YVONNE’S LETTER TO HER LOVING FATHER
By Yvonne Lai
Translated by: Agnes K Y Tai
Dear Father,
How many times have I picked this pen up wanting to inform you, father, and yet couldn’t put even one word down, being too perturbed that it will hurt your feelings! How amazing! How God has moved me to accept Paul, and following that, He moved Samuelle (younger sister of Yvonne) in the same way to agree to our marriage. I would believe, father, you will no longer object to our marriage?!
Paul is presently a missionary of the Christian & Missionary Alliance Hebron Church in Hong Kong, serving in Ottawa, the capital city of Canada, where English and French are both used. He works on thefrontier establishing churches for the Chinese people for amonthly pay of 400 Canadian dollars. He was introduced by Pastor Philip Teng to Hebron for missionary work. Father, truly I don’t know how to explain this to you, but all I hope is that you will joyfully agree and approve of us, or else I fear I may become quite dejected and also worried!
In the Western world, a preacher doing holy work is a vocation normally more highly regarded by people in general, the salary also being higher than in SoutheastAsia. Hence, there is no need for you to worry about our livelihood, and I can get a job as well! I don’t like living in Paris where everyday everyone works like a ‘donkey’from morning till night — (in Chiuchow dialect ‘donkey’means working extremely hard non-stop daily till late). I was thinking that it is difficult for those who have never personally experienced it to understand what living in a big city is like. So often I whole-heartedly thank and praise the Lord for you father, for your life in Phnom Penh is truly under the Grace of God and filled with God’s blessings; you don’t have to work as hard as the people here. Last Sunday I said to Mrs. Chan that although the weakness of her physique is so evident, yet she keeps on laboring so hard each day. I was so saddenedfor her. She answered me with a weary smile, “In this big town the living standard is high and everybody works like this, don’t you do the same?”
Last week I went to Paris for exams and had a chance to stay for a week with Samuelle. She said to me, “I’m so much happier while you are here!” So many times Samuelle confided to me that she wanted to stop working as a nanny for others, as she suffered much wrong. I often said to her, “God will prepare what you need, just stop then! Don’t let work affect your spirit.” I hope I can continue to help Samuelle with her living expenses here, so she might be able to finish her studies at ease, for I understand very well that it is difficult for a working student to succeed in her studies. Although my own intellect is only so-so, I continue to thank God all the time. I ask God only to give me a pure, clean heart so that I may always live in the Lord’s love. Living for the Lord with a pure heart is good enough, don’t you agree? I very much wish that you will not be angry with me when you receive this letter, but rather that you understand me and guide me, or else I may become so fretful, for I have always been a good and very obedient child! I am also a good girl who loves you, father, the most.
Madame Blah (mother of Rev ? wife’s godmother) is still bed-ridden in illness, and every night I’m sleeping right next to her bed so that when she needs anything at anytime I get up to serve her. That’s why I said I am busy from morning until late with her and caring for her. She said I am her super-capable servant, providing nursing, cooking, and doing household chores… that’s why I have not rested since the exams are finished. I’m a little tired, yet body and spirit are quite fine, so please don’t worry! I’ll be going to Paris to see Samuelle this coming Saturday again. We are so happy when we meet up!
The writing is done, and I’ll now be rushing out to post this letter – please give my regards to Uncle and Shalom to our relatives.
Daughter Yvonne June 10, 1973