I must be suffering from post-quake trauma. I could not sleep. Every time I try I think the next aftershock will strike. I have only experienced the 4.4 aftershock at 1.45pm Saturday and a few smaller quakes on Sunday. Today I led prayers in honour of the dead and pray for the families of the dead especially the Singaporean parents who lost their young ones. I told my Singaporean friends that I would never allow my 12 year old son or daughter climb mount Kinabalu.
What are the authorities thinking? They must shoulder part of the blame and revise policy for a certain minimum age (15 at least) for mountain climbing as "mild" as Mount Kinabalu's trek and other forms of extreme sports and activities. It is a known fact that Kinabalu suffers from tremors though no one expected such a strong quake as one that happened on Friday. One needs a level of physical strength and mental maturity not found in 12 year olds to handle things unexpected or calamity. Katong is close to my heart. My first venture into Singapore was in Katong. My former secondary school was located in Katong. And now 8 or 10 of Katong boys and girls perished on the mountain. We mourned today as I called for a special 2 hour prayer from 12 noon to 2pm. We ended 2.30pm with the sense that God has heard and will hear our prayers. We prayed for the mountain Guides, the true heroes of the day. Singapore will be forever indebted to them, the local Kadazan Dusuns, humble folks not highly educated, perhaps even poor but rich in mighty deeds and sacrifice. Without them the fatality rate will be much higher. LORD, today we mourn before You who is in heaven and You who can do all things. The mountains quake at thy sight for You are awesome in majesty and in wrath. Your voice makes the mountains skip like rams. In wrath, remember mercy, Lord.
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