VOLUNTEERS

a time where anyone could come speak for a minute

"Karen's legacy lives..."

Chris Smith

...I didn't have a lot of personal times with Karen, but those few times that I had with Karen have lasted in my life...Karen's legacy lives in this church and in the people's lives that she touched, but I can tell you right now, I didn't get to know Jeremy a whole lot, but [Chris and Kevin] have ministered to my life. There were many times a youth pastor, I came to minister to these boys and ended up being ministered to. ...and the legacy of a Godly mother, who taught her children to know and love Jesus Christ, and a Godly father that lived that example... We can close this casket, but that legacy will live on forever.

Regina Johnson

...When I found out that Karen had cancer...it gripped my heart, but it was doing something else that I didn't know I had the right to do. About eight years ago, my father passed away from cancer. I was so angry when I came to this church and I realized that I had the right to believe in the Word of God--to say that my Savior is a healer...

And when I found out about Karen--and she's not the first person [to come down with cancer] in between that span of when I found out I had to right to ask, and to pray, and to believe and to trust--Karen drew me out on a limb with boldness to go to the throne to search out scriptures...to find out what did the Father say?

And I began to compile these scriptures and I began to allow God to direct me with people to give those scriptures to. When Karen passed away, it was almost like a kick in the gut to me. Immediately, I wanted to say "Well, why didn't it [the scripture] manifest?" And something rose up within me and it said "It DOES manifest!!"

...But because of what the end results in the physical--of what we see--let it not turn off that light to where we can stand and we can trust and we can reach--that causes us to still reach out when the Father is passing by to say "If I can still touch the hem of His garment, I'll be set free."

And if it's not talking about us being free in the physical...I will be set free from this body, and I will be able to join my Father in the heavenlies...

So now I can say I'm not angry anymore because my father had to pass from this life...because of days like this.

Marc Correra

...I would like to say this lady was like a mother to me. I know when I first came to this church...I didn't know anyone. One day I met her son, Chris, and we became good friends. She would have me over to the house and treated me like I was one of her sons. When Chris was gone to Egypt, she'd just talk to me all the time and said that just talking to me made it seem as if Chris was there because I was always with him. I really loved talking to her because she like to talk [laughter] and I liked to talk too. I could sit on the phone for an hour or more and talk about Chris, or just anything, because I had a lot of problems at home and she would always have the right thing to say to me--and I really felt love in the family. At first, I didn't want to go by their house when she got sick, because I lost my dad to cancer and also lost my aunt, so it's something really hard to accept. I didn't want to see her go also, so this has been pretty hard on me...I know that she was a great person and I'll be with the family as long as they want me around.

Holly Hapke

I, too, feel like Karen was another mother to me...The bond that you felt, not just between Karen and me, but with Lowell and me and the boys and the other family members. ...and the years that I've known them, and the times that we've shared talking, and the cookies that we've eaten, the stories that we've told, and her TRYING to show me how to sew [laughter]...just SO many things... This family is like another family to me, and the blessings that they gave to me since I came here...I just want to tell you guys that I love you and thank you so much for being another family to me.

Joan Smalley

Well, maybe I speak for a lot of people...I didn't know Karen a long time, but I saw her fruit in her boys. I found out her name and called her on the phone and I said "You don't know me, and I don't know you either, but I saw your boys, and I'm raising kids. I just want to know how do you produce fruit like that in your life that radiates?" And she told me, and we talked for an hour and a half. [laughter]

She told me a lot of things, but she told me that she prayed that they would be a blessing to whomever they were around and wherever they went. And I took that prayer for myself and for my children, because it was effective. And because it had a boomerang effect...because SHE was a blessing wherever she went. I knew that when I met her face to face.

So, even though I hadn't known Karen a long time--and I knew Karen better than I knew the family--it just goes to show how far-reaching that blessing and holy fruit is...and that's what I wanted to say.

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