By Kelly Vaughn
HAND of the Peninsula

Our beloved son, Josiah Royce Zhu-li, was stillborn on May 4, 2005, 10:45 p.m., at
El Camino Hospital in Mountain View. Except for the omphalocele that exhausted his little heart, he was complete in his formation. He was one pound and five ounces, and twelve inches long. From his slender narrow feet to legs and arms to even his long eyelashes, Josiah looked very much liked his father, Dennis.

Josiah was our firstborn child after a long time of recovery from a previous miscarriage five years ago. We were looking forward to chasing him around fountains, playing catch with him, helping him with schoolwork, raising him into a man who will follow Jesus. We hoped that the meaning of his name “The Lord will heal,” would fulfill our immediate wishes to heal his omphalocele. Instead, the Lord healed Josiah by bringing him to heaven where there is no suffering. In reflection, Josiah’s name reflects the Lord’s healing in us: for as much as we are in deep sorrow, we have come to a place of thankfulness and dependence on the Almighty like never before.

Josiah’s Chinese name, Zhu-li, means “The Lord’s gift”. For the short time he was with us, Josiah has and will always be the Lord’s gift to us. We look forward to seeing his sweet little face once again in eternity.