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Waving the American Flag
Waving the American Flag

In the senior apartment I reside, there is a special dinner menu to celebrate the birthday of tenants.

All those who are celebrating their birthday sit at one table. A rose is prepared for those celebrating. Family members also join in for the dinner. Any outsider must pay for the dinner. Tonight’s dinner menu was chicken and fish. Normally dinner would be served around 5PM but for the birthday celebrations, it’s held from 4PM to 6PM. My wife and I went down around 4:30PM to have our meals and then came back to our room around 5:15PM. It was a bit early for our walk so we watched TV.

After our celebration of birthday, on the TV was all about death. Death from not breathing, brain failure, and then on about insurance of those who have died and to those who had died but resuscitated and their testimony, there were so many ways death occurs. The announcer on the TV show noted that many of the modern people do not have chance to face death, and are afraid of death. Adding on that they sometimes forget about what death is. As living is normal, death is normal. But to those do not know Jesus, death is the end, eternal darkness, and because it is not the light but of darkness, can only be afraid.

Every day near sunset (before around 7PM) I come out of the apartment to walk around our chosen course. There is a Veteran’s Hall of Santa Clara about a block down. There was a crowd coming out waving the American Flag and flags representing their brigade. Even though I did not serve the Americans during Vietnamese War, I did serve the White Horse Division of Korean Army which was in alliance with America. I had served my time there in 1967. My son is currently in the Air Force, and 2 years ago my daughter in law was also in the Army, so I had attended this place about 2 weeks ago because they were serving lunch and I went there to eat. I always walk around the building so I had walked that path today as well. Most of the attendees were in their 50s and are civilians with military background. It was strange to see the veterans wearing their hats and holding the flag with a very stern expression.

I had asked what is going on and the response was, “One of the soldiers from this area just got killed in action in Afghanistan, the funeral procession is going to pass by, so that is why we are standing here in a line to pay our respect” I got teary slightly when I heard it. My son had been dispatched to Afghanistan twice, Iraq twice and daughter in law had to be dispatched leaving a 2 year old child behind. Because of my past experience, I can understand how the parents would feel. After my son had started to attend the Air Force Academy, I prayed for our soldiers. Especially for those who are in combat and their families they leave behind. I always have the burden to pray for their children and their wife / husbands.

My wife and I also took some of the flags they distributed and held it firmly in my left arm and wait for the procession to pass. There were many people standing in the sidewalks. After about 20 police cars with their emergency lights active, the funeral procession started. Those who stood in line for the march gave a military salute. My wife and I gave a salute as well for the first time in long time. I thought this may be the first military salute my wife ever gave. After that 2 motorcycle patrol unit escorted the funeral procession. Behind that several of the family members passed in the military vehicles. They looked Asian. Perhaps Koreans living abroad passed my mind. Some of the members of the family waved their hand in thanks and some returned the salute. After that, dozens of motorcycle riding civilians who were once in the army followed behind. After that another 20 police vehicles followed with the flashing lights.

I had a way to learn how to treat those young adults who fell serving the country. Even thought the communication have gotten much more developed, those who gathered were retired Army, Navy, and the Air Force veterans, all gathered to show respect to the fallen comrade in arms, taking their own time out to pay their respects. It was a great experience. The fallen soldier was from the Marine. The Marine Corps flag waved in the wind.

When I went to the office in the morning, Deacon Yoon came to my chair, and said that Reverend YoungHwan Choi had passed away. I thought it was the elderly Reverend MyungHwan Choi, but it was YoungHwan Choi. I have never met him, but I have passed his church that he serves several times. His age was 69. I heard today in North Korea is called the “Sun Day” to commemorate the birth of Dictator Il-Sung Kim. There was a birthday for the elderly in the senior apartment as well. During the evening there was a TV show about death, after attended a funeral procession of a fallen soldier while out walking.

Like in the bible, “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment (Hebrews 9:27)” I know it will come for me some day. I know that the sound of the Lord approaching and calling me is drawing nearer. Instead of being worried or being sad, I should be ready then be in happiness while replying “Yes, Thank you!” to the Lord. I will live for it.

(April 15th 2011)
Number Title Reference
20 Epilogue: 20 Months
19 The Power of Habits
18 Congratulations!
17 Living in fast lane
16 Reflections 2011
15 On the 40th Anniversary
14 Butler of Light
13 Happy Birthday
12 Unexpected Rain
11 Short Ribs (Wang Galbi)
10 Like mother
9 Waving the American Flag
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