The triviality of eating vegetables

Source: www.gimmesomeoven.com

Last week, we organized a Christmas party for an NGO I am volunteering in since the beginning of this year which reaches out to women in crisis (homelessness, prostitution, domestic abuse or human trafficking victims). While we were planning for the event, I noticed the menu only had rice, mee hoon, meat and eggs. So, being the health-freak I am, I exclaimed “How can we not have any vegetables?” to the volunteers like it was so important. So, I offered to cook the vegetable dish so that everyone will get a well-rounded nutrition for the party.

At the party, as I flitted from woman to woman to hear their stories, I hear of someone losing a daughter, homelessness, going hungry, unemployment and many more. I have heard their stories, but somehow, I needed to hear them again to realize that the things we fortunate people find significant, are irrelevant to these people. Our first world problems are completely trivial when your basic needs like shelter and food are not even met. These women are not even rural folks, but people who originated from places such as Bangsar, Kampung Kerinchi, and other parts right smack in the middle of urban Kuala Lumpur. How can we be so ignorant to think that the majority are like us? If you draw a binomial curve, the middle big bump would not be us. We are at that small tail of the curve, we are extremely privileged. A good life has changed what matters to us such as health, job satisfaction, vacations or downtime, work-life balance, and many more. We have become shallow and have completely out of touch with the urban poor, and even more so, the rural folks. Worse still, we deem them shallow when they change jobs for RM100 more or accept polical campaign benefits to vote for a particular party. Do we even realize how significant RM100 is? It is 35.7kgs of rice. It is 282 eggs. It is 14 meals at an inexpensive restaurant. It is 18L of milk. (Source: Numbeo.com) But to me, it is 6 cups of my favourite caramel macchiato. I am a shallow, privileged brat.

As I watched them finish up my mixed vegetables; a glorious traffic lights coloured concoction of nutrition burst of capsicum, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, baby-corn, I am contented that everyone had a balanced meal even if it did not matter to them. Food is food, not going hungry is good. I hope and I pray someday, I can help at least one… just one of these women care about eating her recommended daily allowance of 4.5 portions of vegetables. It would be considered a little victory because I would know that her basic needs are already taken care of, that she has a roof over her head, a job, clothes on her back, food in her fridge... that she can be free to think of things like, eating her vegetables.

30hr Famine

Last weekend, I spent it with a bunch of crazy colleagues and friend starving for 30 hours without any food or calorie containing drinks.

Why did we torture ourselves that way??? All for a good cause. It was for the 30hr Famine by World Vision. Many people would ask "What would starving yourself for 30hrs do to help those who are faced by famine and strife in lands far far away from here???" I asked the same question when I was first asked to go for this camp.

But I went anyway, and I learnt the answers to my question just being there at the camp. It was a fruitful and heart-tugging 30hr where we learnt not just by watching something on TV, or on the internet but we experienced what it would be like to be those people in developing countries.

Before the 30hr hunger journey, as typical Malaysians... we stopped for makan first. ;)

Then we arrived at the destination of our campsite, in Port Dickson... a simple but cosy house by the sea.

Sista was so nice to have joined me although I was the only person she knew at the camp at first. But later she made plenty of new friends.

Hungry sampai nak bunuh diri??? No la... drama je

Group-shot of some of us Abbottian campers

We still had some time to monkey around...

Yes, really really monkey around ;P

The Famine Challenges: where we learnt a lot about the tough choices the mothers in developing nations have to make. How do you make a choice on basic necessities??? Food or shelter or healthcare or education or hygiene or job??? How can you live if you can't have it all?? Every choice has its consequences and they have to live with these consequences because the MUST make a choice no matter how difficult. And they cannot have it all. Unlike us.

Reenactment of the scenarios: A widow and her child

A husband forced to join the army leaving his wife and kids behind to fend for themselves.

A drunken and abusive husband forcing the wife to runaway with her children for the sake of their safety.

We had to be in the shoes of either one of the 3 families above... and are faced with difficult choices? What were the options??? What were the consequences of our decisions?? It seems in the end that no matter which path they choose, there are negative consequences 1 way or another. Because they do not have the choice to choose ALL the things that are important. Teaches us that we are sooooooooo abundantly blessed that not only do we have the choice to have it all, we even have more than what we need. Simple things that we take for granted each day, are precious treasures to these people.

Some even brought along their little ones and they fasted with us... for 8hrs. You need to teach them from young to appreciate what they have.

Other than learning and suffering hunger, we had loads of fun too!! Sista & I did each other's make up blindfolded. Not bad leh??

Musical cotton ball, siapa lambat dia keluar!

Cert presentation to us campers

Then we all proceeded to Stadium Putra Bukit Jalil for the final 4hr countdown together with about 9000 other campers from other campsites.

Guest appearance by Angry Bird!!

Amazing how our energy was still up after zero calorie intake for 27hours!!!

Ah Niu was the finale performer for the day... he really raised up d energy level for everyone in the stadium!

Even our youngest camper stayed till the end!!

The final countdown! 5-4-3-2-1!! Buka puasa!!!

V-Soy never tasted so good in our entire life!!! :)

Congratulations to all the Famine Warriors who campaigned and stand up for a good cause. World Vision raised RM1.5million for all their relief efforts in developing countries as well as some local beneficiaries like retirement and disabled homes. Our hunger definitely made a difference in the beneficiaries' lives. And that, was the answer to my initial question!! :)

A Bollywood Encounter

Since the completion of my thesis & the Mamak Mee Ah 2nd run in both Penang and KL, I suddenly had a lot of time in my hands. heheheh. Macam tak biasa. TV, gym, blogging, and a social life that is beyond facebook!

After years of MIA-ing from the Muhibbah Network scene, I joined this year's first mixer... ala Bollywood!

Time to get all dolled up & Indianified for the occasion...woohoo!!!

Some yummy authentic Indian grub.... mostly vegetarian. Only 3 meat dishes which were placed separately on a different section. Very good!!! Reminds me of those wonderful dinners @Anish & Gauri's.


Our wonderful hostesses, Michelle & Neera. Thanks for organizing this!!


Our very own talented & beautiful Ellyne shakin' her booteh Bollywood style.


It was nice catching up with some old friends, Ellyne & Nyza.


And making new ones, like d crazy funny Nazeen frm Hyderabad.


I love having time!!! :) :)

House kelam-kabuting

Yesterday, Zwi and Daniel hosted a pot-luck dinner for a bunch of us from church.

Plenty of food

Am not much of a cook, only know how to do very few dishes without screwing up. Even this dish, the last time I cooked it was probably around 10years ago!! ;p

My fried spicy nissin noodle wt luncheon meat!

One of the attention grabbers for the night was Thong Thong... their 1 yr old silky terrier with never ending energy. Hyperactive like crazy!! Super friendly too.


Mason & Steph playing with Thong Thong. They are in my cell-group and will be getting married 2 weeks before us... wonder would pastor let us keep d church decor up for 2 weeks? Heheheh


Me and d lovely hostess, Zwi


Yeap, definitely kelam-kabut


Coz there were 2 kids running about besides d hyperactive Thong Thong. ;)




Zwi even gave us all a little doorgift for her party... so sweet!






The other attention grabber of the night was the dance mat!! Here's our lovely hostess showing how it is done!!


I stayed the night at her place... and woke up this morning greeted by Thong Thong. :) She's so cute!

Slumber party

Hazel & I had a chimui slumber party last night. With a 3 week gap between the semester, this is the closest we can get to a school-holiday. Though we have to work, weekends are precious!!! So we decided to use it wisely.

Started with some snacks and movies. Chick-flicks of course!! Complete with love, romance and heartwarming scenes to make you go "aaawwww..."




Then there's our beauty regime...

Had a bit of a chimui heart-to-heart chat and slept late last night. Woke up pretty late this morning and went for a dim sum brunch!! Mmmmm... I still feel kinda full from that now. :p

After a gluttony session, it was time for some pampering. We didn't have much time as she was going back to her hometown this afternoon. So we went for just a short upper-body massage here...


The masseur suggested we do a back scrub detox thingy. Hmmm... "would it be painful?" "would we end up with red raw backs?"

The masseurs said no lah... we stupid stupid believed them. It didn't feel painful to me but it did to my Sista. And the outcome?

OMG!! Ugly red raw back!!

Guess no wearing bareback tops for a week eh? :( Hope my toxins are all out and this ugliness is worth it... hehehe. The massage was good though, felt so relaxed I nearly fell asleep.

Next weekend? The new semester starts and it's back to the books!! :(

Celebrate good times, come on!

Right after our last exam, which happened to be the killer Finance paper... we went out for a celebration dinner. We surely deserved a celebration after a torturous semester!!

Had seafood at Lala Chong near Subang Airport.


Da guy on da phone: Lala Chong... flanked by 2 lengluis Chloe and Vicky

Just kidding... his name happens to be also Chong and he seemed soooo familiar with the place he was in charge of ordering all the good food! :D


My Sista in her signature pose and sifu Chris beside her



Phan, Allan a.k.a. Chimui and sifu Jack


where's da food? in our stomach!


Crabs....yum! I think I had the most crabs

Mmmmmm, I just love seafood!!! Kenyangnya!