Let’s Give Pastor Balu the send off she deserves.

Help Us Lay Our Mum to Rest with the Dignity She Gave to Others

Our mum was a complex woman — but one thing she always was, without fail, was a giver. A carer. Someone who poured herself into her community without asking for anything in return.

She looked after children — whether they were hers or not — with the same love and patience. She cared for older people too, often cooking for others for free, organising weddings, church events, and parties both in our house and for the wider community. Her door was never closed.

As one of her children—though not biologically hers—she raised me as her own when I was placed into her family instead of the system. It’s something I’m deeply grateful for. I remember waking up to people I didn’t know sleeping on our couch, or being told to step out for private conversations with someone seeking her advice. At the time, I thought maybe she just liked attention. But as I’ve grown older, I see it clearly: she had an enormous heart. She had so much love for others, and she lived her life in service of that love.

Her actions shaped me, even if I didn’t know it then. I now volunteer regularly and study philosophy and theology — disciplines rooted in ethics, community, and care. In so many ways, I am a reflection of the best parts of her.

We, her children, are heartbroken by her passing. Now, we want to honour her by giving her the farewell she deserves — one filled with dignity, peace, and love, just like the life she gave to others. Sadly, we don’t have the means to do this alone, and we are reaching out to ask for your help.

I know she helped so many of you — whether with her time, her home, her food, her advice, or just her presence. All we ask now is please, help us give her the sending off she deserves. A burial she would’ve loved. A farewell that reflects the life she gave to so many others.

With love and gratitude,

Her children

Written by Balu Meikle (Niece and Daughter)