His life a beautiful memory,
his absence a silent grief.
His Story
He dedicated his life to humanitarian aid and the upliftment of the underprivileged all around the world.
George Thomas was born in Delhi on 24 October 1956, the eldest son of Mr. Mozhayat Daniel George and Mrs. Shanthamma George, and elder brother to Jacob and Stephen George. He studied commerce at Shaheed Bhagat Singh College in Delhi, graduating with a B.Com in 1979. In 1984 he married Shiney. Their first son, Kenny, was born the following year, and Kevin arrived in 1992.
His working life was spent making sure food reached people who had none. From 1994 to 2000 he was Director of Material Resources and Administration at Catholic Relief Services in Delhi, and in 2001 he joined World Vision. In 2004 the family moved to Dubai, which was home for the next sixteen years. George was offered postings elsewhere more than once and turned them down, because he did not want to interrupt the boys' schooling.
His job took him to food crises, conflicts and natural disasters on four continents, and he was often away for weeks at a time. Wherever he was, he talked about home. Colleagues in many countries remember him speaking about Shiney and the boys, and showing them photographs as Kenny and Kevin grew up, graduated and started work.
People who worked with him describe a calm, careful man. One could not remember a single day on which George seemed rushed or anxious. He paid close attention to detail and said what he thought, even when nobody else in the room agreed. When something needed doing he would follow it up, on a public holiday if necessary, but so politely that no one could hold it against him. He never talked up his own part in anything.
He was a man of steady faith. In Dubai he joined the office devotions, where colleagues looked forward to his reflections and his stories, and at meetings abroad he was glad to be paired with a colleague as prayer partners. He was also a generous host. Visiting colleagues were taken out on the Dubai Creek for a boat cruise and dinner, and one who was only passing through on a layover was told, firmly, that they would be coming home for a proper meal and an evening out. He loved Indian food and Indian cricket, and liked to point out that the best cricket league in the world was in India.
George retired from World Vision in the autumn of 2020, after almost twenty years, looking forward to time with his family and a move back to Delhi. He passed away on 10 May 2021, only months later. In the days that followed, more than sixty colleagues from around the world wrote to Shiney, Kenny and Kevin. Again and again they said the same things: that he had taught them, that he had looked out for them, and that he had never stopped talking about his family.
If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
Romans 14:8
A Life
1956
Born
Born in Delhi, India, on 24 October 1956, to Mr. Mozhayat Daniel George and Mrs. Shanthamma George.
1979
Graduated
B.Com in Commerce from Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, Delhi (1976 – 1979).
1984
Married
Married Shiney Thomas.
1985
Became a father
His first son, Kenny Thomas, was born.
1992
A second son
Kevin Thomas was born.
1994
Catholic Relief Services
Director, Material Resources and Administration, in Delhi (April 1994 – December 2000).
2001
World Vision
Senior Food Assistance Adviser for the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Eastern Europe region, (January 2001 – October 2020).
2004
Moved to Dubai
The family made their home in Dubai, where George was based for the rest of his career.
2016
Employee of the Year
Recognised by his colleagues at World Vision.
2020
Retired
Left World Vision after almost twenty years.
2021
Passed away
10 May 2021.
His Professional Life
A life in food assistance
George came to World Vision in 2001 already an experienced hand in food aid, after years with Catholic Relief Services in India, where from 1994 to 2000 he was Director of Material Resources and Administration. His first World Vision assignment took him to Nairobi. Over the next decade he set up emergency food programmes in Kenya, North Korea and, after the 2010 earthquake, Haiti. In North Korea he put in place a commodity management system that tracked more than 71,000 tonnes of food in one year, from the port of arrival to distribution in the villages. Paul Majarowitz, who worked alongside him on that programme, later called him one of the best logistics people in the relief and development industry.
In November 2003 he flew into Kabul, where the wreckage of the fighting still lay beside the runway, and returned several times to support the food programme in Afghanistan. A colleague from those years remembers him training new staff in the guesthouse at Qala-i-Naw, in Badghis province, until midnight. After the 2004 tsunami he was in Sri Lanka, pressing the case for school feeding and setting up a food distribution programme in the north that went on to win further World Food Programme projects. In southern Africa he handled commodities for the C-SAFE consortium. In Haiti he was one of the first responders, leading the food assistance work alongside his colleague Manuel and organising distributions on the Haitian side of the border.
From Dubai he went on to serve as World Vision's Senior Food Assistance Adviser for Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. The work took him to Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan, to Turkey for the Syria response, to Myanmar and Cambodia, to Bangladesh for the Rohingya crisis, to Nepal after the earthquake and to the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan. He kept up with every revision of USAID's food aid rules, Regulation 211 and Handbook 9, colleagues said he knew the standards by heart, and no section of the programme manual was changed without his input. Colleagues in the Middle East credit him with much of what World Vision achieved there in partnership with the World Food Programme. In 2016 he was named Employee of the Year.
He was best known, though, as a teacher. He ran workshops and certification courses, travelled with field teams, and answered calls and messages whenever someone was stuck. Many of the people he trained went on to lead programmes of their own, and they describe him the same way: their mentor, their teacher, and in one case their “Guru”.
Recommendations colleagues wrote for George on LinkedIn, 2009 to 2015.
George is a hard worker, smart, and detail-oriented person. He has great leadership skills that can become an asset to any organization he works for.
George is my fantastic Guru, he make things done and lift people up. Thanks Pak George for your kind leadership
George is a result oriented and supportive team member who encourages others to deliver their best.
George is a detailed-oriented manager and works tirelessly to achieve the desired goals. He is full of energy and creative ideas and he is very focused. I have worked and known George for more than 12 Years where he successfully brought tremendous changes. George rose through the ranks due to his hardwork and dedication and World Vision International is where it is at the moment due to George's immense contribution. George puts top priority to work rather than his personnal considerations. He treats others with…
George is an excellent person to work with. Very hard working and detail oriented. He is a gentleman to the bone and it is fun working with him.
George has been engage with relief work and especially with me for the past 10 years or more. He first came in to setup our food distribution program in the northern part of Sri Lanka. Amidst all difficult he was able to setup and implement a successful program, which enabled us to successfully win several World Food Program projects there on. He was a crucial member in planning our strategy for the Northern relief operation. He has a wealth of experience working in the commodity program and also implementing projects in extremely difficult circumstances.
I worked with Mr Thomas during the emergency response for the Haiti's earthquake in January 2010. Mr. Thomas is a very organized person, well focused, with lot of logical sense and that can easily adapt to different cultural context. Its work organizing food distribution at the Haitian side of the border, proved its organizational capacity. I would highly recommend him for management positions.
Mr.George Thomas, my mentor, in my professional life is an execellent leader. He can handle very difficult and critical situation with his execellent motivation and leadership skill. He can connect to people very well and give every importance to ech and every perosn in a team.
George Thomas is an expert in food programming who has over 15 years of experience in food programming, an encyclopaedic understanding of food resourced humanitarian interventions in relief and development domains and an eagerness to make a difference in the life of the vulnerable that is reminiscent of a boy trying out a new toy, except that GT (George Thomas) has kept this over decades and across tens of humanitarian interventions. Despite all that he contributes perhaps GT's greatest gift to the industry is his peerless capacity building record.
Georg is a repositry of knowledge on Food Aid Programmes; George is extremely well informed on USAID Government grants. He is a go geter and has single handedly establishsed emergency food programmes in North Korea, Kenya, Haiti among others. He comes to World Vision with extensive food experience in CatholicRelief Services in India. A dependabl colleague.
George works hard and is very persuasive. I enjoyed working with him.
I know George since 2003. He is very knowledgeable and technically skilled in food aid management. He is good in commodities management from Donor to destination, initial assessment to end of project report, Food aid planning to end use consumption. Moreover, he is very good person, very polite, disciplined, open-minded, focused, kind-hearted, principled and excellent in networking with stake holders. He has experience in Non-profit organizations to start a new project and to successfully phase out the interventions. He is good food program adviser, director, leader and especially a friend with many commodities program functionaries, recipients and donors.I wish him all the best.
George is a dedicated and detail oriented person. He is very knowledgeable in his field of work and ensures to update himself with the revisions of Handbook 9, Regulation 211. He is a very caring person and never lets down his subordinates in times of crisis. I have enjoyed working with him in different capacities. I wish him all success in his present job.
George is a detailed oriented manager who is passionate about the wellbeing of his team but also ensures the deliverables are not compromised. I closely followed up George as he nurtured many colleagues in food programming at World Vision. he as an eye for talent and keeps the big picture in mind.
George Thomas is an expert in Food Aid Programming who has worked in the Humanitarian Field for over 20 years with different International Organizations. I have known George for several years, after I joined the Humanitarian field, but worked under him in Haiti, after January, 2012 devastating Earthquake in that Country. I describe George, as a Great Leader, Team player, Mentor and a multi-talented person
George Thomas (GT) is known to me as a staff at WV when I was working for CRS in Zambia. GT handled Commodities at WVi for the C-SAFE program. He is very experienced in his area of work and an asset to any organization.
God bless.
George is one of the best logistics people in the relief and development industry. He implemented a commodity management system in North Korea that tracked over 71,000 Metric tons of food in one year ranging from arrival at port to final distribution at the village level. George provided outstanding support to the commodity management team and the overall managers of the North Korea Food Aid Program and was a real problem solver. He was awesome to work with and I highly recommend him.
George is a visionary and holds strategic leadership as one of the key traits with him. He has a detailed oriented view in all what he does. He has a view of things which enables co-workers to conceptulize and act towards success. I have never seen him worried over issue. He takes challenges head on and work through it always... I wish him all success for future endeavours..
George and I worked together for about 4 years, and during this time he demonstrated a very high level of commitment, passion, competency and a positive energy towards his work. He went the extra mile to make sure that the job was well done and that the food reached the beneficiaries at the shortest time. It was truly a pleasure to work with George.
George is a colleague with many years of experience in management and is known for providing technical support. Very detail oriented and is the best at what he does.
He is very supportive and never let his colleague or friend down. Working with George has been always a pleasure as there is a lot to learn from him and he is open to share his knowledge and experience with his staff and colleagues at any level…
Around the World
George's work took him to almost every corner of the world. This map is based on his own travel map, which he never quite finished, together with places his colleagues remember being with him. The real list is longer.
53 countries across 6 continents. He lived in India, United Arab Emirates, Kenya.
South Asia
India (lived) – Born in Delhi, 1956. Studied at Shaheed Bhagat Singh College and worked for Catholic Relief Services in Delhi (1994–2000).
Nepal – Earthquake response.
Bangladesh – Rohingya refugee response.
Sri Lanka – 2004 tsunami response; set up food distribution in the north.
Middle East
United Arab Emirates (lived) – Home in Dubai, 2004–2020.
Turkey – Supported the Syria response from Turkey.
Georgia
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Iran
Iraq – Frequent field visits from 2015, including Dohuk, and a mission in March 2020.
Jordan – Helped start World Vision's operations in Jordan; later worked with colleagues in Amman.
Lebanon – Field visits from 2016.
Afghanistan – From November 2003, supporting the food programme and training new staff in Qala-i-Naw.
Turkmenistan
Uzbekistan
Africa
Kenya (lived) – His first World Vision assignment, in Nairobi.
Morocco
Mauritania – Trained colleagues on food and cash programming.
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Côte d'Ivoire
Mali
Niger
Egypt
DR Congo
Uganda
Tanzania – Annual meeting in Dar es Salaam, 2017.
Zambia – C-SAFE food programme.
Malawi
Zimbabwe – C-SAFE food programme, 2008–2009.
South Africa – Team-building events with colleagues in Johannesburg.
Asia & Pacific
Mongolia
China
Russia
North Korea – Set up a commodity system that tracked more than 71,000 tonnes of food in a year.
South Korea
Myanmar
Thailand – Certification training for field staff in Bangkok, 2016.
Laos
Cambodia
Malaysia
Indonesia – Colleagues called him “Pak George”.
Philippines – Typhoon Haiyan response.
Papua New Guinea
Australia
Europe
France
Germany – Global team meeting, 2018.
Austria
Americas
United States
Haiti – 2010 earthquake response; led the food assistance work.
Dominican Republic
Bolivia
In Grief
Shiney ThomasWife
Kenny & TanushreeSon & Daughter-in-law
Kevin & ShebaSon & Daughter-in-law
Jacob George & Lally George Jobin, Christy & SamsonBrother & Family
Stephen George & Preethi Stephen Harris & HannahBrother & Family
Friends & Family
Photographs
At World Vision · Shared by Elisa Neeson · 11 Feb 2020
Employee of the Year, 2016 · Shared by Loice Gatimu · 22 Sep 2016
Shared by Loice Gatimu · 6 Sep 2017
Shared by Erika Tolentino · 21 Sep 2016
Good memories and laughter with World Vision · Shared by Erika Tolentino · 22 Sep 2016
Shared by Erika Tolentino · 5 Sep 2017
Annual meeting, 2017 · Shared by Erika Tolentino · 6 Sep 2017 · Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
GRRT meeting, Germany, 2018 · Shared by Karen Robinson
GRRT meeting, Dubai, 2020 · Shared by Karen Robinson · 13 Feb 2020
Field trip to Iraq, March 2020 · Shared by Isidro Navarro
Shared by Miralana Atoui
Shared by Manuel Januario Mucuho · 5 Mar 2010
Shared by Youssef Mhanna
Iraq, 2016: “receiving food after writing long proposals about delivering food” 🙂 · Shared by Youssef Mhanna
Certification event, Bangkok · Shared by Paul Mwirichia
Shared by Paul Mwirichia · 7 Oct 2015
FPMG annual event · Shared by Paul Mwirichia · 8 Oct 2015
Shared by Nawab Ali · 10 May 2018
Shared by Rajesh Pasupuleti · 4 Jun 2013
Shared by Claire Beck
Shared by Mahmood Wahidi · 26 May 2016
Shared by Ahmad Saoud · 23 Feb 2014
Shared by Mark Neeson
Farewell from World Vision
When George retired from World Vision in September 2020, colleagues from around the world wrote to thank him.
I would like to appreciate Georges' contribution to WV Dubai office family and social environment during the period we worked together. We worked and contributed to the well being of the office as family/team, and do miss those light moments that we would share together. Wish you all the best in the next part of your life,
I first met George in Afghanistan way back in 2003, I think. I had little idea what he did and that's because George never made a fanfare out of his work - he just go on with things, making things happen in the worst places so people got fed. I suspect George has spent far too long away from his family so now is the time to catch up. Wishing you all the very best George as you leave World Vision. Every blessing, James East
Dear George, I first met you in Zimbabwe in 2008/2009 just about a year or so after I joined World Vision as Commodities Logistics Coordinator for C-SAFE. Thereafter, I met you in Haiti as you and Manuel were deployed to lead the Food Assistance Component of the Haiti Earthquake response, and you both provided us all the technical answers we needed. This was my first WV deployment in a major response. I learned the craft of navigating compliance issues from you in such complex context - keeping the beneficiaries at the center and making compliance work for us - not the otherway around. And fortunately years later, we became peers in the same team. I valued your perspective to issues, most especially your mastery of USAID port operations and how to trouble-shoot the issues arising. You also were able to put on two hats at the same time ( Program development and operations), which you did for couple of years. Thanks so much for being a mentor and colleague. As you take another step in your life, I wish you all the best and Gods unfailing grace. May He continue to direct your steps and provide for you and family. LET NOT THE HINGES OF FRIENDSHIP ROTT. God bless
Dear George, I have enjoyed working side by side with you over the past 6 years of my career. Thank you for all the knowledge you have imparted. I will miss your eagerness to support the national offices where ever it was in your power to influence the decision making process and your fearless leadership in helping the team understand the point of view of all stakeholders during the technical support process. I wish you peace and good health as you take the next step in your life's journey! Blessings
#Employee of the year 2016!!!!Well deserved Sir GT. Will miss working with you and supporting Field Offices. Dear Sir George, Thank you for being a wonderful colleague, mentor and friend.I have personally learnt alot from you over the years, your ever responsive nature to my many skype chats? request to join imprompt calls, which you did so effortlessly. This photo reminded me of the very first time I got to meet you in person and we got to be grouped together as prayer partner's. I will continue to pray for you my friend and wishing you exciting next phase in your life full of Joy and happiness. Having you as a partner at work was one of the best professional experiences in my career and to the IMR unit. May the Almight God guide your next steps, watch over you and grant you good health!! I wish you all the best in your next steps my friend!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
Dear George, It has been fantastic learning alongside you over the years. You are never short on wisdom and a reality-check from the field perspective. Thank you for your selfless and constant service to the most vulnerable in the hardest-to-reach places over the course of two decades! May you find peace, relaxation and much fulfillment spending less time in airport lounges and more time at home with your family. God's blessings on you and yours in this next chapter of your exciting life. Best, Bradley
Hi Uncle George! Thank you so much for your dedication, leadership and for championing food assistance! God bless you! Hope that this photo will remind you of all the good memories and laughter you've had with World Vision.
Dear George. We first met in Columbo early in the Asian Tsunami Response as you advocated for the school feeding programme and I think we've connected in many places around he world since. Thank you for your dedication to our work at World Vision. It's been clear since I first met you, that you are passionate about the work that you do and also stand up for what you believe in. I have also admired George that you are willing to adapt and change the way we do things when we need to...and you jump in and just do it. We are going to miss you George but I want to wish you all the best for the next chapter. May God protect and guide you and richly bless you. Karen
Dear George, It really comes as a surprise your departure from World Vision. We were just starting to know each other after our trip to Iraq back in March only few days before the COVID pandemic started. I admired your technical knowledge and team spirit, always positive and always trying to improve the capacity of those working with you. I wish you all the best for the future and I hope we will meet again soon in the field. God bless you Isidro
Hi George. Its a privilege to share lots of memories with you whether in the meeting rooms or in the fields. Your attention to details, experience and passion for excellence programming had shaped our ministries in many countries. Thank you for that. Thanks for appreciating my coffee as well :-) I wish to have a chance to share more cups with you. Will continue stay connected with you in Facebook. God bless you brother. Junus
Dear George, I greatly appreciate your reliable presence whenever our team has inquiries on reporting - whether it was through email, chat, or a quick call - you were always ready to support and give insights to ensure that we reach a common ground. Your years of experience and gained wisdom is evident with your guidance and support to the national offices. Thank you for all your hard work! I am regretful that all our encounters in WV have been limited virtually, but I am thankful nevertheless for the opportunity to have worked and learned alongside you. I pray for more blessings to come your way as you continue to move forward in your journey. May the Lord guide and protect you always! All the best, Hannah
Dear George, you were there when I started my assignment in Afghanistan on November 2003. I was lucky to fly to Afghanistan with someone experienced. Being then deployed together to Jordan to start the operations there was a good experience too. I wish you all the best - blessings Gabriele
Dear Geroge, It has been an absolute honor to have had the opportunity to work with you over the past few years. I remember the first time I met you in Lebanon in 2016. I never thought I would have the opportunity to work so closely with you a few years after that within DMT and in the MEER/ASIA region. It is with a heavy heart that I write this note, as I will miss working with you and learning from you. You have taught me and others across so many contexts and countries so much, and your departure will be a huge loss for the partnership. I have never met anyone that holds the devotion, dedication and passion you hold for their work, you always went the extra mile to make sure World Vision serves its mission to the most vulnerable children and you have always prioritized the need to perserve the quality of our operations in food assistance. We owe so much to what we have achieved in our partnership with WFP to YOU. Thank you for all that you have taught us. Thank you for always being there for me. May Goss bless you and protect you and your family. I hope you take some time off to make up for all the time you spent away from your loved ones as you went from one field mission to another. I hope that you take care of yourself and your health, and wish you and your family days filled with love and happiness. I hope to see you soon in Dubai, Lots of love, Miralana Atoui
Dear George We travelled together to Myanmar, Cambodia, iraqthose were wonderful days and I still remember the long trips to the country side with you. I treasure the friendship built over the years, the passion that you brought to your work especially when you supported the growth of the MEER and Asia food assistance portfolio. YOu have passion and commitment to your work. You always wanted FO to succeed and achieve more and reminded each one of us that we can do more. I will always treasure the journey we walked and your commitment to your work. God bless you George Love Marumbo
George, You are the one who keeps us straight on all the FOOD reporting. Thanks so much for your dedication, guidance. Wish you the best in your next steps for the future. Meimei
Dear George, We have been together in this journey and we also serve God's people in many places and there two, which I will always remember Afghanistan and Haiti, responses. You are my big brother and I will always continue reaching out to you and wishing you well for whatever comes to your way. I Simple know and pray that God continues blessing you and your family. I will miss you, my brother. God bless. Manuel Januario
Dear George. I remember when we first met in Mauritania. I believe this visit was a turning point for me in knowing about Food & Cash. I am so grateful to you for this “Seminar” and training you have given me. And since then I only saw in you a very knowledgeable man and great colleague Never saying No to support and help. You were always full of enthusiasm and loving what you are doing so much. You are a role model for someone who works from his heart and be fully engaged in achieving your goals. You always cared for the team and for the best of the office you were supporting. May Our Lord Bless you with your new chapter in life whatever was your plan. The world is too small and I am sure our road will cross again We will stay in touch dear friend and mentor Stay Safe
I had first met George in Iraq on the long car ride route to Dohuk in 2015. I always appreciated George's discussions in various DM meetings, and especially enjoyed the boat ride in Dubai that George had helped to set up for a recent team meeting this past February. Wishing you and your family the best!
Uncle George, you will surely be missed for your thoughtfulness and thorough reflection on issues. I wish you all the best in your next adventure and pray that God continues watching over you and your family. May the next journey rejuvenate your dreams and make you connect with your inner-self. Best wishes from Tendai Hlokomayo
Dear George, Thank you for all the lessons, advises and comments, it was a real honor working with you in Lebanon, Iraq , during my deployment in Turkey for Syria and then in Iraq again, my team and i learned a lot from you, your contributions to WV have been immense and tremendous, and on behalf of WV Iraq i would like to thank you for helping us to achieve our milestones and make us a better organization. finally i wish you all the best, may Jesus bless you always and protect you. Warm regards Youssef
Dear George. You will be missed. I have enjoyed working with you in many different locations. The last time when we were both in Amman together. Your passion for your work and your eye for detail has ensured that we have maintained good food programs. You are also a great event organiser and whenever we have been in Dubai, you have found something fun for us to do. Last time I was there with you it was our TRT boat cruise and dinner on The Creek. I wish you well as you start your new adventure. I hope that whatever you chose to do, it will be as fulfilling as working with WV. Make sure that you take care of yourself, and your health. You are precious. Many blessings to you and your family during this transition. Regards Claire
George, This is just a brief note of appreciation for all your work and friendship over the past two decades. Wow, time has flown by George … it seems just a few years back that I met you in Nairobi in 2000. That was a great team we were part of. I have always appreciated your great work, you are very thorough and a good teacher of staff. And a good steward of World Vision resources. And a very spiritual person. You have worked all over the world, and made a great contribution to our work for the less privileged George. Thank you so much. As mentioned, let’s keep in contact on the phone, and catch up for a meal or two over the next few months before you head to Delhi. All the best you and your family George. God Bless – Mark & Elisa, 28 September 2020.
Dear George, you have been an institutional pillar in FRMG, FPMG and later DM over so many years! Your diligence and commitment to quality through compliance has enabled WV FOs to excel in their work around food assistance in so many places! The time you have invested in field staff capacity building with rigor and passion have been bearing multiple and long-lasting results. Thank you so much for that! Be blessed in your next steps, be protected and wishing you good health, and may Luke6:38 come true as you have shared your knowledge and capacitated many to become multipliers! Kathryn
Hello, Georges! I only met you during the F2F GRRT meeting in Dubai and the DM-TRT one in Bangkok. However I have learnt from others about your great work. It is amazing to get to hear about your commitment to serve affected people. May the Lord reward you and go with you as He promised to Moses in Exodus ! From Frieda Mwebe
Hi GT Thank you for the time you have been with World Vision, you came when we had very little systems and tools in place and you have been there in the support of ensuring all this were in place. You been a good teacher, Your passion and commitment in risk management has been amazing. You have fought the battle of ensuring the vulnerable women and children are feed with diginity. Thank you George. We will remain respecting you for that and the many deployments you lead in Food prorgamming, the many programs you started. May God bless you
Thank you for being a big supporter of capacity building. Your presence, contributions and support made this Bangkok certification event a great success and built new staff who have now grown in the organization. Thank you for being a strong voice for standards, you never amended any section of the manual without getting input from George. He knew the standards by heart. Thank you for the memories during the FPMG annual events. You will be missed George and as you transition I am sure you will engage in a new area with the same energy and passion. God bless you.
Condolences
Messages to Shiney, Kenny and Kevin from George's friends and colleagues, May 2021.
George loved food assistance and he loved Asia, he was always ready to take a big challenge. His heart was always in the right place. I was lucky to have known George the family man, he is a loving father and husband. George turned down a few opportunities outside Dubai because he did not want to disrupt his children’s education! From Thabani Maphosa
George, george, a loyal friend, a colleague and passionate man. He loved his two boys and dear wife deeply, always talking about them and showing us pictures of the boys as they grew up and graduated and started working. George loved what he was doing and he would go all the way to ensure that we achieve what we have set to do. He was detailed, engaging and loved working with his colleagues. I will miss you George, always willing to move mountains for others to achieve results, he loved MEER and ASIA regions, supported the growth of programmes there. You will truly be missed George. Rest in peace Marumbo
Deepest condolences to George's family George was a well respected part of the World Vision family and his reputation preceded him. His contribution to work of World Vision in alleviating the suffering of children and communities will never be forgotten, his legacy will remain. We hold his family and friends in our thoughts and prayers at this time of grief and sorrow. With blessings Catherine
George was an amazing person full of love, care and always there to support you. He was like a father and a true friend... he was my mentor and there is no replacement for him. I don't have how to tell you that I love you alot and I'll miss you alot so badly....
I had known George since 2012 while he was with the FPMG when he facilitated the WVIND NDMT workshop on food assistance and cash and voucher. Since then we had been in touch. I knew George as a kind hearted person, who loved his family and was passionate about his role in WV. My prayers are with his family at their hour of grief. Kunal RHEAD, Asia Pacific
I met George in Dubai 2003 in November when I joined WVI /Afghanistan. I was grateful to fly with an experienced person who knew how to navigate through Terminals and Kabul airport where the «remainders» of heavy fighting where still left and right on the runway getting off the plane. Several times George came to Afghanistan then to implement/monitor the progress of the FOOD program. Then many years later we met «in action» during emergencies all over the globe. What a rich life ! I will always be thankful for my first trip over the Hindukush (by plane) with George. My deepest condolence to Georges' family !
My condolences to George's family I met with George in Bangladesh on deployment to the Rohingya Refugee Crisis and as usual he was very resourceful and was a well of wisdom especially on MEER and Asia. He will be sorely missed. I pray for the comfort of the Holy Spirit during this very difficult time. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble: Psalms 46 vs 1 From Albert
Shiny, Kevin and Kenny, I got a chance to meet and work with George, a hardworking man. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family and accept my sincerest sympathies for this great loss. My family and I are wishing you and your family courage and peace. May our Lord Jesus Christ grant you divine comfort during this time of mourning. Lamentations 3:32. To the DM community, we’ve really lost a good friend and co-worker but he left us with wonderful memories that we can celebrate and cherish! My condolences to you all.
Praying for George's family during this very sad time. May The Lord, the good shepherd be with you and see you through. I will always be grateful for the support that George gave me when I was deployed to the Nepal Earthquake Response and we had to deliver a large project within a short space of time - his support was invaluable and helped me achieve project goals within the set time. Rest in Peace George!!
Firstly , my deepest condolences to the family George will be missed, always calm, I don't recall a day when I saw or heard him being frantic about anything. I always recall how he always made the National office needs a priority. He really loved his work, George would call you even on a holiday to alert you that a National office needed to sign an FLA but you could not be upset with him because he would do it so politely that you couldn't help but provide the needed support. He was not afraid to share his point of view even if no-one else agreed, the important thing was that it had been heard. He will always be missed, it was a pleasure to serve ASIA and MEER with him. May his soul rest in Peace. Sifiso
I felt so saddened to hear George's passing. George was a mentor, an advisor, and a great grand friend of mine. I will miss you and remember all the things I learnt from you. May your soul rest in peace in Jesus's arms. Myat Mon
You have run a good race. Dance with the angles GT. We will always have fond memories of you, as great teacher; mentor and role model. Always willing to share your knowledge with others, and also create opportunities for them learn and grow professionally. As a supervisor you always ensured your team members have all what they need to do their jobs well. Many more... May you rest in eternal peace. Our deepest condolence to the family, may the peace of the Lord shine upon you at this difficult time. Amen
My condolences to George's family. May the peace from our Lord be with you all. George is a good friend and colleague. Whenever I needed his support, I knew I could just call him, and indeed he would answer my call. It was a privilege to be deployed with George in few places and I treasured the conversations we had on those trips.
George was a humble, honest and God-fearing man who dedicated his life to serving the Lord and his Kingdom. He was a kind, thought-provoking and dedicated colleague and friend to so many across WV for decades. May the good Lord grant him eternal peace, and comfort his family, friends and loved ones. May his work to make this world hunger-free continue to bear fruit and may his memory, wisdom and passion continue to inspire us.
Georges, no words can describe what I felt when I heard about your passing this morning. You were not only a colleague to me, but a teacher, a mentor, a friend and a brother. Your dedication to your work, to the organization, towards ensuring that World Vision continues to serve the most vulnerable children and communities, had always inspired me as I am sure it has inspired so many others in the organization . Your work has helped World Vision to support the wellbeing of so many children around the world. We owe so much of what we have been able to achieve, to your hard work, dedication and commitment. Thank you for all you have taught me over all these years, for your wisdom, for your knowledge. Thank you for always being there on every field visit we took the past two years. You have the kindest heart, a man who loved his family and loved his work. I will miss you a lot. Praying for your soul, as you are in God's hands now. To George's family, my deepest condolences, I pray that God gives you the patience and strength during this difficult time. If I can support in anyway, please do not hesitate to contact me. Amen.
I was lucky enough to work with you George and got a chance to see what a great man you was. We will all miss you dearly and wanted to extend my sympathies to your family. You will always be in our hearts and prayers.
My deepest condolences to Sir George Family {His beloved Wife - Shiny, sons [Kenny and Kevin]}, praying for you that the Lord will strengthen you, comfort and give you peace. Psalms 34:18 - The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Sir George was a wonderful colleague, friend, teacher, and mentor. I learned a lot from him within the short span of time that I got the privilege of working with him supporting the ASIA & MEER region. He had the interest of the Field Offices and the most vulnerable communities at heart and always willing to go over and beyond to ensure the teams are well supported and processes simplified based on the context. He loved his family and always spoke about them whenever an opportunity presented. Rest well my friend Blessings. Loice Gatimu
George, it's a well lived life ! Thank you for all commitment and good examples you have demonstrated. God loves you more than us, He wants His Angel return to heaven now. We are only a prayer away. You are so dearly missed, George.. My condolences to George's family, thoughts and minds are with you all. God Bless You..
George was a wonderful colleague and he will be missed. He was caring and committed to the mission. My sincere and deepest condolences to George's family. My heart go out to you in your time of sorrow Isabel Gomes
I am so sorry to hear about George's passing and I send my condolences to his family and all those who knew him as a good friend. George was humble, faithful and committed to the work and to the poor. Warm regards, James East
Hundred thousand of children, women and men in the world were able to receive food assistance due to George's contribution in the food assistance program, also hundred of World Vision staff were able to build their capacities due to George's contribution, i personally thank George for all the knowledge that he was sharing with me and my collogues during the past years. Dear Shiney, Kevin and Kenny, Please accept our heartfelt condolences for your loss ,this is our loss as well, our prayers are with you and i hope God blesses and comforts you during this difficult time, and takes the deceased’s soul to Heaven. John 16:22 - "So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you". Warm Regards Youssef Mhanna
My deepest condolences to George's family. Whenever I traveled to support a field office in the Middle East, George was already there, tirelessly working on capacity building so that more families receive timely and appropriate food assistance. Patient and kind, he will be greatly missed. Rest in peace, dear George.
Shiny, Kevin and Kenny, My sincere condolences on the passing of your beloved George. As you can see from all of the messages, he made a real difference in the lives of so many of his colleagues, and of course, the people he served through his many years of work as a humanitarian. I was blessed to count him as a colleague and friend. I'm sure God will be close to you during this difficult time. Mike Weickert
George was a great role model for those of us coming up in World Vision. His humility, servant-hearted support and commitment to excellence demonstrated great character. Working with George in FPMG was a pleasure and I'm thankful to have known him. A life well lived and now an eternal life in to enjoy with his Lord and Saviour.
George was an amazing man, and I feel privileged to have known and worked with him. I know we will miss him deeply. I’ll be keeping George and family in my thoughts and prayers.
My deepest condolences to George's family and friends at this time of loss. I had the privilege of working with George over the years, and knew him to be passionate about his work, and compassionate towards those we were working to serve. He was a good man, and he will be very much missed. Rachelle
Dear Shiny, Kevin and Kenny. I am so sorry to hear of your loss and send you my condolences for the passing of George. He was a good man always talking about you and all that you achieved. He was always hardworking and passionate about his work and making a difference to the people he served and mentoring young staff. He was also a great host whenever we had meetings in Dubai ensured that we had a wonderful adventure as a team. He will be greatly missed but he has left a legacy in his work and the young lives he’s mentored and the people that he served. May God give you comfort at this time. His angels holding you in their arms and giving you happy memories. Knowing he is now in the arms of his Heavenly Father. With love and prayers. Claire Beck
George was an inspiring individual. It was a privilege to have worked with him in World Vision. Though I missed the chance to meet him in person, I treasure all the warm exchanges and discussions we had in calls and chats as we provided support to field offices. I deeply admire his dedication and patience to his work, and I am sure the many colleagues and people he has helped along the way will remember all his efforts. His presence will be greatly missed, but how he has touched so many people will always be remembered and celebrated. My condolences to George's family. I pray that the Lord's love and light embrace you all in this difficult time. George, you worked hard and done well in this life. May you find eternal peace as the Lord welcome you back in His arms. Hannah
My deepest condolences to George's family. I did not have the chances to work with George directly but we met in the GRRT and the Technical Resource Team meetings. George was always very nice and friendly. I remember he arranged a team dinner for us in Dubai last year and we all had a great time that evening. Thank you George for all you had done to serve the vulnerable groups. I know there is nothing I can say to ease the pain but George's family is in my thoughts and prayers.
George, It was good to have met you and I will remember our last last dinner in Dubai. Condolences to the family. Eyasu
I had the privilege of working with George in several countries including Haiti in 2010-2011, Jordan in 2018 and most recently in Iraq 2018 - present. George was passionate about food & cash assistance. His goal was always to ensure the highest standard of service delivery to the most vulnerable children, women and men living in the direst conditions. He loved World Vision. He loved his job. He touched many people's lives. My thoughts and prayers go out to his beloved family. May George rest in peace. With warm regards, Nicole Peter, Response Director, WV Iraq
My deepest condolences to the family for the passing on of George. George was passionate in his work and very detail oriented. I learnt a lot from his experience . He came several times in WV Iraq to support food assistance projects, he would in addition interact with all departments and different sectors. I thank God for all the years I got to know George and interact with him.
Dear Shiny, Kevin and Kenny, may God comfort you in your loss. George will be missed by so many friends in World Vision where his life and work made such a difference to the lives of so many people in some of the world's toughest places. George was renowned as someone with great expertise and experience in food assistance programmes who added real value to colleagues across many countries where he advised and supported. I enjoyed getting to know George over the last few years and am so saddened that he has not been able to enjoy the rest in a next season of life that he so deserved. I pray that he is at peace and hearing God's words of welcome to a 'good and faithful servant' and that as a family you get to cherish all the memories and impact of his life amidst the tears and sadness of this time of grieving. Your family will be in the prayers of many at World Vision in these days and weeks. Justin
My heartfelt condolences to the family of brother George Thomas. May Almighty God comfort you and I pray for the peace of God that surpasses all human knowledge and understanding to be your portion at this difficult moment. AMEN! I met George Thomas in Philippines during Typhoon Haiyan Response. He is an advisor and a mentor as many have talked about it. Rest In Eternal Peace brother George!
It is always hard to find words to comfort the bereaved family! In my loss of words, I find comfort in knowing that George had a good heart and always brought different perspectives in his engagements, which reflected his thought processing. I remember him fondly on how he used to carry himself in our team building exercises. May your soul rest in eternal peace. Tendai
George was a great individual. I had the privilege to work with him in World Vision. I offer my heartfelt condolences to the family of George Thomas for their loss. May George's soul rest in peace. I pray for peace and comfort for the family of George and their loved ones at this diffuclt time and offer my condolences to you all.
If compared to other colleagues in World Vision I only met George very recently. The first time in a workshop and then we went together on field mission to Iraq. George was that senior wise person that had all the answers and that was happy to help his colleagues. I found comfort in his guidance and I missed him when he left World Vision last year but I was hoping to catch up again somewhere as it happens so often in our sector. George is in a better place now. May his soul rest in peace. Isidro
I have known George for many years. At each visit we shared a meal together and he never failed to speak so fondly of his loving family. Whatever the circumstances of his passing, it pains us all and fills us with grief. We are only able to reconcile the loss of a loved one in our faith. May God comfort you, may He console your spirit and give you assurances that George has found everlasting peace. In His grace, Hans Bederski
Hearing the news that George will no longer be among us created an empty space inside me. What must his family feel? George was a mentor , a teacher and a good fellow to me and may of my peers. He did not get tired to help us again and again to find solutions whereby to focus on impact, quality and what matters: Reach and feed the poor. George was a man of principals, with commitment to the poor and gave his heard to the children in need and to us, his colleagues. He walked with us many miles and I will miss our conversations and his guidance for the grant programming in the Middle East and Eastern Europe Region. I am sending warm condolence greetings to George's family: We are missing George along with you. With heartfelt sympathy and prayers
I had the privilege of working with George for many years through our WFP Food Assistance work. Not only did I enjoy working with George as a colleague, but also as friend and fondly remember our conversations whenever we met at conferences or on field trips. I am saddened to hear of his passing but know that he has left a great legacy. George's passion for serving the poor was clearly evident. Shiny, Kevin and Kenny, I pray Gods peace be with you at this time of loss for you.
Dear Shiny, Kevin and Kenny. So sorry to hear of your loss, we send you our sincerest condolences for the passing of George. He was a wonderful man and so proud of you all. He was always hardworking and passionate about his work, making a difference to the World's poorest. May God give you comfort at this time. With many blessings, love and prayers. Andrew Jalanski
My condolences to George's family, I met with George when he joined World Vision, and we worked together in many fronts, and in implementation of food assistance programs. One particular assignment, which I will not forget is being together as part of the first responders to the Haiti Earthquake, where we spend many hours, day after day, discussing on the best ways to assist the affected people and ensure safety for staff and beneficiaries. He will be sorely missed by you as family and by US as friends in front line in fight against hunger. My family and I we will would to express our deepest condolences to you and we pray for the comfort of the Holy Spirit during this very difficult time. Psalm 9:9. The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. From Manuel Januario Mucuho and Family
Having joined the team in October 2019, I was happy to interact with George virtually and in person during our team meetings in Dubai in February 2020. Learnt a lot from his wealth of experience and selfless service to the most vulnerable. May God Rest George's soul in eternal peace till we meet again.
Dear Shiny, Kevin and Kenny, I am very sorry for your loss. May your happy memories give you comfort as you grieve and may God's peace that passes all understanding rest with you. George was a great man - a man passionate about his work and family. Someone dedicated to excellence at all times...at all costs. Also a warm and caring person. I have fond memories of working with him, but also personal memories like the time he INSISTED I come and spend time at your place in Dubai on a layover where I was served a delicious meal and taken 'out on the town'. He will be greatly missed. 😥 💔
My deepest condolences to George's family. I worked with George and his deep commitment to his family, faith and a world free from hunger also shone through in my conversations with him. May he rest in peace and may God's love provide comfort and solace to his loved ones at this very, very sad time. He will be warmly remembered by many
George has been a great colleague of commitment, passion and detail, with wisdom and experience that only many years in and with disadvantaged communities at the core of humanitarian field work can teach. It is sad that he has left this world, but Shiny, Kevin and Kenny, please be comforted by the fact that his work directly and indirectly has touched hundreds of thousands of people's lives if not more and that God has prepared and welcomed him in a wonderful peaceful place without pain. He will be with you in your hearts and we pray for strength and for you to be protected and guided by our heavenly father, as George has done for his family and so many vulnerable children, families and colleagues around the globe. With Ephesians 2:10, be blessed and you are in our thoughts and prayers Kathryn
I had the privilege to meet and work with George 20 years ago he was such great mentor, caring teacher, and very kindhearted person. You could go with problems he would listen and share his thoughts that would have lighten your way! Thank you for the courage and being there, listening to me, helping me to get through those good and difficult moments. I can’t believe that you are no longer with us; your place would be empty but your words, memories and advises remains in my heart forever. My sympathies and prayers with you Shiny, Kevin and Kenny, May strength be with you to bear the loss of such nice personality. Mahmood Wahidi
I felt so sad to hear the passing of our brother and colleauge George Thomas. My deepest condolances to George's family. I first met George in Sri Lanka in 2005 while I was deployed for Tsunami response. Later I work closely with him when I was in Myanmar and then as part of World Vision Global Team . George was freindly, loves his work, good eyes on details and always encourage his field team to do their best and support to manage risks while serving the most vulnerable groups. We travelled in many locations, attended meetings together, work on projects together. He always tell us about his family especially the progress his two sons are making over the years. We will miss you George and may your soul rest in eternal peace. May God comfort George's wife and his two sons and may God fill the gap he left behind. Belete Temesgen, Washington DC, USA
I was so saddened to hear of George’s passing. I worked with George on many projects during my time with World Vision, particularly in Asia and the Middle East. He was a wonderful humanitarian dedicated to project excellence and achieving the best possible outcomes for so many people affected by emergencies. I learned a lot from him. My sincere condolences, he will be missed. A lovely man. Regards, Erin
To George’s Family, It was a privilege knowing such a hardworking and passionate man, he always worked so hard for the people of the world who were less fortunate. I hope you will find comfort at this time, Best regards Karen Alexander
Sending love and condolences to all George's family and friends. He was a truly humble man yet so inspiring. He cared so deeply about making the world a better place for those impacted by crises. George you will be missed by so many but your legacy lives on in all those who had the honour of knowing you. Anthea
Oh dear George, You beautiful soul. The news came as a surprise and a reminder how precious is the time we have here. Your kind nature and dedication will be missed and will stay with me as a memory. You will be greatly missed. My heartfelt condolences to the family. Admir Bajrami Australia
My sincere condolences to George's family, I will remember him as a very passionate, hard working and dedicated professional who always put his heart and soul into what ever he was working on. His eye for detail and work rate were second to none. Outside of work I remember a passion for Indian food and Indian cricket. He was very proud that the world's best cricket league was in India :) He is missed and will be missed as he was one of a kind. Over 20 years I worked with him on deployments and as a member of the WFP acquisitions team. After that it was a pleasure to move to the regional office and help him and his team by spreading knowledge of their great work in MEER. As I write this I wonder how many children George helped over the course of his career. How many got to go to sleep at night with out being hungry and how many mothers could feel better that their families were fed. My prayer is that God will help those that he leaves behind to cope with his absence In the place where he is going, I pray that he will meet many of the people he helped and learn more about his impact on the vulnerable. My thoughts are with his family who are owed thanks for the sacrifices that were made to help him travel so much
Life really passes so quickly that it can surprise us sometimes. Feels like it was yesterday, though it was 20 years ago when I met George Thomas in Afghanistan. From the very first day of his arrival, he spared no effort in training the rookies (I included). At times, the training would continue until midnight in our guesthouse in a place called Qala-i-Naw (Badghis province). Throughout my years of work in different countries, George has always been there for me and continued coaching and mentoring me. This working relationship turned into a friendship, resulting in the status upgrade and George becoming one of my finger count number of best friends. I have lost an uncle, a grandfather, two grandmothers, and few other people, but the passing of none of them made me as sad as did George's :( I find it extremely hard to believe that he is no longer with us, but I am sure his legacy will keep his name alive. Verily we belong to God, and indeed to Him do we return. Considering the number of good deeds performed by George in his lifetime, I sincerely pray and wish that he ends up getting one of the best places in heaven and be in the company of saints. He was an individual in love with his family, dedicated to his faith, worked tirelessly to extend his services to more people, and ensure making an earned income. I pray that God equips George's family and friends with strength and patience to cope with this significant loss. Finally, I like to express my heartfelt condolences on behalf of all the humanitarian project participants I reached with the support and guidance from George. With deepest sympathy as we all remember George.
Shiney, I am shocked and deeply saddened to learn of George’s death. I worked with George on his first assignment with World Vision in Kenya in 2000, and subsequently worked with him on and off over twenty years. George has a huge heart, and spent his life assisting others. He was a wonderful person, and worked tirelessly all over the world for the less privileged, and if he was not feeling 100% it never seemed to get in the way of work. He was very knowledgeable, and loved training others. George was a good steward of World Vision resources, and a man of strong faith. I have so many fond memories of George. Our thoughts are with you, Keven and Kenny at this time. You must be devastated. I hope that despite the loss, you will be able to appreciate George’s great life, and all that he has given to others. We can take some comfort in the knowledge that George is now resting in peace with God. We are praying for George and for all of you Shiney. God Bless, love Mark, 16 May 2021.
Dear Shiny,Kevin,Kenny, My heartfelt condolences to you . Its very shocking to know that George is no more . You all are in our prayers . May God give you all strength to go through this difficult times . Jayasree
Dear Shiny & family, Please accept my deepest condolences for your loss. I got to know George during my time working in Bangladesh and enjoyed my time getting to know him and learning more about food programming. His love for the work, travel, you and the family and most importantly the people we serve was a shining example of a servant of God. I hope you will be able to celebrate his life of "giving" and rejoice in the memories he has left behind as you move on. God Bless! Rashindu de Mel
Thinking of and praying for George's family during this time; I pray that you find comfort in one another and that you continue to be enveloped in God's love to help you through. Although I didn't have the pleasure to work with George for long, even in a short time frame I came to look forward to his reflections and inputs during our Dubai devotions and his wonderful stories and laughs. I know he will be very much missed by all those he worked with and knew! May he rest in peace and love.
To Shiny, Kevin and Kenny, Psalms 116:15 "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." George was a family man. He always spoke well about Shiny and was ever so proud of Kevin and Kenny. It was clear he deeply loved and cared for them. George cared for the most vulnerable. He traveled a lot to support many World Vision Offices effectively implement food assistance programmes. He came back with stories of lives impacted, even in some of the most difficult places. George was connected with other staff. For the time that we lived in Dubai and worked with George, he was always supportive and checked in on us. We had a great family environment at the Dubai Office. We will miss George and cherish the moments we shared together. May the God of all comfort, attend to you Shiny, Kevin and Kenny during this moment of grief. We stand with you and are in prayer for you. Rest well George. Lydia & Eric Kiruhura.
What a privilege it was to have worked with George. We first met in 2012 and from that first day was so generous with his time and knowledge. Dear Shiny, Kevin and Kenny - May the stars carry your sadness away, May the flowers fill your heart with beauty, May hope forever wipe away your tears, And, above all, may your faith keep you. My prayers are with you in these difficult times. XXX Deb
George aka GT, I have fond memories of our times we shared since 2010. Your passion for standards and compliance made me curious about holding high standards in food assistance programming. Your support during the FAIRO certification in Bangkok in 2016 was testimony to your passion to grow capacity in Asia. The team building events in Joburg were always great with George. As you rest I pray that God will strengthen the family to carry on the legacy that you built, until we meet again. Cheers GT