Yang Family Funeral Expenses
My mother, Ma Xiong, was born with an odd-shaped heart where one chamber was larger than the other. She went into the hospital last week with both the flu and pneumonia that complicated her already stressed heart and kidney disease. On the morning of March 6, as the sun rose at 6:41 AM, her internal organs gave out and she left this world with the rising sun.
She had lived a very hard life from the hills of Laos, fleeing persecution across mine-filled jungles, to safety in the refugee camps of Northern Thailand. Ma's early life was rife with hardship when her mother committed suicide and left her at the age of 5 to raise her younger 2 year-old brother. She had an arranged marriage to my father and they eventually grew to love each other. My father, an allied guerrilla warrior of the Vietnam War, died protecting his family in Laos and left Ma to raise 7 children on her own in the camps. She took the unthinkable opportunity to displace her family and come to Minnesota in the fall of 1988 not speaking any English nor knowing anything of America except for the sole purpose of giving her children a better chance at life. Because of that brave decision, she is survived by her 7 children and 10 grandchildren.
Ma was full of magic, superstition, intuition, and intense love without having any formal education. Her favorite delicacy is squirrel stew. She was very talented in needlecraft and singing. When asked how she got her indoor garden so vigorous, she explained to me that plants are living spirits and encouraged me to sing and speak to them everyday. When we went on walks through national and state parks, she would educate us on which plants were edible or poisonous. She loved her children and grandchildren most.
Your generous donation would help offset some of the considerable costs of a basic traditional Hmong funeral: 3-day funeral home rental, basic coffin, 4 cows, 2 pigs, 6 chickens, honorarium for the Ceremony Leader, musical eulogy, and coffee.
From the bottom of all my siblings broken hearts and mine, we truly appreciate your consideration and donation. If you would rather donate directly, please send to Paypal.me/NouKa
Thank you, bless you, and love eternally.