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CCSC Experience

Though schedule seemed to conflict, I was able to make it to CCSC this past Saturday to volunteer.  CCSC stands for Christian Community Service Center, and our Pathways Church has been volunteering every second Saturday of the month.

As I chewed on my turkey sandwich, I was trying to think of what to share, I realized that this past Saturday was very special for me.  It was my first time to serve as an interviewer!!  :O  You see, CCSC has a building near our church where they open up to help out those who are in need of financial, food, and clothing help.  Families, who may have been stricken with some kind of tough situation, like losing a job, and needed some food to get by, or help with paying rent or bills come to seek help here.

It’s a great place.  I’ve been serving here mainly in pantry and administration side of things for past year, but never had the opportunity (or even dreamed of) to serve as an interviewer!  So needless to say, I was very surprised when Ruth, the head honcho Korean-American lady that runs the place on that Saturday, asked me to interview!!  I panicked!  What if I miss questions, what if I forget to include something… what if I… but most importantly, what if I ask or say something stupid to offend these people who are in need!  The last thing they need is to be offended by my saying something totally insensitive!  🙁

I watched another interviewer in action for a while and then Ruth asked me to interview this one man who needs to leave soon for an interview!  So trying not to look too nervous, I asked him to come in.  Shook hands and introduced myself.  Told him I was a total newbie at this and apologized in advance of my mistakes and any other shortcomings.  This man had things going… his occupation was an accountant but lost job due to illness and was always looking for contract work inbetween.  He told me himself that he gets very sensitive and proud.  This told me that he probably didn’t want to be here, if at all possible.  And his record showed just that.  His visits were sporadic, and due to an illness that I can’t mention, things were going rough for him.

This is when I told myself to look beyond the appearance and the voice of this man.  This man is in need of help, I told myself.  He doesn’t need me to criticize him on his personal skills, but for me to just be kind and courteous and get him through the paper work so he can grab some food for himself and leave in time for his interview.  Prior to this experience, it was hard to really get a face-to-face time with these people in need, and thus made feel more and more segregated… and left me feeling… different from them.  This interview process totally changed that.

I wanted to make God proud of me, just as any human tends to try to get his/her parents proud of him/her.  So I put my opinions aside and just helped.  I hope to be able to serve as an interviewer more often… a bit selfish on my part… so that I can connect with these people in need better… and closer.  It was a good day.

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NASA’s Gen Y Perspective on NASA’s Future

Read and see the presentation that 4 young Gen Y people put together on NASA and where it needs to be from The Wired…

It’s true that most people, especially the current and younger Gen Y (born between 1977 and 2000) have no clue on space exploration or NASA, let alone be interested in pursuing a career in one.  I have always been interested in space and technology.  That is why I am in my current job as an aerospace engineer.  I am not in it for the money because I sure don’t make much money like a CPA, a lawyer, or a doctor.   I personally can’t see myself doing anything else either.  It’s as if God made me to be an engineer.  It really is a calling.

But if people don’t know of the possibilities of this calling’s existence to begin with, how is the new generation supposed to take over this vision of space exploration?!  Few days ago, I read an article by CNN|Money that stated that there will be heavy shortage of engineers in aerospace and defense industry.

Clearly, the higher powers in both the government and the corporations are doing something wrong.  It’s clear that they aren’t doing things right.  No one wants to be an engineer anymore because we clearly aren’t the most well-respected, let alone, well-paid, group of professionals.  Why become one when you can easily make more money being a lawyer, doctor, or be in financial industry?!

As these 4 young Gen Y people are showing, if the old entities like NASA and major (old school) corporations don’t adapt to the current generation and its mentality, things only look bleak from here.  I hope that the higher-powers-that-be  heed the warnings.

If you want to get the Powerpoint presentation of what these 4 young people put together, you can get it directly from here. 

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Another year wiser? Time for “mid-life crisis”?!

So I turn 35 today.  Wow.  Guess what?!  It doesn’t feel any different.

I just hope I get wiser.  Mid-life crisis?  I have no time for that unfortunately.  😛   I wanted to thank God, family and friends for wishing a happy b-day.  Another year to strive to please God.  That’s all.

Nothing new.  And definitely nothing to see here.  Move along people.  🙂

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Montrose Street Outreach Experience & Terry

This past Wednesday, our church was given an opportunity to participate at a Montrose Street Outreach Service.  They meet in the small parking lot behind near downtown.  We met up at 6:30 pm and there were quite a few people already, some from other churches and good portion from the street.

Since there were too many people, I tried to stick with just one person.  There was a rather outspoken lady in a wheel chair.  Don’t let her disability fool you, Terry, or as she said she prefers to be called sometimes, “Sister T”.  🙂  A Caucasian lady approximately of age over 60+.  She seemed to have her entire life strapped onto that chair.

At first, she seemed a bit… intrusive and … wordy.  We struck up a conversation about Elvis, of all people!  😀   She told me how she met Elvis before he was big.  She also asked how many grammies he had won.  I said maybe at least 50?  She said ‘no’ and answered “3”.  All were from gospel music.  Not sure if that’s true but if true, wow.

She had a rough past since childhood.  She is from the west Texas and things have never been easy.  She eventually turned up in Houston and has been here ever since.  In all the 2 to 3 hours I spent with her, in worship service and conversing, I was able to see through her mean-looking exterior and discovered a beautiful lady who was beyond confident when it came to one:  Christ.  Despite her environment, she was able to always find God and his providence and protection for her.  It was hard to think that she was a homeless person.  Not just that, but she had an uncanny researching skill using the Internet!

Her electric wheel chair was given by helping this one guy who had been trying to find some info on a property in the northwest of Houston.  When she said she could help, many around her scoffed at her, but Terry is a very strong person.  She ignored those people and got him the answers.  That’s how she wants to make a living and it’s evident when you find out her e-mail address:  neighborhoodrenewal@yahoo.com.  She’s something else.

She does speak.  A lot.  And can seem irritating at first.  But when I got past that, her confidence in Christ and His provision was just astounding.  Simply put, shameful for someone like me… that my confidence in God is not even close to her level.  She was also a veteran homeless.  She didn’t care so much about “less useful” things like candies, but wanted clothing and socks.   There was never a dull moment being with her.

Additionally, after nearly 3 hours on the outside, it was hard to imagine how the homeless without shelter survive these tough winters.  My hands were shivering and my head was spinning from the weather.  I can only pray that there will be more opportunities to help.  It was a humbling experience, one that I didn’t expect.  But then again, that’s God.  🙂

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Stanford’s Brave New Move

NPR reported on February 21st, that Stanford would waive tuition for students from middle class (parents’ income is less than $100,000 combined)!  And for those that are poorer still (less than $60,000 combined), even the room and board would be waived!!  :O

Wow.  That is an awesome news!!  If my kids want to go to college, they will either attend state school or Stanford!  😛  Assuming that they can get in of course!  In these times when college tuition alone soars well above $30,000 annually, this is a great news indeed!  I don’t know if Stanford will offer this when my kids are at that age, but I sure hope so!

A friend from yonder years, Mark Roh, said that he’d quit job if his kid(s) got into Stanford so that even the room and board would be paid for!!  LOL… that sounds like an awesome idea!!  Seriously, with the rise of inflation and things not going well, these are the kinds of brave new moves the educational institutions need to make!

Cheers to Stanford!