TRIBUTE TO MY DAD
IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE LATE ROBERT
PERIASAMY
MY FATHER
MY FATHER
JAN 1930 - 17 DEC 2009
Today we had the Memorial Service for my father. My brother Kumar led the worship. A few friends testified about Dad's past and how God changed his life. Our children, Jessica, Reena and Jonathan sang the song, Blessed Assurance, one of my dad's favourite hymn and dedicated the song to his memory. Pastor Steven shared the Word. The service ended with a powerpoint presentation, prepared by my brother, of some memories of our Dad.I shared the following tribute in memory of my Dad.
Friends, brothers and sisters and family members, Thank you for taking time to come for this memorial service in remembrance of our Father. We are sincerely appreciative of your care, concern and love which you showered upon us during our recent bereavement. As I said on the Sunday after my father’s death, that we sorrow not as people without hope but as one who is assured that we will see our Dad face to face in the presence of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Today is not a time to remember the sorrow but a time to celebrate his life and the legacy he has left behind.
Very little is known of my father’s early life. He came to S'pore from India at a very early age. Lived through the Japanese occupation and worked as clerk in the Sembawang Shipyard. When I was about a year old, my father was involved in a traffic accident that left him in coma for a month. Thereafter he regained consciousness but never totally regained effective use of the left side of his body. His income was basic yet he was able to raise us three children and see us though our basic education.
I remember the times before my dad became a Christian. This was way back in the early 70s. He was a heavy drinker and a chain smoker. Both my father and my grandfather were drinkers in arms. He sometimes would be so drunk that he will vomit on the bed and in the house. There was no decency in his language either. Nevertheless he was a religious man and regularly had time of family prayer before the Hindu Gods. One day when I was ten, I accepted the Lord as my personal savior and when it was time for the family prayer, I refused. He almost chased me out of the house. My mother intervened thinking that I was young and was infactuated with a new religion. My dad threw away my Bible would beat me when I refused to buy liquor or cigarettes. He would despise those who came to share with him the gospel and I was one of those had to face the brunt of his many outbursts. Nevertheless one day he gave a challenge. If your Jesus can deliver me from my drinking and smoking habits, I will become a Christian. Many saints prayed and the next day. He became a new creation, old things have passed away, all things became new. He was an example of the life changing effect of the gospel. He has been faithfully following the Lord since then. He was baptized in water in 19 71
Many times when reflecting on his salvation experience, my Dad never once regretted for becoming a Christian but was always grateful that the Lord had saved him, otherwise, in his words, ..”I will still be in the filth of sin”. His early Christian life was marked by devotion and a hunger for the Word of God. He was a song leader; he shared the word in the Tamil services both in the Naval Base and here in the evening service. He was also part of the church board for some time. But the ministry that he was involved very faithfully till three weeks before his death was collecting the offering. He never missed on his tithes and took delight in being the first one to cast the offering every Sunday. Although a simple act, he regarded it as his personal service to God and he discharged it to the best of his ability. He almost never missed a service and always occupied his favorite seat right in the front.
My dad h
ad some very strict disciplines, most of which were carried over from the times he was a part time constable with the Singapore Police Force. Punctuality was very important for him. He was always ahead of time for appointment and for work. When he was working as a security guard, he sometime arrives one hour ahead of time for work. The term, “better late than never” does not make sense for him. He was most of the time, early for the services. In fact I cannot recall a time he was late for a service. If he was late, it was because I was late in picking him up or he finished work late. He counted it as disrespectful to God when one comes late to the house of God. He loved God’s house and even when working on Saturday nights, he was always found on Sunday mornings in his favorite seat.
He was very particular about his bearing. He ironed his own clothes, polished his shoes up to almost two months before his departure. After retirement from his job in Sembawang Shipyard, he could have taken life easy and relaxed and stayed at home. He continued to work up to a month before being called home. Imagine at almost 80 years of age, he was still gainfully employed. He refused to give in to idleness. He always said, As long as I have strength I will work to keep myself occupied".
One of the things I learnt from my father is to treat people with respect. Even in the manner he dealt with us, he spoke with respect and sound mannerism. Anyone hearing a conversation between me and my Dad will assume that its between two persons of equal standing. He treated us with dignity and respect.
He had a heart for missions. Every time I went on a mission trip, my Dad will always give me $200. It was not the amount that mattered but the joy of receiving it from your father. I will miss that gesture from my Dad.
It was in mid Oct that the doctors informed us that our father was diagnosed with liver cancer and that he has not much time to live. We considered the options and felt best to leave the matter to the Lord. Thereafter his physical condition deteriorated rapidly but his spirit remained strong. He was still going to work till early Dec. He would force a smile to those who visited him. His last visit to the doctor was on 11 Dec. After examining him, the doctor said my dad need not come back again. I knew what he meant. It was purely God’s grace that he did not suffer much but slipped quickly into eternity. It was God's perfect timing that my brother and his family were able to be with our dad just a few hours before was called to glory. Truly He has made all things beautiful in His time.
During his last days he would say to me, Let God’s will be done. He would ask me to pray for him and as I lifted my father to the Lord in prayer, a tear would swell at the corner of his eye. You see my father comes from the older generation that does not believe in showing affection outwardly. Yes he loved us, he toiled hard to put us through school but never, as far as I can remember, my dad giving me a hug. I always wanted to do that but never really had the guts to do so. During his last days, it was my privilege to give my Dad a hug and showed him that we loved and cared for him. My dad has had his own short comings but despite of that he fought a good fight and had run his race with patience and finished it well. My Dad may not be able to boast of land or property or of great skills or a successful career, but his life can be summed with words of the words of the hymn :
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;
I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I’d rather be led by His nail pierced hand.
Than to be a king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway,
I’d rather have Jesus than anything, This world affords today.
Very little is known of my father’s early life. He came to S'pore from India at a very early age. Lived through the Japanese occupation and worked as clerk in the Sembawang Shipyard. When I was about a year old, my father was involved in a traffic accident that left him in coma for a month. Thereafter he regained consciousness but never totally regained effective use of the left side of his body. His income was basic yet he was able to raise us three children and see us though our basic education.
I remember the times before my dad became a Christian. This was way back in the early 70s. He was a heavy drinker and a chain smoker. Both my father and my grandfather were drinkers in arms. He sometimes would be so drunk that he will vomit on the bed and in the house. There was no decency in his language either. Nevertheless he was a religious man and regularly had time of family prayer before the Hindu Gods. One day when I was ten, I accepted the Lord as my personal savior and when it was time for the family prayer, I refused. He almost chased me out of the house. My mother intervened thinking that I was young and was infactuated with a new religion. My dad threw away my Bible would beat me when I refused to buy liquor or cigarettes. He would despise those who came to share with him the gospel and I was one of those had to face the brunt of his many outbursts. Nevertheless one day he gave a challenge. If your Jesus can deliver me from my drinking and smoking habits, I will become a Christian. Many saints prayed and the next day. He became a new creation, old things have passed away, all things became new. He was an example of the life changing effect of the gospel. He has been faithfully following the Lord since then. He was baptized in water in 19 71
Many times when reflecting on his salvation experience, my Dad never once regretted for becoming a Christian but was always grateful that the Lord had saved him, otherwise, in his words, ..”I will still be in the filth of sin”. His early Christian life was marked by devotion and a hunger for the Word of God. He was a song leader; he shared the word in the Tamil services both in the Naval Base and here in the evening service. He was also part of the church board for some time. But the ministry that he was involved very faithfully till three weeks before his death was collecting the offering. He never missed on his tithes and took delight in being the first one to cast the offering every Sunday. Although a simple act, he regarded it as his personal service to God and he discharged it to the best of his ability. He almost never missed a service and always occupied his favorite seat right in the front.My dad h
ad some very strict disciplines, most of which were carried over from the times he was a part time constable with the Singapore Police Force. Punctuality was very important for him. He was always ahead of time for appointment and for work. When he was working as a security guard, he sometime arrives one hour ahead of time for work. The term, “better late than never” does not make sense for him. He was most of the time, early for the services. In fact I cannot recall a time he was late for a service. If he was late, it was because I was late in picking him up or he finished work late. He counted it as disrespectful to God when one comes late to the house of God. He loved God’s house and even when working on Saturday nights, he was always found on Sunday mornings in his favorite seat.He was very particular about his bearing. He ironed his own clothes, polished his shoes up to almost two months before his departure. After retirement from his job in Sembawang Shipyard, he could have taken life easy and relaxed and stayed at home. He continued to work up to a month before being called home. Imagine at almost 80 years of age, he was still gainfully employed. He refused to give in to idleness. He always said, As long as I have strength I will work to keep myself occupied".
One of the things I learnt from my father is to treat people with respect. Even in the manner he dealt with us, he spoke with respect and sound mannerism. Anyone hearing a conversation between me and my Dad will assume that its between two persons of equal standing. He treated us with dignity and respect.
He had a heart for missions. Every time I went on a mission trip, my Dad will always give me $200. It was not the amount that mattered but the joy of receiving it from your father. I will miss that gesture from my Dad.
It was in mid Oct that the doctors informed us that our father was diagnosed with liver cancer and that he has not much time to live. We considered the options and felt best to leave the matter to the Lord. Thereafter his physical condition deteriorated rapidly but his spirit remained strong. He was still going to work till early Dec. He would force a smile to those who visited him. His last visit to the doctor was on 11 Dec. After examining him, the doctor said my dad need not come back again. I knew what he meant. It was purely God’s grace that he did not suffer much but slipped quickly into eternity. It was God's perfect timing that my brother and his family were able to be with our dad just a few hours before was called to glory. Truly He has made all things beautiful in His time.
During his last days he would say to me, Let God’s will be done. He would ask me to pray for him and as I lifted my father to the Lord in prayer, a tear would swell at the corner of his eye. You see my father comes from the older generation that does not believe in showing affection outwardly. Yes he loved us, he toiled hard to put us through school but never, as far as I can remember, my dad giving me a hug. I always wanted to do that but never really had the guts to do so. During his last days, it was my privilege to give my Dad a hug and showed him that we loved and cared for him. My dad has had his own short comings but despite of that he fought a good fight and had run his race with patience and finished it well. My Dad may not be able to boast of land or property or of great skills or a successful career, but his life can be summed with words of the words of the hymn :
I’d rather have Jesus than silver or gold;I’d rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I’d rather be led by His nail pierced hand.
Than to be a king of a vast domain
Or be held in sin’s dread sway,
I’d rather have Jesus than anything, This world affords today.
I would like to end by thanking God for the life of my father, his faithfulness to the Lord and for the legacy he leaves behind. He will forever be part of our hearts, a pioneer and one of the patriarchs of this church. I am going to miss him. In fact I missed him since the day he left.
THANK YOU DAD FOR THE LEGACY YOU LEFT BEHIND
This is a beautiful testimony and a great legacy!
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