When I entered the youth house today for sunday school, it hit me... just last week I taught the high schoolers. The reason I say this is because it seemed like a month ago since then.
It started just last Sunday, possibly one of the best days in a while. Guest taught the high schoolers, they were extremely engaging and open. One pulled me aside later and asked a few questions (I'm positive he's saved, just wanted to know some complex theology about predestination). Played basketball in the tournament and didn't do too bad. I was having an upbeat day. Suddenly, I received a text from my sister asking if I knew that 大伯父 (that's translated as big uncle, as in the oldest) died. Shock. All of a sudden my day did a 180 on me, and I was a bit upset with my parents not telling me.
A little background on my uncle. He's about 20 some years older than my dad and the oldest in the family. My family consists of 3 uncles, 3 aunts, (not counting my dad) and many cousins, and their spouses. He lived in Charleston WV and was my the only relative I had in WV. He was a microbiologist at CAMC hospital and two years ago he underwent double (or triple i can't remember) heart bypass surgery which basically changed his life, made him extremely weak and basically warped his mind. He was placed in hospice and later to the hospital when his kidneys were failing. He was later told that his organs were shutting down and only had a day to live. His last wish was to go to Taiwan to see everyone one last time. Due to some very careless communication, my aunts and cousin arrived too late to see him before he died.
Due to this, I had to quickly but carefully plan my week. The funeral were set at Thursday and Friday and I had relatives coming in on different days. I already had to work this week and had to call off due to an emergency. I also had to skip a class (which I rarely do). By Wednesday afternoon, I had everything packed and left. The drive up went by pretty fast due to one question that I couldn't get out of my head: Was 大伯父 saved? He didn't show a lot of signs those last two years but the surgery did a number on him physically and mentally.
When I got home, I was greeted by my dog of course, but also by my two aunts who came from Taiwan. Thursday came and my cousin from my 3rd uncle came in from LA. We went straight to the funeral home to get ready for the viewing. While the slideshow was going on, there were several pictures that interested me. The black and white family photo of course was entertaining to see my dad and the rest of my aunts and uncles when they were young. But the one that I took notice was my uncle being baptized and another when he was holding a Bible in his hand right after. Of course, baptism is not a ticket into heaven. But it encouraged me. The viewing went on, we all wept over his body and did some Chinese rituals and sang Amazing Grace. In the end, we all said our last goodbye and took one last look at his body.
Friday came, along with the memorial service. My uncle's daughter and son both spoke of their father. But one thing that they spoke about that I never realized until now was that my uncle had a very forgiving heart. If someone wronged him, he would just let it go. The pastor also spoke about his determination to be at church while he was weakened. Others stood up and told of his kindness and sacrifice towards others. Very encouraging. But the one that got me was my dad's speech. Even though he doesn't speak English well and it was hard to understand him at times, he basically told of a hymn that he heard when 大伯父 was in his final hours. Softy and Tenderly Jesus is Calling. "Come home, Come home, ye who are weary come home; Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, Calling O sinner come home." Dad ended with his last words to his brother in Taiwanese. Even though nobody but a few understood it, we all kind of got a sense what he was saying.
I'm not God and I can't judge on where he is right now. But I'm pretty sure he's in a place with no more suffering and pain. A lot of my friends today at church asked me how my family was or if I was okay. I am truly thankful for friends that cares. And I gave them the same answer. "We'll all miss him, but he's in much better place now and I'm happy for him. But he will be missed."
Revelation 21:1-4 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
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