Two Invincible Men

The legacy we leave is not just in our possessions, but in the quality of our lives. 

-Billy Graham-

Eulogies and Tributes have become surreal to me as I wonder why we only say all these things when these invincible ones leave us. In the last 2 weeks, I've had given 2 eulogies at the wake of 2 truly invincible men. Invincible not because they were successful, rich or made amazing noble prize winning discoveries. Invincible because of the lives they lived, humble and gentle, godly and righteous, loving and compassionate and with the integrity so founded in the truth as they touched the lives of many around them.

One of them was my grandfather, who went home to His Lord aged 83, just 2 weeks short of his 84th Birthday on 18 January 2009 after he had gone to worship His Lord in the morning, came home and had his lunch, chilled out on his chair by the window and moments later passed on as he was getting ready for a game of dominoes with my grandmother. God loved him so much to take him home while he was dozing off and as he awaken, imagine the amazing sight of Paradise with His Lord welcoming him home.

The second person was my friend Markus Ng, who went home to His Lord aged 23, also in his sleep on 4th February 2009 after returning home from a fruitful day of planning for his many projects aimed at transforming lives, and a treasured time with fellow "history makers" for Jesus praying and committing to being that light of the world in their workplace.

We often remember the good memories and the things these good men fought for. We see the way they spurred us on and encouraged us. And they did it without an ounce of pompousness, but with great humility. 

I feel the loss of both men, both I would say really lived a very full life in all sense of the word.  And they leave families who are shocked and surprised by their passing on because both were so unexpectedly sudden. I think it would take me a long time to understand what it means to grieve and rejoice at the same time. 

Losing Markus saddened me because I felt we loss a dreamer, leader and a fighter - for freedom, justice, the underprivileged and for a nation with integrity - all these spurred on because of his love for the Lord. God knew his heart, and his vision but unlike us, so did Markus and he meant business. I remember teasing him, that he may well be Malaysia's very own Barrack Obama someday, and though teasingly - I really believed it, that if there was one person to go all the way - it would be Markus.

Markus and I met at the Malaysian Christian Conference in London and we instantly resonated with our shared passion in the maxim "you must be the change you wish to see in the world" because Jesus Christ called us to be salt and light of the world. Our authentic conversations and dreams turned also into chats surrounding music which then led on to the privilege I had when he played on my worship team throughout MCC. What I treasure most about him is his fresh insight, blending idealism and realism but most of all his humble disposition yet firm love for His Master. His legacy and hope for a better world is one we must carry on (excerpt of my eulogy to Markus read out at his wake service 5th February 2009)

The sovereignity of God is as such that we never know or fully understand completely why except that He does everything out of love and He knows best. But, this also means that for people like me who are still here on this earth, God still has a role for me to play - to champion the things these great men stood for and to multiply the rich legacy they leave. 

For Koong Koong, there is too much to say because I knew him all my lifetime. For those 83 years, it would take a forest of papers and perhaps more than a decade before the works of the life of Mr Chew Kim Soon would be completed. Victor Hugo took 16 years to write Les Miserables and if I were to write about Koong Koong, I anticipate it would take me alot longer than that. But, instead of just words about this invincible man whom God chose as my grandfather, I want to honour him not with words but in the way I live my life the way he had lived his and would want me to live mine - passionately loving Jesus and serving Him unreservedly.

Two Invincible Men. Two Incredible Legacies.