A Piquant Campaign

A rally for a cause--- Anti-Smoking Campaign

Last May 29, 2010,  I happened to join the "Anti-Smoking Campaign held in Anyang University, South Korea together with our  pastors in Ansan Church, some members, and pathfinders who joined forces with the Anyang University students and church members as well. We gathered infront of the university to open the event formally. We shouted at the top of our voices---"Stop smoking, Smoking is dangerous to your health." We paraded around the university giving some tracts to the people that we met and that was done for a couple of hours. Finally, we returned to the post where we started and the program ended with a prayer.  I was grateful of the opportunity that I was able to be a part of this activity even though 'twas just a small act, I knew that there were peope who were informed about the  hazardous things that smoking can offer.

Here are the lists of unpleasant things that you can get out of smoking: 

1. It contributes to a number of cancers.  The mixture of nicotine and carbon monoxide in each cigarette you smoke temporarily increases your heart rate and blood pressure, straining your heart and blood vessels.

2. This can cause heart attacks and stroke. It slows your blood flow, cutting off oxygen to your feet and hands. Some smokers end up having their limbs amputated.

3. Carbon monoxide robs your muscles, brain and body tissue of oxygen, making your whole body and especially your heart work harder. Over time, your airways swell up and let less air into your lungs.

4. Smoking causes disease and is a slow way to die. The strain of smoking effects on the body often causes years of suffering. Emphysema is an illness that slowly rots your lungs. People with emphysema often get bronchitis again and again, and suffer lung and heart failure.

5. Cigarette smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of low birth weight, prematurity, spontaneous abortion, and perinatal mortality in humans, which has been referred to as the fetal tobacco syndrome.

So, why waste your precious LIFE and MONEY to a thing that is such a cancer -causer, a heart attacker, a robber (robs your health), and a killer (killing you softly and slowly).  As an adage goes, "One stick of cigarette you take is equivalent to one nail of your coffin."

God has given us the gift of life that we should take care of, a life that we should take responsible of and a life that can illuminate others because of its beauty inside and out. He cared for us so much that he wanted us not to be trapped with the devil's secret snare---- a minute pleasure that can cover a lasting joy.

It doesn't end there yet...

The next day, I had a conversation class and I shared the activity that I had. They were convinced that smoking is really a harmful thing.
 As my class was over, I accompanied my students as they waited for their father to fetch the three of them. As their father got out from the car, her daughter noticed that he was holding a cigarette, she immediately told her father to stop and throw it. "Father, you know that teacher had an anti-smoking campaign yesterday...", she added and her other sisters agreed as well.  The father smiled a bit and threw it away. And so, I just smiled back and bade good-bye to them.

At the same moment, I realized that being a teacher is a noble one--- you can touch, influence and mold young minds. What you shared and taught to the students will always persist in them. So, contimue to inspire and teach  the things that are appropriate and helpful for them.

I was grateful once again that I personally witness the impact of teaching the importance of caring one's health to my students--- and  I hope that I can share more that will hone them to  be a better person.

Never stop setting as an exanple to others because who knows maybe a certain life was change because of you. I wanted to share this passage found in Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." (NIV)