The Summer of Mrs. Jones 2006

Can't find my ID card. They reused my photo from last year which I undoubtedly refuse. I'll find it eventually and post it up.


Bookman: Victor John Su (C200610)
I am not one who has a great deal of confidence in my own limited self. However, I do have a source to tap into whenever I lack such necessity. Again and again, God has proven Himself to be more than just reliable. All I can say is that one will never truly know God and realize God’s plans for him if he never put himself in a position where God can manifest Himself completely. Whatever that I put my hands on, I am to do it in faith and with the integrity that God has enabled me to have. It is true that I have hopes, goals and expectations to meet, and battles, temptations and failures to overcome, but I have made that choice to surrender them before God and with Him, I was therefore able to exceed and be victorious.
I was born and raised as my father’s only child. Much of my needs and wants were provided for. Majority of my families and friends have labeled me as ‘spoilt’. For a great length of time, I was indeed proud of the life that I had. As I choose to release myself from being financially dependent of my father, I come to face some of my most overwhelming adversities. I became all alone. I had too much pride and was caught up with finding ways to make it on my own. In desperation, I became a bookman. I had never worked this hard in my life and never been more certain about God as well. With the passing of each summer, I realized more and more that I am Victor, a son of God who created the Heavens and the Earth and without Him, I am just my father’s ‘spoilt’ son.

Event: Summer Bookselling

It is one of the toughest jobs that only a few can sustain themselves to endure to the very end. The best part of this job is that it is only for the summer and not for the whole year. Doing this for the second time around, I had my fears going through it all again. The fear of rejections and failures can never truly be overcame once and for all as fear always return stronger and bolder. However, it doesn’t mean that I myself have not become stronger and bolder to tackle this new challenge. Indeed I have for I did not forget my lessons as forgetting them would lead me to my demise. It took a while for me to regain my momentum but it did accumulate eventually. I began to strive for new ways to do things more effectively to save time and energy. This is a summer of fine-tuning my senses and enhancing my skills. I sought after as much advices as I can get and utilize any extra time to analyze what I did to find ways to improve.
Working hard is always a tool of success, but if we learn to work smart, we are able to achieve our success sooner. I quote and agree sincerely with a fellow bookman of mine, “Bookselling is about meeting the right people, at the right time and with the right books”. The art of bookselling rest upon our ability to: i)find those that are interested and kind; ii)anticipate and take the calculated risk of time and opportunity; iii)and compliment the products with the customers. The skill of bookselling resides more in: i)controlling ones’ emotions, ii)retaining a positive attitude, and iii)telling one’s story. There were definitely times when I felt that I had conquered it all and solved all the hidden mysteries, but I stand to be prayerful because one requires more than skills to acquire the customer’s favor, time and need. To compensate for all that we cannot control, there are three options: 1)pray, 2)gain experience or 3)both.

Destination: Robeson County, NC
The largest county North Carolina has to offer. I drove on average 110 miles a day and spent $120 on gas a week. I started off at Rowland, then to Fairmont, Maxton, HWY 74, Pembroke and finally the City of Lumberton. Most of the people that I have met were Native Americans. It truly opened up an extraordinary cultural experience and what I enjoyed the most was seeing the faith of those that I spent my time with. I had never truly spoken or knew of any Native American except the little that I was educated from movies and American History. The foods that I had consumed were mesmerizing. Thinking about them easily leaves me salivating. The flavor of the food served were not only differentiated by Indian cooking, but seasoned with godly love and generosity. It is not often that you are able to visit places while being given the opportunity to be assimilated into the culture and homes. These experiences are not just coincidental, they are life-changing. A county, like any county, consists of people, houses, institutions, etc. But what have set my experience of Robeson County apart from the other counties are the people that did more than just became my customers; they have instead become my friends and families-in-Christ.

Duration: May 23rd, 2006 to September 6th, 2006
It is hard to imagine how much my body and mind can handle the heat, the thunderstorms, the ferocious pets, countless fire ant bites, the pressure, the rejections, the 12,000 miles of driving, 1,378 calls, 687 demonstrations, and 1,126 hours for a period of 106 days. 106 days felt so long and each day seemed unending. No amount of rest was sufficient and there was never enough of it. Just like a race, I was only focus on reaching the end. I am also appreciative of my friends who have been a constant support and encouragement. Their support and words meant more to me than what I can express in words. There were days where it seemed as though the whole world is against me. It gave me peace to know that I am still loved by those who faithfully believe in me. My greatest humor was the fact that my parents were advising me to not work as much as I did, which was contrary to how they used to nag on me about anything. It has been another worthwhile accomplishment for me and a testament of God’s faithfulness in my life.

Housemates: Schmichael Chen & Wan (Abby) Abraham
a.k.a.
Da Navigator

Apart from his burmese eccentricity, I am amazed by his ability to stay in a house until pass midnight. It was suspected that my dear friend was having an affair especially when he brought some delicious food back consistently night after night. It's just teasing on my part, but commendable on his persistency to close the last door everyday. The funniest experience with Schmichael for the summer was perhaps the exploding mexican sausage. That was memorable.

a.k.a.
Mr. Pretty

Abby is a very simple person and as a housemate, he's a comfort. I have to apologize for unconciously bossing him around and applaude his patience with me. He's always very 'semangat' about doing a lot of things and never back down on a challenge. Instead of Mr. Sexy, he's known as Mr. Cheek on Phua's butt to me. That was hilarious and proof of his commitment level. Thanks for the curries, the driving and the mediation.

a.k.a.
The House

Took us about 4 days to find a place in Laurinburg, NC. Small town, and little options. We could have paid a lot more but thank God, something we can afford. No furnitures and full of pests that bites. We had to fumed it 3 times and the fire ants in the yard are immortal. Nevertheless, no break ins, no leaks, and no harm done. 2 minutes away from Walmart, it was a very good choice.


Rookies: Ivan, Mei Hui, Eunice, Xin Yuan, Amelie, Darren, Amy & Phua

The young and innocent. None of them were able to comprehend the experiences that they will encounter. Some have labelled it worthwhile while some choose to focus on the negative. It is inevitable. Nothing is perfect as we ourselves are imperfect. Nothing is completely acceptable because we are constantly changing expectations and perspectives. It is enriching to see how different we are when we are faced with simillar situations. The rookies this year was craving for fun and strength to overcome their new found chanllenges. I believe most of them have matured a lot more and it was indeed a joy to be apart of that process. Not everything is painless. But I believe they have gained a lot more than what they can ever lose. Press on Rookies, it is never the end of the world yet.

Managers

They say that when newly-weds smile, everyone knows why. When rookies smile, it's their innocence. When managers smile, it's for self-comfort ;). Nothing is attainable without battles. I highy commend those who have the courage to embrace the known fears. Even when this job is a necessity for some, it takes more than just a decision; it takes devotion. But of course, being experience you always have the ability to slack. The competition that exists does not only determine the survival of the fittest, it also determines the tenacity of one's inner self. My advice: "Treasure and build upon the experience that we all have paid heavily for every summer. It will help us build steps that will take us closer to our dreams." I appreciate Kenny for being a supportive manager. Thanks to Yen for helping me stay on the edge and the weekly challenges.

Supporters

We all have to fight our own battles. But they never say that we have to do so alone. I am grateful for my friends and Ashley.
I called Sharon before the summer began. She said that she was very excited for me. I wished that I was able to share her feelings for myself but being excited was no where sensible. It gives me great strength when I know that there are those who firmly wish for and believe in my success. If I were to be successful, I do not want to enjoy it alone. I called Sheau Huei to learn the skills that I lack, Sean and Ace to hear their encouragements, and Jonas and Ko Fen for comfort. I spoke with Ashley every night for prayers and affirmation. I won't be able to achieve what I achieved without these individuals. Thank you for being a part of my success.






Lastly to the family that made this possible, thank you for the opportunity and nasi lemak.





Survivors