As the World Changes.....

 As I wrote to you just a few weeks back, our area was just entering into quarantine for Covid-19.  It seemed at that time that we would have a few weeks of this and pop right back out.  Hey, we're Californians and we're resilient!  Well, maybe not so much!  So with our new self-discovery, we have some changes since our last post. First of all, the place that we were having Leon's Celebration of Life service cancelled because it will be too soon to have a gathering.  Consequently, we will have to postpone until later in the summer or even maybe early fall. I will keep you updated on this as soon as possible because I know there are some who might be traveling from a distance and I would like to give you plenty of planning time and be more certain that air travel is safe. It is not my desire to have to wait so late, but all of our lives have been rather radically altered due to the crisis and we have a lot of active cases in S.D. county.   

Also, the May trip to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico for the annual conference will also not be happening on schedule.  The most obvious reason is that we cannot get into México at this point.  They have quite a bit less of the virus there so Mexico will not allow us in until things are better here.  This also may be just a postponement, rather than a cancellation, but I will also keep you up to date on if and when it will happen.  

In the last newsletter, I asked for prayer for Pastor Alex in  Chennai, India.  He passed into glory last Saturday, April 18th.  His wife, Hilda, and daughter, Cynthia were with him.  As is the normal Indian tradition, his service was held the following day.  His daughter, Hepzi, who recently graduated med school in the U.S., was not able to be there because India is also not allowing people from the U.S. to enter because of Covid-19.  Thankfully she had been able to go for a visit just before the quarantine began. Please pray for his family as they adjust to the loss of this dear husband, father, pastor and faithful laborer in the Kingdom of God.  As I was being told of his passing, I couldn't help but think that if there was any possible way, I know that Leon would be there in his celestial greeting party and they would be rejoicing and praise God together.  Pastor Alex, you were very loved by many!  

As we have gone through this unprecedented time in our country and world, and as I have been sequestered in my little casita, it has given me much time to think and process some of the events of the last year.  It has been a very hard one!  The level of loss has been like no other time in my life and at times the ache for my family being the way it was a bit over a year ago is overwhelming to say the least.  But I feel the Lord has put it upon my heart to lift my head and look to Him.  We know that we live in a temporal world even if we don't usually act like it.  So the choice that we each have is pretty much the same.  What am I going to do with today?  How am I going to live it out?  It was so much on Leon's heart to "finish well" and he did.   Considering his pain and discomfort, the amount of love and the giving of himself for his family that he showed in the last month of his life was amazing.  He constantly looked to the Lord.  He never wavered in that. That's my "take-away" from confinement.  I want more than ever in my life to live for others, to be content in whatsoever state I am in and to finish well what God has called me to.  That sounds pretty simple,  doesn't it?  Please pray that I can live it!  I send much love and blessings to each of you.  

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