Our good  friend Jessica passed away. She was only 36. Lisa and I met her the day she first met her husband Sean. The two of them were a match made in heaven (I guess we all are in some ways…) She was young, sweet, sophisticated, had traveled the world and a firm Believer. Sean was gentle, kind, passionate about people from around the world. We all were part of a team of people led by our mentors Dan and Tammy who were all in our twenties and thirties who loved international students and did all kinds of crazy things together. Looking back it was a very special time. Sean shared during the memorial service that we used to call them the velcro couple… I don’t remember that… sounds like something our buddy Warren would say… but I believe it might have been true because they really were. I could still see her that first night at the Samuels’ house. I think she was wearing a red beret or something…

Anyway, they eventually went to Africa with Wycliffe Bible Translators as Sean (and Jessica) felt a strong calling toward that special continent. But due to some health problems they ended up back… first in California, then in Texas. By that time, Lisa and I had already moved to Texas ourselves and we felt they needed some hugs and some friendship in this new place and so we tried to get together at least once a month for dinner. It was fun and we got to watch a lot of movies, eat exotic stuff, enjoy cats, compare notes about missionary life. Eventually, as they settled, we slowly lost touch. Fast forward to three years ago and Jessica got breast cancer. We lived on different sides of the metroplex and we never seemed to have enough time to just call them.

Then last week, we got a call. Sean called us, “Jessica was in the hospital and was just about to go home for hospice care.” We jumped in our car and went to go see her. Even in the midst of her suffering and difficulty, she still was the same optimistic Jessica. Her brother, Jasper, an officer in the US Navy was there and was gently and faithfully helping her. They must have had a special family judging by the products.

She passed away on Saturday. I heard about it from some Wycliffe missionaries who were at the Big Howdy party. In the midst of the celebration, I felt like something tugging at me. So today was her memorial service. It was nice. Person after person shared about her and how she lived. It was nice… Then Sean shared… A lot of it was about the times we knew them when they first met. It reminded me… we all did have something really special back when we were young in serving students back in Orange County… Now we miss Jessica. No question she is laughing it up with the Lord, Jesus now but still, our group is missing something without Jess around. I also know Sean enough to know how much he loved her… That is going to be so hard. Please pray!