Dear Brother Shen En,

 

You have rested from your labor

And gone ahead of us

To be with the Lord

On the Lord's Day

 

I got to know you

In the formative years of Xiangyin

You were a man of few words

But a man of great deeds

 

You were a very hospitable man

Thank you for hosting us

On more than one occasions

In your East Brunswick house

 

You were a burden carrier for perishing souls

Thanks to you for the cassette tape

You championed to record

For gospel's sake

 

You were a true shepherd

Even to the destitute land of Sichuan

Your care and Christian love

Still speaks to the lambs there

 

I have a secret to tell you

I pushed your last essay to print

In last year's RCCC Beacon

For your plain language

Does not hide a soul winner's heart

So genuine and so palpable

 

We so used to call you Xiaolong

Until you changed it to En

What a word of change

To sum up the grace and thanksgiving

 

I wonder what's exactly recorded

In the Book of Life

Does it have a column?

Formerly known as or AKA

 

We will be privileged to find out

On the great and fearful Day of the Lord

Similar name changes

That happened with patriarchs

And saints of all ages

 

Now rest in heavenly peace

Your deeds of faith will follow you

Hope we'll have made similar mark on earth

Of heavenly and eternal impact

Before being called home

 

Love,

 

(Composed on Aug.30, 2001)