29th July
I thank God for wifi connection at Gloria’s house this morning because as I enter my journal I am able to listen to Christian contemporary music on yahoo music! The music brings me back to about 2 months ago when I was studying for my exams in my school library and the last few days at AMK library. I can almost picture myself mugging back then and I’m happy to say that those times are a thing of the past, but as I look back, I remember His faithfulness, His directing and strengthening for me to be where I am today. Today I am in a different place a different time, but in my heart I can really know my God is still the same.

Yesterday Loong and I started out late, leaving the house at 1030 to get the router configured so that we can all surf on wifi at home! After lunch we went to Jars of Clay for interviews of the job applicants. I wasn’t involved, so I started clearing up the kitchen and tidying up the place. From there I know that I can be a rather meticulous person with regards to clearing an area up.

I was brought to think about the Nepali people and culture over here. This thought was triggered from my observation of the disparity in standards we have back home with theirs. The Nepali work ethics and culture here is so different from ours. They could be seen as resourceful in getting the job done, but how well the job is done is another thing. I was watching the workers install the Jars of Clay cooking exhaust hood, and they simply hammered a few pieces of wood to the window frame as a makeshift prop-up to fit the hood. After the installation was done, they didn’t even fit up the electrical wiring for the fans in the hood because that was the electricians’ job it seems.

Raju has been working part time for Jars of Clay on a daily wage and now that he is being offered a full time staff job, he says that he will have to think about it because our Singaporean standards are too high. Raju is afraid he is unable to meet the standards. He is also not confident in talking to the Caucasians here in Nepal, who will be the bulk of the customers in JOC. This leaves me to think, does our Singaporean standards for excellence cause us to give of an air of arrogance from the pride we take in our work? This intimidates someone like Raju, causing him to potentially back down in accepting the job offer. Ps Erick mentioned that the Nepalese just dun have an eye for beauty, and it’s in their culture, they are not fussy over a little unevenness in the furniture or a difference in paint tone on the walls.

This brings me back to Church ministry. Are we practicing a parallel? Have the few who got so fired up for the things of God, caused the rest to feel inferior? To feel that the standards are too high for them to even bother trying. Therefore in ministry it is important for us to show the heart of excellence and the pursuit of advancing in the things of God, and not let the knowledge or the act of knowledge puff up. We have experienced spiritual growth when we learn that God din place a bar for us to reach, and we cannot be replacing that bar on others subconsciously.

Praise God that Raju accepted the job because he seemed like a great asset to JOC. He has good character and work ethics.