My VP, my colleague, my dear friend =)
My VP, my colleague, my dear friend =)
Every year during the last assembly of the entire year, it would be a time to bid an early farewell to those who are leaving the school for greener pastures. Somehow, these moments are always one with mixed feelings - on one hand the pain of letting go, and the other the joy of knowing God has a better plan elsewhere for the person.
This morning we honor our VP - my dear colleague and friend, and I'm thankful that the school gave me the privilege to represent them to honor her. I knew many months ago that she will be leaving us at the end of the year, but time just fly past so fast that we finally have come to a point where we need to say "farewell". She's such a wonderful lady that I just want to make her "known" to you all too ...
Just as I've shared with the school this morning, I want to testify how wonderful a woman and friend you are, and have been:-
You are a really godly woman - and sometimes seeing the amount of faith you have to trust God in obstacles and problems along the way, it really puts me, your CMS to shame ... but thank you for sharpening me in my spiritual growth too! I will never forget how encouraging you have been even when you were in Boston for a year, yet remain "connected" with us when we have our morning prayer meetings on Tuesday. It warms my heart when you tell me you will be praying with us at the same time, but in Boston. Your desire to learn and grow in the Lord also puts me to shame - despite the heavy schedule and workload, you took time off to attend night classes - and you were a great pal in learning!
You have also shown me what passion and commitment in work means - putting in 101% or even more in each piece of work and each responsibility - even to the extent of sacrificing sleep, coming back on Sundays, burning your weekends, etc; even when you were physically unwell, you pushed yourself on to ensure the completion of every task. Your love for the students, staff and school surpasses words too - I can never quite understand how you can squeeze out time from your already so packed and busy schedule to send almost every team off at the airport when they go for learning journey, mission trips, etc.
And you have definitely been a great friend! Thanks for taking the initiative to talk to me when you first came to the school - I've never imagine myself being such a good friend to my VP! =) Thanks for those moments where we share deeply too - thanks for trusting me enough to keep what you've shared with me confident, and for filling me in about your interview dates and results of interview with the ministry, giving me the privilege to pray for you. And for coming at 5am in the morning to drive me from home to the airport when my team left for our Cambodia mission trip last year - this really made the other colleagues green-eyed =P I value all these moments and times we have shared.
Although I may never be able to so freely pop my head into the VP office from now on and ask, "hey, want to go for lunch?" or "did you sleep well yesterday?", or "so how's things?" or "you've skipped lunch again? =( ... but I know that the Lord has good plans for you in the next school you are going to. And I know that this friendship that has taken off will not cease just because we are in different work location. We have a pact that is between you, me and God, that we hope will materialize in 2009, right? *wink*
This is for you my dear friend, and anyone of you reading who need a word of encouragement ...
Isaiah 43:1-3a "But now, this is what the LORD says - He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."
Every year during the last assembly of the entire year, it would be a time to bid an early farewell to those who are leaving the school for greener pastures. Somehow, these moments are always one with mixed feelings - on one hand the pain of letting go, and the other the joy of knowing God has a better plan elsewhere for the person.
This morning we honor our VP - my dear colleague and friend, and I'm thankful that the school gave me the privilege to represent them to honor her. I knew many months ago that she will be leaving us at the end of the year, but time just fly past so fast that we finally have come to a point where we need to say "farewell". She's such a wonderful lady that I just want to make her "known" to you all too ...
Just as I've shared with the school this morning, I want to testify how wonderful a woman and friend you are, and have been:-
You are a really godly woman - and sometimes seeing the amount of faith you have to trust God in obstacles and problems along the way, it really puts me, your CMS to shame ... but thank you for sharpening me in my spiritual growth too! I will never forget how encouraging you have been even when you were in Boston for a year, yet remain "connected" with us when we have our morning prayer meetings on Tuesday. It warms my heart when you tell me you will be praying with us at the same time, but in Boston. Your desire to learn and grow in the Lord also puts me to shame - despite the heavy schedule and workload, you took time off to attend night classes - and you were a great pal in learning!
You have also shown me what passion and commitment in work means - putting in 101% or even more in each piece of work and each responsibility - even to the extent of sacrificing sleep, coming back on Sundays, burning your weekends, etc; even when you were physically unwell, you pushed yourself on to ensure the completion of every task. Your love for the students, staff and school surpasses words too - I can never quite understand how you can squeeze out time from your already so packed and busy schedule to send almost every team off at the airport when they go for learning journey, mission trips, etc.
And you have definitely been a great friend! Thanks for taking the initiative to talk to me when you first came to the school - I've never imagine myself being such a good friend to my VP! =) Thanks for those moments where we share deeply too - thanks for trusting me enough to keep what you've shared with me confident, and for filling me in about your interview dates and results of interview with the ministry, giving me the privilege to pray for you. And for coming at 5am in the morning to drive me from home to the airport when my team left for our Cambodia mission trip last year - this really made the other colleagues green-eyed =P I value all these moments and times we have shared.
Although I may never be able to so freely pop my head into the VP office from now on and ask, "hey, want to go for lunch?" or "did you sleep well yesterday?", or "so how's things?" or "you've skipped lunch again? =( ... but I know that the Lord has good plans for you in the next school you are going to. And I know that this friendship that has taken off will not cease just because we are in different work location. We have a pact that is between you, me and God, that we hope will materialize in 2009, right? *wink*
This is for you my dear friend, and anyone of you reading who need a word of encouragement ...
Isaiah 43:1-3a "But now, this is what the LORD says - He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."
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