On December 30th my dad had a brain bleed and was taken to ER. They gave him an MRI, saw that he had a blood clot and he had brain surgery that same day. He was in ICU for 17 days at St Mary’s.
Wed December 30, 2015
What a shock when I was ready to enter into the morning session Urbana on Dec 30 and I received a text from Verna saying that pop was vomiting and had the runs, couldn’t move and didn’t want mom to call 911. Then I heard my cousin Matt called and got mom to call 911 and pop was taken to ER. I saw Brennan and Dani E and told them what happened and they prayed with me for pop. God also provided Craig to come down to the hospital. God was graciously providing`Ohana when I couldn’t be there. Then I got the text that it was a brain bleed and that he was going to have brain surgery as we were anticipating an invitation for many to come into the kingdom that morning at Urbana. All I could do is trust Jesus and pray. That was a crazy morning cuz I also got called out to a prayer ministry emergency and had to leave the session early to pray for a woman who was sexually assaulted. Yet God gave me perfect peace. There were many new believers that morning as I was in my crisis prayer ministry and asking people to pray for my dad.
Friday Jan 1, 2016
I hosted 20 students from IV Hawaii and Urbana in Sf for 5 days and we all arrived in SF at various times on Jan 1. Late that night after all the students were settled in at Grace Fellowship, Moani, Keoki and I went to St Mary’s after visiting hours around 8:30pm. After trying to figure out how to enter since all the doors were locked, we found a way to enter through the parking garage. I’m so thankful that Moani and Keoki were with me in my first visit that night. We were so glad to see pop and share with him how much we love him and were praying for him. It was Keoki’s first time meeting pop. We held pop’s hands, talked with him and prayed. I was so thankful that they got to visit often until they left on January 8th.
Sat Jan 2, 2016
The next day God provided through our friend Lance at Grace Fellowship, a double decker bus to take the students and staff to the Golden Gate Bridge. That freed me to be with mom and pop for the whole day. I took mom to the hospital that morning. I met Pat, his nurse who was an IV alumni with Nurses Christian Fellowship. Her mentor was Lynn who I just saw at Urbana and she was present at Mary Taylor’s wedding. Craig and Tina not only went with our students by bus to Fisherman’s wharf to catch the double decker bus, they came right after to the hospital to visit pop. Then they took mom and I to a Vietnamese restaurant to eat lunch and mom got to share her testimony with them. Tina told pop we were going to do a vegan diet and she thought he laughed. Angela and Christine drove all the way up from San Jose to visit pop. Lance came with Geoffrey and Kristen, pop’s first two grandkids. They visited pop before Geoffrey left for Colorado. Then Lance took mom and I along with Geoffrey and Kristen out to dinner at a yummy hot pot restaurant. Pop was very responsive and squeezed our hands tightly and when I asked if he knew that I came last the night before with Moani and Keoki, he squeezed my hand. Colleen, Doug and Shirley came.
Sun Jan 3, 2016
Mom gave me $ when I got to SF and said that pop wanted to treat the IV Hawaii group to a meal in SF, so pop treated our group to lunch in the mission district on Sunday. It was after a wonderful time of worship at Grace Fellowship sunday with the IV Hawaii gang bringing Holy Spirit Fiyah during the prayer hour. Moani, Keoki, Brennan and I went to visit pop in the afternoon. When we arrived there was a big group of Cumberland people that came to visit pop. They were the ones who came to pop and mom’s house for Christmas caroling. When we went into pop’s room, he had his breathing tube out. I was shocked and he looked great. It was a beautiful time of prayer, and Keoki had his ukulele and we sang “There’s something about that name” with other songs. At the end of the song, pop motioned like he was clapping his hands. Verna was there and her friend Jennifer who is a nurse came that day and often to check on pop.
I didn’t get to visit pop on Jan 4th cuz I took the students down to Fisherman’s wharf and we had our Polynesian feast that evening.
Jan 5-13: Over the next nine days, I went every day with mom to visit pop. Other highlights included another time of worship with Keoki playing the ukulele and we sang Majesty, O Oe Io and other songs and pop seemed to be moving his hand a lot like he was enjoying the beat and really enjoyed the music. Ronnie came often after work. Paul Hom was having his PT appt and came up to visit pop. Pauline and Ron came with their family. Verna brought Kelly Jo. Margie came with the girls to visit and Alice lee came. One day 4 pastors came, Bruce and Lisa, Lawrence Fung and two others. Elaine and Jimmy Joe, Beverly Wong came and many others.
It was hard to see pop lying in ICU over these last 14 days. His lifeless body seemed so helpless as he was unable to speak and share his mind and heart. I didn’t like seeing his hands tied to the bed so that he wouldn’t pull out his tubes. I didn’t like seeing the breathing tube in his mouth and the feeding tube in his nose. Pop was created for more than this. Daily it was so precious to hold his hand and feel the tight squeeze of love whenever I was there. Though we were not certain then about the effects of the stroke, we felt confident and certain that pop was able to hear us and receive our words, love and presence.
When Amber said in Chinese we all love Jesus, pop got really excited and slapped his hands. We sang there’s something about that name and O Oe Io.
God gave me the most precious time of of inner healing and deliverance with pop the first time I was alone in the room with him. I told pop how much I appreciated him in my life all these 60 years. Pop always supported me and were an example to me of a man of faith, especially in the last years when he couldn’t see. What a privilege to pray over his whole life, the places of pain and the challenges he faced as a young school boy when he came to SF as an immigrant and then when he went back to China and got mom as his bride. I got to pray for his healing of family tragedies and confess the sins of our ancestors and also let pop know that he is forgiven in Jesus name. Releasing negative things and receiving positive things from God. It was a beautiful time of inner healing and deliverance.
Pop was fidgeting around so much and wanted to pull his covers off all the time. Every day it seemed like he got weaker and weaker. And then on Jan 14th, I tried to see what pop’s comprehension was… asking him if pop knew I was there and then if he wanted to go to heaven, to 31st Ave or to stay at the hospital and pop couldn’t respond. And when I asked pop if he loved Jesus or if you loved mom, he couldn’t respond.
God gave pop such a wonderful team of doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists who cared for him so well. God gave him a hospital that was so pleasant… taking the elevator up to 220, walking in without calling the nurses cuz I am family.
So amazing and it was wild that when pop was in ICU I preached at Damon Au’s church and saw Frances Joe and Phyllis and Cons. And Frances said “your dad was the dad that everyone wanted”.
On Jan 13, The day I visited alone without mom, I told a woman doctor that we had limited code because of pop’s medical directives. She was a Christian and arranged for our family meeting the following day.
I never expected that pop would become so weak… but it was so special to have him hold my hand and squeeze it, and his squeeze was so strong.
thursday Jan 14, 2016
It was special that David Alvarez got to come in and pray for pop after we had lunch together and before our family meeting. As soon as David started praying, he sensed God was saying “James, come home, come home” and pop answered ” I’m coming”. What a beautiful call from our heavenly father.
Lance and Suzanne played Suzanne’s new CD for pop. It was mellow reflective music and she dedicated the CD to pop.
God gave us the right doctor for the family meeting that afternoon. We never saw him before or after that meeting. He knew how to ask each of us to share what we saw happening with pop and he was a Christian. After listening to all of us, he told us that from his observations and experience, pop’s brain condition was irreversible. It was a miracle that he shared the word “irreversible” which Mary Taylor says is not something that doctors feel free to say. But in pop’s medial directives he made it clear that he didn’t want to be in kept alive by machines if his condition was irreversible, “so we bless you and let go so you can go to your father’s arms… no more suffering and pain, not more tubes and needles, we release you to be in the Father’s presence, whole and complete. You will be feasting at the table of the Lord and we will join you when our days are done.
I’m gonna miss you when you’re gone. I already feel the emptiness of this house without you. It’s so quiet. The TV, radio and computer isn’t on. You were always in touch with all the news around the world and every issue that was happening. You and mom listened to Christian sermons from the internet… Bluewater, New Hope, Cumberland and so many others. You always watched the news and knew what was happening. You and mom were always talking to each other and you began the day in prayer together and ended the day in prayer together.
I’ll miss your interest and questions about all that happening with me and InterVarsity, your ponderings about the newest strategies of life. Your interest about all that my friends are up to. I will miss you eating your dinner in your bowl and your love of steaks. Our family dinner will never be the same without you. Your chair at the table will be empty and we will remember your presence. How amazing that at 87 you did not lose any of your cognition. You had a great memory and you were always trying to learn”.
We contacted the relatives and close friends and told them to visit Friday Jan 15 and possibly Sat but we didn’t know how long pop would be with us.
That night the doctor called us and told us that pop had a blood clot in his leg and asked if we wanted surgery. Mom and I agreed to not do that.
Jan 15, 2016
As I began this day, I prayed, “Jesus, I release pop to you for your full healing in Jesus name. I know lance isn’t there yet. Give him special revelation and comfort. We pray for unity in Jesus name.
I don’t know what today holds but I know God, you hold our future…”
God gave us the most amazing and awesome day with pop in his last day at ICU. Thank you Jesus for each person that we got to see and each amazing way that you worked.
When mom and I first got here, two uncles from the China came who wanted to pay their last respects to pop. They didn’t stay long and I heard they didn’t say much. It clearly shows the difference from those who have hope and those who don’t know Jesus.
Thanks God for bringing Paul Hom & Debbie Au here at the same time and in your planning they left together and Debbie took Paul out to lunch. Debbie was interested to only pray for miracles and even resurrection from the dead but not releasing people into heaven. And then she asked if pop was ready for heaven.
A sacred moment was when I asked pop if he was ready for heaven and he raised his arms up and then I said ready to praise Jesus and say hallelujah, and he kept his arms up in the posture of praise. Just then Pauline, Ron and Jr came in and witnessed that. Then we asked pop again, “are you ready for heaven?” and then he raised his hands up to the heavens again!
Pauline said she remembered pop taking her to her first Sunday school class at church. So many of the relatives came in and said “uncle James, if it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t know Jesus” Then I reflected on how pop was the first Christian who came to know Jesus and when I was born there was no one that was a Christian and now everyone knows Jesus, Emmanuel fellowship and even the second generation and now the third generation. We are here spiritually because of the commitment of the prayers of those who have gone before us.
It was great to see Jr who I haven’t seen n ages and he looks exactly the same, but has four children with the youngest being 15.
Thanks abba for all those who comer by today. Thanks for bringing Matt and Jeanette and Emilio and Doreen and Wing and Elaine and Bruce and even that Brandon called. I see that my dad was the ringleader of the relative clan and all the nieces and nephews were touched by his life.
Then the big miracle of the day. When lance finally got here and we (including Ronnie and Suzanne) met with all the doctors, God moved in lance and Suzanne’s heart to be ready for pop’s departure, that everything changed because of the blood clot in the artery. They were ready to send pop into comfort care and Lance asked us all what we thought. I see you God raising him up as a leader now that pop will be going to heaven, Lance is standing up in more ways. Thanks for the way that he led and said lets have everyone gather in the room and worship and prayer so they can leave if they want. Lance asked Matthew to bring his guitar and possibly got inspired by Keoki. Thanks God for that special time of prayer where we were able to thank and appreciate pop and commit pop to you and also that we were able to grieve and let him go.
Thanks God that Shirley and `Ohana came and her mom got to pray the very special prayer over him in Chinese and even Justine was said and Jameson and Doug also came. How beautiful that the whole family came to say good bye. And it was so precious when Shirley thanked pop and said say hi to my dad. So many of pop’s friends are in heaven… Warren & muelin, Neil, Paul, smith Jang, Peter and Vivian, Raymond Wai…. Thanks that Judy and her husband came and after joking w pop she was really sad to say goodbye to him. There were so many people from cumberland that came to spend time with pop.
It was so special to share time with Rev Chan. He met pop when he began Cumberland and they’ve known each other for 50 years and it was a grand finali that Rev Chan got to share what he was trying to do in china in the next ten years not just save China but transform China. How amazing that when they gave 100 water pumps to one poor village in China, then 90% of the people became Christians. Thank you for his vision that after 22 years at Cumberland then he went 22 years with agape and now he sees the next 22 years to share the love of Jesus. Thanks for the cross he gave pop to wear on the day of his burial. partnering with rev chan till death and beyond. thanks that Craig and Tina came late and Craig got to jump in with the entrepreneurs like rev chan and Lance. All those years that I had a negative view of rev chan because of bob and now I see his heart, his vision and his capacity and heart for Jesus and the kingdom.
When Rev Chan and mom and Verna left, they took pop off the breathing machine. When Craig, Tina and I came in, pop seemed like he was breathing so peacefully, his arms together and comfortable. Lance and Suzanne came back in to see him and then they left and Tina and Craig left before midnight.
It was special to google hang out with Moani, Keoki and Moani’s dad and have them thank pop and pray for him over the phone.
Then pop got moved upstairs around 3am. room 746 is so different, so peaceful and quiet.
“now pop and I are spending our last night together. It’s interesting that I can’t remember too many memories between him and I when I was a child or teen, though he did take us to the park and to mt hermon.
pop, you were always a leader, taking us to Washington park, church, mt hermon, leading the relatives into the kingdom, being the strong one that everyone depended on. Thank you. your breathing is more shallow, your legs are cold and your body is slowly shutting down.”
what a precious time of playing all of my favorite worship songs with pop. I started with good, good father and thanked pop for being a good, good father to me and all of us. And thanking him for his love for me, that’s who I am. I played It is well – bethel, Thank you with ray boltz and that I was able to thank pop for all that he did, teaching sunday school, giving to mission’s, always being someone who was excited about the next generation and young people growing in their faith. I got to play soon and very soon, my tribute, Holy Spirit Fiyah and other songs and what a precious time of worship and prayer with pop.
I started praying and releasing pop to heaven and eternity, but then I noticed that he kept breathing, so I went back to my chair and tried to snooze.
Jan 16, 2016
Thanks lord for a beautiful night with pop and now it’s 8am and a new day is here.
Thank you Lord for all those that have been so faithful in supporting us, loving us and praying for us! I took some time to send some texts and emails to those that were praying for pop and all of us.
As the nurses came in to do their work with pop, I noticed that his breathing was deep and loud snoring like when the breathing tube first was removed. So I texted Lance and Verna and asked them if either of them wanted to spend the night with pop if he was still here. Lance responded and said that he was glad to spend the night.
A little after 9am some visitors arrived to visit pop. It was Joanne and her son Vincent. She knew pop for 35 years and she shared that pop was always so kind to her three boys as they were growing up. She was part of the Chinese congregation of Cumberland. I told her that though pop was sleeping (we could hear him snoring away), he was able to hear everything that we shared with him so she could speak freely and by faith pop would hear whatever she wanted to say.
We stood next to pop’s bed and Joanne said “Hi James, this is Joanne”. As she said that pop gave a loud snort and I said “wow Joanne, my dad is really happy that you’re here.” As she continued to talk, I noticed that I didn’t hear anymore snoring. That was odd to me so I waved my hand a few times over his nose and mouth to see if I could feel any air coming out of him. After doing that for a few times and not really feeling any air, I said “Joanne, I don’t feel any air. I think my dad just went to heaven”. We couldn’t believe it and she checked to see if she could feel any air coming out of his mouth. We were all so surprised cuz it happened so suddenly. One of my favorite songs “It is well – bethel style” was playing as pop went from earth to heaven. The next song after that on Pandora was Oceans which talks about how our faith takes us deeper.
Then I said ” Joanne, my dad didn’t want to go to heaven and leave me alone in the night and he was waiting till someone was able to be with me before he left this earth to be with Jesus. As soon as he heard you were here J0anne, he immediately felt free to leave this earth and be in Jesus’ presence.” What precious daddy love. My friend Frances Joe said my dad loved me to the end.
I texted Lance and Verna and told them that pop went to heaven.
I send out some texts and email updates to share this good new with those who had been praying for us. I called Sharon Huey to let her know.
So we have this amazing and funny story of pop’s last breath on earth before he departed to heaven. I believe it was pop’s time to be with Jesus when he began his shallow breathing and somehow he held on or told Jesus that he didn’t want to leave me alone when he went to be with Jesus. So when Joanne and Vincent, the first visitors of the day came, Pop took his last loud breath and entered heaven. That was about 9:15am that morning.
After the doctor came in and listened to his heart and pronounced his death officially at 9:35am, I got some more visitors.
My mom’s brother and family came in and I told them that pop just went to heaven. In God’s amazing timing, He knew that Joanne was the mature Christian woman that was supposed to be there for pop’s homecoming. My relatives who were not Christians would surely have been “freaked out” if when they arrived and talked with pop, he died
Then Mrs Wai and Alice and Daniel came to visit and I told them that pop just went to heaven. Mrs Wai was able to witness to my relatives and then pray in Chinese.
As they were leaving, Lance arrived. Then Verna came and we cried together. Lance told us that on the way down, God gave him a vision. He saw pop in glory and pop said “everything will be all right. It’s really nice up here. I’m going to go look for my friends.” That is especially beautiful because during my dad’s last years he was blind and now he can see and look for his friends in heaven!
Shortly after that, the hospital chaplin Linda came in and she prayed from the book of common prayer.
Before we left pop’s body, God gave Lance, Verna and I a beautiful time of prayer and thanksgiving together to honor pop as his three children. We thanked God and thanked pop for the ways that he loved us.
Then we left to go to mom’s house to have lunch together and Suzanne and Ronnie joined us there to have our first meal together as a family with pop in heaven.
Mahalo pop for all the ways that you have loved me and poured into my life. Mahalo for the ways that you have been so supportive and encouraging to me! You have loved us, provided for us and led the way for us to know Jesus. You came to this country and went through the pain and hardship of being an immigrant boy rejected in school because of your eyesight and being new to America. You worked as a bus boy to support our family and God led you into His kingdom through Wilfred Hsu and you led us all to Cumberland where each of us made our own decisions to commit our lives to Jesus.
You struggled with your sight but you didn’t complain and continued to trust God and be faithful to love and serve him. One great gift I have is that I got to spend so many days and nights in your home as an adult because I was living in Hawaii. It was so precious to see you and mom pray together every single night and every time I left for Hawaii you and mom prayed for me and sent me off your love and blessing.
A few days ago, Lance sent me your video of when affirmed my ordination and blessed me as a pastor. What every child longs for, his father’s blessing and affirmation of my life calling and ministry.
You always showed interest in my friends whether it was the friends I had in Cumberland that you always welcomed into your home,to the may IV students in SF and in hawaii you always welcomed into your home and life. You didn’t mind the last Urbana gang, over 30 people in your living room sharing about all that God has done. Even when you were in the hospital, you gave me money for the students from Hawaii to have a meal.
You sowed into my life and I thank you for all the ways you’ve been generous.
You took us to Mt Hermon for so many years and Ronnie Fong says that because of that he started taking his family to Mt Hermon. You always valued family and wanted us to be close.
I am thankful for all the vacations that I got to share with you…. Epcot and the cruise to the Bahamas, Canada and Baniff, China visiting your village, Grand Canyon and all of your trips to Hawaii.
Maybe one of the reasons, its not so hard to send you to Jesus is that I feel that my life with you has been so full. I had countless times of talking with you about all types of topics and you always shared freely with every friend that came into this home.
what I shared in Facebook to honor my dad
“Thank you Jesus for the most amazing pop for almost 61 years! I am honored to be part of your legacy of unfailing commitment to Jesus, generosity of love and hospitality, dedication to family and church, fruitfulness in evangelism and discipleship, creativity, faith, wisdom and humor and hundreds of lives that are forever touched and changed by you! Thank you for always loving me, supporting me and believing in me! A hui hou… till we meet in Jesus presence! So thankful you are whole and celebrating with Jesus and with so many of your loved ones. I love you and thank you for loving me till the end! Thank you Jesus for the miraculous last day with pop in icu with family and friends and the intimate and special night I had with you as I was worshipping, sharing my heart with you and God and reflecting on God’s goodness to me and all of us through you! Honored to be your daughter! Thanks everyone for all your love, words of comfort and encouragement and prayers! We all feel the supernatural presence and leading of God through your prayers! Pop’s celebration of life will be in the afternoon of Jan 30!”
