We had spent so much time talking about our children that I deeply felt this tragic news. 16, without regaining consciousness.įor days it was all I could think about. Richard and Emma's only son had passed away in the early hours of Thursday, Dec. Distraught, he told me that his 22-year-old son Ryan had been taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.Īn hour later, when the phone rang again, I knew it could only be the worst news a parent can hear. I knew at that time of the night it had to be bad news. I remember the exact time, as I looked at my alarm clock when the phone rang.
#MISSING ONE SPIRIT AFTER HAD IT FULL#
He was so full of the trip." I was pleased to hear that.īarely 24 hours after arriving back in the United States, Richard phoned me at 2:17 a.m. The following day, as one of our colleagues at the office put it, "Richard was beaming. Sixteen days after leaving the United States, we were back. He really appreciated the opportunity to get to know my family. After the church service, we drove over to see my brothers. Richard loved Ghana and its people and was very helpful to many on the trip, solving their computer problems and helping out wherever he could.Īfter Ghana, we visited a congregation of the United Church of God in northern England, the closest one to where all my brothers live. The Sunday after Thanksgiving we both left for a 10-day visit to Ghana followed by a few days in England. He expressed such an interest in Ghana and England, the two countries I visit most frequently, that I invited him to come along with me on a future trip. In our conversations, Richard would often ask about my experience overseas and the responsibilities I now have that require travel. Their love and devotion to each other has helped them greatly through the many difficulties and challenges of life. It was clear that they are a loving and devoted couple. It was only then that they were emerging from that ordeal with greater hope for the future.Īs Emma was recovering, we invited them to visit us in Michigan.
#MISSING ONE SPIRIT AFTER HAD IT TRIAL#
I learned, too, that Richard and Emma had just gone through a severe two-year trial battling Emma's cancer. We both married about the same time, and he had three children who arrived in the same birth order as my own-girl, boy, girl.Īs I got to know Richard, I learned that his wife Emma also worked in the church office, in mail processing. I am the oldest of the six in my family he is the fourth in his. We both came from families with six boys and no girls. It turned out we had a great deal in common. A mutually rewarding friendship developed. I usually turned up at Richard's office an hour earlier desperately in need of technical support just so I'd be able to give my classroom presentation.
My two one-hour classes began each weekday at 8:30 a.m. So I needed Richard's help (Richard is the information technology manager for the United Church of God). ABC is located at the home office of the United Church of God, publisher of The Good News, just outside Cincinnati, Ohio.Īlthough I am a regular writer for the Church's publications and have to use a computer almost every day of my life, I must confess to being somewhat technologically challenged. A close friend of mine lost his son last December.Īlthough Richard and I first met some years ago, it wasn't until February of last year that we really got to know each other.Įvery February I spend three weeks at the Ambassador Bible Center (ABC) where I teach classes on the books of Daniel and Revelation and give an overview of where we are now in Bible prophecy.
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