Tuesday, May 18, 2010

To Taipei 到台北去

(Edited 21-5-2010 6:30 pm, please see footnote)
(增编 21-5-2010 请看后记)

I was informed almost a year ago of the tentative date: 23/5/2010 OR 30/5/2010.

I was hesitating and struggling. May would be a busy month - wedding in Kota Kinabalu on 15/5/10, Legion day (Marian congress was not even conceived yet), Legion Fellowship in Ipoh from 28/5 to 1/6/2010.

Until a month ago, it came with an invitation card and a note to confirm the date: 23/5/2010.

After reading the note, my wife and I decided immediately, if not possible for both of us, one of us must go ....

The note reads:
My dear Uncle Simon and Pauline,

With my broken English, I still have to write in English because I afraid that uncle Simon doesn't want to translate the letter if I write in Mandarin, right or not, uncle Simon? (
no change, still the cheeky Esther -my comment). Somehow, I really wish to see you (both of you) in my Profession Mass... but then...OK, I leave it up to God. Uncle Simon, thanks for everything that you had done for me, God reward you now and forever... I miss you very very much. I'll pray for your need day and night. That's the only thing that I can do for you... God bless you.
Love from Sr. Marie 16-4-2010

Immediately I made a flight booking to Taipei from 22/5 to 24/5/2010 to attend Sr. Marie Aimee's Solemn Profession on 23/5/2010 Sunday at 3:00pm at the Carmerlite Monastery, Shen keng, Taipei.

Sr. Marie Aimee (Esther Yong)from Sibu, Sarawak was a student in UKM, Bangi more than 17 years ago. She was not a Christian then. She followed her friends to our church and later attended RCIA and baptised as a Catholic. After obtaining her Masters, she returned to Sibu to teach for a while.

Then she went to Taiwan to join the Carmerlite order... have not seen or contacted her since then....
She is a bright, jovial and lovely girl. I once joked that if she got married, I would give her a house as present....
Now she is making her final profession to take Jesus as her spouse, I am not sure the promise still valid ..... I am in trouble!

Footnote: Got some pictures from others. Sr. Maria was very active in our parish ... she has more friends than I can remembered.

Sr. Marie (Esther Yong) front seated first from left at Disciple retreat 1998
玛丽亚修女(杨金燕),坐者左一,门徒班避静 1998


我在大约一年前,就被告知这个日期: 23/5/2010 或者 30/5/2010.

当时我觉得有点为难,犹豫,内心在挣扎。我知道五月是个很忙的月份,因为在五月中( 15/5)要去亚庇参加乾女儿诗诗的结婚典礼,通常这个月份也是庆祝圣母军日的时候。到了月尾 29/5 至 1/6/2010,要去怡保参加圣母军交流会。这个交流会更是重要,因为这是我二十年来,从未间断过都出席的盛会。假如日期肯定在30/5/2010,那我就不能够了。

直到大约一个月前,一张邀请卡和一则短信,肯定了日期: 23/5/2010.

打开了卡,读了那则短信之后,我和太太马上决定,假如不能两人去,必定要有一个人去。

那则短信如下(原文英文):

我亲爱的安哥西满及(安蒂)宝玲,
以我不是很好的英文,还是要用它来书写,因为我恐怕假如用华文,安哥西满不会把它翻译(给安蒂看)。安哥西满,你说对吗?(看来她还是这么调皮)。无论如何,我确是很希望看到你们(两人)出席我誓发终身隆重圣愿的弥撒。。。但是。。。OK...我交给天主吧。安哥西满,我非常感谢你过去为我所做到一切。天主降福你,现在及永远。。。我非常非常的想念你。我将为你的需要,日夜祈祷。这是我唯一能够为你做到的事。
天主降福你。

玛利亚修女
16/4/2010

我马上的订了飞机票,22/5 至 24/5/2010 到台北深坑,加尔默罗圣母圣衣隐修院,参加玛利亚修女的永愿庆典及弥撒。我必须去。

玛利亚修女,原名Esther 杨金燕,来自沙劳越的诗巫。大约17年前,她就读于国民大学,当时不是基督教徒。她常随同住的同学来加影圣家堂参加弥撒及活动,后来进入了慕道班,也领洗成为一名天主教徒。在修读完硕士学位后,她回到诗巫担任教师一个时期。
后来,她进入了台湾圣母圣衣隐修院。那时起,我就没有和她见面及联络了。

金燕是一位聪明及可爱的女孩,我们常常逗弄她及和她开玩笑。我曾开玩笑的和她说:“当你结婚时,我会送一间屋子给你作为礼物”。

现在,她决定奉献自己,以耶稣作为净配,我不敢肯定我对她的承诺,是否还有效。。。我可有麻烦了!
Sr.Marie - standing first right
玛丽亚修女,站者右一


后记:从别处拿到一些照片。原来玛丽亚修女(金燕)在加影时,非常活跃。她比我的记忆中,拥有更多的朋友。

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

記得,把我們的祝褔也帶給玛利亚修女。~GAO~