"Hope Begins in the Dark, the Stubborn Hope That If You Just Show Up and Try to Do the Right Thing, the Dawn Will Come. You Wait and Watch and Work: You Don't Give Up." ~ Anne Lamott

I am writing this post with a heavy heart, as a dear friend, and member of both my church family and Pomona Hope family, passed away the other night.

Dave was the father of one of my best friends, and the husband of Miss Barb, our Garden Coordinator, who is basically another mom to me.  From a Pomona Hope stance, Dave started volunteering with Pomona Hope almost 2 years ago, before I had actually started working here.  He was in between jobs at the time, and he knew that Miss Barb and I really loved it here, and we were in need of volunteers as the school year was starting up.  He got really close to a couple of our kids who really struggled with eye problems and behavioral issues.  But he had a heart for all our kids, and advocated for Pomona Hope in our church, speaking about those two boys, in particular, to the entire congregation when he gave announcements.

When he got another job, he was still able to help in others ways.  He put us in touch with the donor who originally paid for our water coolers in every room.  Before that, Emily went out to the grocery store to fill up jugs of water by herself.  Even now, we get excited when "The Water Guy" comes, because we're usually out or close to it.

The kids who met Dave continued to ask Miss Barb about him.  And when Dave got sick last year, several of our kids made "Get Well" cards for him.  I don't know what they'll do when they find out, or how we'll even tell them.

He had a whole year after his trip to the hospital, during which time, he celebrated the birth of two grandchildren and the ordination of his daughter as a Presbyterian pastor.  And he could not have been prouder.

He was a huge supporter of our program and our kids.  He did what he could to help out, when he could.  He and Barb even put Jelitza on their family cell phone plan when she was still in high school, as an encouragement to stay in band, and then continued it when she went to college, so she could keep in touch.

I can't even begin to list off all the things he helped with in church, often being the point person for anyone to ask, when they didn't know who to ask.

I think I'm still in shock, as I consider the fact that I won't see him anymore.  When I go to his house for dinner with Miss Barb, or to hang out with Lauren, he won't be there.  He won't be sitting one pew back and just a little to the right from me.  He won't make the announcements anymore, take communion to those who are unable to make it to the Sunday morning service anymore, and he won't be there to step in when there is a need.

He was not perfect, but who is?  He was extroverted, he had a cheesy sense of humor and a "take charge" attitude, and he probably took on too much a lot of the time, which means that the void he leaves behind is that much larger in multiple arenas.

He loved animals, romantic comedies, his family, and of course, Jesus.  He recognized how much he was blessed, he sought out Jesus, and he had a very generous heart.  And he will be missed.