In Memory of Eli Rizmal, My Dear Colleague and Friend

Eli, you had shown me your favourite church, the Slovenian Catholic Church, Sts Cyrill & Methodius Church in Kew, and introduced me to the congregation, today I welcome you again to Sacred Heart, my beloved parish church. 

With your family, relatives and friends, colleagues from SBS Radio, in particular  members of the NESB Women’s Issues Committee, Malou, Sholeh, Filli and I are here to say farewell to you, our dear colleague and friend.

 
                                                                                                    

We always treasure the days we worked together to prepare women segments to be broadcast by all language groups to empower and inspire through SBS airwaves our listeners especially women listeners.  In return we were empowered and inspired by the feedbacks from supporters and listeners alike.

When I had the darkest moment in my life you came to my house to read to me your poems in your language that I did not understand yet I found your poems and your company with wonderful healing effect. 

You found Nancy Cato, Ruth Parker, Mother Theresa and Mary MacKillop on my book shelf and they became yours.  But there is one book that you and I each had a copy and treasured most.  It was the book about Father Peter Rookey – Man of Miracles. 

Eli you must remember how we together interviewed this priest from the US with our trained journalistic eyes and our own sceptical mind, but at the end we found that it was Fr Rookey who brought us back to God. 

You must remember also the faith healing mass by Father Rookey after the interview.  It was entered into my diary and it reads: 

….I did not expect I will rest in spirit as I thought I am not worth of it.  But I did. ….   I remembered Eli was standing by my side. But I did not know whether Eli had also fallen on her back or not, because I could not open my eyes to look around…. I asked God to give me grace and I asked God to make SBS a peaceful workplace …..I woke up before Eli did.  When Eli got up and returned to her seat next to me, we looked at each other with a smile and you, Eli, with your usual humour said to me : “It has been a great fall.” ….  

When we learned that the Women’s Group was dismantled by the new Management, we cried a little.  We went to find the biggest tree in the Alexandra Gardens and we hugged the tree, then we said Fr Rookey’s miracle prayer. 

When I heard of your sudden departure from us I cried, not alone but with my listeners….听从朋友，今天回到电台，听到我们的同事Eli Rizmal下班回家路上，发生交通意外死亡。 Eli 是我的好友，在这不幸的情景下离开我们，恳请听从朋友，为我忘友祷告，让她主怀安息….One of my listeners said in his e-mail: We heard you on the radio when you weep while broadcasting.  It was very touching and we could imagine how kind and loving you are….

Eli, it was you who gave me this opportunity to grow with you to love God, self and others, while working with you as a colleague and friend at SBS. 

From now on I will have to hug a tree alone but Eli let us say again Fr Rookey’s miracle prayer: 

Lord Jesus, I come before, just as I am…I give you my entire self, Lord Jesus, now and forever.  I invite you into my life Jesus, I accept you as my Lord, God and Saviour.  Heal me, change me, strengthen me in body, soul and spirit…Come Lord Jesus, cover me with your precious blood, and fill me with your Holy Spirit.  I love you Lord Jesus, I praise you, Jesus.  I thank you Jesus.  I shall follow you every day of my life. Amen. 

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The above is in a tribute to Mrs Eli Rizmal by Doris Leung at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Kew, at a Requiem Mass on Friday 21-4-06.