Kindly, Warm, Real
Detailed, Accurate, Broad
In the past, seeing Brother Wu from afar, I felt he was tall and big and did not smile readily, and I thought he was hard to approach. In 2008 I attended the training for the middle-aged, and after graduating I served in the scholars' gospel work; often having the opportunity to be near the brother at close range, I found him truly kindly, warm, and real.
Once we went to Japan to coordinate in a perfecting training, and Brother Wu, having just recovered from a serious illness, also hurried over to strengthen it. That day he arrived at the Tokyo airport early in the morning, yet was unwilling to go to his lodging first to rest. He insisted on waiting at the airport until he had received every one of those coming from America; when we saw his figure in the bustling crowd, we immediately felt strengthened and secure.
In 2014, at the students' perfecting training, I coordinated in the practical affairs. After my first practical-affairs report, he found me and said to me, "Exercise your spirit, and let your voice be a bit louder"—two simple sentences that, coming from his mouth, held no condemnation, yet were like a strong light exposing my inward condition in the light. Later, at a Chinese-speaking conference in Paris, coordinating in sharing a message, after it ended he said earnestly, the verses you quoted—from now on you must not read them; you must memorize them!
In 2015 I began to serve in Northern California; before going, I planned to do this and that, busily inquiring everywhere about all kinds of activities and methods. When I fellowshipped with Brother Wu, he was simple and clear: "No matter where you go, the main thing is to survive." It is not to put on activities outwardly but to be blended in, to be blended in among the saints and live the life; what is important is not what I do but the being of this person, me.
In the past I had seen only the breadth and greatness of Brother Wu's service; no matter where, no matter what kind of conference or training, his figure seemed always to be seen—he served in the whole Body of Christ. Later, drawing nearer, I came to know that his service was not only broad and great but also detailed and accurate. I remember in earlier years attending the students' training in New Jersey, which greatly stirred up my appetite for reading the ministry's publications, but there was one book I could not find (at that time the ministry's publications were not as conveniently available online as today). Knowing that Brother Wu served in the Taiwan Gospel Book Room, I casually asked him to bring me a copy. Half a year later, at a training, when he saw me, he handed me a paper bag and said, "This is yours"; I opened it and it was actually that book!
Over these ten-some years of winter and summer trainings, Los Angeles Hall Three (many UCLA students) has continually had pray-reading, studying, memorizing, and speaking; we always pre-ordered the outlines through Brother Wu's help, and through him arranged for the Taiwan co-workers to come and strengthen us. Many churches pre-ordered outlines, but every time he could clearly remember how many copies we ordered, and even knew how many paper boxes they were packed in—simply unbelievable! Seeing the fineness and accuracy of his work, we young serving ones often felt ashamed of ourselves. He did not need to say anything; we had already been brought into the light, and inwardly we longed to become a person like him, throwing ourselves wholly into the service toward the Lord.