Malaysians are ill-prepared for retirement. Most underestimate the amount of savings they require to live comfortably in their golden years. As life expectancies continue to improve, and cost continue to rise, there is a real concern that EPF nest-egg alone will not be sufficient for most, in their old age to maintain the lifestyle they are accustomed to.
With Malaysians already savings bigger portion of their income than people of most other nations, the solution is not to save more, but to earn multiple streams of income.
Economist forecast that in a fast-changing knowledge-driven world, the new generation of workers will see their work skills become obsolete at least once within their career. Many people will find work opportunities diminishing as they age.
Globalisation can make jobs even less secure. Many jobs in Malaysia will increasingly be outsourced to lower cost countries, and economic turmoil in a country half the way across the globe can affect your career here at home.
Earning multiple streams of income spread your risk
Traditional way to earn
Professionals and employees trade their own time and effort for money. But there is a limit to how much wealth one can accumulate this way. Each one has a maximum of 24 hours a day. And the moment that can't trade their time and effort, the income stops.
Smarter ways to earn
1. Leveraging of time and effort
"Leverage" has always been the secret of the world's wealthiest individuals. They understand that the combined time and effort of many people always offer a much bigger income potential than what one can earn alone.
2. Residual income
Workers get paid each hour, each week, or each month that they provide a service. Smart people continue to earn into the future, based in part on the initial efforts. This residual value gives them not only the money, but the time freedom to enjoy it too.
Ask yourself these questions:
Can life be better?
What will you be doing differently today...... if time and money are of no object?
Friday, June 29, 2007
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Most Malaysians do not have financial security
It was reported in The Star on Sunday, 27/5/2007, that most Malaysians do not have financial security. It is a very disturbing fact Malaysians should be aware of.
ONLY 5% of Malaysians are prepared for retirement. Despite a growing awareness for the need to prepare for one’s retirement, many do not translate their plans into action.
Those in their 20s think they are too young to think about retirement, while those in their 30s and 40s tend to believe they are doing enough because they have their EPF savings. By the time they are 55, it is just too late.
The sad truth is that at 55, most people cannot retire with financial security. Based on EPF’s 2005 annual report, about 90% of EPF contributors have less than RM100,000 in their accounts – not enough to see them through 20 years past retirement
With people living longer, marrying and having children later and not saving enough, facing retirement is a challenge. While there is growing awareness about the need to plan, less than 5% are prepared for retirement and fail to take into consideration inflation rates and rising medical costs.
It is a fact that wages have not moved in tandem with the rise of the cost of living and inflation. That trend is expected to continue.
And if people do not start planning early for their retirement, they are going to find themselves in a spot after they turn 55.
Today, three meals cost you RM20 but in 20 years time – with an inflation rate of 6% a year – you will need RM64 per day for the three meals, estimates financial consultant Hazel Ong Archibald of CIMB Wealth Advisors (see Chart 1). The government puts inflation rate at 3.2% to 4.8% but Ong says in urban areas, that figure is about 6%. So while the RM500,000 in your EPF or bank account at retirement might look good on paper, she says, if you do not invest that money to make it grow at a rate higher than the inflation rate, 20 years later, it would be worth only RM145,053 in purchasing power!
And even if one has a life policy as well as savings from the EPF, people should still worry about retirement. This is because without a new source of income, that money would run out. This is especially so if one runs into health problems which is common when people grow older.
So are you prepared for your retirement? If not what are you going to do about it? Do you have a residual income flowing into your life so that when you retire, your income will continue to flow in. If you have that is good. If you don't, check it out and see how you can add additional stream of income into your life that will keep on flowing right even after you have retired. Plan now before it is too late!
ONLY 5% of Malaysians are prepared for retirement. Despite a growing awareness for the need to prepare for one’s retirement, many do not translate their plans into action.
Those in their 20s think they are too young to think about retirement, while those in their 30s and 40s tend to believe they are doing enough because they have their EPF savings. By the time they are 55, it is just too late.
The sad truth is that at 55, most people cannot retire with financial security. Based on EPF’s 2005 annual report, about 90% of EPF contributors have less than RM100,000 in their accounts – not enough to see them through 20 years past retirement
With people living longer, marrying and having children later and not saving enough, facing retirement is a challenge. While there is growing awareness about the need to plan, less than 5% are prepared for retirement and fail to take into consideration inflation rates and rising medical costs.
It is a fact that wages have not moved in tandem with the rise of the cost of living and inflation. That trend is expected to continue.
And if people do not start planning early for their retirement, they are going to find themselves in a spot after they turn 55.
Today, three meals cost you RM20 but in 20 years time – with an inflation rate of 6% a year – you will need RM64 per day for the three meals, estimates financial consultant Hazel Ong Archibald of CIMB Wealth Advisors (see Chart 1). The government puts inflation rate at 3.2% to 4.8% but Ong says in urban areas, that figure is about 6%. So while the RM500,000 in your EPF or bank account at retirement might look good on paper, she says, if you do not invest that money to make it grow at a rate higher than the inflation rate, 20 years later, it would be worth only RM145,053 in purchasing power!
And even if one has a life policy as well as savings from the EPF, people should still worry about retirement. This is because without a new source of income, that money would run out. This is especially so if one runs into health problems which is common when people grow older.
So are you prepared for your retirement? If not what are you going to do about it? Do you have a residual income flowing into your life so that when you retire, your income will continue to flow in. If you have that is good. If you don't, check it out and see how you can add additional stream of income into your life that will keep on flowing right even after you have retired. Plan now before it is too late!
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Babies look alike
Photo of two babies put together. Which one is the brother and which one is the older sister?
Baby Jadon 1 day old
Sister Janice 4 days old
Baby Jadon at 4 months old.
Sister Janice at 4 months old.
Look alike?
Baby Jadon 1 day old
Sister Janice 4 days old
Baby Jadon at 4 months old.
Sister Janice at 4 months old.
Look alike?
Monday, March 05, 2007
Our baby has arrived!
Finally, the day we have been waiting for was here. 26th February 2007, the day our baby was born.If you have been following my blog, you would have known the anxieties that we have gone through when the triple antigen test carried out by the doctor in the early stage of pregnancy shown high risk of a Down Syndrome baby. We were advised to do the AmnioCentesis test to confirm and if the test turns out to be positive we were advised to terminate the pregnancy. Termination of pregnancy is not what we would like to do as God has blessed us with this baby. As such we decided not to go for the AmnioCentesis test and decided to carry on with the pregnancy and covered the baby with much prayers. We told our pastor that we are going to keep the baby come what may and he told us that God would honour those who honour Him.
God is good and our baby boy arrived weighing 3.3 kg and perfectly normal. The paediatrician said that no further tests for abnormalities are needed as the baby is fine. God has answered our prayer. Praise be to God.
We decided to name our baby boy Jadon Chan Ee Jien. Jadon means "God has answered". "Ee" in Chinese means joyful. We want him to be joyful because God loves him and "Jien" means strong and firm. We pray that he will not only be strong and firm in his character but also strong and firm in his walk with the Lord.
Glory be to God.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Life is....
Recently my colleague was admitted to hospital for chest pain. It was an excruciating pain with cold sweat and cold hands and feet. The diagnosis was Acute Myocardial Infarction, which in layman’s term is heart attack. It was really a shock to all of us in the office as he is only 44 years old with no history of high cholesterol level or hypertension. Neither is he a diabetic. He is an active person who jogs regularly. Fortunately the attack was not life threatening and he did not have to go for any operation but was put on long term medication.
That incident sets my mind to think. If that can happen to him, it can happen to anyone. Life is so fragile and we have no control of it. It is God who gives life and He is the one who takes it away.
The question now is: Have do you live your life knowing that life is so fragile?
The incident has also changed the whole perspective of how my colleague lives his life. From the moment he was discharged from the hospital, he quitted smoking completely, take life easy and living life at a slower pace. He appreciates every moment he is alive. The sound of birds singing and every flower that blooms are so much more meaningful now. They used to pass by unnoticed. The rat race has no meaning now. The family has become his first priority. Every second spent with the family means a lifetime of joy to be treasured.
Do we have to wait until such tragedy strikes to wake us up from our deep slumber? Are we living a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise? Even that does not guarantee us long life. Have you got a destiny in life? Have you ever asked yourself this question, "Why do I exist?". Have you ever wondered what is the purpose in your life?
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”
Here is a story about John 3:16 I have read in an email.
A little boy was selling newspapers on the corner, the people were in and out of the cold.The little boy was so cold that he wasn't trying to sell many papers.
He walked up to a policeman and said,"Mister, you wouldn't happen to know where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep tonight would you ? You see, I sleep in a box up around the corner there and down the alley and it's awful cold in there for tonight.Sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay."
The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, "You go down the street to that big white house and you knock on the door. When they come out the door you just say John 3:16, and they will let you in."
So he did. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and a lady answered.
He looked up and said, "John 3:16 ."
The lady said, "Come on in, Son." She took him in and she sat him down in a split bottom rocker in front of a great big old fireplace, and she went off. The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: John 3:16 ...I don't understand it, but ! it sure makes a cold boy warm.
Later she came back and asked him "Are you hungry ? "
He said, "Well, just a little. I haven't eaten in a couple of days, and I guess I could stand a little bit of food,"
The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of wonderful food. He ate and ate until he couldn't eat any more. Then he thought to himself: John 3:16 ...Boy, I sure don't understand it but it sure makes a hungry boy full.
She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub filled with warm water, and he sat there and soaked for a while. As he soaked, he thought to himself: John 3:16 ...I sure don't understand it, but it sure makes a dirty boy clean. You know, I've not had a bath, a real bath, in my whole life. The only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of that big old fire hydrant as they flushed it out.
The lady came in and got him. She took him to a room, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights. As he lay in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to himself: John 3:16 ...I don't understand it but it sure makes a tired boy rested.
The next morning the lady came back up and took him down again to that same big table full of food. After he ate, she took him back to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a big old Bible. She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face.
"Do you understand John 3:16 ? " she asked gently.
He replied, "No, Ma'am, I don't. The first time I ever heard it was last night when the policeman told me to use it,"
She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and began to explain to him about Jesus . Right there, in front of that big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life to Jesus. He sat there and thought: John 3:16 -- don't understand it, but it sure makes a lost boy feel safe.
You know, I have to confess I don't understand it either, how God was willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing. I don't understand the agony of the Father and every angel in heaven as they watched Jesus suffer and die. I don't understand the intense love for ME that kept Jesus on the cross till the end. I don't understand it, but it sure does make life worth living.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Author Unknown
That incident sets my mind to think. If that can happen to him, it can happen to anyone. Life is so fragile and we have no control of it. It is God who gives life and He is the one who takes it away.
The question now is: Have do you live your life knowing that life is so fragile?
The incident has also changed the whole perspective of how my colleague lives his life. From the moment he was discharged from the hospital, he quitted smoking completely, take life easy and living life at a slower pace. He appreciates every moment he is alive. The sound of birds singing and every flower that blooms are so much more meaningful now. They used to pass by unnoticed. The rat race has no meaning now. The family has become his first priority. Every second spent with the family means a lifetime of joy to be treasured.
Do we have to wait until such tragedy strikes to wake us up from our deep slumber? Are we living a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise? Even that does not guarantee us long life. Have you got a destiny in life? Have you ever asked yourself this question, "Why do I exist?". Have you ever wondered what is the purpose in your life?
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”
Here is a story about John 3:16 I have read in an email.
A little boy was selling newspapers on the corner, the people were in and out of the cold.The little boy was so cold that he wasn't trying to sell many papers.
He walked up to a policeman and said,"Mister, you wouldn't happen to know where a poor boy could find a warm place to sleep tonight would you ? You see, I sleep in a box up around the corner there and down the alley and it's awful cold in there for tonight.Sure would be nice to have a warm place to stay."
The policeman looked down at the little boy and said, "You go down the street to that big white house and you knock on the door. When they come out the door you just say John 3:16, and they will let you in."
So he did. He walked up the steps and knocked on the door, and a lady answered.
He looked up and said, "John 3:16 ."
The lady said, "Come on in, Son." She took him in and she sat him down in a split bottom rocker in front of a great big old fireplace, and she went off. The boy sat there for a while and thought to himself: John 3:16 ...I don't understand it, but ! it sure makes a cold boy warm.
Later she came back and asked him "Are you hungry ? "
He said, "Well, just a little. I haven't eaten in a couple of days, and I guess I could stand a little bit of food,"
The lady took him in the kitchen and sat him down to a table full of wonderful food. He ate and ate until he couldn't eat any more. Then he thought to himself: John 3:16 ...Boy, I sure don't understand it but it sure makes a hungry boy full.
She took him upstairs to a bathroom to a huge bathtub filled with warm water, and he sat there and soaked for a while. As he soaked, he thought to himself: John 3:16 ...I sure don't understand it, but it sure makes a dirty boy clean. You know, I've not had a bath, a real bath, in my whole life. The only bath I ever had was when I stood in front of that big old fire hydrant as they flushed it out.
The lady came in and got him. She took him to a room, tucked him into a big old feather bed, pulled the covers up around his neck, kissed him goodnight and turned out the lights. As he lay in the darkness and looked out the window at the snow coming down on that cold night, he thought to himself: John 3:16 ...I don't understand it but it sure makes a tired boy rested.
The next morning the lady came back up and took him down again to that same big table full of food. After he ate, she took him back to that same big old split bottom rocker in front of the fireplace and picked up a big old Bible. She sat down in front of him and looked into his young face.
"Do you understand John 3:16 ? " she asked gently.
He replied, "No, Ma'am, I don't. The first time I ever heard it was last night when the policeman told me to use it,"
She opened the Bible to John 3:16 and began to explain to him about Jesus . Right there, in front of that big old fireplace, he gave his heart and life to Jesus. He sat there and thought: John 3:16 -- don't understand it, but it sure makes a lost boy feel safe.
You know, I have to confess I don't understand it either, how God was willing to send His Son to die for me, and how Jesus would agree to do such a thing. I don't understand the agony of the Father and every angel in heaven as they watched Jesus suffer and die. I don't understand the intense love for ME that kept Jesus on the cross till the end. I don't understand it, but it sure does make life worth living.
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Author Unknown
The Rat Race
The alarm goes off at 7.00am in the morning. With eyes half opened, you stumble across the room to find the door knob to the bathroom. You grab hold of the toothbrush and toothpaste and you are lucky if you squeeze the toothpaste onto your toothbrush and not the hair gel from the tube lying next to the toothpaste. You wash up and change into your working clothes, grab a cup of coffee, and off you go in your car to reach the office before the clock in time. And while on the road, you are caught in a bad traffic jam just like any other day and you start to curse and swear. Why can’t everybody leave home earlier so that you can have all the road to yourself and you can have an easy cruise to your office. But you know that it is not possible and the only way to avoid the traffic is to leave your home earlier and not everybody else. But then again to wake up earlier is a like dragging an elephant weighing a ton out of the bed. It is quite an impossible task.
Reaching the office, you drive into the car park but there is no parking lot nearby your office because all the convenient parking lots have been taken up by those early birds. You have to park a distance away and walk to your office. You look at your watch and notice that you only have a minute before your punch card indicates that you are late for work again. You rush and by the time you clock in, you are all sweaty and wet. And yet you are one minute late for work. All the effort and the rushing are a waste and you start cursing again because now you feel uncomfortable and sticky. If you have known that you can’t make it in time, you would not have rushed and take a slow walk to the office.
At your work station, you put your briefcase on your desk, sit down and notice that the pile of paper in the in tray staring back at you. You know that it is going to be another struggle, a big battle between you and the work that need to be done. You would like to make peace for the day but still you know that you have no choice and the job need to be done. You surrender and thought that you need another cup of coffee to get you through the day.
By lunch time, half of your energy is gone. You feel that the time is passing on so slowly. You are looking forward to the lunch break but on the other hand, you are fed up because you do not know what to eat for lunch. Day in day out you the stall serves the same food of which you already know how they taste like even before you eat them. You gulp in the food like Garfield does and not enjoying any bit at all. It is just like another lunch routine that you have to go through.
Back to work and how you wish you can sleep for a while. The lunch, even though not satisfying make you feel sleepy. You steal a wink or two every now and then when nobody notices. How you wish that you can sleep with your eyes open. Well, that is a skill to yet to be mastered.
You look at the clock and realize that it is about time to clock out and heading back home. Even though you are all drained out, energy seems to seep back in and you find yourself full of energy again. But it did not last long. The moment you get into your car and drive out of the car park into the road, you are caught in another bad traffic jam. It is the after office hour rush.
By the time you reach home, it is already late and way passed your dinner time. Your energy level is back to zero level again. You lie down on your favourite sofa to unwind and de-stress. But knowing that you have to go through the same routine again tomorrow morning, you get all stressed out even before the morning sun rises. There is no way for you to unwind and the stress level keep building up. Your health is slowly and surely affected by this daily routine.
Is this scenario familiar to you? Why are we all going through this routine when it is actually adversely affecting our health? Is all this a chasing after the wind? Are we in a rat race where there is no winner?
Reaching the office, you drive into the car park but there is no parking lot nearby your office because all the convenient parking lots have been taken up by those early birds. You have to park a distance away and walk to your office. You look at your watch and notice that you only have a minute before your punch card indicates that you are late for work again. You rush and by the time you clock in, you are all sweaty and wet. And yet you are one minute late for work. All the effort and the rushing are a waste and you start cursing again because now you feel uncomfortable and sticky. If you have known that you can’t make it in time, you would not have rushed and take a slow walk to the office.
At your work station, you put your briefcase on your desk, sit down and notice that the pile of paper in the in tray staring back at you. You know that it is going to be another struggle, a big battle between you and the work that need to be done. You would like to make peace for the day but still you know that you have no choice and the job need to be done. You surrender and thought that you need another cup of coffee to get you through the day.
By lunch time, half of your energy is gone. You feel that the time is passing on so slowly. You are looking forward to the lunch break but on the other hand, you are fed up because you do not know what to eat for lunch. Day in day out you the stall serves the same food of which you already know how they taste like even before you eat them. You gulp in the food like Garfield does and not enjoying any bit at all. It is just like another lunch routine that you have to go through.
Back to work and how you wish you can sleep for a while. The lunch, even though not satisfying make you feel sleepy. You steal a wink or two every now and then when nobody notices. How you wish that you can sleep with your eyes open. Well, that is a skill to yet to be mastered.
You look at the clock and realize that it is about time to clock out and heading back home. Even though you are all drained out, energy seems to seep back in and you find yourself full of energy again. But it did not last long. The moment you get into your car and drive out of the car park into the road, you are caught in another bad traffic jam. It is the after office hour rush.
By the time you reach home, it is already late and way passed your dinner time. Your energy level is back to zero level again. You lie down on your favourite sofa to unwind and de-stress. But knowing that you have to go through the same routine again tomorrow morning, you get all stressed out even before the morning sun rises. There is no way for you to unwind and the stress level keep building up. Your health is slowly and surely affected by this daily routine.
Is this scenario familiar to you? Why are we all going through this routine when it is actually adversely affecting our health? Is all this a chasing after the wind? Are we in a rat race where there is no winner?
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Wedding bells
The wedding bells have rung again. I have just been informed a few days ago that my ex-colleague’s boyfriend had proposed to her on her birthday. She came to the office the next day with a ring on her finger and everybody noticed the difference in her. The ever lively and friendly girl was glowing with joy in her.
The day that every girl is waiting for. To get settled down and start a family of her own with the one that she loves. The bible says that two shall become one. That’s is what we called marriage. The day will come when a young girl meets a young boy and falls in love. The world suddenly becomes so bright and colorful. The birds are singing everywhere. The flowers are blooming. That’s what happened when someone is in love.
Then it comes a time when the two decided to tie knot and settle down. This is where the excitement begins, arranging for the big day. From photography session, printing of invitation cards, shopping for the wedding ring to booking of the banquet hall, there are just so many things to do. Sometimes it could be quite tiring but nobody complains. It is once in a lifetime event and everyone wants to make it great. Make it a day to remember for the rest of your life.
Now you are married. What’s next? Of course it is time for junior to arrive. Well, three is a company and not a crowd. A family has begun. The excitement begins all over again. another round of tiring routine. From arranging for baby sitter to washing nappies. The baby is now the king or queen of the family. The parents have to adjust their routine to fit into the baby’s needs.
All is well and fine. A happy family. But don’t forget, both husband and wife are totally two different people and each has their own characters. There bound to be conflicts and disagreements. Sometimes situation can be rough and all are not smooth sailing. Life is not a fairy tale. The ending to a fairy tale story “And they live happily ever after” does not apply to real life. This is where understanding and compromises come in. Both husband and wife has to be committed and work together towards a happier marriage and a wholesome family.
With God’s blessing, I would like to wish my ex-colleague all the best. May you be blessed with lots and lots of children. :-)
The day that every girl is waiting for. To get settled down and start a family of her own with the one that she loves. The bible says that two shall become one. That’s is what we called marriage. The day will come when a young girl meets a young boy and falls in love. The world suddenly becomes so bright and colorful. The birds are singing everywhere. The flowers are blooming. That’s what happened when someone is in love.
Then it comes a time when the two decided to tie knot and settle down. This is where the excitement begins, arranging for the big day. From photography session, printing of invitation cards, shopping for the wedding ring to booking of the banquet hall, there are just so many things to do. Sometimes it could be quite tiring but nobody complains. It is once in a lifetime event and everyone wants to make it great. Make it a day to remember for the rest of your life.
Now you are married. What’s next? Of course it is time for junior to arrive. Well, three is a company and not a crowd. A family has begun. The excitement begins all over again. another round of tiring routine. From arranging for baby sitter to washing nappies. The baby is now the king or queen of the family. The parents have to adjust their routine to fit into the baby’s needs.
All is well and fine. A happy family. But don’t forget, both husband and wife are totally two different people and each has their own characters. There bound to be conflicts and disagreements. Sometimes situation can be rough and all are not smooth sailing. Life is not a fairy tale. The ending to a fairy tale story “And they live happily ever after” does not apply to real life. This is where understanding and compromises come in. Both husband and wife has to be committed and work together towards a happier marriage and a wholesome family.
With God’s blessing, I would like to wish my ex-colleague all the best. May you be blessed with lots and lots of children. :-)
Friday, September 22, 2006
Wife's second pregnancy
My wife is now almost 5 months pregnant. Due to her 2 earlier miscarriages, the doctor has been monitoring this pregnancy very closely. She had to go for check up every week and given her weekly injection and taking Aspirin daily for the first three months of her pregnancy.
The baby is developing well and after the first trimester, the doctor took some blood to test for triple antigen. After two weeks the results were out and we were told that the baby has a high risk of Down Syndrome. We were advised to do the AmnioCentesis test to confirm whether the baby has Down Syndrome. If confirmed, the doctor advised us to terminate the pregnancy.
We were really upset and do not know what to do. We called some church friends and pastor to get some advice and prayer support. We are very touched by their concerns and even our cell group members who have migrated to Australia called and email us to give some words of encouragement.
From the biblical point of view, forced abortion is as good as murder. It is terminating a life God has created. So termination of the pregnancy is not an option that we would like to take. As such we have decided not to go for the AmnioCentesis. We trust that God has blessed us with this baby and He will protect this baby from any harm or danger. We are praying hard everyday and lots of church friends are also praying for us. We thank God for the peace He has given in the midst of uncertainties. We also thank all our friends who are praying for us daily. Without all the prayer support, I don't think we can face this struggle on our own. In time like this we know that we should draw strength from God. It is also a test of faith that has drawn us nearer to God. I must admit that in the busyness of our daily lives, we have somehow neglected our walk with God. It is time God has brought us down to our knees to bring us back to His loving care.
The next check up will be on the 30 Sept 2006 and we look forward to see the baby in the womb knowing that everything will be fine in the hands of God.
The baby is developing well and after the first trimester, the doctor took some blood to test for triple antigen. After two weeks the results were out and we were told that the baby has a high risk of Down Syndrome. We were advised to do the AmnioCentesis test to confirm whether the baby has Down Syndrome. If confirmed, the doctor advised us to terminate the pregnancy.
We were really upset and do not know what to do. We called some church friends and pastor to get some advice and prayer support. We are very touched by their concerns and even our cell group members who have migrated to Australia called and email us to give some words of encouragement.
From the biblical point of view, forced abortion is as good as murder. It is terminating a life God has created. So termination of the pregnancy is not an option that we would like to take. As such we have decided not to go for the AmnioCentesis. We trust that God has blessed us with this baby and He will protect this baby from any harm or danger. We are praying hard everyday and lots of church friends are also praying for us. We thank God for the peace He has given in the midst of uncertainties. We also thank all our friends who are praying for us daily. Without all the prayer support, I don't think we can face this struggle on our own. In time like this we know that we should draw strength from God. It is also a test of faith that has drawn us nearer to God. I must admit that in the busyness of our daily lives, we have somehow neglected our walk with God. It is time God has brought us down to our knees to bring us back to His loving care.
The next check up will be on the 30 Sept 2006 and we look forward to see the baby in the womb knowing that everything will be fine in the hands of God.
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