Page 65 - Built For God Handbook (Bible Verses) - The Christian Edition of the Tao Te Ching - The New Evangelization - Pope John Paul II
P. 65

lxiii

            homily to Phuong Duc Church about Keith’s spiritual journey, which
            led Bishop Kevin Vann to Nam Dinh, North Vietnam, to adopt Keith
            as his spiritual son and support the construction of a pastoral center
            next to Phuong Duc Church. The vision of uniting God’s people to
            proclaim the Gospel was a reality beyond anything Keith could
            have imagined. It became clear that God was uniting people to
            restore the truth and share His love.

                   Before returning to the United States, Bishop Vann and
            Keith visited the Shrine of Our Lady of La Vang, a site that
            commemorates the appearance of Our Lady on August 17, 1798.
            She appeared to persecuted Christians seeking refuge in the dense
            La Vang Forest, holding the Baby Jesus in her arms. Keith firmly
            believes that the blood of these Christian martyrs will carry the
            message of truth to every nation, flowing like the rivers and streams
            that stretch across Vietnam.

                   On September 5, 2024, after a prolonged battle with
            kidney, heart, and vascular failure, Keith’s father, Tam Hoang,
            passed away peacefully at Little Company of Mary Hospital in
            Torrance, California. His battle with kidney failure began two
            decades earlier, and in August 2004, he underwent a successful
            kidney transplant—coincidentally, the same month Keith married
            Tracy. Unfortunately, due to his health and recovery period at the
            hospital, he was unable to attend their wedding. Despite this, the
            transplant extended his life by 20 years, during which he remained
            healthy until his heart began to fail in November 2023.

                   Keith became deeply devoted to his father’s care,
            especially in his final months, staying by his side day and night.
   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70