Lucy Wong

I’ve always wondered why certain things make me cry, and why certain other things which make other people cry don’t make me cry. I know I cried a bucket load in one particular scene in the movie “The Notebook” and I know many other girls would be able to identify with me on that one - but then again I know some other girls who felt nothing, in fact I know one girl who fell asleep the first time watching it! (yes, you know who you are.)

It’s interesting observing the things that trigger our tears. Last night my family had a special dinner celebration at a family friend’s take away shop. We ate heaps of gourmet Asian dishes - abalone, crab, fish etc. At the end of the night, I went inside the kitchen to thank the chef and his wife for cooking the meals for us. I asked how business was going and he shared how challenging it has been having come from a non English speaking background, with rent being very high and with a very energetic 4 yr old son who he worries is delayed in his English. As I listened to him share about his concerns and challenges, I teared up. I thanked him for his generosity in preparing such wonderful food for us and he replied, “No worries, my pleasure, really.”

I told Tina in the car afterwards about how I always feel so sad when I see and meet people like him. Tina said, “Well, I guess because we’ve been there before we know how challenging it really is.” For those who don’t know, I pretty much grew up in a Chinese restaurant. My whole life up until the age of 18 I witnessed my parents slave away in a kitchen to provide for the family. I remember back to all the sacrifices that my parents made to make life enjoyable for me as a kid - presents, toys and games which they bought for me, extra curricular activity fees which they paid for me, parties which they allowed me to have, provisions of the best education possible and cooked meals of whatever I wanted just at the moment of a request. There were times when my dad would be busy with multiple orders and little Miss me would come along and ask dad if I could eat a particular dish, and he would always without fail cook it for me before finishing his customer’s orders. Yes, my parents gave a lot. They didn’t always have time to attend my school performances, or time to drive me to my extra curricular activities - but with what they had they gave it all to me. It was pretty much a 8am-10pm job for my parents looking after that restaurant. When they weren’t cooking, they were grocery shopping, cutting vegetables, washing dishes, mopping floors, cleaning & setting up tables, managing accounts and orders. Some kids from this background may resent their parents for not being there for them, but I’ve realised that every bit of what my parents did, they did it with their family in mind. I appreciate it tremendously.

I really believe God had His reasons for bringing me up in the environment that I came from. I would love to see that one day we as a church can find ways to reach and support people of this busy lifestyle. Jesus isn’t just for those who have time to attend church on Sundays, Jesus is for EVERY person - for the hard working Chinese family with a take away shop, for the truck driver who spends most of his/her life on the road, for the road workers who work while the world is asleep… there must be a way to make church available, and the gospel relevant to these people. I thank God for how I have been brought up because it’s brought about this discontent in my heart. God has his reasons for placing us where we are, with the experiences and knowledges that we have - all for the purpose of building towards the calling that He has upon our life.

Ever wonder why you cry about what you cry about? It’s not just because we’re cry babies… it some cases it may be, but for others, it may be a God burden, a seed of His call and purpose for your life.