Pope Benedict visits Auschwitz camp site

Pope Benedict XVI praying for victims of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in Oswiecim, Poland yesterday. (AP)

le soleil dit,

You see, "Rainbow" in Judeo-Christian faith connotes the sense of forgivness, promise, hope, and new creation. So when a rainbow was raised at the far end of the horizon when Pope Benedict XVI was praying at a Nazi German extermination camp at Auschwitz, I broke into tears.

Think of a German Pope who had once been a reluctant member of Hitler youth, come now as a son of Germany and seek reconciliation, praying at the Wall of Death where thousands of Jews were slaughtered. It has been raining when Pope paid the visit. The sky was grey, and the atmosphere was somber. The chanting at the back only added to the desperate need for hope and reconciliation. It was at the moment when the Pope was meditating at the memorial, at the far back of the horizon, there appeared a "rainbow... I broke into tears.

How we need to be reminded that we cannot live as human beings without forgiveness, promise, hope and new creation.

The Tank Man

Mon 29 May 2006 9pm

http://www.channel4.com/more4/documentaries/doc-feature.jsp?id=53

The Tank Man was named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th Century.

...when the square was once again cleared, the tanks paraded down the main highway, under the view of the Western media staying in an overlooking hotel.
One man, wearing a white shirt, carrying what looked like his shopping, stepped out in front of a tank and stopped the whole column.
The unknown rebel berated the tank's driver and refused to let him pass for several minutes, clearly risking his own life, until he was bundled away by four other men.
The photograph of the incident became one of the most famous images of the 20th entury.

a boy, a miracle and a wish

張栩醫生(Xu Zhang)於1998年因意外而癱瘓，但因為信仰展開新生命，並在家鄉遼寧推動關愛傷健者的工作。以下說的是何欣洋（七歲）的故事，他因為腦疾而多方面發育遲緩，但聽力視力嚴重缺乏的他卻有奇高的音樂悟性。（最近看過一些醫學紀錄片也有提到外國同類個案，一些失明智障的孩子都有演奏音樂的天才，我看著他們神乎其技的彈奏，的確如見神跡。）

但欣洋資源匱乏，現需要有關音樂發展、特殊教育等等的幫助。如果可以，請繼續傳送這消息，讓祝福無遠弗屆。以下是英文內容。

Dear Friends,

To me, the boy I'm talking about here is a miracle. He can not see and communicate normally with others, but he understands music! He is living a small village, a backward place near Anshan. He cannot have education for we don't have a school here suitable for him; He has the gift of understanding music, but his family doesn't how to further develop it given his physical and mental condition.What I'm doing is to invite you to explore the ways to further educate and develop him. It's greately appreciated if you like to tell the story to others or forward this letter to your friends. The boy needs our love and help!Thank you!

Zhang Xu*

Please Help This Little Boy…from Bethesda Rehabilitation, Ministry of Anshan

We got to know He Xin-Yang from a local TV program, and all of us were touched by his gift and savvy with music. On the TV, he was always restless, but when music came or when sitting at the piano, he became quiet and concentrated immediatey.He Xin-Yang is a seven years old boy, living in a small village near Anshan. He was diagnosed with "encephatrophy" when he was only seven months old. Since then, he had tried different treatment, but no much effect was seen. The current condition is: he has a deaf right ear and very poor sight (only can identify light). He has a limited vocabulary and has difficulty with communication. He is always restless… What makes He Xin-Yang different is his sensitiveness to music. Xin-Yang grew up living with his grandparents in the small church of the village. The grandpa is in charge of music affairs in the church, so Xin-Yang was growing up with the edification of church music. Under grandpa's influence, Xin-Yang became familiar with the tune of some 40 hymns when he was only three years old. Now, he can adroitly play electronic organ, piano, and drum. He is very familiar the sound from the 88 keys of piano and can easily locate their position. He often plays on the church service now. From March of 2005, the grandpa found a teacher to give Xin-Yang some professional training. With the barrier of verbal communication, the only way the teacher teachs him is by singing, and Xin-Yang responds her with piano. While the
teacher singing a new song or a piece of music, Xin-Yang plays the music following her. Usually only after three times, he can play the music fluently.
The comments from his teacher is: He Xin-Yang has an excellent memory with music and very sensitive to sound. He has special capability of understanding music with left ear. He has special enthusiasm with music and can master the contents in one day while others might take two week.The reason I tell the story is that we hope more people get to know him and help him for his further development. His family now has no idea where or how Xin-Yang can have good education and music training. We have the same concern and believe that he does need the following helps:Special Education: He Xin-Yang should go to school at this age, but with the difficulty of communication, ordinary primary schools here will not make sense for him. We hope there is a special educating way or a special education school which is suitable for him. Development in Music: With the physical disability, we believe the music is the special gift God gave him and we should not ignore it. So we explore that if there is special way to futher develop his musical gift.Dear friends, We need your advices, suggestions, and help with the boy. Thank you very much!!!

contact: mailto:zhangxuhk@yahoo.com.cn