November 24, 2010
Call to Worship
God is gracious. He heals the brokenhearted, and binds up their wounds. Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure. Jesus said, “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon me, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Psalm 147:1c, 3, 5; Matthew 11:28, 29; 5:4)
We are here to remember and celebrate the life of Doris Haw Yim who was born on January 5, 1922 and returned to the Lord on November 15, 2010 having lived for 88 years in this world. On behalf of her two daughters, Doreen Lor and Candace Tandoc and their two families, I welcome you here today. We are grateful for you in taking time out during this busy season of preparing for the upcoming holidays. We pray that inasmuch as you have come to remember and make your presence of support known to Doris Yim’s family that you too would be blessed beyond measure.
Let us pray.
O God, your care is like that of a father who has compassion for his children and a mother who comforts her child. We cast our heavy burdens of grief on you. Treat us graciously in our anguish. Grant us the comfort of your rest. Assure us with the confidence that your faithful servant, Doris Haw Yim has been received into the arms of your mercy, in the blessed rest of your eternal care. May our lives hereafter bear witness to the hope that is ours in the crucified and risen Christ, who defeated death for our sake and now reigns victorious in your glory. Through the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen.
Scripture Readings
Biography—Written by Doris Yim’s Daughter, Doreen Lor
Words of Remembrance—Sharing
Sister Ginny Kamimoto
Granddaughter Ginger Tandoc
Alan Dare (?)
Caring for Others
Today is the day right before what we know as a season of sharing and caring. The daily newspapers list ways that you can donate funds to care for those who have very little. We hear the Salvation Army ringing bells and we want to drop coins and bills in the kettles. Sometimes we are so caught up with this spirit of giving and caring that we forget what the true meaning of Christmas is. We give, share, and care for one another because God first gave, shared and cared for us made visible in the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem when angels proclaimed good news for all people. In this Thanksgiving and Christmas season, giving and caring are good things that we need to do as much as we can in these current challenging economic times.
We are particularly aware of caring for others during this season. We may perform random acts of kindness. We care enough to hold open a door, return a smile or express a season’s greeting. Today is an appropriate time to remember and honor someone who cared for others.
Doris Yim was a nurse. There are not many other occupations that care for people in life and death situations than being a nurse. She worked at the U.S. Public Health Service Hospital, the TB Chest Clinic at San Francisco General Hospital and the Chinese Hospital. These hospitals are not in places where you would see many well-to-do patients. She cared for people who needed help and assistance. Doris was there to bandage their wounds, take their temperature, give out medicine, take their blood pressure, give flu shots and tenderly touched people with disease and illness. From Doris’ perspective, all of these people are God’s children who deserved care and kindness.
When we think about Doris Yim and how she cared for others, we remember the Good Samaritan in the Bible. Jesus told a story about how a traveler was robbed and beaten by some thieves and left dying on the side of the road. When both a priest and a Levite came by, they didn’t care and walk over to the other side of the road so not to catch any germs from this dying man.
But when a Samaritan came by, someone who was not recognized with any honorable status, he cared for this dying man. He took it upon himself to bandage his wounds, give him some water, put him on his donkey and took him to a motel to get better. The Samaritan cared so much that he told the motel owner to provide what the dying man needed and on his way back through the town, he would pay him whatever more it costs to care for the dying man.
Doris was like that Samaritan. She was good to those who needed nursing. She cared for those who required help and gave lavishly to others. When Doris was a nurse, nurses would take the time to feed their patients unlike what we see today.
After caring for people as a nurse, Doris did not stop caring in other times as well. She volunteered at the Salvation Army’s Harborlight Center lending a hand to wash dishes after the hungry people are fed.
She served as a Sunday School teacher in the Juniors Department to care for the minds, hearts, and souls of children to make a decision for Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. She put together ditty bags filled with soap, toothbrush, comb, facecloth and other toiletries so that the seafarers who come in big cargo container ships in Oakland can have a small symbol that someone cares for them. It’s ironic that just this past Sunday, the Chaplain/Director of the Seafarers Ministry of the Golden Gate, Rev. Jim Lindgren spoke at our church. The Adult Fellowship that Doris once was active in is still putting together ditty bags for the seafarers. They too have learned the meaning of caring.
In Matthew 25, Jesus taught us that when we give those who are hungry–food, those who are thirsty–drink, those who are strangers–welcome, those who are naked–clothing, those who are sick–care, those who are in prison—a visit, we would have done it to Jesus Christ himself. Doris cared for the least of these and therefore cared for Jesus Christ himself.
If Doris was still a nurse today, she may be the first to sign up to go to Haiti to care for those with cholera. She would continue to work in public clinics where people can’t afford to go to a specialist. This is the reason why many patients refer to their nurses as angels. We can be confident that when Doris met her husband Bob in the hospital—she was the nurse and he was the patient—not sure if there’s any professional conflicts here, but Bob must have seen an angelic Doris.
Candy’s children were blessed to have the opportunity of growing up with their grandparents in the same home. They learned how to care for Doris because Doris, their Po Po first cared for them. Doris knew that her caring and loving family surrounded her when she completed her life here on earth because she taught all of them how to care in the first place.
It may be providential for us to gather here today—on this day before the Thanksgiving holiday and the beginning of the Christmas season when we hear so much about giving and caring. But for Doris, she didn’t care only during the holidays. She cared year-round and for the 88 years of her life. If there were a legacy that Doris Yim can leave for us; it is to care for one another, care for those who have very little, care for those who are sick and ill, care for those who happen to be down and out, care for the children who need to know their Bible verses, care for each other here for the rest of our lives. When we care, we will continue to have Doris’ loving spirit with us until that day when we join her in eternal life.
Let us pray.
Caring God, mindful of the shortness of our lives and our feeble strength, we commend to your loving care those friends and families alike whom we know and whom we are trying to help. With equal concern, we commend to you an unknown number of strangers of whose needs we are unaware. Help us to seek them out and to offer them whatever care they may welcome while maintaining their dignity. Lead us to live faithful and productive lives like that of your beloved daughter, Doris Yim.
As we celebrate the life of Doris Yim, we are grateful to you Lord in helping us to be the persons we are created by you to be. Confirm for us in the knowledge that, like Doris Yim, we are fully and gloriously alive in that communion of saints, celebrating the death of death in the life with the Lord forevermore. Amen.
Announcements
If you would like to make a monetary donation in memory of Doris Haw Yim, you are invited to give to the following organizations: Sutter VNA & Hospice in San Francisco, 1625 Van Ness Avenue, 4th floor, San Francisco, 94109 and/or the First Chinese Baptist Church, 1 Waverly Place, San Francisco, 94108.
Following the service, the motorcade will drive by her house and then proceed to Green Lawn Cemetery in Colma for the committal. Afterward, you are invited to the buffet lunch at Moonstar Seafood Restaurant in Daly City.
Benediction
This old Irish verse must have been one of Doris Yim’s favorite. Her daughters found it posted on her bedroom wall.
May the road rise up to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
And the rain fall soft Upon the fields;
And until we meet again…
May God hold you in the palm of His hand.
Amen.
Committal Service
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. (John 11:25-26)
“God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, crucified and risen, we commend to God’s merciful care our sister, Doris Haw Yim; and we commit her body to this final resting place: earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.
“Blessed are the dead who…die in the Lord…they will rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.” (Revelations 14:13)
Let us pray.
Merciful God, you created us in your own image, perhaps because you were lonely. You created us as members of families, so that none of us should ever be lonely. You share our grief when the family circle is broken and we experience loneliness and sorrow, because someone we have loved and counted on has left us. Grant us strength to face our loss, with the assurance that Doris Haw Yim’s return to you has not broken our family circle, but only extended it beyond this earthly scene into the heavens that your children share with you, thanks to the resurrection of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Benediction
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace. Amen.
Paying last respects.
We thank you again for your presence here today. You are cordially invited to attend the Memorial Meal at the Moonstar Restaurant, 383 Gellert Blvd in Daly City following our time here. Doris Yim’s family looks forward to greeting you there. Go with God’s peace.