To Our Dear Friends

My Dear Friends,

I owe an eternal debt of gratitude to a few people who helped shape the course of my life. You are among them.

More than thirty years ago, you and I had what seemed like a casual conversation in Houston, yet it profoundly changed the course of my family's life. I no longer remember all the details of that conversation, but one sentence has remained with me ever since:

"Lao Gang, you and your family must come to America."

I heard you, and I took your words to heart. I made the decision to send Di and Mary to America first, and later I joined them. When we arrived, you not only encouraged us with your words, but also demonstrated your kindness through your actions. You opened your home to us and welcomed us as family. The rest, as they say, is history.

Looking back, our decision to come to America became the turning point that led to the two greatest blessings of our lives—our life on earth and our life for eternity.

Here in America, we came to know Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We found the greatest treasure anyone could ever receive: salvation through faith in Him. It was also here that God blessed our family with the birth of Phoebe.

For many years, our family has been praying that God would draw you to Himself. The story almost sounds like a novel, yet it is true. God used you to bring us to America and begin a new chapter of our earthly lives. In return, He has given us the privilege of sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with you, hoping that you, too, will receive His gift of eternal life. I believe this is part of God's sovereign and loving plan.

It is my prayer that this book will help you better understand my Christian faith and what it means to follow Christ. More importantly, I pray that God will use these pages to draw you closer to Himself, and that one day you will place your trust in Jesus Christ, becoming beloved sons and daughters of God and inheritors of His eternal Kingdom.

Thank you for changing the course of our earthly lives. My deepest prayer is that one day we will spend eternity together in the presence of our Lord.

With love and gratitude,

Simon

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