Light of Hope

Dear Justin and Meredith,   This entry will be a bit long, but there are things you should know.  Over the course of time, you will probably read these stories about your mom online or perhaps in the book it will go into dozens if not hundreds of times.  You may read this as a youth, adolescent, teen, young adult, adult, mid-aged adult and senior.   Some day, you may read this to your own children or children's children.  You will undoubtedly read it and experience a range of emotions ranging from sadness, anger, bitterness, confusion, doubt to hope, laughter, amazement, joy, peace, and most of all LOVE.  My prayer, as I know is the prayer of your mom, is that you navigate through these many emotions and feelings and linger in the love she shared for so many family, friends, and her Lord Jesus.   I knew your mom and dad for over a dozen years although I can't claim to have known her well.  We went to two churches together, Vineyard Christian Fellowship of the Peninsula and Abundant Life Christian Fellowship.  My wife, Laura, knew her even longer and spent much more time with her though a mom's group they attended together.  But, there are some memories I wanted to share with you about your mom that happened during her last 6 months.   v      Your mom cared a lot about people, and people cared about her.  One day this past Fall I had the opportunity to join your dad and mom as they took her to UCSF for her cancer treatment.  Your mom was very sick and weak, lying in bed.  Yet when I came in to her bedroom where she was resting for the trip to the hospital she was so concerned about me, asking how things were going for our family, if I was hungry or wanted to sit.  Such a typical example of your mom, so giving all the time even when she was in need.  Even when we were at UCSF and she was getting her infusion treatment, she was concerned that I was standing so I finally had to find a seat.  J  There's a reason she was surrounded and supported by so many people during her battle with cancer.  She was loved by many.    v      Your dad fought so hard for her life.  HARD.  Rallied a team of friends, families, medical professionals.  Got friends to pray, investigate various clinical trial, medicines, foods, mobilized volunteers.  He missed you dearly as you spent much of your time with family or friends but know that he was giving just about everything he had for your mom.  He refused to give up, believing in faith and the power of healing despite the diminishing prospects.  He refused the concept of hospice because for him that would be giving up.  He never gave up on your mom.   v      Your dad cared so deeply about your mom.  I remember going to the hospital one night very late, in the last weeks of her life.  Your dad was there seemingly 24 hours a day, 7 days a week taking breaks only when trusted friends or family were there.  He spent many nights on a cot next to your mom's hospital bed.  It was indeed draining and sometime he broke into tears.  He worked very closely and carefully with the doctors and nurses making sure the right medicines were administered at the right time, monitoring her feeding or oxygen levels, making sure she was positioned right.  I remember one night your dad putting eye drops in your mom's eyes periodically to keep her eyes from drying as she wasn't able to close her eyes that well at the time.   That is the level of care he invested in your mom.   One Sunday morning I was at church, Abundant Life Christian Fellowship, when another friend of your parents, Joe Tan, told me that your mom passed away a few hours earlier.  I had two immediate reactions, sadness and relief in knowing she wasn't in pain any longer.  Later that afternoon, I returned to the church as we rehearsed our Easter musical, Light of Hope.  Your parents clung to the true light of hope, Jesus.  I thought of your mom often whenever we sang the finale song, No More Night.  I could easily see her singing these words as she entered Heaven as they were so appropriate.                    No More Night   Words & music by Walt Harrah The timeless theme, Earth and Heaven will pass away. It's not a dream, God will make all things new that day. Gone is the curse from which I stumbled and fell. Evil is banished to eternal hell. No more night. No more pain. No more tears. Never crying again. And praises to the great "I AM." We will live in the light of the risen Lamb. See all around, now the nations bow down to sing. The only sound is the praises to Christ, our King. Slowly the names from the book are read. I know the King, so there's no need to dread. No more night. No more pain. No more tears. Never crying again. And praises to the great "I AM." We will live in the light of the risen Lamb. See over there, there's a mansion, oh, that's prepared just for me, Where I will live with my savior eternally. No more night. No more pain. No more tears. Never crying again. And praises to the great "I AM." We will live in the light of the risen Lamb. All praises to the great "I AM." We're gonna live in the light of the risen Lamb.     May God bless and keep you,   Craig and Laura Chan