Articles from Three Wong Sisters
Articles from Three Wong Sisters
「我們卻羨慕一個更美的家鄉﹐就是在天上的。所以神被稱為我們的神並不以為恥﹐因為他已經給我們預備了一座城。」(來11﹕16)
我們敬愛的胡先生抵達了神所預備的那座城了。見到主耶穌﹐又見到老朋友﹐必快樂無比。
我是六歲參加喜樂堂主日學時﹐認識胡先生的。他給我最深的印象是他剪的髮型——平頭短髮﹐穿著中國長衫。那時他還是個單身漢。
中日戰亂﹐我和父母親舉家遷到內地﹐直到和平後返香港。婚後每主日仍到喜樂堂崇拜。那時外子王義超每禮拜二晚必定趕去喜樂堂的查經班。當時的主日崇拜﹐有背誦聖經一項。每次背一節﹐然後積少成多﹐到有一天全章提摩太後書二章背完﹐到如今我還記得呢﹗胡先生主張我們牢記神的話在心中﹐以防萬一沒有了聖經的時候﹐我們仍能站立得住。
有一次我上三樓找胡師母。我這個大頭蝦﹐失魂魚似的把胡先生書櫃的玻璃打破了﹐非常抱歉。但胡先生卻是微笑說﹕「明天我叫人來修理沒事。」這事令我很難忘卻他那慈祥的臉孔。
1965 年﹐我們移民美國﹐住在加州的聖巴巴拉市。外子開始作全時間的傳道人。正好胡先生也來我們家小住。他給我們許多勉勵﹐指示我們要注意的。這是神給我們的祝福。當胡先生要回香港了﹐我們捨不得他。他愛我們全家﹐我更要謝謝胡師母常常指示、提醒﹐對我日常生活的幫助。我常感謝神﹕我們愛﹐因為神先愛我們。
Mr. Woo was the spiritual mentor to three generations of our Wong Family. Our family has high respect for his spiritual knowledge and guidance. When we were in Hong Kong and later on in the United States, my grandpa Mr. Yan To Wong and my father Rev. John Y. Wong, often went to Mr. Woo for spiritual advice. Mrs. Woo was the mentor to my mom in all areas of life including healthcare-related matters, housekeeping, choosing the right school for children, methods of tutoring children, knitting sweaters, selecting maternity and children clothes.
In Hong Kong, my brother Daniel, sisters Esther, Grace and I came to know Mr. Woo in Hay Loc Church where we attended Sunday School. Esther and I were in the same Sunday School class with Chuen, the third son of Mr. and Mrs. Woo. In addition, Betty, Chuen, Daniel, Esther and I attended the same elementary school. Almost every day after school, we saw Mrs. Woo came to pick up the children. She and my mom talked happily. If Mrs. Woo was unable to come, Mr. Woo would come. Mr. Woo always appeared very gentle, serious and dignified.
Mr. Woo became our frequent honorable guest when my parents were serving in Santa Barbara. At the time, I was only in Junior High school. We enjoyed his stay with us because we learned so much from his sermons. The important lesson I learned from him was that in order to receive power from God, we must lead a pure and sinless life. He taught us to be very sensitive to the work of the Holy Spirit. I admired his preaching style. His voice was gentle but the words were effective and with deep meaning. He was often seen with his signature little black Bible even though the scriptures and sermon notes he referenced were already ingrained in his memory. His strength and power were coming from the Holy Spirit. Mr. Woo was also knowledgeable in many different non-Biblical subjects. He was a walking encyclopedia. We loved to go to places with him or just to chat with him because we could learn about things related to all walks of life.
The last time I saw Mr. and Mrs. Woo was at Biola University years ago. I spoke with Mr. Woo after he delivered a sermon. He looked at me with a good smile and I felt the warmth coming from a Godly grandfather.
Our family thanks God for our close relationship with Peter and Gloria. We praise God for their love and dedicated services to the Lord. May God continue to provide strength to Mrs. Woo and continue to bless the descendents of Mr. Woo to serve God as faithfully as he has.
I was in a oxymoron state of mind when I first heard of the news. It was sad because no more live preaching. It was joyful because Mr. Woo had just relocated from earth to heaven to be with the Lord. Nothing in the real estate world would ever come close to the wonderful mansion that the Lord has prepared for us.
I often compared his sermons to listening to classical music. Well, he was a genuine classical guy. I remember during one of the meetings the way he defined 'to be filled with the Holy Spirit' and captured the hearts of the congregation. Toward the end, many had a better understanding of the subject; a true classical encounter.
Peter, may the Lord continue to sustain you as channel of blessings to the unheard and unreached people.
To God be the Glory, Honor and Power.
Albert
Dr. Woo,
You may not remember me, but I'm Grace Wong, Reverend John Yee Chiu Wong's 4th daughter who lives in New York. I believe we had dinner together years ago in New York when you came to visit your daughter Celeste at NYU.
First, I want to express my condolences to you and your family. Your father is legendary in our family and we respect him very very much.
He spent some time in Santa Barbara in the 1960's when we lived there and I remember him breaking our stereotype of the "holy man" when he took out the garbage. I also had the distinct pleasure of going fishing with him on Stearn's Wharf, the pier in Santa Barbara. He was interested in fishing and I loved fishing, so my family dropped the two of us off at the pier and we fished for an afternoon.
He often preached without notes and his mind was always so clear. As a child, I don't remember much of what the sermons were about, but I remember the man--who took out garbage and went fishing with a little kid. I also remember him as someone who always honored God and appreciated holiness--not to win brownie points to go to heaven, but because God is holy.
May you find consolation in your loss. I am still processing my father's passing. Those moments come up in subtle ways--seeing ties I'd like to buy for him, but realize he's gone. And even though in the eternal frame of things, the separation is temporary, but sometimes temporary can feel like a long time. I miss my father. I'm sure your loss is deep. Your father was a remarkable man.
Sincerely,
Grace Wong, Ph.D.
我年幼時只知道胡先生是神所重用的僕人。小學下課時偶然會有機會見到他﹐在隔壁的禮堂門前的台階上﹐等著接女兒 Betty 和蔭全放學。他們姐弟兩人和我們三兄妹都在同一所學校念書。
在我成長的過程中﹐常有機會聽到家人神及胡先生的講道。尤其到了星期三傍晚﹐更見到家中的長輩們提早吃飯﹐然後趕往深水埔﹐去喜樂堂聽胡恩德先生主講的查經聚會﹐回家後又紛紛的討論著剛才所聽到的信息。
感謝神﹐讓我在中學時代就開始有機會個別的認識了胡先生。在六零年代他曾到美國來探望孩子﹐住在蔭磐兄處。那時我們真有福了﹐可以常有胡先生在我們家作客。有他在我們家我們就如得了一寶﹐有了個爺爺。蔭磐兄﹐謝謝你願意與我們分享你的父親。
記得有一次﹐我和父親一起到市中心的巴士站接胡先生。他從洛城乘灰狗巴士到聖巴巴拉鎮﹐來住在我們家。接到了胡先生回到家去﹐他一下車見到我媽媽就說﹕ 「王師母﹐你好﹗」那時我實在被他給我媽媽這個稱呼有點莫明其妙。我想﹕我們 稱胡先生的太太為胡師母是理所當然的。怎麼由胡先生來叫我媽媽「王師母」﹖我 最後的結論就是胡先生很會尊重別人。
胡先生是位長輩﹐又是一位屬靈的前輩﹐我十分敬佩他。他不但會尊重人﹐他所講的道﹐和他所行所作的﹐都反映出基督的樣式。故此我這個調皮搗蛋王﹐聯上一些同輩們﹐在胡先生的背後﹐給了他兩個綽別號﹕一個是「聖人」 (The Holy Man) ﹐另一個是「步行字典」(The Walking Dictionary) 。
其實「步行字典」這個別號還描寫不出胡先生在知識上的博學。他該稱為「步行百科全書」(Walking Encyclopedia) 。我們喜歡有什麼問題﹐就找胡先生問。沒有一個問題他不能回答的。傍晚吃過晚飯﹐往天一看﹐胡先生就給我們講解天文學﹐屬靈的事更不用說了。
胡先生不論講道也好﹐查經也好﹐他從不借題發揮他的言論。他講的就是聖經﹐論的就是神的話。他更不藉站在講臺上的良機把信徒罵一番。他的信息往往都帶出苦口婆心的語氣﹐勸導我們要愛主﹐要渴慕更認識他﹐跟隨他﹐討他歡喜……
我記得胡先生愛點唱的一首詩歌﹐是「全無隔膜」(Nothing Between)﹕
全無隔膜﹐我靈與主相親。世界迷夢﹐靠主已看破。 我已離開眾罪惡的享樂﹐耶穌屬我﹐完全無隔膜。
全無隔膜﹐我靈與主相親。我見主面﹐心何等快樂。
無事能攔阻主所賜的恩寵。儆醒禱告﹐完全無隔膜。
全無隔膜﹐世界享樂撇下。生活習慣﹐雖不為罪過﹐
我寧舌棄﹐免與我主分離﹐主為一切﹐完全無隔膜。
全無隔膜﹐雖然多受試煉﹐縱全世界都來攻擊我﹐
儆醒禱告﹐捨己背十字架﹐終必得勝﹐完全無隔膜。 (青聖 I -78)
胡先生已在主懷安息﹐他一生留下給我們的榜樣﹐就是要過一個榮耀神的人生﹐過聖潔的生活﹐與主親近﹐使別人從我們身上得認識這位造我的主。但願我以後的一生也能活得像胡先生一樣﹐與主的關係是全無隔膜﹐正如詩歌所描述的。有一天我會在天上見到胡先生﹐他會告訴我﹐「我見主面心何等快樂」主會對他說﹕「你已經榮耀我了。」
主內義超弟兄及太太﹕
久沒相晤了﹐現今更不知何日有這機會﹔不過我們有大團聚﹐是在主來時。十分謝謝 $100 美元生辰贈禮。蔭磐代收了又告訴我們。遙想曾在 Santa Barbara 一起的日子﹐猶有回味之處﹐主恩於時沛降﹐實在感謝他﹗轉眼三十載﹐各自領受許多天福﹐現在餘下若干年日﹐認為是主恩恤﹐好叫我們認真追求﹐達到主所期望於我們的。若有追求﹐必能得著﹔因為 “神既不愛惜自己的兒子﹐為我們眾人捨了﹐豈不也把萬物和他一同白白的賜給我們麼﹖﹗”(羅8﹕32)。“你們祈求就必得著”﹐這應許非常肯定而真確。即便我們自問欠負主﹐還可放膽相信主必恩賜我們追求的人。主的血常在神面前為我們說話﹐我們恆常是稱義而蒙悅的﹐在這基礎上站立﹐我們真有福﹐可以儘量向父祈求而且得著。 此祝
主內平安﹗
祈代後慶元、騰香、囿香等為謝﹗
愚 胡恩德上。 五月杪。
(時維 1997 年﹐胡先生正 90 歲生辰)