In loving memory of 王维兴 Wang Wei Xing.
August 3, 1930 – December 20, 2018
John 11:25, 26
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he
die , yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.”
My grandpa was a man of action. From the time he was a boy growing up in Dongbei (东北), to when he raised a family in Beijing (北京), he was known for his generosity. When he saw someone struggling to make ends meet he took action. He would steal food and money from his rich dad to give to his poor friends and neighbors.
Grandpa’s neighbors loved him for his Robinhood actions and he saved many of them from starvation. His generosity lasted throughout his life. Eventually, he was forced to run away from home because of his abusive dad but he didn’t let that stop his giving spirit.
After finding work in Beijing, he became good friends with his coworkers and learned of their struggle to feed their families. One of his coworkers had nine children who needed protein in their diets, so he bought meat for them. My grandpa couldn’t bear to see starving, malnourished children and it brought agony to his heart if he wasn’t able to do something.
My grandpa’s generosity was boundless. Another one of his coworkers desperately needed medical attention for kidney problems, but a car wasn’t available to quickly transport him to the hospital. So grandpa carried him on his back and walked for 10 miles, thus saving the man’s life.
Despite being abused throughout his childhood, grandpa had a heart of gold and always kept his anger in check. He stopped the cycle of abuse from happening in his family in raising my dad and aunt. When he needed to discipline his children he simply raised his voice, which was enough to straighten them out. He never resorted to physical violence even when others tried his patience.
This heart of gold eventually led my grandpa to Christ, and he discovered how the teachings of the Lord were compatible with his nonviolent philosophy. Grandpa was saved and baptized after visiting my family here in 1995.
My grandpa was also a man in tune with his emotions. I remember one time my brother and I were fighting each other over a toy, and it emotionally and physically drained our grandpa seeing us bicker. It affected him so much to the point where he got a headache and had to lie down. I felt bad and I was concerned about my grandpa. Even as an eight-year-old child, I understood that emotional distress can trigger a heart attack, so this taught me to never bicker again in front of our grandpa.
I learned how to be a generous person from my grandpa. Hearing his stories of selflessness inspired me to take action and do something about it, instead of sitting on the sidelines complaining. Thank you, grandpa, for looking out for your community, you saved many lives and I’m certain we’ll meet again in heaven. I look forward to the day we get to spend an eternity with the Lord.