This year, God blessed me with the privilege of truly getting to know a very special friend, Dr. Jazly.
For years, I had known him only as a customer. But this year, something changed. Our conversations grew warmer, our connection deeper, and somewhere along the way, we moved from business to friendship.

Our bond began through a shared passion for wound care. Dr. Jazly is one of the most outstanding wound specialists I have met in Malaysia. Because my work involves wound manufacturing and wound supply, it felt natural for us to connect professionally. But over time, it became much more than that. We found ourselves able to chat for hours, not just about work, but about life, dreams, and even struggles. I can now say with joy that he is a dear friend.

One day, in the middle of a conversation, he mentioned his birthday was on the 10th of August. By God’s timing, we were going to meet that week for the inaugural Hyperbaric and Wound Symposium. I felt a nudge in my heart to bless him with an early birthday celebration on the 6th of August.

Then I discovered another close friend of his, Dr. Asyraf, a wound care doctor from Kelantan, also had an August birthday just days apart from Dr. Jazly’s. And as we were making plans, Dr. Jazly invited another friend, Dr. Richard, whom I was meeting for the first time. To my surprise, he too was an August baby.

What began as a simple dinner turned into an evening filled with karaoke, dancing, fun, laughter, and as only God could orchestrate, even some fruitful business discussions at the end.

That night, I felt a deep sense of gratitude. Not just for the joy of celebrating three new friends, but for the reminder that in the marketplace, our work is not only about transactions. It is about building bridges, forming bonds, and planting seeds of friendship that last far beyond the deal.

As Proverbs 27:9 says:
“Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice.”

I thank God for moments like this, where He turns customers into companions, colleagues into confidants, and business into blessings. Here’s to many more opportunities to connect, to encourage, and to live out the Gospel through the friendships He entrusts to us.

Reflection:
In business, it’s easy to get caught up in numbers, deals, and deadlines. But when we slow down enough to truly see the people God places in our path, we realise He is giving us opportunities to love, serve, and build relationships that carry eternal value. My prayer is that I will always be faithful to see beyond the transaction and embrace the transformation that happens when we live out the words of Jesus in John 15:12 — “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”