2011  Diary    July - Dec

Please note: I'm due to be in Australia (Gold Coast + Brisbane) Dec 27 to Jan 24
My mobile number while in Australia:  0410 957403 (if you are in Aust);  61410 957403 (if you are phoning from outside Aust)

Thursday, December 29,   2011     Dear Friends

Hello from the Gold Coast in Australia....where I arrived Monday morning from Hong Kong.
From HK's coldest Christmas for 27 years....to Summer blue skies.
I wish all dear friends, in all parts of the world, a Happy (Solar) New Year!
May the Good Lord let his face shine on you right through 2012

On this  29th  of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Chongqing

Smile
At this time of the year I usually ask people, especially students, why is it "2012"?
In every group there's usually a quick thinker who replies "because last year was 2011".
Then the real reason: 2012 years ago, according to common reckoning, 
the world's most important person was born....in a stable at Bethlehem

Prayers please for Regina from Hong Kong, now in Canada. Regina was a founding member of 
our monthly meeting to pray for healing. For some years now Regina has been bravely fighting cancer.
A couple of months ago she went to Canada to be with her parents. She is now in a special cancer hospital where,
unless there is a last minute miracle, she will soon be leaving this life.  I phoned her this morning and said a prayer with her. She is at great peace and on standby for an upgrade to eternal life in Heaven. Please join me in praying for Regina "Dear Jesus, may Regina feel your love in her heart. May your love fill her with hope, strength, courage and peace".  And to be honest, I can't stop praying for a last minute miracle....

2011-12-25   Christmas Day evening meal with the poor at Yau Ma Tei Caritas Center

Recent  HK photos                   Previous Zhaoqing photos

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday Janury 29.  (Photo of Nov 13 group)
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  Please  email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Some recent HK good news after prayer for healing

I'm due to return to HK on Jan 25.
My mobile number while in Australia:
0410 957403 (if you are in Aust);  61410 957403 (if you are phoning from outside Aust)

Many thanks  for donations to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China:
Dec 25 - Carlye & Roger - and Bernadette; all from St Anthony's church, Pokfulam

God bless all kind friends who have prayed for me and helped me over the past year!

Internet connection: These days I'm using my trusty Toshiba Netbook + a Vodafone prepaid Broadband internet modem/memo stick.  No more wrecking (with my old Frontpage and other programs) the computer at the home of my dear brother Peter and his wife Yvonne (whose kind hospitality I'm again enjoying)

And today I'm sitting at a counter at McDonald's, Harbour Town....about to test their free wifi offer.
Yes...it works! ......this Toshiba's first such experience!
Seat has cost me AUD$3.95 for a McCafe hot chocolate. 
Which reminds me....if anyone needs to change HK$ to AUD or vice versa, best spot I know is| at entrance
of Chung King Mansion in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.  I got AUD last Monday for 8.0 HK ....while most places were charging 8.2 or 8.5...one even 8.8 in Jordan....and here on Gold Coast best rate is 8.6 

New website:  Many people, even many priests, are not aware of the big picture of what is happening in the church. This new site (under construction) is meant to promote and protect the vision of Vatican II:  www.v2catholic.com 
If you know of anyone (including yourself!) who'd like to write an article/comment for v2catholic.com ,
please contact me: jdwomi@gmail.com 
I have put many new articles on this website over the past week (since Dec 22!) - see the index page

Latest article and recording for Ming Pao newspaper

God bless everyone. May God's New Year blessing
give everyone  hope, and strength, and courage and peace
- especially the many special friends who are battling cancer
-  in HK, the Mainland & overseas - ESPECIALLY Regina!

John W omi      

One billion people starving - what can I do?           Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing 

Thursday, December 22,   2011     Dear Friends

Hello from Hong Kong.  Happy Winter  Festival  today.....and HAPPY CHRISTMAS ON SUNDAY!
May the birth of the baby Jesus give everyone hope and strength and courage and peace

On this  22nd  of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Zhejiang

Smile - Manger meals
angel cake; strawberries; star fruit; shepherd's pie; a stable diet; donkey breakfast; feast for a king

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday Janury 29.  (Photo of Nov 13 group)
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  
Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Saturday Dec 24:  10pm English Mass at Our Lady of Lourdes, Chi Fu
Sunday Dec 25:      11.30am English Mass at St Anthony's, Pokfulam 

December 26: I'm due to go to Australia (Brisbane & Gold Coast) for annual holiday.
Due to return to HK on Jan 25.
My mobile number while in Australia:  0410 957403 (if you are in Aust);  61410 957403 (if you are phoning from outside Aust)

Many thanks  for donations to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China:
Dec 15 - Our Lady's School, Wong Tai Sin
Dec 16 - Carla, Bei & students, Sai Kung
Dec 18 - Don Bosco Choir, St Anthony's, Pokfulam
Dec 18 - Shatin group
Dec 20 - Teresa & Steven, Kowloon
Dec 21 - Cecilia, HK
God bless all kind friends who have prayed for me and helped me over the past year!

Did the Three Kings/Wise Men  come from ....China?!

 

Smile Had to smile last Friday. During a lunch time break from Lai Chi Kok reception center,  I had a phone call from a Pakistan man just out of LCK.  "Father, you good man, you help many people. I'm a refugee in HK. Will you help me? "How can I help you?" "Father, I hear that if I marry a HK Chinese girl, I can get residence status in HK". "Yes, but how can I help you?" "Father, you have many contacts. You know many people. You find Chinese girl for me". "But I'm not allowed to do that. You should marry for love, not for an ID card". He then repeated his line, and I repeated mine...with an offer to pray for his future. An hour or two later, when visiting one section of LCK, I met 5 local Chinese men in for fraud. I don't usually ask people why there are in detention. But these 5 just told me openly ..."we were tricked by an agency to marry girls from China so they could get HK ID cards ...now we are doing a 15 month honeymoon in detention"! The next day I rang the Pakistan man "Be careful....you could get 15 months in detention". But he just repeated his line...and I repeated my offer of prayer and...today's news! - illegal matchmakers arrested!

Latest article and recording for Ming Pao (updated)

A  Christmas serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom and hope    -  Luke 1 (26-38)    -  from www.simplebible.info As the world collapses economically and socially  ....and as the church goes into a tail-spin through internal power-struggles... let's anchor ourselves to the Bible  and to service of the poor

Chapter 2 (1 - 8) The Emperor of Rome ordered that a census be taken of the whole Empire.  Every man  had to go to his home town to be registered So Joseph set out from Nazareth in Galilee and traveled to Galilee, to the town of David called Bethlehem, with his pregnant wife Mary While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have her child.  She gave birth to a son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a feeding box for animals, because there was no room for them at the local inn Baby Jesus, born in Bethlehem, please bless all babies born in the world today

Smile  If I'm home for lunch, I usually boil a couple of eggs and have them with a lovely current loaf.
A few days ago I put the boiler on as usual.....and went back to computer as usual to wait for eggs to boil.
But when I sat down to start lunch, I opened the boiler to find....no eggs. I'd forgotten to put them in!  (o l d  a g e !)

New website:  Many people, even many priests, are not aware of the big picture of what is happening in the church.
This new site (under construction) is meant to promote and protect the vision of Vatican II:  www.v2catholic.com 
If you know of anyone (including yourself!) who'd like to write an article/comment for v2catholic.com ,
please contact me: jdwomi@gmail.com 
I have put many new articles on this website over the past week - see the index page

Vale dear friend Fr Peter Robb CssR who died in Melbourne last Friday, Dec 9... a month before his 90th birthday. 
After working in the Philippines for 40 years, Peter volunteered for HK. He and other Redemptorists lived with me at Notre Dame College for a year or so in the early 1990s - until they found a place of their own in HK.  Peter was also a long-serving secretary for AITECE . 
Melbourne funeral was Dec 13.  A special HK Mass will be held 6.30pm Friday Dec 23 at the Catholic Center in Central (where Peter served as chaplain).  May Peter's prayers in Heaven help us all. 

God bless everyone. May Christmas  give everyone  hope, and strength, and courage and peace
- especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas 

John W omi      

One billion people starving - what can I do?           Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing 

Thursday, December 15,   2011     Dear Friends

Good morning  from Hong Kong ...with 10 days to Christmas.
Christmas classic:  Bing Crosby's 1947 recording of 'The Small One"

On this  15th  of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Liaoning

Smile
Today's editorial in the Ming Pao newspaper speaks about a rise in the price of electricity...."shocking increases".
Could also have used "revolting"...and ..."unnecessary charges"

Recent HK photos                   Previous Zhaoqing photos

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday Janury 29.  (Photo of Nov 13 group)
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  
Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Sunday Dec 18:      11.30am English Mass at St Anthony's, Pokfulam 
Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes 
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for gathering at 6.00pm

December 26: I'm due to go to Australia (Brisbane & Gold Coast) for annual holiday.
Due to return to HK on Jan 24.
My mobile number while in Australia:  0410 957403 (if you are in Aust);  61410 957403 (if you are phoning from outside Aust)

Many thanks  for donations to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China:
Dec 11 - Anon (Pokfulam)
Dec 11 - YMT group & May (USA)
Dec 13 - Nomy (HK)

Good News:  Mother Teresa's Sisters of Charity for some time now have been visiting the Yau Ma Tei area and giving out 
lunch boxes to poor people - mainly drug addicts. Before each person receives a lunch box, he/she must produce their ID card (to avoide doubling up) ...and receive an individual prayer from the sisters and their helpers.

Smile:  Dozing officials fired  

Beautiful Christmas Song:   Where's the Line to See Jesus? 

USA/Israel:  Politicians' pandering does no good for Israel

Latest article and recording for Ming Pao (updated)

Some reflections on better liturgical use of this time of Advent

A  Christmas serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom and hope 
  -  Luke 1 (26-38)   -  from www.simplebible.info
As the world collapses economically and socially
 ....and as the church goes into a tail-spin through internal power-struggles...
let's anchor ourselves to the Bible and to service of the poor

Chapter 1 ( 26 - 38) In the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to the town of Nazareth in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary who was betrothed  to man named Joseph The angel said to her "Rejoice! You have been greatly blessed by God.  You are to conceive and have a son whom you must name Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of God" Mary said to the angel, "How can this happen since I am a virgin?" The angel replied "The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will specially bless you.  Know this too: your cousin Elizabeth has, in her old age, conceived a son, and is now in her sixthth month" "I am the handmaid of the Lord", said Mary,  "let what you have said, be done for me".  And the angel left her God the Son, thank you for becoming a baby in Mary's womb

Smile  Two of the inmates who regularly attend my Friday prayer service at Lai Chi Kok Reception Center
were missing for a couple of weeks. They broke a certain rule....and spent two weeks in Special Units.
Their SUs were next to each other, so the last two weeks while standing outside their cells I've had a mini-service for them. 
A bar-room service?

Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS)  For most of this year I've been visiting some ALS patients at Tung Wah Hospital each Wednesday night.
Recently I came across this article (paragraph 2) which gives us encouragement to keep the prayers going

New website:  Many people, even many priests, are not aware of the big picture of what is happening in the church.
This new site (under construction) is meant to promote and protect the vision of Vatican II:  www.v2catholic.com 
If you know of anyone (including yourself!) who'd like to write an article/comment for v2catholic.com ,
please contact me: jdwomi@gmail.com 
Recent postings on this site:
Priests saying 9 Masses a day. Need to ordain married men        Winner & loser re translation   
The Advent Road         Bamboo & new translation           Benedictines & new translation      
          Irish priests using 1998 ICEL, not new translation          V2 Reminiscences

Vale dear friend Fr Peter Robb CssR who died in Melbourne last Friday, Dec 9... a month before his 90th birthday. 
After working in the Philippines for 40 years, Peter volunteered for HK. He and other Redemptorists lived with me at Notre Dame College for a year or so in the early 1990s - until they found a place of their own in HK.  Peter was also a long-serving secretary for AITECE . 
Melbourne funeral was Dec 13.  A special HK Mass will be held 6.30pm Friday Dec 23 at the Catholic Center in Central (where Peter served as chaplain).  May Peter's prayers in Heaven help us all. 

God bless everyone. May daily reading of the Bible give everyone  hope, and strength, and courage and peace
- especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas 

John W omi      

One billion people starving - what can I do?           Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing 

Thursday, December 8,   2011     Dear Friends

Good morning  from Hong Kong on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception,
 a public holiday in some 20 countries (...which I never knew until just now...)

On this  8th  of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Heilongjiang

Christmas smile
Santa's' sleigh broke down on Christmas Eve. He flagged down a passing motorist and asked, 
'Can you help me fix my sleigh, please?' 
'Sorry,' the motorist replied, 'I'm not a mechanic - I'm a podiatrist (足病診療師?).'
 'In that case,' replied Santa, 'Can you give me a tow?'..[toe]!

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday December 11.  (Photo of Nov 13 group)
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  
Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Sunday Dec 11:      11.30am English Mass at St Anthony's, Pokfulam 
Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes 
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for gathering at 6.00pm

December 26: I'm due to go to Australia (Brisbane & Gold Coast) for annual holiday.
Due to return to HK on Jan 24.
My mobile number while in Australia:  0410 957403 (if you are in Aust);  61410 957403 (if you are phoning from outside Aust)

Many thanks  for donations to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China:
Dec 4 - Micaela (Pokfulam); Roger (Pokfulam)
Dec 5 - Anon (HK)
Dec 6 - Mrs Hui (Shatin)

China
- Australian businessman jailed
- Vacancy in China for English copy editor

Beautiful Christmas Song:
Where's the Line to See Jesus?

Latest article and recording for Ming Pao (updated)

Two+  weeks to Christmas.  Some reflections on better liturgical use of this time of Advent

True Story: Some inmates and other friends are helping translate Dr Jesus  and  Simple Bible into other languages. 
Last Sunday when I went to (English) Mass, I had some hand-written sheets of Spanish translation, thinking maybe I'd ask at Mass if anyone spoke Spanish and could type the sheets. Best to get a Spanish speaker to do the typing.....they know what they're typing. For some reason I didn't ask at Mass. But after Mass, a young man asked if he could have a chat. "Where are you from?" I asked. "Spain", he replied. "I'm studying at HK University" (across the road from church).   Never in 40 years have I been looking for a Spanish speaker at Mass.
Providence at work...DG! 

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom and hope   -  Matthew 1 (18-25)   -  from www.simplebible.info
As the world collapses economically and socially ....and as the church goes into a tail-spin through internal power-struggles...
let's anchor ourselves to the Bible and to service of the poor)

Chapter 1 (18 - 25)    Listen This is how Jesus came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph. But before they lived together, Mary became pregnant by the power of the Holy Spirit. An angel  appeared to Joseph  in a dream and said "Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to live with Mary as your wife. Her baby has been conceived by the  power of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son. You must name him 'Jesus' ('God saves') because he will save his people from their sins." Joseph  took Mary to his home as his wife. She gave birth to a son, Jesus.

Dear Jesus, Son of God, son of Mary, step-son of Joseph, please help me understand how you are the Savior of the world

New website:  Many people, even many priests, are not aware of the big picture of what is happening in the church.
This new site (under construction) is meant to promote and protect the vision of Vatican II:  www.v2catholic.com 
If you know of anyone (including yourself!) who'd like to write an article/comment for v2catholic.com ,
please contact me: jdwomi@gmail.com 
Recent postings on this site:
Winner & loser re translation      The Advent Road      Bamboo & new translation       Benedictines & new translation      
                   Irish priests using 1998 ICEL, not new translation

God bless everyone. May daily reading of the Bible give everyone  hope, and strength, and courage and peace
- especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas 

John W omi      

One billion people starving - what can I do?           Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing 

Thursday, December 1,   2011     Dear Friends

Good afternoon  from Hong Kong on World Aids Day.
Pall of sadness hanging over HK after yesterday's fire in Mong Kok which claimed 9 lives (so far) and injured more than 30 others

On this  1st  of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Anhui

Smile (true story)
Last Sunday after Mass at Pokfulam, I went to nearby Honeyville Retreat Center to see someone. After leaving Honeyville, I was waiting at a bus stop for bus back to Jordan....when a bee went down the back of my neck and into my shirt. No time for sting...was soon on footpath under my sandal.  But think about it: honeyville...bee!

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday December 11.  (Photo of Nov 13 group)
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  
Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Sunday Dec 4:      11.30am English Mass at St Anthony's, Pokfulam + 2.30pm Mass at Lo Wu Prison
Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes 
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for gathering at 6.00pm

December 26: I'm due to go to Australia (Brisbane & Gold Coast) for annual holiday.
Due to return to HK on Jan 24.
My mobile number while in Australia:  0410 957403 (if you are in Aust);  61410 957403 (if you are phoning from outside Aust)

Many thanks  for donations to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China:
Nov 27 - Grace & Teresa (Pokfulam) 
Nov 27 - Mrs Wu (Pokfulam)
Nov 28 - Lucy (Shatin)

Last Tuesday I again visited this beautiful center in Sheung Shui.  I can't help thinking that more prayer would help many of the handicapped people in today's world.  Can't help thinking we are only in the pioneering  stage of understanding how we get more help from Doctor Jesus

Latest article and recording for Ming Pao

Four+ weeks to Christmas.  Some reflections on better liturgical use of this time of Advent

 

Australia:                  Trying to get Australian students to learn Asian languages         (and see comments) Re Chinese this article says   Over the period of their secondary schooling, Australian language students receive, at best, some 500 hours of instruction. The Foreign Service Institute in Washington DC estimates that it takes an English speaker approximately 2,200 hours to become proficient in Chinese (compared with 600 hours for French). Chinese as a Second Language at Year 12 requires mastery of some 500 characters, a number reached in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan in Grade 1 primary. Being able to speak as well as a Grade One Chinese student is hardly "fluent". (from article, not my words)

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom and hope   -  Numbers 10  -  from www.simplebible.info
(as the world collapses economically and socially....and as the church goes into a tail-spin through internal power-struggles...
let's anchor ourselves to the Bible and to service of the poor)

New website:  Many people, even many priests, are not aware of the big picture of what is happening in the church.
This new site (under construction) is meant to promote and protect the vision of Vatican II:  www.v2catholic.com 
If you know of anyone (including yourself!) who'd like to write an article/comment for v2catholic.com ,
please contact me: jdwomi@gmail.com 

Recent postings on this site:
Bamboo & new translation     Benedictines & new translation      

God bless everyone. May daily reading of the Bible give everyone  hope, and strength, and courage and peace
- especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas 

John W omi      

One billion people starving - what can I do?           Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing 

Thursday, November 24,   2011     Dear Friends

Good afternoon  from Hong Kong on Thanksgiving Day (USA)

On this  24th  of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Inner Mongolia

Smile: Last Sunday I went to Kwai Chung Crematorium to farewell a dear friend (see photos below). I'd been told the ceremony would start at 8.30am, but when I arrived at 8.15 I couldn't find anyone. No staff, no relatives, no-one. As I thought to myself "no sign of life", I had a second thought "Stupid, what do you expect in a crematorium?"!

Reflection after witnessing drug deals last Friday night

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday December 11.  (Photo of Nov 13 group)
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  
Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Sunday Nov 27:      11.30am English Mass at St Anthony's, Pokfulam
Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes 
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for gathering at 6.00pm

December 26: I'm due to go to Australia (Brisbane & Gold Coast) for annual holiday.
Due to return to HK on Jan 24.

Many thanks  for donations to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China:
Nov 21 - Teresa (HK)
Nov 22 - Doris (Brisbane)

Try this (if you were born before 2,000):  Add the last two years of your birth (e.g. 65, not 1965) and your age ...and you'll get...111!

English: Recently I've been doing some recording for the Ming Pao newspaper's on-line edition.  A few days ago I used "an historical" instead of  "a historical"....but afterwards began to think I was wrong....so I checked up and found out  ... that both are ok

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom and hope   -  Numbers 9  -  from www.simplebible.info
(as the world collapses economically and socially....and as the church goes into a tail-spin through internal power-struggles...
let's anchor ourselves to the Bible and to service of the poor)

Recent Wednesday articles in Ming Pao paper (updated)

New website:  Many people, even many priests, are not aware of the big picture of what is happening in the church.
This new site (under construction) is meant to promote and protect the vision of Vatican II:  www.v2catholic.com 

God bless everyone. May daily reading of the Bible give everyone  hope, and strength, and courage and peace
- especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas 

John W omi      

One billion people starving - what can I do?           Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing 

Thursday, November 17,   2011     Dear Friends

Good morning from Hong Kong where Autumn is on the lookout for Winter

On this  17th  of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Shaanxi

Smile: Last week I noticed hundreds of people "camped out" (some of them overnight) on the walkway between Central and the Star Ferry.
Many of them were from other countries....so I presumed they were protesting about the right of abode issue.
Then someone told me....they were queuing up to enter the nearby Apple building where only a limited number of F4 IPhones were on sale!

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday December 11.  (Photo of Nov 13 group)
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  
Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Sunday Nov 20:      11.30am English Mass at St Anthony's, Pokfulam
Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes 
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for gathering at 6.00pm

December 26: I'm due to go to Australia (Brisbane & Gold Coast) for annual holiday.
Due to return to HK on Jan 24.

Many thanks  for donations to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China:
Nov 10 - Jocyln & Sunny (HK)
Nov 13 - YMT group
Nov 15 - Paul (Adelaide)

No nibbles yet....I'm still fishing....for someone to help two people below: 

True Story:  30 men  attended last Friday's weekly prayer meeting at Lai Chi Kok Detention Story. One man was attending for the first time.
He told everyone his story. He'd had severe chest pains for several months - before entering detention, and while in detention.  X-Rays showed the severity of his problem - but no medicine was able to help him. Two weeks ago when he was in the detention center hospital, I gave him (at about 3pm) a copy of the little booklet "Doctor Jesus". He finished reading it before he went to sleep that night. As he went to sleep he put the book on his chest and said "Jesus please help me". About 3am he awoke to find that all the pains had gone. 
His story had quite an effect on the other men at the meeting...especially since...he is a Muslim from India.   DG!

Same little book "Doctor Jesus" is now at printer for third printing.  
5,000 copies will cost HK$6,200.
Any kind friends like to help pay the bill please?

Recent items of interest China - documentary on Chinese TV re Matteo Ricci   see also this link - Vatican & Beijing: failure to communicate (Benedict's 2007 letter put the relationship car in reverse.....it was too strong. It was the beginning of a down-turn in relations. It caused government to call a hastily arranged meeting of Chinese bishops for a "toe the line" session. I remember asking one experienced China hand what he thought of the letter on the day it was published.  His one-sound re-action: "Yuck". The full letter  + follow-up letter to try to justify/explain the letter   (Matteo Ricci would never have written letters like these!) USA - America's greatest writer - Adin Ballou  (must admit I had never heard of him....) Obama in Australia this morning: Address to parliament    Visit to high school     Obama in Australia blog

Smile (thank you Pam)
THREE NUNS WERE ATTENDING A BASEBALL GAME. 
THREE MEN WERE SITTING DIRECTLY BEHIND THEM. 
BECAUSE THEIR HABITS WERE PARTIALLY BLOCKING THE VIEW, 
THE MEN DECIDED TO BADGER THE NUNS, 
HOPING THEY'D GET ANNOYED ENOUGH TO MOVE TO ANOTHER AREA.
IN A VERY LOUD VOICE, THE FIRST GUY SAID, 
"I THINK I'M GOING TO MOVE TO UTAH . 
THERE ARE ONLY 100 NUNS LIVING THERE."
THEN THE SECOND GUY SPOKE UP AND SAID LOUDLY,
"I WANT TO MOVE TO MONTANA . 
THERE ARE ONLY 5O NUNS LIVING THERE."
THE THIRD GUY YELLED, 
"I WANT TO GO TO IDAHO . 
THERE ARE ONLY 25 NUNS LIVING THERE." 
THE MOTHER SUPERIOR TURNED AROUND, 
LOOKED AT THE MEN, 
AND IN A VERY SWEET AND CALM VOICE SAID, 
"WHY DON'T YOU GO TO HELL...THERE AREN'T ANY NUNS THERE." 

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom and hope   -  Numbers 7, 8  -  from www.simplebible.info
(as the world collapses economically and socially....and as the church goes into a tail-spin through internal power-struggles...
let's anchor ourselves to the Bible and to service of the poor)

Recent Wednesday articles in Ming Pao paper

New file:  Many people, even many priests, are not aware of the big picture of what is happening in the church.
This file - Church Issues - is a list of items that have appeared in this diary over the past two years - might help understand big picture

(Updated) Reflection on Pope Benedict 16's agenda for "reform of the reform"

God bless everyone. May daily reading of the Bible give everyone  hope, and strength, and courage and peace
- especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas 

John W omi      

One billion people starving - what can I do?           Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing 

Thursday, November 10,   2011     Dear Friends

Good morning from Hong Kong where the weather has cooled considerably in the last two days
....an indication that Winter is coming soon

On this  10th  of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Hubei

Smile:  A family of mice were surprised by a big cat.     Father Mouse jumped  up  and said, "Bow-wow!"      The cat ran away.
 "How did you do that,  Father?" asked Baby Mouse.    "Well, son, let's just say  it's important to learn a second language."

Smile A man  doctor  "Doctor, wherever I touch, it hurts."
The doctor asks, "What do you mean?"
The man says, "When I touch my shoulder, it really hurts. If I touch my knee - OUCH! When I touch my forehead, it really, really hurts."
The doctor says, "I know what's wrong with you - you've broken your finger!"

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday November 13. 
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome
to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  
Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Sunday Nov 13:      11.30am English Mass at St Anthony's, Pokfulam
Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes 
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for gathering at 6.00pm

December 26: I'm due to go to Australia (Brisbane & Gold Coast) for annual holiday.
Due to return to HK on Jan 24.

Many thanks  for donations to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China:
Nov 3 - Anon (HK)
Nov 4 - HK Government - HK$6,000 to all permanent ID holders! - will just about pay for Australia airfare. DG!
Nov 9 - Anon (HK)

No nibbles yet....I'm still fishing....for someone to help two people below:

Smile  
Patient: Doctor, I have a pain in my eye whenever I drink tea.
Doctor: Take the spoon out of the mug before you drink.

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom and hope   -  Numbers 6  -  from www.simplebible.info
(as the world collapses economically and socially....and as the church goes into a tail-spin through internal power-struggles...
let's anchor ourselves to the Bible and to service of the poor)

Smile A teenage girl had been talking on the phone for about half an hour, and then she hung up.
"Wow!," said her father, "That was short. You usually talk for two hours. What happened?"
"Wrong number," replied the girl.

Reflection on Pope Benedict 16's agenda for "reform of the reform"

Farewell  to two dear friends who went home to Heven this week:
Nov 8:  Mr Ip Hoi Chuen  (Evergreen Nursing Home, Yau Ma Tei)
Nov 9 - last night at Kowloon Hospital - Tony Leung Wai Keung, one of my oldest and dearest friends in Jordan/Yau Ma Tei 
(2010 photo - Tony on left, between KK and Anthony)

God bless everyone. May daily reading of the Bible give everyone  hope, and strength, and courage and peace
- especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas 

John W omi      

One billion people starving - what can I do?           Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing 

Thursday, November 3,   2011     Dear Friends

Good morning from "the busiest place on earth" (1km from my Ricci Center)

On this  3rd of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Gansu

Smile:  Restaurant near my home has a sign advertising "chicken nuggards"

Smile:  (thank you Pam)
When you drink vodka with ice, it can give you kidney failure. When you drink rum with ice, it can give you liver failure.
When you drink whiskey with ice, it can give you heart problems. When you drink gin with ice, it can give you brain problems.
Apparently, ice is really bad for you. Warn your friends. ("Ice" here means "frozen water", not the drug "Ice")

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday November 13. 
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome
to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  
Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Sunday Nov 13:      11.30am English Mass at St Anthony's, Pokfulam
Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes 
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for gathering at 6.00pm

December 26: I'm due to go to Australia (Brisbane & Gold Coast) for annual holiday.
Due to return to HK on Jan 24.

Many thanks  for donations to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China:
Oct 30 Magdalene (HK)
Oct 31 Catherine (HK) - Bibles for Hei Ling Chau!  (see last week's diary, below)

Cheap  phone calls - a couple of days ago I made a 21 minute call to Australia.   Cost was AUD$0.99.
May I again recommend Call2 at this link Cheap  International  Phone Calls

Smile   "white tea" is brown...which is why in many places it's called "milk tea"

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom   -  Numbers 1-5  -  from www.simplebible.info
(as the world collapses economically and socially....and as the church goes into a tail-spin through internal power-struggles...
let's anchor ourselves to the Bible and to service of the poor)

Learn Cantonese  - with YouTube

God bless everyone. May daily reading of the Bible give everyone hope, and strength, and courage and peace
- especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas 

John W omi   (expelled from Zhaoqing 3 years ago today)
- see  Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing 

One billion people starving - what can I do?        

Thursday, October 27,   2011     Dear Friends

Good morning from Hong Kong where lovely Spring days are continuing

On this  27th of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Tibet

Smile:  The longest word in the English language, according to the Oxford English Dictionary is:- pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis . It just means silicosis

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday November 13. 
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome
to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  
Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Sunday Oct 30:      11.30am English Mass at St Anthony's, Pokfulam
Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes 
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for gathering at 6.00pm

December 26: I'm due to go to Australia (Brisbane & Gold Coast) for annual holiday.
Due to return to HK on Jan 24.
I'm most grateful to Qantas for really good deal. 
In fact, over the Christmas-Lunar New Year period, Qantas has many promotion bargains for HK people.
e.g. return tickets from HK to Australia for around HK$7000.
More info from HK Qantas Sales Executive Ms Willy Choi wchoi@qantas.com.au  

Many thanks  for donation to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China:
Oct 21 Mono (HK).
Thanks also to Ming Pao paper for whom a little bit of English work has enabled me to buy a sturdy Toshiba Netbook 500 
(only HK2,199) at "2C"  (shop 46, Golden Shopping Center, Sham Shui Po - phone 2725 9861.  Thank you most helpful staff!).
Netbook will be most useful for coming Australia trip.
Note for nerds: FrontPage2000 and Palm Vx programs have been able to be installed on Netbook - against all the predictions of experts

The Melbourne Cup  - one of the world's great races - the first Tues of November = Nov 1, 2011 = All Saints Day.
Any horse with a Saint's name?!

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom   -  Leviticus 26, 27  -  from www.simplebible.info
(as the world collapses economically and socially....and as the church goes into a tail-spin through internal power-struggles...
let's anchor ourselves to the Bible and to service of the poor)

Yesterday at Hei Ling Chau Detention Center I visited the women's section ("18B"). 
Hadn't been there for a couple of months - because a number of lady pastors go there regularly....while no one else visits the men's sections ("18A" & "18B").  So I usually go only to the men's sections, and visit the women's sections only every couple of months. 
Yesterday I met many new inmates....and some 50 of them asked for a Chinese Bible!....which I ordered by phone after leaving 18B and before entering 18C.
50xHK$54 = $2,700 ...which I don't have at the moment. Any kind friends like to help me pay this bill please?
Otherwise I'll borrow from someone ....and pay back with salary from part-time jobs over the coming months

God bless everyone. May daily reading of the Bible give everyone hope, and strength, and courage and peace
- especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas 

John W omi   

One billion people starving - what can I do?             Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing 

Warning:  Collingwood joke at bottom of this week's diary!

Thursday, October 20,   2011     Dear Friends

Good morning from Hong Kong where lovely Spring days are coming along.  
Many people say that mid-Oct to mid-Nov is the nicest time of the year in HK

On this  20th of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Sichuan

Smile:  In English there's a saying "From here to Timbuktu". Well, last Tuesday at Lai Chi Kok Detention Center,
I met a man from .....Timbuktu!  He said the real pronunciation is "Toom-book-two", with the emphasis on "book"

Have you noticed that all five continents start with a vowel: 
Africa, America, Asia, Australia, Europe.
...and their final letter is the same as their first letter

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday November 13. 
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome
to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  
Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Sunday Oct 23:      11.30am English Mass at St Anthony's, Pokfulam
Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes 
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for gathering at 6.00pm

Wednesday Oct 26 is the Festival of Diwali - a big day for many peoples of the world, especially for people from the Sub-Continent

December 26: I'm due to go to Australia (Brisbane & Gold Coast) for annual holiday.
Due to return to HK on Jan 24.
I'm most grateful to Qantas for really good deal. 
In fact, over the Christmas-Lunar New Year period, Qantas has many promotion bargains for HK people.
e.g. return tickets from HK to Australia for around HK$7000.
More info from HK Qantas Sales Executive Ms Willy Choi wchoi@qantas.com.au  

Many thanks  for donation to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China:
Oct 13  Roxanne (Wong Tai Sin)
Oct 14  Dorothy (Sydney) & Doris (Brisbane)
Oct 16  Brenda and Steve (Texas)

Smile  Steve Jobs being introduced to Moses

New bar codes now being used in HK.  Small and un-readable by the human eye.
Which means people no longer can tell what country products come from.
In HK people can also now use their cell phones to talk with barcodes

True story - happened last night 6.15pm.  After I returned from Hei Ling Chau Detention Center, I still had quite a few Bibles in my travel bag. The Bibles are not light.  So...as I started my usual Wed night trip from Central ferry pier to Tung Wah Hospital (to visit two dear friends who have Lou Gehrig's disease) I was thinking: wouldn't it be nice to meet someone I could give the Bibles to. The thought was still warm when I met three Sisters (nuns) from the Philippines with a group of Filipinos....they'd just arrived after a trip from Macau.....and they were grateful for the Bibles! And I was grateful for a light travel bag to go up the hill to the hospital!

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom   -  Leviticus 24-25  -  from www.simplebible.info
(as the world collapses economically and socially....and as the church goes into a tail-spin through internal power-struggles...
let's anchor ourselves to the Bible and to service of the poor)

God bless everyone. May daily reading of the Bible give everyone hope, and strength, and courage and peace
- especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas 

John W omi   

One billion people starving - what can I do?             Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing 

Smile  (unless you're a Collingwood supporter)

80,000 Collingwood fans meet at the MCG for a "Collingwood Fans Are Not Stupid" Convention.
Eddie says, "We are all here today to prove to the world that Collingwood fans are not stupid. Can I have a volunteer?" 
Allan Didak gingerly works his way through the crowd and steps up to the stage. 
Eddie asks him, "What is fifteen plus fifteen?" 
After 15 or 20 seconds Didak says, "Eighteen!" 
Obviously everyone is a little disappointed. Then all 80,000 Collingwood Fans start chanting, "GIVE HIM ANOTHER CHANCE! GIVE HIM ANOTHER CHANCE!" 
Eddie says, "Well since we've gone to the trouble of getting 80,000 of you in one place and we have the world wide press and global broadcast media here, I think we can give him another chance." 
So he asks, "What is seven plus seven?" 
After nearly 30 seconds he eventually says, "Ninety!" Eddie is quite perplexed, looks down and just lets out a dejected sigh - everyone is disheartened. 
Didak starts crying and the 80,000 Collingwood fans begin to yell and wave their hands shouting, "GIVE HIM ANOTHER CHANCE! GIVE HIM ANOTHER CHANCE!" 
Eddie, unsure whether or not he is doing more harm than damage, eventually says, "OK! OK! Just one more chance...What is two plus two?" 
Didak closes his eyes, and after a whole minute eventually says, "Four!" 
Throughout the stadium pandemonium breaks out as all 80,000 Collingwood fans jump to their feet, wave their arms, stamp their feet and scream...
 "GIVE HIM ANOTHER CHANCE! GIVE HIM ANOTHER CHANCE!"

Thursday, October 13,   2011     Dear Friends

Good morning from Hong Kong where  light rain is falling
....and a typhoon might be coming from the Philippines in the next few days

On this  13th of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Jianxi

Smile:  A not-uncommon sight in HK - someone putting a (small) dog into a bag,
 before getting on a bus (where doggies aint allowed).....a real doggie bag!

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday November 13. 
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome
to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  
Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Sunday Oct 16:      11.30am English Mass at St Anthony's, Pokfulam
Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes 
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for gathering at 6.00pm

December 26: I'm due to go to Australia (Brisbane & Gold Coast) for annual holiday.
Due to return to HK on Jan 24.
I'm most grateful to Qantas for really good deal. 
In fact, over the Christmas-Lunar New Year period, Qantas has many promotion bargains for HK people.
e.g. return tickets from HK to Australia for around HK$7000.
More info from HK Qantas Sales Executive Ms Willy Choi wchoi@qantas.com.au  

Many thanks  for donation to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China:
Oct 6  Our Lady's Primary School, Wong Tai Sin
Oct 8 St Eugene Oblate Primary School, Tokwawan

Smile
Q: What do you call a pig that doesn't have a sense of humor?    A: A boar ("bore")

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom   -  Leviticus 21-23  -  from www.simplebible.info

Gone home to heaven:  Fr Pat O'Reilly o.m.i., whose funeral is being held as I type this words.
He died Oct 9 in Moe, Victoria after a long illness.
Paddy was a great golfer - almost as good as a "pro".      I  dedicate this smile to him.
In these two photos Paddy is standing next to me - we worked together at Moe in 1982.
May his prayers in heaven help us all

God bless everyone. May daily reading of the Bible give everyone hope, and strength, and courage and peace
- especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas 

John W omi   

One billion people starving - what can I do?             Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing 

Thursday, October 6,   2011     Dear Friends

Good morning from Hong Kong where yesterday was a holiday for the annual Chung Yeung Festival.
Happy Birthday today Matteo Ricci (1552)

On this  6th of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Hainan

Smile:  Have you noticed that November 11  will be 11-11-11 !  (which means that next year there will be a 12-12-12)

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday October 9. 
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome
to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  
Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Sunday Oct 9:      11.30am English Mass at St Anthony's, Pokfulam
Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes 
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for gathering at 6.00pm

December 26: I'm due to go to Australia (Brisbane & Gold Coast) for annual holiday.
Due to return to HK on Jan 24.
I'm most grateful to Qantas for really good deal. 
In fact, over the Christmas-Lunar New Year period, Qantas has many promotion bargains for HK people.
e.g. return tickets from HK to Australia for around HK$7000.
More info from HK Qantas Sales Executive Ms Willy Choi wchoi@qantas.com.au  

Many thanks  for donation to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China:
Oct 1  Parishioners of Wanchai parish, HK

Monday Oct 2 in Sheung Shui (New Territories) I visited a very special center 
looking after some 300 mentally and physically handicapped people. A very moving experience

Smile Three little pigs went to market, but four over-spending PIGS went bust  
( nothing to smile about if you're from Portugal, Ireland, Greece or Spain)

Full-time  job wanted by inmate who can apply for early release  if someone will offer him a 12-month day time job. 
He is HK local Chinese, aged 46, speaks excellent English (spent 4 years in USA). He is married with four children aged 6 - 20.
Please contact me if you can help:  jdwomi@gmail.com  or phone  67095674

New word for me: Nimby  (plural nimbies). Not in my back yard.  Ming Pao newspaper recently said that most HK people are nimbies 
- e.g.  they agree that HK should have centers for the handicapped, but not in their neighborhoood

My Reflection:  History the key to understanding Vatican policy...and what's happening in Austria today

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom   - Leviticus 19 -  from www.simplebible.info

God bless everyone. May daily reading of the Bible give everyone hope, and strength, and courage and peace
- especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas 

John W omi   

One billion people starving - what can I do?             Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing 

Thursday, September 29,   2011     Dear Friends

Good afternoon from Hong Kong where a typhoon is visiting. 
Number 8 signal is up......so today is a holiday for most workers, students and teachers...with two more holidays coming: 
Oct 1 (National Day) and Oct 5 (Chung Yeung Festival)

On this  29th of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Chongqing.
And...may everyone named Michael, Gabriel and Raphael have a happy feastday today.
Also - tonight is supposed to be "no air-con night" in HK

Smile:  Have you noticed that Oct 9 will be 09-10-11 ! 

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday October 9. 
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome
to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  
Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Sunday Oct 2:      11.30am English Mass at St Anthony's, Pokfulam; 2.30pm English Mass at Lo Wu Prison
Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes 
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for gathering at 6.00pm

Many thanks  for donation to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China:
Sep 28 Anon (HK)

Q: How much money does the HK Government have in the bank?
A: On August 31, it had HK$588.3 billion  (divide by 8 for US/Aus $) .  

Help wanted:  by a HK man who has lost contact for the past 20 years with his adult daughters in Australia.
Daughters' names:  Tang Suk Yin  and Tang Ka Yin.
They might be in Sydney.
Please email me if you can help:  jdwomi@gmail.com 

Q: How many "F's" are there in this sentence:
Finished files are the result of years of scientific study combined with the experience of years.
A:  6    (most people say 4 or 5)

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom   - Leviticus 18 -  from www.simplebible.info

Gone Home to Heaven:  Fr John Dunlea   o.m.i.  who died in Moe, Australia, on Sep 26  after a short bout with cancer. 
May his prayers in Heaven help us below.  
Fr D was a man of few words....like the time  he called a meeting in Tea Tree Gully, Adelaide, to discuss the urgent need 
for a Catholic school in the area.  Fr D stayed silent while speaker after speaker pointed out that a school was not possible, was too
expensive, timing was not right etc.  
At the end of the meeting Fr D thanked everyone for coming,  and made just one comment: "We are going to build a school"
...and the school was built and went on to win an award for its design ...and was quickly filled...and was successful

God bless everyone. May daily reading of the Bible give everyone hope, and strength, and courage and peace
- especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas 

John W omi   

AFL Grand Final on October 1:  Go Cats!

One billion people starving - what can I do?             Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing 

Thursday, September 22,   2011     Dear Friends

Good afternoon from Hong Kong where the weather is gradually cooling....after an unusually dry Summer. 
Typhoons have been forming in the Pacific Ocean, but have gone to Taiwan and Japan rather than HK

Smile:  Last Sunday, with group of people after Mass,  I asked a little girl "What's your name?"
She replied "My name is Six Years Old".    I will never, ever, ever forget her name!  

Smile: A Minister decided that a visual demonstration would add emphasis to his Sunday sermon. 
Four worms were placed into four separate jars. 
The first worm was put into a container of alcohol. 
The second worm was put into a container of cigarette smoke. 
The third worm was put into a container of chocolate syrup. 
The fourth worm was put into a container of good, clean soil. 
At the conclusion of the sermon, the Minister reported the following results: 
The first worm in alcohol ... Dead. 
The second worm in cigarette smoke ... Dead. 
The third worm in chocolate syrup ... Dead. 
The fourth worm in good, clean soil ... Alive . 
So the Minister asked the congregation, "What did you learn from this demonstration?" 
An elderly lady sitting in the back of the church raised her hand and said, 
"As long as you drink, smoke, and eat chocolate, you won't have worms!" 

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday October 9. 
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome
to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  
Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Sunday Sep 25:      8.30am Chinese Mass at Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church, Wanchai;
                               11.30am English Mass at St Anthony's, Pokfulam; 
Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes 
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for gathering at 6.00pm

Many thanks  for donation to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China
Sep 15: Mrs Leung (Sham Shui Po)
Sep 16: Pauline, Florence and Matthias (Cathedral Parish)
Sep 18: Parishioners of Our Lady of Mt Carmel Parish, Wanchai
Sep 18: Katrina (St Anthony's Parish, Pokfulam)

Smile:  Last Sunday with a group of people after Mass, I asked  when did the English Mass begin at their church ( = what year did it start).
Quick as a flash, one wit replied "At 11.30am".
I also asked the same group (local Chinese people) why did they go to the English Mass? Why didn't they go to the Chinese Mass?
Same wit replied "So I can sleep better".....which I misunderstood at first...thinking he meant it was easier to sleep during an English Mass than during a Chinese Mass. But his "sleep better" meant "sleep longer" ....since the Chinese Mass was earlier than the English Mass!

Job wanted in Tuen Mun area (part-time; short term ok) by local one-arm Chinese inmate, due to be released December 30. 
His home is in Tuen Mun. No problem as  security man....or telephone receptionist etc.
Please let me know if you can help:  6709 5674  or  jdwomi@gmail.com 

English teacher wanted for Shenzhen  (I've asked for more details....local/foreigner ok? ....will post details when I receive them):
Hello John
this is Oliver....I am working in Shenzhen...
Our school needs a teacher to take primary students for oral English. Can you recommend one for us?...

Two happy Bible stories:
A: About five months ago I helped an ex-inmate find a job and accommodation. Hadn't seen him for the past two months....until last 
Monday night when I went to visit two other inmates who are staying at the same dormitory....and what was "your man" doing?....sitting on his bed reading his Bible!   (...he had no idea I would be coming...).
B: An inmate from another country has a special cover for his Bible:  the front is covered with stamps from his own country; the back is covered with stamps from other countries. All stamps have been attached with ...toothpaste!

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom   - Leviticus 16,  17 -  from www.simplebible.info

Debt problem of USA/Greece/Ireland/Italy etc: As Sir Robert Menzies once said (on his 80th birthday): 
"What's needed is not some economist's theory, but a great mood of unselfishness".
What's especially needed are  leaders who give an example in cutting back on a lifestyle their country can no longer afford.
How can ordinary people agree to cutbacks, while leaders keep living it up?
(..not to mention, in the USA's case, the need to stop  the waste of war - Afghanistan etc)

God bless everyone. May daily reading of the Bible give everyone hope, and strength, and courage and peace
- especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas 
(..how the list keeps growing each week..)

John W omi   

AFL Grand Final coming soon -talk about Cat among pigeons: Cats, Hawks, Magpies and Eagles!

One billion people starving - what can I do?             Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing 

Sep 29 - "no air-con night"

Thursday, September 15,   2011     Dear Friends

Good afternoon from Hong Kong where the Mid-Autumn (Moon) Festival has just been celebrated. 
As usual, (retired) Cardinal Joseph Zen sponsored a gift of a (very large and very beautiful) mooncake for every one of HK's 15,000 (?) inmates.
Inmates sure grateful and happy

Smile  Cardinal's kind gesture reminds me of something that happened in 1997 when Cardinal was still just a bishop. He and bishop John Tong were then assistants to Cardinal Wu.  The two bishops visited Wing Chor school at Tai O on Lantau Island where I was working at the time.  As I drove them from Tai O back to Tung Chung, I told them the story of Archbishop Duhig in Brisbane who founded, and often visited, Iona College when I was a student there. As he finished his visits, the archbishop  would give the priests at the school five pounds and say "Now, fathers, buy all the boys (70 of them then)  an ice cream".  But five pounds was only half the cost of so many ice creams....and the poor priests, who were strapped for cash, had to find another five pounds to pay for the ice creams.
What did the two bishops do when they heard the story? 
Each immediately took out HK$500 and said "Buy all the students (about 150 of them) an ice cream"!!!

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday October 9. 
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome
to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  
Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Sunday Sep 18:      8.30am Chinese Mass at Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church, Wanchai;
                               11.30am English Mass at St Anthony's, Pokfulam; 
Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes 
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for gathering at 6.00pm

Many thanks  for donation to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China
Sep 5: Anon (HK)
Sep 8 - 13:  Parishioners of St Paul's parish, Yau Ma Tei
Sep 13: Mr & Mrs Man (HK)

Prayers requested for a young lady in hospital for nearly a year after a complicated stroke.
Her Facebook site: "Let's support Winnie"

Smile
Q: Which country has the most sheep per head of human population?
A: New Zealand
Q: Which country has the most octopuses?
A:  HK!  (about 20 million of them....used for shopping/transport etc...and they can even be used in Macau and Shenzhen!)
Other countries are way behind HK in this field

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom   - Leviticus 13 - 15 -  from www.simplebible.info

God bless everyone and through our Bible reading give everyone hope, 
especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas 
(..how the list keeps growing each week..)

John W omi   

One billion people starving - what can I do?             Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing 

Thursday, September 8,   2011     Dear Friends

Good afternoon from Hong Kong where the Mid-Autumn (Moon) Festival is just around the corner
(evening of Sep 12, with public holiday on Sep 13)....and moon cakes are being sold everywhere. 
I wish everyone, especially friends in the Mainland,  a Happy Mid-Autumn Festival!

On this day, the 8th of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Heilongjiang.
And...let's not forget history's most important woman whose birthday many people celebrate today

Smile (for Moon Festival)
When the Americans put a man on the moon in 1969, two Irishmen were in a pub talking about the landing.
Paddy said to Seamus: "We Irishmen can do better than that. We'll put a man on the sun"

Smile
A few weeks ago I mentioned how my aging brain got mixed up after a long day's work
....and got my hand to put my keys (instead of octopus card) on the octopus scanner at the MTR (Metro).
Two days ago a repeat:  this time using my mobile phone

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday September 11. 
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome
to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  
Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Friday Sep 9:        7.50am Chinese Mass at St Paul's Church, Yau Ma Tei
Saturday Sep 10:  7.20am and 7.30pm Chinese Masses at St Paul's Church, Yau Ma Tei
Sunday Sep 11:     8.30am Chinese Mass at Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church, Wanchai;
                               11.30am English Mass at St Anthony's, Pokfulam;   
Monday Sep 12:   7.20am Chinese Mass at St Paul's Church, Yau Ma Tei
Tuesday Sep 13:   7.20am Chinese Mass at St Paul's Church, Yau Ma Tei

Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes 
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for gathering at 6.00pm

Many thanks  for donation to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China
Sep 2: Yuki (Jordan, Kowloon)

Smile
"In this place we have free board, free meals, free newspapers, free water, free electricity, free medicine - but no freedom"
- profound reflection of an inmate a few days ago

Smile  Someone asked me why, when preparing "Simple Bible: New Testament", why did I include all four Gospels? Why didn't I just put the four of them into one easy-read summary?  In fact, I thought about doing just that, but then I realized that each Gospel has its own distinctive emphasis, its own special flavor. The four of them are like whisky (Matthew), beer (Mark), wine (Luke) and champagne (John). 
Mixing them not such a great idea!

A  serving, make that a drink, of God's Word  to give us wisdom   - Leviticus 11,12 -  from www.simplebible.info

Smile:      Last Saturday night at Mass I saw two things for the first time:
1. Someone using an iPad (computer) as they sat in their seat waiting for Mass to start.
2. After I washed my hands at the Offertory, the altar boy took the washing water and tipped it on the live flowers on the altar!

Post-Ramadan reflection:  
I learnt this year (from some Muslim inmates) that the final few days of Ramadan are a time when people visit cemeteries/graves.
How similar are the customs of most cultures.
A hope: maybe someday, when machines/computers do more of the work, and people go to work only four days a week,
maybe then   Friday, Sat and Sun can become universal holydays and holidays (.."holiday" comes from "holyday"..):
Friday a Muslim Holyday. Saturday a Jewish Holyday. Sunday a Christian Holyday

New link at top right of this diary: Ming Pao recorded editorials  (a new job for me each weekday + column each Wed "Foreigner in HK")

God bless everyone and through our Bible reading give everyone hope, 
especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas

John W omi   

One billion people starving - what can I do?             Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing

Thursday, September 1,   2011     Dear Friends

Good afternoon from Hong Kong on the first day of the academic year in this part of the world.
Come Holy Spirit and bless all students, teachers, other staff, and parents!
As a contribution to the academic field, a  friend of mine is providing on-line audio for Ming Pao's weekday editiorials. 
First offering today - can you recognize the voice?

Also on this day, the 1st of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Anhui

Smiles (for start of school year)

Child comes home from  first day at school. 
Mother asks, "What did you learn today?"
Kid replies, "Not enough. I have to go back tomorrow."

The teacher came up with a good problem.
"Suppose," she asked the second-graders, "there were a dozen sheep and six of them jumped over a fence. How many would be left?"
"None," answered little Norman.
"None? Norman, you don't know your arithmetic."
"Teacher, you don't know your sheep. When one goes, they all go

Smile: Last night I had a beautiful cold beer after a long hot day in a detention center. No beer the previous month as an effort to show some respect for Ramadan.  Yesterday morning, in Jordan,  I noticed many Muslim men, dressed in flowing shirts, heading for the Nathan Road mosque....which made me think there must be some special celebration to mark the end of Ramadan. Indeed there is. It's called "Eid".  And now I understand why I thought inmates were telling me it was "Eat Day".  They were not saying "Eat" but "Eid"!

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday September 11. 
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome
to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  
Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Saturday Sep 3:  6pm English Mass and 7.30pm Chinese Mass at Sacred Heart Church, Sai Kung
Sunday Sep 4:     11.30am English Mass at St Anthony's, Pokfulam;   3pm English Mass at Lo Wu Prison.
Thurs Sep 8:     7.20am Chinese Mass at St Paul's Church, Yau Ma Tei

Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes 
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for gathering at 6.00pm

Many thanks  for donation to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China
Aug  27: St Eugene Oblate School - (Summer Holiday English class money - already sent to China)

Smile - Yesterday at an un-named island detention center, one of the "dog men" gave me a ride in his van, from the pier to section 18C (a drive of about 5 minutes...a walk of about one hour....up steep hill). "Dog man" so called because he has a dog whose job it is to sniff for drugs. 
Driver really kind to give me a lift....lovely friendly man....but has DNA of failed Kamikaze pilot (...or, as HK people might say, of a mini-bus driver).
Speed signs of "Max speed 18kph"  barely visible as we rocketed past at 50-60kmp on narrow one-track road, around sharp bends, swaying and shifting.
I'm a seasoned driver/passenger...have a strong stomach....but yesterday  my stomach was in the "won't last much longer" stage.
So, to distract myself, I looked over my shoulder (I was in middle seat of van) to see how the dog was going
....only to find poor pooch was busy depositing his breakfast/lunch on floor of van.
Guess this is a good time to bring up (..sorry..) info that "sick as a dog" was first documented about 300 years ago

Good News  A welfare officer at one detention center will soon be taking 6 months leave without pay....to work in a poor school in Shaoguan
(where Matteo Ricci lived for about 5 years after being expelled from Zhaoqing).  Officer's program being arranged by HK Government!

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom   - Leviticus 8 -10 -  from www.simplebible.info

Smile
This week's back-the-front English offering from China.org.cn:
"Libyan rebels released over 10,000 prisoners arrested by Muammar Gaddafi's government
 since the rebel forces captured the capital Tripoli"
 which means     that MG's government arrested 10,000 people after the rebels captured Tripoli ?!?

Stop press:   Oxfam on ATV Home 
Date: Saturday 3 September 
Time: 10:30 pm
Language: Cantonese, Mandarin, Bengali
Tune in to see how communities in northern Bangladesh and southwest China are working alongside Oxfam to improve their communities. This includes preparing for disasters, such as floods, which are worsening

God bless everyone and through our Bible reading give everyone hope, 
especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas

John W omi   

One billion people starving - what can I do?             Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing

Thursday, August 25,   2011     Dear Friends

Good afternoon from Hong Kong....nearly the end of August ... and of  Ramadan  (6 days to next beer...!)
....and of Summer holidays - school resumes September 1 (unless there's a typhoon, for which students and staff often pray at this time)

On this 25th of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Ningxia

Smiles (for start of school year)
Summer vacation was over and Little Johnny returned back to school.
Only two days later his teacher phoned his mother to tell her that he was misbehaving.
"Wait a minute," she said. "I had Johnny with me for three months and I never called you once when he misbehaved!"

The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school for lunch.
 At the head of the table was a large pile of apples.
 The nun made a note, and posted on the apple tray: "Take only ONE. God is watching."
Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. 
A child had written a note, "Take all you want. God is watching the apples."

How about this for mixed up English? (at this link, which may well disappear soon):
"Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi blamed in the early hours of Sunday
rebel forces in the country for destroying the infrastructures in Libya
during a telephone speech which was broadcast on Libyan state TV" (sic)
- which means the rebel forces destroyed the infrastructure during a telephone speech (?!)

My Dad in Libya - 1941 photo.   May the Good Lord bless Libya with lasting peace

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday September 11. 
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome
to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  
Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Sunday Aug 28:    8.30 am Chinese Mass at  Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church, Wanchai
Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes 
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for gathering at 6.00pm

Many thanks  for donation to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China
Aug  22: Julia, St Margaret's, HK

Smile
A high school had a policy that the parents must call the school if a student was to be absent for the day.
Kelly decided to skip school and go to the mall with her friends.
She waited until her parents had left for work and called the school herself.
Kelly: "Hi, I'm calling to report that Kelly so-and-so is unable to make it to school today because she is ill".
Secretary at high school: "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. I'll note her absence. Who is this calling?"
Kelly: "This is my mother."

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom   - Leviticus 1 -  from www.simplebible.info

Some songs that I'm using in prison services

Bishop Bill Morris website

God bless everyone and through our Bible reading give everyone hope, 
especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas

John W omi   

One billion people starving - what can I do?             Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing

Thursday, August 18,   2011     Dear Friends

Good afternoon from Hong Kong....past the half way mark of August ... and of  Ramadan  (14 days to next beer...!)

On this 18th of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Shandong

Smile  Yesterday was a very happy day...."Simple Bible: New Testament" went to the printer just before 7pm...DG!
...after some 9 hours of editing Word files and saving them as PDF's
....but this morning my brain was still recovering:  
on way to English class, when I went to go through the Metro (MTR) gate, 
instead of using my MTR (Octopus) card, 
I took out my keys and started to put them on the machine!

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday September 11. 
HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome
to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  
Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Sunday Aug 21:    8am & 11am Chinese Masses at  St Peter's Church, Aberdeen
Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for gathering at 6.00pm

Many thanks  for donations to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China
Aug  12: Legion of Mary members, St Margaret's, HK
Aug  14: Brenda (HK) and Regina (HK)

Africa famine crisis - on Aug 16 I made a donation to Medecins Sans Frontieres to support their work in Somalia.
Lord, please may Somalia soon have a decent government to help its people cope with famine

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us encouragement   - Exodus 40 -  from www.simplebible.info

Smile  Favorite part of Bible for many HK people: Mark 6  (= name of the local lottery, The Mark Six)

An Australian church website which has all the latest news

God bless everyone and through our Bible reading give everyone hope, 
especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas

John W omi   

One billion people starving - what can I do?             Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing

Thursday, August 11,   2011     Dear Friends

Good afternoon from Hong Kong where the temperature lately is above 30 degrees. 
Last Sunday was 35....with some people having 41.
Sunday night really tested my resolution not to have a beer during Ramadan!

Muslim inmates at HK's detention centers are following Ramadan with great devotion.
They have a light breakfast around 4.15am (..has to be before sunrise, at 4.40am today)
then nothing, no food or even water during the day,
then they break their fast (breakfast!) after sunset (at 7.01pm today) with a good meal

This time of year in HK is "Computer Festival Time" - a good time for bargains.
e.g. Printer-Scanner-Copier  "three-in-ones" are available for HK$248 (HP) and $298 (Canon)

On this 11th of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Hunan

Smile  Near the Ricci Center in Jordan is a small canteen run by a lovely couple from the Mainland...who speak the Hakka dialect.
They are helped by their soon-to-have-a-baby daughter, a cook, a waiter, and a cleaner.
I go to the canteen for an evening meal once or twice a month.  A few nights ago when I was there, 
I asked the husband (in Cantonese) "new grandchild arrived yet?".  He pointed to the cook and said "Ask him".
Husband thought I was ordering a meal.
I then asked the wife "new grandchild arrived yet?".  She pointed to the waiter and said "Ask him".
Wife thought I needed something at the table.
At which stage I changed to Mandarin and found out the baby still has a few weeks to go

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday August 14.   HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome
to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Saturday Aug 14:    11.15am Chinese Mass at  Rosary church, Tsim Sha Tsui

Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for Pizza at Matteo Ricci Center, Jordan, at 6.00pm

Many thanks  for donations to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China
Aug  3: Anon (HK)
Aug  9: Doris Kempnich (Brisbane)

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us encouragement   - Exodus 39 -  from www.simplebible.info

Deo Gratias!  English draft of "Simple Bible: New Testament" finished earlier this afternoon. 
This means the whole Bible in English is now finished and at www.simplebible.info 
 
DV "Simple Bible: NT" will be ready for printer in another week or so (Word files need to be checked and saved to PDF format).
Chinese "Simple Bible: Old Testament" also coming along.  DV ready before Christmas

An Australian church website which has all the latest news:  
Featured at the moment is this item:

Reflection on deteriorating condition of world economy, of society, of church: 
what we need is a return to simple living....with example from world/church leaders
....a turning away from extravagant living, from pomp and circumstance.
And as a wise man (Fr W. Steckling omi) said last year, 
the two things that will help us pull out of our deteriorating plunge are:
more love for the poor and more love for the Bible. 
These two items should be on the agenda of every meeting 
...yet how many meeting minutes even mention them?

God bless everyone and through our Bible reading give everyone hope, 
especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas

John W omi   

One billion people starving - what can I do?             Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing

Thursday, August 4,   2011     Dear Friends

Good afternoon from a very hot Hong Kong  which is at the heart of China's new cultural revolution
Wishing safety to everyone on  Summer holidays ....and asking a blessing for everyone following this month's Ramadan fast

On this 4th of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Guangdong

Happy 50th Birthday today, Barack Obama.   (sure hope you can do a better job in your 2nd term, if you get one)

Smile
Man walking along a road in the countryside comes across a shepherd and a huge flock of sheep. Tells the shepherd, "I will bet you $100 against one of your sheep that I can tell you the exact number in this flock." The shepherd thinks it over; it's a big flock so he takes the bet. 
"973," says the man. The shepherd is astonished, because that is exactly right. Says "OK, I'm a man of my word, take an animal." Man picks one up and begins to walk away.
"Wait," cries the shepherd, "Let me have a chance to get even. Double or nothing that I can guess your exact occupation." Man says sure. "You are an economist for a government think tank," says the shepherd. "Amazing!" responds the man, "You are exactly right! But tell me, how did you deduce that?"
"Well," says the shepherd, "put down my dog and I will tell you." 

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday August 14.   HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome
to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Saturday Aug 7:    9.15am and 12 noon English Masses at  St Peter & Paul's church, Yuen Long;  3pm Mass Lo Wu prison

Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for Pizza at Matteo Ricci Center, Jordan, at 6.00pm

Many thanks  for donation to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China
July 27: Doris Kempnich (Brisbane)

Smile (don't read if you're an economist)
When Albert Einstein died, he met three New Zealanders in the queue outside the Pearly Gates. To pass the time, he asked what were their IQs. The first replied 190. "Wonderful," exclaimed Einstein. "We can discuss the contribution made by Ernest Rutherford to atomic physics and my theory of general relativity". The second answered 150. "Good," said Einstein. "I look forward to discussing the role of New Zealand's nuclear-free legislation in the quest for world peace". The third New Zealander mumbled 50. Einstein paused, and then asked, "So what is your forecast for the budget deficit next year?"

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us encouragement   - Exodus 37, 38 -  from www.simplebible.info

Health and healing    A most encouraging bi-monthly newsletter is The Healing Line

God bless everyone and give everyone hope, 
especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas

John W omi   

One billion people starving - what can I do?             Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing

Thursday, July 28,   2011     Dear Friends

Good afternoon from a very hot Hong Kong.
Wishing safety to everyone on  Summer holidays 

On this 28th of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Beijing

Smile (a recent serious conversation...inmate was not joking...but I had trouble keeping a straight face)
Inmate to me: "please pray for my wife. She is going into hospital about this time to have a baby".
Me: "when is the baby due?"
Inmate: "after 9 months"

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday August 14.   HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome
to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Saturday July 30:    8pm Chinese Mass at  Our Lady of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, San Po Kong, Kowloon

Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for Pizza at Matteo Ricci Center, Jordan, at 6.00pm

Many thanks  for donations to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China
July 24:  Katherine & KK (HK)
July 27: Connie & Bassanio (HK)

Smile  (a "chicken and duck conversation" in local market)
Me: "how long will these eggs keep?"  (as I was buying 4 of them last Monday)
Very hard of hearing seller: "they're from Thailand"

Recommended 
1: for students and teachers of HK's new senior secondary  courses:
this excellent site, whose founder I met last Sunday

2: for music lovers: The Hong Kong International Institute of Music, a non-profit Christian institution, founded in July, 1998 by a group of enthusiastic Christian musicians and educators.  Their excellent brochure of activities for the coming year is available at  HMV in TST 

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom and courage   - Exodus 36 -  from www.simplebible.info

Australia
 The Compass program call “The Nazarene,”  a documentary on the life and work in Indonesia of Fr Charlie Burrows omi,
 will be shown on  ABC 1 this Sunday, 31 July, at 22:05 (http://www.abc.net.au/compass/)

God bless everyone and give everyone hope, 
especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas

John W omi   

One billion people starving - what can I do?             Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing

Please note new mail address, above.  More convenient for me, and can be used by ex-inmates who temporarily don't have own address

Thursday, July 21,   2011     Dear Friends

Good afternoon from a hot Hong Kong.
Safe traveling to all people going away during the Summer holidays 

On this 21st of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Yunan

Smile   Photo on my prison pass, taken three years ago, makes me look quite ancient.
Imagine hole in my pride when guard at prison a few days ago remarked, 
when processing my admission and looking at photo, "you looked young then"

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday August 14.   HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome
to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

Sunday July 24:    9.30am Chinese Mass at  Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Chi Fu (HK Island)

Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau  Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for Pizza at Matteo Ricci Center, Jordan, at 6.00pm

Many thanks  for donation to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China
July 14:  Anon (HK)

Somalia famine the worst in 60 years

What am I?  
I am run by a group of old men.
I punish anyone who raises issues that I don't want talked about.
I use censorship and an autocratic appointment system  in order  to maintain control.
I claim a membership of more than one billion people.
More and more of my members are losing respect for me. 
They feel I care more about keeping control than looking after the ordinary membership

Two correct answers: The Vatican and the Chinese Government.
At the moment these two bullies are fighting each other over the appointment of bishops in China.
I feel sorry for the poor people caught in the crossfire.     c.f.  The Election of Bishops  (my reflections from 2006 and earlier)

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom and courage   - Exodus 35 -  from www.simplebible.info

Simple Bible: New Testament due to go to printer next month DV.   Like previous books, it will be distributed free to prison inmates.
Anyone like to help pay printing bill please?  Will be about HK$15,000

God bless everyone and give everyone hope, 
especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas

John W omi   

One billion people starving - what can I do?             Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing

Please note new mail address, above.  More convenient for me, and can be used by ex-inmates who temporarily don't have own address

Thursday, July 14,   2011     Dear Friends

Good afternoon from a wet and warm Hong Kong. Storms most days this week 
May all students and teachers have a safe and happy Summer holiday

On this 14th of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Jilin

Smile   Pastor was giving a stirring Temperance sermon: "If I had all the beer in the world, I'd throw it in the river. 
And if I had all the wine in the world, I'd throw it in the river. And if I had all the whisky in the world, I'd throw it in the river".
At end of service he asked everyone to stand for the final song "Shall we gather at the river?"

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday August 14.   HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome
to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

July 17 - Sunday 8am Chinese Mass at  Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Chi Fu (HK Island)

Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau or other Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for Pizza at Matteo Ricci Center, Jordan, at 6.00pm

Many thanks  for donation to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China
July 5:  Anon (HK)
July 9: Wayne (Brisbane)
July 10: Regina (HK)

Health & Healing    Would anyone have any special information about three rare diseases
from which three local HK people are suffering?:
- Amyloidosis
- Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS)
- Machado Joseph Diseas (MJD)

Smile   Two naughty brothers....always in trouble....mother asked Pastor to talk to them at home....one by one....Pastor (a big gruff man) to younger brother: "Where's your teacher?"....."I don't know".....Pastor (louder) "Where's your teacher?"...."I don't know"...Pastor (even more loudly) "Where's your teacher?"
Small boy ran into next room and hid in cupboard. Older brother opened door and said "What's going on?".  Younger brother: "my teacher is missing and they think we've done it"

Smile   Hong Kong English

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom and courage   - Exodus 34 -  from www.simplebible.info

Simple Bible: New Testament due to go to printer next month DV.   Like previous books, it will be distributed free to prison inmates.
Anyone like to help pay printing bill please?  Will be about HK$15,000

God bless everyone and give everyone hope, 
especially the many special friends who are battling cancer  -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas

John W omi   

One billion people starving - what can I do?             Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing

Please note new mail address, above.  More convenient for me, and can be used by ex-inmates who temporarily don't have own address

Thursday, July 7,   2011     Dear Friends

Good afternoon from a very warm Hong Kong ( 32 degrees). Summer holidays have already begun for many older students. 
May all students and teachers have a safe and happy holiday

On this 7th of the month,  Dear Lord, please bless the people of Hebei

Smile
English here at china.org.cn (Government site) not so good....can mean that corruption is necessary for survival of Party!
"The Communist Party of China (CPC) will intensify its efforts to combat corruption,
which is crucial in gaining popular support for the Party and ensuring its very survival"

Calendar
Next meeting to pray for healing will be on Sunday July 10.   HK people (of any faith) battling any sort of sickness  are welcome
to join me for a simple sharing and prayer at 3pm.  Please phone (67095674) or email  (jdwomi@gmail.com)  for location

July 9  - Saturday 7.30pm Chinese Mass at St Paul's Church, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon
July 10 - Sunday 11am English Mass at  Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Chi Fu (HK Island)

Mondays/Tuesdays and Fridays - Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau or other Detention Center 
Thursdays, Saturdays - English classes
Sundays  - visitors most welcome to join special guests for Pizza at Matteo Ricci Center, Jordan, at 6.00pm

Many thanks  for donation to help my work for the poor in HK and for the poor in China
July 6:  Anon (HK)

Smile   I never ask inmates why they are in prison. Usually ask them what work they do "outside", where they live etc.
Recently one local Chinese inmate wanted to practise his English. So I spoke to him in English and asked "What work do you do? What's your job outside?"   He answered "I beat my wife"   (...he thought I was asking why he was in prison...)

A  serving  of God's Word  to give us wisdom and courage   - Exodus 33 -  from www.simplebible.info