Fsâ aebmfw Fsâ A`nam\w
A publication of St. Thomas Marthoma Yuvajana Sakhyam, Kuwait - Vol. 1
We are the stewards of god ’s creation Let us stand for a green parish As our new generation is already on the verge of losing the importance of our culture and heritage, forgetting our mother tongue, Malayalam St .Thomas. Yuvagana Sakhyam has taken a tremendous initiative for the second time for conducting a Malayalam class for our dear children. The inauguration of the Malayalam class “Entae Malayalam” Entae Abhimanam, by Thomas Mathew Kairali TV Kuwait Coordinator, was held on June 18th 2010 at St.Thomas Centre. The classes were conducted for 1 month from June 19th – July 17th. About 60 students from the age of 5-15 were registered & 12 teachers put their wholehearted efforts to make this event a great success. The classes were divided in to 6 based on the age. The final day was held on July 17th & the chief guest for the function was Mr.Varkey Mathew Eraviperror, a poet of Kuwait. The children’s performed their amazing talents about “Kerala” on the stage. Nearly 45 students and their parents attended this ceremony. We thank Mr.Georgy Mathew, convenor of “Entae Malayalam Entae Abhimanam” & each and everyone of those who were involved directly or indirectly for making ““Entae Malayalam Entae Abhimanam”” a grand success. By the grace of the Almighty, the class turned out to be a great success. Yuvagana Sakhyam would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their full support from Teachers,Organizing Commettee,Yuvaganasakhyam members, Church members, Children’s and Parents. Special thanks to the Office Bearers and Kaisthanasamathi members for the support.
From the President ... IÀ¯mhn {]obsc, {]IrXn ssZh¯nsâ IcthebmWv. {]IrXnbnepffh FÃmw ssZh¯nsâ krjvSnbpamWv. krjvSnsb ImWp¶bmÄ krjvSmhns\ ImWp¶p. krjvSnsb BZcn¡p¶h³ krjvSmhns\ BZcn¡p¶p. a\pjyÀ {]IrXnbpsS kq£n¸pImc\pw the¡mc\pamWv. ]s£ C¶p kwcjI³ kwlmcI\mbn amdnbncn¡p¶p.... ssZhhpw a\pjy\pw {]IrXnbpw X½nepÅ ]cnip²amb Hcp Iq«mbva C¶p A\nhmcyamWv. `qanbpsS ]¨nens\ ]cnc£n¡p¶ Hcp lcnXk`¡mbn (Green Parish) \ap¡p Iq«ptNcmw. `qanbpsS lcnX`mh§sf kwc£n¡p¶hÀ krjvSnbpsS kwc£IcmWv. hnIrXam¡s¸« {]IrXnsb lcnXam¡phm³ \ap¡p {]XnPvªsbSp¡mw. Hbmknkv F¶m acp¸¨. acp¸¨ acp--`qanbnse Pohsâ XpSn¸mWv. {]XymibpsSbpw {]Xo£bpsSbpw kwXr]vXnbpsSbpw tIµramWv acp¸¨. bphP\kJyw Bcw`n¡p¶ Hbmknkv F¶ Cu Ip«n {]kn²oIcWw FÃmhÀ¡pw Pohsâ iIvXn]Ics«… A`nhmZ\§tfmsS… tXmakv tImin ]\¨aq«n A¨³
From the Editor ... Youth. Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind; it is not a matter of rosy cheeks, red lips and supple knees; it is a matter of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions; it is the freshness of the deep springs of life. This is why King Solomon writes in Ecclesisates 12:1, Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, “I find no pleasure in them”.
Children with hearing impairment: Editorial Board:
•
Rev. Thomas Koshy P. (President)
• • • • • • • • • • • •
John Sam George (Chief Editor) Bobby Johnson George (Sub Editor)
A publication of St. Thomas Marthoma Yuvajana Sakhyam, Kuwait - Vol. 1
We are the stewards of god ’s creation Let us stand for a green parish
Simmy Varghese (Sub Editor) Biju P. Abraham Elizabeth Mathew Thomas Varghese
From the Secretary’s Desk ... Dearly Beloved in Christ, This is a moment of intense joy & precious privilege of having to pen down for the 1st YS magazine. St Thomas YS has added one more golden feather to its cap by the introduction of a magazine called –“OASIS” The slogan of St Thomas YS for this year is “Building Bonds & Bringing People Closer to Church”. This is to stimulate a feeling of togetherness by being under one umbrella & will be instrumental in strengthening the relationship among our members as a close knit family. OASIS- will be a perfect platform for our dear members to showcase their God given talents where they can write poems, short stories etc.This is a shining example of what can happen when people allow their creativity to blossom.
We, as St.Thomas Marthoma Yuvajana Sakhyam, are indeed pleased to present the first edition of our magazine “OASIS”. We take this opportunity to thank all Edavaka members and Sakhyam members who helped us in releasing this magazine. We humbly request your continuous prayers for this endeavour of ours.
I would like to thank God Almighty for His countless blessings in turning this dream into a reality.
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Jerry
John Sam George.
On behalf of YS family I would like to thank the entire editorial board in putting together their wholehearted efforts to make this endeavor come to life. Yours in Christ,
Children with hearing impairment need opportunities to learn how to learn and speak. Children with hearing impairment may exhibit the following featuresmay not respond when spoken to may not startle at loud noise may not wake up in response to sound may leave out many sounds when talking may seem unable to follow verbal directions may hold their head so that one ear is turned towards the speaker may talk in a very loud or a very soft voice may coo or gurgle but may not progress to saying words may not talk very much or not at all may talk in a monotone voice may interrupt conversations or seem unaware that others are talking may be alert and attentive to things that can be seen, but not to those others would hear.
Parent held records In most countries clinics provide carers with a personal child health record to keep for their baby. This is a way of keeping track of the childs progress. Records are kept of childs: • height and weight • immunizations • childhood illnesses and accidents • age of developmental milestone achievement.
Reflection
by Roy John
Ecology and the Christian responsibility
“If we choose to embrace the earth more as a community in which we belong rather than a community belonging to us, then we might begin to cherish our natural connections to this magnificence place we call earth.” Realize that we are not in this by ourselves, that the world was not created just for us, as much as there are lots of people who like to think so. Ironically, this mindset, which is almost universally accepted in science and taught to our school children, is part of the problem. The world was created for us and entrusted to us as its stewards. In Genesis 1:26 the Creator of this beautiful world told the first man and women to take “dominion over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground. As descendants of Adam and Eve, we are obligated to obey the Scripture. These are certainly not politically correct statements, but if we are continually taught the opposite of what the Bible teaches in these verses, then our God-given job of protecting and nurturing the planet are forgotten. Our motivation for conservation becomes extrinsic instead of intrinsic. We must respect nature because God created it for us and it has value because God is the source of its existence. Respecting nature is respecting others, which ultimately is respecting God. We have moved from having this moral reason, why to respect nature it has had to impose more extrinsic motivations such as fines, imprisonment and laws to preserve our environment. Interestingly, during the last 150 years as the scientific and industrial establishments have given us our current ecologic crisis they have also been committed to an evolutionary philosophy. The natural outcome of social Darwinism defined by “struggle for existence” and “survival of the fittest” is that nature is to be conquered by man, not respected and cared for. The thoughtless exploitation of our natural resources is the result of the sinful nature of man. Christians should be the best environmentalists as we consider how wonderfully God’s creation displays His handiwork and His glory. “Responsible Christian stewardship requires that the people of God not upset the delicate balance of the total created order supporting life on this earth. The next generation will call upon us to give an account of our stewardship.”
contaminating the earth’s waters, its land, its air and its life with poisonous substances are all sins. In these instances, we are defaulting on the account that God has called us to manage. •
Understand our role - Adam, the first steward was called to study the creation so that he might understand his relationship to them biologically and spiritually (Gen. 2:19-20). This was God’s first lesson to man in eco-management. As stewards we have to follow this example, appreciate and understand the interconnections that are necessary to sustain human life and the life of every creature. To be continued….
Poems The tree Some frozen and dry, some still breathing with a sigh. The season changed, so did the color of these leaves.. Heavy laden with snow, from green to white.. They didn’t dance or sway, for the birds had forgotten their way.. Bereft of the spring twitter, the branches that held them together were bent, drooping down and hopelessly blown. ‘I’ll keep you alive’ whispered the voice below the ground, her roots wrestled to not let go of any part of herself.. She whispered on...to her leaves, her being. “It’s just the season, your branches shall not stay broken”. It thundered, stormed and blew stones of hail.. Though frail and withered, she promised to prevail. Even with her grounds moving away from her feet, she held her one fine branch up high. Another night had set, and the dawn swayed in with a new promise.. Feeling the first block of snow melt away from her leaves, A little green peeked out as tears of snow fell around.. From a far horizon, she saw the first summer bird fly.. From a far east, she saw a hopeful sun rise high.. The skies cleared out, so did her doubts of a new born breeze bringing new life to breathe. The season changed, so did the color of these leaves. Smiling with splendor, from white to green.. They danced and swayed, for the birds had come to stay... Filled with spring twitter, the branches rose up in vigor and smiled down to the roots... She whispered on...to her leaves, her being.. “It’s a beautiful season till the next storm arrives, but bloom and smile, for your roots are strong, if there be a season that is right, there will always be one that’s wrong, with each passing wind and each passing storm, you’ll still stand tall, even after your fall..” With a soulful heart and head held high, yes, i watched her stand tall..the soulful tree. Smitha Mariam George
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Doctor’s Column
Cover Story
by Dr. Shibu John Thomas
Paediatrician, Al Sabah Children’s hospital & NBK Children’s hospital
by Dr. Varghese George
CHILD DEVLOPMENT
CHRISTIAN STEWARDSHIP OF ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIORNMENT
Chlidren across the world seem to pass through the same sequences of development. Although the pattern of development is broadly the same for all children, it is important to remember that each child is unique. Understanding the typical pattern and sequence of development helps you to recognize at the earliest in which field is the delay and helps you to develop your skills in promoting childrens health and stimulating their holistic development.
Ecology [Greek(oiko = house) + (lopos = the study of )] is a branch of life science that deals with the interrelationship among all the creatures, and between the creatures and their environment. Our generation is in a unique position. It is one of the first in history to both have the ability to damage the environment immensely through its actions and also an awareness, of its capacity to do so.
We must understand that there is an age range for achievement of developmental milestones and any variation should be brought to the attention of the paediatrician.The following is the average age at which a child attains common milestones:
Science and technology have traditionally been seen as natural allies in ecological understanding. But religion has a vital role in shaping the fundamental outlook of man towards the environment. This is not surprising as both religion and ecology deal with the place of human beings within the general cosmic order.
Age
Gross Motor
Vision / Fine motor
Hearing / Speech
Personal / Social
6 weeks
Symmetrical limb movements Supinefencing posture
Fixes and follows to 90° Grasp reflex.
Cries / coos Startles to noise
Smiles
No head lag, Clasps hands together, Lifts upper chest on prone Sits without support Lifts chest upon extended arms Grasps feet Rolls front to back
Fixes, follows to 180°, Plays with own hands, Holds rattle in hands
Quietens to mothers / carers voice
Laughs / squeals
Palmar grasp. Transfers objects. Mouths objects
Turns to quiet sound Says vowels syllables
Laughs/screams
Tripod sits. Reach for objects Steadily. Stands holding on
Points with index finger. Early pincer grip. Looks for fallen objects
Says Mama, Dada nonspecifically
Understands bye-bye Stranger anxiety. Chews biscuits.
Neat pincer grip. Casting objects. Bangs cubes together Circular scribble, Turns pages of book. Hand preference
Waves bye bye. Knows name. Speaks Finds Hidden 2-6 recognizable words. objects. 6-40 words. Echolalia Points to named Holophrase e.g., all body parts. Takes of animals cat or dog socks and shoes.
3 Months
6 Months
9 Months
Cruises around furniture 12 Months Walks if held Few steps unsupported Steadily purposeful 18 Months walk, Runs squeals. Walks carrying toys
Do remember that the above list includes the common milestones only but there is a long list of activities a child can perform apart from those mentioned above.
Every Christian agrees that creation is the revelation of the unsurpassed glory of God’s works. “And God saw everything that He has made, and behold it was very good” (Gen. 1:31). God’s pronouncement “it was very good” illustrates the central importance of biological diversity and interdependence in God’s plan. All creatures, even those which have little utility to man are a testament to God’s power. “O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all; The earth is full of thy creatures” (Ps. 104:24). Even with the basic knowledge of ecology, we can see that God’s natural laws sustain a marvelously intricate life support system on earth. Man would not live on earth today without the life supporting oxygen and food from plants and animals. However, only man exercises dominion over these life sustaining creatures and their environment. He is therefore, also responsible to prevent his actions from adversely affecting his neighbor and other creatures. In Gen. 1:28,29, we read that God commanded man to have dominion over all life. This was not a license for him to do as he pleased with God’s creation, but to take responsible care, i.e., “STEWARDSHIP” of it. Stewardship is management and accountability of something which belongs to someone else. Man is called by God to ‘till the earth and keep it’. In other words, our task is to serve and protect the Garden that is the earth. Vitally, we are looking after it for God, not for ourselves. We are only tenants on this earth, the land belongs to God and we are given permission to enjoy the Creator’s abundant gifts without wasting or wantonly destroying it. To be a good steward, we need to: •
Love the Creator who binds together all living things in a global web of biotic inter-dependence. The steward’s love for his creator makes him realise that to give true worship to God he must live and earn without making unreasonable demands upon the natural resources, the creatures or his neighbour. The Christian steward acknowledges that he serves only one master ( Matt. 6:24). Therefore he serves God and not material wealth. Anxiety for his future is controlled by a trust in God’s marvelous supply system (Matt. 6:25-26). As a result, the steward learns that he can live more richly by consuming less.
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Love His creations - As stewards, we must understand that species are delicately interlinked with each other for their survival. When we carefully observe the creation, we can see that the created order is the perfect testimony of the wisdom and greatness of the Creator. To commit a crime against this natural order is a sin.
Children with visual impairment: • • • • • • • • • • • •
Children with visual impairment, who need attention, may have the following symptoms may sometimes or always cross one or both eyes may blink or rub their eyes a lot may tilt theirs head to the side or the front may squint or frown a great deal may be unable to locate and pick up small objects that have been dropped may hold books or objects very close to their face may avoid bright lights may stumble or fall a great deal, or trip over small objects may cover one eye may keep eyes semi-closed while viewing distant objects may complain of dizziness, a headache or nausea after doing intense work.
The steward who loves the Creator must love and care for the creation He loves. He lives in harmony with the created order that God sustains. For man to cause species to become extinct and destroy the biological diversity, degrade the integrity of the earth by stripping the earth of its natural forests, causing climate change by industrial and vehicular pollution are crimes. Injuring other human beings with disease by