A Few Words About My Grandfather's Passing

It’s hard to believe it’s been more than a month now since my grandfather passed away. The entire process of his dying is still something I feel I don’t have adequate words for, but still I’ve also felt it long overdue that I write something about it. I am so grateful that I was able to come home when I did and stayed long enough to see things through to the end. I think everyone in my family can see that God played a hand in the timing of it all. I spent a great while unsure about whether to stay or go when I originally planned, and more unsure still of how I should greave afterward. Even seeing children die over here, I have not experienced death so closely and at such a personal level; I didn’t know if I should be angry or happy, if I should mope around or continue life as usual, if I should go back to Palestine or stay. In the end I thought the best way to honor my grandfather would be to handle his death as he would want. To me this meant celebrating his passing as far as I was able, because though he is gone from sight, there is nothing sad in the thought of him at his well earned place among the saints at the heavenly banquet with our Lord. It also meant that I should stay and help my grandmother in all the ways my grandfather expected to himself by having his surgery, until at least I knew at she had the support she needed without me. Finally, it meant most of all that I should not remain idly in America where indeed I was moping around, but continue the work that made him so proud and represented a continuation of our family legacy, and his life in so many ways. Each of these events has come to fruition in a seamless way and having been here in Palestine this long now, I know I’ve made the right decision. Below I have included the slideshow of his life I made for his memorial service and a few words I spoke at his service.



I am so thankful for the example he has been to me. My family has a tremendous history of service to the church, and from his example I am proud to continue that legacy. He has shown me just how much of a servant it is possible to be, and has set a standard that I wouldn’t think was really possible had I not been watching him my whole life. What he accomplished in his lifetime is everything I aspire to. He always tried to do the right thing, the honest thing, no matter the inconvenience or personal cost to him; and he truly lived for others, even unto his death. I hope I can continue living in a way that makes him proud, and that for my sake, from time to time, you might remind me how Grandpa would have done it.