After hearing the news of your passing, my heart ached. A deep sorrow came. It took me a week before I found the stillness, and courage to find words to honor the life you POURED into me and the life you SHARED with me. Thank you for BEING YOU. Thank you for the simple ways you reached out and loved me when I didn't feel so loveable. In 1993, I was a lost Freshman at UCD who lived across from DCCC at the dorms. I didn't know anyone. I became a Christian the month before I went to college so all I knew was to DRAW NEAR to God and He would draw near to me. And at the time, you, Auntie Rowena was the secretary of DCCC. I had so many questions about life, faith, and where to find good food. You patiently listened and pointed me in the direction I needed to fulfill my needs. You were my first mentor. You were also too humble to let me call you my mentor. I'm now the age you were when I first met you....and I aim to pass on that same kind of Matthew 5 lifestyle of meekness and purity of heart to those God puts in my path. Auntie Rowena, thank you for loving me AS I AM. When I went to PT school and met Sam, I was scared to come back to DCCC with a white husband because I thought that you were going to be "disappointed" in me. But you and many old friends there threw me a FEAST to celebrate my new life with Sam. Thank You. I will never forget that moment where I felt accepted, cherished, and loved. From that moment on, I lived fearlessly following the call God put on our hearts. When you learned that God put full time missions on our hearts, you supported us and cheered us on. I'm going on 13 years serving in Taiwan with my 4 kids....and some times I honestly feel like I'm cray cray and NUTS because my heart longs to be with those I love (like you and many others in the USA)...but yet, the peace of knowing I was exactly where God wanted me, Sam and the kids to be and to shine. So, we stay where God planted us. We're blooming here, Auntie Rowena. Tho' I miss out on weddings or funerals in the USA...when the pain of grief (like losing my mom to breast cancer, then the following year in 2012...I lost my dad to pancreatic cancer) and loss come my way and being so far away....we missionaries often just have to get still before God, get alone, cry our brains out, then take the tears and the crappy feelings...and like holy fertilizer, we take it and spread it in a way that makes us bloom where we are planted. Knowing that compassion with those who grieve makes us go deeper with the people God puts our way to help and minister to. This is the way you modeled for me....a life of simplicity, humility, and faithfulness. You were faithful to love "the one"...and I'm thankful that that "one" was me. I know that many other people also felt like they were "the one" as well...and I'm learning that LOVING WELL is the highest calling God gives to us no matter where He plants us. I will continue to pray for Uncle Roy, Diane and David (and their families) in this coming year. The first year of grief after my parents passed away was so hard. Uncle Roy, Diane, David, my condolences to you. The journey ahead will not be easy ....but God is with you. I pray that ONLY HIS PRESENCE will satisfy your soul and comfort your spirit.
LOVE ALWAYS (Forever grateful),
Helen (was Chen) Livingston