In a short while we shall be at the home of our son and family to have the reunion dinner. In 1997 we came home to Singapore to retire. We held the reunion dinner at our place and our son's family came to us. We did that for the first several years. but in recent years this traditional dinner is held at their home, about six kilometres from where we live.
Last night we had reunion dinner with our daughter and family. This was held at Jurong Point. It was also to celebrate the birthday of our son-in-law.Tonight they will be at the home of Kum Pui's parents at Toa Payoh - the Aw family reunion.
During the period overseas working in Hong Kong and Taiwan we celebrated Chinese New Year with our Hong Kong and Taiwan friends. In Hong Kong we would invite some expatriate officers to join us for the reunion dinner as the local folk would be with their families.
The three years in the Philippines, we did not celebrate Chinese New Year in the same way. We had to be in office, but on the eve of Chinese New Year we would invite some of our officers to join us for reunion dinner. Now Chinese New Year is a public holiday in the Philippines. We were in the Philippines for three years July 1990- June 1993. On 1st July we took up our appointment at International Headquarters.
In November 2011, President Aquino declared Chinese New Year as a special non-working holiday.This then allowed Filipinos and Filipino-Chinese to celebrate the festival. President Aquino's ancestors, the Cojuangcos - his matriarch's clan - are Filipino-Chinese.
In England, Chinese New Year is a normal working day. So each year we invited some friends to join us for dinner. One year we had General Paul Rader and his wife Commissioner Kay Rader plus the ADC Lieut. Colonel Bartlett.
So for the last 16 years we always have reunion dinner with our own biological family. It is good that in retirement days, we can enjoy our own children and grandchildren and by next year to add two grand daughters-in-law. God has showered us with abundant blessings.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow! God is great, is good and gracious.
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