Photo by Einstein Xiong
Hmong American Center of Wausau, Wisconsin held their New Year on November 1st, 2014 - November 2nd, 2014 at Greenheck Field House in Schofield, WI. There were more than a few thousand showed up for the new year celebration, including city officials, community leaders and professionals.
This year, Dr. Xa Xiong Foundation: A Quest for Education is proud to recognize and present the "Benevolent Medal of Honor" - someone who provides service with charitable and kindness rather than self-profit-making purpose to President of WUCMAA/Executive Director Peter Yang and his wife - Zer M. Yang for their diligent services to the Hmong-American community. May the Lord, Mother Nature, and Ancestors bless you both and your family with good health, good well, and prosperity with many years to come. Congratulations!
Dr. Xa Xiong, DC, MD was one of the feature keynote speakers for the event. See Dr. Xiong's speech below:
Nyob Zoo Xyooj Tshaab! Happy New Year!
In honor of our special guests, city officials, parents, brothers, sisters, relatives, and friends,
Thov Hawm Txug: Cov nom cov tswv, Cov naam cov tsiv, Cov kwv cov tij, Cov nkauj cov muam, Cov neej cov tsaav, Cov phooj cov ywg sawv daws
I would like to express a sincere THANK YOU note to the President of WUCMAA/Hmong American Center Executive Director Peter Yang, the Chairman of the New Year - Mr. Va Thao, Hmong American Center Board President - Mr. Bill Her, and the subcomittees for the generous invitation. It is truly an honor to take part in this special event to celebrate the incoming New Year of 2015 with everyone here in Wausau, Wisconsin. I would like to extend my warmest wishes to my fellow Hmong in the Wausau area with good wealth, good health, and prosperity.
Hmong New Year or “Noj Peb Caug” is a historical event that passes from generation to generation since 3000 B.C. with many cultural characteristics. In simply term, it likes a vitamin pill that nourish our body in a complete state of health physically, mentally, and spiritually. There are four main purposes of our Hmong New Year los yog "Noj Peb Caug".
1. To thank all the gods and ancestors for their blessings throughout the year.
2. To bless the family with good health (including physical, psychological and spiritual), good wealth, and future prosperity.
3. To entertain and courtship among the youth, serving as a vehicle for starting a
courtship or for strengthening one relationship that has already existed.
4. To welcome and embrace the incoming new year.
In today’s world, the economy is changing so rapidly with technology, in the work place and in the political arenas. We have to adapt and make changes to our lives in order to acclimate ourselves with the economy. There are five ways that we can do to keep ourselves moving ahead with the economy.
1. Staying physically, mentally, and spiritually healthy
ONESELF must keep self free of disease by eat eating healthy food, exercise daily, avoid alcohol/drugs, get a routine physical examination and perform blood test on a yearly basis. I strongly advise to seek medical care immediately if you should suspected any illness. If you are already have an existent medical condition please continue to see your doctor on a regular basis and take your medications as prescribed daily. Your doctor is there to help you to maintain your state of health. Doctor will never run an experiment on you even if you want to. Doctors are more afraid of you than you are to them.
2. Building a strong family foundation
ONESELF must give 100% love, commitment, and compassion to the family. One must love your spouse and your children as your own body flash. One must give appraise and express word of encouragement to your love one. One must find ways to strengthening the family bonding relationship and build a family circle so no one can get in. One must keep filling the family love tank and nurturing every day until the day one’s life expires. By doing this, it will bond the family together with long lasting love and eliminating any obstacles that may cause conflicts within the family.
3. Achieving high level of education
Every single person in this auditorium is born and equip with the Genes of Education, Knowledge, and Wisdom from our creator (God). We all have 23 pairs of Chromosomes (46 chromosomes) and the only different between a man and a woman is the X and Y chromosomes. This means, we have 99.5% genetic similarity and only 0,5% different. If I can do it so can you.
There are five levels of education; Level 1 – completed high school diploma, Level 2 – completed college degree, Level 3 – completed master degree, Level 4 – completed doctoral degree, and Level 5 - completed post-doctoral degree. Choose the highest level of education and pursue to the fullest extent. You can and you will succeed if you don't give up.
4. Earning high income
ONESELF must be able to make money to sustain the economy demands. Without money life will be hard. One must seek for the highest paying job on the market. This means one must achieve a high level of education, going back to #3 (Achieving in a high level of education). The higher the level of education the more pay one will be offered. And not only that, the work place environment will be more suitable with less hard labor as well. One must know how to invest the money in order to sustain financial security. One should invest in Health Insurance, Life Insurance, 401K, 403B, and Roth Account. I personally do not recommend investing in Gamble or traveling to other county just to have self-satisfaction.
5. Being an excellent leader - “A Benevolent leader”
Leadership does not occur overnight but involves a long treacherous process of hard work and “G.R.O.W.” within it. One must remind self this “ask not what your community can do for you but ask what you can do for your community". There are many different kind of leaders. In public services, being a BENEVOLENT LEADER (someone who provides service with charitable and kindness rather than self-profit-making purpose) has a major impact in helping others physically, economically, and mentally within the community. One has to lead the family, community and be a good role model for everyone to follow. No one can escape the role of being a leader. So learn it well.
To my fellow Hmong-American citizens, give love and support each other. Learn to be a noble person, respect your country, respect your community, respect the leaders, and respect the law where you live. We shall remind ourselves this -“ask not what your community can do for you, but ask what you can do for your community.” To the younger generation, I strongly advise to do good deed by staying in school and pursuing in higher education. Simply, “education is a collection of knowledge that makes up a MASTER KEY to open many doors in life.” I urge our Hmong to embrace the American dream that is; anyone can succeed through hard work and has the capability to lead a happy, successful life. Together, we stand strong.
I believe and declare that each and every one will receive and follow your heart, your dream and pursue with the highest context of staying physically, psychologically, and spiritually healthy, being a BENEVOLENT LEADER, having a substantial INCOME, a healthy FAMILY AND receiving the highest level of EDUCATION known as iLIFE. Therefore, I conclude my New Year Greetings with my sincere wishes for the continuation of living the American dream and staying ahead of the rapid changes of the economy world for the year 2015.
NYOB ZOO XYOO TSHAAB 2015. HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015!
AWARD RECIPIENTS – “Benevolent Medal of Honor”
President of WUCMAA/Executive Director – Peter Yang
Mrs. Zer M. Yang
Sincerely,
Dr. Xa Xiong, BA, MD, DC
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