Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, was blind, but now I see.

I have much to say about my past week. It was filled with God’s most amazing grace. To say that I am happy and grateful is an understatement.

It all started with a phone call from my sister. “Grandpa wants to talk to you.” My grandpa was in the final stage of lung cancer. With a heavy heart, I called my dad who was at the hospital in Hong Kong with grandpa. My dad said grandpa wanted to say goodbye to me. He could not talk anymore. But I knew grandpa was on the other end of the phone as he was trying to make some noises from his throat. Like our past phone conversations, he never said much and I wouldn’t know what to say to him either. But this was the only time that I told him, I miss you, grandpa. Then I said goodbye to him with a trembling voice, as if it was the very last time.

Then sadness struck me for the next few hours. I have never missed grandpa so much. During his most painful and difficult time, he remembered me. Out of his 11 grandchildren, he remembered me. Not that I am his favorite grandchild, but because I know he loves every one of us. Although I am probably the one who have spent the most time with him because my family lived with him and grandma since I was born, until I moved here to the States when I was 17.

I was sitting at church fellowship. Singing this song on Psalm 8…

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
What is man that you are mindful of him,
and the son of man that you care for him?

Oh, my favorite bible verse. But it didn’t give me comfort that day. If God is so great, why doesn’t grandpa get to be with God after he dies? Why doesn’t he get to spend eternity in heaven? Why don’t I get to see him again? May be it is me, who haven’t shared the gospel with him. Yes, it is my fault. Because after singing, a brother shared about his own salvation. An impossible salvation in our eyes, but made possible with God. As my sobbing started to go out of control, a sister prayed with me and reminded me of God’s words, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you and your family will be saved.“ (Acts 16:31) All these were telling me that grandpa still had a chance to live eternally. His salvation was not impossible. But I needed to DO SOMETHING.

So I did it. I called grandpa again and told him, “Jesus can save you, all you have to do is believe in Him.” I repeated this about three times, worrying that he couldn’t hear me loud and clear. Then what I heard was discouraging, “Nobody can save me.” Grandpa could finally talk, but not what I wanted to hear. I don’t blame him. If I were him, I wouldn’t get it either from what I said. The Holy Spirit just have to work extra hard.

A day later, my dad visited grandpa and let me talk to him again. I was delighted to have another chance  to tell him something more promising. This time if he believed in Jesus, he could go to heaven and be with God. There would be no more suffering, only peace. And we would meet again. I did not hear him respond this time. My dad said grandpa understood and pushed the phone away. What? I knew my dad was only trying to make me feel better. My heart sank again. Now the Holy Spirit has to work OT.

My favorite phone call from my dad EVER, was this one — grandpa kept saying my name and my dad and uncle wanted to arrange for a pastor to talk with grandpa. My entire family worships buddha and other Chinese gods. They’re now letting my grandpa meet with a pastor. Praise the Lord and the Holy Spirit! Within hours, grandpa proclaimed Jesus as Lord – clearly in his own words. He admitted his sins and requested to be baptized ASAP! Never underestimate God’s power.

My amazing week did not end here. Within hours after I heard the good news about grandpa’s baptism, I got a call from my mom telling me a difficult situation that she was facing. She was so helpless. I could not believe what she said next in her shivering voice– but yes I could, because by now what else is impossible? — “This morning I did not pray to Kwun Yum for the first time, but I prayed to God.” It was more than thunder and lightening over my head. After years of not eating beef and worshiping Kwun Yum, my mom finally knows Jesus is the only God and decided to follow Him. Because when no one else could help, God was there for her.

In one week, God saved the souls of two of my loved ones. I am still speechless, and cannot stop praising Him in awe. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you and your family will be saved.“ (Acts 16:31) This is a something that I have never thought would come true on me. But it did. I cannot remember a happier moment, other than the birth of my first child.  What better Christmas gift could I have asked for this year?