After my father became a Christian, he stopped drinking, replacing alcoholism with praise.
Starting to work in the mining area in his twenties, my father had stayed in the mining area for thirty years, though he once left there to make money elsewhere.
My mother said he once loved reading and writing poems in his twenties. However, at some point he broke off with poetry, and picked up the glass, falling in love with wine.
Working 800 meters underground, miners were all fond of drinking to dispel cold and remove dampness, as well as to find a way to entertain themselves amid boring miner life. From taking a sip, my father swallowed a whole glass of wine in one gulp.
After his retirement and becoming a believer, rekindling a passion for poetry, he developed a strong interest in hymns. He said, "With beautiful lyrics, hymns convey to God sincere love, which goes deep into believers’ hearts."
He concluded three characteristics of hymns as "beauty, truth, and love". My father, full of praise, without any grievances, forgave all those who had hurt him, apologizing to all those whom he had hurt. He let go of all sufferings and fatigue he had endured in the mine for 30 years, surrounded by the peace, calmness, and relief after the baptism.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
