Children Action Lanka!

Dear Friends,

I recently went to Sri Lanka. It was my first trip there. It was a thoroughly enjoyable holiday. It is a beautiful country with many attractive places. But at the same time it gave me a reality check. I met beggars both young and old. A small boy stopped a van we were travelling, to beg. He risked his life to beg. He wanted money to buy shoes. I don't know if the story was true but it was sad that instead of being in school the boy was on the street begging and risking his life stopping cars by standing in front of it. There was another boy who ran down a hill, about 5 or 6 bends on a hill just to sell flowers. He was always faster than the van we were travelling in. We did not want to buy initially but we were touched by his perseverance. If only he could put the same amount of effort in his studies, he will really do well in school.

Just to put things in perspective, a tea plantation worker who has to work rain or shine earns about Sri Lankan Rupees 18,000 which is about USD144 a month. That is how much they make while the tea plantation owners make tons of money. Such is life in Sri Lanka. Things are worse in Jaffna which has been ravaged by the war with the Tamil Tigers but Jaffna has not been given much attention since the war ended.

I had a chance to visit some children in Child Action Lanka in Kandy. They had street kids whose parents cannot effort to look after them as they needed to work. The children's age ranged from two months old to 18 years old. Child Action Lanka depended on support from Volunteers and Public Donation. The Churches also supported them. But the place they were based in is not the most ideal and it required a lot of work. One Volunteer named Tom from United Kingdom was there for two months during his University break to help the Centre. He was only about 20 years old. Another local girl aged 17, was there to help look after a toddler. Despite coming from a privileged family she was down to earth, caring and dedicated. Apparently, she had done very well in her "O" Levels. I was impressed by her devotion to the cause.

If you would like to help either as a Volunteer or donate cash, food or clothes, here is the link to the "Child Action Lanka"- www.childactionlanka.org or chilldaction@sltnet.lk or call them Tel- 077 9021730.

Thank you for your support in advance.

God Bless!

Best Regards,
Mark

Earth Hour 2014

Dear Friends,

Looking at the weather pattern around the world, it is quite scary how things will change in the next 50 to 100 years. Singapore faced the driest month in the last 100 years in February 2014. Drought in Malaysia is forcing them to ration water in many states. There are man-made fires in parts of Indonesia. In other, parts of the world, there are floods and landslides.We need to do something now to slow down and prevent major disasters.

Earth Hour is happening 29th of March 2014. Please do your part for the event by participating and spreading the message of being environmentally friends everyday of the year. Take 4 simple green actions:

1) Turn air-conditioning up by one degree
2) Switch to LED light bulbs
3) Use fewer plastic bags
4) Take shorter showers

"Spider-Man and stars to lead WWF’s largest Earth Hour event from Singapore". Please visit this website for more information : http://earthhour.wwf.sg/2014/

Attend the Global Earth Hour Event on 29th March (Saturday) @ The Float Marina Bay from 5 pm.

Lets do our part to save the Earth.

Love All, Serve All!

Best Regards,
Mark

2014 New Year Resolution-Make Things Happen!

My friend Granville posted this simple message on Face Book. This is his message for 2014 and I totally agree with him. You can manifest what you want if you stop making excuses and do something about your problems, goals & targets. Plan how you want to achieve your wishes or New Year Resolutions whatever they may be. You can do it!!!

Good Luck!

Merry Christmas &  a Happy New Year!

Cheers,
Mark
http://exercise2energize.blogspot.sg/

Be Charitable This Christmas n New Year Season

Hi Friends,

It is touching that many people have come forward to help the victims of Typhoon Haiyen and other disasters. But if you look at your own backyard you may find pockets of people needing help with food, clothes, a roof over their head.  More people are becoming richer but the less well to do are being left behind.

It is always wonderful when someone thinks of others instead of themselves. I admire people who are able to feel for others. Not just talk about it but do something positive. But I feel that the world has become more selfish and inward looking. People want to become rich at the expense of others. They want to back stab others at work. They want to make use of people especially friends for their own selfish gain. If each person can think of helping others instead of just themselves, the world will be a better place. Help the poor who will be grateful for even $1 they receive to buy a meal or clothes. Donate food and clothes to your neighborhood charity, to Third World countries or to your neighbors (if they are in need of help). Instead, of buying the expensive "IT" bag or 100th pair of shoes, you can give that money to charity. The more you give....the more you get in return. Look at Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, Oprah Winfrey, Tiger Woods, and many others. It does not matter if you give $1 or $1 million dollars. You will be a better person by doing that and the person receiving will be happy and it will bring a smile to their face whether young or old.

We should be charitable on a day to day basis. But we should especially be Charitable This Christmas and New Year Season because we have the propensity to be extravagant with clothes, food, drinks and useless gifts.Please spare a thought for the less fortunate before you over indulge.

God Bless! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Love All Serve All!

Cheers,
Mark

"A Meaningful life....."

Hi Friends,

"A meaningful life is not being rich, being popular, being highly educated or being perfect.....it is about being real, being humble, being able to share ourselves and touch the lives of others. It is only then that we could have a full, happy and contented life." 

Anonymous.

I love this quote! Something for all of us to ponder over? Are we living a fulfilling life or are we chasing material things and getting frustrated.

Have a Great Day!

Cheers,
Mark

Too beautiful not to share .....

"The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams...." Theodore Roosevelt ************* Anger is a condition in which The tongue works faster than the mind .  **************************      You can't change the past,            but you can ruin the present                  By worrying over the future! ********************************* Love...and you shall be loved. &&&&&&&&&&&&& God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him.  *************************** All people smile in the same language. +++++++++++++++++++++++ Everyone needs to be loved... especially when they do not deserve it. ################## The real measure of a man's wealth is what he has invested in eternity.  @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Everyone has beauty but not everyone sees it. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ If you fill your heart with regrets of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow, you have no today to be thankful for. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% The choice you make today will usually affect tomorrow. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Take time to laugh, for it is the music of the soul. &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears. **************************** Love is strengthened by working through conflicts together. ============================== Harsh words break no bones but they do break hearts. ------------------------------- To get out of a difficulty, one usually must go through it. ++++++++++++++++++ We take for granted the things that we should be giving thanks for.  @@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ Happiness is enhanced by others but does not depend upon others. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For every minute you are angry with someone, you lose 60 seconds of happiness that you can never get back.  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ " The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn."  - Alvin Toffler

"The Cockroach Theory for Self Development"

Hi Friends,

Important lesson to learn from an email I received from my uncle. We all can reduce the stress we face daily by changing the way we react to circumstances and incidents. We will be happier and less stressed.

Enjoy reading!

"At a restaurant, a cockroach suddenly flew from somewhere and sat on a lady. She started screaming out of fear. With a panic stricken face and trembling voice, she started jumping, with both her hands desperately trying to get rid of the cockroach.

Her reaction was contagious, as everyone in her group also got panicky.

The lady finally managed to push the cockroach away but ...it landed on another lady in the group.

Now, it was the turn of the other lady in the group to continue the drama.

The waiter rushed forward to their rescue.In the relay of throwing, the cockroach next fell upon the waiter.

The waiter stood firm, composed himself and observed the behavior of the cockroach on his shirt.
When he was confident enough, he grabbed it with his fingers and threw it out of the restaurant.

Sipping my coffee and watching the amusement, the antenna of my mind picked up a few thoughts and started wondering, was the cockroach
responsible for their histrionic behavior?
If so, then why was the waiter not disturbed?
He handled it near to perfection, without any chaos.

It is not the cockroach, but the inability of the ladies to handle the disturbance caused by the cockroach that disturbed the ladies.

I realized that, it is not the shouting of my father or my boss or my wife that disturbs me, but it's my inability to handle the disturbances caused by their shouting that disturbs me.

It's not the traffic jams on the road that disturbs me, but my inability to handle the disturbance caused by the traffic jam that disturbs me.

More than the problem, it's my reaction to the problem that creates chaos in my life.

Lessons learnt from the story:
I understood, I should not react in life.
I should always respond.
The women reacted, whereas the waiter responded.

Reactions are always instinctive whereas responses are always well thought of, just and right to save a situation from going out of hands, to avoid cracks in relationship, to avoid taking decisions in anger, anxiety, stress or hurry."

 

Have a Great Day!

Cheers,

Mark