Naledi Thophego

I've sent many people off at the airport, many of whom I know are going back to their home for good or migrating to a different country. But 1st September 2011 marked the hardest and most emotional send off ever!

I sent her off.

Her name's Naledi Thophego. A Botswana scholarship student who was in Malaysia for 4.5 years, then she graduated and it was time for her to head back to her homeland.

I remember times when we used to talk about her possibly settling down in Malaysia, and trying to convince ourselves that God's call for her was to be in our land. The perfect situation was for her to marry a Malaysian man. And after time, we realised that that was not happening and God affirmed over and over again especially months before she left that her calling was to go back to Africa and beyond to serve.

The entire 2011, I hardly spent as much time with her as I did in previous years, also because I knew she was leaving. I should have spent more time with her but work got the better of me and left me with hardly any time. When realization drew nearer that she's actually going to leave, it was a hard truth to swallow.

I cried so much weeks leading to her farewell and at times would just not want to think about it because it hurt too much.

The day she left, i teared a bit at the airport and stayed at the back watching as she said her goodbyes and hugged everyone. But when it was my turn, sigh what a waterfall.

The ride back was the toughest. I usually have her in my car when we send people off and we would drive back together. But this time, she was not in the car.

Thank God the peeps in my car didn't ask much and carried on with their conversations even though they knew I was just crying like a baby, couldn't help it, couldn't stop it.

But I'm thankful for the assurance that it was not our last goodbyes, and that I'll see her again. At least I know the next I'd see is for my 'big' day.

These past 3 years have been a time of building an awesome bond with a sister-in-Christ. She's someone that I knew I could count on no matter what even if it's just to cheer me up, listen to my dramas and whining or to just cover me in prayer. I can't help tearing even now as I'm typing this as it really brings back all the memories together with her. There have been so many students that have come and gone and that I've also developed a relationship with, but this was extra special.