2nd July, 2008 Matthew's 21st Birthday

Matthew Chong celebrates his 21st birthday today.

It was 21 years ago that GOD blessed us with a bouncing baby boy born at Whipps Cross Hospital, Leytonstone, London, England. The moment he was born we prayed a simple prayer of commitment that this “gift of GOD” (that’s the meaning of the name “Matthew”) will be dedicated to HIS service. Being my first born I requested a double portion of GOD’s blessing and GOD’s favour all his life, his career and his future wife and family. We committed ourselves to seeing to his spiritual development and to love him unconditionally taking the model of how GOD loves HIS children. We prayed that his life will be greatly used by GOD to impact others and that he will grow in Christ-like stature in loving kindness and character.

21 years down Matthew has shown to be mild mannered, as his mother calls him “a gentle giant”. As such any argument would summarily be won by his sister Amanda, dubbed (the top of) “the food chain”. Any argument won would be the start of another argument to be won by the food chain. And Matthew lets his darling sister win, most of the time anyway …..

He is an avid reader and has a vocabulary that few can match. He is a real joy to have around the house. When he missed the JPA scholarship after Form 5, we were disappointed but not sad as we had Matthew for another 2 more lovely years at home. Matthew is not the outdoor type but he had his fair share of camping and drills with the Boys’ Brigade, his passion and fave activity. He is more into the arts than into muscles; playing the piano, violin and the trombone instead of moving turf on the golf course. A firm believer that the pen is mightier than the sword.

Some years back when asked what he wanted to do in life, he would have replied that he had a job opening with his uncle, Dr. SK Koh, DVM, to practise veterinary medicine. Unfortunately Matthew has extremely dry skin eczema and a skin allergy test showed him to be extremely allergic to dog and cat fur. This veterinary mantle is now passed to his brother, Malcolm. His maternal grandpa, Kong-Kong, a long suffering cancer survivor, insists that Matthew take up medicine, what with his excellent academic results scoring full As in STPM with a Band 6 in Muet. Now slogging 2nd year as a medical undergrad in University Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) he takes life in its stride, catching a movie and enjoying a sci-fic novel whenever he can get a leisurely couple of hours.

Matthew takes exception to cheese cake, KFC original flavour and McD’s quarter pounders, likes his drinks sweet and his rice wet with soup. He loves his worn out tattered but extremely comfy “home clothes” and he has the uncanny ability to create dog ears on all books unfortunate enough to pass thorough his hands. At home he is never without a book in his hands. And he can read a few books at one time, one for the lounge, one for the study, one for the bedroom, one for toilet, one on top of the piano and one for the dining table, etc. At one time his siblings used to call him (and they still do) “blurr Kor” on account of his not being aware of his surroundings whenever he is engrossed in a book. As a prank we used to put chilli into his food (he used to detest chilli) and watch his reaction when he methodically eats while reading only to jump up when the chilli hits him.

One of his birthdays a few years back, the whole family surprised him with a special birthday cake. We used a durian, placed candles and sang “Happy Birthday” to him when he was half asleep. This year we celebrated with a lavish eat-all-you-want Japanese buffet Shogun restaurant and then had his favourite cheese birthday cake, sharing it with his apartment-mates and his closest friends in UKM.

No thanks to me, who also had dry skin in my younger days, Matthew inherited my dry skin condition and thus the need to daily apply moisturising cream to his skin. He takes take much too much time in the bathroom doing so.

Mum insists on an unwritten but strictly enforced rule that Matthew (for that matter, all members of the family not at home) call her every night just before bedtime, no exceptions, no excuses.

Matthew's birthday 2007

The family Bandar CHONGs prayed on this Matthew’s day that GOD will ordain his path and that GOD who had watched over Matthew in his infancy adolescence and teens will now continue to watch over him in his adulthood. The blessings of redemption and grace will envelope him all the days of his life and he will enjoy long healthy prosperous life to his children’s grand children.

Num 6:24-26
The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
The LORD make HIS face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
The LORD lift up HIS countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

Happy 21st Birthday son. We all love you.