Wednesday, February 15, 2006

David Scott 1932-2006

On Monday, we went to the funeral for David Scott, who died the previous week. He was a warm hearted, gentle, sincere man of God, who had trusted Christ for decades. He had a wonderful, almost unique, ability to make individual people feel welcomed, loved, and valued both in the church community and elsewhere. Born to missionary parents in China before the war, David's family was imprisoned by the Japanese and then expelled from China by the Maoists. They moved back to Scotland, first to Wishaw and then to Perth, where they lived in the house we now own. David's parents lived in this house for the rest of their lives, and David visited us recently to look around the place and reminisce.

He had been ill for some time, and re-appeared at church at the end of 2005 for a few weeks, when he thought he was beating the illness. His final decline was rapid, and though that means he was taken from us sooner than anticipated, medically this was a mercy. My wife saw David shortly before he died. He still radiated love and delight at seeing people, and the enormous hug he gave her was full of strength.

So many people remember his smile, his warmth, his deep Christian commitment, his strong handshake and bear-hugs. We miss him because the love of Jesus radiated from him. Our thoughts and prayers are not with David, as he is now safe with The Lord - but with his wife Anne, and their children.

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