8. Tears of Thanksgiving
Raymond Eng
The Lord is my strength and my shield, in him my heart trusts, and I am helped. My heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.
Psalm 28:7
I have had high blood pressure for 40 years and diabetes for 38 years; these two sicknesses affect my kidney function. My kidney function is not well, and right now it has degraded to a stage four kidney disease. My nutritionist and kidney doctor suggested for me to look for a kidney transplant and not for dialysis. For dialysis, one must do it three times a week, and each segment lasts for three to four hours. It wastes time and energy, and it will sap my strength to a significantly reduced level. For a person who is always on the run, I can sense dialysis will be both painful and difficult to endure, so I plan to register for a kidney transplant operation. I have also planned to post the information in Christian publications such as ‘Herald’ and ‘The Truth’, to see if someone is willing to donate a kidney to me so I can continue to work for God.
One night I was talking to my goddaughter on the phone. She is a pastor’s wife who lives in Hong Kong. She was very concerned about my health, so I informed her the most recent health report and let her know my blood type of O+. She responded excitedly, “Dad, my blood type is also O+! I am young and healthy so I can give you one of my kidneys! I hope you can live healthily and to be used by God to bless others.” I was quite moved after hearing that. God has already prepared me, and I have shed ‘tears of Thanksgiving’.
Recently I had dinner with an old friend who is my current business partner. She is also very concerned about my health. I told her of my kidney failure and facing potential dialysis, she asked me what my blood type is. I told her that my blood type is O+, and without hesitation she said she too is O+. Should the need arise, she is willing to give me one of her kidneys. I was deeply moved after hearing that! Thank God for a group of fellow pilgrims, and indeed I am grateful to God for them!
I told my wife this, she said, “My blood is O+ also, and if you need, I can give you also one of my kidneys.” I was very glad to hear that my wife is a very rational person, normally she does not express her feeling, but I know she loves and care for me. Thank you, Marion! I live one more day so I can help more people, for ‘the one who now live is no longer me, but Christ within me who lives.’ I will live on with my best effort, to fight the good fight of faith for God!
Credit: Eng, Raymond. Edited by Angelyn Loh. Translated by Abraham Koo, Raymond Eng, 2020.
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