Norman & Eve was my first couple I had in my cell group when I started serving God as a cell leader in City Harvest church. They were my first couple & when all the others were much younger ones like Yuanqin, Daphne, Lianshu, Shirley Pang whom were born in the 80's. Norman, Eve & I were the 70's people. In fact, we are all born in 1974. We are peers and friends. Quite honestly, I was really intimated when I first met Norman. He was at least 2 heads taller than me. I am guessing that he is at least 1.82 while i am barely 1.6m. He has this very non-chalant look on his face, almost like a smug look which i could not handle at the very beginning. When I realised he was serving the army as a captain (at that point), perhaps that military status does scare me a little...haha. Being an inexperienced cell leader, I do not know how I can relate much less, lead this man who happens to also be my age. However God has His ways, doesn't He.
I don't remember talking a lot to Norman. He is a man of very few words. He does not express himself a lot but boy, when he is in his "talking mood", he gets really chatty and at times, you can be so blown away by his words and animation. He is not flamboyant with his actions, words, dressing and mannerism. He is known for his simplicity and practical living. I always remember Norman to be a T-shirt and shorts man, wearing flip flops, his "bright yellow banana" slippers. He loved that pair of flip flop and you will almost see him in that attire whenever he gets a chance to be off his uniform and in his relaxed mode.
The first cell group meeting he attended was at my Tampines home. It was my first time leading a cell group meeting that Friday evening and I remembered I was nervous when I came back from work preparing to run through the praise & worship songs with the guitarist that evening. I make sure I drank enough water, had a light dinner, memorised all my songs (even prayers...yeah!) and be seated to start the meeting on time. Just when the clock strike 8pm, and I told everybody to "turn to your neighbours to tell them I am so happy you are here this evening", there was a knock on the door and when Joel opened the door, it was Eve & NORMAN! We were not expecting them to attend, I wasn't because Norman told me that he was busy that week & Evelyn told me that they are most likely unable to attend if Norman is busy at work. In short, I was not expecting them to turn-up! But here they are. I was so thrilled because I never know they would even want to consider coming. Look here is the background : both of them have been attending CHC for a whole 1 year on their own without being connected to any cell group. YET, they attend the weekened services faithfully week after week, month after month...for a year before Joshua chanced upon them both at the balcony area up at Hollywood theatre. When Joshua asked if Norman would consider attending cell group, the answer he gave was simply "huh cell group ah...no need lah, no time leh" Just the thoughts of those words brings back so much memories, looking back. That was just so his style. Now, to cut the long story short they came that 1 time and there was no turning back. Norman & Evelyn became the pillar of E154. The first generation E154.
At that point where 70% of the make-up was students in their late teens, they were our first couple. The most stable couple whom I reference to all the time when i counsel any members on BGR issues, young adults with early career entry challenges, marketplace issues etc...At the age of 27 then, Norman has a stable (or should i say...GOOD!) career, a stable character, a stable relationship and a stable spiritual walk with God. He is (still is) the role model in the cell group. Evelyn was a lady of very few words and you could almost detect an admirable loving look on her face whenever the couple exchange words. They were such a sweet couple. They are so ever faithful in the house of God. Whenever there is a need for PA, physical arrangement, Norman will always volunteer himself. I'd the honor to plan and organise their wedding. It was my first time running the whole wedding show on my own and there were many glitches that day but the couple was once again ever gracious. They see nothing of that, only the prefection of every detail. Only I, God and perhaps Pst Tan knew what went wrong. Until today, I could still remember! And on the very same day at his wedding, when Pst Tan asked him to join the security ministry to serve God, he did exactly that right after his wedding. No need for persuasion or further consideration.
Now, barely 7mths into being integrated into the cell group came the first church arise & build campaign. They amazed me with their love for God and their generosity. In that same year, they were also in the midst of preparing for their wedding of which I was their wedding coordinator. Yet despite it all, they pledged an amount combined amounting to a 5-digit figure. To me, that tells me how much they love God and His house as they pledged towards this act of sacrifice giving.
Very quickly, E154 grew and it was multiplication time. I had to part with Norman & Evelyn after much delibration to "give" (for a lack of better words) them away to the other group. It was a hard decision as I thought the "giveaway" would mean a diluted relationship but I was totally wrong. Josh & I remained very much in contact with Eve & Norman through emails, msn and occasionally sms...very much through Eve but Norman remained very close to our hearts. In mid 2007 when Norman visited Beijing for work, we even had dinner with him and really enjoyed that fellowship after a good 8 yrs. For me & josh, that was perhaps the best fellowship we'd with him.
In mid Oct 2008 when we received news that Norman was unwell, we dismissed it quickly as something really minor and unimportant only to realise very quickly from Eve the severity of the disease. Despite it all, we remained extremely positive and full of faith trusting God for His healing and intervention. In less than 2 months, we lost Norman to cancer but we knew in our hearts that God's healing upon his life is not in time & space physically here on this earth but it is in eternity.
Larry Keefauver said this in his book "When God doesn't heal now" that what is important is not the physical healing but the spiritual healing - that is our salvation. Our salvation, being secured in heaven with Christ is of utmost importance. We can continue to walk in faith when we are in suffering, in pain and even unto death. When I read that, my initial discouragement was dispelled. Surely it takes a person who is spiritual to be able to "accept" this. For an unbeliever who does not understand the character of God, he will scoff it off and say what use will it be if death is the ultimate answer to a disease. BUT a christian, a believer, a child of God who knows God personally, heart to heart can comprehend that. For the physical death is temporal, what is eternal is our salvation, our destiny in christ. For God so love the world that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Christians live thereafter, in eternity with CHrist. We will rule and reign with Jesus into eternity and that is what matters most. Naturally, we grieve for Norman's loss when he left us. I cried bitterly and I truly miss him but I know in my deepest knowing that I'll see him again in heaven. That visitation at Changi Rise on 7Dec 2008 before heading to the airport is surely not my last meeting with him. I will see him again. With that, I felt absolute peace and hope in my heart.
To Ashley and Megan, your dad is a great man. He is a true Christian, a living testimony of a good finisher and a victor in Christ. He remained steadfast until the very end. Your dad never doubted God's ability to heal, never doubted God's timing, His character, never became bitter, never gave up, never let go of his faith. In obedience, he undergone the waters of baptism because again, he chose to love God and believe God for his healing. If I am allowed to assume, your dad trusted God till the end. He trusted God before, during his battle and now unto eternity, he has entrusted your mom, his lovely wife and you both, his 2 wonderful girls, unto the hands of the Almighty God. You will come to experience Fatherly love from the Heavenly Father God Himself as your dad watches at the right hand of God. Though he may have gone ahead of us but in the spirit, he will continue to live in your hearts just as he will in ours.
Both Josh & I are honored and priviledged to have known Norman & Eve in our lives. It was a divine setup way back in Hollywood when God wired us together so intricately.
