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A beautiful wedding celebration at the Sabah Goducate learning center

Recently a couple decided to exchange their vows at the Goducate community center in one of the kampungs. After 8 years of a rollercoaster love story, they finally joining their hearts. This is the first wedding event that happened in the community center, after over a year it was built.

The mother of the bride before the wedding asked if they can use the center and we said why not. Most of the people in kampong helped the couples’ families to prepare their food and decorate the place. A Filipino culture of bayanihan, whether they are different in doctrine and beliefs.

It’s Sunday morning and the weather was hot, most people was excited and asking what time are we going to the wedding because it will start around 3 o’clock in the afternoon. We went to the wedding with a few mothers. I was surprised that to see our simple Community center was turned into a beautiful garden with two seats at the center. As I saw the couple, the bride was so beautiful that made her as a princess for today, she changed her dress 3 times. Then after we ate, we took some pictures from the couple and the family.

Early that evening, we went home thankful for this event because it helps bind the relationship between the people of different cultures and traditions within that kampong. But then the wedding party was not yet over until midnight.

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I’m afraid they won’t enrol me; I want to go to school

In the village there was a story of this young fellow. The trained parents and teachers were collecting a contribution for the school house to be built in that particular place.

They went to the house of this 8 year old child and asked “where are your parents?” The kid told them “work” They told the kid about the contribution for their school house and for him to tell his parents about it.

Five minutes later this kid went to them running with one ringgit on his hand saying “teacher this is my contribution” so the teachers wrote the name that the family gave this amount. A man came and saw the list of names. He went to the parents because he knew them and they work on the same fast food store.

He asked the mother of this child “ how come you gave only 1 RM?” The mother went home angrily and ashamed, asking herself who gave this little amount. She talked to her son angrily, the son was crying saying “Mom, I gave my last ringgit that I kept for so long.. They teachers came here to ask for contribution and you were not here. I was afraid if I don’t give they won’t enroll me.. I want to go to school.” The mother and the teachers were touched to the willingness of this child to go to school. And this really blesses my heart.

Well, from the other side of the khampung I went back, of course in my little boat. It was 5:00 pm that I went out the Khampung because Auntie is calling me to go home. I will never forget this adventure.

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The poor children in Sabah

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Jean’s diary – a new village

I was in a bit of fear. I don’t know this man, I am alone, I need to ride in a boat to reach their khampung and the water is so black in all sense of the color wherein it was the drainage of all the waste of the factories around the area.. It was totally a mess what if I fall from the boat what will I do? Yet I go, with 2 trained parents; while I was in the middle of the river I screamed within myself.. Screaming without a voice because of fear that I will fall.

A good visit actually, It was another community of 20 to 25 houses.. and children who are willing to study. I saw some children I asked them “what is your name?”( in there native dialect) they just answered me the name that they are normally called. Then I ask “ how old are you?” every children has the same answer “ I don’t know”. It really crushed my heart..

But the man that brought me there was a blessing.. God uses this man – he was bitter that he had education because of what had happened to him for me to see that there are so many children who need help. It ended with him willingly enrolling his daughter and son into the new literacy center.