Ping Shing Yu

My grandfather was an illegal immigrant.  He left his family in 1960 because he wanted something better for them.  In those days, china was very poor.  You were lucky if you had one meal a day; even something meager.  There was no clean water, no electricity, no reliable work, and rice was a precious commodity which few families had.  When my grandfather decided to come to America, he was trying to give his family hope by finding a way out.  My grandmother was left to care for two little girls, my mom and aunt.  Those were tough years for my grandma.  My grandfather’s first attempt at leaving china was unsuccessful.  He was discovered inside a cargo ship and spent a couple years confined in Taiwan.  After he was released, he found some other work on another boat which brought him to America.  My grandpa didn’t speak english, had no papers or anything, so before this boat docked, he jumped ship and stepped ashore into a new world.  I wish I could say everything was smooth sailing from then on, but it was not.  My grandfather found work with a chinese restaurant owner who gave him a place to live.  He would work during the night and sleep during the day.  For ten years, he spent most of his waking moments working and trying to get his green card with the help of the owner.  Eventually, through providence, my grandfather met Wong Kai, who started some restaurant business in Sarasota, Florida, and he wanted my grandfather to work for him.  So in the early seventies, my grandfather moved to Florida.  After he got his green card, he began applying for American citizenship.  His goal was to bring the rest of his family over.  In 1981, My grandmother, aunt and grandfather were reunited.  After about twenty years of hardship and tears, they were together again.  As a family, they settled in Venice, Fl, built a nice house, and started their own restaurant.  Seven years later, they brought their other daughter over, along with her husband and four kids.  Over the course of the next 15 years, my grandfather was able to bring two more families to America.  On August 29, 2008, my grandfather passed away after three years of battling lung cancer.  This post is dedicated to my grandfather; a tribute to his life and work.  In so many ways, the sacrifices he made for his family continue to live on.  We, his children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and on, are his life and work.  I miss my grandpa.  He was a good man, a good father, and a faithful husband; all the things I want to be.

Tough Questions

This last Sunday, I encountered a couple of tough and embarrasing questions.  Not that I didn’t know the answers to them, but was just caught off guard by them and didn’t want to answer.  The questions were from children in our sunday school classes.  The first question came in the middle of my telling the story of David and Bathsheba.  “She was naked? Eeewwwh”, said one of them.  I didn’t answer.  It was too awkward.  I just continued with my edited PG story.  What does a sunday school teacher or parent do with adult content in the bible?  The second question also caught me off guard.  It came after class was over.  “Who are you going to vote for?”  I give him a funny, confused look.  This isn’t the kind of question normal seven year olds ask.  I danced around it, and didn’t say because I’m not sure myself who I’m voting for.  Then there was the sunday before.  Another teacher came up to me for help.  One of her middle school students asked that “if we are heirs with Jesus, did that mean God had to die?”  I couldn’t help her with that either.  I should just start deferring all questions to either parents or elders.  Children are simply amazing.  It’s been a joy teaching and learning from them.

From Theology to Drugs

Looking back at my life, how did I go from studying theology in seminary to pharmacy school?  I must have been on something at the time when I made the decision to switch.  Seriously though, I think the reason for the dramatic change had more to do with practicality than idealism.  At the same time, it was a gradual process.  My move away from theology was a result of my deeper understanding of theology; specifically, my worldview was being transformed by the theology I was learning.  In other words, theology brought me to pharmacy.  Let me explain.  To most of my readers, what I’m going to say next is nothing profound.  It was profound to me who finally understood it; I mean, it changed the course of my life, literally.  The thing I realized was the beauty of the created order described in the first couple of chapters of Genesis, from the creation of everything to the appointment of Adam.  What this realization meant was a demolishing of a worldview informed by dualism.  In its place was a belief in the goodness of physical creation whose origin came from the fiat of a good creator.  No longer was the earthly set against the heavenly, fleshly against the spiritual, but God had declared all of it “good”.  For me, of course, this meant that the line drawn between secular and sacred vocation was erased.  The pastor, missionary, pharmacist, lawyer, postman, baker, artist, student, mother, etc, were all holy callings worthy of pursuit.  God’s world is bigger than the church.  Redemption reaches beyond her gates.  It emcompasses all creation, all of life.  In the end, the whole creation will bring glory to God.

Life Goes On

Well, it’s been quite a while since my last post.  Pharmacy school is in full swing and my grandfather passed away.  I didn’t realize how difficult and demanding both of those events would be.  My grandfather was a good man.  His journey is over, but those who are left behind still have a long tough road ahead.  Life does not wait around.  Pharmacy school does not wait around.  I have a lot of catching up to do.  But I remember the saying, “life is hard but God is good”.  It’s basically true, although you wouldn’t know it or feel it when things are tough.  It’s only afterwards when you can really appreciate it or believe it.  Life goes on, but I’m glad Jesus didn’t leave me behind.