is myself, there is no one more important than me".....Aassaf Can

AIESEC not only took me in, but they have catered training in English just for me and a couple of my buddies. They have also attached three chicks to teach us Romanian in ten "intensive" lessons....I figure it'll be more than that...

I've been here for over a month now...and if there's one thing about Romanians that I've learnt....it is that nothing is for sure... My Dad and I were here about a couple of months ago....and I used to nag at him because he asked too many questions....and he wasn't shy to do anything... I did not realize that he was trying to teach me not to be affected by the circumstances... "In man's eyes we may look foolish...but we have an agenda that is God-given" Its only now that I understand the true meaning of what he said.

Every morning, these days, I wake up to the singing of a naked Israeli in the shower... These guys are truly a gift from God.. Aassaf and Basem... brothers, they are studying in the 3rd and 5th year respectively... They have taught me much about the ways of the Romanians.

I have started to cook already... last week I made sautead beef with potatoes and chinese style cabbage...it turned out really well...but of course I had help from the "Malialee sisters", Jazzy,Shireen and Shabby....

Most probably, next week we'll be starting a fellowship at my place on Sunday. The materials I need are being sent to me by my loving mum... thanks to Ps. Mahen for compiling the songs. Love u.

SO...the Church service here wasn't exactly what I had expected...All I can say is that, it was just a very solemn experience... I could not understand a word they were saying and my interpreter wasn't doing a very good job either. At the end of the service, Theodore (Co-founder of the church), invited me for lunch in his place.

On the whole, I find the people here are not very expressive of their feelings towards anything. I guess it is because they had been suppressed by communist ideals for many years. The younger generation seem to break out from this mould, though....

I have just made an application to enter a world renown student-run organisation called, AIESEC. Its core aim is to discover and develop their potential so as to have a positive impact in society. To reach this aim, AIESEC provides over 5,000 leadership positions, organizes over 350 conferences, and runs an exchange program that offers 3,500 members the opportunity to live and work in a foreign country. I will be interviewed this Saturday (15th Oct).....There's absolutely no doubt that I will be selected... hehe...com'on...I'm Joshua.

My friends are still not here.....and the apartment that I was about to move in to, was taken back by the owner...coz he had some relative comin to stay there... Tough luck... But my agent assured me a better place in 3 days...

Something to ponder about: Are you swimming in the stream...or creating a wave??

I have started to speak some Romanian already... Conversations are probably a couple of years away though. I woke up at 0500hrs feeling a strong burden to pray for Iasi and the plan that God has for this land. There has to be a multi-faceted team in place, to bring about a mighty move of God in this land.

Yesterday, I had a fun time playing soccor with the boys (2nd & 3rd year medical students) here. Very eventful afternoon for me actually - I scored a couple of goals, injured a guy and got injured myself...what can I say... all in a day's work.

TODAY..I'll be going to Theodor's church... The service will be conducted in Romanian language... hopefully I won't have to percieve the message in the Spirit!

If all is well I'll be starting school next week...if the guys are here by then, that is. The 'family' is thinking of visiting me this winter... I'd rather meet them somewhere in Asia.... Winter here, can go 30 under sometimes.

Well, it did not really start out right. My Malaysian friends got deported back to their country from Bucharest Airport. I saw it coming since the transit at Istanbul. The authorities were checking if our passports were real! Can't really blame them, with all the terrorism that's just mountin'... Miss Indian food already ... Yesterday, I had a sumptuous meal at 'Zefir', a local restaurant. I had an interesting conversation with Shashi, a third year student in my University. My true mission for this month is to get to know people and the way around Iasi. God is at work in my life, everyday is a challenge to walk true and Holy before Him. - Oct 7 '05 1216hrs Iasi, Romania