A Very Special Year

By Yen Shan

My little grandson had been growing up with us in Mainland China for two years. My wife and I were missing our daughter in the US and she had been missing her son even more. So we travelled to America with our grandson. It should have been just an ordinary visit, but this year has been filled with many special events.

A place you don't want to leave

The first Sunday we were in the US, my daughter took us to church. As with coming to America, everything was so new to us. This was the first time we had ever been to church. We were curious, but not especially touched.

This feeling was quite natural; my wife and I had both worked as senior engineers and I had been a communist for 35 years. Both the education we had received in China and our working environment meant that communism and atheism were quite deeply rooted in our minds.

Since the lifting of China's 'iron curtain', people have started reflecting seriously on some issues. Especially after I retired, I also began exploring questions of evolution and faith. I had often thought that there must be some powerful force behind this vast universe to design, create and control its operation. Many aspects of this universe are so wonderful and evolution cannot explain them all. There must be some kind of supernatural power.

In the church, as I listened to the praise music and the pastor's sermon, I began to feel a wonderful feeling inside. When we were asked to introduce ourselves, I rose to my feet, and saw the friendly smiles on the faces of all the brothers and sisters. It gave me a warm feeling in my heart as if I had come back to a home filled with love and joy, a place that it would not be easy for me to leave.

The pastor visited us at home. He was very kind and caring. He came often to discuss Christianity and issues related to the Bible with us, for three or four hours at a time.

On the second Sunday, there was a big meeting led by Pastor Fong in Faith-Hope-Love Chinese Church. We are a similar age to Pastor Fong, with similar life and faith experiences. We felt that Pastor Fong's preaching was very genuine and kind. My wife and I decided to open our hearts and accept Christ, and become God's children. "In Him, and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence." (Ephesians 3:12) I felt that I had been chosen by God and that it was such a great act of mercy.

On Christmas Eve 2001 my wife and I were baptized. We felt so unworthy, but we were willing to confess our sins before God and receive eternal life. My daughter told me that before we came to America, she had prayed for us, and several times a Bible verse came to her: "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace." (Isaiah 55:12) Through the many experiences that followed we came to feel the same way

Colon cancer discovered

Not long after arriving in the States, I began to feel unwell. My daughter took me to the hospital and they found that I had colon cancer. This news came as quite a shock to us and we did not know how to handle it. My wife was very upset. I was also surprised at having such a serious disease since I had always enjoyed pretty good health.

The pastor and elders in the church all prayed for us and encouraged us to leave everything in God's hands and follow God's will, and let God lead our future way. "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (II Corinthians 12:9) When I am at the end of my tether, it is God who can help me. I could only turn my face to God.

My daughter asked me to stay in the US for treatment. The church elders and pastor also said the same thing. This was God's leading and the realities proved it so. We had got our visa to come to America in June 2001. But I had a very good opportunity of work for a foreign company after retirement, so we had delayed coming to America. After the September 11th event, we came to America with our grandson since we were worried that visas might be difficult to get in the future.

This was God's good timing for us to come. He not only saved my soul but also my physically very sick body. With my daughter's assistance and with the help of the church, I overcame a lot of obstacles and got treatment in America. "But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you." (Psalm 39:7)

Over several months God protected me. Firstly, I received medical aid from the State government and this helped toward the immensely costly medical expenses. After a period of chemo-therapy, on March the 8th I underwent radical treatment in the University of Penn State Hospital. Before going into theatre, I told my family members that no matter what the result was, it was in God's good will.

I thank the Lord that although the surgery was extensive and difficult, it was successful after more than 10 hours in the operating theatre. Although I lost about 700 ml blood, I did not have to receive a blood transfusion. My recovery was speedy. On the fifth day, I was allowed to go home. The medical team was very pleased and praised me for being a model patient.

God does not promise us only good times. Fourteen days after the surgery, I had an infection in the wound and I had to go back into hospital. This surprising shock worried us deeply. I have seen patients whose wounds have not healed, so I could only pray and turn to God to give me strength to face suffering.

I thank the Lord for His care and protection. The infection was only superficial. They gave me medication and cleaned it up. After four days, it was under control and the wound healed quickly.

Another awful thing followed. When they did the CT scan to check my wound, they found three little tumors beside the liver. The cancer had spread, and I needed to receive another course of chemo-therapy. I thank the Lord that once again He protected me. After a few months of therapy, the liver was under effective control. I realised that if I had not had the infection in the wound and had waited for a regular check-up after 6 months or one year, the discovery of the liver tumor could have been too late. Again, God's will and wonderful overruling were clear.

During those months of fighting against cancer, I experienced God's sweet presence. I was filled with peace and joy, and not cast down by the disease. I was filled with hope because I was trusting in God. I knew God would uphold me according to His will. I was able to bear the suffering because of my faith in God. I knew this was a lesson that God was teaching me. "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you are with me." (Psalm 23:4)

A yellow melon and fresh vegetables

I was not only supported by God's great love but also by the love of the church and of my family members. Love bore me up at all times, even when I faced difficulties and walked through the valley of death.

Ever since I was diagnosed with cancer, the whole church had prayed for me. I saw brothers and sisters weeping and kneeling in prayer for me and I was deeply touched. I remember how on the day I had surgery, a church elderand his wife closed up their business and came to keep my family company at the hospital all day. That night, they took my wife home and looked after her. This was such a big comfort for her since she was in a foreign country and was filled with anxiety and fear.

No matter where I was, in the hospital or at home, there were so many visitors from the church. They brought me many flowers and cards.They held my hands and prayed for me.

Sometimes I needed an interpreter and a number of the brothers and sisters would stay in the hospital with me. This made me feel uncomfortable. But the elder comforted me, saying that they were doing God's work and I should give them the opportunity.

During the chemo-therapy, my appetite was poor. Some brothers and sisters brought me fresh vegetables and cooked food for me as if I were a member of their own family. They were concerned about me and wanted me to eat well.

One sister was given a Chinese yellow melon by a friend, and she was so happy and drove more than an hour just to give me the melon. Looking at those fresh fruits and vegetables given with such love I became quite emotional and shed many tears.

Brothers and sisters also gave me many health supplements, including the best kind of ginseng from China. Brother Chu, who was a Chinese medical doctor, also treated me with Chinese medicine.

Brothers and sisters gave us money as loving offerings. These gifts were all anonymous and I could only thank the Lord for them.

So many things have happened in one year. I have received so much love. It's indescribable, even with the most beautiful language in this world. My own family, my wife and my family members gave me so much. Many brothers and sisters whom I had not known before also did so much for me. Where can one find such love? Only in Christ! This kind of love is so great and pure. It is from God.

I am still in chemo-therapy. I understand that our life is in God's hands. I will still look to God for help. Although I don't clearly know His will, I know that "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." (II Corinthians 4:17) "the LORD gave and the LORD has taken away." (Job 1:21) One day my physical body will die. But this will not be the end of my life. I will enter the beautiful heavenly home with joy. I will be with God in eternal paradise, "which is better by far." (Philippians 1:23)

The author graduated from Ching-Hua University. He was a senior engineer, specialising in mechanical design. He is now living in China. Although physically quite weak, he is happy to do his best to serve the Lord by sharing the gospel and his testimony.