My Churchies

my churchies
[23 Oct 2006, 03:02:01 PM]

(Support Groups Part 2)

SH was the one who brought us into this church. We have been attending its services since then. Through him and LX we got to know the other church brothers and sisters. They have been a great supporting group too during the last two and a half years.


I was touched when "Shuai Ge" told me that they have designated half past ten every night to pray for me. After my operation two years ago, several of them came up to me and extended their hands of friendship. Some even sourced relevant books for me to read (and those Chinese books really helped!). I remembered when I embarked on laughter therapy, they sms-ed me jokes (they still do so now) and one lent me a joke-book. We do meet outside of church activities for sharing and encouragement. They are also the ones I always sent prayer request sms-es to. Though we may not have known each other for a long time (most of them have known each other for more than ten years), the ability and open-ness to share and the gradual understanding of each other have certainly brought us closer. What is most encouraging to me is knowing "Shuai Ge" has his own support group in them too.


LX's two sisters are part of this group as they are in the prayer sms-es loop. They have been very supportive. Infact her pastor brother-in-law visited me when I had my first chemo. Like I said, it takes a "whole kampong" to nurse me. By that I also mean my friends and some of their family members. LX and SH did quite alot for us, despite their own busy schedules and commitments. They never failed to come to our aid, especially during emergencies. They even helped celebrate the musketeers' birthdays. Recently a church couple spent some time talking to musketeer yangguo about their findings and his education options. They are not obliged to do so, as I told yangguo, but they did. Such kind intentions and thoughts are much and should be appreciated (not to be taken for granted).


Sister Rue never failed to cheer me up with her flowers. It was through her mother-in-law that I was guided to seek medical help in SGH and got to meet my surgical onco. Aunt Tan always hugs me whenever she sees me in church and would speak gentle words of encouragement. It must also be mentioned she and sister Rue would visit me occasionally.


Ah! How can I ever reciprocate such kind gestures? Not that they are seeking any form of gratitude. All the sweet people I get to know and meet have certainly made my journey a more bearable and memorable one. And certainly one of gratitude and thanksgivings.

My Support Groups

my support groups =) (edited, finally)

[10 Oct 2006, 09:06:16 PM]

There is an African saying which says, it takes a whole village to discipline a child. In my case, it takes a whole "kampong" to nurse me. As I have said in my earlier entries, my blog would not be complete without entries about my support groups, the group of people who have journeyed and are still walking with me through this dark valley.


If my blog is only about my illness, I think, after a while, people will get bored reading it. Haha... Let's see... there are several "support" groups who are in this battle with me. In no particular order of importance or preference or whatever, they are *drums roll*:
(1) churchies,
(2) breakfast "kakees" and sweet neighbours,
(3) online friends who are now real life friends (*muacks*) (I call them young youth group),
(4) long time, life long secondary school friends (also prayer buddies, co-group),

(5) ex colleagues and their significant other halves and family members,
(6) good friend, Estella and her cell group members who are praying for me too,
(7) "Shuai Ge"'s support group which includes colleagues, ex colleagues and friends,
(8) SSN Tan and counsellor Eng,
(9) besties, Joyce, Lyn and Fiona,
(10) moblog community,
(11) other friends not in any of the above groups and
(12) families.


Wow! I didn't realise so many groups till I actually counted. How blessed I am indeed to be surrounded with so much love, care, concern and encouragement. ^________^


I think I shall begin with my co-group, my secondary school classmates. If you have been reading my blog, they need no introduction, not much anyway. Our friendship dated wayyyyyyy back... even longer than the ages of some of the young youths. (now, now, stop counting how old I am... =X)


The seven of us (me, Anne, SC, SK, TA, Nanz and CM) were in the same faculty in NUS. Included in this group is A who lives in KL, Malaysia. SK has literally dropped out of the communications loop. Nanz is now an American citizen and she keeps in contact with her occasional emails.


Despite their busy schedules and commitments, they still make an effort to keep updates on my progress and well-being. They are also my prayer buddies, something we all learn to do since secondary school days. Our recent gathering was last Saturday, organised by sweet Anne.


I was baptised last year on Labour Day. All of them (except Nanz who was in the States) turned up, including our ex BS leader, KOH and his wife. A flew down from KL and booked herself into a hotel for the sole purpose of witnessing my baptism ceremony (at her own expense). I was so touched. It was certainly nice to see everyone that day, especially KOH who hadn't seen us in years!


What's so special about this group is that we have been such long time friends that it is easy to pick up from where we left off. And we understand each other in an amazing way that I can't really put it into words. We have long done the acceptance part. We are unique, special, asserting individuals and yet we harmonise as a group. I reckon I am indeed blessed and fortunate to have this group of friends whose support I can always count on, come what may. If I have a glass of champagne, I would like to toast to our bonding and friendship which have withstood the test of time.


Edited:
After I did this entry, I was reminiscing how long our friendship is. SC and I were classmates since primary school, so I knew her much longer than the rest. SK was from another sec 3 class, but we knew each other when we met in KOH's BS class. Both of us went into the honours year programme. (She being the smartest of us all, got a first class honours.) A was our sec 3 classmate but she left for England the following year. Somehow we kept in touch all these years, even now when she is living in KL. I remembered looking her up whenever I was on business trips to KL many years ago. TA went to a different jc from us but we were all reunited in NUS when we pursued the same course. We literally grew up and age together. HAHAHA


Our friendship is special. We don't always meet up with each other. Or should I say we hardly meet. It was only after Nanz migrated to the States that I organised our annual gathering upon her return. When I was first diagnosed with cancer, I was hesistant in telling them. SH convinced me otherwise as I would need all the support I could get. I only called TA and Anne and the two helped inform the rest. Since then they have been praying for me. Our friendship cultivated during our younger days (speak as though I am very old =X) needs no words or frequent meetings. We have long accepted each other's peculiarities, individualities and uniqueness. We can always pick up from where we left off.


There was a stage where I could not comprehend and accept the distances and infrequent gatherings. A enlightened me with her thoughts; we have all moved on and our circle of friends have widened too. Perhaps my chio-est zmr, MonkeyCrab said it best in her "He asked me and I replied" entry (yes, yes, I know, it's THAT FAVOURITE ENTRY OF MINE AGAIN.. heehee). So now, when I send prayer requests via sms-es, I trust and believe these sisters-in-Christ will pray for my well-being. Trust, sincerity, honesty and acceptance are some attributes of a true friendship. True friendship is what I am proud I have found in these sisters.

(edited on 17 Oct, 2.16 pm)