V2Catholic.com A
voice for the poor Edited
by HK prison chaplain
Fr John Wotherspoon O.M.I . 胡頌恆神父
jdwomi@gmail.com
Links,
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Pope Francis
This
website's anti-drug campaign saves people from going to prison in HK
See & share inmates' letters!
How
campaign began
HK
Indon
Kenya
Malaysia
Nigeria 
Ph 
SA 
S.Amer
Thai
Tz
Ug
EU
HK:how
long prison for trafficking?
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Name
& shame
JesusTower
GoodNewsForPoor
Dr
Jesus
China8
SimpleBible
MatteoRicci
Tanzania: 5 hours behind HK
Tues Jan 21
Jambo
("Hello") from Nairobi airport on night of Monday Jan 20 where I am
waiting, with my investigative journalist colleague Sean Christie, for a flight
to Dar es Salaam that was due to leave at 2pm, was re-scheduled to 6.15pm, and
re-re-schuduled to 8.30pm. I hope by the time most people read this, Sean and I
are already safely in Dar
Yesterday morning in Nairobi we took part in an 8am to 9am breakfast radio program on Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (like ABC in Australia). Followed by a TV interview in nearby park with Kenya Television Networks. Please God these two programs will save many people from being recruited as drug mules.
My taxi to the airport happened (... Providence
...) to go past Holy Family basilica/cathedral, so I asked the driver to park in
the cathedral grounds while I went inside the cathedral to say a goodbye thank
you for the past 5 days and to ask a blessing on everyone I've met these days.
And 
see below!
Report about my visit to Kenyan A-G's office
President's
daughter who became Africa's richest woman
Mexico
now a major Ice producer!
January
19 Pizza Party - early celebration of Lunar New Year!
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Genesis
44: Joseph had his
brothers' sacks filled with free grain,
then he gave them back their money.
But he again put them to the test:
he got his servants to put his special chalice
in Benjamin's sack.
Not long after the brothers left,
Joseph's servants caught up with them
and asked them why had they stolen Joseph's chalice.
They replied that they would never dream of doing such a thing
and that if the chalice was found in anyone's sack
that man would die.
Each man's sack was opened, beginning with the oldest,
and finally the chalice was discovered in Benjamin's sack.
On returning to Joseph's home
the brothers pleaded with Joseph not to punish Benjamin.
Judah even offered to be Joseph's slave for life
in return for Benjamin's freedom
Dear God, please
help
us in time of trial
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
104: Bless the Lord, my
soul! Lord God, how great you are. You make the clouds your chariot. You walk on
the wings of the wind. You make springs gush forth in the valleys. They give
drink to all the animals of the field. You make grass grow for the cattle and
plants to provide food for people. You give us wine to cheer our hearts and
oil to make our faces shine. You made the moon to mark the months. The sun knows
the time for its setting. How many are your works, O Lord. In wisdom you have
made them all. The earth is full of your riches and the sea is swarming with
life. All things, great and small, look to you for food. You open your hand,
they have their fill. You send forth
your spirit, and life is created.
You renew the face of the earth. I will sing to the Lord all my life.
May my thoughts be pleasing to him.
Bless the Lord, my soul!
01
02
1
Timothy 6.17-19: Warn people who are rich in this world's goods
that they are not to look down on others. Tell them not to set their hopes
on money, but on God who, out of his riches, gives us all we need for
happiness. Tell rich people to do
good, to be rich in
good works, to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will
have a healthy account in the Bank of Heaven
Jesus, please help rich people do more to help
poor people
Listen
Matthew
26.30-46: After their last meal, Jesus said to his
apostles
"Tonight all of you will desert me".
Peter said "I will never desert you".
Jesus replied "Tonight before the rooster crows,
you will deny me three times". They came to a place with olive
trees called Gethsemane.
Jesus took Peter, James and John to a part of that area
and asked them to pray with him. Jesus was overcome with sadness
and fear. He said to them "Sadness is filling my heart, as if my heart is
dying.
Please support me as I pray." Then he fell on his face and
prayed for about an hour:
"Father, don't let this suffering continue. But your will be
done". He stood up and found that the
apostles were asleep.
He said to them "Couldn't you stay awake one hour to support
me?" Three times he prayed the same way.
Three times the apostles went to sleep. Then he said "Get
ready. The one who is betraying me is coming".
Jesus, please help me give more
time to prayer
01
02
Reflection on the above readings: Sometimes we are not called on to provide an answer to people's problems, but just to support them, stand by them ... as Mary stood silently at the foot of the Cross
------------------------------
At 12 noon in my taxi to Nairobi airport yesterday, as is
my custom, I started praying The Angelus. But then I heard on the driver's radio
the word "Maria" and I realised the driver was tuned in to a Catholic
station which was broadcasting The Angelus in Swahili!
-------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun: Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia,
Pacific
Frid: South
America
Sat: Cent, N America
Jesus,
today, Tuesday,
please bless the people of
South
Asia
And praying for
prisoners in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 21st
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Yunnan
And praying for one of
the world's poorest countries
each day of the month:
On this 10th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Benin
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Tuesday,
please pacify Boko
Haram
----------------------------
----------------------------
Mon Jan 20
Hello
one last time from Nairobi in Kenya. Today Sean Christie (investigative
journalist from South Africa) and I are due, after taking part in a radio
breakfast program, to fly to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania.
Yesterday was another long but happy day. Two
Oblate confreres Fr Gerry and Fr Greg picked me up from my hotel at 7am for
drive to an O.M.I. parish about 1 hour outside of Nairobi for Mass with about
200 local people at a centre for elderly people ...the centre being used as a
parish church until a proper church can be built. A beautiful experience,
especially the superb singing by the congregation. After Mass there was a
gathering for young adults at the nearby O.M.I. formation centre ...another
special experience at which I was able to share my job experience with about 20
young people.
Then Fr Gerry took me to a local bus station where I got a bus back to the
centre of Nairobi, then a motor bike back to my hotel, where there was another
gathering for families of prisoners in HK, again joined by ex-prisoners .... and
... members of a wonderful
NGO which helps former prisoners find jobs! Sean got some of the
ex-prisoners to record their thoughts about HK ... for this morning's radio
program.
No trouble sleeping last night.
Thank you Jesus
for another memorable day!
------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Genesis
43: The famine continued
and so Jacob sent his sons back to Egypt to buy more grain.
This time Benjamin went with them, even though Jacob worried greatly about his safety.
When the brothers arrived in Egypt,
Joseph invited them to his home for a meal.
Simeon was allowed to join them.
The brothers still didn't recognize Joseph.
Joseph was moved when he saw Benjamin, his full blood brother.
Joseph left the company and cried for quite some time.
When Joseph rejoined the meal
he gave the brothers a hearty meal which they all enjoyed.
Joseph arranged that Benjamin's portion was extra large.
Dear God, please bless all
missing persons
My
recording of this reading
Psalm 103:
My soul, give thanks to the Lord.
All my being, bless his holy name.My soul, give thanks to the Lord
and never forget all his blessings. It is he who forgives all your guilt,
who heals every one of your ills. It is he who fills your life with good things,
renewing your youth like an eagle's life. The Lord is compassion and
love,
slow to anger and rich in mercy. As the heavens are high above the earth
so strong is his love for those who love him. As far as the East is from the West,
so far does he remove our sins. As a father has compassion on his
children,
the Lord has pity on all who love and honor him. Give thanks to the Lord, all his angels,
who heed the voice of his word. Give thanks to the Lord, everyone and
everything.
My soul, give thanks to the Lord!
Thank you, Lord, for your love
and compassion
Listen
1 Timothy
6.11-13: As a man of God, avoid things like greed and
disputes. You must aim to be a saint, filled with faith
and love, patient and gentle. Fight the good fight of the faith, and win for
yourself eternal life. Be a constant witness to goodness and
truth,
like Jesus who spoke up as a witness for the truth in front of Pontius
Pilate
Jesus, help me be a witness to goodness
and truth
Listen
Matthew
26.17-29: On Passover Eve, Jesus ate a last meal with
his apostles.
While they were eating, Jesus told them he knew he would be betrayed by
one of them. He told Judas he knew he was the betrayer. Then Jesus took some bread,
blessed it and gave it to his apostles saying "Take this and eat it.
This is my body". Then he took a cup of wine,
blessed it and gave it to them saying
"Take this and drink it. This is my blood".
Jesus, please help me understand how bread and
wine become your body and blood when Christians celebrate the Eucharist
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: Genesis and Matthew both feature a meal. Some spiritual writers, for whom Joseph pre-figures Jesus, see Joseph's meal with his brothers as a pre-figuring of Jesus' Last Supper
-------------------------
When
I had a slight problem finding Nairobi cathedral a few days ago ... having come
from a different direction than from my hotel .... I noticed a street called
"Cardinal Ortega Street" ... and guessed the cathedral was near ...
which it was!
--------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun:
Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia,
Pacific
Frid: South America
Sat: Cent, N. America
Jesus,
today, Monday,
please bless the people of Europe
& Russia
And
praying for prisoners in one
part of China each day of the month:
On
this 20th of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Sichuan
And
praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 20th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Gambia
And praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Monday,
please pacify I.S.
-----------------------
----------------------
Sun Jan 19
Hello again from Nairobi in Kenya where after 4 days, out of the
hundreds of thousands of people I have seen on the streets, I have not seen even
one person smoking! Yesterday from midday till 5pm there was a gathering at my
hotel for families of prisoners in HK. Including children, 46 people attended,
including 5 former inmates in HK! The 5 were the stars of the show and they gave
everyone great hope that others in HK will soon be back home. Over the past 5
years I have had many such family gatherings in many parts of the world, but
yesterday would have to be No. 1 Thank
you Jesus! (for which, after the gathering, I made another trip to
the nearby cathedral!)
One report from the media conference two days ago at my hotel is here.
And see
below - Obama to be president of Kenya?!
Bishop W. Steckling
O.M.I. We
must commit ourselves to Integral Ecology
------------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
c.f. readings for Sunday 2:
Isaiah 46-49: The Lord called me before I was born.
From my mother's womb he knew my name. While I was thinking that I had toiled in vain,
all the while my cause was with the Lord. The Lord who formed me in the womb
and assigned me to rescue his people, that same Lord said to me: 'I will make you the light of the
nations,
so that my salvation will reach to the ends of the earth'. The Lord also says to his people:
"Does a woman forget her baby, or a mother the child within her womb?
Yet even if these forget, I will never forget you".
Lord, please help me understand
how you loved me even before I was born.
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
40: I waited, I waited for the Lord and he
stooped down to me.He heard my cry. He saved me from distress.
He put fresh hope into my heart. How many, O Lord my God, are the times you
have helped me.
They are too many for me to describe. My God, in the depth of my heart I delight in
your law.
You do not want external offerings.
You want my heart
Lord, I offer you my heart, my
love. You deserve all my love
Listen
1
Corinthians 1.1-10:
I, Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle,
send greetings to the church of God in Corinth. May God our Father and the
Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. I never stop thanking God for all the graces
you have received through Jesus Christ. The witness to Christ has been strong among
you. God shares with us the life of his Son, Jesus.
God helps us to be faithful as followers of Jesus. I appeal to you to be united in belief and
practice.
Put an end to the differences between you
Jesus, Son of God, thank you for all the
graces I have received
John
1: 5, 19-34: John the Baptist was sent by God as a witness
to the people about the presence of the Word among them. When religious leaders asked John "Who
are you?", he replied "I am, as the prophet Isaiah prophesied, a
voice crying out: make a straight way for the Lord". When Jesus came to the river Jordan where John
was baptizing, John said "Look, there is the lamb of God who takes
away the sin of the world. He is far more important than I am, because he
existed (as the Word) before I was born. I saw the Holy Spirit come down on him like a
dove. He will baptize people with the Holy Spirit. He is the Chosen
One of God"
Jesus, lamb of God, Chosen One of God, please
baptize me with the Holy Spirit
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: Yesterday's gathering in Nairobi for families of prisoners in HK gave the families "fresh hope " (Psalm 40)
Video
commentary on today's readings - in Italian, Chinese, English, and
Spanish
Daniel Daring: Bearing witness to Jesus (with Chinese text below English text)
-------------------------------
Hour
of Love HK radio program 8.30
pm HK time tonight
- with items about HK prison inmates
-------------------------------
Obama
to run for Kenya president in 2021?!
------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun: Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia,
Pacific
Fri: South America
Sat: Cent., N America
Jesus,
today, Sunday,
please bless the people of
Africa
And praying for
prisoners in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 19th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shanxi
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 19th of the month, Jesus
please bless the people of Sudan
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Sunday,
please bless all Muslims in my country
-----------------------
----------------------
Sat Jan 18
Hello again from Nairobi in Kenya ...where security is very tight
because of threats from Al-Shabaab.
Yesterday I got out of bed at 4.30am, had
Mass at 5am, many computer jobs, breakfast and other jobs to prepare for press
conference, then I walked about 30 mins to the office of the
Attorney General for a brief meeting with his secretary re a prisoner transfer
agreement (so that prisoners in HK can finish their sentences here near their
families), then brief meeting with secretary of Inspector General (in charge of
police), then 20 min motorbike trip to Narcotics section of CIB where I had
meeting with Deputy Director of Narcotics, then motorbike back to hotel for
lunch and press conference (attended by team from SwitchTV and journalists from
3 other media outlets), then 20 min motorbike ride to BBC East Africa office for
radio interview with a lady in London and a video interview with a local
journalist, then motorbike to cathedral for a time of peace, then walk back to
hotel via fish and chips shop. No trouble sleeping last night with my final
prayer being "Dear Jesus, please bless all people I met today"!
Two
Hong Kong men may face firing squad in Indonesia for drug trrafficking
---------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Genesis
42: In Joseph's home
country of Canaan,
the famine was very severe.
Joseph's father Jacob said to his sons
"I hear there is grain for sale in Egypt.
Go to Egypt and buy grain
for our families
so that we will not die".
All Joseph's brothers, except Benjamin, went to Egypt
and arrived at the place where Joseph was selling grain.
The brothers had not seen Joseph for about 20 years
and they didn't recognize him. But Joseph recognized them.
Joseph put them to the test: he said they were spies,
and he told them to bring Benjamin to Egypt
to prove they were not spies.
He kept Simeon in prison until they returned with Benjamin.
Dear God, please help any
places in the world which are suffering from famine
My
recording of this reading
Psalm
102: O Lord, listen to my
prayer in my distress.
Do not hide your face from me. For my days are
vanishing like smoke,
my bones burn away like a fire. I forget to eat my
bread.
My skin clings to my bones. All day long my foes
revile me.
Those who hate me use my name as a curse. But you, O Lord, will
endure for ever.
You will arise and have mercy on Sion. You will hear the
groans of the prisoners
and free those condemned to die. I pray to you: "Do
not take me away before my time has come,
you whose days last from age to age.
Lord, please help people who
are in great distress
Listen
1
Timothy 6.3-10:
Some people, because of ignorance and pride,
have a craze for questioning and arguing about everything. Such a craze breeds jealousy and mistrust and
unending disputes. People who have a craving to be wealthy are a
prey to temptation.
They get trapped into all sorts of foolish and dangerous schemes which
ruin their lives. The love of money is the root of all evils. It
can cause people to leave the faith.
Jesus, help me be content with a simple
lifestyle
Listen
Matthew
26.1-16: A few days before the Passover festival,
the religious leaders kept looking for a way to arrest Jesus and have him
put to death. Jesus knew what was happening. He
told his disciples
"In a few days I will be crucified". During these days Jesus had a
meal at the home of Simon the leper.
At the meal, a woman put expensive burial oil on Jesus' head.
The woman understood that Jesus was soon to die. One of Jesus' 12 apostles, Judas
Iscariot, went to the religious leaders
and offered to help them arrest Jesus at a convenient time.
The leaders paid Judas 30 pieces of
silver.
Judas looked for an opportunity to arrange the arrest.
Jesus, please forgive me for the times when I have not been faithful to you
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: Jesus is prefigured by Joseph who was sold to his Egyptian master for 30 pieces of silver. Both Jesus and Joseph prayed "hear the groans of the prisoners"
---------------------------
Yesterday I had four (!) trips by motorbike ... the
only way to go in Nairobi's terrible traffic jams..... with the rider ignoring
red lights, going on wrong side of road, jumping onto footpaths, squeezing
between two lanes of traffic etc. As we say in Cantonese "Ho waan" -
"good fun"!
------------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun:
Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia, Pacific
Frid: South
America
Sat: Cent. & N
America
Jesus,
today, Saturday,
please bless the people of Central
& North America
And
praying for prisoners in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 18th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shandong
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 18th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Ivory
Coast
And
praying for one Islam-related intention
each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Saturday,
please pacify the
Taliban
------------------------
------------------------
Fri Jan 17
Hello again from Nairobi in Kenya. Yesterday, to prepare for a
press conference to be held today, I attended a very long meeting at my hotel
which included three (!) winners of the CNN African Journalist of the Year
Competition - Kenneth Opala (1997) and 2014 Joint Winners Patrick Mayoyo and my
guardian angel for Nairobi, Dar es Salaam and Johannesburg Sean Christie
....together with one of Kenya's current top journalists ..... powerful!
Late afternoon I again went to Holy Family
Basilica for a time of thanks and please re my trip .... and to remember the
wedding anniversary of my dear mother and father ... and my dear brother's
birthday. See
below
-------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Genesis 41: Two years later
Pharaoh had a dream:
he was standing by the river Nile
and saw 7 healthy cows feeding on the riverside.
Then he saw 7 sickly cows which ate the 7 healthy cows.
Pharaoh woke,
then had a second dream when he went back to sleep:
7 rich ears of corn on one stalk, followed by 7 withered ears
which ate the 7 rich ears.
None of Pharaoh's wise men could interpret the dreams.
Then the cup-bearer told Pharaoh
how Joseph could understand dreams.
Pharaoh sent for Joseph
and Joseph told Pharaoh the meaning of his dreams:
the 7 healthy cows and 7 rich ears meant 7 good years for Egypt;
the 7 sickly cows and 7 withered ears meant 7 years of famine.
Joseph also told Pharaoh what to do:
use a tax to collect one fifth of all grain in the 7 good years;
then during the 7 years of famine use the collected grain to feed Egypt.
Pharaoh and his ministers were so impressed by Joseph's wisdom
that Pharaoh made Joseph governor of the whole of Egypt,
second only to Pharaoh himself.
Pharaoh gave Joseph Asenath, a priest's daughter, as his wife.
Joseph was now 30 years old, having spent more than 10 years in Egypt.
For the next 7 years Joseph traveled all over Egypt,
supervising the collection of grain.
Before the famine began,
Joseph and Asenath had two sons: Manasseh and Ephraim.
When the famine began, Pharaoh told the Egyptians
"Go to Joseph and do what he tells you".
People from all over Egypt and from other countries
went to Joseph to buy grain during the famine.
Dear
God, thank you for turning things around in Joseph's life
Psalm
101:
My song is of mercy and justice.I sing to you, O Lord.
I will try to walk with blameless
heart.
I will try to give my attention to what is good, not what is bad. People who slander others, people of proud
looks,
these will not be my friends.
People who are good and do good,
these will be my friends.
Dear Lord, please help me to
avoid bad company
Listen
1 Timothy 5.19-23: Never accept an accusation brought against
a
church elder unless it is supported by two or three witnesses. If an elder
is at fault, reprimand him publicly as a warning to others. Be fair to everyone and never be influenced by
favoritism. As regards your frequent illnesses, I suggest
you give up drinking only water, and have a little wine for the sake of
your digestion.
Jesus, help church
workers to be fair
and impartial
Listen
Matthew
25.31-46: Jesus said to
his disciples: When I come in glory at the end of the world, all peoples of all
times will be gathered in front of me. I will separate them, like a shepherd
separates sheep from goats. I will place the sheep on my right, the goats on my
left. I will say to those on my right "Come and enter my kingdom. For I was
hungry, and you gave me food. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a
stranger, and you made me welcome. I was naked, and you clothed me. I was sick,
and you visited me. I was in prison, and you came to see me". Then those
good people on my right will say "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed
you? When did we see you thirsty and give you a drink? When did we see you a
stranger and welcome you,
naked and clothe you, sick or in prison, and visit you?" I will answer
"Each time you helped and cared for a poor person, you helped and
cared for me".
Then I will say to those on my left "Go away from me and join Satan and his
angels in hell. For I was hungry, and you never gave me food. I was thirsty, and
you never gave me anything to drink. I was a stranger, and you never made me
welcome, naked, and you never clothed me, sick and in prison, and you never
visited me. Those on my left will then ask "Lord, when did we see you
hungry or thirsty, a stranger or naked, sick or in prison, and did not come
to your help?" I will answer "Each time you refused to help and
care for a poor person, you refused to help and care for me". Those on the
left will then go to eternal punishment. Those on the right will go to eternal
life.
Jesus, please help me do more for poor people. Make me understand that
when I help a poor person, I help you
01
02 03
04
Reflection on the above Bible readings: Helping the poor is not an option
-------------------------
Last night I had some fish and chips at a Fish and Chips
shop close to my hotel .... as a way of remembering the wedding anniversary of
my dear mother and father who ..... really loved fish and chips!
-------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun: Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E. Asia, Pacific
Frid: S.
America
Sat: Cent, N. America
Jesus,
today, Friday,
please bless the people of South
America
And praying for
prisoners in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 17th
of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Shaanxi
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the
month:
On this 17th of the month, Jesus please bless the
people of Malawi
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Friday,
please bless all Muslims
----------------------------
----------------------------
Thu Jan 16
Hello from Nairobi in Kenya where I arrived midday yesterday.
On yesterday's menu, below, I mentioned how unexpected good things kept happening during my last two days in Ethiopia. I called these extra good things "icing on the cake". Well, yesterday there was still more icing: sitting next to me on my fight from Addis Ababa there was a kind Indian lady who works in Nairobi .... and her job ...wait for it ...includes arranging media conferences! Her company has all the media contacts in Nairobi. What chance in many millions that someone like that would be next to me? There has to be Providence at work. Her company is now arranging for a media conference for tomorrow. And ... still more icing ...the kind lady and her driver insisted on giving me a ride from the airport to my hotel ...where there was yet more icing: waiting for me at the hotel was Sean Christie, one of the leading investigative journalists in South Africa who will help me the next few days here in Nairobi, then go with me to Dar es Salaam in Tanzania, then with me to Johannesburg. Sean also has media contacts in Nairobi. God is Good! All the Time! Day after Day!
After a long meeting with Sean yesterday afternoon I walked, with the help of Brother Google, to Nairobi cathedral for a time of saying thanks and to ask a blessing on the next few days.
In Addis Ababa and now in Nairobi, as soon as people know I am
from Australia, with genuine concern the first thing they ask about: the
bushfires.
-------------------------
The Book Blog: 4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from Simple
Bible
Genesis 40: Even in jail, God
protected Joseph.
When two of Pharaoh's officials,
his cup-bearer and his baker
also were put in jail,
Joseph was able to interpret dreams they had.
The cup-bearer dreamt he picked grapes
and made wine for Pharaoh's cup.
Joseph told him the meaning of his dream:
in three days he'd be free and back at work as Pharaoh's cup-bearer.
The baker dreamt that birds ate bread from a tray on top of his head.
Joseph told him:
"In three days you'll be hanged, and birds will eat your flesh."
And so it happened as Joseph had said:
on the third day
the cup-bearer went back to work in Pharaoh's palace
while the baker was hanged.
Joseph asked the cup-bearer to help him get out of jail,
but when the cup-bearer was free, he forgot about Joseph.
Dear God, please
bless everyone who has ever helped me
Recording
Psalm 100: Cry out with joy to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing for joy. Know that he, the Lord, is God. He made us, we
belong to him.
We are his people, the sheep of his flock. Go within his gates, giving thanks.
Enter his temple with songs of praise.
Give thanks to him and bless his name. Indeed, how good is the Lord,
eternal his merciful love.
He is faithful from age to age.
Dear Lord, please help us to
serve you with gladness
Recording
1 Timothy 5.1-14:
Do not speak harshly to a man older than
yourself, but advise him as you would your own father. Treat younger men
as brothers.
Treat older women as you would your mother. Treat
younger women with
propriety, as if they were your sisters. Be considerate to widows. If a widow wishes to
be enrolled as a church worker, she must be at least 60 years old, the
wife of one husband. As regards young widows, it's best if
they re-marry.
Jesus, help church workers to be
kind and caring
Listen
:
Matthew 24.9-44: Jesus spoke to his disciples
about the
future:
"On account of my name you will be hated, tortured and killed.
But the Good News of the kingdom
will spread to every nation
before the end of the world. At the end of the world, the sun
and moon will stop shining.
Stars will fall from the sky. Then the sign of the Son of Man
will appear in the sky
and all peoples will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds
with power and glory.
He will send his angels with a loud trumpet
to gather good people from all parts of the earth. Therefore you should
live a good life,
and you will have nothing to fear on your last day."
Jesus, please help me be a good person
Listen
Reflection on
the above Bible readings: See
below!
---------------
On the Kenyan immigration declaration form, to the question
"where did your journey begin?" I answered "Hong Kong". To
the question "what is your final destination?" I was seriously tempted
to write "Heaven"!
--------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun:
Mon:
Tues:
Wed:
Thurs: S.E. Asia, Pacific
Frid:
Sat:
Cent,
Jesus,
today, Thursday,
please bless
the people of
And praying for prisoners in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 16th of the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of
And praying for one of the
world's poorest countries each day of the month:
On this 16th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Afghanistan
And praying for one Islam-related
intention each day of the
week:
Jesus, today, Thursday, please pacify Al-Qaeda
----------------------------
Wed Jan 15
Hello one more time from Addis Ababa. I'm due to fly to Nairobi in Kenya today. The Good Lord has greatly blessed my time here. In the past 48 hours I met a lovely couple from China who are planning to promote my anti-drug campaign in China (many Mainland women have been recruited/deceived by Nigerian boyfriends to transport drugs, usually unknowingly). And just when I was thinking "this is icing on the cake", yesterday morning I attended a meeting that will enormously help my campaign here in Addis. But yesterday afternoon when I was thinking "that's two lots of icing on the cake" as I had some afternoon green tea in the hotel bar, a most respectably dressed and friendly man came in to have a beer ... and a chat. He's a Federal politician - The Hon. Diribu Jamal Wachila - a member of the House of Peoples' Representatives, a childhood friend of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (who recently received the Nobel Peace Prize). Mr Wachila will not only support my anti-drug campaign, but he will also check up about the possibility of a Mercy Centre for homeless people, to provide accommodation for maybe two dozen of the many thousands of homeless people who sleep on the streets of Addis. This was a topic he initiated but which I had been thinking about each time I travelled across the city and saw so many destitute people. "My cake runneth over". Thank you Jesus! Please bless all the people I have met in Addis this past week!
------------------------------
Chris McDonnell
The breaking of statues
Ecumenism should know no boundaries when it comes to treasured roots
-----------------------------
The
Book Blog:
4 readings + recordings
Comments welcome here
Readings are from
Simple Bible
Joseph 39: The slave traders took
Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's top officials.
God was with Joseph.
God blessed everything Joseph did.
Because Joseph did everything so well
Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his household and all his possessions.
Because of Joseph, God blessed Potiphar and all his interests.
Potiphar's wife tried to seduce Joseph who was very handsome.
But day after day Joseph refused to sleep with her.
Then one day when Joseph again refused her
she tore his clothes and started screaming.
She claimed Joseph had tried to seduce her.
Potiphar believed his wife and he put Joseph in jail.
Dear God, please
don't let me cause other people to do wrong
My
recording of this reading
Psalm 99: The Lord is king. He is great in
Sion.
His power is seen throughout the world. Among his priests were Aaron, Moses and
Samuel.
They prayed to the Lord and he answered their call. Let peoples everywhere praise his name.
He is holy, full of power.
Lord, may all peoples
know and love you
Listen
1
Timothy 4.12-16: Do not let people disregard you because you
are young.
Be an example to all the believers in the way you speak and act. You have in you a spiritual gift which was
given you when the church elders prayed over you with the laying on
of hands.
Do not let this gift go unused. Take great care about what you do and what you
teach.
In this way you will save both yourself and those who listen to you
Jesus, help me be a good example to
other people
Listen
Matthew
23.1-36: Jesus told the people to respect
their religious leaders, but he condemned the religious leaders for not practising what they preached,
for doing things just to attract attention, for craving front seats and places of honor,
for being concerned only with externals. Jesus called the religious
leaders "hypocrites",
"blind guides", "tombs that look good on the outside but are full of dead
bones".
Jesus, help religious leaders be good
people
Listen
Reflection on the above readings: God's blessing is effective (first three readings) but it can be rendered ineffective (Gospel)
---------------------------
When I checked my Gmail contact list a couple of days ago,
I discovered that some recent Ethiopian phone contacts added to my phone in the
past week .... were also listed in my Gmail contact list! Even though none of
them had an email address! Maybe because I use a USB cable to connect my Toshiba
laptop to my mobile phone for internet, using hotspot. Google very clever
indeed!
-------------------------
Please join me in praying for one part of the world each day:
Sun: Africa
Mon: Europe,
Russia
Tues: South
Asia
Wed: East
Asia
Thurs: S.E.Asia, Pacific
Frid: South
America
Sat: Cent, N America
Jesus,
today, Wednesday,
please bless the people of East
Asia
And praying for
prisoners in one
part of China each day of the month:
On this 15th
of
the month, Jesus please bless the prisoners of Liaoning
And praying for one of
the world's poorest
countries each day of the month:
On this 15th
of the month, Jesus please bless the people of Zimbabwe
And praying for one
Islam-related intention each day of the week:
Jesus, today, Wednesday,
please pacify Al-Shabaab
--------------------------------
-------------------------------
My Africa trips:
2015: Tanzania, Malawi
2016:
Kenya, Uganda
2017:
Southern Africa, Dubai (
The
Last Run)
2018:
My trip to Latin America
2018: My trip to Thailand and Cambodia
March 18, 2018: South China Morning Post report on my work
Dec 2018 - Jan 2019 trip to Malaysia
June 2019: my anti-drug campaign featured in The Malaysia Drug Trade
Oct 23, 2019: FM988 Breakfast program in Kuala Lumpur at which I was a guest
--------------------
Australian Chinese for
Families Association
Gay marriage: an elephant in the room (by John W)
Video:
What "gay
marriage" did to Massachusetts
同志婚姻自2004年立法後，美國麻省的改變
（ 廣東話附字幕版
Frightening
YouTube reports:
LGBT radical impact
on educational institutions (No.
5); LGBT
infiltrating churches
(No. 6); US corporations massively
supporting LGBT agenda (No. 7). What
has happened in the US is now starting to happen in other places. Some
day our children will ask "why didn't you do more to stop this evil?"
--------------------------------------------
Pope's surprise visit to drug treatment centre
Pope is practising what he preaches: "get out and mix with the poor"
HK
readers might like to join me in praying each day for one group of HK
prison inmates: Sun:
Lo Wu; Mon: C.I.C., Siu Lam, Tai Lam; Tue: Stanley
Wed: Hei Ling Chau Thu: Lantau
Fri: Lai Chi Kok
Sat: Hospitals, Pik Uk & other centres
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This website was launched in construction
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Fr John Wotherspoon O.M.I. 胡
頌 恆 神 父
jdwomi@gmail.com
HK
mobile +852- 67095674
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