Cliff Wong Celebration of Life Extras

 

Full Recording with Slideshow and Live Speakers

https://youtu.be/Ps5q1rwrR1o

Slideshow Only

https://youtu.be/Esq7T850bnk

Live Speakers Only

https://youtu.be/VDW3XP06szE?si=3w99jzmTdG1hoP6J

 SF Saints Video

https://youtu.be/ocpAL4IJuxs

Obituary

https://nokiddingimachristian.blogspot.com/2023/10/feisty-to-end.html

Berkeley Times Tributes to Cliff

https://nokiddingimachristian.blogspot.com/2024/05/berkeley-times-tribute-to-clifford-wong.html

Notes for Cliff

Most were sent for Karen to read to him during his last few days
Alphabetical by First Name

 

Brad, Nephew

 Hi Uncle Cliff, I’m in Thailand at the moment. Karen has been a sweetheart in informing the family of your progress. Just to let you know, that family is first and that you’re one of the solid foundations of the Wong Family throughout the years. I’m sorry that I can’t visit you since I’m here in Thailand. Just know that I love you and all your siblings from the day I was born - from when I was an infant to toddler to teen to an adult, just know that I love you. You’re a great inspiration to all of us! I’m praying for you… You’re a great man Uncle Cliff and we’re all here here for you, please take care. Love Brad

 

Carolyn, Niece

Please give him my regards...have so appreciated his larger than life presence in my life...MUCH LOVE TO Uncle Clifford, Aunt Letty, and your families....Hugs, Carolyn

 

Chris Lim, Niece

Dear Uncle,

I am full of gratitude for your loving guidance in all aspects of my life…growing up in Berkeley schools and you attending my annual Halloween parades, Monday night dinners on 9th Street through when I got my first teaching job in Berkeley.  For 33 years you mentored me as I rose through the ranks, ultimately taking on your position as Assistant Superintendent when you handed me your business cards!

Your unconditional guidance and sense of humor will always and forever live in my heart. 

Thank you, my dear uncle, for always giving your best even when you think it can’t get worse.  Rest in tranquil peace as you ascend to the heavens surrounded by white light.  Love you uncle….

 

Geoff, Son-in-Law

Dad,

Thank you, for being such a great father-in-law to me. My dad died when I was 31, so you were my father for even longer than my own father was.

I learned so much from you. How to be a better father to my daughters, a better husband to Karen, a better brother, a better son, and a better person in general. You taught me with your words of wisdom and many stories of your life’s experiences. And what great stories they were.

But perhaps even more importantly, you also taught me by example. How you lived your life, how you enjoyed good food and simple pleasures, how you loved to speak loudly and laugh even more loudly, how you handled challenges that came your way, and how you loved, protected, and took care of the people that mattered a great deal to you.

It has been a great joy and honor to be a part of your family. And to be able to call you Dad.

Thank you, Dad, for everything.

 

Jerald, Nephew

Hi Uncle Clifford. It’s Jerald.  I’m home in Florida and I’m sorry I can’t visit you.  I hope you still remember all the best times. I do. Some of my best times were growing up nearby to you and Auntie Letty, Brian and Karen.

You cooking Tomato Beef Chow Mein for us on McBryde was our favorite meal and we looked forward to it so much.

Living in terror of waking up Auntie Letty on Saturday morning with our noise and the TV cartoons was another experience engrained in me!

And the summers and winters in the Wong cabin were always the best with the Chan Clan. The bowling and softball teams, the uncle and kids dishwashing assignments, the tents outside, Sahara buffets, Pau Pau and aunties cooking, choosing Keno ticket numbers, skiing down the face of Heavenly…all made possible because of you and the family.

 

Julie, Niece

Hi Uncle Clifford

This is from Julie and the rest of my family. Thank you for being such a fun & wonderful uncle & role model!  Here are some memories that stand out - overnights @ McBryde (my parents wanted to get rid of us a lot), spending time with your family @the cabin during the winter, and of course, summers in Tahoe with the Chans (which have too many memories to list) - you exposed me to my first experiences with trash talking at the softball games/bowling comps, made the kp duties unfairly (I always had the worst crews), etc. Tahoe was never the same without you and Aunty Letty.  Lindsay, Courtney, Sierra, & Phoenix are trying their best to keep it going.

Shack thanks you for welcoming him into the family and for helping him get into admin. Don’t know if you know that he got his EdD from USC.

Sierra & Phoenix thank you for the Monday dessert nights, Tahoe memories, and family get togethers. Sierra is now Head Mens & Womens Tennis Coach @ Solano Community College. She played tennis & basketball at Dominican University and got her credential there. Sierra plans to get married in Nov. Phoenix teaches 5th grade at Suisun Valley Elementary School and is training to play pro basketball overseas. He played at Cal Poly Pomona. Phoenix got married last year and his wife teaches 3rd grade in Fairfield.

You must be proud of your wonderful, caring, & compassionate family!

We love you Uncle Clifford!!!❤️❤️❤️

Lori, Berkeley School District Friend

Dearest Cliff,

I remember meeting you when I was hired in 1988 as the Manager of the Bilingual Education Program for the Berkeley Unified School District when you were the Associate Superintendent of Curriculum at Berkeley Unified School District.

I remember collaborating with you from the beginning on two major issues: the CA State Department of Education noncompliance on services to students whose first language is not English and a lawsuit from parents of the same English as a Second Language students that went to trial. After many intense long work hours, we were found in compliance with the CA State Department of Education and the school district won the lawsuit. Some words that come to mind which describe the unique and special person you were are hardworking, professional, efficient, diplomatic, persistent, resourceful, dependable, compassionate, organized, versatile, and talented.

As an educational administrator, you had one of the longest histories with the school district. You started as a teacher and became principal of Berkeley High School, Personnel Director of Personnel Services, Associate Superintendent of Curriculum, Acting Superintendent multiple times, and even after retirement served as a consultant as acting superintendent, director in personnel matters, and a negotiator with various unions. You were an extremely valuable, multitalented, knowledgeable administrator who knew the historical background of the school district and you were well respected by many.

I observed the special long relationship you had with your secretary Eva Hayes. I saw the two of you as the dynamic duel. You showed your loyalty, compassion, and support to her when her husband passed away and then her daughter and son passed. You took care of her estate and when she had dementia, you found live-in home caretakers. Eva recognized you until her passing. You sold her house, closed her estate, and oversaw all her affairs with such devotion and care.

Professionally, you provided support and advice to many people including principals, administrators, teachers, parents, and students.

Personally, your family was always a priority for you. You shared many stories with me about your family. You greatly loved Letty, your dear wife, your daughter Karen, your son, Brian, and your grandchildren. You even enjoyed babysitting.

Because of your belief in the importance of education and that one should follow one’s passion and enjoy what they do in life, you provided generously with your guidance, emotional and financial support to many family members.

You enjoyed your family gatherings with your immediate family as well as your many endearing siblings. You were able to show your sense of humor with much joy and laughter as you supported each other through your senior years.

Through our get togethers, I learned about your various hobbies such as representing the San Francisco Chinese American men’s basketball team vs Chinese men’s basketball team. In your adult years, you made many friends by playing golf and poker at the Country Club. You got a chuckle when I gave you your favorite brand of golf balls and personalized poker chips as gifts. You teasingly commented that you will have to remember to retrieve your golf balls.

I had the honor of continuing our precious friendship after both of us retired from Berkeley Unified. We enjoyed staying connected with our lunch gatherings and special family celebrations you were able to attend. I cherished our close and special friendship throughout the thirty -five years.  I appreciated very much how much you provided guidance and support to me.

You have touched, helped, and impacted so many people in your life. You could face various challenges and with your compassion, kind, giving,

generous nurturing abilities and quietly help make things better for so many.

Cliff, you will be greatly missed. May you rest in peace, and may the angels protect you as you now move forward to join your loved ones in heaven.

In our hearts always with love,

Lori  Chinn,  October 10, 2023 

Mary, Letty’s MJ Buddy (Hubby Jim played Poker with Dad)

I think about you whenever I’m doing naughty things, wanted to bring over the chow mein you like. Love you and am praying for you.

 

Mike, Nephew

Dearest Uncle Cliff,

I am deeply saddened of the news of your medical situation. I have been wanting to come by to visit you and Auntie Letty recently, hoping you were in good enough spirits for a visit. Karen has been keeping me up to date on the goings on and after last week’s update, my trucks were developing problems and not sure if they could make it over there or not.

Thank you so much for being a great and compassionate and concerning Uncle!

You have always been there to talk to and always had great stories! Last year Karen sent me some photos and flyers that you saved on your teams’ 1950s Asian Basketball tour.  I had heard that you played locally in SF but did not know that you and your team had travelled abroad to play!  It was great to read and hear about that! And seeing the pictures of young you!

It would have been great to hear your version of that trip straight from yourself! A new aspect I did not know!

Of course the Best story is the one that you re-told at my Dad’s celebration of life,

“Jeez, McGees’ got a piece!”  The story of you, My Dad, and uncle Charcoal going out together to get my Dad’s stereo and speakers back after they were stolen!  You gained a couple hundred new fans that day with that story!

Thank you for starting the Great Lake Tahoe Family Legacy! I hope Karen showed you the pic I sent her. That black & white picture captures essence and camaraderie of what Lake Tahoe is all about! And now your daughter and Julie are carrying that tradition onwards!

 

I also want to say that the recent photos I have seen of you and Auntie Letty together are some of the sweetest, most touching views of caring and long-lasting love between you two! I love the way she lights up when she reaches out and you two touch and hold hands! Those actions to me are true, deep, long, and everlasting love for one another!

Words can’t say everything l feel, but thank you so much for being the loving, caring, strong, determined, and fair person that you are! I will always remember you and you have a place in my heart forever!  ❤️Love U forever Uncle Cliff!!

your nephew and huge fan, Mike!💕💔🌲

 

Patty Soe, Poker Pal (and so much more)

My dear dear bud Cliff, i jus heard now from Karen & she said u are sleeping. I missed seeing u this am at 1508.  I'm so grateful for visiting w/u Saturday & holding ur hand. Herb, u & i had some really wild fun times together here & Tahoe.❤️

If this is our earthly goodbye... Sleep well my pal.  Herb is waiting w/a full deck to welcome u!!!  Bring  $$$!!!

Ur pal...

Patty

 

Rachel, Stacey, Jody, Jacqui, Rebecca - Grandnieces

This is Rachel, Stacey and Jodie (Vicki's daughters) and Rebecca and Jacqueline (Val's daughters). We wanted to send a note and video to Uncle Cliff. 

Whenever we'd see him he was always so jovial, ready with a joke, mischievous look in his eyes and an easy laugh! My sister, Stacey, went to University of Redlands and every time she'd see him he would start the Redlands Och Tamale chant! He'd always tease her and try to rally us all to join in. He finally got us: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlC1Qu3iglQ 😆

 

Randy, Nephew

 Thank you for being a great uncle over the years. You are easily one of my most favorite uncles out of everyone who I ever called "uncle" (including the numerous friends of my parents). You were always easy to talk to.

I recalled that, years ago in the late sixties, you told me one Sunday that you were going to be at my school in Chinatown the next day. I knew you worked in Berkeley, and I remembered thinking to myself, "Yeah, right. You're just messing with me." To my great surprise, I ran into you in the crowded stairways at school, and you lifted me up above your head. At that moment, I was hoping that some of the other kids saw that I knew someone important enough to visit the principal who everyone feared.

Thank you for inviting the Chan family to the Tahoe cabin all those years. The weeks at Tahoe were my very favorite weeks of each year. It was fun golfing with you during the later years at Tahoe as well. You were the best golfer I ever played with.

I look forward to seeing you again when my number comes up. Bye Uncle Cliff.

Rich, Nephew

Uncle Cliff,

I wanted you to know how much I appreciate everything you have done for all of us over the years.  I have so many fond memories of you and the times our families shared together.   In particular, all the Tahoe trips, winters and summers.

I regret not taking up golf sooner.  I would give anything to have played one round with you.  I know you would have kicked my ass but I would have had a great time with you.  As of today my index is an 8.6.  I'm getting better slowly.  Whenever I play, I think of you because I know how much you loved to play.

I am truly grateful for you always being there for my Dad.  My Dad has so much respect and love for you, and rightfully so.  Uncle Cliff, thank you for your unwavering support and love.  You will always be a part of me. Everytime I tee it up I will think of you. I love you very much.

Love, 

Rich

 

Roxanne and Ken, old family friends (Ken brought Dad to Poker Games for past few years)

Just give him our love and hugs.  Tell him we are thinking of him with love. 

 

Stephanie, Niece

Dearest Uncle Cliff, 

You’ve always inspired in me the value of higher education and the invaluable talent of spitting as a form of raw emotion.  I will always cherish the love behind that poker face.  I love you very much, Uncle Cliff!!!

 

Terry, Niece

To my dear Uncle Cliff,

I so wish I were there in person to tell you all these things and to give you the biggest bear hug ever, but I hope you know that my heart is aching not to be there and that my words, though heartfelt, can never express fully how much you mean to me.

You have been cheering me on since I was born, because I was your big brother’s daughter and you’d do anything for us! ❤️ The special and comforting agreement was that Rich and I would go live with you and Auntie Letty if anything happened to my parents and vice versa with Brian and Karen. Even though that never had to happen, we got to spend countless hours together…so so many wonderful memories, especially of Tahoe vacations (Spring, Summer and Winter) and special get together times with the Wong family, and the Ongs and Chans, too. And let’s not forget the fun privilege of attending the Tournament of Champions for years! Go Berkeley! Those were really the best of days and memories I will cherish forever.

But besides that, you are a man of wisdom, and whenever I needed guidance, I could always go to you for advice, support and encouragement. I thank you for that and for the impact you’ve had and the role model you’ve been to me and so many others!

You've been blessed and surrounded by Auntie Letty, Brian, Karen, their spouses, your grandchildren, so many extended family members and a great number of friends and colleagues who have the greatest admiration and respect for you. What a rich and full life you’ve lived. I hope you realize the extent of your influence and care on so many people and thus, how much you are loved.

A funny from Doug that I wonder if you’ll remember…you and Auntie made the trip all the way to Oregon for our wedding! After our ceremony, you congratulated us and looked at Doug and said, “You better be good to her or I’ll put a contract out on you!” 🤣😂 Needless to say, he’s been the best husband I could ever dream of, and maybe I owe that to you! Haha!

Uncle, I love you so very much and am praying that in these days you will know more and more the love of Jesus for YOU! May his comforting presence and peace be felt and may you trust Him to carry you home.

With the greatest of love,

Terry (& Doug)

Thelette Bennett, District friend and adopted daughter

I hope his family reads what I just emailed to his old email address. I wanted to share my work journey in Berkeley Unified School district with his family. Below are two picture of me when I was younger & the other picture is present. I wanted you to know my story with Cliff Wong. 

I remember Cliff Wong at Burbank from 1959-1962   I was a 7 th grader. It was a different time. Cliff knew my parents & so did Mr Dwight, who was the principal of Burbank Jr. High school at that time. I was a scary child I was never in trouble & at that time I was scared of my shadow. I went on to Berkeley High school & graduated in 1965. I got a scholarship to college & graduated in 1969.

I started teaching P.E. In 1969 at Berkeley High school. Cliff, principal of Berkeley High school, remembered me from Burbank. Cliff always watched over me & took me under his wing. He encouraged me to teach in model school A in 1971, an alternative school to Berkeley High school. I taught in Model school A from 1971 till 1974. Cliff then encourage me to do Student Activities. Cliff always saw more in me than I saw in myself. From 1972 till 1992 I was the Student Activities at Berkeley High school. I then became the Vice Principal at Willard Jr. High School from 1992-1994. I then became the Vice principal of Longfellow Jr. High school from 1994 thru 2002.   In 2002-2006, I was the Vice Principal of Berkeley High School. 

I am sharing my story with you because I am who I am because Cliff Wong took me under his wing. Cliff taught me how to be tough but to be kind in the process of doing my job. He taught me to never forget where I came from. He taught to be humorous as I did my job. Cliff always said to treat staff, students better than I was treated in my life’s work journey. He taught me to have integrity in what ever I did in the work place. Cliff told me I was his adopted black daughter.  I was so proud when he told me that. He also told me how proud he was of me for how I did my job.  I wanted you to know my work journey. I was who I was because of Cliff Wong took me under his wing  When he died I felt I lost a family member & I cried crocodile tears for Cliff Wong.  I am such a better person because I was blessed & fortunate to know  such a wonderful person as Cliff Wong. 

I just wanted his family to know how much Cliff Wong meant to me. 

Thelette A. Bennett

His adopted black Daughter 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

Val, Niece

Dear Uncle Cliff, 

I've been on the sidelines waiting for Karen's updates, angry about the standard of care, frustrated at not knowing what to do or say.

Because my dad struggled with congestive heart failure in his 50's and hated bouncing in and out of the hospital (as you have), he looked and found other healing modalities to extend his quality of life. Under the care of a Qi Gong doctor, he became strong enough to take a trip again, and I still remember what he said to me the day before he left for Mexico...that he had decided not to get on the heart transplant list because he did not want that quality of life; if he 'went' tomorrow, he would still be happy because of all the things he had done and experienced in a very full life.

Well, he got his wish to go like "Bing Crosby, on the golf course," because two days later, my sisters and I got that fateful phone call that he had passed away on their trip, after a wonderful meal and shopping for bathroom fixtures for a new house he was planning to build.

It’s only now that I have found the words to convey the gratitude I feel for having had you as an example in my life. Like my dad, you are brilliant at playing the cards you are dealt in life and I know now that it's because you are governed by the most powerful force in the universe, and don't roll your eyes, I mean love.

From your ribbing me ever since I shut the lights on Brian, all of the blustering to hide your softer side, to the accolades from your colleagues when they found out I was related to you...all were expressions of love!

Your innate sense of how to live the concept is wonderful to contemplate, that strong sense of self coupled with a genuine respect for others and their realities, a ferocity in protecting loved ones tamed with humor and a bark worse than your bite.

My mom once told me that Grandma said early on that you were the smart one, and I wonder if she knew what that really meant.

My dear Uncle Cliff, a big hug from the niece who never meant to be a pill. I love you bunches and bunches!

xoxo,

Val

 

Military Honors

Presented to Oldest Sister Helen Lum and Brother Gene Wong

Sacramento Valley National Cemetery
January 2, 2024

Military Honors Video of Flag Presentation - Sorry for the chaotic amateur camera work

Military Honors Video of Artillery Presentation

Basketball Program and Articles

Berkeley USD Articles

 

RIP, My Mythical America

I was born in the early 60's and was taught that America was the greatest country in the world, that its laws were built on Democratic principles, that we're a Christian nation (I didn't know that "one nation under God" was added to the original pledge of allegiance), "In God We Trust" with our money, Communism is bad and Capitalism is good, that people were created equal ("liberty and justice for all"), that our votes matter, that two wrongs don't make a right, that police are here to protect us, and that murder is wrong. I majored in Journalism and learned to research what I've been told... and yet it's taken almost 62 years and my daughters (who are now in their 30s) to realize that much of what I was taught about America was propaganda. I've already written or posted about police brutality and Black Lives Matter and systemic racism, the electoral college and  gerrymandering tactics and voter suppression, etc... So today I will focus on the myth of this being a "Christian nation" in light of the atrocities we are funding in Gaza.

When she was 3-4 years old, Lindsay asked me why there was war because my Dad was watching the movie Geronimo and unaware that Lindsay was standing behind him. When Courtney was in elementary school and liked Barnie the dinosaur, she was ridiculed because it wasn't "cool" for kids to love each other as the theme song says. And now that they're in their 30's, Lindsay has been talking to me about what's been going on in Gaza. I had already been following Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and she has been providing other resources. Courtney asked me a while back, "Why does America always back Israel?" I told her that it probably goes back to the Holocaust and perhaps there's some guilt left over for turning away Jewish people.  But really, it all probably just goes back to supporting their only "ally" in that region despite the atrocities they inflict on the Palestinians.  This JVP  article describes some of the Israeli-Palestinian history and how the U.S. continues to fund the apartheid and genocide of Palestinian people.

"For 75 years, the Israeli government has maintained a military occupation over Palestinians, operating an apartheid regime. Palestinian children are dragged from their beds in pre-dawn raids by Israeli soldiers and held without charge in Israeli military prisons. Palestinians homes are torched by mobs of Israeli settlers, or destroyed by the Israeli army. Entire Palestinian villages are forced to flee, abandoning the homes and orchards and land that were in their family for generations.

The bloodshed of today and the past 75 years traces back directly to U.S. complicity in the oppression and horror caused by Israel’s military occupation. The U.S. government consistently enables Israeli violence and bears blame for this moment. The unchecked military funding, diplomatic cover, and billions of dollars of private money flowing from the U.S. enables and empowers Israel’s apartheid regime. Those who continue calling for “ironclad” U.S. support for the Israeli military are only paving the path to more violence."

I'll admit that I was not aware of all this history, but I'm glad that my kids hold me accountable to learning more. I only wish my co-citizens would do the same and not just take everything at face value... But even if we do take things at face value, we do see that thousands of civilians continue to be bombed and killed every day in Gaza, a good many of them being children. The fact that our country was one of very few who voted No to the UN Resolution "because Israel has the inherent right to self-defense" is also embarrassing for me. It doesn't take a genius to know that this has gone way beyond self-defense or "eye for an eye." But I guess this shouldn't surprise me because the U.S. has also justified the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki despite civilian deaths and casualties. Curtis LeMay, who designed the strategic bombing campaign in the Pacific during WWII admitted that "If we'd lost the war, we'd all have been prosecuted as war criminals." 

I guess "two wrongs don't make a right" was just something my parents taught me, but nobody in power actually learned. I was taught that Communism is bad and Capitalism is good... but really most political parties have their good points until the people in power become corrupt. As Lord Acton said, "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely." 

This country is so screwed up right now - Republicans have the majority of the House and took weeks to get a Speaker of the House. And that same House will only fund Israeli support, but not Ukraine (who was attacked by Russia) or humanitarian aid to Gaza? I guess I should just be happy that the Senate won't pass that and this will hold up anymore aid to Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) as they continue to bomb refugee camps, schools, etc in Gaza. Folks who speak up for the Palestinian people get labeled antisemitic, a little 6-year-old Palestinian-American boy (Wadea al-Fayoume) gets stabbed to death in Illinois by his landlord, and our country votes no on the United Nations humanitarian truce in Gaza. 

Being a Christian (yes, I still am), I don't worry about how I'm being prosecuted in a court of law or public opinion. I only care about what I will say to my Maker when all's said and done. Can I just let my government continue to fund these atrocities without even speaking what my heart is telling me? I've always agreed with Karl Barth about holding the Bible in one hand and a newspaper in the other, because it does no good for God's world to bury my head in the sand. I need to listen to more than just the voices I was raised with. I am going back to being an Independent voter because I cannot abide by the "unconditional support" Joe Biden and the majority of U.S. politicians are giving Israel to commit genocide on the Palestinian people. I used to think that I'd vote for the lesser of two evils but I'm thinking that really is no choice.  Evil is evil, our electoral college system feeds into that thinking, and my vote doesn't really count anyway in California. I will be voting my conscience (which is led by God) going forward.

My Daughter’s Thoughts on American Christianity

I rage texted this to my mom the other day. I meant it then and I mean it now. 

There’s been something on my mind and heart a lot recently, increasingly as I’ve grown older and seen more and more ugliness of the world.  I HATE American Christianity. I grew up going to a Baptist church. The first time I wanted to be baptized, I was 11, but my parents told me I was too young to make such a big decision, so I waited until I was 15. I was in a Christian organization in college and still hang out with friends I made there. I was a counselor at church camp a couple of times. I have volunteered numerous times with numerous Christian organizations. I have read the Bible in it’s entirety a few times, tithed at least 10% for many years, have done a lot of praying in my life, have thought a lot about my ✨spiritual practices✨ I was a spicy Christian for sure, but I was definitely a Christian. In fact, it’s probably the largest influence in the way I see the world and my place in it, and the lessons I learned there play a large part in any advocacy or activism I participate in.

And I say it with my full chest when I say that if the God that Christians purport to believe in exists… there are a hell of a lot of American “Christians” who are f*cked. Who couldn’t show any signs of “bearing fruit” if asked, and don’t even know what it would mean to actually bear fruit. Who view church as nothing more than a social club for self-growth and feeling good about themselves. Who justify their own wealth and comfort by pointing their fingers at anyone who doesn’t look or live like them, selectively choosing which parts of the Bible they listen to in order to not have to question their own lifestyles or choices too much. Who wouldn’t know Jesus/his Dad/his Ghost if they were slapped down by the literal hand of God. That’s why I don’t go to church anymore. I cannot bring myself to “love my brothers” because most of y’all are NOT my brothers. Most of y’all aren’t even my friends. And the ones who are my people, they’d be my people regardless of what god they believed in because they give a shit and show it.

That’s it. That’s the message. I am frustrated and tired and emotionally exhausted. And if you’re not when you see an actual genocide happening, and you dare call yourself a follower of Jesus, then there is nothing I could say, or that the actual Bible could say, that would make a difference. And if the God you think you believe in exists, good luck, bro.

PS. Free Palestine. Stop the genocide. Ceasefire NOW.

Feisty To The End

Clifford Ming Wong was born on March 13, 1930 to Arthur and May Wong in their second story flat on 825 Washington Street in San Francisco Chinatown. He was the fifth of ten kids (9 made it to adulthood) and, when May left the family in 1937, older sisters Helen and Frances helped Art raise the other kids. As Cliff would say, “Helen nurtured us with love and affection; Frances would beat the shit out of us when we got out of line.” Art would occasionally dole out the whippings when warranted – like when Cliff was caught cutting Chinese school. Art ran a lottery in Chinatown during their early years, and later owned corner grocery stores in Oakland and San Francisco. May was a waitress and later had a flower farm with her last husband.

During World War II in 1941, Art moved the family to Dixon to help a family friend run a restaurant. Unfortunately, Cliff contracted tuberculosis and went back to San Francisco General Hospital for treatment. Once out of the hospital he went to Hancock Health School instead of Francisco Jr High and complained about the cottage cheese they fed him.  

Cliff made friends at the Jean Parker Playground and would spend hours playing basketball there. He was awful in the beginning but practiced diligently until he improved. Born left-handed, he was forced to use his right hand in school… but that just helped him to be ambidextrous on the court. He played all four years at Commerce High, two years as team Captain and two years as All City. He joined the Falcons Club at the Chinatown YMCA and started swimming. In that YMCA pool, he and three friends practiced their medley and won the All City for Commerce High at Fleishacker Pool. He claimed that’s how he got his nickname Trout – because of his swimming prowess.

Across the street from the YMCA was the First Chinese Baptist Church (FCBC) that he started attending. He liked it because it had a basketball court right next door and later met his future wife Letty Chan there. One of the church workers suggested he go to the University of the Redlands in Southern California. He went for one year but felt it was too expensive for his father, so he transferred to UC Berkeley and majored in Physical Education. He was too short to play basketball for UCB, so he played for the San Francisco Saints (Chinatown team for players who graduated from high school) instead. The Saints were part of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) and often played against the teams in the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL).

After graduating from Berkeley, Cliff joined the Army in 1953 during the Korean War and was sent to Japan to learn Mandarin to be a translator. He wrote every day to his sweetheart Letty, and she wrote back once a week. After his tour of duty was over, he started student teaching at Burbank Junior High in Berkeley and the principal liked him so much that he hired him onto the staff.  He married Letty on June 19, 1955 at FCBC and they honeymooned in South Lake Tahoe where they would later spend many summer vacations in the Wong Family Cabin. In the fall, he went back to Burbank Junior High and was a PE Teacher.

1956 was Cliff’s last season playing with the SF Saints and they were invited to a Good Will Asia Tour in Kuala Lumper, Bangkok, Taiwan and Hong Kong.  Cliff was captain and they won the tournament. One of his teammates has said that Cliff was the best all-around player on the court.

Cliff went to San Francisco State to get his Masters in Counseling and Guidance. He learned how to listen to people and help draw out concerns which continued to be his strengths throughout his career. He moved on from PE Teacher to Dean and Vice Principal at Burbank.

Brian was born in 1958 in SF and Cliff had the late night and early morning bottle feeding duties. One morning, his brother Gene and brother-in-law Moe stopped by to take him golfing at the 9-hole in Golden Gate Park. Wearing Army boots and using borrowed clubs, he hit a couple good shots and went to buy his own set that afternoon. That was the day that “Cliff found Golf.” The family later moved to Richmond to be closer to his job in Berkeley. They bought a home on McBryde Avenue near his sister Frances and near Letty’s brothers Clarence and George and sister Marjorie and Wallace (Charcoal). Karen was born in 1962 and they stayed in Richmond until 1970 when Letty found a house in El Cerrito that she liked on Madera Circle which is still the family home.  Cliff then joined the Mira Vista (now Berkeley) Golf Club where he’d go several times a week to golf or play Gin Rummy with his buddies. 

Cliff also had a couple groups he would play poker with on a regular basis during the week. In the later years, the groups disbanded due to people becoming ill, so he would go to the Oaks Club in Emeryville to get his Poker fix… and then when COVID hit, he played online poker on his laptop and younger friends would invite him to play at their homes when vaccines were available.

Cliff would take Arlington Boulevard to Berkeley for work throughout his career – teacher, Dean and VP at Burbank, Principal at Berkeley High (during the Civil Rights Movement), Personnel Director and Labor Negotiator, Associate Superintendent of Instruction, and several stints as Acting Superintendent. He retired in 1990 but continued to come back as a consultant into his 80’s. But the job he loved most of all was to be Goong-Goong (Grandpa) to Lindsay, Courtney, Brannon and Briley… not to mention all of the grand-dogs he loved to walk. Whenever there was a band event, ball game or swimming meet, Goong-Goong would always be there, oftentimes with his old secretary and friend Eva Hayes! He and Letty hosted weekly Monday night dinners, went to Tahoe for the annual Chan gatherings, and all the Wong and Chan meals and get-togethers. Family was always his priority and he continued to attend his Sibling Lunches as much as possible, including his last one on September 20^th.

No matter his age or who he interacted with, Cliff was always known to be feisty! He was the shortest brother in his family (perhaps because of the tuberculosis), but was long on personality. Many friends and family members called on him to speak at their milestone parties, weddings or celebrations of life. Even when roasting people, you could see his warmth and love shine through along with his humor. During his last two months after leaving the hospital for congestive heart failure, Cliff got to see many of his family members and friends at the house on Madera Circle and played Gin Rummy with his friends at the golf club. He told everybody how much they meant to him, and they all let him know how much he was loved and respected too. 

Cliff was never a big drinker because his brother Gene (aka the General or Tuna) chewed him out royally when he got drunk at a party when he was young… but he really loved his Diet Coke. A couple days preceding his death, he demanded that caregiver Vili, “Give me a Diet Coke in a cup with ice with a straw! I’m not dead yet!” He got what he asked for and gulped down quite a bit before throwing up… but he did it on his terms. He always said he wanted to go peacefully in his sleep, and he did just that a little after 5 am on October 10, 2023.  For a Chinatown kid who had tuberculosis and smoked for 35 years, Cliff lived a great life of 93 years full of love.

Cliff is survived by wife Letty Wong, son Brian Wong and daughter-in-law Barbara Wong, daughter Karen Yuen and son-in-law Geoffrey Yuen; grandkids Lindsay Yuen, Courtney Yuen, Brannon Wong, Briley Wong; Siblings Helen Lum, Gene Wong (and wife Winifred Wong), Gilmore Wong, Laura Jew, Bernice (Wanie) Biggs, Christina Yuen (and husband Al Yuen); and several brother-in-laws, sister-in-laws, nephews, nieces, grandnephews and grandnieces.

Per his request, there will be no formal service for Cliff, but rather a simple family meal. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the First Chinese Baptist Church of SF (15 Waverly Place, San Francisco, CA 94108) or Chinatown Y (855 Sacramento St, San Francisco, CA 94108) https://www.ymcasf.org/give/donate-now?kwofrid=NW2LDF8.

“Coincidence”

It’s been a while since I blogged because I’ve been dealing with some minor health issues, my brother-in-law’s death and my mom’s health issues.  All through this, I’m thankful for all the love and support God’s provided through family and friends.  I wanted to write this story down so that I could share it with my family and friends, and so that I would always have a record of this story somewhere.

My mom had been in the hospital five times in a one-month period and we decided to bring her home last Friday under hospice care because she was absolutely miserable in the hospital.  Instead of getting better, she was getting worse and shutting down mentally.  We got her home and she was still agitated in the beginning but, as a few hours passed, she relaxed and started eating, drinking and engaging as she did before she went in.

When Mom was in good health, she was known to be an excellent baker, knitter and crocheter.  She often made sweaters and blankets for other family members.  However, arthritis set into her fingers over ten years ago, so she had to stop and there are some unfinished projects still sitting around the house.  When she’d gone into the hospital last time (early 2021), we had to make room for a caregiver, so much of her yarn was given away as well as her needles and crochet hooks.

Imagine my surprise on Sunday when she asked me to hand her an unfinished blanket in the next room.  I originally thought she was cold and wanted to cover her legs since her favorite pants were in the wash and she was wearing shorts.  But then she asked me for the instruction booklet which I found easy enough.  And then she asked me to find a certain skein of yarn, and I start getting concerned because my mom had yarn all over the place before and I knew I gave some of the best stuff away.  I’m thinking, “I don’t think she even has the manual dexterity to knit anymore.”  After finally finding the yarn she wanted, she asked for a brown crochet hook which she insisted was on the lamp table beside her.  I’m thinking, “That hook is probably long gone by now.”  It’s a small table and I don’t see it.  She insists it’s there, then says to check the floor behind the table.  Sure enough - Mom’s right, so I hand it to her.

Mom tried working on it a bit, but then asked me to put the blanket and crochet hook away… so I thought that was that.  Thought it was kinda weird how she just had an urge to crochet after over ten years, but then let it go.

This morning (Thursday) my cousin Mike McGee texted me:

Good morning Karen! 

How is Auntie Letty doing today? 

And your Dad? 

I have been meaning to ask you, or your Mom actually, about this blanket I found in the house among my Mom’s stuff. (Auntie Mabel passed over a year ago.). It looks like it’s hand made and was wondering if possibly Auntie Letty made it for my Mom.  I don’t know if you can ID her handiwork, or if she could if she saw it first hand. I would have loved to show it to her in person, but I don’t believe I have seen your Mom since my Mom passed. It’s just one of those lingering, do-it-later things and now it’s later. 

It’s a beautiful blanket, an art piece. Measures 49”x 63”. Do you think she could ID it if you showed her these pictures? I’m not sure of her memory these days. 

I replied: OMG Mike - yes it is my mom’s work. Last weekend, when I was with her, she wanted to continue work on an afghan that looks identical to that one! (And I texted him the picture of her looking at it on Sunday, and told him how she had directed me to bring it all to her.)

MIKE: 😺☺️❤️

Your fast and positive reply has me smiling and almost crying at the same time! I’m so glad that I put it aside and it didn’t get given away! It was just too nice to let go even if your Mom didn’t make it. But she did and it means so much to me that it was on my Mom’s bed keeping her warm, made by her big sister!

This is definitely a ray of light on my cloudy 🌥 life! Thank you cuz!!🥰

ME: This is so much more than coincidence! Like Albert Einstein said, “coincidence is God’s way of staying anonymous.”

Mike and I continued to text each other about how it seemed that the sisters were channeling each other through us, about how Mom used to take Auntie Mabel shopping for clothes (including her first bra) because their mom was so busy working, and about how my mom foreshadowed a dark time for Auntie… All things Auntie and Mom talked to us about separately before she passed… I can only see this as another blessing and sign from God of His love and ability to reach through to give us comfort and hope.

All I can say is… I am a believer.

When it Rains, it Pours…

 I just posted my thoughts last week and was just gonna veg today after scattering Robert’s ashes and listening to his entire interview with the Chinatown Rising people yesterday.  He shared how the 1977 Golden Dragon massacre impacted his life, and it pained me to hear much of what he had to struggle with because he didn’t have counselors or therapists to talk to. As if the Buffalo shootings weren’t enough last week, there was another elementary school shooting in which 19 kids and 2 teachers were killed. When it rains, it pours, and it seems to keep pouring because hardly a week goes by when I hear about another mass shooting event. I’ve become somewhat numb to these mass shootings as sort of a self-protection mode to avoid a spiral into anger and depression…. Especially when I hear that parents have to give DNA samples so that their kids can be identified because their faces and bodies were so damaged by the gunfire… and then it’s followed up with an NRA convention in the same state, and Trump goes to speak… and the Secret Service didn’t allow guns at the NRA convention to keep HIM safe. Hypocrisy much?

Thankfully, I watched the First Chinese Baptist Church zoom recording from yesterday after the girls left this morning. I knew that they would talk and pray about the shooting and world events because they always do. They never ignore the elephant in the room.  Still, I was caught unawares of the tears I shed when a cute little girl sang “You are my all in all” with her mother at the beginning of service. The song was beautiful, of course, but it was just the fact that 19 children like her were gunned down less than a week ago and are unrecognizable because of the bullets to their faces and heads.  

Pastor Sebastian then followed up with a lament about gun violence which expressed my thoughts and feelings as well.  Pastor Chris O gave a message on “Why Jesus Ascended” and tied it into “Why do these things happen? And what can we do?”  The short answers are no surprise - Bad things happen because we live in a broken world (or as my daughters aptly put it, the world is effed up.) And what we can do is start with ourselves - We can do what we can do to help one person at a time, moving towards love, justice, peace and hope… and then work with other folks to help more people.  Chris O said it in a much more compelling way and I recommend you watch her message here: https://fb.watch/dkHjusdXWj/

I will continue to help people as much as I can, as well as organizations who are trying to help in areas of social justice… and I will research areas in which I can help with gun culture and mental health.  So far, this is the best article I’ve read to date with solutions, written by a former military gun owner. Basically he’d like to implement the NRA Rules into law. Just like drunk driving laws didn’t stop drunk driving, it does hold people accountable and slowly changed the drinking culture. We need to do the same thing with gun culture. In addition to this, mental health needs to be destigmatized so that people get help for themselves (and their kids) sooner as suicide by gun is very prevalent. I’ve been passionate about gun control laws since the Golden Dragon Massacre when Robert was shot and Calvin was killed.  I was only 15 years old then, and had no idea why God would allow this then… just as I still question it now at the age of 60.  But I’m now in the position and mindset to at least try to make a difference.  I hope you will too.  

https://www.stonekettle.com/2015/06/bang-bang-sanity.html

Reflections on 2022 So Far - Death, Ukraine, Racist Attacks, Roe v Wade, COVID

My last blog was in January and I vowed to write something at least once a quarter.  Technically, we’re still in the second quarter of 2022 but it’s been about 4 months since my last blog. 

On a personal level, it’s been an eventful year.  My brother-in-law Robert died on March 1 of cardiopulmonary arrest. Since then, family members and friends have been going to the family home in SF regularly to clean it up and get it ready for an estate sale. Ro was a collector and had an eclectic collection of Art Deco, Chinese furniture, Hawaiian art, antique luggage, Hotel and Airline dishes and silver serving dishes, amongst other items. In life, he also had a wide variety of friends and family members from all walks of life; and he loved them all and prioritized his relationships.  In addition to prepping the house for the estate sale, we’d been planning his Hawaiian-themed celebration of life which we held last weekend.  It was basically a party  for all of us who knew him to come together for some food and drink… and a hula performed by his long-time buddy… and I believe it was something he would’ve enjoyed attending.  While we had a video of pics and music, interspersed with short memories that people shared of Robert, there was no formal service with speakers. We wanted people to just share amongst themselves and remember Ro in a happy party setting.

Video: https://youtu.be/r_Kf946qxQ8

Program: https://1drv.ms/w/s!AmJeZz1KhQW7kjoYzjritjfFL5yU

Hula: https://youtu.be/nVqb4vrGLes

The family will join together again next weekend to scatter his ashes in the Bay (he requested near the Golden Gate Bridge), but we will continue to miss him til we meet again. 

Moving on to world events at large…. Normally I link all the resources I discuss in my blog, but I honestly don’t have the energy for that right now.  Maybe I’ll update/edit it later… but for now I’ll just try to share off the top of my head in no particular order.

Russia started their invasion of Ukraine in February.  As always, people attack others for resources - be it land, oil, power or whatever resource they want. Most of the Western world stands with Ukraine and millions of their citizens have had to seek refuge in other countries. Ukraine, with assistance from the U.S. and other allies, have been able to resist Russia’s attacks… but they’ve still lost many lives. As a result, there’s global inflation on prices of oil and goods and, of course, the GOP is trying to blame Biden for it so that they can try to get more Republicans into office. 

Last week, there was a racially hate-motivated attack on a Black community in Buffalo, NY.  Also last week, a Dallas gunman shot three Korean women in a hair salon as attacks on AAPI continue. White Supremacy is obviously a huge issue in this country but, in my view, many White Evangelicals and Republicans don’t really care because THEIR community isn’t being impacted.  Tucker Carlson and all the other hate mongerers talk about the Great Replacement Theory (White folks being replaced by Jews and POC) which fuels these White Supremacists with more hatred to go after POC.

There was also a Supreme Court document leak indicating that SCOTUS will soon overturn Roe v Wade.  I have always been and remain pro-choice.  Of course GOP will say I am pro-abortion but they are two different things.  Nobody I know, including those who have had abortions, think “Yeah, I like abortion-Let me go get one now!” I don’t know how many people have told me, “My mom got unexpectedly pregnant with me and I’m glad she had me instead of getting an abortion.”  And I’m like, “Yeah, I’m happy that she got to make that CHOICE too!”  I have known enough girls/women who have had abortions and would have had one whether it was legal or not.  With Roe v Wade, they can get one without putting their health at risk. I prefer to address the cause of unwanted pregnancies with birth control, sex ed, and public assistance for parents who do have children and need help.  I can go on and on about this, but Pastor John Pavlovitz says it better than I can here:

https://johnpavlovitz.com/2018/07/19/dear-pro-life-christian-youve-already-lost/

COVID is starting to surge again, but I am relieved that vaccines, treatments and PPE is now more widely available. While I feel people are getting too reckless, I will continue to take precautions with my and my parents’ health.  We will continue to get boosted every 5-6 months if we can, wear masks in indoor public settings, and try to keep socially distant when out and about. I’m thankful to the Biden Administration for making all this available to folks and hope my friends and family members take advantage of it.

No matter all the bad stuff above that’s been happening, I am thankful to God for providing me a faith community like the First Chinese Baptist Church of SF. The pastors there pray regularly about world events because they know that Jesus wants us to “Stand in the Gap” (shout out to Chris O’s message today) to help others get to know Him AND do His work.  While the Southern Baptist Convention deals with the latest sexual abuse reports… and the SF Archbishop denies communion to Nancy Pelosi… it’s nice to be part of a church that strives, not to judge, but to help people come to Christ and be Christ to one another.

New Year 2022

It's a new year, but not necessarily that "Happy" yet.  There was good and bad in 2021 which I'd like to reflect on.

First on the list for "Bad" was the Insurrection on January 6, along with all the continued lies that the election was fraudulent and the voter restriction legislation happening at the State level in red/purple states.  While some GOP lawmakers spoke out against it when it was happening, many are now backtracking and trying to downplay the severity of that day... and doing what they can to suppress the vote so they can stay in power.  The small "Good" of this is that there are some Conservatives that are still appalled by those events, including the few that did vote to impeach Trump for his part.  Also good is that there is still a committee investigating what happened and why to prevent another recurrence...  And there are judges convicting those responsible.

What the Insurrection also showed me was that the "Christian Nationalists" were out there flying "Jesus Saves" signs along with those carrying Confederate flags.  This was really a wake-up call to me.  It's not that I think all White Christians are racist Insurrectionist Trump lovers. It's just that there was, in my circles, very little said about it by some of my White Evangelical friends.  Just like with the killing of Black lives and the AAPI Hate, some of my White friends said nothing to me about any of it (or worse, "It did come from China")... and I felt like I was being gaslighted.  I don't know if it was because they just didn't know what to say or if they didn't believe these things were happening... but it did make me deeply sad to realize that some Christians only want to see what's true in "their world."

COVID and its variants are still a "Bad" for 2021 and 2022, but the "Good" is that the vaccines have been distributed and is keeping many people out of hospitals and/or dying.  The "Bad" is that vaccines and masks have become a political issue when they should just be considered tools that all of us can use to help each other out. I credit Biden for trying to distribute them to everybody, but "you can't make the horse drink." The "Good" is that those of us willing to use these tools can do so to protect ourselves from the unmasked as much as possible. 

Somewhat "Bad" is that Kyle Rittenhouse got acquitted, but he will have to live with the lives he took.  In his case, I blame his parents and his world which glorifies guns and vigilantism while villifying BLM protestors. While there are rioters and looters at some (not all) BLM protestors, they are damaging/taking property, not people's lives. He was a minor and got caught up in something way above his head. Definitely "Bad" were the people encouraging his actions, including the police who were praising him and giving him water.  The flip side to this vigilante story is that the three guys who killed Ahmaud Arbery while jogging were convicted. They clamed they were trying to do a citizen's arrest or something, but let's just call it what it was - a lynching.  And one of them was stupid of enough to record it. 

Derek Chauvin was also convicted for killing George Floyd. While this is a taste of justice, I can't really call it "Good" because these killings shouldn't be happening at all.  If it weren't for people recording some of these incidents, all of these people would've walked free. It takes camera footage and persistent family and community members to get these convictions.  Just imagine how much goes unseen....

One good is that there is one less war the U.S. is involved in (Afghanistan); the bad is that the pull-out was very rocky.  While US and allied forces evacuated more than 120,000 civilians, there were still hundreds left.  I can't find any recent numbers about how many are still there that want to leave. War is always "Bad" in my book, so now I'm hoping that things on the Ukraine/Russia border don't escalate.  

Another good thing is that a bipartisan infrastructure bill passed; the bad part of that is that a lot of good things got stripped from it.  But hey, Trump had four years to pass an infrastructure bill which never got passed.  I didn't think Democrats could get anything passed with the Senate 50/50 split.  Definitely a major "Bad" is the GOP which refuses to let any of the good stuff pass, even when it helps their constituents. 

On a personal level, here are some of the highlights of 2021:

Deepened friendships with Fairfield/Suisun Christian friends

Reignited my membership with the First Chinese Church of SF (FCBC), while retaining friendships with folks at Sunset Ministry and New Life Church

Stop AAPI Hate March with Sunset Ministry

Prayer Walk in Bay View/Hunters Point with FCBC and Pastor Kirk Davis of KairosSF

Screening of Chinese Couplets at FCBC

Finished reading The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, Never Caught: The Washingtons' Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge, and Reconstructing the Gospel: Finding Freedom from Slaveholder Religion.

Attended training for Fairfield's Neighborhood Court Restorative Justice Program

Annual Summer Trips to Vegas to see old friends and Tahoe with Chan Family (mom's relatives)

2022 Goals:

Become more active with the Neighborhood Court Program

Attend FCBC Events - Services, Bible Study, Retreats, Fellowship Groups, Service Projects, Etc.

Read more books (less time on Social Media)

Blog something on a quarterly basis (at a minimum)

I'm sure there's more that I've missed in my highlights and goals, but I've already written a book (which is a long-term goal).  Thanks for reading!

Transfer of Membership Testimony

Today my membership from Sunset Ministry to First Chinese Baptist Church of SF was approved in the membership meeting. I was a little surprised to learn that I would need to attend classes for this transfer but, in retrospect, I enjoyed it a lot while learning a few things too!  In addition to the class, I and others who are getting baptized or transferring membership have to share testimonies at today’s membership meeting.  Because I know I tend to lose things, I thought I’d put my testimony into this blog for safekeeping.  Here goes….

Hi,  I’m Karen and I first started coming to church with my Uncle Charcoal when I was in Jr High.  He invited me to Youth Camp, so I thought I should go to church to meet some of the other kids before being thrown into a camp with them for a week.  It was there that I met Becky Chuck Lessler who was my first Sunday School Teacher.  Like most teens, I had a blast at camp, made lifelong friends and kept riding in from Richmond/El Cerrito with my Uncle Charcoal, Auntie Marjorie, Julie and Jerald every Sunday.

I got baptized when I was in high school in 1979 by James Chuck who married my parents, and later my husband and me in 1987.  At CBC, I sang in the Youth and Adult Choirs, served as counselor and staff at Youth Camp, performed in fundraising plays for Youth Camp scholarships, and helped out in the Elementary Sunday School Classes.  Both of my daughters Lindsay and Courtney were also dedicated and baptized at CBC.

When Sunset Ministry was formed, I was part of the core group that went over with Pastor Larry Jay.  Even though I lived in Fairfield, it was still convenient to go to Sunset because my mother-in-law Lotus lived a few blocks away (2 houses from James and Marie Chuck), and we’d hang out with her after church for Sunday family dinners with my in-laws.  After my mother-in-law died, we decided not to make the drive out to Sunset anymore and I later found a local church in Fairfield where I’d been pretty active with until COVID.  

Since COVID, I started attending zoom CBC services, the Gathering Sunday School Classes and Bible Study with Joy and Becky… in addition to the screening of Chinese Couplets, Harvest Festival and Prayer Walk at Bayview/Hunter’s Point.  Pastors Sebastian and Chris O give messages that really resonate with me.   They are able to speak to us about Black Lives Matter, Stop AAPI Hate and the Insurrection through a Christian lens… and always drive home the importance of loving God and loving our neighbors even when we don’t agree.  I’ve been feeling called back to CBC, to continue growing my faith and serving the Chinatown community and CBC family. I probably am related by blood or marriage to a bunch of members, and that’s why things feel familiar for me.  At the same time, Pastor Sebastian is a new pastor to me and I do see a lot of newer, younger folks like Anni, and it’s exciting and rejuvenating for me.  For my faith journey, “everything old is new again.”

Ignorance is Bliss?

They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.  Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality as to indulge in every kind of impurity and they are full of greed.

Ephesians 4:18-19 NIV

Education is a big deal in my family.  My father worked for the Berkeley USD his whole career, working himself up from P.E. Teacher to Associate Superintendent.  Several of my cousins also work(ed) in school districts.  But the emphasis is not on collecting degrees - it is on learning. I have worked with people that don't have college degrees that are far smarter and wiser than those who do hold degrees. The one thing that smart and wise folks have in common is the willingness to learn.  They read, they take classes (formal and informal), they learn about history, other peoples and cultures.

Unfortunately, I feel as if there's an effort now to embrace ignorance or, at the very least, to keep the 45-Base of Insurrectionists ignorant.  It is much easier to spread a lie than to prove a truth.  And even though there's been a ton of proof that Biden won the election, the Big Lie continues.  The Virginia governor won on the lie that Critical Race Theory is being taught in K-12 (although McAuliffe made plenty of gaffes to contribute to his loss), and Conservatives spread the false idea that CRT makes White people hate themselves.  It's ironic to me that people who say Liberals are "snowflakes" still haven't acknowledged that Biden won the election, that there is systemic racism (which we should all be trying to eradicate), and that some still carry Confederate flags as if they never lost the Civil War.

Speaking of ignorance, how is it that the United States of America, a country with plenty of vaccines at our disposal, still has over 750K deaths (of the 5 million worldwide)? It's because of false information being put out there about the vaccines, it's because of the original lies about it being a "Democratic hoax," it's because people are trying to make a public safety issue a personal rights issue.  Quite simply, it's about willful ignorance and political bullshit.  Both Trump and Biden should've been united against this pandemic.  Heck, Biden even praised Trump's Operation Warp Speed (although Trump's distribution plan was poor/nonexistant.)  But the GOP is capitalizing on their far-right ignorant base to fight even this pandemic which everybody should have been united against.

The other thing I don't get is people's objections to Renewable Energy.  Yes, I drive a gas-powered car in addition to a hybrid.  And I do turn on my gas-powered heater in the winter.  But I also realize that this planet only has so much fossil fuel available, and I believe that we have enough smart people in this world to figure out how to generate renewable energy.  This would also open up jobs for people in addition to taking care of the planet.  Personally, I call it "Planet Care" instead of Climate Change because it seems some people cling to ignorance and won't learn about CC because it has a liberal name.  To put it simply, if you're a Christian and reading this, I believe God made us stewards of this planet and we should take care of it.  If we keep drilling into it to get limited resources, we're going to wreck the planet and run out of those resources anyway.

So why are the Conservatives leveraging ignorance?  Lately, you hear them complaining about "Cancel Culture" (I call it "Consequence Culture"), vaccine and masking mandates and Election Fraud.  I believe they are telling lies and exploiting the ignorance because they want to deflect attention away from the January 6 Insurrection Investigations and to continue passing Voter Restriction laws and gerrymander districts to win elections.  Instead of simply working for the people, they are basically cheating to get their way.

I've been following Heather Cox Richardson, a historian who breaks down the day's political events and have learned a lot.  While it's frustrating to me (and I'm sure most Americans) that Congress takes so long to get anything done, I recognize that it's because there's constant push/pull within the Democrats' moderate and progressive wings... all while trying to work with the obstructionist Republicans who don't want the Democrats to get a "win."  Just as proving out truths takes time, so does making any actual real progress... and I'm glad that, at the very least, the Infrastructure Bill passed.

#ThankYouBrandon

A Former Agnostic's Pandemic Journey Back to Chinatown

I originally started this blog to keep track of my journey as a Christian.  Most of my life I've been agnostic even though I went to the First Chinese Baptist Church of SF (FCBC) and its sister church Sunset Ministry most of my youth and adult life (from 7th grade through my early 40s). My parents are agnostic (although my mom trends atheist these days) and I basically saw church as my community of friends and family. Sometimes I believed that Jesus was the son of God and my salvation; but honestly I didn't think about it too much because there were times when I questioned my faith... such as when my brother-in-law and friend were shot at the Golden Dragon Massacre in Chinatown when I was a teen (brother-in-law survived but friend died).  It wasn't until later that I decided to examine my true beliefs which I wrote about here.

Even though I was born at SF's Children's Hospital, I grew up in the cities of Richmond and El Cerrito and went to the Richmond public schools.  My dad worked his entire career with the Berkeley Unified School District, including the Civil Rights Movement era.  My schools were always pretty multi-ethnic and I wanted my kids to grow up in a diverse environment which I think we have in Fairfield.  Nonetheless, my parents grew up in SF Chinatown and it was important to them that they retain their roots. They had both grown up and met in Chinatown and got married at FCBC. Every week, I remember driving over to SF to "mai soong" or buy groceries in Chinatown before heading to my grandparents' place on Filbert and Larkin.  Several of my uncles and aunts also lived in Richmond/El Cerrito, so my uncle started driving me to FCBC for church before going to my grandparents' place.  It's at FCBC that I met my hubby and we were later married by the same pastor who married my parents.

Since my dad worked in Berkeley schools, they always recognized MLK and Malcolm X birthdays as holidays, and they offered Asian American Summer School when I was a teen. It was there that I learned more about history that wasn't included in the public school textbooks... and then later in college, I was able to take Asian-American history courses at San Francisco State University. The summer before I graduated with my Journalism BA, I interned at the East/West Newspaper in Chinatown and have fond memories of working there. They offered me an editor position after I graduated but I wanted to veer more into broadcast journalism.  Hindsight is 20/20 and now I wonder if I should've stuck with print, but there's no use crying over spilt milk.

As a former agnostic, I've always looked at churches with a discerning eye.  I just assumed they served their communities as I know that FCBC has always worked closely with the YMCA across the street, done interchurch sports leagues to outreach to youth, conducted English Night School for immigrants, held day camps and other programs for kids in the community, etc.  Likewise, Sunset Ministry hosts a weekly food pantry program, does service projects with other organizations like SF Impact and Habitat for Humanity, etc.  I also went to New Orleans on a mission trip back in 2016 with Sunset Ministry, my only mission trip (so far.)  

While I understand that the #1 goal is to bring people to Christ (Love God), I believe the best way to do that is to Love Your Neighbor. I once told my agnostic father how a church was serving the homeless meals, doing blood drives, etc and he responded, "That's how it should be. Otherwise it's just talk."  It was then that I realized that whatever church I attend and contribute to needs to walk the talk - Love God AND Love your neighbors (Matt 22:37-40).   Otherwise it's just a club of like-minded people.  I'd say about half of my friends and family are agnostic and/or not church affiliated, and I believe the best way to reach them is to set an example of God's love with feet on the street.  They don't see God unless we reflect His love. I also need a church that has women in positions of leadership, is open with their annual budget and board members, and isn't afraid of discussing the hard stuff such as systemic racism and White Supremacy.

Pastors Sebastian Ong (FCBC) and Jerry Mann (Sunset Ministry) have been very open about supporting BLM as well as efforts to Stop AAPI Hate.  It would have been easy for a Chinatown pastor  to ignore BLM because many Chinatown residents see that some of the attacks are perpetuated by Black people... But Pastor Sebastian (who is from Singapore) educated himself on African-American history and leads his congregation with the hard discussions, including how many Chinese have racist perceptions, how the Model Minority Myth is a White Supremacist Trap and how we need to come together in solidarity with other folks to eliminate systemic injustices and further God's kingdom.  Likewise, Pastor Jerry Mann spoke at a couple rallies to #Stop AAPI Hate and Sunset Ministry has participated in both BLM and Stop AAPI Hate Rallies.  I'm so pleased that these churches are speaking up for their neighbors in addition to serving them.

After George Floyd was murdered, the Fairfield Police partnered up with some local churches and a nearby BLM Chapter to have a prayer vigil at our local Laurel Creek Park.  I was so glad to see these entities come together for this prayer vigil and I decided then to become more aware of my local police department's policies and activities.  I found out that they have a Neighborhood Court program for restorative justice and have volunteered to participate as a panelist (just received word that I have been accepted).  

I'm getting up in years and needed to assess how to spend my time and resources.  I really like participating in FCBC and Sunset Ministry activities (my roots), but also wanted to help my local community.  I have a group of Fairfield/Suisun Christian women that I fellowship with, and we support and hold each other accountable... And now I will be working with the Neighborhood Court program.  I thank God for this journey he's taken me on through this pandemic.  In January 2020, I had no idea I'd be here.  We were given a pandemic, summer of protests, insurrection, mass shootings, etc.  It's been filled with ups and downs, connections/reconnections, and lots of discovery. Only God could've gotten me here and I thank Him for every minute :)