Meeting a 91 Year Old Employee at the Original Famous Chinese Sauce Store in Macau

Since our hotel was not right in Macau's downtown casino district, but an easy walk for about 15-20 minutes to the attractions, it gave us the opportunity to explore the real Macau where normal Macanese live and work rather than just seeing the glitz tourist side of this nice small city. 

The dual  Portuguese and Macau heritage makes Macau an interesting city to visit. There are lots of interesting food to try.  We ate at local restaurants serving real Macau and fusion Macau and Portuguese food to residents of the neighborhood. They were delicious! Because Macau is a much smaller city, the people are more friendly. One thing we enjoyed on this visit was getting to know some of the restaurant staff and shopkeepers and chatted with them about life in Macau.

We were delighted to have a good conversation with a shopkeeper working for one the  most famous Chinese owned companies, Lee Kam Kee - the company that has been making Chinese sauces for over 140 years  since 1800’s. 

Lee Kam Kee  sauces are used and recognized by almost every Chinese who cooks. The company makes a great varieties of sauces and some of the most famous sauces are their soya sauces, oyster sauces and Chinese BBQ sauces.  You can buy the Lee Kam Kee sauces in any of the Asian grocery stores all over the world and even in many of the mainstream supermarkets.

It was a delightful encounter with this shopkeeper who has been working for the sole owner of this company for the past 70 years! He is now in his 90’s and still goes to work in the company’s first store in Macau. He proudly showed off the picture and certificate he received from his company recognizing his contributions there. He told us about the wonderful dinner which the company put on to honour their long time employees!

As a kid, I saw my grandmother and mother cooking with the Lee Kim Kee sauces. I have been using them since I started cooking. This is a company whose products we use almost daily. Therefore, I was happy to learn that the company didn't set a mandatory retirement age for its employees. This shopkeeper informed us that if  employees wanted to work and were able, the company would let them continue to work at the job they loved. That was exactly what happened to this  91 year old shopkeeper! What a dedicated  employee and what a company that appreciates its employees!

R.T. at the Original Lee Kam Kee Store 

Macau 

062025

Visiting Some Must See Places in Macau including the Ruins of St. Paul

Since we were in HK for a longer period of time, we took some time out from HK and visited Macau, its neighbouring city. Travelling between these cities is easy as there are a number of options. Both cities can be reachable by roads and by water. This time we took the ferry from the Central District of HK. 

There are numerous ferries going back and forth and we didn’t even purchase our ticket in advance online. We simply showed up at the ticket counter, got our tickets and off we went taking the ferry to Macau. The ferry was spacious, comfortable and it took about an hour to get to Macau. 

The next day we visited a few must see places in this city of about 687,000 people. The one place I really wanted to see was the Ruins of St. Paul. To avoid the crowds, we got up at 7 a.m. and were there before 8 a.m.

1. Ruins of St Paul –  Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, it is a magnificent piece of architecture.  The great facade was the front wall of the grand Church of St. Paul built from 1602 -1640  by Jesuit missionaries. It was one of the largest Catholic churches in Asia! But a fire in 1835 destroyed the  entire church except for the towering stone wall that is still standing today.        

Today, the Ruins of St. Paul are one of Macau's best known landmarks and were named one of the Seven Wonders of Portuguese Origin in the World by the Portuguese government in 2010.

 

We climbed the 68 stone steps and reached this beautiful façade where many tourists were snapping pictures. We went behind and off course, there was nothing except for some building material for the necessary maintenance work to be done to the wall. Walking up the hill and exploring further, we came to a park called;

2. Parque Da Fortaleza Do Monte where we saw a beautiful garden with blooming colourful flowers and much greenery surrounding the statue of Matteo Ricci, an Italian Jesuit in a Chinese costume.

" Ricci was one of the first Jesuit missionaries to arrive in Macau in 1582 which served as a crucial base for his later work in mainland China. He learned Chinese and immersed himself in Chinese culture, becoming a pioneer in introducing Western knowledge including science and religion to China. The statue was unveiled in 2010, symbolizing his role in connecting East and West." source - Google

3. As we kept walking, we reached Mount Fortress and found the Macau Museum but unfortunately it was not open therefore we didn't have a chance to go inside. 

But we did see the cannons left from the period when the Portuguese government was defending itself from foreign invaders!  Mount Fortress was built in early 17 the century and was Macau's main military defensive bases. These days, it provides a good spot for visitors to have an excellent view of Macau.  We enjoyed looking around in the garden where a few benches were placed and we could sit and rest for a while.

After visiting  Mount Fortress and the park, we strolled down the Ruins of St Paul’s and reached one of the most historically important  landmarks in Macau;

Senado Square - It used to be the administrative hub of the Portuguese government until 1999 when Macau was returned back to China. 

In the Senado Square, we saw the footprints and heavy influences left behind by the Portuguese - a square surrounded by neoclassical European buildings and with ceramic mosaic tiled floors all throughout the square and in the adjacent streets, very Portuguese like indeed.

When we were standing in the middle of the square, we felt like we were somewhere in Europe, an interesting feeling indeed! This was why we saw a lot of mainland Chinese visiting the square. Trying to have a taste of the little Portugal here perhaps? 

The Senado Square and Macau were as beautiful during the day as it was at night. We were glad that this time we were at the city for a few days and were able to see and enjoy this wonderful city a lot more !

R.T. Macau

062025

Making New Friends and Meeting Loved Ones - The Joy of Travelling in Asia!

After a brief stop in Taipei, we landed in Hong Kong in the late afternoon. Since we wanted to be close to everything, the first hotel we stayed in Hong Kong was the Salvation Army Lodge, very close to downtown.

On the first evening of our arrival,  J. made an effort and came to see us at our hotel at around 7p.m.It was so good to see him again! He liked where we were staying; I must make a note of it so that we could book the same hotel again next time.

We went for a dim sum dinner at a restaurant close by and we caught up with each other. J. looked good and sounded happy. It was so good to see our loved one again. We appreciated him making this special trip from GZ  on a weeknight so that he could personally welcome us to HK!  Though our meeting was brief, it was precious. He left at around 9p.m. as he needed to go to work the next day. It warmed our heart to know that our loved one was so welcoming!

Spending about a  week or so in Hong Kong and trying to look after some business,  we made use of this opportunity to enjoy this city as well as meeting up with some new friends.  Lee, who gave us a lot of assistance prior to our arrival to HK, is in his 70's, looking fit and energetic, swims everyday and welcome us warmly. He and his wife came to our hotel and we went for a dim sum lunch at a nearby restaurant. Though this was our first time meeting each other in person, we had a lot to share and Lee was talkative and told us many stories. We learned about each other's families and grown children. It was marvelous meeting our new friends!

  

We accomplished the task we needed to do in Hong Kong today and we felt great! We pray that God will open the door for us and show us the path as to what and where we should be to serve Him in the remaining years of our lives. 

Before we left Hong Kong, we made sure that we met with S's relative. We made plans to meet with her in the afternoon. We wanted to take the public bus outside of our hotel. Two mini buses stopped for us yet each one had only one seat available onboard. Therefore, both of us couldn't get on and we had to wait in the rain. Fortunately, it was only drizzling. Finally the 124b bus arrived and we both could board it. When we got off the bus, surprise! S's cousin was there to greet us. It was drizzling and we felt so bad that she was waiting for us for some time. She took us for an afternoon tea,  a popular thing to do in HK.  Though my hubby has not seen her for over a decade, they had so much to talk about! This was the first time I met her. A friendly, talkative lady in her 70's, she was generously sharing with us all the latest news of her family as well as recalling the hard times and struggles she had gone through when her children were young. 

I presented to her our small gifts from Canada. In return, she gave us each a red envelope wishing us a smooth trip. After the afternoon tea, she took us to her apartment, a 3 bedroom apartment with a view of the ocean!! ( Not an easy property to acquire in Hong Kong. ) We also learned that because her husband has not been feeling well,  the family hired a Philippino maid to look after him. What a far cry from the Hong Kong people's poor way of life we used to know to the  middle class lifestyle enjoyed by most of the city's residents today!  What an incredible change that took place in this city of 7 million people!

 

After meeting S.' cousin, we went back to our hotel and I enjoyed a nice dip in the pool! Very relaxing and refreshing indeed!

Then I met a gentleman in the dining room. His name is John, a retiree residing in the hotel on a long term basis. We had an interesting discussion about current events and world politics. How interesting was that? 

The lesson I have learned from our travels - if we keep an open mind and are willing to listen and learn from others, there are many opportunities for us to meet and make new friends all over the world!

I thank God everyday for these wonderful opportunities!

 RT, Hong Kong

 061725 

Taipei Taoyuan International Airport's Themed Waiting Lounges Make Waiting for Flights Easier

We are on the move again! We left Canada right after our church's 50TH anniversary dinner the day before. We were so glad we didn’t miss it and really enjoyed the dinner as we were placed to sit beside two of God’s faithful servants serving in different ministries. It was good that we didn’t need to be at the airport until late in the evening which gave us plenty of time getting ourselves and the house ready for our departure. There are always so much to do before leaving our house and we did everything we needed to do. Parise God! We made a brief stop at the Taipei Airport. There was no need to retrieve our lugguage therefore we were just there waiting for our connecting flight.

I love architeture and interior design. Whenever I go, I always enjoy looking for interesting and beautiful designs. The Taipei Airport is unique in that it has designed its waiting lounges with different themes highlighting some popular culture as well as Taiwan's unique island heritage and culture. Some of my favourite themed waiting lounges are: 1. Hello Kitty - a popular lounge showcasing Hello Kitty and her friends.

2. Not sure of what this waiting lounge was called but one that looked like a library and bookish. I like it!

3. I liked this waiting lounge that looked like a forest, very relaxing and calming.

4. This one was the C4 Metaverse Waiting Lounge focusing on toys and gifts created by Taiwanese designers. Inside the display cases were collectibles from brands well known to Chinese kids and teens.

There were lots of places to relax in the Taipei Airport! We could even taste a nice cup of tea before catching our connecting flight to our destination in Asia.

RT, Taoyuan International Airport,Taiwan

Sharing Joy and Spreading Love at Our Timeshare Unit in Collingwood

We thank God everyday for the blessings He has bestowed on me and my family! God is so good! Since I declared my faith in Jesus as a little girl, He has been watching over me, protecting and guiding me in my life.

I got the opportunity to pursue higher education when it was not easy for students from less affluent families to do so. I achieved my career goal and reached the summit of my career not because of my abilities but His grace and mercy. Therefore, I have made a promise to God to serve Him and to share His blessings with others. We are fortunate we have the means to do good for others. Instead of just our good friends and we can enjoy our nice timeshare unit, we would like other people to come and share this experience too. We tend to invite different people each time so that more people will be blessed.

This year, we planned the week of our timeshare many weeks in advance and agonized who we should invite. Finally we decided on five people with two who have never been to a holiday resort.

We would like the younger folks to experience the beauty of nature, therefore, we planned a number of outdoor activities for them.

We took the two young people for a hike, a boat riding, a round of mini golf and go carting as well as playing some ping pong. We encouraged them to do as much outdoor things as possible.

It was a joyful thing to see them grinning from side to side after coming off the track of the mini car race! Meal preparation was another area we got them involved so that they could learn some cooking tips.

As for the older folks, we went sight seeing in the town of Collingwood and some little towns in the area. Je. loved it as this was her first time out in this part of the countryside. I truly believe that 'Laughter is the best medicine!' If we can be happy more often, we would be able to increase our immunity and be healthier.It was our privileage to have brought some moments of joy and laughter in a few people's lives!

I thank God for allowing us to share joy and spread His love with other people and we would like to do that as often as we could. RT, Collingwood, Canada 052025

Celebrating Special Church Events in Greater Toronto Area with Our Church Families

1. Baptism is an important decision to make by someone who knows Jesus and would like to join the body of Christ by declaring his/her faith in front of people. It is also a joyous event! We were happy to be invited to witness a couple of baptisms in April in the GTA. Sean and his wife have been doing bible study with our pastor for a while and we were delighted when they made the decision to be baptised. We drove to Waterloo to take part in the baptism service. Sean, normally, a reserved gentleman, shared his testimony and some challenging events in his life with the congrgation and touched us deeply.

We were glad to have been there to share this precious moment with him and his family. Josh, our beloved teenager, growing up fast and strong in his faith, also declared his faith and gave his testimony in front of his church in Toronto!

2. We are happy when we see children have fun when they come to church and interact with adults there. Therefore, we have created our own annual family tradition of hosting an Easter Egg Hunt in our backyard for children in our church community.

This year we also invited children from our friends and family. We had so much fun preparing and the children had fun hunting for the eggs and then exchanging them for treats! We did two egg hunts this year as one of the children could not make it to the planned event on Saturday, so we did another one for him on Easter Monday!

3. Our church celebrated its 50th anniversary in June! It has planned a number of activities to celebrate this milestone anniversary in Toronto. I was happy that we could be a part of it and we contibuted some baked goods for the felowship time after the anniversary Sunday Service. The congregation loved my homemade baking and they all lined up and finished the pastries in no time. I was so proud of myself!

We attended the 50th anniversary dinner in the evening and we were seated beside some VIP's and learned about their respective ministries. Best of all we saw Ben who was invtied by his friend to this dinner. We have not seen him for a while and it was good to catch up with him.

Being a part of God's family is a joyful experience and it has brought much joy into our lives! We have so much support and have made many friends at church. We are extremely grateful for being a part of the body of Christ where we can share our joys and sorrows with our brothers and sisters in God's family! We are tremendousy grateful and blessed for our church families in the Greater Torotno Area! RT, Toronto, Canada

Agape Student Dinner - A Platform for University Students to Share Their Experience

We are happy that we are back home in Canada safe and sound after our trip in Asia! Praise God! While we were away, we had to cancel a couple of our biweekly student dinners. We missed cooking for the students and they missed coming to share a meal and their stories at our place in Waterloo.

As soon as we got back to Canada, we resumed our student dinners. The students were delighted to get together again! We thank God this is the fifth year the Agape Dinner has been in operation! We have served many students over the years and lent our support to those who have sturggled during their university studies. We have also celebrated and rejoiced with those who experienced success.

At our last dinner for the 2024-2025 school year, we sent off our first graduate to his new job in California! M. has come to our dinner since the beginning when he was in his first year university. He has taken part consistently since then. During COVID, we had to suspend the dinner meeting but as soon as we were allowed, we resumed the free dinner for students.

What has made us proud is that our group has grown and we are an inclusive group welcoming students from a diverse background. Since Waterloo University runs on a 4 month semester system, we usually see a turnover of students every few months. We have welcome and hosted dinners for students from Asian countries such as China, Taiwan, Thailand as well as studenta from Canada, Argentina, the UK, Spain, Germany, France and Austria, Italy, Iran,and India. This year, we welcome students from Africa for the first time! We look forward to hosting and welcoming students from all corners of the world in September and having them in our Waterloo home! RT, Agape Dinner, Waterloo, Canada