Help Anna

source

I was doing a research yesterday when I came across this intriguing sidebar link, Help Anna. It is about the different Anna who is a victim of violence and trafficking.

Anna, 8 years old, a tsunami survivor in Aceh, Indonesia, was abducted and forced to labor by a criminal syndicate.

Anna, 26 years old, a domestic helper Filipina who was physically and verbally abused by her employer. She is also once been deprived of food for a simple mistake committed.

Anna, 26 years old, Columbian who escaped with her children from her abusive husband, was kidnapped, trafficked to Asia and was forced into sex slavery.

Anna, 35 years old, a former successful stewardess, who suffered physical, emotional and verbal abuse from her husband when Anna caught him having an affair.

I don't know the exact statistics on the violence against women all over the world or even in the Philippines. I guess I'll have to leave that to the experts. I have witnessed and experienced myself different forms of abuse. They can happen everywhere and to anybody. In the office, at the street and even to the place we call home. The common way of violence is by being beaten almost to death and lashed out with words which make a person reduced to being an animal. It can also be in a very subtle way where bullying is done or a person can be the center of all jokes. It is mostly done by men but sadly women can also be perpetrators. Social media and networking sites are the easiest venue for bullying since some people can bash and troll by just using their fingertips and an anonymous usernames.

November 25 is the International Day to End Violence Against Women and on that same day The National Committee for UNIFEM, Singapore will unveil Anna's future. 

Let us support the End of Violence to Women. Join UNIFEM, Singapore on November 25 at Angel Canopy, Clarke Quay from 12nn to 9pm.

The Miracle Boy

My in-laws stayed with us for nine days for a vacation, hubby's parents and his three siblings. While these past days it has been hot with some overcast clouds the week they were here the weather was just crazy. There were times it was raining hard with thunderstorms! Luckily, the day they were in Universal Studios it was just cloudy and it didn't rain at all.

They are a family that exudes happiness and joy! I am proud to say that my in-laws are a family of only trying to be a blessing to others. They would try not to do anything that would make you feel uncomfortable. They are even very expressive on their endearments with each other. There are lots of hugs and kisses whenever they are together. Specially if it's towards the youngest. 

The youngest has been dubbed as the miracle boy. You wouldn't believe that once he stayed in the hospital for two months with one month in a coma in the ICU. He contracted dengue but when the day he was supposed to check out from the hospital that's when he suffered from a deadly virus causing him to be in coma. 

For days and weeks he was in ICU every second counts and every cent is valuable. Almost every minute or hour his vital signs are being checked. Every two hours or so he had to take strong antibiotics costing between 1.5k to 3k. Fresh blood were also transfused to ensure his platelets are in normal levels. 

I once went inside the ICU with MIL and I couldn't bear it. I was crying the whole time because he was so thin and has to be in life-support. I went out even before the time to visit was up and never dared to go inside again. All I can do was pray for him and the rest of the family.

He was finally sent home after two months and a sky-rocket hospital bill. His left brain was affected due to comatose but after several therapies all that is left now is his deep voice, he used to sing beautifully, his hands without full control and his balance.

All through that phase in their lives, the family never gave up. When the doctors would give a bad news everybody would take it as it is, take the best option and would eventually leave everything to God to work on. No one showed any sign of weakness. A hug from each other was enough to say that 'we will all get through this'. And it did! God worked in ways none of us where able to comprehend. He sent a message through a fellow boy, who was also in the hospital at that time, that hubby's youngest brother would wake up soon. We held on to that. Knowing in all things God is at work. Strangers and friends would visit and pray over him. Monetary help came in without them even asking. It brought closer and tighter relationship within the family. They are able to say I love yous without cringing which some would often take for granted.

He is indeed a miracle boy for me. Now, at 19, he is living his life. He has more friends than ever. He sings louder than he should. He dances even without music because he is happy. Whenever I see him, he reminds me with one passage in the bible, 'with God all things are possible - Mat 19:25-27'. That no matter how bad things may seem everything will come out good in the end. If it is not good then it is not yet the end. God is forever faithful to His promise that He has plans for us. Plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future - Jer 29:11.

Instagram Mode

Finally, Instagram is now available for android! I was so glad it did because I am still able to blog real-time while I'm out and about the city with my in-laws. My in-laws are here for a vacation for 10 days so, naturally, hubby and I are the official tour guides and photographers which means no time for me to blog or even do some blog hopping.

Instagram has been my temporary recluse to document where and what have been catching my fancy while my feet are aching to death walking around Singapore. So if you are on it, follow me @viperbuzz12 or here and we can have a good share of our lives through pictures.

I am still trying to get the hang of this new photo app. Oh, how I envy those stunning posts and some with water mark. Some have bokeh effect and some have even that depth of field. Wish someday I can also do those amazing shots.

Here are some of mine. Please bear with me.  :-)

 

 

 

 

 

My Attempt To Cook: Korean Green Onion Pancake

I promised here that I am going to give you the recipe for the Green Onion Pancake so here it is. This pancake is great for afternoon snack or something to much on before your main meal. This sweet little thing will give you that little crispy, salty and a kick of chilli flavor that you would love! Pair it with mixed soy sauce and cider vinegar, bang! Satisfaction!

Ingredients:

200g shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cup green onion, sliced into 2"

1 1/4 cup cake flour

1/8 cup baking soda

salt and pepper adjust according to preference

1 egg

red chilli, thinly sliced, optional

water, adjust until a batter consistency is achieved

ice cubes

cooking oil

Procedure:

1. Mix flour, baking soda, pepper and salt in a mixing bowl. Add some water and egg. Mix the batter until just combined. If the mixture is clumpy add more water. Be careful not to make it too watery.

2. Add the shrimp and green onions. Toss until well coated. Add the chilli and ice cubes.

3. In a hot skillet, drizzle some oil. In medium heat pour in about 1/4 cup of batter into the pan. Flip over when the edges of the pancake are golden brown and crisp. Sear for about 4-5 minutes to each sides.

4. Serve immediately with sauce.

Enjoy!

Burkina Faso

I was going through my SPAM mails. There are times I would open the mail because I might be missing some which aren't supposed to be in the spam folder. I'm used to receiving emails which are obviously scam mails but this particular one had me reading it through the entire 407 words. 

Here's the script:

Dear friend,

With all due respect, I am Mr Mahrous Haider., director of the audit section of African Development Bank, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in West Africa. I am contacting you based on the fact that your profile was good and commendable. This message might meet you in utmost surprise, please forgive my intrusion into your privacy, however, it was due to the urgency implied and the need for a foreign partner that made me contact you today for a business transaction.

When auditing abandoned and outstanding accounts of the bank, I discover the secret file of one of our late customers, who was involved in a plane crash while on a trip along with his entire family on 31 July 2007 and they all lost there lives. He lodged some money into this bank either for personal use or for business of which we could not disclose, the said amount was US$3.5M (Three Million, Five Hundred Thousand USA Dollars). Since then we have made several inquiries to locate any of our customer's extended relatives, but our several attempts was unsuccessful as he neither left a Will nor any next of kin to this fund.


After these several frantic searches proved unsuccessful, I personally decided to contact you and to seek your consent to assist me and apply to the bank as the next of kin to the fund, so that the proceeds of his account can be paid to you for our benefit. As a foreigner, you stand a better position to apply through documentation as the next of kin to the fund since the deceased is also a foreigner. I can not do this deal alone as a citizen of Burkina Faso. 

I have the opportunity of transferring this left over as I am the director of the Audit section of the bank, all I require from you is your honest co-operation to enable us see this transaction through and if only you will give me a full assurance that you can handle this business, then forward to me immediately the bellow information.

If you agree to my business proposal and on receipt of your prompt and positive response, further details and modalities for the transfer will be forwarded to you.You can write me on my personal e-mail address  (

Your name..................
Your age...................
Your occupation............
Your country...............
Your  passport.............
Your telephone number......
Your sex...................
marital status.............
Your home address..........

with best regards,
Mr Mahrous Haider. 

I wonder if there's someone actually being lured by this? What kind of law would allow to transfer any asset, in this case an enormous sum of money, by just being considered the next possible 'kin' and by providing some information only and without any documents for proof? How can an email be truthful with this kind of sender address, goodnewssssssss58@msn.com? And where in the world did he get the profile he was talking about that I am commendable? If this thing is too good to be true, then it sure is!

I am glad Google have tracked this kind of email and provided a warning and precaution:

So, guys be careful!

This email has given me more than a good laugh. It has introduced me to Burkina Faso, Africa which I didn't know exists until now.

Burkina Faso is a land-locked area located at the Western part of Africa. It is a little smaller than the Philippines with 274,200 sq km. Having just 15.75M population with more than half are Muslim and the other percentage is composed of Christian denomination, traditional indigenous beliefs and others.

    Muslim Mosque:

source

Traditional Dinian house. Isn't this cool!

 source

Oh!

                             source