Tribute

With an independent spirit, a vivacious appetite for life, and a caring love that expressed itself through food, my maternal grandmother, Leung Oi Chee, also fondly called “Popo,” quietly slipped into heaven on Monday afternoon.  The angels are rejoicing at her homecoming and she is finally resting in complete peace in the arms of Jesus.  The unexpected and sudden nature of her passing burdens our hearts, but we are renewed with assurance and hope that she is singing with the angels and praising God for His provision, grace, and love for us. 

 

I know little of her childhood apart from her mother having passed away early in her childhood and her father taking other wives and travelling frequently for business.  As a teenager, she moved in with her older sister to help take care of her nephew.  It was here that she met my grandpa and started dating him despite her sister’s failed attempts at introducing my grandma to another nice man.  Unlike the custom in their generation, my grandparents married for love and though impoverished found happiness.  My grandma had four children, Patrick, Pinky, my mom, Lydia, and Bill.  She told stories of cooking my Uncle Patrick’s favorite foods, buying clothes for both my Auntie Pinky and my mom at the market, and taking care of my Uncle Bill when all his siblings had already left home.  She delighted in her nine grandchildren and always asked for pictures of her three great-grandchildren, which she proudly displayed.  Her family was everything to her and I still remember when she was so happy to receive an enlarged black and white photo of her family.  She visited her family in the US regularly and loved getting dressed up for special occassions like her grandchildren’s weddings and parties.  My grandma loved sharing her love through the food she cooked and though not very physically affectionate, she loved to talk your ear off about anything and everything.  While she was very spend thrifty on herself, she was incredibly generous to us.  She would spare no expense to give us opportunities she couldn’t afford for herself.  While she sometimes teased me about pursuing education instead of a boyfriend, I know that she was proud of me for caring about others.  Even though she didn’t think it was the wisest idea to leave my employment in an economic crisis to do ministry around the world, she proudly told her friends that she had a granddaughter who was travelling the world as a volunteer.  My grandmother was proud of her independence and although she had diabetes, she was very carefully monitoring her blood sugar and taking precautions against any episodes.  She would take walks every morning with her friends, go shopping for fresh fish and vegetables in the market and had many arts events and local field trips through her local senior center. 

 

Early Monday morning I rushed to Manila airport and got on the earliest flight to Hong Kong to be with my grandmother.  After arriving in Hong Kong, I rushed to her bedside as quickly as I could and was able to spend a few hours with her in prayer, in song, and in conversation.  Although she was already in a deep coma and unresponsive at the time, I do believe that she could hear me and I am certain that God heard my prayers.  Right before she passed, I was singing to her and praying over her.  During my prayer, the Holy Spirit spoke through me to commit her in the hands of the Lord and I prayed comfort over her as she rests in peace.  Immediately, I thought to myself, NO! that is not what I desire.  I desire healing for her, complete healing.  I have been praying for healing all morning.  But God spoke through me to her spirit to release her from this world and send her to heaven.  Although it was not our timing or our desire for her to leave us, we do thank God for the time he lent her to us on this earth.  We thank God that she knew Jesus personally and we will be reunited with her again some day in heaven.  We thank God for her beauty, strength, generosity, and His grace in her life.