This Week’s Two New Articles

Answer to the travel picture on Home Page: Lima, Peru

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When I was in elementary school in Hong Kong, the government hospitals would send nurses to our school to administer vaccinations to all the teachers and students whenever there was a cholera outbreak. Our school was divided into morning and afternoon sessions, with twelve classes of about forty students each. Students would take turns lining up to get their shots. Some of my classmates, afraid of the pain, were on the verge of crying. I, however, enjoyed the cooling sensation of the alcohol swab before the injection and didn’t find the shots painful.

A few years ago, when COVID-19 started spreading globally, major pharmaceutical companies raced to find solutions and eventually succeeded in producing vaccines. However, the issue of whether to get vaccinated and whether vaccination should be mandatory became a controversial topic in the United States. Among my friends, a few passed away due to COVID-19 before the vaccines were developed.  A couple we knew refused vaccination after it became available and subsequently died after contracting the virus. There have also been reports of people experiencing adverse reactions to the vaccines. I do not intend to repeat the arguments for and against vaccination here, but I would like to share my views about it in general.

The teaching from a young age for me has always been “prevention is better than treatment.” I am grateful for my parents’ knowledge about health. They placed great importance on balanced food and environmental hygiene. Plus, they would spend money to ensure I received vaccinations to prevent diseases like diphtheria, tetanus, and smallpox. Of course, it is impossible to prevent all diseases. For instance, there were no cases of German measles in Hong Kong when I was young. So I wasn’t vaccinated against it and contracted it during my first year of college in the US. In middle age and beyond, I continued to get vaccinated against hepatitis, pneumonia, whooping cough, shingles, and influenza, as recommended by my family doctor and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. In recent years, I have also received the coronavirus vaccine and its boosters.

My wife used to work in a pharmaceutical company specializing in developing new drugs. However, she avoids medication unless absolutely necessary, as all drugs have side effects. The introduction of a drug into the marketplace means that its overall benefits outweigh its harms. However, side effects can vary among individuals, and dosages must be adjusted. To make an informed decision about whether to take a certain medication, we must understand our own physical condition, consult with our family doctor when possible, and research to collect information on our own. Ideally, we should become familiar with our bodies when our health is still good to establish what is known as a “baseline.” This includes the condition of our skin, the color of our excretions, nasal and oral secretions, pulse and blood pressure, weight, body shape, etc. Any anomalies can thus be immediately detected. The belief that “early treatment is best” should be our guiding principle. I strongly advocate for annual physical checkups and, if possible, more in-depth examinations every few years.

Despite the potential side effects in vaccination or medications, making an informed choice is important. No vaccine is 100% effective, and no one can always remain illness-free. If we fall ill, we will have to make further decisions about what to do at that time. Ultimately, our lifespan is not something we can control, but in God’s hands.

The Sea of Galilee turned into turbulent waters. Fierce lightning lit up the midnight sky. Each illuminating flash revealed the churning waves and the wooden vessel being tossed about like a child’s toy.

Peter, Andrew, John and Thomas strained at the oars with every sinew of their bodies. Their faces, etched in fear, glistened with a mixture of sweat and seawater. The howling wind deafened their cries and whipped around their soaked garments, making every effort seem futile.

Peter looked toward the distant shore, dimly visible through the heavy rain. “Where are we? Are we even heading the right way?” His voice cracked under the strain.

Andrew shouted back. “We have no choice but to keep going. We can’t let the sea take us!”

Fishermen by trade, they had faced many storms before, but this one, unusually violent, was different. Fear gnawed at their hearts. They had been struggling for hours and became fatigued.

Suddenly, a hush fell. The wind’s ferocious howl took on a low, ghostly moan, and the waves became more rhythmic, though still formidable. The four of them peered through the gloom and tried to comprehend the eerie stillness.

John, ever observant, was the first to see him—a figure walking upon the water. As he drew nearer, the form became clearer. John rubbed his eyes, hoping to dispel the illusion. But it was no illusion.

“A ghost!” Thomas pointed a finger at the approaching figure, which appeared serene against the chaotic backdrop of rolling waves.

The watery apparition came closer, and the familiar features of their teacher, Jesus of Nazareth, became unmistakable. Clad in a simple cloak that billowed as if in a breeze not of this world, Jesus walked on the surface of the waters.

“Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid!” Jesus’ voice carried across the tumultuous sea, imbued with a power that commanded even the elements.

Awe wash over the disciples. Peter, filled with a rush of boldness, stood up, still unsteady from the rocking boat. “Lord, if it is you, tell me to come to you on the water.”

Jesus nodded. “Come.”

With a mixture of fear and faith, Peter swung a leg over the side of the boat and set his foot on the churning water. To his amazement, it held. For a few moments, he walked towards Jesus, his eyes fixed on the Lord. Yet as he looked around at the wind and waves, doubt crept in. He began to sink.

“Lord, save me!” he cried out in panic.

Jesus reached out his hand and caught Peter. “You of little faith,” he helped Peter into the safety of the boat, “why did you doubt?”

As Jesus stepped into the boat, the wind died down and the waves became as calm as glass. The disciples fell before Him. “Truly, you are the Son of God.”

In the stillness that followed, a peace transcended the storm they had weathered, a presence that confirmed their faith and banished their fears. They knew with a certainty that the Lord would walk with them through every storm.