Mama passed away on 3 October 2008 (Friday) at 1622h. The 1st 2 days had been a mad rush to set everything up and making sure everything was prepared for the wake. For the past 2 nites, there were many many people streaming in to pay their last respects to Mama. It was only yesterday when I could actually sit down to pause and remember what Mama has done for us. Many recollections came back especially after these 2 nights when different grandchildren paid tribute to Mama.
Mama was a typical Peranakan woman. You would always see her dressed in the traditional Sarong Kerbaya, having her hair bunned up. All her children and grandchildren will know that Mama is a woman of great faith. She will wake up early every morning and start each morning with a prayer lasting an hour. She would start the day praying for each and every single one of her children and grandchildren, asking for God's blessings on each of us. My cousin used to tease her and asked if she was actually sleeping instead of praying. Mama sure was annoyed when she heard that... I know all this time she had also been praying for my mum to receive Christ. She was a regular worshipper at Pentecost Methodist Church, and was a familiar face to many of the worshippers.
Mama was also known to be a very meticulous woman. She also had a very good memory - she never failed to remember all our birthdays, and sending each of us a birthday card, and making sure we all get it by the birthday itself. She would be very apologetic if the card came even one day late.
She had a love for music, and enjoyed singing hymns. We remember her favourite hymns were Amazing Grace, What A Friend We Had In Jesus, Blessed Assurance and Jesus Loves Me. (These hymns have and will definitely be sung during the wake services leading up to the funeral on Tuesday.) I remembered a family dinner when the cousins presented a song to Mama and we chose Amazing Grace. Upon hearing us singing, she cried.
However, relationships within the family were strained. There were conflicts between the children, which were left unsolved. It saddened Mama to see that her children were not as united as what she wished they would be.
Things started looking worse for Mama when she suffered a fall 2 years ago, which led to a fractured hip. Due to old age, the doctors did not want to operate on her. It was also around the same time when her youngest sister (my Goh Ee Poh), whom she was very close to, passed away. That led her to a state of depression. She refused to eat, and kept saying she wanted to go home to be with Him, and we had to force feed her via the tube. I remember how she would struggle putting on the tube, and will struggle to take it out. We had to restrain her by tying her hand to the bed frame. She also entered into a state of dementia, and got into the worst stage on Friday, the day she passed away. Despite her state, her mind was still quite active, and she could remember the names of all her grandchildren and (unfortunately) most of her grandchildren. (She could still remember my name...)
Last night was a night of reconciliation between siblings, when they gathered around Mama's coffin and agreed to let bygones be bygones and start over. Relationships were restored.
And... My mum accepted Christ on Thursday, the day before Mama passed away. I then joked with my mum that Mama had been waiting for this day to happen. Now that it has, she could now go in peace. Sounded like a "mission accomplished" for Mama...
Though we have lost her physically, we rejoice that she has lived a long fulfilling life and she is now home with our Father in heaven - a much better place to be in. May her memory and legacy be in our hearts and minds till we meet her again in Heaven.
Goodbye Mama, we love you and miss you...................
