Thursday, July 21, 2011

Our Mother - Always in Our Hearts

Our Mother

Our mother, Yuhsin Ko Lee, was born on August 21, 1927, in Shan Yao, Jiangxi Province, China and passed away on July 15, 2011, at her home in Davis, California, at the age of eighty-five.

Growing up in a farming village, mother developed a tenacious and intrepid character after losing her mother at a young age. She was spirited and bright, though the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War stopped her schooling. In the midst of war-torn China, mother met father, Hsueh Lee (deceased), and they married in 1947 in her hometown. Due to civil unrest, mother fled with father to various places. Their longest stay was three years in Hong Kong, where their eldest child, Tzong-yu, was born, and where mother heard the Gospel, received Jesus Christ as her Savior, and was baptized. In 1954, the family moved once again, settling in Taiwan, where the rest of her three children, Maria Li-ching, Churng-fung, and Si-yang (deceased), were born. While father held a middle school teaching position for the following thirty-plus years, mother devoted herself wholeheartedly to the family. Not only did she faithfully manage the household and lovingly raise her children, she fastidiously monitored her children's learning. As a result of her dedication, we were each able to complete our college education despite difficult circumstances. Mother's selfless devotion to the family had been our greatest blessing and model. For twelve years, she tirelessly cared for our youngest sister Si-yang throughout her ongoing illness until her eventual passing. In his later years, father suffered from three strokes. It was also mother who patiently and uncomplainingly cared for him and supported him. Even the grandchildren, all grown now and leading productive lives, trace their upbringing to their grandparents.

After father passed away in 1991, mother moved to the United States. First, she accompanied Churng-fung's family to Wisconsin where Churng-fung pursued her advanced degree. Following those blissful years, she joined Li-ching's family in California and settled there, returning occasionally to Churng-fung's home in Taiwan. Throughout those past twenty years, mother participated in church life, increasingly depending on the Lord, calling often on His name and enjoyed His love. Early this year, mother was confined to bed rest due to her congestive heart failure condition. All of her children rallied to care for her -- Li-ching tended her full-time; Tzong-yu traveled to Davis regularly, spending innumerable weekends with mother; while Churng-fung made a special trip from Taiwan to visit mother in May. During those months of illness, whenever mother heard brothers and sisters singing and praying out in the living room, she would joyfully echo with "Amens" from her bed as she enjoyed the Lord's comforting. At the time of her death, both Tzong-yu and Li-ching, who resided in the States, along with their families, surrounded her, accompanying mother to peacefully complete her journey on earth. The comfort that mother received in the Lord and from the saints was evident from her countenance. We are grateful to the Lord for His grace toward her.

We thank the Lord for giving us such a mother.

[NOTE: These will be used in the Memorial Service for my mother on July 23, 2011. I came up with a Chinese draft with Li-Ching. Churng-Faung did the beautiful final editing. My niece Tina took this and translated to an English draft while I did the final editing. We are proud to do this for her and we are sure that she is proud of us as well. She is always in our hearts.]


我們的母親

我們的母親 李柯玉馨女士生於1927821日中國江西上饒卒於2011715日美國戴維斯家中得年85

母親生長於農村因年幼喪母養成堅忍獨立的性格母親生性開朗健談聰敏過人惜因中日戰爭爆發而輟學在家1947年母親在家鄉與父親--李雪先生(已逝)相識相愛在戰亂中結為夫妻跟隨父親輾轉流離在香港調景嶺三年中生下長子宗虞期間聽得福音接受耶穌為救主受洗歸依主名1954年一家人再度遷移在台灣相繼生下三女麗卿春芳思琰(已逝)在父親擔任中學教職三十餘年間母親勤儉持家無微不至的照顧兒女同時嚴格督促子女課業使我們都得以完成高等學業在無依困頓的環境中得以自立母親對家庭盡心竭力成了我們兒孫最大的祝福與榜樣么妹思琰天生殘疾母親日夜照料長達十二年父親晚年三度中風也多虧母親耐心照顧扶持無怨無悔如今孫輩也個個長成品性端正都源於父母親的恩澤所賜

父親於1991年辭世後母親遷居美國先到威斯康辛州陪著春芳一家求學享受天倫之樂後再與麗卿一家長居加州也間歇往返台灣春芳家休養二十年期間參加召會生活對主耶穌愈發信靠常呼求主名享受主愛今春(2011)母親因心臟衰弱臥床靜養麗卿全力照護宗虞來回奔波照應春芳亦於五月飛美探望臥病期間當母親聽見弟兄姊妹在客廳唱詩禱告時都會喜樂地在臥床上以阿們回應得主撫慰母親臨終之際在美居住的宗虞與麗卿兩家兒孫們隨侍在側平安地陪伴母親走完她在地上的行程母親在主裡在聖徒中所受之安慰洋溢於眉宇之間使我們感謝主對她的恩典

感謝主把這樣一位母親賜給我們

1 comment:

Melanie Gao said...

Paul I'm so sorry to hear this news but feel blessed to read your account of your mother's life. After knowing you for a few years I can tell you were raised well, and I know you've passed that gift on to your kids. What a great legacy you have in your family.

I'll be thinking about all of you during this difficult time.