Peter Wen You Wu

On July 18, 1931, in XinYing, TaiNan (新營， 台南), my father, Peter Wen-You Wu, was born into a family with 10 other siblings, 7 sisters and 3 brothers. Grandpa was a devout Christian, but not grandma at first. He contracted Polio when he was 5 years old, and that became a thorn on his side since.

After graduated from high school in 1949, he was Called by the Lord into a full time ministry. For the next 6 years, he studied at Tainan Seminary school to prepare himself for the ministry. After graduated, he ministered at fengLin(鳳林）church in HuaLian（花蓮）until 1961, and then was Ordained as a pastor at LiGang（里港）church in PingDong (屏東）

In 1959, 28 yr old, he married to Mary TsunYing Chen through a matchmaker, and had 5 children, Szu-Ling（慈玲）, Szu-Min (慈敏）, Po-Hsin（博信）, Szu-Fen (慈芬）, and Szu-Yin（慈音）. Now they have 9 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

From 1961 He pastored LiGang(里港）Presbyterian church for 8 years, and was well loved and respected by the congregations. After that pastored GuiRen（歸仁）Presbyterian church in TaiNan（台南) for another 8 years.

At the end of 1976, while still serving in GuiRen, his younger brother, Uncle Wen Wu, and family came to visit. Uncle Wen asked if he would consider immigrating to the US. He agreed to try, knowing that the application would take quite a few years. The next year, at age 46, a surprised approval from the US immigration came, thus the whole family immigrated to Chicago, USA. And because of this sudden turn of life path, in his personal time with the Lord, he asked for a 10 years break from the current ministry.

After arrived in Chicago shortly, Mom and Dad operated a laundromat, an ice cream parlor came later, and admits all these, he also planted a church for newly Taiwanese immigrants in Chicago.

Almost 10 years after we moved to Chicago, the head elder from GuiRen church in Tainan came to visit, and asked if dad would consider going back to GuiRen again to pastor the church as they were facing some internal conflicts within the church congregations. While still wrestling with the decision, the Lord showed him in his dream that he was preaching at GuiRen church to a group of congregations half of the people he was familiar with but the other half was new to him. The same dream appeared 3 times in a row. Thus dad, at age 56, with mom together, moved back to GuiRen and shepherded the flock until a year after he was supposed to retire.

In 2002, my parents resided back in San Diego with 博信and 慈音living close by. Dad continued to preach at churches and lead Bible study groups in SD, even after his retirement.

In July, 2022, a few days after his 91 yr old birthday, he contracted Covid, and was rushed to an ICU. After being discharged from the ICU, dad was able to continue to recover at a rehab center. On October 14, he was sent to an ICU again for pneumonia and pleural effusion (an accumulation of fluid in his left lung). On November 4, after doctors’ diagnosis that dad no longer able to recover, and his heart condition is failing, we decided to received him home for hospice care. November 14, 2022, 2:07 pm, while surrounded by family members, he went to be with the Lord peacefully.

1931年7月18日，在台南新營，我的父親吳文囿出生在一個大家庭。除他以外，還有另7個姐妹和3個兄弟。 爺爺是一位虔誠的基督徒，但起初奶奶不是。他在5歲時感染了小兒麻痹症，從那以後小兒麻痹就成了他身上的一根刺。

1949年，高中畢業後，他被主呼召成為全職傳道人。接下來的6年裡，他在台南神學院學習，為事工做準備。 畢業後，他在花蓮鳳林教會服事至1961年，後來在屏東里港教會按立為牧師。

1959年，28歲的他通過媒人介紹與陳尊英女士結婚，並育有5個孩子，分別是慈玲、慈敏、博信、慈芬和慈音。 現在他們有9個孫子和2個曾孫。

從1961年起，他在里港長老教會牧會了8年，深受會眾的愛戴和尊重。 之後，在台南歸仁長老教會牧會8年。

1976年底，還在歸仁牧會期間，父親的弟弟吳文豪家人前來探望。 文豪，四叔，問父親是否會考慮移民美國。 他同意嘗試，因為他以爲申請需要相當長的時間。 第二年，46歲時，美國移民局出人意料地批准了，因此我們全家移民到美國芝加哥。 由於這人生道路的突然轉變，在他與主同在的個人時間裏，他要求從目前的事工休假10年。

到芝加哥不久后，爸爸媽媽開了一家自助洗衣店，後來開了一家霜淇淋店，並除此以外，他還為芝加哥新移民的人建立一教會。

搬到芝加哥近10年後，台南歸仁教會的長老來拜訪。問爸爸是否會考慮再次回到歸仁牧養教會，因為他們面臨著教會會眾內部的一些內部衝突。父親正在為這決定而掙扎時，主在夢中讓父親看到異象。看到他在歸仁教會向一群會眾講道，其中一半是他熟悉的人，但另一半對他來說是生疏的。同一個夢連續出現了3次。就這樣，56歲的爸爸和媽媽一起搬回歸仁，牧養羊群，直到他應該退休的那年，70嵗，再多留一年。

2002年，我的父母搬回美國南加洲，聖地牙哥。住在博信和慈音附近。 爸爸繼續在教堂講道，並在聖地牙哥領導聖經學習小組，即使在他退休后也是如此。

2022年7月，在父親91歲生日後的幾天，他感染了Covid，並被送往加護病房。 從加護病房出院後，爸爸得以繼續在康復中心康復。 10月14日，他因肺炎和左肺積水，再次被送往加護病房。11月4日，在醫生診斷，父親身體已衰退，非常脆弱，心臟功能很低，非常難康復。我們決定將他接回家，作安寧療護。 2022 年 11 月 14 日下午 2：07，在家人的陪伴下，他平靜地囘到天家，與主同在。

A memorial service for Peter will be held Friday, December 2, 2022 at 10:00 AM at El Camino Memorial Chapel, 5600 Carroll Canyon Road, San Diego, CA 92121. A reception will occur Friday, December 2, 2022 at 11:30 AM at El Camino Banquet Hall, 5600 Carroll Canyon Road, San Diego, CA 92121. A graveside service will occur Friday, December 2, 2022 at 12:30 PM at El Camino Memorial Park, 5600 Carroll Canyon Road, San Diego, CA 92121.