Our dear brother Ah Jahn Yong (Mr. Yong Sek Seyu) was called home to be
with the Lord on 16 June 2007.
When the Lutheran Mission to Thais in Singapore (LMTS) started its operation
through the Thai Good News Centre in August 1989, I was a volunteer worker.
Yong who was our Queenstown Lutheran Church member went to the Centre with me
on one Sunday. He was very keen in serving God among the Thai and soon
became a volunteer worker. We taught the Thai workers and maids English.
I resigned from my company in mid-1990 and started a one-year study
in the grassroots ministry at Singapore Bible College.
After my graduation. I took over the post of acting Director of the Centre.
It was because the Finnish missionary assigned to the Centre
Sister Salli Lamponen went back to Finland for her three months' furlough.
I stayed to be a full-time worker when Sister Salli was back from Finland.
Yong had then devoted most of his time to the Thai ministry. We then
spent almost all our Sundays in the Centre instead of in Queenstown
Lutheran Church.
Yong played a very low key in the Centre. He was not in the Committee.
He was not involved in the planning of activities. He just conducted
English classes, ministered to the Thais, listened to the problems of
our Thai friends.
Yong did not tell me much about his personal life. But I understood that
he loved his children and took great care of them. As I knew his second
son David in Queenstown Lutheran Church, Yong got me to see his elder
son Eddie at one of the occasions. I did not understand his intention
then. Until very lately, I understood that he wanted me to know both of
his children because they were still 'young' and not married. But I did
not know that his health was not very good. I was one of his friends
whom he liked to talk to. It was just like what I had done. I
let my son met a few of my friends and told him that he could turn to
them for help if needed.
After I resigned from the Centre at the end of 1992, Yong and myself
only met at the Centre on Sundays. I resigned from the Centre
as a volunteer in the early 1994 when my wife was in hospital and
my son was three months old. Since then, I only met Yong occasionally.
After I was retired in the early 2002, I met Yong again. One morning
I received a call from him. He told me that he had just moved to the
same residential estate as me.
We met at the market. He told me about his family and he was more released
because his children were settled down. He told me about his second
marriage. He said he needed a person to take care of him because of
his health. It took quite a while for him to explain to me the need of
having a person to take care of him. He was married to a Thai wife Dao.
They stayed in Bangkok and Singapore alternatively for a few months.
About two hours later, Dao came to the market to look for Yong.
Yong introduced Dao to me. At that moment, I was a little bit
sad. I prayed God that Dao would take care of Yong and hoped that
Yong would reinstall in good health.
Since that day, Yong and myself would meet once at the market when they
were back in Singapore. Yong would send me an e-mail once they went
back to Bangkok.
I received a call from Sister Mary informing me that Yong was in
hospital on 9 June. I then realised that Yong and I did not keep
in touch for about 18 months. We visited Yong on the following
evening. He was weak and we did not talk.
Yong ever told me that he wished to be a missionary in Thailand.
His dream did not come true. But he got to stay in Bangkok with
Dao for a few years.
Yong got along well with our Thai friends. I always think of him as
"Ah Jahn Yong", which the Thais addressed him Teacher Yong in Thai.
When I attended the night services on 17 June and 18 June, I
was bothered that some of Yong's friends in Singapore might
not get the news. I did not have the contact of those
who served in Thai Good News Centre and were in Singapore.
At the funeral service on 19 June morning, I was glad and
surprised to see Peter Tang. He called Yong on the night
before and was told about Yong's funeral.
It has been 17 years since many of us were servicing God in
Thai Good News Centre.
To our friends who are now in
Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Australia, Finland, Norway,
Canada and USA, Yong remembered the joy when we were in the Centre.
Thanks Dao who was accompanying and taking care of Yong during
his last few years in this world.
We missed you, Ah Jahn Yong.
