Continuing This Race, That We May Be Faithful
until the Lord Comes
Before the full-time training ended in 1992, I attended the summer training in Anaheim. One day, as the meeting was dismissing, a big bag suddenly knocked heavily against my handbag from behind; startled, I turned around and saw it was Brother Wu. Before I could even speak, he asked, "Li so-and-so, if you don't serve full-time, what are you going to do?" I haltingly spoke of my own dreams and plans, and after listening he still encouraged me that serving full-time was the most worthwhile. I evasively brushed it off and, back in Taiwan, still did as I had planned, until 1994, when I laid down my profession and again threw myself into the Calvary Holy Army.
From 1996 to 2004, by the Lord's mercy, I had a part in the propagation in Russia, and Brother Wu would occasionally go to Russia to visit us and fellowship with us. I remember once at a meal, we fellowshipped about the situation of a brother, and "money" was mentioned. Brother Wu said, "Money is very useful!" I was very surprised at the time—"Isn't money the root of all evil? Isn't money mammon? Isn't money to be condemned?" Brother Wu said, "Money is very useful—it depends on how you use it!" "Printing gospel tracts, printing Bibles, the support of the co-workers…," "I also want to let my own family have a slightly better life." When I heard these words, I knew that the brother and his family were consecrated to the Lord, voluntarily poor. Otherwise, with Brother Wu's ability, he could surely have lived a materially abundant life.
After the wedding gathering, when the visiting groups from various countries had all left and before we were to return to Russia, we went to fellowship with Brother Wu. Besides his caring for us, I also asked him many questions. I said, "Brother Wu, you manage a myriad of affairs; you must run into some unhappy things—what do you do?" Secretly I thought he would answer me: pray, read the Bible. But instead he smiled and patted the counter behind him, on which was a toy gorilla that began to clap and let out laughing or singing sounds. He said, "Find something to make yourself happy!" I thought, Brother Wu is so simple—how can a toy make him happy? We also cared about his body, and he pulled open a drawer to show us some bottles and jars. Seeing them, I could only call on the Lord; there were no words to say! The brother truly laid out his whole being to serve the Lord, the churches, and the saints. I asked again, "Brother Wu, you often hold mass meetings—aren't you afraid of failure?" He said, "It just can't fail!" I said again, "What if it fails?" He said, "It just can't fail!" Then he showed his usual smile and said, "No problem! No Problem!"
In 2004 I returned to Taiwan; at that time the children were one, three, and five years old. The place where we served was in considerable difficulty, and later I really could not bear it, feeling truly bitter, so I had to call Brother Wu. Afterward I felt much indebtedness, as if I had overstepped the position I should keep. But that situation was, for the tender me at the time, truly a heavy and unbearable burden, utterly unable to go forward, seemingly a dead end. Unexpectedly, as soon as I heard Brother Wu's voice, of the words I had prepared to say, not one could come out; I just kept crying and crying, completely unable to speak. The words Brother Wu spoke to me I also had no way to respond to. He said, "You and the brother come to Hall One right now." I said, "Okay." After arranging for the children, I went with the brother to Hall One. Seeing Brother Wu, my heart was much calmed, and I could fellowship calmly and well; my brother too could fellowship some matters with Brother Wu. So in the co-workers' reassignment, we went to the church in so-and-so. Before going, I even asked Brother Wu, "Are you sure we can do it?" Brother Wu again, with his usual smile and heartiness, said, "No problem," "Of course, no problem."
At a wedding gathering in June 2016, when we saw Brother Wu, we quickly brought the children to chat with him, and Brother Wu happily greeted, got to know, and chatted with the children. My silly elder daughter actually said to Brother Wu, "When I get married in the future, you have to come to my wedding gathering too!" Brother Wu laughed heartily and said, "Okay, okay, okay, I'll come to your wedding gathering."
Afterward, when I met Brother Wu at conferences or blending meetings, as long as not too many people were surrounding him, I would go over to greet him or wave from afar. I knew the brother greatly needed intercession; his physical condition was difficult, yet it often caused Christ to be magnified in him.
The last time I saw him was at the graduation gathering of the autumn middle-aged class in 2019; many people were surrounding him, so I did not go over….
May the Lord also grant me long and lasting faithfulness, to continue this race, that we may be faithful, prepared to meet You, until the Lord comes.