My friend Nick Khoo

I must admit, I have never been the person to have lots of friends. I have this horrible habit of not putting effort in to friendships. Once in a while, I make a new friend that doesn’t feel like work. My friendship with Nick Khoo was the most unexpected gift Australia gave me.

Well, Nick is one of my soul mate friends. The ones I wish I could keep for life. We are indeed different but my goodness so a like. He would hate it when I would brag to other people how similar we were, after all he is an Asian guy and I am a Mexican girl. He was born in New Zealand and I was born in the hood. We have different cultural up bringing but some how we have some similar wiring. I remember once we ordered the same ice cream and had no idea until we both turned around, he then looked at me and said, “Don’t say it.”

We probably aren’t that much alike anymore since we’ve had some new life experiences since 2005. But it seems as though we met each other at the perfect time back then.

Actually.. its a funny story. I was a college student at Hillsong and my class was leaving the church office buildings and Nick happen to walk by. My teacher said, “Oh this is Nick Khoo, he makes all those amazing videos.” I said with my innocent brown eyes looking up to him in excitement, “Wow, maybe you can teach me some of your tricks!” and to my shock but amazement he said, “I don’t think so” and walked away. haha…

Yes.. this was the beginning of our beautiful and honest friendship.

From then on I tried hard to win his hearts affection. (In a very non-romantic way). At the Women Conference, my teacher knowing I was an editor, set me up with Nick to be his assistant. It was the best gig ever. I mainly hung out with him talking about life, God, California, and editing. He even let me work on the conference highlights! I’m not sure when I won him over, maybe it was when I brought him his lunch, or maybe it was my pretty house mate who talked to him that night when she saw him and I walking. Whatever it was, I’m glad he opened up his world to me. This is the first photo we ever took together.

In celebration to a conference well done!

From that event on, we become great friends. After long nights of editing, he would always offer to take me home. Here is a glamorous photo of me Nick took while editing in the basement where the computers were:

Those car ride talks alone have changed my life. I was a young 22-year-old girl who had a wounded heart and Nick became my honest and trustworthy friend, just what I needed. He became family. Even though Nick and I were close friends only for a short season in both of our lives, I know I will never forget him and hope he will never forget me.

I found his faith in God encouraging, his passion for editing inspiring and his easy going personality addicting. My house mates hated watching movies with us, as they could care less about what frame rate something was filmed in. He let me be a geek and a wanna be hippie artist at the same time. He never made me feel guilty for being myself.

He was one of the hardest people to leave behind when I left Sydney. Since then we have seen each other about once a year. This time last year I went back for a visit and just a few months ago he was on tour with the Hillsong team. Though I don’t talk to him everyday, I still remember those life changing conversations we had.

I write this special post for him today..

to say Happy Birthday Editing Soul Mate. I miss you and know the next time I see you, it will be like we were never apart. I will for sure, come to your wedding.