Thank God You're Here

This morning, Albert P telephoned.

"William has passed away..."

There were two Calvarites whom I knew by this same name. Because of the caller, I immediately knew it was the one who had served as a guardian at Calvary Care Home (CCH) last year. At first I guessed this young man, being only in his early twenties, must have met with an accident with his motorbike. When I listened carefully, I understood the scenario better: He never woke up after he had gone to bed last night.

"So unexpected. This is life..." Albert added.

I remember last year while William was still a full-time worker at CCH, I went there to supervise the children's homework a Tuesday afternoon. When Albert and I were about to leave, he asked us, "When you go to Heaven, who is the first person you'd like to see?" Then he jokingly continued, "I'll want to meet Adam to scold him. Because he ate the forbidden fruit, we're suffering so much in this world!"

In less than six months, the Lord already arranged his encounter with Adam.

During the tea break of the meeting at my working place this afternoon, Jagan said to me, "My husband couldn't believe that William had died. He was so young..."

I was forming some ideas on his sudden passing. I also remembered Ps James' previous sermon about David. Only five days ago, when I was helping to make two tanks of drinks for the CCH anniversary celebration, William, who was a CCH committee member, smilingly said to me a few times, "Thank God you're here." Now I thank God for letting that scene be my strongest memory of this brother in Christ. To me, William had served God's purpose, especially at CCH.

Thanks, William. Thank God you were there to repeat those kind words to me that day, which, when I think back, is comforting my soul which has been sorrowful since two weeks ago.