Raphael Education Fund
In 2004 I attended a financial seminar that taught participants on how to become rich by investing in stocks and real estate. It was an exhilarating seminar as I had never been trained, from kindergarten to an MBA education, on such techniques.
Immediately after the seminar I purchased a condominium unit that would gain positive returns. Some months later while contemplating my next move, I was hit with the idea that I should bequeath one property to each son and then whatever else I buy should be given away to education funds. It was while reading the book by Wallace D. Wattles, The Science of Becoming Rich, that I stumbled upon his advise that we should return to society what we have gained. I was actually uncomfortable with the idea that I would end up rich and felt a great sense of relief that now there was a way for me to leave behind whatever I may “collect” while on earth.
It was also at this time I was toying with the idea of setting up my own education foundation. I’m not sure how I got this affinity to educational themes. It could very well be my love for continuous education and improvement. While thinking of such projects, I dreamt up the name for my foundation as Raphael Foundation. I was so excited that I had found the right name for the foundation bearing in mind that Archangel Raphael is the angel who God sends to heal. This foundation was meant to help poor students to obtain funds to further their education in a field of their choice and thereby helping to heal their state of poverty.
However last year my plans for a foundation was cut short when my brother informed me that Malaysian law states that Foundations must have a minimum of $290,000 pledged to it, which I did not have. Furthermore, the foundation needed to have full time employees to administer the foundation.
But I never gave up on this dream and was looking for ways I could still create a vehicle that would achieve the same objective. I had been delaying preparing my testamentary will for some months and finally at the urging of my friend, Jeremy, I agreed to meet a friend of his who was a will writer to prepare this. It was at our first discussion last weekend that she revealed to me that I could include a clause in my will to create an education fund. I was excited that a new path had been created. Once again I’m reminded that God works in mysterious ways.
I was also pleasantly surprised that there are many families that bequeath their possessions to charitable organizations and not everything goes to their children.
This morning while reviewing the clauses of my will, I finally saw the clause relating to the creation of this education fund and it was named in my family name. I requested that it be changed and it will be named Raphael Education Fund. I was ecstatic! I am tempted to say “it is finished”, but there is still more to be done to ensure that the Fund functions in a Catholic way.
It is for this reason my moniker is ‘raphael’s helper’. I hope this is an encouragement for others to emulate.
