If I can recall correctly, I've not yet even spoken a full sentence to you except the brief "Hi"s and "Bye"s. Yet, I don't know why. I just have this close affinity to you. Perhaps because it's your love and concern that you kept showering over the youths in the church. You're stern in your sermons and loud-spoken that almost sounded like scoldings. But this does not hinder many of our respect and love for you. I will never forget the photo that captured you helping out the youths in the car-wash. I mean, how many priests will actually get involved directly in a car wash, getting yourself dirty and wet.
You went up during the masses and campaigned for the youth's fund-raising. You wanted Joachim to quickly get the furnishings of the youth room done up. You told him that you're eager to meet his youth team as much as we're eager to meet you for our AGM too. There're so many have-nots but i'm sure it'll be accomplished in one way or another in God's will.
18 Dec 07. 10am. A packed Holy Spirit Church. Your dear parishioners from St Bern, Holy Spirit and SFA all squeezed into the high capacity seating church. The most heartening moment to me also was when I saw all (almost) the priests in Singapore coming to send you off on this final journey. Be it compulsory or what, it's really a sight i must say, to see the altar filled with priests, young and old, saying the Eucharistic prayer together. And i'm sure you're doing the same do in the heavenly kingdom of God, watching down on us. Final leg to the Choa Chu Kang Cemetery, yet another first time for me to attend a proper burial, some more a religious one in Singapore. The last one that i've been to was my grandfather's back in Melaka when I was only pri 6. The sun was scorching for a moment while in a distance we saw storm clouds coming too. Parishioners crowded the burial ground as we said our prayers and sang our songs. As flowers were offered to you, I looked up the sky and saw the sun shining ever so brightly from the eye of the rain cloud. Lord, I know you're witnessing this together with us and that you're inviting Fr David to Your house. About 11.30am, everything was over as everyone made their way to their buses and cars. Not long, the sky opened and tears from heaven filled the earth. The downpour came so timely and luckily it didn't take place during the burial. Fr David didn't want us to get wet.
Fr David, pls continue to watch over the youths of SFA. Pray for us in heaven. Pray that the Lord will send another faithful servant like you to continue to guide our parish. May you live happily ever after in the eternal kingdom of God.
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