Finding a Voice
Thursday, September 06, 2007
remembering Liza Shum
A few days ago I received this announcement about my friend Liza Shum (from Hong Kong):
We are saddened to notify you that Liza, beloved wife of Patrick and mother of Samantha, has passed away on August 27, 2007 (Monday). Throughout her courageous battle with cancer, Liza was lovingly cared for and supported by many friends, former colleagues and relatives.
I cannot attend the funeral next Thursday nor the farewell service next Friday, but I can contribute to the memorial book. Here's my story:
I met Liza in Caronport, Saskatchewan, Canada in the late 1980s. She was in high school and I was in Bible college, but she was around my age. It's funny to remember how she lied about her age at first. She was enrolled in the high school because of her English and was much older than the other students. but we were living in the same dormitory. I had always been interested in China, so I made a point of getting to know her. We became good friends.
Liza spent her first Canadian Christmas with my family. She had never been around cats before, and when she heard our cat purring, she said, "I think he's angry!" During the Christmas vacation, my parents attended a funeral. We learned that Liza had wanted to go but was too shy to ask, which led to a conversation about death and dying and faith. Liza wasn't a Christian at this point. In fact, she didn't seem very interested and used to hide in her closet during chapel time at Caronport because she didn't understand it and she wanted more time to study.
In second semester, Liza was required to take the "Christian Ethics" course. One assignment was to take notes during the Spring Bible Conference. Because she was still learning English, we would both take notes, then I would give her mine so she could see what she missed. During one service we weren't sitting together because she had completed the assignment. Not taking notes, she was able to listen differently, and suddenly she understood the good news of Jesus Christ. Afterwards, a friend came running to find me, shouting, "Liza became a Christian! Liza became a Christian!"
Liza graduated from Caronport High School with my brother Jeffrey and participated in other celebrations with my family like my sister's wedding. She became very dear to all of us while she lived in Canada. After high school she moved to Regina to study in the university there. I remember visiting and eating congee with Liza and her roommates. She got her driver's license in Regina and had some trouble learning to drive on snow and ice, with at least one car accident!
After Liza moved back to Hong Kong, we stayed in touch through email. I remember the wonderful news that she would marry Patrick, a Christian man who also had lived internationally. It was such a joy for me to know that Lisa's faith continued to grow. Of course it was double joy to learn the Liza and Patrick had become parents to darling Samantha.
The last time I saw Liza was June 1998 when I visited another friend in Hong Kong. It was delightful to meet Patrick and Samantha and their nanny, to see their home, to spend a day with Liza and Patrick hiking at Shek O. Also, Liza was a very good driver by that time! Since then, we have only exchanged a few emails, but it was always good to say in touch.
We are saddened to notify you that Liza, beloved wife of Patrick and mother of Samantha, has passed away on August 27, 2007 (Monday). Throughout her courageous battle with cancer, Liza was lovingly cared for and supported by many friends, former colleagues and relatives.
I cannot attend the funeral next Thursday nor the farewell service next Friday, but I can contribute to the memorial book. Here's my story:
I met Liza in Caronport, Saskatchewan, Canada in the late 1980s. She was in high school and I was in Bible college, but she was around my age. It's funny to remember how she lied about her age at first. She was enrolled in the high school because of her English and was much older than the other students. but we were living in the same dormitory. I had always been interested in China, so I made a point of getting to know her. We became good friends.
Liza spent her first Canadian Christmas with my family. She had never been around cats before, and when she heard our cat purring, she said, "I think he's angry!" During the Christmas vacation, my parents attended a funeral. We learned that Liza had wanted to go but was too shy to ask, which led to a conversation about death and dying and faith. Liza wasn't a Christian at this point. In fact, she didn't seem very interested and used to hide in her closet during chapel time at Caronport because she didn't understand it and she wanted more time to study.
In second semester, Liza was required to take the "Christian Ethics" course. One assignment was to take notes during the Spring Bible Conference. Because she was still learning English, we would both take notes, then I would give her mine so she could see what she missed. During one service we weren't sitting together because she had completed the assignment. Not taking notes, she was able to listen differently, and suddenly she understood the good news of Jesus Christ. Afterwards, a friend came running to find me, shouting, "Liza became a Christian! Liza became a Christian!"
Liza graduated from Caronport High School with my brother Jeffrey and participated in other celebrations with my family like my sister's wedding. She became very dear to all of us while she lived in Canada. After high school she moved to Regina to study in the university there. I remember visiting and eating congee with Liza and her roommates. She got her driver's license in Regina and had some trouble learning to drive on snow and ice, with at least one car accident!
After Liza moved back to Hong Kong, we stayed in touch through email. I remember the wonderful news that she would marry Patrick, a Christian man who also had lived internationally. It was such a joy for me to know that Lisa's faith continued to grow. Of course it was double joy to learn the Liza and Patrick had become parents to darling Samantha.
The last time I saw Liza was June 1998 when I visited another friend in Hong Kong. It was delightful to meet Patrick and Samantha and their nanny, to see their home, to spend a day with Liza and Patrick hiking at Shek O. Also, Liza was a very good driver by that time! Since then, we have only exchanged a few emails, but it was always good to say in touch.
My heart is so heavy to think about this terrible loss. Yet I am comforted to know that her faith was strong and we will see Liza again someday in heaven. My prayers go out to Patrick and Samantha as they learn to live again in Liza's absence.
posted by Colleen McCubbin at 3:40 PM
1 Comments:
I'm really sorry to hear of your loss. I hope that you and Liza's family will find comfort in God's love during this time of sadness.
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