Message From The Organizing Chairperson
It was 6th April, 2007 that the Organizing Committee for the 50th Anniversary Celebration first met to discuss plans and strategies for our Golden Jubilee. And now, it’s a thing of the past to behold, to reflect and to treasure for years to come.
The long-awaited week-long celebration from 29 April to 4 May 2008 was very successfully carried out. It was indeed a very unique Jubilee, especially with the presence of all the former missionary and local pastors, missionaries, and former Wesleyans from all over. The programs and activities, though tightly scheduled, were most memorable and meaningful as testified by both our overseas guests and home Wesleyans.
Many thanks are due to the sub-committee chairpersons and committee members for their labor of love in their meticulous preparations, in their giving of time and in kinds. I must note special thanks to those in charge in the Hospitality Committee; Transport Committee; Publicity Committee; Programs Committee; and Archives Center Committee.
In retrospect, I still cannot get over how amazing and wonderful it has been. The magical moments started during the dinner on 29 April. After the guests were seated, I continued to steal many looks at all of them as I tried to recapture what my mind was used to and unconsciously hoped to see. It took a while for my mind to compute before I knew for sure who was who. After all, for some, it was 46 years ago that I last saw them. As the evening unfolded, it was most enthralling to hear such exclamations as, “You were there too in ’62?”; “I also helped in the musical production of the Carousel or was it The Gypsy Byron?”; “Oh, Mr. …, has anyone met up with him since then?” Yes, a jubilant reunion had taken place among the missionaries themselves.
As for the longhouse trip to Rumah Tuan, the visitations to the Methodist institutions, the Praise Night, the Forum (Reminiscing the Past; Reflecting the Present; Reckoning the Future), the Thanksgiving Dinner (May 3) at Dewan Suarah, the Thanksgiving Services (May 4), the Opening of WMC Archives center, the many sumptuous meals and fellowship times, … they will always be remembered, treasured, and significantly marked down in the history of WMC as the milestone for the next fifty years.
For all the blessings of the Golden Jubilee: the happiness of reunion, the sharing of those who planted, the labor of those who watered, the joys of reaping the harvest, the bond of love in Christ, the fun and laughter, the lessons learned, the new experiences gained, the challenges received, the fine weather, the abundance of provisions, the success of it all— TO GOD BE THE GLORY !
Judy Wong.