In Appreciation of Ruthie

The ladies got to pose for pictures first

The Klang subzone leaders gathered together for an appreciation for Ruthie who has faithfully served alongside us for many years. She was the first ever cell leader in our Klang subzone. And now, she has handed over the reigns of leadership to her assistants so that she can focus more on her full-time ministry in church. But the good thing is, she's still leading the mentoring and accountability group (MAG) that I'm in. So I'll still get to see a lot of her - yaay

What can I say about Ruthie? She's the epitome of the proverb 'Do not judge a book by its cover'. When I first met her, my initial thoughts were, "Good gosh, isn't she a serious and uptight person!" Later, I was delighted to find out that beneath that serious and deadpan look lies a girl who is sizzling with a wicked sense of humor, strong godly character enveloped by an abundance of joy.

One particular incident shall remain etched in my mind forever where Ruthie is concerned. Some time last year, her house was ransacked. The burglars came in from the roof, took what they wanted and left the house a mess. The incident shook the whole family. When I heard the news, I was horrified and quickly gave her a call to comfort and encourage her. Instead, she was the one who encouraged me with the peace and joy that surrounded her in spite of the traumatic incident.

She greeted me with her usual cheerful voice and our conversation was liberally peppered with her trademark laughter. She told me that as traumatised as she was, she would face up to her fears of continuing to live in that house with her family and sleeping alone in her room. It took her six months to get over the fear and the nightmares but she did it by God's grace.

This is just but one of the many qualities that this amazing person has. I'm very glad and blessed to have known her, and to be able to learn from her. I'm inspired by her zest for life. Her ability to bounce back from trials with her sweet spirit still intact and I believe, was made even all the more sweeter because of her right response to those trials.

When asked about her greatest fear in life, she said, "If 10 years down the road my character is still unchanged and not growing in any positive way, I would be very, very sad. That would mean that I have lived a wasted life."

I doubt you'll find such an answer from the Miss World/Universe pageants. But it comes from a soul with a beauty that far surpasses those of a fleeting kind.

Ruthie, you are simply inspiring to me. Even though you hate cats