Get your own Free Home Page It was a bright Sunday morning… I had just attended mass at St. John’s Cathedral in Kuala Lumpur. I took a stroll along Jalan Cheng Lock. It was busy with lots of people… people of different faces. I stopped at a coffee shop for a bowl of beef noodles. And ‘boo’! It was not as good as the one I had in Menglembu.
Anyway, after that, I looked in the direction of the railway station. I felt adventurous. I joined the long queue at the Komuter ticket machine. There were all sorts of people waiting there… people of different races. It was hot. My shirt was drenched. But I waited… When my turn came, I pressed the buttons and inserted my money. A few dot-matrix-printer-sounds later, my ticket emerged. I finally had my first ticket to Port Klang.
Along my journey, I saw things that were very different when compared to the hustle and bustle of the city I just left behind. Things were greener and calmer. I let the scenery flash before my eyes as the train sped along the track. Station after station, the train stopped to allow passenger to get on and off… passengers of different sexes.
An hour later, I arrived at my destination. I looked around. There were boats everywhere… boats of different sizes. I approached a lady selling sweet corn. I made some queries and got some answers. I surveyed the jetty. Rubbish. There was rubbish everywhere! I boarded a ferry and paid my fare. I finally had my first ticket to Pulau Ketam.
The ferry’s engine roared to life and we were off. The salty smell of the sea was exotic and the strong wind in my face felt great. It was a relief to see the open seas, no more confined spaces. And then I saw it. Mangrove trees. There were mangrove trees everywhere! The skipper cleverly maneuvered the ferry along the swampy and winding waterway. It looked like there was no chance of my shouting "May Day!"
An hour later, I arrived at Pulau Ketam. The entire fishing village is built on stilts and the roads are actually wooden platforms. I looked around. I saw the people and they saw me. The village has almost everything. There is a police station, video arcade, coffee shops, cheap hotels, temples and… Bicycles. There were bicycles everywhere! The motorised two-wheelers are the most popular means of transport here on the island. I seated myself at a stall selling the famous Pulau Ketam La-la Jien. Though delicious, I found the gooey dish quite difficult to finish. To end my visit, I made it a point to buy two packets of ‘keropok’ to take home to fry… for Mommy, Daddy and Nicky to try.
This little story explains in quite an abstract way my relationship with God and my fellowship with other people. Personally, I experience God’s presence in my day-to-day activities, in the people I meet, in my little escapades to different places, in my interactions with friends, the emotions I experience, my encounter with nature, and my love for those dearest to me. Through the years, especially my undergraduate years, I have come to realise that I need not look far in search of God. I have come to realise that God… God is everywhere! I have come to realise that He could just be on a bus ride with you… on a bright Sunday morning.
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