Cathy died twenty weeks ago today. I have returned from a three-day memorial celebration for Cathy in our mission village of Serabu Sierra Leone, just in time for the 14^th annual Feed My Flock food program at St. Louis Church in Memphis. Another 65,000 meals have been donated to Serabu. Thank you, amazing volunteers of St. Louis Church.

Day one of my Serabu memorial trip witnessed a very hard fought and entertaining tribute soccer game that was played in heavy rain. Serabu won this spirited splash bowl 1-0. The second day of memorial activities started with a slow, gentle, evening candlelight procession thru the village, accompanied by light rain, followed by a Vigil Mass on the grounds of Southern Eye Clinic and concluded with numerous tributes from various people that Cathy had helped or influenced in some special way. The tributes were heart-felt and beautiful and were complemented with songs by the church choir. Day three activities began with brilliant sunshine and a late morning Memorial Mass at newly renovated Sacred Heart Church, followed by a short procession to a special grave site that had been prepared on the campus of Southern Eye Clinic, where some of Cathy’s hair is now stored in an urn that I placed in an exposed vault. A sincere and curious grave site procession of local admirers continued all weekend.

I received much love and support during my time in Serabu, and I found the whole experience very healing. This ends the public mourning for Cathy. Of course I am still adjusting, loving her more than ever, and missing the simple pleasures of life: her noise, her touch, her hugs and her kisses. I’m blessed with our strong mission program and will stay deeply involved in Cathy’s mission dreams as long as I am able. God bless you Serabu. God bless you Southern Eye Clinic. God bless you Southern Eye Institute. Dear Lord, help me deliver your love to the needy people we serve in Serabu. And Cathy, thank you for hanging out in Serabu. We all felt your warm smile and loving heart.

Sweet Jesus, thank you for the gift of my suffering, which I joyfully attach to Cathy’s final days on earth, as a prayer petition to bring me closer to you on your cross, and to bring our children, families and friends closer to you and your church. Thank you also for the gift of the “quiet” that surrounds my life, that it may signal the next season of our love for each other, as I wait and pray for Your grace and mercy, to someday join Cathy in Heaven, in our perfected love of You. Amen