21.09.11 Back to Taiwan Just out of Quarantine
Don't for-get in the dark-ness
what God has pro-mised in the light.
别忘记在大黑暗
上帝在白天的应许
Me Singing the tune!
Dear friends,
Trip to Canada finished
Just finished 15 nights in quarantine (solitary confinement) (7th floor of an old hotel) and 7 tests for COVID-19 (all good). Nice to be back with my family! I believe God has 3 purposes for this relatively expensive (air travel, payment for COVID 19 tests and quarantine) and time-consuming trip (long flight, quarantine time): (1) spending time with my daughter Aien before she left for Moody(Chicago), (2) handling estates of my aunt Kay and my mother, (3) lighting for dementia patients with sleep disorders.
1. Time w/Aien
: At the mid-point of my 4 weeks in Canada, Aien flew to Chicago, escorted by a family friend, Michelle. (Due to border restrictions, she was not able to go by land). Had a wonderful time with my beautiful daughter. She is very happy with her accomodation, is enjoying her classes, and has a part-time job that she enjoys -- as a security dispatcher at Moody Bible Institute (My Aunt Kay had this position at Hamilton PD when she was young.).
2. Handling Estates
: God seemed to just open so many doors at just the right times so we could complete the needed work. It was as if God was walking before us. My Aunt Kay's estate was distributed and the estate accounts closed. Working with Aien (the estate trustee for my mother), everything that needed to be completed was completed on the Friday afternoon before Aien left on Saturday: house ownership transferred to my name, money distributed... Of course, it would be ‐ God is in control and not rushed (even if I want him to rush!). I felt much nervousness about this during the procedures but God ensured all things were completed on time! God even provided a person to house-sit for us, renting 1 bedroom, for the next 6 months. Praise God.
3. Lighting Installation Canada
: Nafia (my friend), had arranged for us to set up our lighting system in 4 rooms (nursing station, and TV room) at St Peter's retirement residence run by the Thrive (memory care unit and regular unit) with the support of a small amount of funding from the Alzheimer's Society. Situation was complicated by COVID-19. We needed 2 approvals. (1) Institutional Research Board (IRB) approval or a statement that it was not needed. Only after I left Canada did Nafia get a statement from McMaster University's IRB committee "an IRB is not necessary since private companies are not subject to IRB requirements." (2) On-site inspection to certify system meets ESA (Canada electrical safety requirements) Under normal situations, inspections are arranged with a 2-day lead time. However, due to the COVID-19 backlog, for CSA (contacted July 12) the earliest date was in September (after my flight back to Taiwan). Esafe refused to schedule a date. QPS's rep gave a few suggestions over the phone but had no time to inspect. Quite stressful and disappointing.
So much new learning for me: (1) about the certification process and who can do it (fr David Wang about Esafe, Tom Kerber connection to QPS); (2) good feedback on how to make our system safer, modular, other options and more likely to pass in-site certification. Friends (Tom Kerber, Bob Berish, LED company salesman Simon and CSA's Ivona made suggestions (sometimes contradictory), coming from different backgrounds of what they thought needed to be changed to make certification easier.
Reflecting back now, thankful for the input on improving the design and the new people met. God's timing is better than our timing: Although a disappointment, clearly not yet God's time. If installation proceeded and lights installed, I would not be in Canada (nor Aien) if any problem. The trip was good as I learned alot and needed to depend on God. I have been quite stressed about this lighting project. I am thankful for my friend Nobu who commented: "If we are nervous then we are living in ourselves and not in God's grace. We need to live in God's grace." Of course, if I need to rely on my own ability, it is hopeless.
Back in Taiwan
Lighting Research:
To do this research need both $$$ (Ministry of Science & Technology) and permission to do the research (pass an Institutional Research Board IRB review.) Last year, I had $$$ and in December was asked to submit (minor) clarifications for the IRB which we did in January. The revisions were not looked and approved until August. However, MOST required IRB approval in June for us to receive continued funding starting August 1st. Dissappointing but GOD is in control. Less pressure on me since planning to go to Canada.
Teaching Grant Received:
Thankful to God received a teaching grant to improve a course focussing on how the teachings of Jesus, Moses, Plato have affected Western Society and the implications for us today.
Family:
Please remember our children in your prayers as we look to return to Canada. Please pray especially for Johann -- he is no 16 years old. Very unique, pray for him to draw close to God and to know God's leading in his life. Leon has decided to leave music stream and go to regular school. Ruth is enjoying caring for her interesting cat Snowflake (a stray cat that adopted her at 4 months) -- and hoping to start a new youtube channel focussing on cats!
Deaths:
In the past 18 months my mother passed away, my father-in-law, and a few weeks ago my mother-in-law. Pray for my wife as both her parents passed away in the last 10 months. Pray her family's salvation.
Preparing for 1 year Sabbatical in Canada (Feb 1, 2022 to Jan 31, 2023) with family
Coincidentally, this is also the Jewish Sabbatical year! Many steps required. (A) Yuan Ze University: (1) Finding people to cover courses (Completed) --> Permission to apply for leave (Granted) (3) Support funding for Sabbatical (Applied) B. Taiwan Dept of Education (Applied) C. Taiwan Dept of Education: $$$ for of overseas study + airfare (Applied) D. McMaster University for Adjunct (Visiting) Professor (Granted). E. Application for research funding from Canadian Institute of Health Research (CIHR grant) with Canadian Researchers. Initial application ranked 13/56 (top 10 are funded). Need to respond to reviewers and resubmit Sept 15 (only minor issues) F. Place to stay (Provided: my mother's house in Bronte)
love in Christ
Jonathon for our family...
Post Script on 21.09.19 a Sudden Shock
Application for CIHR grant withdrawn at last minute by fellow researchers. Surprisingly I am not depressed just disappointed. God gave me a verse at this time originally for another application:
"The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord;
as the rivers of water,
He turneth it whithersoever He will."
God is in control. But I wonder what God is going to do. On the surface,inconsistent with his leading since December 2017 and how all things seem to be working together and even when don't get positive result in short term, the result in long term is positive.