MYLVAGANAM BALAKRISHNAN
We bade a sad farewell to Balakrishnan who went to be with the Lord on 20th June 2005. He was 70 years old, and his beloved wife Carmen died three years earlier. Next to my wife, he was my closest confidant and friend on whom I leaned on during tough times in my life. He came to Christ from Hinduism and soon became a YFC volunteer. I have known him from the late 1960s
Bala was YFC’s Board Chairman for over 30 years. After returning from IBS (the NIV people), he joined us as Admin and Finance Director. He saw us through the extremely challenging tsunami relief months when we handled more funds than we have ever handled.
He became a hero to our young staff who were amazed by his faith in God and cheerful spirit while in great pain. We worked till about three weeks before his death. When he was hospitalised for the last time, he said that he is reminded of someone who had said that he has hit rock bottom and found that the rock was solid.
At his funeral I compared him to Barnabas who was described as a good man, full of faith and the Holy Spirit (Acts 11:24). There was not even a hint of residual anger in Bala, and so you knew that he had no hidden agendas. You could always trust him to act in an honourable way. How much we need people like that today!
Ajith