15/05/2026
--- She Knew Where She Was Going ---
by Rev. Jabez Tiong
Trinity Methodist Church, Kuching
She was the first Christian in my pastoral ministry who made such thoughtful and careful preparations for her own farewell.
𝐒𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝,
𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐥𝐬𝐨 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭.
She wanted to pass away peacefully at home.
She wanted her memorial service to be held in Trinity Methodist Church Kuching where she had worshipped, served, and committed herself for many years.
She wanted everything to be simple. She wanted four hymns to be sung. She wanted the Bible passage she loved to be read.
She did not want a pastor who did not know her to conduct her funeral.
She did not want a land burial, but for her ashes to be scattered at sea.
𝐌𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲, 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠.
This is what I saw in Sis Hilda Chan, a sister from the UK who married a local Sarawakian and had lived in Sarawak since 1977 — for 49 years.
I have been thinking:
- What kind of faith enables a person, even in farewell, to testify to God’s goodness through His Word and through songs?
- What kind of hope enables a person, even before death, to lead others into the rest that Jesus gives?
- What kind of love enables a person, even before leaving this world, to still think of how to care for those in need?
-
𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐣𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲, 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐲.
Sis Hilda chose her favourite songs:
- Abide with Me
- Be Thou My Vision
- God Will Make a Way
- God Is Good All the Time.
These were not merely songs she liked. They were her confession of faith.
It was as if she was telling us:
When the body is weak, the Lord is still with me.
When the road ahead is difficult, God will still make a way.
When life reaches its final moment, my eyes will still look to the Lord.
Even in farewell, God is still good.
-
𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐝’𝐬 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐮𝐬.
Matthew 11:28–30 was the passage she loved:
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest…”
Burdened by illness, she drew deep strength from this passage and remained faithful in serving the Lord to the end. She did not allow death to have the final word.
Instead, she brought us to Jesus, reminding us that in Christ, the weary have rest, the sorrowful have hope, and death is not the end.
-
𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬.
In her “In Loving Memory” notice, she clearly stated that instead of wreaths, love gifts, or newspaper condolence messages, donations should be made to charity. The causes close to her heart included:
- Trinity Learning Care at Trinity Methodist Church Kuching
- Sarawak Cancer Society
- Sarawak Heart Foundation
- Two Tree Lodge Hospice Kuching
She cared for children’s education. She cared for those affected by cancer. She cared for those with heart-related needs. She cared for those who needed hospice care.
Even in the final stage of life, she was still thinking of others — those who needed help, companionship, and comfort.
Wreaths will fade. Newspapers will be put away.
Words of condolence will slowly become memories.
But a gift, an act of care, and a gesture of love can continue to flow to those in need.
Sis Hilda’s life reminds us:
FAITH enables a person to sing of God’s goodness even in farewell.
HOPE enables a person to point others to Christ’s rest even before death.
LOVE enables a person to continue blessing those in need even after leaving this world.
She knew what she wanted.
She knew what she did not want.
Most importantly, she knew where she was going.
──── P.S. ────
The donations to the four NGOs are as follows:
1. Trinity Learning Care — RM 5,850
2. Sarawak Cancer Society — RM 4,070
3. Sarawak Heart Foundation — RM 4,070
4. Two Tree Lodge Hospice Kuching — RM 4,810
TOTAL: RM 18,800
