A Community Supports us to Walk in the “Right” Paths

In a previous post, I discussed Psalm 23 and what “he leads me along the right paths” may actually mean in the context of the remainder of the Psalm. We have to be careful that this just not all simply remain academic. In this post, I humbly wish to honor my family – how with the encouragement of a loving community, are doing their best to be lead in “the right paths”. In this context, I humbly wish to honor our community as well, without whose encouragement, our family may not have stayed together.

Oregon Beach 1994 – my wife Joanne and our four children (youngest is four months from being born).

I honor our son Sheldon – he is the smallest one in the photograph. His courage and faith influenced many in his short journey on earth. He won a province wide coloring contest posthumously and was honored in Canada Place. Seven months before he died, he drew another picture of himself in a racecar, crossing the finish line, with many of his friends cheering him in the stands. This drawing is etched in his tombstone in Hazelwood Cemetery in Abbotsford. He “has finished the race, he has kept the faith”.

Sheldon’s drawing four days before he became terminally ill, showing himself in the racecar, with his friends and family cheering him on.

Sheldon’s life and death profoundly influenced his two older sisters. Karen, the one on the left, is currently training mental health workers in south Asia. Her path has lead her to be trained with the World Health Organization in Geneva in the area of mental health and trauma as part of her Masters degree. She also worked for a year in south Asia with the International Justice Mission to free modern day slaves. She, together with a friend, initiated a tradition of justice conferences in our community of Abbotsford. Her heart is to honor God by working to restore hope to a hurting world.

Karen working with some of the freed slaves in south Asia during her work with the International Justice Mission (Jimmy Chalk photo)

Jess is our oldest daughter, who had a passion to become a doctor at the age of 5 when her brother first became ill. She was inspired by his courage and has been diligent and unwavering in that goal, and on May 21, 2013, graduated from UBC Medicine. She is now a resident at the Royal Columbian Emergency. Her heart is to honor God by working to offer hope to victims and families with physical trauma.

Margaret Zhang and Jess Paul at Royal Columbian Hospital. Photo: Daniel Presnell (from http://news.ubc.ca/2013/08/20/new-paths-to-community-care/)

I honor Reuben, who doesn’t remember his brother except by photos, who lived through the aftermath of his brother’s death. He has joined us in the Philippines and Honduras and has been part of the Abbotsord Youth Commission. He will be back at UBC Engineering where he is hoping to join the new program in clean energy, which will offer the hope of a sustainable environment for many in our world.

Reuben (second from left) participates with the City of Abbotsford Council as part of the Abbotsford Youth Commission in 2012 (from http://www.abbotsford.ca/mayorcouncil/city_council/mayor_council_photo_gallery.htm)

I honor Joanne, my wife, who remains a front-line social worker with the persistently mentally ill in Mission. Her courage and strength inspires many of her patients to have their hope restored – many of whom, with encouragement, are now living independently. I honor Joanne because of her resolve to see our family stay together in spite of the 90% odds of divorce after the illness and death of a child.

Joanne’s Health Care Hero Award 2008 (from http://www.heabc.bc.ca/Page3451.aspx)

I also honor Joanne for her support in my ongoing legal battle at 5050 Gladwin Rd that began in 2011, and has now been set for court in 2015. Its difficult when its in our own community, and reminders are everywhere.

I wish to honor our community of friends and family, who continue to love and challenge us to walk in the right paths!

We are thankful for our community family and friends (our 25th wedding anniversary at Clayburn School)

In spite of challenges, I try to continue to work for hope for sustainability in our communities. I am thankful that I could contribute with the publishing of the Compost Facility Operator Manual, a document that is being used by composters worldwide.

My mother’s friend who is now 95, and has outlived my mother for more than 30 years, said to me early on in the legal process. “John, you have to pray a prayer of thanks for the outcome, because although you don’t know what it is, and you may not like it, it will be the right one.” Another way of assuring us that “He leads me in the right paths”. Life is not always easy, and the paths that we are being led on may be really difficult. We are thankful to have seen God’s faithfulness through difficult times.

At times, God allows one of those sweet moments. For us, one of them was May 21, 2013, when Jess graduated from UBC Medical School.

May 21, 2013, our daughters graduation from medical school, where our other daughter joined from south Asia via Skype

As I had to explain to opposing council (in our legal battle), “the hooding on Tuesday the 21st is actually the most important part of the graduation ceremony for medical students. Our son is coming back from Prince George for this, and our daughter (in south Asia) will be “attending” via skype. For our family, this achievement represents a dream that our oldest daughter had since her brother became ill with leukemia when she was 5. He died when she was 10.”

We are thankful to God for many things, including our family and our community.