The year was 1995. It was a time when big bangs and perms were on their way out, when music and fashion were in a very strange transition and these three high school students formed the bond of a lifetime. In the picture with my sister and me is a young woman named Yuka. She had come to our home on a one month stay two years prior. We enjoyed hosting her so much that my sister Alicia traveled the following summer to Yuka's house in Japan. We kept in touch through writing letters and sending care packages, so when Yuka expressed the desire to come to the United States and study with us for a year we jumped at the opportunity to host her again. She arrived for the school year in August and by May had bonded with our family in a significant way. Putting her on the plane to go home was a tearful event. I've been reflecting on these experiences over the last few weeks because I recently took a job with CETUSA . It will be my pleasure and joy to help host families like mine
October 4th, 2017 is a day that will be locked in my mind forever. The news that my friend was gone didn't seem real. It seemed like a very bad dream and I wanted to wake up to find that it wasn't true. Even now, three months later, as life transitions into its new "normal" I find myself wondering how such a thing can happen. You can read about Rena's life here: Obituary . Rena had a deep and lasting impact on our community. I met Rena through school. Our kids went to Golden Eagle together. The very first time I met her I KNEW she was a dancer! It's something you can sense and see in her gracefulness and poise. My girls took classes with her for a semester when we first moved to Weed. Over the four years of knowing her I saw her love for Jesus shine through her love of dance. She never once shied away from sharing the gospel in her performances. As Grace began attending youth group, Rena and Danny were there making her feel welcome and included. At the f