Christmas is Hope

It is often difficult to be in good mood these days.  So many people died, get hurt or lost their homes due to human negligence, greed and corruption.  Millions and millions continued to be exploited by the rich and powerful.  The big bullies bully their neighbours, and even those far away,, with impunity.  People with huge advantage in firepower bombard those with far less, claiming that their own security is threatened.  Millions and millions continue to survive, barely, without water, electricity, and even basic education. While those making billions want to make even more.  

Many of us, of course, live in relative security, stability, plenty, and even prosperity.  We celebrate our holidays with food, drinks, gifts, and entertainment.  Can we, however, truly be completely happy, knowing that so much sadness, suffering, and plain evil are around us? Even though they may be out of sight?  And it appears that these are not going away.  That there does not seem to be much that we can do about them?

Yet Christmas brings a message - that there is still hope.  That there is a way out.  That someone is in charge.  That even in the deepest despair there is hope.  That with God’s help, we can transcend all these and soar high and free.  

Without hope, life can be unbearable.  I am grateful that we have Christmas.  Buy we also know we are not supposed to wait for things to happen.  That we have an obligation to respond to the message of Christmas.  

Chinese sausage

Winter has announced itself in Hong Kong with the temperature dropping to 14 C.  Hence my wife and I trek to Sai Ying Pun to make our annual purchase of air-dried Chinese sausages at our favourite sausage maker.

Our favourites, among the many kinds, are the lean pork and the goose liver sausages.  

First of all, they are really good tasting. Just the right amount of fat and meat, texture and flavour. 

Perhaps most importantly, we can be sure that they are made locally, in Hong Kong. 

We can literally watch them prepare the pork and other ingredients, stuff the ingredients into the skin, tie them sausages into the right lengths, and then hang them up to dry.  You can see sausages at different stages of drying.  

They start each year in autumn, work until Lunar New Year, and then stop to celebrate the New Year.  The sausages sell very quickly.  If one comes too late, one has to wait until the following year, when they start the cycle again.  

In Chinese culture, everything has its season. Air-dried sausage is a winter food.  It is best to eat it in the right season. Hence our annual trek to Sai Ying Pun. It is an enjoyable experience.