In Honour of Bonny on His Earthly Birthday

A few months ago, I planned to summit Mt Kinabalu today, 19 March, Bonny’s birthday. I wanted to do it in honour and remembrance of Bonny. However, there was no permit available on 19 March but permit was available on 5 March, three years and one month anniversary of the day Bonny left his earthly life to enter his eternal glorious home.
So, though I do not summit Mt Kinabalu today, I am presenting my certificate of my summit in honour and remembrance of Bonny, my dearest husband and friend who had been a strong encouragement, support and inspiration for me to achieve more and to scale higher ground than I could imagine.

The whole experience of reaching the summit was a divine message from God.  The original team of 4 of us was reduced to only 2 as the other two friends could not go due to physical injuries.  I started the climb with a climbing partner till Laban Rata where she experienced altitude mountain sickness.  I had to continue my summit climb by myself with the help of the guide.  As I reflected on this experience, it was a message from God to me that though I might have to continue the journey alone, I would reach the top with Him as my guide.  There will be or may be times that I have to travel alone in this journey of life, I am assured by the Lord that I am and will never be alone in this journey as He will forever be my guide!

Today I worn Bonny's sport watch to reach the summit of Mt. Kinabalu!

This morning I reached the Summit of Mt. Kinabalu at about 5.36 am. I wanted to take a picture of Bonny's sport watch that I was wearing but the place was so narrow, crowded n dark that I was unable to do so. So on the way down from the summit of 4,095 m, I stopped at the 3,554 m Sayat-Sayat Check Point to rest n I took a picture of this special watch!

It was a wondeful moment to be able to remembering Bonny on top of the highest mountain in Southeast Asia with the clouds below my feet!

Bonny last saw me this afternoon three years ago...

Three years ago in this very afternoon, Bonny last opened his eyes to see me before I left that ICU room.  He must had been assured by the Lord that I would be well taken care of before he accepted Jesus’ invitation to go to his eternal resting home in Heaven.

Today, as I take time to remember and think about Heaven, the quote from Bede Jerrett, “To rest in God eternally is the supreme joy of Heaven. Indeed, Heaven has no meaning but that”, brings much comfort to me.  As I take time to go through some albums and cards, I thank my God for those memories as He heals my soul and wipe away my tears.
What an amazing man that God has blessed me!  I can’t agree more with the note that came with the wreath from LoveSingapore Team three years ago that says “We celebrate the Amazing Life of Wilfred, a man of child-like faith, joyful hope and compassionate love, whose story of personal transformation and quiet confidence in the Lord is an inspiration to us all!”

I continue to remember and honour him as a man with a simple and pure heart, a man filled with love, a man full of fun and humor, and a man with a mighty warring intercessory spirit!

Enjoying snow with Bonny ten years ago at Mt Fuji

In December 2012, I went with my brother, my sister and her family to Hokkaido, Japan, for a snow vacation.  We had a lot fun with the snow and tried skiing.  The snow sceneries reminded me so much of my winter holiday with Bonny to Switzerland in 2005.  But the experience of playing with the snow with Bonny was on Mt Fuji, Japan, on 28 March 2002.  The winter scarf and sweater that I wore in this picture taken with him on Mt Fuji are still my regular winter wear whenever I travel in winter.  I wonder if there is snow in heavenJ.

17 Years Ago...

As I tidied up some old files a few weeks ago, I came across the marriage vow that Bonny and I typed out for our vow exchange on 16th December 1995.  This was his vow to me, "I, Wilfred Gilfillan Khalil, take thee my dearest, Kim-Lang, as my lawful wedded wife; I commit myself to your happiness and your self-fulfillment as a person, and to your usefulness in God's Kingdom; and I promise to love and to cherish, to honour and to trust, to sustain and to serve you in sickness and in health, in poverty and in wealth,, in adversity and prosperity, and to be true and loyal to you.  I promise to be your faithful husband, a loving father to our children, your lover and your very best friend as long as we both shall live."

Except the part on being loving father to our children that he could not fulfil since the Lord did not bless us with children, he had fulfilled all that he vowed to me on that day.  Thank you, Lord, for blessing me with a loving husband who was true to his words.

We were at Leuven, Belgium, 7 years ago

7 years ago, we celebrated our 10th Anniversary visiting Switzerland and Belgium.
On 5th Dec 2005, we travelled from our friend’s house in Brussels, Belgium, to Leuven for a day tour.  It was a wonderful time as we walked down the streets exploring and taking pictures in a cool breezy day.  Bonny loved the majestic building of the Town Hall and the University Library.


In front of University Library



In front of Leuven Town Hall

Bonny’s Love for Stones

Bonny loved stones. He collected them, some he made into rings, some he put into the display cabinet and he even put some into our fish tank. One day I walked into his study room and found a row of stones glued to top of the bookshelf as decoration.

I was amazed by his creativity and expressed my admiration for his work.  We had a good time laughing as we enjoyed his work. 
He told me once that one of the things he looked forward to in heaven was to enjoy the many precious stones over there.  He is having a great time over there now worshipping God among those precious stones.