Maryanti - 10 April 2006
It was more than a decade ago that I first met Maryanti.
She was back then still a student, and I was a volunteer at a Family Service Centre.
We were running some programs for her school and she was already such a livewire.
She went on to become a volunteer like us and we were running around conducting camps with David, Joel, Linda and gang.
Yvonne later introduced her to William at the Touch Cafe("YMM"'s Cafe). This was before Starbucks came along at its present location. She started work there and was serving smoothies and cakes to all the YMM folks back then who went to hang out after service.
We weren't that close friends or anything but she was always a bundle of joy.
I heard from William today that after Touch Cafe closed, the 3 waitresses, Josephine, herself and Candy still kept in touch(pardon the pun) a few times a week. And that was year 2000.
Today, i saw her again. But this time,there was no laughter and smiles.
Just a still figure lying wrapped in a shroud on her bed.
Cancer claimed her in her tender twenties.
I couldn't recognise her when i visited her in SGH last friday.She lost so much weight and hair. We heard she might not pull through the night and so we went to see her.There were many friends and relatives who gathered there. She was fighting for her breath and it was tough to watch. At one point, she actually sat up, looked at me and called out my name. She saw me! I was so glad she could recognise me.
But what did she see that night?
Beyond the many teary faces and dim lights of the ward 48, I think she saw fear and hopelessness. Many unsaved ones fear the end. I know Sharon shared the good news but she was resistant on Wednesday. But what went on in her mind on Friday, Saturday , Sunday and even this morning? Did she reach out to call on the Saviour?
She couldn't speak or hear very much after Friday, said her sister.
We bore the silent gospel with our presence at Ward 48 that friday night. We didn't talk but I hope she saw,understood and remembered the Savior we talked about before.
I hope she reached out.
When it's down to the one last glimpse you can offer someone, who do they see?
Goodbye Maryanti.
"In the arms of the angel,
fly away from here,
from this dark cold hotel room
and the endlessness that you feel.."
She was back then still a student, and I was a volunteer at a Family Service Centre.
We were running some programs for her school and she was already such a livewire.
She went on to become a volunteer like us and we were running around conducting camps with David, Joel, Linda and gang.
Yvonne later introduced her to William at the Touch Cafe("YMM"'s Cafe). This was before Starbucks came along at its present location. She started work there and was serving smoothies and cakes to all the YMM folks back then who went to hang out after service.
We weren't that close friends or anything but she was always a bundle of joy.
I heard from William today that after Touch Cafe closed, the 3 waitresses, Josephine, herself and Candy still kept in touch(pardon the pun) a few times a week. And that was year 2000.
Today, i saw her again. But this time,there was no laughter and smiles.
Just a still figure lying wrapped in a shroud on her bed.
Cancer claimed her in her tender twenties.
I couldn't recognise her when i visited her in SGH last friday.She lost so much weight and hair. We heard she might not pull through the night and so we went to see her.There were many friends and relatives who gathered there. She was fighting for her breath and it was tough to watch. At one point, she actually sat up, looked at me and called out my name. She saw me! I was so glad she could recognise me.
But what did she see that night?
Beyond the many teary faces and dim lights of the ward 48, I think she saw fear and hopelessness. Many unsaved ones fear the end. I know Sharon shared the good news but she was resistant on Wednesday. But what went on in her mind on Friday, Saturday , Sunday and even this morning? Did she reach out to call on the Saviour?
She couldn't speak or hear very much after Friday, said her sister.
We bore the silent gospel with our presence at Ward 48 that friday night. We didn't talk but I hope she saw,understood and remembered the Savior we talked about before.
I hope she reached out.
When it's down to the one last glimpse you can offer someone, who do they see?
Goodbye Maryanti.
"In the arms of the angel,
fly away from here,
from this dark cold hotel room
and the endlessness that you feel.."
posted by ch-eology at 7:53 PM
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