We lost a friend this week

                                               Ron's baptism.

                                               Ron with Lola in Casa Hogar Douglas

                                             Ron dressed in his clown outfit in Douglas

One of the people we met in the past 5 years is a guy named Ron from Cincinnati. Some friends of ours, found Ron on a park bench in Cincinnati a few years ago. He was homeless and addicted to alcohol and drugs. They shared the Gospel with Ron and he became a Christian. Ron's life as a Christian was radically different. He got involved in a clown ministry and began to experience the joy of serving the Lord in this new life that he had in Christ.

Ron made 2 trips here on short-term mission trips. During these trips, Betty and I came to know and love him. I believe his experience here stirred something inside of him to serve even more. Ron did landscape work and he often referred to this as his "tent-making." What he loved to do was clown ministry. Last winter he took a few months and moved to a small pueblo in Mexico to serve as a missionary. He worked with a bi-lingual pastor in a small church all by himself. It was a testimony for us of someone who was completely changed when he accepted Christ.

We had stayed in touch through email and we last saw Ron in Cincinnati about a year ago. He came to say hi to us at a Chipotle restaurant. This past week, Ron passed away. He was 50 years old. His last email to us was just a few days before he died. It was titled "Victory." We will miss Ron. He liked to raise his hands high and shout "Thank you Jesus!" everytime he was thankful for something.

Ron, you taught us a lot about living in grace. After your conversion, you were a changed person. We give thanks that you were our friend. May God bless your friends and family and comfort them in their loss! Thank you Jesus!