Chinese Story: Frank

From my way back home, I met a senior couple. The gentleman seemed happy and asked his wife to talk to me when he knew that I am indeed from China. I was wondering his wife, let me call her Lois (I do not know her name but it really fits her), may have been China before. No but instead she has a Chinese brother Frank.

Frank is obvious not a Chinese name. But we know that a lot of Chinese have one for easy pronunciation or intentional acceptance. Frank came to America by the last boat from Shanghai on 1949, the year the Chinese government took over the power. For some reason - he may be supported by the Kuomintang or his family was on a special social level-he can not go back to China. The aftermath was that his father, a principal at a Shanghai university, suffered from all kinds of torture after Chinese War of Liberation.

He was a great public speaker even by a second language. During the church camp, their pastor announced that he would be gone for several months. So they need some one to step out for him. Lois’s father, the member of the church committee, learnt that Frank was very passionate about Sermon. So they decided to give him a try. This was how the family knew him. He was really good. So he started to serve on this position for several months. After the setup of the new government, he lost his support from the family in China. Lois’s family adopted him. Then he became the big brother of Lois when she was ten.

As a well educated and behaved young boy, he was accepted by this family. Lois seemed like him a lot when she portrayed as him a great singer, a smart student and a very sweet son. He called Lois’s father “BaBa”, and Lois’s month “MaMa”. That is how we call father and mother in Chinese. He helped in the Kitchen to prepare the Chinese food. He kept contact after he got married.

After graduation, he served as pastor at a very small church. Without enough funding, he had to work as a Chemist part-time with the help from “BaBa”. Things were getting better when he started serving in a big church. He then became a full-time pastor.

He left Lois’ house when he got married with a white girl. He and his wife have a life long happy marriage. They have three Children. The big boy went to west point. Now he is serving as some level just right below General. The family planned to buy a land to have horses cultivated. The other two girls both got master degrees and serve in Church now.

Frank met his mother after 40 years he got back China the very first time. His month can not recognize him. 40 years turned him from a young boy to a grown up man with gray hairs. But their family shared a special cookie that only the family knows it. When he brought that out, his mother knew he is her baby.

Frank passed away last year at his 80s from stroke.

This is Frank’s story. May he rest in peace in Heaven.