Vineyard Writing Ministry - From China ICOC 1-3 A Talk between Laurel and Wind
Author: Mrs Fong, Joyce, Angela （Bing Wang）
Translator:Amy, Connie,Vincent
Editor’s note:
Full name Guiqin Zhang or nicknamed Mum Fong, is a mum of Dalian’s brother named Tao Fong, also our very loved and deeply respected sister whose perseverance and joyful throughout the suffering from a serious illness and then rest in peace with God. This is her testimony and a poem that sister Bing Wang made for her.
Foreword:
Joyce is a mum of Dalian’s brother named Tao Fong, we are used to call her Mum Fong.
In 1993, Mum Fong was in touch with the local church in her hometown in Chang Tu. She was actively shared her faith and evangelism, used to contribute initiative.
Life is full of uncertainties. In 2003, her younger son 25 years old was diagnosed with brain cancer and passed away in the period of 12mths. Her heart became bitter because of her son’s death. She suffered a lot by people’s gossip and chitchat. Aren’t you believe god? Why did God not protect your family member? Those idle talks wore off her faith and let her not want to go to church.
In 2009, her husband who had lived with her for 30 years, accidently had a stomach bleeding and passed away. That added insult to the injury. Tao Fong took Mum Fong to live together with his family after the funeral. With the grief again, she left a hometown which she lived 60 years and moved to a new city. The challenge is clearly very tough for Mum Fong.
The only comfort for her is in Dalian, there is her son, daughter in law and a granddaughter under 1 year old.
After she moved to Dalian, sister started to visit her and invited her to come to church. But all the unfortunate things happened in the last few years was still a scar in her heart. She did not understand why God allowed those suffering happened in her life. In her heart, full of doubts for God. Unfortunately, the story did not end. In the end of 2010, there is another grandson was born in this family, at the same time, she was diagnosed as the last stage of stomach cancer. With a newborn baby, the mingled hope mixed fear.
Mum Fong had a partial gastrectomy. There were lots of brothers and sisters to visit, spend time and prayed with her. Sisters had been encouraged and been with her after her discharge form the hospital. This time her heart started to change, in the extreme weakness of her body, she heart started to seek for God again. She started to study bible with sisters. She was starting to attend church’s meeting after she gain some strength. Through a few months’ bible study and pray, her started to open her heart. After surrender front of God, all the suffering was end with a God’s goodwill. On the 7th of May in 2011, Mum Fong was baptised as a Christian.
The life of Mum Fong is like the Naomi’s story in the bible. She had a tough life and grief to lose her husband and her son, go back to God’s side after some twist and turns. In the last year of her life, she suffered a lot on her disease, high fever all the times, the more and more pain made her must take painkiller and injections to help her to releases. In the meantime, in her heart, she fulfilled the peace and joy with the hope of God’s kingdom. In the last month of her life, she shared this testimony, in the that, she is hardly to get off her bed, she is unable to attend to church, so only can write down and let sister to help to read out.
On the 1st of July, Mum Fong went back to God’s home forever, but her smiles are always stay in our heart. Her funeral is the first funeral was held in Dalian’s church, in her memorial service, what we gain is not grief but peace. We deeply realized the death is not the end of life, but the hope of our home in heaven.
To be continued... ...
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Communion Sharing (Mrs. Fong)
(picture above quoted from original transcript provided by Joyce, sister in Christ)
I thank God for letting me have the opportunity to share today in our Sunday service.
I would like to send my gratitude to all the efforts made by the brothers and sisters in the church. Sisters such as Ying Zi, Shan Shan, and Li Min as well as those in my Bible Talk including Rosa, Huang Chun Fong, Huang Bing and Huang Fong often come and visit me. Your giving hearts encourage me as well as my family.
A Sister named Huang Chun Fong travelled from a far distance just to see me and bring me gifts. It is hard to imagine that she had to catch the bus late at night to make it home. Also, another giving sister is Huang Bing; she gave me a massage including my dirty feet! She said “I came here for your FEET! “
Let me share with you something that happened that touched my heart: There was a time that sisters came to see me while I was running a fever. A sister named Mei Mei took my hand, put it on her chin and kissed my forehead; “Who will stay with an old lady on her sick bed? They must value me as their own family.” I exclaimed. I ensure you that there are more stories I would love to share.
“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you”
Certainly God cares for me! He has blessed me with endless amounts of grace and shows me what Love in the kingdom truly is.
It pains me to think what have I done to deserve his protection and guidance? I fall short of the glory of God yet our heavenly Father asks nothing from us but to love him, respect him and love our neighbors as ourselves.
I was crying because of the sickness my son, my husband and I suffered that I cannot comprehend.
Then I was relieved when the doctor told me I cannot be cured.
I learned to obey, I am no longer afraid of death and I am no longer blaming God. When I was being tortured from sickness and in bed, I prayed to God “Father, I am surrendering to you, may your will be done, whether it be that I live until tomorrow or you take me now to save me from this great pain.
Who does not want a healthy body? Who would not miss this world? I will miss my family, sons, grandsons and granddaughters as well as the church.
“For those love me, they are loved; Seek me wholeheartedly, and I will be found” God told us.
I could not be more thankful to God who has blessed my family.
The children still fight daily in the house yet we are overwhelmed by peace and true joy in him.
And God gives me strength to sustain my faith and hope in this collapsing body. He is with me whenever, whatever and wherever.
I pray: “My Lord! I was a sinner, I did not know your name. You sent Jesus to wash my sins away with his blood, he lead me to you. I am your dear child in this life and in heaven. I am a foreigner in this world and soon I will be at home above, where I will be singing along with you and your Son - Hallelujah.”
A Talk between Laurel and Wind
Laurel and the wind are good friends. In the summer, Laurel likes listening to the sound of the wind, she asked, “Why are you calm and still at times, while other times you howl so violently?” The wind said, “ I blow where I wishes, you hear my sound, but you do not know where I come from or where I will go. But as long as you trust in God, He shall make known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose. Therefore, Laurel hoped and persevered.
In the Autumn, Laurel said to the wind, “Come and see, my leaves are yellowing and my branches withering, you have blown off all my leaves, how am I supposed to live with withered branches?” The wind said, “What is the way to the place where the light is distributed, or where the east wind is scattered upon the earth? But as long as you trust in God, He shall make known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose.” Therefore, Laurel simply trusted and waited.
In the winter, Laurel said to the wind, “Away from me, for I am shivering with cold. A few of my branches are covered with thick snow, though a bit warmer, it’s suffocating.” The wind said, “As you do not know the path of me, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things. But as long as you trust in God, He shall make known to us the mystery of His will, according to His purpose.” Therefore Laurel slowly closed her eyes, patiently she waited.
In the Spring, God used the wind as his messenger, the wind moved through Laurel’s branches, his gentle touch opened Laurel’s eyes. Laurel smiled with joy. The wind said, “I blow where I wishes, you hear my sound, but you do not know where I come from or where I will go; So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
God said, “Do not be surprised, you must be reborn, .”
Author: Mrs Fong, Joyce, Angela （Bing Wang）
Translator:Amy, Connie,Vincent