Happy Birthday Dearest Zi On - 14 January 2009

Our dearest Zi On, our loving son, and Ker Ker,

Today is your birthday, you are 27 today!

Ma will never forget your birthday. If you are here with us, you know we will always have a simple celebration. I recall in the past few years, whenever you came back at the end of the year, you would normally stay till end of January or February and we would celebrate your birthday together. Usually we would have a birthday cake.

The last birthday we celebrated as a family was on 14-Jan-2007. I will never forget that day. We were all together in Teluk Intan. It was a Sunday. After church, I cooked a simple birthday lunch of ‘curry mee’. There was a cake, of course. Zi Lu gave you a CD of music which you liked; I only managed to give you an ‘AngPau’- traditional and boring. We took many family photos, photo of yourself, and photo of you with Zi Lu. Never knew then that that would be the last photo of you two brothers together. Never knew then that that would be the last birthday we could celebrate with you.

By the following year, sadness filled our hearts. We lost you at Moreton Island-before we could celebrate another birthday with you, before we could celebrate Christmas… before we could have a chance to kiss you good-bye!

O how Pa and Ma miss you, O how your dear brother misses his big KO, his special and only Ker Ker. O Zi On! Our dear dear On !

Today is your birthday, I just long to celebrate with you. I have been thinking how I can celebrate it. Son, you are so far away... Can you hear if we say HAPPY BIRTHDAY?

This morning, Pa and Ma prayed together after breakfast. We praised God for giving us such a lovely son 27 years ago. We gave thanks to Him for such a special gift from Him. We gave thanks to Him for your life. A beautiful life! A great life! You followed the footsteps of Jesus – you sacrificed and surrendered your life to Him in order to save the life of another. What can we say? How can we stop you? You had to fulfill your life’s mission!

We praise God for your example of love.
You taught us
what is humility,
what is true friendship,
what is empathy,
what is meekness
what is gentleness.
Above all, you taught us
What is love.

Yes, son, you are a man whom God is well pleased, we are sure.
He is pleased with you, with your obedience.
He is pleased with you, that you followed Him till the end.
He is pleased with you, you are a beautiful angel!

Son, we praise God that the promise of Psalm 50v2 from which your name is given has been fulfilled. “Out of Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth.”
Truly, out of your life, the beautiful attributes of godliness shine forth.

For your birthday celebration today, ma again cooked ‘curry mee’. We invited Aunty Siew Tin over for lunch (Sheela sent her apology). A simple meal, but we remembered you in our hearts; we celebrated your birthday and your life, in our hearts. .

Your birthday presents -
Ma has a Teddy Bear for you, a CD by David Meece “There I go again”, and Cliff Richard’s “yesterday today forever”. Ma will play these songs and together we will listen, together, son, we will celebrate the love of God, together we will celebrate your birthday, your life!

Ma also ordered a beautiful bouquet of flowers for you – it has 18 yellow roses, bright and sunny, symbols of life, of hope, of joy and of victory. They are for you Zi On, from all of us who love you, who miss you a great deal. And I specially got a red rose too, one single red rose amidst the yellow ones, this is from mama with a big hug for my dear boy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you, son and Ker Ker!

Today on your birthday, we want to tell you, “Son, you are our good boy! “
We want to tell you, “ Zi On, we love you!”, “Ko, we will forever miss you!”

With endless love and longings,
Ma, Pa and Zi Lu

14 January 2009