It has been a while since I’ve posted anything here. I’ve considered posting from time to time, but for various reasons, none of those posts ever happened.
Then the day before yesterday I received an email from our church treasurer. She is in the process of closing the books on 2024 and wanted to give me a report on Penny’s memorial fund.
You may recall that we requested that people donate to a memorial fund rather than send flowers. I’m pleased to report that we collected $5000. The Verhulsts have already received $2500, much of which is being used for some much needed vehicle repair.
The Boehms will be receiving $2500 soon. Thanks to all of you who contributed to these gifts.
One week from today, I’ll be flying to the Dominican Republic with seven students and some colleagues from Calvin University’s Clean Water Institute to work with the Verhulsts and community leaders in the region where they live to explore ways of providing more and more reliable water to the people and communities there.
This trip has been several years in the planning. Last year I had to back out of a similar trip as Penny began a last attempt to improve her health to the point where she might have been able to try another clinical trial. She did daily radiation treatments in late December and early January and had her GJ tube placed later in January.
Yesterday I began assembling a few things in preparation for the trip. One of the Christmas gifts she gave me last year for this (and other) trips, has been sitting in a corner of our bedroom for a year, waiting. It’s now in the staging area. The note attached to another gift – “For Randy. For wherever life’s adventures take you.” – turned up as I was wrapping presents this year. It serves as a reminder of all the adventures we had together, and of the fact that I’m “flying solo” now.
Time will tell where these new adventures take me.
