For the past 2 days of Hari Raya holiday, I spent most of the time sleeping, resting, and watching some movies at home. In the evening, I joined a group of youth for a concern held by Joshua Team from Taiwan. On the first evening, I reached the venue very early and while talking to 2 other full time staffs, I was troubled by one statement one of them made: “Pei San, you have the burden for the youth … I can see that”. Well, I wasn’t sure if it was our last meet up have anything to do with it, but like I mentioned earlier on in my blog that I really feel pain in my heart to see only a few youth attended our youth fellowship. The Joshua Team from Taiwan was here to give a 3 days conference and many youth in the whole Kota Kinabalu and/or Sabah attended it. I met many youth from other places like Beaufort, Papar and other churches in KK except my church in KK which only have around 9 of us. Well, … during the whole concern/meeting, my mind were just wandering around thinking about this issue. Honestly, my heart says : “Do something about the Youth”. But what can I do? I can see every churches’ youth pastor were there on that 3 days conference but where is ours? It’s saddening because we do not have a youth pastor and even our pastor and full time staff were away for official visit in Kuala Lumpur for the whole week.
On the second day, I was suppose to meet someone for dinner before the concern starts, but while I was on my way to the dinner, I was notified that one of our youth from my home church in Tawau was robbed. So, we went to the police station with the youth who is only 14 years old. While I was waiting outside for this youth to give see the Investigation officer, I was asked by another one whether I can help him to do a translation. I went in and I saw 2 persons being arrested. One, a 14 years old youth (Chinese) and another, around 50 years old Malay adult. I was asked to translate what the youth says. So I did and while I was translating, only then I caught the picture of the case. The 50 years old Malay is the child’s father worker and the child usually helped him and his father. So, yesterday, the child did the same thing by helping the Malay worker in reversing the car. The Malay worker put the key, before he starts the car, he went over to the other side to close the door, while he did that, the 14 years old child climb up to the Lorry (yes, it is a lorry and sorry for not telling earlier) and starts the engine. It could be the gear was on 1 and therefore, the car move forward and it hit a child, a 6 years old child who went for a Hari Raya visitation with his mother. His mother was holding one of his right hand while his head was pushed by the lorry and struck into the wall causing a hole on the wall. After translating for the investigating officer, he asked me to leave. Well, I was troubled by it because the investigating interrogation or whatever you want to call it, was not properly done. The child is only 14 years old and he was not accompanied by any adults or represented by any lawyer. He certainly do not know what is going to happen to him. He doesn’t understand a lot of Malay words. Secondly, the investigating officer is interrogating both of them in one room. Two of them obviously had given different version of testimonies. This is unfair to both parties. Honestly, I was troubled very much by this incident during the whole concern and not our youth who were robbed.
While I was praise and worshiping God and seeing so many other youth who were jumping, shouting, singing, praising God, my mind really hurts when I thought of the youth that I saw earlier in the police station. While a group of youth enjoying themselves in the concert, there was a lost soul in the police station, wandering what his future is going to be like and struggling with life. I heart truly was saddening by this incident.
This morning, I was reading newspaper and I saw a reporting with regards to this case. Both the child and the Malay worker is going to be charged under 304, Penal Code for Manslaughter. Well, under the Penal Code, there are 3 types of charges. First one is 304 which is culpable homicide not amounting to murder, if act by which the death is caused is done with intention of causing death. The second one is – If act is done with knowledge that it is likely to cause death, but without any intention to cause death, etc. The third one is under Penal Code 304A where it is causing death by rash or negligent act. In my opinion, I hope both of them will be charged under 304A as they did caused death of others by their negligent. The maximum punishment for this kind of charges is 2 years imprisonment, or fine or both.
While we were shown a video clip on mission in India, I really thought of this youth.
I think my heart is really feeling to go for mission NOW… I do not want to wait any longer. I wanted to do another business and actually I think, I had one already… that I am not trying to gain money, but lives. Now I pray that I will get a support (financially) and go for it. I have fixed one 2 weeks ago and I guess I want another one at the end of next year.
- compassion for the LOST -
