Some stuff on a good friend

Hi all.. writing this with rather mixed feelings, because the main contributor to this blog is unable to do so right now - he's currently in a ward, recovering from a rather major surgery to his spine. So those who do come by to check on how things are at Joyful, or to know a bit more about the 40 days' PDL that's currently ongoing.. you may have to wait a little more longer k?

Today's entry focuses on this pretty great guy - the guy who had given so much to us and to God, commonly known as Great Leader, Da Ge, Lao Da, or.. well - just Ben. He has a great big booming loud voice and a joyous, hearty laugh. Very easily identifiable, and very.. loud. :).. It was, unsurprisingly, the sound we missed (I think ah) most during the times he's not around.
I've actually known him a long while now, (though Peter has probably known him for longer). Cat, his wife, is definitely a very calming counterpoint to his buoyant nature, and they both never fail to make me feel anything but relaxed and comfortable in their presence. He's pretty good at driving things too, and each time he pulls something off, like the church plays, for example - I'm surprised at how it could ever have happened (though I was there each time).

We learned about people who were EGR (Extra Grace Required) last Saturday. I realize, thinking back, that I could very well be one of them? And many others, whom I may not necessarily expend the extra effort and time trying to get to know or understand - Ben and Cat are willing to spend time with them all. He's really a big guy with a real big heart I think.. and I think he really spends A LOT of money on his bulk sms'es, either updating us on PDL stuff, or to just encourage us with bible verses (which often come at very opportune times), or to let us forward our prayer requests to him for our prayer time every Monday.

Though now this particular "duty" has now been taken up by Elder Yeo! One of his messages - "today's prayer item is only ONE - pray for Ben. Pray, pray, pray!".. heehee

The pain to Ben's leg came rather suddenly - he was admitted to the ward around a week before the op? During the time when we visited him, it was obvious that he must have been in a lot of pain - and even then he was still witnessing from his sickbed, and regaling us with stories and anecdotes - (and sending us bulk sms'es still).. All the while he praised God, and never uttered a single word of complaint about the situation he was in. This is something for me to learn and follow, I think.

And PTL - the surgery was a success! Really looking forward to seeing Ben rejoin our fold. Pray still for him, the fact that the surgery was a success is only the first step to what I think could be a long road to recovery. But in God, and with all your prayers, we might just see Ben up and on his feet in no time, Amen?