from today, DV this diary will be updated each Thursday, not Wednesday  (I need to leave early on Wednesdays for Hei Ling Chau prison)

Thursday, September 9, 2010     Dear Friends

Midday hello from Hong Kong where presence of nearby typhoon is likely to ease hot weather (35 yesterday) in coming days.

On this 9th of the month: Dear Lord, please bless the people of Henan.   And also the people of Pakistan

Smile (thank you, Peter B):
Two drivers in two cars had collision.  Both got out of cars with cuts and bruises, dizzy, hands shaking.  Driver One  had just been to liquor store...so he took out bottle of whiskey and said to Driver Two "have some of this...it will steady your nerves".  "Thank you....yes, that's a help" said Driver Two as he downed a few mouthfuls.  But  when Driver Two noticed that Driver One wasn't taking any whisky, he said "aren't you going to have any?".   "No thanks" said Driver One, "the police will be here soon". 

Calendar: (all Masses are in Chinese unless otherwise indicated)
Sunday Sep 12:   7.30am & 10am Masses at St John the Baptist Church, Kwun Tong
Sunday Sep 19:    8.45am & 11.30am Masses at St John the Baptist Church, Kwun Tong
Sunday Sep 26:   7.30am & 10am Masses at St John the Baptist Church, Kwun Tong

Mondays & Fridays:   Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Tuesdays - afternoon English class at St Eugene Primary School (from mid-Sep)
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau Correctional Center
Thursdays - afternoon English class at Oblate Primary School - Sep 16;    Oct 7, 14, 21, 28;    Nov 4, 18, 25;    Dec 2, 9, 16
Saturdays -    English classes at   St Eugene  (11.20 -12.50) & Notre Dame College (3.30 -5.00) - from mid-Sep

Tentative bookings made for Australia Jan/Feb 2011  DV:
Jan 11 - fly from HK to Port Moresby (on Air Niugini) 
Jan 12 - fly from Port Moresby to Cairns  (...Qantas no longer has direct flight to Cairns; Cathay Pacific goes to Cairns via Brisbane!)
Jan 12 - Jan 15:   Visit 3 dear cousins in Ingham (south of Cairns, north of Townsville) whom I haven't seen for about 15 years (two of their Dads and the other one's Mother were my Dad's brothers & sister)
Jan 16 - fly from Townsville to Brisbane
Feb 13 - fly from Brisbane to Cairns
Feb 14 - fly from Cairns to Port Moresby
Feb 14 - fly from Port Moresby to HK

Many thanks:
- Anon (HK, Sep 3) for donation to support my work for the poor
- Peter (HK,  Sep 6) donation to buy reading glasses for prisoners + donation of other items for the poor (Sep 8)

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

Hope you saw this:     Good News - please read  this link:
2010-08-25    DG! - Received today from printing company:  hard copy of Genesis , number one in Simple Bible series DV      

As our world gets crazier,  a daily serving of God's Word  to stay "healthy":   Genesis  42 -    from www.simplebible.info

Thank you for a prayer

God bless everyone, especially the many special friends on my cancer list -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas.  

John W omi

p.s. Dear God, please bless all politicians in new parliament for Australia

If you email me and don't receive a reply within 2 days, please send email again to john@china8.org or jdwomi@gmail.com 
Maybe your message or my reply did not arrive 

from next week, DV this diary will be updated each Thursday, not Wednesday  (I need to leave early on Wednesdays for Hei Ling Chau prison)

Wednesday, September 1, 2010     Dear Friends

Good morning from Hong Kong on the first day of the new school year.  Dear Holy Spirit, please bless all students/ teachers/staff/parents/schools!

Very, very  hot these days....only 33 degrees and not all that much humidity, but the air is like fire....hot, hot, hot.
Emergency shelters are open these nights for street sleepers....and many poor people who don't have air-con are using the air-conditioned shelters

On this 1st of the month: Dear Lord, please bless the people of Anhui.   And also the people of Pakistan. 
Pakistan surely should be at top of agenda of every caring group/website.     If it's not....if it doesn't even get a mention....what does that say about us?

Smile:  I do my own washing (in a bucket....Mother Teresa's sisters have got nothing on me...) but my pride took a bash on Monday when, as usual at end of month, I washed my long white alb/soutanne (used at Mass) together with the white chord that goes around it.  I left both items soaking overnight, then  rinsed them out in the morning.....but when  I took the alb from  bucket of soapy water, I forgot the chord was still there....and when I tipped used water down the toilet (=  drain)....chord went too....and no amount of effort could get it back

Calendar: (all Masses are in Chinese unless otherwise indicated)
Sunday Sep 5:     8.45am & 10am  Masses at St John the Baptist Church, Kwun Tong
Sunday Sep 12:   7.30am & 10am Masses at St John the Baptist Church, Kwun Tong
Sunday Sep 19:    8.45am & 11.30am Masses at St John the Baptist Church, Kwun Tong
Sunday Sep 26:   7.30am & 10am Masses at St John the Baptist Church, Kwun Tong

Mondays & Fridays:   Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Tuesdays - afternoon English class at St Eugene Primary School (from mid-Sep)
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau Correctional Center
Thursdays - afternoon English class at Oblate Primary School - Sep 16;    Oct 7, 14, 21, 28;    Nov 4, 18, 25;    Dec 2, 9, 16
Saturdays -    English classes at   St Eugene  (11.20 -12.50) & Notre Dame College (3.30 -5.00) - from mid-Sep

Many thanks:
- Teresa (HK, Aug 28) - for donation of Chinese Readers Digests for prisoners  (anyone else have any old RDs - Chinse or English - ?)
- Fr Yve (Shatin, Aug 29) - donation of clothes for street sleepers

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

Hope you saw this last week:     Good News - please read  this link:
2010-08-25    DG! - Received today from printing company:  hard copy of Genesis , number one in Simple Bible series DV      

As our world gets crazier,  a daily serving of God's Word  to stay "healthy":   Genesis  41 -    from www.simplebible.info

Chapter 41       Listen to Chapter  41 Two years later Pharaoh had a dream: he was standing by the river Nile and saw 7 healthy cows feeding on the riverside. Then he saw 7 sickly cows which ate the 7 healthy cows. Pharaoh woke, then had a second dream when he went back to sleep: 7 rich ears of corn on one stalk, followed by 7 withered ears which ate the 7 rich ears. None of Pharaoh's wise men could interpret the dreams. Then the cup-bearer told Pharaoh how Joseph could understand dreams. Pharaoh sent for Joseph and Joseph told Pharaoh the meaning of his dreams: the 7 healthy cows and 7 rich ears meant 7 good years for Egypt; the 7 sickly cows and 7 withered ears meant 7 years of famine. Joseph also told Pharaoh what to do: use a tax to collect one fifth of all grain in the 7 good years; then during the 7 years of famine  use the collected grain to feed Egypt. Pharaoh and his ministers were so impressed by Joseph's wisdom that Pharaoh made Joseph governor of the whole of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh himself. Pharaoh gave Joseph Asenath, a priest's daughter, as his wife. Joseph was now 30 years old,  having spent more than 10 years in Egypt. For the next 7 years Joseph traveled all over Egypt, supervising the collection of grain. Before the famine began, Joseph and Asenath had two sons: Manasseh and Ephraim. When the famine began, Pharaoh told the Egyptians "Go to Joseph and do what he tells you". People from all over Egypt and from other countries went to Joseph to buy grain during the famine.

第 41 章 两年后，法郎做了一个梦：他站在尼罗河畔 看到七只健康母牛在河边喂养。 而后，他看见七只病母牛，牠们吃掉七只健康母牛。 法郞醒来，之后做了第二个梦当他再次入睡： 一根麦茎上长有七枝肥美的麦穗， 接着七枝枯萎的麦穗吃了七枝肥美的麦穗。 法郞的智者没有一个可以解释这些梦。 其后，司酒长告诉法郞，若瑟如何能解梦。 法郞派人请来若瑟，而若瑟告诉法郞梦的含义： 七只健康母牛和七枝肥美的麦穗表示埃及有七个丰年; 七只病母牛和七枝枯萎的麦穗表示七个荒年。 若瑟也告诉法郞怎么做： 在七个丰年用税收集所有粮食的五分之一; 然后在七个荒年，利用所收集的粮食养活埃及。 法郞和他的羣臣均钦佩若瑟的智慧， 法郞让若瑟作全埃及的总理， 仅次于法郞自己。 法郞给若瑟一名司祭的女儿，阿斯纳特为他的妻子。 若瑟此时三十岁，在埃及渡过超过十年。 以后的七年若瑟行遍埃及全地，监督收集粮食。 饥荒开始前，若瑟和阿斯纳特生了两个儿子： 默纳协和厄弗辣因。 当饥荒开始，法郞告诉埃及人 “找若瑟和依照他告诉你的做。”   全埃及和其他国家的人们 在饥荒期间去找若瑟购买粮食。

Dear God, thank you for turning things around in Joseph's life

亲爱的神，感谢你在若瑟的生命中扭转局面

I now go to Hei Ling Chau & Lai Chi Kok detention centers each week, and I give copies of Genesis (Simple Bible) to some of the 2,000+ prisoners .....especially to the 400  men from Mainland China.     If anyone would like to support this work, I'd sure be grateful

Thank you for a prayer

God bless everyone, especially the many special friends on my cancer list -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas.  

John W omi

p.s. Dear God, please help Australia make right decision re future government

If you email me and don't receive a reply within 2 days, please send email again to john@china8.org or jdwomi@gmail.com 
Maybe your message or my reply did not arrive 

Wednesday, August 25, 2010     Dear Friends

Good afternoon from Hong Kong, where the main story in  media this week  is  the death of 8 HK tourists in Manila.    c.f. list of mistakes

On this 25th of the month: Dear Lord, please bless the people of Ningxia.   And also the people of Pakistan:

Q:   Why aren't they eating?   A group of some 20 men, mainly from Pakistan and Africa,  sit on the stage and talk while other Lai Chi Kok detention center inmates are having breakfast, lunch and evening meal in the main dining hall (holds about 200 men).  Then the group has its meal later in the evening.
A:  Because they are Mulims, faithfully observing Ramadam (this year, Aug 9 to Sep 11).    God bless 'em!

Smile:  recently while on way to morning English classes, I noticed a band of elderly ladies (80+ years old) waiting at exit of Metro station.
At first I didn't know why/what they were soliciting......didn't seem to be asking for money....too old for xxxx.  Then I saw why their hands were sort of half stretched out ...... seeking newspapers from people who had finished reading them.
So, as you enter the Metro, you are given or can take a free daily paper.  You read it on the train.  Then as you get off the train....the little old ladies help you recycle the paper

Calendar: (all Masses are in Chinese unless otherwise indicated)
Sunday  August 29:  9am Mass at St James' Church, Yau Tong
Sundays of September, October & November: Mass(es) at St John the Baptist Church, Kwun Tong

Mondays & Fridays:   Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau Correctional Center
Thursdays - English class for special secondary students (3.00 - 5.00)
Saturdays -    English classes at   St Eugene  (11.20 -12.50) & Notre Dame College (3.30 -5.00).

Many thanks:
- Teresa (HK, Aug 21) - for donation to help work for prisoners
- volunteer teachers who have run Saturday afternoon Summer Holiday English classes at Notre Dame
- Our Lady's School, Wong Tai Sin, for books for prisoners + donation to help prison work

Help please: A 65  year old inmate at Lai Chi Kok detention center stays in the center's hospital after having a tracheotomy some time ago. 
Yesterday I asked him why he doesn't have a "voice box machine" (an electrolarynx -  an electronic aid which produces an artificial ‘voice’ when held against the neck).  He said he can't afford one.  Cost to buy  one in HK is about $HK4,500.  Anyone win lottery recently?

Good News - please read story at this link:
2010-08-25    DG! - Received today from printing company:  hard copy of Genesis , number one in Simple Bible series DV

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

As our world gets crazier,  a daily serving of God's Word  to stay "healthy":   Genesis  40 -    from www.simplebible.info

Chapter 40       Listen to Chapter  40 Even in jail, God protected Joseph. When two of Pharaoh's officials, his cup-bearer and his baker also were put in jail, Joseph was able to interpret dreams they had. The cup-bearer dreamt he picked grapes and made wine for Pharaoh's cup. Joseph told him the meaning of his dream: in three days he'd be free and back at work as Pharaoh's cup-bearer. The baker dreamt that birds ate bread  from a tray on top of his head. Joseph told him: "In three days you'll be hanged, and birds will eat your flesh." And so it happened as Joseph had said: on the third day the cup-bearer went back to work in Pharaoh's palace while the baker was hanged. Joseph asked the cup-bearer to help him get out of jail, but when the cup-bearer was free,  he forgot about Joseph.

第 40  章 即使在狱中，神保护若瑟。 当法郞的两个官员，他的司酒长和他的司厨长 也闗进监狱里，若瑟能够解释他们的梦。 司酒长梦见他采摘葡萄，和为法郞的杯做葡萄酒。 若瑟告诉他他的梦的含意： 在三天内他会获自由，和恢复为法郞作司酒长工作。 司厨长梦见鸟儿吃饼，取自他头顶上的托盘。 若瑟告诉他： “在三天内你会被绞死，鸟儿会吃掉你的肉。”   所发生的如若瑟所说： 第三天 司酒长回到法郞的宫殿工作， 然而司厨长被绞死。 若瑟请司酒长帮他离开监狱， 但当司酒长获自由，他忘记了若瑟。

Dear God, please bless everyone who has ever helped me

亲爱的神，请祝福曾经帮助我的每个人

I now go to Hei Ling Chau & Lai Chi Kok detention centers each week, and I give copies of Genesis (Simple Bible) to some of the 2,000+ prisoners .....especially to the 400  men from Mainland China.     If anyone would like to support this work, I'd sure be grateful

After last Saturday's indecisive elections, Australia now has a  hung parliament. 
Forming a new government might take weeks rather than days.
My dream:  a government of national unity, comprising all members of parliament, who spend the next three years fighting unemployment, water shortage, climate change etc - instead of spending most of their time/money/energy fighting each other to get/keep power.
A government of national unity....with joint prime ministers Julia and Tony

Thank you for a prayer

God bless everyone, especially the many special friends on my cancer list -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas.  

John W omi

If you email me and don't receive a reply within 2 days, please send email again to john@china8.org or jdwomi@gmail.com 
Maybe your message or my reply did not arrive 

Wednesday, August 18, 2010     Dear Friends

Good afternoon from Hong Kong.   No Wed visit to Hei Ling Chau detention center today....visit made last Sunday, because of special English classes at a local school this week 

On this 18th of the month: Dear Lord, please bless the people of Shandong.   And also the people of Pakistan:

Smile:  From Ray, thank you
 
Good news:  local canteen has given cooking job to man recently released from Hei Ling Chau detention center

No new photos this past week      Previous HK photos                   Previous Zhaoqing photos

Calendar: (all Masses are in Chinese unless otherwise indicated)
Sundays of August:  9am Mass at St James' Church, Yau Tong
Sundays of September, October & November: Mass(es) at St John the Baptist Church, Kwun Tong

Mondays & Fridays:   Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
(Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau Correctional Center)
Thursdays - English class for special secondary students (3.00 - 5.00)
Saturdays -    English classes at   St Eugene  (11.20 -12.50) & Notre Dame College (3.30 -5.00).

Many thanks:
- Edwin & group (HK, Aug 15)  - reading glasses for prisoners
- Judy (Shatin) - for helping A-Ming get to church (& prepare for First Communion)

Contrast: yesterday morning I had two English classes for younger primary students at a local girls school (...to raise funds for prison work etc).  In the afternoon I had two gatherings  at Lai Chi Kok detention center (in men's day rooms - one in room for drug users/sellers, one in room for murderers)  

Smile: elderly (my age!?) man now in local nursing home.  Was a guest in several prisons over the years.  Spent 4 years at Hei Ling Chau, in section "18C".   His bed number in nursing home?  18C  !

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

As our world gets crazier,  a daily serving of God's Word  to stay "healthy":   Genesis  39 -    from www.simplebible.info

Chapter 39      Listen to Chapter  39 The slave traders took Joseph to Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's top officials. God was with Joseph. God blessed everything Joseph did. Because Joseph did everything so well Potiphar put Joseph in charge of his household and all his possessions. Because of Joseph, God blessed Potiphar and all his interests. Potiphar's wife tried to seduce Joseph who was very handsome. But day after day Joseph refused to sleep with her. Then one day when Joseph again refused her she tore his clothes and started screaming. She claimed Joseph had tried to seduce her. Potiphar believed his wife and he put Joseph in jail.

第 39  章 奴隶商人把若瑟带到埃及 并且把他卖给普提法尔，法郞的高级官员之一。 神与若瑟同在。 神祝福若瑟所做的一切。 由于若瑟做的一切都顺利 普提法尔托若瑟管理他的家务和他的所有财产。 由于若瑟，神祝福普提法尔和他的所有利益。 普提法尔的妻子试图引诱若瑟，他很英俊。 但若瑟不断拒绝与她睡觉。 直到有一天，当若瑟再次拒绝了她 她撕毁他的衣服，并开始尖叫。 她声称若瑟曾试图引诱她。 普提法尔相信他的妻子，他就把若瑟监禁。

Dear God, please don't let me cause other people to do wrong

亲爱的神，请不要让我促使他人犯错

I now go to Hei Ling Chau & Lai Chi Kok detention centers each week, and I give copies of Genesis (Simple Bible) to some of the 2,000+ prisoners .....especially to the 400  men from Mainland China.     If anyone would like to support this work, I'd sure be grateful

Saturday Aug 21 - Election day in Australia.  May Australia always be blessed with good government. 
Polls are predicting a Labor victory, but this scribe notes:
- that  Labor lost in Western Australia last time....and is hardly likely to do better this time, given the mining tax controversy.
- there's a strong anti-Labor backlash in New South Wales & Queensland.
So, how can you win if you lose in those three states? ...unless anti-labor swing goes to Greens, who in turn help Labor return power?

Thank you for a prayer

God bless everyone, especially the many special friends on my cancer list -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas.  

John W omi

If you email me and don't receive a reply within 2 days, please send email again to john@china8.org or jdwomi@gmail.com 
Maybe your message or my reply did not arrive 

Wednesday, August 11, 2010     Dear Friends

Good afternoon from Hong Kong.  Ramadan (Islam's Lent) starts today, finishes on September 9.  

On this 11th of the month: Dear Lord, please bless the people of Hunan .  And also the people of Pakistan:

Last Sunday - a lovely experience.  After Mass I went to an old people's home in Wanchai, and then called in to nearby Sikh Temple (my first ever visit) to ask for items for Indian prisoners.  Temple staff extra friendly and helpful and gave me many books.  One of several hundred people at the temple was a guard from Lai Chi Kok prison!   And now I know: on entering temple, take off shoes and put on head cloth

Smile:  When I met the Indian Sikh prison guard at the Temple, I got mixed up and said "Hello Mohammed"  (lots of Pakistani guards in HK prisons)

Calendar: (all Masses are in Chinese unless otherwise indicated)
Sundays of August:  9am Mass at St James' Church, Yau Tong
Sundays of September, October & November: Mass(es) at St John the Baptist Church, Kwun Tong

Mondays & Fridays:   Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau Correctional Center
Thursdays - English class for special secondary students (3.00 - 5.00)
Saturdays -    English classes at   St Eugene  (11.20 -12.50) & Notre Dame College (3.30 -5.00).

Many thanks:
- Anthony, Caroline Edwin & Ronald (HK, Aug 8) - rice boxes for street sleepers
- Caroline, Anon (HK, Aug 3),  Anon (HK, Aug 6) - donation to support work for prisoners + help the poor in China

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

As our world gets crazier,  a daily serving of God's Word  to stay "healthy":   Genesis  38 -    from www.simplebible.info

Chapter 38       Listen to Chapter  38 Jacob's son Judah had three sons - Er, Onan and Shelah. Er married Tamar, but not long after the wedding, Er died. So, according to custom,  Judah asked Onan to marry Tamar and have a child for his brother. But Onan spilt his seed each time he slept with Tamar, so Tamar did not conceive. Judah then said to Tamar  "Wait till Shelah grows up, and you can marry him." But when Shelah was older, he still hadn't been given to Tamar. So Tamar tricked her father-in-law Judah. She dressed as a prostitute and conceived a baby by Judah. Judah did not know that the woman was Tamar; her face was covered. Three months later  Judah was told that his daughter-in-law was pregnant after acting as a prostitute. Judah followed the harsh local  custom and said "Take her outside and burn her." But Tamar  produced Judah's seal, stick and cord which he had given to her as a pledge when he had sex with her. So Judah admitted his guilt and freed Tamar who gave birth to twin boys.	第 38 章 雅各伯的儿子犹大有三个儿子- 厄尔、敖难和舍拉。 厄尔与塔玛尔结婚，但婚礼后不久，厄尔死了。 如此，根据习俗，犹大要求敖难与塔玛尔结婚 并为他的哥哥生一个孩子。 但敖难把他的精液溅出，每次他与塔玛尔睡觉时， 这样塔玛尔没有怀孕。 其后犹大对塔玛尔说: “等舍拉长大，你可以嫁给他。” 但是，当舍拉长大，他仍然没有娶塔玛尔。 因此，塔玛尔骗她的公公犹大。 她装扮成一个妓女，并通过犹大怀孕。 犹大不知道这女人是塔玛尔;  她的脸被遮盖。 三个月后，当犹大被告知，他的儿媳作妓女后怀孕。 犹大遵守当地的严厉习俗说:“把她拉出来并烧她。” 但塔玛尔拿出犹大的印章、棍杖和印带， 他给她这些作为抵押，当他与她发生性行为时。 因此，犹大承认他的罪行，并释放塔玛尔， 她诞下双胞胎男孩。
Dear God, please help married people to be happy	亲爱的神，请帮助已婚人士快乐
I now go to Hei Ling Chau & Lai Chi Kok detention centers each week, and I give copies of Genesis (Simple Bible) to some of the 2,000+ prisoners .....especially to the 400  men from Mainland China.     If anyone would like to support this work, I'd sure be grateful

Thank you for a prayer

God bless everyone, especially the many special friends on my cancer list -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas.  

John W omi

If you email me and don't receive a reply within 2 days, please send email again to john@china8.org or jdwomi@gmail.com 
Maybe your message or my reply did not arrive 

Wednesday, August 4, 2010     Dear Friends

Good morning from Hong Kong, where Summer Holidays are being enjoyed by students  - including  those students (30% of primary students?) who are taking part in Summer Schools and courses of various kinds

On this 4th of the month: Dear Lord, please bless the people of Guangdong  (.... good news .... many people using this list each day).
And Happy Birthday Barack Obama today.  May the Lord bless you with wisdom and courage. 

Pakistan floods. ...

Smile  Tea shirt now on sale in HK, has the words "Genuine fake"

New stamp to commemorate 400th anniversary of Matteo Ricci's death - from Italy

Calendar: (all Masses are in Chinese unless otherwise indicated)
Sundays of August & September:  9am Mass at St James' Church, Yau Tong
Sundays of October & November: Mass(es) at St John the Baptist Church, Kwun Tong

Mondays & Fridays:   Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau Correctional Center
Thursdays - English class for special secondary students (3.00 - 5.00)
Saturdays -    English classes at   St Eugene  (11.20 -12.50) & Notre Dame College (3.30 -5.00).

Many thanks:
- Kevin (July 17) for donation of blank DVDs

Smile, from Bible:  Which  Old Testament prophet would have been a star on the tv show Master Chef?   ......Habakkuk

Recently updated  -  Grover's Disease file  

  One billion people starving - what can I do?  (c.f. Gospel of last Sunday, August 1)                 Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing         

As our world gets crazier,  a daily serving of God's Word  to stay "healthy":   Genesis  37 -    from www.simplebible.info

Chapter 37      Listen to Chapter  37 Jacob loved Joseph more than  his other sons because Joseph was the son of his old age. Jacob had a special coat of many colors made for Joseph. Joseph's older brothers were jealous of Joseph and hated him. Joseph had a dream: he became a famous person. This made his brothers hate him all the more. One day, when the brothers were looking after their sheep in a distant place, Jacob sent Joseph to see how they were. When the brothers saw Joseph coming some of them wanted to kill him. Eventually they sold Joseph to some slave traders for 20 silver pieces. The slave traders took Joseph to Egypt and re-sold him there. The brothers told Jacob that a wild animal had killed Joseph. Jacob was heart broken and mourned Joseph all the time.

第 37 章   雅各伯爱若瑟多于他的其他儿子 因为若瑟是他的晚年子。 雅各伯给若瑟做了一件彩色特别外套。 若瑟的哥哥们嫉妒若瑟和恨他。 若瑟做了一个梦：他成了一位名人。 这使他的哥哥们更恨他。 一天，当哥哥们在一个遥远的地方，在照料他们的羊时， 雅各伯打发若瑟去看他们怎样。 当哥哥们看见若瑟来时，有些哥哥想杀死他。 最后，他们以二十块银钱把若瑟卖给奴隶商人。 奴隶商人把若瑟带到埃及并在那里再出售他。 哥哥们告诉雅各伯，一头野兽杀死了若瑟。 雅各伯心碎和一直哀悼若瑟。

Dear God, please help me not to be jealous of other people

亲爱的神，请帮助我不嫉妒别人

I now go to Hei Ling Chau & Lai Chi Kok detention centers each week, and I give copies of Genesis (Simple Bible) to some of the 2,000+ prisoners .....especially to the 400  men from Mainland China.     If anyone would like to support this work, I'd sure be grateful

Thank you for a prayer

God bless everyone, especially the many special friends on my cancer list -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas.  

John W omi

If you email me and don't receive a reply within 2 days, please send email again to john@china8.org or jdwomi@gmail.com 
Maybe your message or my reply did not arrive 

Wednesday, July 28, 2010     Dear Friends

Good morning from Hong Kong where tourist numbers are up:

On this 28th of the month: Dear Lord, please bless the people of Beijing  (.... good news that many people are using this list each day)

Smile   Eat one live toad first thing in the morning.    Nothing worse can happen all day.

Calendar: (all Masses are in Chinese unless otherwise indicated)
Sundays of August & September:  9am Mass at St James' Church, Yau Tong
Sundays of October & November: Mass(es) at St John the Baptist Church, Kwun Tong

Mondays & Fridays:   Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau Correctional Center
Thursdays - English class for special secondary students (3.00 - 5.00)
Saturdays -    English classes at   St Eugene  (11.20 -12.50) & Notre Dame College (3.30 -5.00).

Many thanks:
- A-Yau & A-Sam (Lantau, July 22) for donations to help obtain Bibles for prisoners + support work for poor in China
- Anon (Shun Lee Estate, July 25) for donation to help obtain Bibles for prisoners

Looking for work  - office job -  full time or part time - Paul Chan  6707 1582

  One billion people starving - what can I do?  (c.f. Gospel of this coming Sunday, August 1)                 Why I'm in HK and not in Zhaoqing         

As our world gets crazier,  a daily serving of God's Word  to stay "healthy":   Genesis  35, 36 -    from www.simplebible.info

Chapters 35, 36       Listen to Chapters  35, 36 God said to Jacob "Go to Bethel and live there." so Jacob moved to the area of Bethel. Not long after this, Rachel conceived another baby. But Rachel died in childbirth. Jacob named the baby boy Benjamin. In all, Jacob had 12 sons: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar and Zebulun  - their mother being Leah; Joseph and Benjamin - their mother being Rachel; Dan and Naphtali - their mother being Bilhah; Gad and Asher - their mother being Zilpah. Jacob and his family stayed in the land of Canaan, the land of his father Isaac. Esau and his family moved to the land of Edom.

第 35、36 章 神对雅各伯说:“去贝特耳和住在那里。” 所以雅各伯搬迁到贝特耳的地区。 这之后不久， 辣黑耳怀有另一个婴儿。 但辣黑耳难产逝世。 雅各伯命名男婴本雅明。 总计，雅各伯有十二个儿子： 勒乌本、西默盎、肋未、犹大、依撒加尔和则步隆 -他们的母亲是肋阿; 若瑟和本雅明 -他们的母亲是辣黑耳; 丹和纳斐塔里 -他们的母亲是彼耳哈; 加得和阿协尔 -他们的母亲是齐耳帕。 雅各伯和他的家人留在客纳罕土地 他的父亲依撒格之土地。 厄撒乌和他的家人搬到厄东之地。

Dear God, please bless and protect my brothers and sisters

亲爱的神，请祝福和保护我的兄弟姐妹

I now go to Hei Ling Chau & Lai Chi Kok detention centers each week, and I give copies of Genesis (Simple Bible) to some of the 2,000+ prisoners .....especially to the 400  men from Mainland China.     If anyone would like to support this work, I'd sure be grateful

Thank you for a prayer

God bless everyone, especially the many special friends on my cancer list -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas.  

John W omi

If you email me and don't receive a reply within 2 days, please send email again to john@china8.org or jdwomi@gmail.com 
Maybe your message or my reply did not arrive 

A special invitation for friends in  Brisbane (July 22):  - see "Recent items of interest" in diary of last week (July 14)

Wednesday, July 21, 2010     Dear Friends

Late afternoon hello from Hong Kong.  I've just come back from visiting three prisons, I mean detention centers,  on Hei Ling Chau island.
Usually go on Wed afternoon, but since there's a typhoon in the neighborhood I went this morning (since small ferry from Peng Chau island to HLC stops on typhoon signal 3 which went up 10 minutes ago).   Looks like we can expect a typhoon each week for the next two months.

On this 21st of the month: Dear Lord, please bless the people of Yun Nan

10am - noon each Friday I have a  prayer service in the chapel of Lai Chi Kok detention center.  Last Friday, July 16, about 30 inmates attended.  I have permission for up to nine  volunteers to join me each week (.. men only, sorry).  Just need to be 18 years old or over &  have a HK   ID card.
Two weeks before each Friday, I need to submit  each  volunteer's name and ID card number  to Correctional Services Department in Wan Chai  for approval.   If any kind friends would like to join me in this most worthwhile ministry, please contact me:  jdwomi@gmail.com    or mobile - 6709 5674.    
July 23:  four volunteers are due to attend DG

Also:  Help  please to obtain old/new Bibles/magazines/books  for the prisoners.  Need Chinese + Bengali, Dutch, English, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean,  Nepali, Punjabi,   Spanish , Tagalog, Tamil, Thai, Urdu & Vietnamese.  There are many inmates from Africa, the Sub-Continent &  South America,  - as well as from HK & Mainland.
So many inmates, most of them from Pakistan (language = Urdu),  are followers of Islam....have never had a chance to read Bible.  An Urdu Bible costs HK$110 if any kind friends would like to help one man receive a copy as an outreach to Islam.
Best place for obtaining Bibles:  HK Bible Society, 67 Chatham Road, TST.    Phone   23685147 & ask for Shirley (who will give you 10% discount if you let her know that  items are for prisons)

Calendar: (all Masses are in Chinese unless otherwise indicated)
Sunday July 25:  9am & 10.30am Masses at Queen of Angels Church, Shun Lee Estate
Sundays of August & September:  9am Mass at St James' Church, Yau Tong
Sundays of October & November: Mass(es) at St John the Baptist Church, Kwun Tong

Mondays & Fridays:   Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Tuesdays: English class for special primary students (3.00 - 5.00)
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau Correctional Center
Thursdays - English class for special secondary students (3.00 - 5.00)
Saturdays -    English class at   Notre Dame College (3.30 -5.00).

Many thanks:
- HK Kung Kao Po & Notre Dame OMI community (July 15 & July 17) for newspapers for prisoners
- Anon (July 17) for items for Sat English prizes
- Mrs Wong and Mrs Ma (July 18, Notre Dame parish) for donations to buy Bibles for  prisoners
- Ling & Zoe (July 19) for toys and books for poor children in Yau Ma Tei area

Pest exterminator (..professional, employed by many shops in Jordan area) - when cat can't cope with so many rats + problems like "muk sat" etc - Mr C - graduated a few years ago from Shek Pik prison where he "studied" for 22 years....and where I used to visit him each week during 1995 -2001.
Met him on street last week, invited him to my center for a drink....so happy to hear he is a successful tradesman.  If anyone would  like to employ his skills, please give me a call  - 67095674

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

As our world gets crazier,  a daily serving of God's Word  to stay "healthy":   Genesis  33, 34 -    from www.simplebible.info

Chapters 33, 34        Listen to Chapters 33, 34 When Esau and Jacob met,  Esau was friendly and kind to Jacob. Esau accepted all the gifts of animals that Jacob gave him. But Jacob continued to be wary of Esau. Jacob moved to Shechem. One of the men of Shechem raped and then wanted to marry Jacob's daughter, Dinah. Jacob and his sons craftily said they would agree to the marriage if all of the men of Shechem were circumcised. The men agreed.  But on the third day while the Shechem men  were still in a lot of pain Jacob's sons Simeon and Levi took matters into their own hands. They killed all the Shechem men, because their sister Dinah had been raped.  Jacob did not approve of the killings.

第 33、34 章 当厄撒乌和雅各伯会面时，厄撒乌对雅各伯友好和亲切。 厄撒乌接受雅各伯给他的牲畜作为礼物。 但雅各伯继续提防厄撒乌。 雅各伯搬到舍根城。 舍根城中一名男子强奸雅各伯的女儿狄纳后想与她结婚。 雅各伯和他的儿子诡诈地说他们将同意婚事 如果舍根城所有男子进行割包皮。 男子同意。 但第三天 当舍根城的男子仍然在非常痛苦中 雅各伯的儿子西默盎和肋未擅自处理。 他们杀死舍根城的所有男子， 因为他们的妹妹狄纳被强奸。 雅各伯没有批准屠杀。

Dear God, please help me forgive anyone who has offended me

亲爱的神，请帮助我宽恕任何触犯了我的人

I now go to Hei Ling Chau & Lai Chi Kok detention centers each week, and I give copies of Genesis (Simple Bible) to some of the 2,000+ prisoners .....especially to the 400  men from Mainland China.     If anyone would like to support this work, I'd sure be grateful

Thank you for a prayer

God bless everyone, especially the many special friends on my cancer list -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas.  

John W omi

If you email me and don't receive a reply within 2 days, please send email again to john@china8.org or jdwomi@gmail.com 
Maybe your message or my reply did not arrive 

Wednesday, July 14, 2010     Dear Friends

Good afternoon from Hong Kong on Bastille Day.   A good day to "keep your head" with two warning signals up ("thunderstorm" & "very hot") + this Summer's first typhoon on the doorstep. 
May all students and staff have a safe and happy Summer holiday (till school resumes September 1)

I've just come back from pauper's funeral for Mr Leung Yu Wah,  former resident of House of Hope for homeless men.  Four of us saw him off: a Salvation Army social worker, a young Evangelical leader (Mr L was baptized in his church), myself and another social worker - Lanly (who works for the charity group St. James Settlement  which has a beautiful outreach called life and death education (!) ....that among other things arranges pauper funerals)

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

10am - noon each Friday I have a  prayer service in the chapel of Lai Chi Kok detention center.  Last Friday, July 9, about 40 inmates attended.  I have permission for up to nine volunteers to join me each week.  Just need to be 18 years old or over &  have a HK   ID card.
Two weeks before each Friday, I need to submit (by fax) each  volunteer's name and ID card number  to Correctional Services Department in Wan Chai  for approval.   If any kind friends would like to join me in this most worthwhile ministry, please contact me:  jdwomi@gmail.com    or mobile - 6709 5674.   (July 17 update:  sorry, have just found out that from July 30  onwards, only male volunteers!)
July 23:  four volunteers are due to attend DG

Also:  Help  please to obtain old/new Bibles/magazines/books  for the prisoners.  Need Chinese + Bengali, Dutch, English, Hindi, Indonesian, Korean,  Nepali, Punjabi,   Spanish , Tagalog, Tamil, Thai, Urdu & Vietnamese.  There are many inmates from Africa, the Sub-Continent &  South America,  - as well as from HK & Mainland.
So many inmates, most of them from Pakistan (language = Urdu),  are followers of Islam....have never had a chance to read Bible.  An Urdu Bible costs HK$110 if any kind friends would like to help one man receive a copy as an outreach to Islam.
Best place for obtaining Bibles:  HK Bible Society, 67 Chatham Road, TST.    Phone   23685147 & ask for Shirley (who will give you 10% discount if you let her know that  items are for prisons)

Calendar: (all Masses are in Chinese unless otherwise indicated)
Sunday July 18:  8am & 9.30am Masses at Notre Dame College, Ma Tau Wei
Sunday July 25:  9am & 10.30am Masses at Queen of Angels Church, Shun Lee Estate
Sundays of August & September:  9am Mass at St James' Church, Yau Tong
Sundays of October & November: Mass(es) at St John the Baptist Church, Kwun Tong

Mondays & Fridays:   Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau Correctional Center
Thursdays - English class for special secondary students (3.00 - 5.00)
Saturdays -    English class at   Notre Dame College (3.30 -5.00).

Many thanks for items for Yau Ma Tei poor people:
July 7 - Peter Yeung  (Peng Chau)
July 11 - Judy & Anthony (Shatin)

Lord, thank you for the life of Fr Robert McGregor O.M.I. who died in Melbourne last Saturday, July 10.   R.I.P.

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

As our world gets crazier,  a daily serving of God's Word  to stay "healthy":   Genesis  32 -    from www.simplebible.info

Chapter 32       Listen to Chapter 32 As Jacob returned to his own land of Canaan, he feared that his brother Esau would  try to kill him. So Jacob, always clever and wily,  sent messengers ahead of him to make friends with Esau. The messengers reported   that Esau was on his way to meet Jacob and had 400 men with him. This news increased Jacob's fears so he divided his family and flocks into two groups, thinking that if Esau attacked one group then the other group could escape. Jacob also prayed hard to God for protection. Jacob sent gifts of animals to Esau, hoping that Esau would be friendly to him. On the night before Jacob and Esau met, God appeared to Jacob and gave him a new name: Israel.

第 32  章 当雅各伯回到自己的出生地客纳罕， 他担心他的哥哥厄撒乌试图杀死他。 因此雅各伯，总是聪明和诡计多端，  先派出使者与厄撒乌交好。 该使者报告厄撒乌正前来迎接雅各伯，并带有四百人。 这一消息增加了雅各伯的恐惧 所以他把他的家人和牲畜分为两队， 想，如果厄撒乌攻击一队，那么，另一队可以逃跑。 雅各伯努力地祈求神的保护。 雅各伯将牲畜作为礼物送给厄撒乌， 希望厄撒乌将会对他友好。 在雅各伯和厄撒乌会面前一晚， 神给雅各伯显现， 并给他一个新名字：以色列

Dear God, please help me to be kind and clever

亲爱的神，请帮助我成为友善和聪明

I now go to Hei Ling Chau & Lai Chi Kok detention centers each week, and I give copies of Genesis (Simple Bible) to some of the 2,000+ prisoners .....especially to the 400  men from Mainland China.     If anyone would like to support this work, I'd sure be grateful

Thank you for a prayer

God bless everyone, especially the many special friends on my cancer list -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas.  

John W omi

If you email me and don't receive a reply within 2 days, please send email again to john@china8.org or jdwomi@gmail.com 
Maybe your message or my reply did not arrive 

Wednesday, July 7, 2010     Dear Friends

Good morning from Hong Kong on the anniversary of the Marco Polo Bridge incident near Beijing in 1937,  which was the start of World War 2 for China.   May China and Japan fight all future battles on the football field,  like Germany and its European neighbors

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

10am - noon each Friday,  from July 9, I am due to have a  prayer service in the chapel of Lai Chi Kok detention center.  About 30 inmates are expected to attend each week.  I have permission for up to nine volunteers to join me each week.  Just need to be 18 years old or over &  have a HK   ID card.
Two weeks before each Friday, I need to submit (by email) each  volunteer's name and ID card number  to Correctional Services Department in Wan Chai  for approval.   If any kind friends would like to join me in this most worthwhile ministry, please contact me:  jdwomi@gmail.com    or mobile - 6709 5674

Also:  Help  please to obtain old/new Bibles/magazines/books  for the prisoners.  Need Chinese, Dutch, English, Hindi, Punjabe,   Spanish , Tagalog, Thai, Urdu, Vietnamese.  There are many inmates from Africa, India, Nepal, Pakistan, South America, Vietnam - as well as from HK & Mainland.

Calendar: (all Masses are in Chinese unless otherwise indicated)
Sunday July 11:  3pm -  Matteo Ricci group meeting at YMT bookstore
Sunday July 18:  8am & 9.30am Masses at Notre Dame College, Ma Tau Wei
Sunday July 25:  9am & 10.30am Masses at Queen of Angels Church, Shun Lee Estate

Mondays & Fridays:   Lai Chi Kok Detention Center
Wednesdays - Hei Ling Chau Correctional Center
Saturdays -    English class at   Notre Dame College (3.30 -5.00).

Many thanks: 
- Rosa (HK, June 30) for Bibles/books for prisons
- Andrea (Peng Chau, July 1) and Una & group (HK, July 6) for items for House of Hope for homeless men
- Yeung family (Peng Chau, July 2) for donation to buy Bibles for prisons
- Mrs Yung & fellow parishioner of Shun Lee Estate (July 4), Anon (HK, July 5),  Mrs Dang (St Alfred's, Shatin, July 6) and Anon (HK, July 6) for donations to support my work for the poor in Yau Ma Tei + to support work for the poor in China

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

As our world gets crazier, we need  a daily serving of God's Word  to stay "healthy". 
 Let's digest  Genesis  31 -    from www.simplebible.info

Chapter 31       Listen to Chapter 31 Jacob said to Rachel and Leah "You know how hard I have worked for your father, yet he has treated me unfairly - ten times he changed my wages. Now God has told me to go back to my own land. So, get ready, we are going". Jacob took his wives, children and livestock and left  - without telling Laban. Only after three days did Laban find out that Jacob had outsmarted him. Laban chased Jacob,  but God told Laban not to hurt Jacob. So Laban made a treaty with Jacob and let him go on his way.

第 31  章 雅各伯对辣黑耳和肋阿说: “你知道我多么努力为你的父亲工作， 然而，他对我不公平-他十次变换了我的工价。 现在，神告诉我回到我的出生地。 所以，做好准备，我们要走。” 雅各伯带他的妻子，孩子和牲畜离开 -而没有告诉拉班。 三天后拉班才发现， 由于雅各伯瞒过他。 拉班追赶雅各伯，但神告诉拉班不要伤害雅各伯。 因此，拉班与雅各伯订立条约，和让他继续他的前行。

Dear God, please help us to treat everyone fairly

亲爱的神，请帮助我们公平对待每个人

I now go to Hei Ling Chau & Lai Chi Kok detention centers each week, and I give copies of Genesis (Simple Bible) to some of the 2,000+ prisoners .....especially to the 400  men from Mainland China.     If anyone would like to support this work, I'd sure be grateful

Thank you for a prayer

God bless everyone, especially the many special friends on my cancer list -  in HK, the Mainland & overseas.  

John W omi

If you email me and don't receive a reply within 2 days, please send email again to john@china8.org or jdwomi@gmail.com 
Maybe your message or my reply did not arrive 

Diary         December 2009 to June 2010