Jenny Pong: Sin Chew Daily, Feb 21, 2013

滴水穿石

鸿秀珍出生於馬來西亞怡保市郊。因為生長在一個貧困的農民家庭裡，因此她從小必需負起照顧兄弟姐妹的責任。從而使她12歲就輟學。她在十幾歲時便以打零工的方式，賺取生活費幫補家用。

她18歲的時候出嫁，並於同年懷孕。她太期待她的孩子，然而卻發生了悲劇，她流產了！然而，幾天後，她開始感覺身體虛弱，因為流產後的病毒感染，讓她的身體失去了知覺。她的父母帶她到加護病房，她陷入了昏迷兩年。當她醒來時，她發現她的雙手和腿沒有任何感覺。

她的丈夫拋棄了她，離開了她的生活。她的家人，尤其是她的母親鼓勵她繼續努力，配合物理治療，直到她的雙手恢復知覺。但是她的雙腿卻沒有辦法恢復知覺。沒多久，醫生便截去了她的雙腿，因為她的雙腿已經嚴重受到壞疽感染。

手術後，她只能讓自己在地板上拖行和做家務。至到有一天，她當時11歲的弟弟建造了一台推車，才讓她能不傷害自己來代步。隨著歲月的流逝，加上沒有適當的物理治療和特殊的輪椅，幾乎嚴重地影響了她身體內的器官。她被告知，她將無法再坐起來。

就這樣，她以肚子躺在一個自製的木推車上26年。

最近幾年，對她而言更是困難。因為她不尋常的姿勢造成了心臟病。她也被診斷出患有白血病，她的腎臟已萎縮，尿道也常常受到感染。她深愛的母親在2011年因癌症去世了，兩個月後，她的姐夫也去世了。

屋漏偏逢連夜雨。

她才知道，生活並不總是按計劃進行，很多時候，事情可以變得非常糟糕 。然而她卻常提醒我們：“微笑並接受它吧！”。沒關係，無論發生了什麼事，只要你可以多活一天便是好事。

即使這一切已經發生在她身上，她仍微笑以對並安撫她身邊的人。

2012年9月，eHomemakers籌足捐款，為她特製了一台輪椅，以便讓她可以直坐起來。這是一個很重要的康復步驟，因為她必須能夠坐直才能進行已經延遲了的手術治療，和尿道的手術。

從現在起，她定期要做物理治療，以加強她的手臂和背部的肌肉，以及把自己從床上移到輪椅上。她在未來十二個月的康復之路，將會是一個可以激勵別人堅持下去的故事。

eHomemakers打算籌集資金拍攝一部20分鐘的紀錄片，跟踪她六個月的康復之旅。我們將用它來為Jenny建她的房子和醫療費用。這部紀錄片稱為：肖像毅力 - 不死的火焰。

Powering Through

        In my years, I have dealt with a lot of heartbreaks and seen a lot of people give up because of the smallest things. They believe that they no longer have a chance to be happy because of the circumstances that life has given them. I have had best friends giving up on life because of relationships and because they just couldn’t take it anymore. But everything looks so menial when put in a bigger prospective. For Jenny Pong Seow Chin, even when everything seems to fall apart, she manages to have a smile on her face each and every day.

         From a very young age, Jenny Pong Seow Chin has learned that things do not come easy, so she had to grow up very fast taking care of her siblings and helping her mother around the house. She never enjoyed the luxuries that some of us now take for granted yet regardless of all of that she tries to make everyone around her smile with her infectious laughter and her always positive attitude.

         Her situation is very much like another person by the name of Nick Vujicic.  Nick does not have arms OR legs. He was born with neither arms nor legs because of a birth defect. He struggled throughout his life because he always wondered whether his life was worth anything. He dealt with a lot of frustration because he had to deal with bullying and self-esteem issues from his peers because they did not know how to react to a person like him.

 
However, throughout everything and all the issues that he had to deal with, he is an inspiration to so many people. As he grew older, he learned to deal with his disability and he started to be able to do more things on his own.

Currently, he is living in Los Angeles inspiring people everywhere and he is the president of an international non-profit organization and has his own motivational speaking company called Attitude is Altitude. He inspires people to look beyond all the problems and put a smile on their faces. He inspires children that bully and are bullied. He gives them the message that ‘sooner or later everything will work out and if you put all your energies to something positive it can get you very far.’

         Jenny Pong Seow Chin’s legs were amputated when her doctor told her that she could never regain feeling in her legs. However, when she went into surgery, she realized that the incision that the surgeon created was uneven and because of that, it prevented her from sitting upright, causing even more problems. Because of that, she had to drag herself on her stomach in order to complete her chores. However, one of her brothers had a brilliant idea to create a trolley so that she could move around with more ease. With her family’s help, a trolley was constructed for her to move around easier and safer.

However, after 26 years of not being able to sit upright, she finally got the opportunity when her custom made wheelchair was presented to her this past Sunday. This wheelchair has been in discussion for 2 years. After it was made in October this year in Singapore, it wasn’t delivered till Dec 23 as Mr Lee, the maker has been waiting for Pong to heal from her stump infection.

The unforgettable day is Sunday, Dec 23 2012. A group of people went to Ipoh to change her life for the better. The photos show how excited she is to be able to finally sit up after so many years. It makes me so happy to have helped someone with something so important.

         Both Nick Vujicic and Jenny Pong Seow Chin have proven to me that through all the hardships that we have all been through, it is nothing compared to what they have had to go through for most of their lives. It gives me a new perspective for I realize that no matter how big I think a problem is, I can always pick myself back up and continue my day normally with a smile on my face.

If they can do it, then I can. 

         And, I must.

    

love and prosperity,
Anitha Thanabalan

Jenny Pong in the Hospital with Pains

                I have never been proud of myself when I get sick, for I’d whine for attention. Even a little flu would make me feel like my world is about to end and I’d pout and grumble for the stuffy nose, or the headache or any sorts of mild pain I might suffer.

                Never had I seen anyone as jovial as our Jenny Pong Seow Chin though hospitalized. Just recently on the 12^th of June 2012, Jenny was admitted at the hospital with fever due to bladder infection.

Pong in the Hospital with pains

                Although with pain, she could cheerfully greet the interviewer, something which is quite an admirable feat. I can only imagine the pain that she would be going through.  As she said, “Smiling is the only cure for any sickness.” It is something everyone should make an example of. Smiling isn’t hard; people claim that it only takes 17 muscles to smile. Shouldn’t we all be doing it often too?

                Smiling actually helps in pushing away the negative aura and bringing forth positivity. Try to be like Jenny – try smiling through your pain and you can feel the difference. Though it may not kill the pain, but it makes it more bearable.

                Morphine is the drug given to alleviate the pain that Jenny is having, but for the interview she refused to take the drug as it makes her feel like she’s “going to heaven”. She endured the pain with a smiling face to talk to the interviewers. Isn’t that something admirable again?

                It takes strength to stay awake despite the pain she’s going through. I cannot admire Jenny Pong more than I already have. If it was me, I’d rather have painkillers and I would not think of the repercussions if I was meeting anyone – but Jenny had taught me to stay strong. If she can do it, why can’t I?

                How I wish I was as cheerful as her the next time I am down with a fever and able to talk to people as if I was healthy, instead of showing a sour face – trying to gauge people’s sympathy. We should not just look at Jenny and say “Oh, she’s a great woman, and I want to be like her too.”

                We should set her as an example of a person we should be, not a person we want to be.

                Jenny Pong is definitely a woman of steel. She is the epitome of strength, the pillar of courage – an example of how people should persevere in the face of adversity. I hope that things get better for her, because she deserves better.

Jenny Pong Seow Chin - My Superwoman

Photo Courtesy of 
Maria Skouras, The Advocacy Project

I can vaguely remember the small humble house at the foot of a limestone hill in Ipoh - a hazy memory of my yesteryears.

I remember holding on to my father’s hand tentatively as I walk into this home of a stranger – a place I’ve never been to. I know father knew the person who lives here, but I don’t know who it was.

        When I saw her, I knew in the heart of a little girl, that this woman has been through a lot, but I wouldn’t have guessed it, not with that beaming smile she shone upon us as we entered.

        She had no legs, and she moved around in a make-shift trolley, and it made my heart cry to see her that way. Although I know that I shouldn’t be feeling that way because she is a strong woman and strong women don’t want people to sympathize with them – instead we should be proud of her.

        Sometimes when I think that life is too much for me, and that I can’t seem to move forward just for a teeny-weeny problem - I think of her. How she would have felt when the doctors amputated her legs. I’m sure her future would have looked bleak for her, but she didn’t let that bring her down.

        She shows other women that she is the epitome of courage and strength. You don’t have to jump off a cliff and dive into churning waters to show that you’re fearless, nor do you need to lift weights to show your strength. You just need to be brave to face the challenges life puts in front of you, and have the power to rise above that, knowing that it is easy to give up but you’ve managed to stand up tall spiritually.

        Nowadays when I feel low and on the verge of giving up, I think to myself, if she and many others with the same problems can do it – who’s to say I can’t stand up tall and face only small challenges. She is my role model and she is someone we should all respect for we don’t need a man in a flowing red cape and the letter ‘S’ on his chest to be the figure of valor. All we need is to look at Jenny Pong Seow Chin and learn from her the true value of strength and perseverance.

Photo Courtesy of 
Maria Skouras, The Advocacy Project

        I left the house with Mandarin oranges in my hand – it must have been during the Chinese New Year Celebration – thinking that when I grow up I will not let any obstacles in my life bring me down. I will persevere and stand tall in the face of adversity as when I look into her eyes, it told me that you can be strong if your heart’s in the right place.

One Journey Ends, Another Begins

Pong on a Reclining Wheelchair With Ah Yan(neice), Ah Kam(Red Blouse), Lucy(Blue Shirt)

Pong went to Singapore, with the help of funds from different people, to get a special wheelchair made by Mr Lee of Delcon Technologies. Her dream of becoming a motivational speaker came true when she spoke to the employees of Pteris Global and Cisco Recall in Singapore.  

Pteris Global and Cisco Recall donated a wheelchair to her and they took her to several places of interest in Singapore including Singapore Flyer and Garden in the Bay! Here are some pictures while she was there.

The Singaporean Physiotherapist assures Pong that sitting upward will greatly improve blood circulation in the urinary system.

Hence,Pong needs to be very discipline after this trip, ie: perform her daily exercise to strengthen her spinal muscle. Eventually, she should be able to transfer herself independently from wc to bed to floor. It takes time but it is ACHIEVABLE.

A solid foam bed is needed for her to perform her daily therapy. She can also email  Mr Lee of Delcon Technology about her performance/development every quarterly. The Physiotherapist will also help to review and provide the next course of therapy exercise. The modified wheel chair will be completed in about 3 weeks for Pong.

 

The two kind-hearted Singaporeans look forward to see her transferring herself independently when she goes to Singapore to give another motivating speech, hopefully to United World College!

 

She now can finally sit up after 26 years!

Pong's group arrived in KL for a few days after the Singapore trip. We now have to sort out how to transport her on a manual wheelchair without the appropriate disabled van!!
Her stumps are bleeding due to the trial trips with the manual wheelchair, so we have to be careful these few days.

Here are the steps in the next few years:

1.   Get special wheelchair and others appropriate hardware
2.   Ensure physiotherapies are appropriate at the Ipoh side so she can sit up, and there is proper home care ( cement floor fixing, security etc) - reduce risk of stroke, heart attack.
3.   Appeal for much needed surgery at a hospital in KL -- use colon to make urinary tube
4.   Appeal for reduced rate or complementary sugery. Fundraise whatever necessary to get the surgery done and the medical care for healing of wounds.
5.   Long term physiotherapy + a van for the wheelchair in Ipoh
6.  Tackle other health problems -shrunken kidney ( from laying on trolley too long) and leukemia.

Follow Jenny Pong on FB at Jenny Pong Seow Chin.

Pong: 29th June 2012

Watching Portraits of Perseverance

“Portraits of Perseverance” sheds light on some of the troubles four women face in their daily lives, and how they manage to cope with them. I find it amazing how the women pull through each day and still remain cheerful and committed to their responsibilities.

For Lucy, she juggles the duties of a mother and the added plight of a Lupus patient. Pong had to deal with losing her legs after giving birth over 26 years ago. As for Nisha and Sulastri, they are bombarded with the unique challenges of being transsexuals in a conservative society.

Well, there goes the saying that, "when the going gets tough, the tough gets going."

Once the POP video was completed, the post-production team watched the final draft. I realized that everyday, the women take on these challenges bravely and triumph over them.

Snippets of the documentary featured Pong moving about with difficulty, yet without complaining at all; Sulastri emphasising that "this is who" she is, regardless of what others might think or say about her. These are women of strength.

They are heroines in their own right.  



Ching Ching talking to the interns in the post-production team about the video.


“It’s a very heartwarming video, and it highlights some problems that these women go through. We are lucky enough to not have to face these problems!" Dominique said, when asked about his thoughts concerning the video. “But at the same time, it also highlights problems that all of us as people share. (The video) has a lot of life lessons (that teach us) to appreciate the things we have.”

Young ones like us could learn so much from them.

Joshua’s take on the video pretty much sums up what many of us thought of it, “It’s very touching. It’s a production that can relate to (many aspects of) one’s life.”

The documentary gives the viewer access into the daily lives of the women. 
It takes the viewer to a personal level to understand their stories.

It successfully tells those stories in the rawest and most realistic way possible.

“Considering this is eHomemakers first documentary, I think we did a really good job.” said Rhonwyn, who was part of the “Portraits of Perseverance” production team.



Some of the post-production team members watching the final POP draft.



All in all, the process of making the video has been a roller-coaster ride, just like the many journeys we embark on in life. But through that grinding process, this masterpiece of a documentary was born.

You be the judge of that!

I personally believe that this video delivers a very strong theme - that is, tough times don’t last, but TOUGH PEOPLE DO.  As Joshua said, “The women have times when they are down, and during those times, they look up." 

And I hope that every person who watches "Portraits of Perseverance" will be touched by that message.


by Junmey

Connecting Women through the Art of Quilting

Just last week, Rhonwyn (my fellow intern), Lucy and I took a taxi to Bangsar Village Mall to meet Gill, a quilter who lent a hand to the Portraits of Perseverance project.

Prior to meeting Gill, I read an article on how an American woman used the art of quilting to help a group in Rwanda overcome the grief that a genocide had caused.

Hearing from Gill opened my eyes to how quilting helped four Malaysian women express themselves, just like how it helped the people of Rwanda.

Gill (left) and a staff member in her shop, Quilt Gallery.

Gill's quaint little shop inside the shopping mall had several shelves of quilts, cloth, patchwork, needles of various sizes and other quilting materials. Being an art junkie myself, I couldn't help but admire the many ready-made hand stitched bags, purses and decorative cloth of assorted colours.

A few people sat around the prepared tables in her shop, working at their crafts. In contrast to the rather quiet environment of her shop, Gill is extremely bubbly and lively. As we were ushered into her workplace, Gill's friendly chatter had me feeling comfortable.

Making the quilt!

Under Gill's guidance and with her expertise, the four women of Portraits of Perseverance put together their stories in the form of a beautiful quilt. "That was my deposit in my spiritual bank account." Gill said, explaining her idea of linking and bonding women of different backgrounds and from different places through quilting.

"I like creating, I love colours," but in Gill's opinion, quilting is more than just an artistic outlet. Through quilting, the Sai Baba disciple found that she could find her idea of spiritual fulfillment. "Along the way, I realized it (quilting) is a healing process. I'm connecting to women. It's a healing process. It's also very much an interactive process."

Gill assisted Nisha, Sulastri, Lucy and Pong to understand and express themselves better through the quilting project. Somehow, she felt she was fated to meet the women, and to help out. "There are no coincidences in life."

The quilting project gave the women a chance to express their thoughts and feelings. I believe the women have had to endure their fair share of being judged by people throughout their lives. But when we asked Gill about her thoughts concerning the four ladies, before and after she met them, her reply was simple.

The four women with their works of art.

"When I look at the five women, who am I to judge?" Gill shrugged.

If only more people could think that way and stop judging others. Then maybe the world would be a better place.

To some people, the quilt may just be a beautiful quilt and nothing more. Definitely not for Gill, as she found the stitched butterfly an artistic piece that stood out among others. Quilting one's story is a symbol and expression of freedom, which I believe is ultimately what these women are working to achieve. Freedom from judgment and freedom from hurt.

"We all want freedom. I'm using quilting as a form of expression, putting all moods and thoughts into the making of the quilt."

The few hours we spent listening to Gill's stories and her views on women and religion was a refreshing experience for me. And as we left, I think I gained a little something from Gill, just like how I believe Nisha, Sulastri, Lucy and Pong did.

By Junmey

Teaser of POP

The teaser of POP is out!

 "I feel they have gone through a lot in life and I can't wait to know about their stories".  - A viewer commented on the teaser. 

I have not seen these ladies in person.  All I did is "meet" them through editing their individual videos.  Yet everytime, they never fail to teach me to be strong in life.  "Life can be tough but nothing can bring a tough person down" this is what I feel about these ladies.  Warriors, they are. 

The teaser is simple but it does not fail to portray the determination and courage of these ladies.  It touches your heart and teases you wanting to know more about them.  They have a story to be told and they are ready to share it with the world.   

POP's teaser is out make sure you watch and support it!

By Tracey Choo

Happiness: It Continues to Be the Only Way

Previously I had written about Pong while she was still in the hospital receiving treatment for her Leukemia. During that same period of time, within a year, she had lost both her mother and her brother. I had also mentioned my own personal struggle to find happiness, despite the fact that I have so much more than Pong. Recently I have seen a video of Pong within her home talking about the issues facing the disabled and how she has been able to persevere through this troubling year. Despite the many troubles she faces, happiness continues to be the main fuel of her life.

In the Chinese zodiac calendar, this coming year will be the year of the Dragon. The Dragon is not only a mythical beast, but a powerful one as well. I am not sure exactly what Pong's zodiac animal is, but her choice to be happy represents the dragon in many ways. Like the dragon, happiness at times can be very elusive and even somewhat mythical or non-existant. However, if you are able to attain the spirit of the dragon, or the true spirit of happiness, your life can be filled with security and can extend of an indefinite period of time. Furthermore, the dragon is not the type of animal to be thwarted by just any type of obstacle, much like Pong is with her unfortunate losses and her physical health. Pong has already proven herself this year as a true woman of character and strength, but with her strength and her choices, the year of the dragon I am sure will be her year.

In my previous post, I had also reflected upon the question of how happiness can be so elusive to those who may have it the easiest. For example, Pong's situation to an outsider is grave to save the least, yet she leads on and expresses herself to Ehomemakers and the youtube community with a smile and a sense of hope that cannot be discouraged by outside forces. Yet, those with all of the opportunity, items, and relationships in the world can be so unhappy. Pong has proven that adversity and suffering, while definitely prohibitive and negative and nature, can also serve to inspire the self and others. Happiness is not something that comes and goes with Pong, she chooses to live her life the way that all of us should no matter what we are given or what we lack in our personal lives.

After a hurricane, comes a rainbow

Some time ago, one of my close friends tried to commit suicide by jumping off from a building. Thankfully he survived the fall. We, his close friends, were all very disturbed. We had always been there for each other,  why didn't he confide in us if he was having problems?


He was hospitalized for a few months, and those were the quietest times of our group's friendship life.  As teenagers, we were all grappling with the ups and downs about growing-ups, we thought we have answers to our friends' problems, but we didn't!  Who would think that a guy like him --funny and always joking around -- would try committing suicide?

He was a young, healthy boy. What was on his mind when he decided to jump? He lost a few of his teeth, and he had staples and stitches all over his body. He will physically never be the same again, just like Jenny when her legs were amputated over 26 years ago.

Jenny didn't choose to give birth to still-borns. She didn't choose to have her legs amputated, let alone having them amputated wrongly. Reading her story makes me think how we should choose the courses of our lives.


During the recent Chinese New Year, I had the opportunity to visit Jenny at the Ipoh General Hospital. She was admitted again to prepare her for a surgery at the KL General Hospital. I went with a friend, his family and their friends, to see her to give her good wishes.

There she was, laying on the bed, perched on her elbows, dressed in the typical hospital gown, smiling so happily when she saw us. "Kong hei fatt choy," she greeted us.

We stayed in the hospital for almost 2 hours talking to her. One of the little girls who was with us asked Jenny how tall Jenny was before her legs were amputated. "5'6," Jenny replied, to which the little girl responded, "Wow, you must have been very pretty!"  Jenny smiled and gave her a hug.
It was a rainbow smile -- a smile I will always remember.
I smiled too.

Despite all her struggles... Jenny always chooses to be happy. It seems so easy for her to do this.
I wish my friend could meet Jenny and learn from her.  What is there bnot to smile when he has health, youth, family and so many friends!

Everyone has tough situations to deal with in life including us teenagers. Its just a matter of  handling things without doing anything negative. Whether we want to embrace tough situations and make the best out of them  or complain... especially when it comes to the small things in life that don't really matter.

So the next time you complain about the little things in life that won't matter in a while, think about Jenny.
So what's your excuse for being upset?

One of my favorite songs, "I can see clearly now"

-Rhonwyn-

I am learning to relax

Justina ( Lucy's best friend who passed away in Jan 2011. Both of them have been models for the Salaam Wanita project for eHomemakers) had a list of places to visit in the world and people she liked to meet - President Obama at the White House in Washington DC, Queen Elizabeth in Buckingham Palace, the mayor of New York, Bario in Borneo Sarawak, California,  London, and the seven wonders of the world. She also dreamt about taking a cruise around the world for a year with Lucy.

"Where to get the money to go-oh?" she laughed about her silliness when she recounted these places to me.

It was her enthusiasm and curiosity for life that made me promised her that I would find her a way. I didn't know how then ( and still don't know how to spread her ashes to those places.....), but I knew one thing -- one step at a time.

Justina and my family were showing intern, Jugo, how to taste durian in this 2010 video. See her lively and carefree persona.

Lucy in Cambodia

With a stroke of luck, this project was able to combine the attendance of a Fair Trade Conference in Cambodia with a filming activity for Lucy's story.  Lucy finally met with other homeworker leaders who barely spoke a word of English and she realized that she was a capable lady!!

The opportunity was really a miracle, it just came!  When I was sitting in the tuk tuk with Lucy, watching Morgan and Rhon cycling behind us towards Angkor Wat, I felt so good that my promise to Justina to visit Angkor Wat and Tonle Sap was fulfilled.  Her ashes were in a plastic tupple wear in my knapsack and I carried it everywhere I went- field trip in a slum, Angkor Wat, museum, Tonle Sap temple and walk arounds!!!

Lucy looking out at Tonle Sap

Lucy spread her ashes at the two places. And Lucy laughed, not feeling sorrowful about her best friend's absence -- this was what Justina had wanted for Lucy all these years! 

 "Laugh and be happy, who cares?" I heard Justina saying this in my ears.

My guilt about my inability to help her get an immediate surgery for the gall bladder stone removal was finally ebbing away.

Lucy preparing Justina's ashes.

A friend told me recently, "Justina went away to a better world because her time here was finished. She went away because she is giving Lucy a chance to grow into the person she had wanted her to be -- a Lupus patient who takes risk to try anything new, be active publicly, has no fear about what people say about her, and has a 'can do' attitude."

"And Justina is also giving you answers to the questions you have about God!" she said pointedly.  

  

I pondered about her wisdom for weeks. Answers to my questions about 'why', 'why the dark hours are so long', 'when am I getting breakthroughs to what I am doing with eHomemakers?' are beginning to form shapes.

Am I not seeing the answers?

So I started to be more conscious about everyone abnd everything's presence in my life.

Think positive, Ching Ching, don't sweat the small things, don't take things too personally, look at the non-toxic people around you, look at all the good things around you.

Look, look, look!!!

Yes, I am LOOKING!!

 Lucy is really a different  person now. She talks and laughs more. I did begin to see her in a different light during the Cambodian trip!  I felt a sense of peace just sitting with her in the tuk tuk despite the scary traffice around us.

 I got to see two young ladies, Morgan and Rhon, being fascinated by the Conference and all things Cambodian.    

Morgan and Rhon at a dressed up as Indian and Chinese for a get-together night at the Conference in Jan 2012

When I look at the picture of both of them, I tell myself, "Hey, you have blessings and you are not treasuring the moments with them. Stop moaning about God's absence. He has sent you all these angels! You have not been alone! When you needed assurance at the beginning of 2012, you got Lucy, Rhon, Morgan to be with you in an unusual place full of history.  You heard laughters. You saw their curiosity about life.  Remember what Jenny Pong said in her video journal at the hospital ( when she has painful infection)?  Always think positive, life is too short."

Yes. YesZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!

Think of the moments, the NOW that you are living in!




Yesterday, I watched this video of me eating crickets in Siem Reap for lunch and I laughed and laughed.  All the worries about finance, eHomemakers's future, and me standing at a cross-road in life just disappeared.

I felt light-hearted.
These are moments to treasure.

This one-year project has given me so many insights about life's ups and downs through all the people involved.  And it has been confirming to me that I have been blessed in many ways, it is just that I don't seem to see the blessings when I am down.  I know I mustn't dwell on negative incidences which are part of life's trials. I must move on like Lucy, Pong, Swee Lian, Sulastri and Nisha.

Life is too short. All of them have said this to me over the last few months when I got to interact with them at a more personal level.

Ok, what else do I have in my life that give me enthusiasm? MY daughter and her friends!

                                           A walk to the Mother Fall in KKB in 2009 with teenagers!

Me and a group of teenagers in October 2011!

So Ching Ching, keep going, keep eating, keep laughing, keep dreaming, keep having life in your heart, and keep hoping!!!

(And keep dreaming that this blog site will continue with several other women of perseverance series. And don't worry even if others think you are a nut, again! )

By Chong Sheau Ching

The rough cut

Aptly named, because at times, it has been rough, but today, I feel a small sense of accomplishment as I finish a rough draft of the documentary.

Jenny at KLCC Petronas Towers

I have been obsessing over the Portraits of Perseverance project for the last three months.  It has been such a fulfilling and challenging experience, getting to know the five women, following them around, filming their lives and then finally going through the footage and trying to do their stories justice in a film format.

Nisha has a great voice!

Nisha, Jenny, Lucy, Sulastri and Ching Ching have such compelling personalities.  My job was fairly easy in that sense.  They jump off the screen when they recall the events that have shaped their lives.  I only hope I have captured that with my interviews and videos.

As I mentioned, it hasn’t been an easy process.  I have nicknamed my poor laptop Bruno.  I felt it was appropriate to name him since I am working him like a dog.  I have loaded hours and hours of footage, along with pictures, video journals, and text into my Vegas Pro software. I then proceeded to spend the last month fiddling around with it like pieces in a puzzle.  Every few minutes Bruno says, “I’m tired” and freezes or un-syncs the audio and video and then I have to turn him off and give him a rest.

Lucy in Cambodia, where she spoke at
a sub-regional workshop.

I am also going a bit stir-crazy staying inside all day, (even though C2 has given me a beautiful space in the eHomemakers office to work.) I woke up one day and February was half over! I asked myself, where did January go? 

When I arrived in KL back in November I felt like I had oodles of time, but this past six weeks has flown by.  As I edge towards the finish line of this momentous journey, I realize this has been so much more than just making a documentary.

Sulastri working on a beautiful quilt.
All of the women contributed.

During my three months in Malaysia I have learned about perseverance, patience, faith and family.  It might be hard for C2 and Rhon to believe, (I still have my angry moments), but I am a kinder, more sensitive and patient person now than when I left Canada.  The women in the Portraits of Perseverance film have been the best teachers I could ask for.  Watching them, and learning from them has changed me, I hope forever.

For the friendships, for the experience and for the adventure, I will be eternally grateful.

Ching Ching stretching before a walk.
She's possibly doing a Morgan immitation...

Stay tuned in the next few weeks for details on the finished product!!!!!  I leave March 10^th so that is my deadline and everyone has to watch when it’s done. You will be amazed by the strength and inspiration of these women.  I know I was...

By: Morgan Reed

Pong's Story: Take What You Feel and Use It

Pong's story has been very carefully recorded in both the Portraits of Perseverance Blog as well as in several fascinating videos on the ehPerserverance Channel on Youtube. To quickly review, Pong was born and raised in a small village named Ipoh. During her lifetime, Pong endured great difficulty by losing her child, and contracting a viral infection after her still birth. Soon after collapsing at home due to the viral infection, Pong fell into a coma for 2 months. After awakening from the coma, she was able to regain movement and strength in her arms, but her legs received the opposite diagnosis. Pong had her legs amputated but then found that the incision left behind could not to allow her to sit up straight. During this time, Pong hadto rely on dragging herself around the floors of her house on her stomach before receiving a trolly for support. (For Pong's Full Story Please Click Here)

Through all of these difficulties, and more that I have omitted for the sake of brevity, Pong has found a positive light in her life that allows her to persevere. Even with more complications such as leukemia, kidney disease, a heart attack, and more, Pong still beams with the light and charisma that are an essential characteristics of a survivor. Pong's life story is not one to be taken lightly. It is not the type of story to be glorified for the sake of human entertainment or to arouse mass amounts of pity. Her story is really a bastion for others to look upon and draw inspiration from. Even in her handicapped state, Pong serves as the voluntary President of the Hope Era, a society for handicapped citizens in Ipoh, Malaysia. She utilizes her passion and mental strength to produce outcomes that few could do without any of her limitations.

Struggles and obstacles are a natural part of everyone's life, yet Pong has had an unusual share of her own obstacles and struggles. Her life story is not one to induce

pity or despair. Instead, it serves as a stronghold for all individuals with large and small obstacles. I am sure that everyone can see a bit of their own pain and loss within Pong and her story. I feel that it is the reader's responsibility to take the feelings and emotions they receive from her story, whether that be inspiration, charisma, pity, ingenuity, etc. etc., and use those feelings to make a difference whether that difference be in Pong's Life, the reader's life, or people close to the reader. Let us all hope that we can achieve at least one quarter of what Pong can achieve with whatever we are blessed with in our lives.

Choosing Happiness or Sadness

Viewing Pong in the hospital awaiting treatment stirred within me a mixture of emotions. Pity, awe, inspiration, and even a bit of shame. I too have my own problems that I am dealing with on a daily basis at the moment, but they cannot compare to the obstacles that Pong is overcoming. I look at Pong lying in her hospital bed and I can only wonder how she is able to draw such a meaningful smile upon her face. On top of all of the operations she must endure, she reveals that she has recently lost her mother and her brother had an accident of sorts. For me, it would be just too much to bear.

But then I hear her say: "I have to choose between Happiness and Sadness, and I choose Happiness". How wonderful, I think to myself as I hear this. She is able to just succinctly and efficiently tell herself to choose happiness and to persevere. I am sure it is not as easy as it sounds, and entails much more than just a simple mental choice. But I think it is so admirable that she can put herself within that mindset. It is something that I am striving to do at the moment as I integrate myself more into China.

It is definitely not easy and at times I don't even know if I can do it. As a Masters student in China, I find that I have practically every advantage in the world. I am financially secure, on my way to achieving a respected degree in a respected field, I have my family, friends, and so much more. But at times, some of the smallest negative things, like being faraway from family or even being unable to buy turkey for thanksgiving, can bring me to my knees with despair. Why is it at times that when individuals face the most devastating of situations they can be so full of courage and light, while others with every advantage int he world can find it so hard to even smile? Maybe it is because only at our worst we realize what we do have and how empowering it can be. Or maybe it is because when we are stripped of all our material items and connections that we are able to find our true spirit and strength. For me, it is through the love and support of others that I am able to find my own self. However, Pong is able to go through so much more, relying basically on her own strength and some charity from others. Her will is something that is truly remarkable.

To choose happiness, despite it being the obvious choice (like the choice between good and evil) can really be a challenge, especially when you do not feel strong enough to choose what one truly needs. However, Pong, in her state, not only has that ability, she seems to excel at it. There really aren't enough words to describe the intensity and the miraculousness of Pong's situation and fighting spirit. But it is a thrill to watch, and it is inspiring to know that someone in her state can still be so positive and move on with her life. See part 2 and part 3 of her hospital when you click on the embedded links.

We are family

They say there is safety in numbers and it seems that’s a very true statement.  This sentiment rings especially clear in times of hardship.  When things are tough, it really helps to have someone else around to help pick up the slack, listen to you worry, and pick you up when you fall.  Who better to fill this role than family members?

Jenny and her mother making funeral shoes.

I have noticed people who have a strong support system tend to be happier and healthier than those who don’t.  They are able to come through difficulties more easily than those who are alone, regardless of how dire the circumstances seem.

Jenny Pong comes from a close knit family.  No matter how bad things get, they stick together.  She lives with her family in a modest home in the shadows of the limestone hills. Jenny has the support of her brothers, her niece and her father.  But her greatest ally was her mother, who recently passed away.

Jenny's Mother

When Jenny was in a coma and lost the use of her arms and legs, her mother stayed by her side in the hospital.  She patiently worked with Jenny to help her regain the use of her arms and she bravely fought off those who didn’t believe in her daughter’s chances at survival.

When Jenny’s former father-in-law bought her a coffin, it was her mother who told him to get rid of it and leave the family alone.  She was a strong advocate for family and a valuable resource for Jenny.

Now that her mother has passed away, Jenny is taking a leadership role in the home. She teaches her niece about the value of hard work and a positive attitude.  These are lessons Jenny learned from her childhood, from her mother.  They are lessons that will live on.

A smile that's contagious.

I’ve said it before that Jenny is an inspirational woman.  It makes sense that she would be, she’s continuing  the tradition.

By: Morgan Reed