Memorial Service

I haven't actually written a blog post in a few days so I thought I would get you caught up on what is going on here at PIBC. It has been a strange last week with both very difficult things to deal with and things to celebrate - sometimes both at once. So here goes...

Last Friday night was the memorial service for Kathy Newell. It was held at the Lutheran Church of Guam. I think we were all still somewhat numb from shock. A lot of us shared that we had just talked with her in the last few days and she seemed as energetic as ever. I shared that she was talking with us about the final she had just given and how disappointed she was that some of the students did not perform up to their potential. I saw her as a person that had the Christlike quality (which we try to model at PIBC) of reaching down to meet needs to help, to make higher education accessible, but loved the students too much to leave them there - she insisted they perform up to their potential and she pushed them to get there with all her might. It is still hard to think that she is not with us any more.

The memorial service was a great celebration of her life with a lot of laughter and tears. The PIBC choir sang beautifully and her many friends shared the eternal impact that she had made on their lives. One of the students said "she will always be my advisor." I am thankful that, as Pastor Jeff Johnson shared, "we grieve, but we don't grieve as those who have no hope." We will miss her, not forget her and will be reunited with her and the rest of God's people in eternity.