Our helper quit last Wednesday and we are left with the 3 kids and the entire household chore once again. Her reason is that she doesn't think she can take care of kids. When she left she turned to me and said "I'm sorry, sir". I can not forget that face of disappointment as if she has failed badly. We were concern about her future, if this is it! ie. she will be return to her family in Indonesia with nothing but that feeling of failure; We do like her attitude and humility as a maid very much but she’s just not wired up for kids. Anyway after 2 days, we were thrilled to learned from her agent yesterday that she found another employer and we were really happy for her.

As for us, we will have to make some adjustments. That means that Mag will stop work to be full time homemaker once again. So its laundry, cooking, bring kids to school, guiding them in school work and all that stuff. She's serving her one month notice now. Initially all of us objected with the new arrangement but after some thought and consultation with others, we think she's more needed at home. So now is the time.

Today I took half a day's leave (it's been 1 full and 2 half days already) to do my part at home. Mag went to work in the afternoon when I took over. The last thing she told me before she left is that the washing machine died (right, at such appropriate time!) So Mei Si and I have to hand wash the laundry. Mei Si volunteered before you think illegal child labor.. Chern Han was the fortunate chap to have his afternoon nap early.






From a few weeks back when all of them refused to help me wash the car, until now where everyone gladly agreed to take up new roles in the family, I think we found peace in this change. It is strange that peace is found in strange circumstance like this but really its not uncommon. We are sometimes too comfortable to think that discomfort can be good. The past few days We were waking up a bit earlier; we are cherishing little moments we have together. We pray more, appreciate our meals more and also come to depend on the Lord on more things. We thought about how this will affect our ministry. We thought about if ministry and cleaning the toilet can mix? We discover that cleaning the toilet and cooking is infact ministry and to win the world, we need to be willing to clean anything. As we learn to do everything onto the Lord, let's hope that its good training ground for us to enjoy the spirituality of mundane chores (just read something from Merton on this) and see our kids be trained to depend on God for diligence and hardwork rather than a maid for help around the house. It is great that life goes on and we may be better off with the change than not.

Anyway here are some photos of Egypt .. err I mean of the trip to the zoo with Mag's Aunties and cousins the week before (when she's still around)