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Didn't imagine that I could meet Dr. Carl Hunker before the trip. In fact, it was only the first evening during a visit to Naomi's dorm that I spotted a name with a number on the board next to her desk, "Dr. Carl Hunker 604-...." And it was yesterday afternoon, during a visit to the Baptist Center of the College, thanks to Naomi's room-mate that I was able to access to the files that I knew then he also graduated from William-Jewell and has recently been granted a honorary D.D. by the College. I made a call and connected and this morning we met, after nearly 30 years! He is 93 years and still remembers me. Oh, he drove to the hotel where we are staying and took us to his place which is in fact on the boundary of the campus. He talked about his ancesters settling down in the States, wonderful stories and beautiful lives... Oh yes, he stills love Chinese people and that was my impression of him when I first knew him in Taiwan when he was the President of Baptist Theological Seminary there. He is still active and in fact, preaches regularly. Looking at him while he narrated, I wondered, still wondering now, why some people could stay faithful to the calling throughout the entire life with joy and faith. They are not naive for they went through much. No bitterness, no anger, no pity, yet they know and experienced life and death, anguish and pain, rich and poor. For them to be able to serve the Lord is the blessing, nothing can distract them from knowing and doing this. We talked about the friends we both know (we both graduated from Southern Seminary, some of his friends had been my teachers) but most of them, if not all, have rested in the Lord... He prayed... The "Thee" and "Thou" and "Thy" bring a lot of memories to me and energies me, knowing that He is indeed gracious and soverign. He drove us back to the hotel and bid farewell, "Joe, you have blessed my day." "You take care of yourself and drive safe, OK?" "I will." He pulled out the curb, slowly he went... |
