Dear Rowena:
謝謝妳，在我們全家的屬靈生命中，成為我們最大的推手；謝謝你帶Canndy 信主，接著Trudie及我也跟著受洗了；謝謝你，帶我參加太原的短宣隊，在短宣中蒙神呼召，後來，也因為你，我開始接受神學裝備，從實習傳道，到宣教師到牧師，一路走來，都是因著你的陪伴及鼓勵，我才能好好的服事，感謝主！讓你在我的生命中出現，謝謝你無私的付出，愛心的呵護；當你傳給我開始接受化療的照片時，我以為你很快可以完全的康復，沒想到神要你息了地上的工，好好安息，相信你已在主懹中，我們定會再見！想你！愛你的Cathy．

It is hard to recount the memories of a person that I’ve known and served together for so long.  It does not seem real that Rowena is no longer with us.  She has lived a beautiful and fruitful life. We know that she is in a better place with our loving heavenly Father.  God has called her home and she gets to see Jesus whom she loved and served faithfully.  

I remember Rowena showing care and love for people of all ages from little children to the elderlies.  When I met her thirty some years ago, she was involved with the Child Evangelism Fellowship holding meetings in her home and at church. Later she became the secretary/administrator for our church for several years.  She had the gift of administration and a heart for people.  The church was blessed and enriched by her hard work and ministry.  Anyone who had a need knew whom to call.

Rowena’s heart was always in missions and evangelism. She was very committed to share the good news of salvation with people both near and afar.  Our church often attracted visiting scholars from China.  There was one couple in particular who came to know the Lord and later returned to China. The husband was the director of the Pomology (fruit) institute in their province.  He was indebted to our hospitality and, not to mention, the salvation that he had received.  To show his gratitude, in 2006 he invited some members of our church to spend a week at the institute.  Rowena saw this as an opportunity for cultural exchange and sharing the love of Christ.  She went with the Mandarin Pastor and three other church members.  On this trip, she met an elementary school teacher at the institute and also her brother who was a high school principal.  Upon returning from the trip, she immediately recruited a team for the following year and planned for a full program that included a children's Vacation Bible School, English classes, and special topic presentations at the institute.  For the next 10 years she organized one and sometimes two teams to return to China. Her work expanded to two high schools and two churches.  She recruited and trained over 40 church members ranging from high school to retirees and from English, Mandarin and Cantonese congregations.  She was a relationship builder bridging people from different  ages, languages, and geographic locations.  I had the privilege serving together with her on multiple teams.  I was amazed by her leadership, unwavering commitment and endless energy in serving others and witnessing to others the love and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Rowena never stopped working.  She retired from her job in December, 2019 and had a brief retirement break.  I say brief because after a couple weeks into her retirement, she went to Taiwan and started her full time volunteer work at the Christian retreat/training center.  I wished she would have stayed in Davis longer, but she obediently followed God’s calling to her next destination.  Next time I saw her was in June this year.  Guess where?  At church, as usual, busy reaching out to the parents of whose children were attending Vacation Bible School.  

Sandra and I visited her in October at her home.  When we were preparing to take her on a stroll on the greenbelt, she insisted that we take some Chinese gospel tracts with us because she had seen a Chinese couple in the playground with their grandchildren and would like to give them gospel tracts.  If you look closely at this photo, you would see some tracks in my shirt pocket.  Her commitment to share the gospel never wavered.

In her last days she was extremely thankful for the people who took care of her yet always thinking of others. Even in her illness she was shedding tears for others, not for herself. She is now with the Lord.  Her salvation is secure in our Lord Jesus Christ.  She was confident that Jesus loved her and her life demonstrated her love for the Lord in return.  I am going to miss her humbleness and kind love.


1 John 4:18  There is no fear in love.  But perfect love drives out fear

Colossians 3:1-4  Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Colossians 3:23-24  Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.

Rest in Peace

Rowena 姊妹回到了天家，回忆她辛勤做主工往事，仿佛她在新天新地向我们招手微笑，就像她平时在教会和大家打招呼一样。

因着 Roy 和 Rowena 的友善和平易近人，来到戴维斯村后，在DCCC（戴维斯华人基督教会）神的大家里， 有幸常常蒙受 Roy 和 Rowena 的关爱， 享受Rowena 的厨艺和美食， 聆听欣赏Roy的美妙歌声，喜乐甘甜令人回味无穷。 加上和这对夫妇一起在DCCC同工往事，点点滴滴在我有限的记忆里留下了值得数算和感恩的甜美记忆，其中之一是Rowena姊妹总策划指挥的感恩节爱宴的准备。那些年 Rowena 全职作DCCC秘书，每年的感恩节晚宴，那丰盛温馨充满神爱，是过往近30年留给我印象最深刻的。我参加的是炸薯片的 team，在谢东明弟兄（谢弟兄也回了天家）带领下，每年一起在当时谢弟兄开的Orange Hunt 餐厅炸薯片，是我们小 team 的年度传统节目，并坚持了数年。弟兄姊妹分工合作流水作业，三四个小时围着滚烫的油锅不停操作，金灿灿的薯片承载着神的祝福和弟兄姊妹的爱心，在感恩节的晚宴上总是最枪手的美食之一。

DCCC 中学生团契是个非常蒙福的团契。记得是1999年，团契一年一度的夏日露营是在BIG TREE STATE PARK，那次露营也是我们家长们同走天路历程的一个里程碑（今年DCCC国语Summer Camp去同个地方）。做父母的都是最好的后勤工，小心安全把Youth们载去载回，Rowena 最会准备美食。白天Youth Group出去活动，家长们坐在大遮阳棚下交流分享。Roy和Rowena都有分享，虽然内容模糊了，但场景历历在目，难以忘怀。中学生团契的另一个一年一度传统节目 – 《感恩父母之晚》是又一个神赐给我们家长们共同享受过的最美好时光，总共六-七年里，只有这个傍晚， 闲不住的Rowena没有机会插手任何事， 只能静待享受。这个晚宴上中学生孩子们的贴心服侍深深感动每一位家长。晚宴厅是孩子们精心布置过的，孩子们带着纯真的微笑，热情礼貌地把每一对家长带到预先标记好的座位前。父母读着自己孩子发自内心的感恩卡上话语，听孩子们台上感恩分享，台下家长们眼睛模糊了。中学生讽刺家长，家长讽刺中学生，以及给高三大哥哥大姐姐送行是保留节目。记得有一年 Roy 表演了讽刺Youth赖床和痴迷电子游戏的节目。

有一年，David 还在UCD读书，农历新年，Rowena 预备了丰盛的年夜饭，特别邀请Auntie Susie 和 Lilian 两位年长单身姊妹以及David 的几位同学， 还有我和希恩一起享用。我们得以在美好交谈里了解两位年长姊妹更多，回想起来才明白，那就是神爱的同在。在后来的年日里，我们多次在Roy 和 Rowena 家一起包饺子，一起聊天，数算神的恩典。 饭后， Roy 弹吉他伴奏，我们一起唱圣诗赞美神，何等的美，何等的善！

Rowena 照顾关怀过无数年长者，特别是Auntie Ming 和Auntie Stella 两单身老姊妹。她待Auntie Ming 和 Auntie Stella 如同自己的至亲，Rowena 如同她们的女儿， 她送走了Auntie Ming 去天家，接下来，坚持数年精心安排料理将近90岁的的 Auntie Stella 的一切生活起居。Auntie Stella 90岁生日那天，Rowena 为老姊妹筹办了充满神爱的庆祝晚宴，她邀请了20多位主内弟兄姊妹还有帮助过 Stella 的 George 夫妇，并在美食制作烹饪上大显身手，明华姊妹还带去了会唱歌的生日蜡烛。因着耶稣，Auntie Ming 和 Stella 晚年没有儿女却胜过有儿女的。

当神把中国的门打开时，作为组织和参与者之一，Rowena 连续数年去山西太谷短宣。把福音和爱带去哪里， 特别是给青少年。无数的挑战，有政治的，经济的，工作的（长假安排），文化的， 健康的（团队在那里患拉肚子是常事儿）她们都靠殷切的祷告一个一个克服化解。短宣队员们也蒙了神的大爱和奖赏，其中有队员还收获了爱情。2008年北京奥运会那年，我特意买了电影 Chariots of Fire 的 DVD（就是关于出生于中国的Eric Liddell那位奥运短跑金牌获得者基督徒的故事）请Rowena 带去给青年看。Rowena 认真把传福音当作神给自己的托付，退休前，她最长的假大都用在短宣传福音上，退休后更是专心投入为神国抢救灵魂。

Rowena 被神以最温柔的手带回天家，她带着属天平安，像是对我们说 “那美 好 的 仗 我 已 经 打 过 了 ， 当 跑 的 路 我 已 经 跑 尽 了 ， 所 信 的 道 我 已 经 守 住 了 。 8从 此 以 後 ， 有 公 义 的 冠 冕 为 我 存 留 ， 就 是 按 着 公 义 审 判 的 主 到 了 那 日 要 赐 给 我 的 ； 不 但 赐 给 我 ， 也 赐 给 凡 爱 慕 他 显 现 的 人 。”

Back in 1984 few of us "nursing moms" gathered together at Rowena's home on Hermosa, where her family shared a duplex with Roy's parents. David and Jonathan grew up together, got saved the same day at Rowena's Kid's Club when they were 8-year-old, and were each other's best man. A few days before Jonathan's wedding, he asked me to do one thing for him: "mom, could you please make sure auntie Rowena is in the sanctuary, not in the kitchen, during my wedding? I like to share the joy of my wedding day with her, and I like her to be there."  

Another memory that stands out, was during that time, there was some kind of gathering one day at her home, for a slide show, and Diane was sitting on Roy's laps, in charge of the clipping-control. There was a glitch then a short pause, then we heard Diane's announcement, loud and clear, in Chinese "如果你不知道的话不要叫我按!" (Don't tell me to press it if you are not sure!) Everyone was speechless, and Roy was like "wow...ok...". 

And it came to pass, as our children grew up and we were busy about our lives, those "mother-hen" Wednesday morning small group gatherings became distant memories, I was sad when heard about her plight and needed to wait a few weeks before actually went see her, because I wasn't confident that I could hold back my tears. Yet I failed, she was a lot calmer than me! She has a place to go, her love for her Maker is deep and she knows she is loved by Him, and He has a place for her in His home.

I believe she is very happy now, being with Jesus. What a home to go back to! After her home-going, as I scrolled down our short WeChat strings I saw the last words she typed herself, to me, was "see you", on that afternoon I went visit her on Sept.7.

How true! Yes she will see me! And I look forward to seeing her. 

A few steps behind her standing on the cliff, just a leap to the eternity, when the time comes and my to-day does not lead to another to-morrow, I will see my dearest friend in my Father's House. See you later Rowena my dear friend.