The Western Pacific University’s (WPU) Council, staff and students have expressed their gratitude to the Late Sir Peter Barter for his enormous services offered to the country and the university.
In a statement, the university said: “We are all very saddened by the loss of Sir Peter Barter. However, we at WPU celebrate his life and we know he is watching down from Heaven.
“As we read in the Deuteronomy 31:8: “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you”.
“We have lost a dear friend and valued colleague. Our grief and confusion at this time are little compared to what Sir Peter’s family must be feeling.
“Our hearts and prayers go out to them.
“In the Scriptures, the book of Ecclesiastes speaks of life within a framework of time. It says: ‘There is a right time for everything’. Then it gives us a long list of events for which there is an appropriate time. At the top of the list is this statement: ‘A time to be born, a time to die’. This is what confuses us now.
“Sir Peter’s death seems so utterly inappropriate. It violates our sense of order. In our view of life, death pulls us apart, and does not seem the right time for Sir Peter to die when we all need him - it does not seem to add up.
“But, it is faith that makes us accept God’s will as Saint Paul speaks of such times in life when ‘we must walk by faith because we cannot walk by sight’. This is one of those times. There is no way for us to see and think our way through an hour such as we now face.
“Within the scope of human reason, a tragedy such as this simply doesn’t make sense. Therefore, we all must find our strength in faith. We ourselves must master this moment by faith in the Risen/Living Christ, who has conquered death, and who cares for Sir Peter infinitely more than any of us ever could.
“Our hearts are saddened by his loss and our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family as we will celebrate the life of this great man.
“May his loving, caring and gentle soul rest in peace.”
