Sri Lanka

i know many of you might have been disappointed with my response when you asked me how is Sri Lanka. i guess i have not quite come round to the mixed feelings i've had on the trip, nix the jet lagged-ness :p

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from why this trip is to be such a special one- of course any trips taken with my dear moo moo is in and of itself a precious experience, but well she knows the reason;

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to the beauty that the land & people had to offer- the wild safari, the lush nature, the riches from the earth, pure beauty... but this is somewhat tainted by the rich-poverty gap, city-rural differences, effects of globalisation on this country;

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to the stirrings it produced in me when i think about the political climate and instability of the country due to the LTTs, and how it has handicapped its growth to become one of Singapore's biggest threat, and the fact of how poor and fragile our little island is;

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to how my heart soured when over and over again i am reminded of the truth that the Church is so weak today - the blue mosque in Turkey, the Buddhist & Hindu temples in Sri Lanka. despite being tourist attractions, they all had worshippers going into worship. But yet, the cathedrals in Europe only serve as pubs and cafes, and a tight slap across our faces...

I often prayed "Father forgive them, they know not what they are doing" when i see idol worship. But yet when faced with the huge statues i see, the "magnificence" of the temples constructed, the people throwing themselves down in "contrition" on "holy ground", the words could not come to my mouth.

The jealousy for God's glory failed my prayer. How does God stomach His creation giving their undying faith to stones? How can He endure seeing these things... And how can those who worship the true and living God give so little, when those who worship the false gods can give so much...

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I enjoyed the trip, i really did. But i think the lessons it brought me this Christmas season is somewhat depressingly awakening... Pardon my failure to be more enthusiastic about Sri Lanka for now- it's a beautiful land with beautiful people, it really is. But i wish they could see the beauty of the One who had given them all these.