Unconditional Love: Letters to an Adopted Family
by
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Dear Sam and Mercy, How good it is to hear from you. We delight in hearing from you both about yourselves and the children. We are so happy to know that you plan to be at the General Conference for part of the time, Mercy, and have made note of it. We want to get together for some good conversation – and want you to be our guests for at least one meal in some quiet restaurant (if there will be anything like that in Baltimore during the G.C.) We’re interested in your preference for Mondale among the Democratic “eager beavers,” Sam. We had tended to prefer Hart because of his attitudes on foreign policy – though I’ll admit his chances of getting the nomination seem slim. Anyone of them, however, would be better than Reagan – in our opinion – (More space needed [for this addendum to the “annual letter.”]) Our fear is that Reagan will get us into open warfare before then – i.e., with more than “little affairs” as El Salvador or Nicaragua. We fear that his open tie-up with Israel and only a tap on the wrist for Israel’s West Bank takeover may lead to open conflict in the Mid-East. How do you two wise people, who are so much nearer the seat of action, read the signs! But let’s put that to one side for the present. Christmas is almost here. And Hope and Peace are our goals. And should set the tune of our songs. Your brief descriptions of what goes on in your lovely home delight us. We enjoy your vignettes of each of the children, Sam. Those descriptions help us to visualize each of them with his/her interesting traits and growth patterns. Otto & Frances Nall were with us for Thanksgiving and we got out and read those parts of your two most recent letters – so they would have an introduction to your lovely family. How different each of us humans are from all the others! It helps one recognize the omniscience & power of God and how He can have affection and concern for all of us diverse people. You two are really fortunate to have such a trio. We enjoyed your comment, Mercy, that Cathy on the spur of the moment said she missed us. A surprise and a pleasant one for us both. Bob Wilson was with us for a full and pleasant day on Sunday before Easter. He inquired about you all and sent his cordial greetings. As did the Nalls who arrived on Wed. A.M. and left on a 6 P.M. plane on Thanksgiving Day. And did the Western Airlines bungle their flights!! No damage, but plenty of strains for them and us. Thanks so much for your Advent letter, Sam, and the picture of all five of you. You really have an impressive story to tell – with your three trips to China and heavy responsibilities connected with them and overseeing the Chinese delegations coming to this country. Thank you for the fine picture of you at the Great Wall, Sam. Couldn’t you arrange to have Reagan go somewhere to West China and get lost? I guess that would be beyond even your political, bureaucratic skills!! The Meihuaxin letter also intrigued us. You did not do anything to make yourself a great exponent of ethnicity but we much enjoyed your frankness and tend to feel as you do about the divisive character of all these caucuses. A multi-cultural America has great values for us all but it can be overdone when ever smaller groups each wants its “entitlements” regardless of preparation for or skill in various undertakings or the rights of other groups. Our General Board of Global Missions [sic] is as good an illustration as any. But to return to the NOW. We’d much appreciate your using the enclosed bit of paper to get something for each of the children – and if there’s something left over it’s for you two. You all five are dear to us and we rejoice with you in your fine Christian home. Of course all of us get tired and make mistakes and lose our patience, but such things are needed for character growth for all of us. We love and work hard and learn to hold back our tempers – not withstanding the temptation. And when we do boil over – as we all do – we say we’re sorry and mean it. And life is even more beautiful than before. Even Mother and I disagree occasionally though it is 64 years since we started going together & have been married for over 59!! It doesn’t seem possible that all that time has slipped by but it has. We’ll be thinking of you all on Christmas Day and New Year (Of course you are almost daily in our thoughts) and we trust you have a wonderful, delightful, memorable Holiday Season. May they be days filled with Joy and abetted, supported, by good weather. Much love and every good wish to each of the five of you – Mercy, Sam, Cathy, Philip and John Paul. Also cordial greetings to Lola. Faithfully yours in Christ, Mother & Dad L. Blessings & Peace
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About the Book
In 1961, Murray and Dorothy Leiffer went to Singapore to study the status of Methodism in that country. They befriended Samuel Wong, then a college student, and encouraged him to pursue advanced training in the United States. Upon Wong’s graduation, they adopted him as their “number two son.” Over a thirty-year period, they wrote him letters from different parts of the world and the United States, telling him of their work and of life in America. They spoke of their visits with friends. They shared about their social and civic engagements as residents, citizens, and church members. They wrote freely about their travel experiences and their observations on jobs, marriage, family, nature, and retirement. Their letters are evidence of an unconditional love flowing through all those years, a vivid reminder that Wong was loved as he was, not “despite of” or “because of.” They groomed Wong for church service, but he became a bureaucrat in the federal government. They expected him to honor the marriage vow of “till death us do part,” but he broke it in the pursuit of academic and career advancement. Yet they never said they were disappointed in Wong. These letters, published as Unconditional Love: Letters to an Adopted Son and Unconditional Love: Letters to an Adopted Family, draw a portrait of an extraordinary couple that demonstrates in their everyday life the essence of unconditional love. They are complementary to the couple’s reminiscences on a seminary campus, Enter the Old Portals (1987), and a companion to Wong’s autobiography, A Chinese from Singapore (2009). Their letters are testimonies to grace and fidelity, a reminder of that which is true and honorable, civil and decent.