So, life has been busy since the beginning of the month and I really can't believe that it is the 16th of August already! The long weekend camping trip was great, it was lovely weather and it was wonderful to just be able to relax and not worry about much of anything! We had the best of both worlds as we were camping in a beautiful setting but had all the amenities close by.
When I got back from the camping trip to Kamloops, I went straight into house sitting for the week. It was nice to see the two girls again and one of the girls was quite happy to see me as well. The other girl was getting ready to head back to Korea for a visit before coming back in September for another year of high school here. On Friday, the 10th, I got a call from Nicole saying she needed to talk to me. Since I was only 2 doors down from her place, she came over and told me that Lottie, my pastor's wife, had just gotten a call (she was visiting them) saying that Joanna had just passed away. Joanna is a long time friend of mine, we became friends when we were in high school, went to bible college together and also interned at the church together. Our birthdays are only 8 days apart and so we always did something fun together to celebrate. We drifted apart my first year in Haiti and when I came home after my first year, she had left the church and we didn't keep in great touch after that. A couple of years ago, while I was in Haiti we reconnected on MSN messenger and kept saying that we should get together when I was home. When I got back from my honeymoon in December, I found out from friends that she had been diagnosed with cancer. Now, Joanna had Chrohn's since she was 6 years old and had many health issues growing up. Apparently she had collapsed at her apartment and her mom found her when she didn't show up for work and someone called her parents. She spent a couple of months in the hospital with many problems, and was released in January, after the removal of most of her intestines. She took each day one at a time and was re-admitted to the hospital a couple of weeks ago. At this time, I tried to go and see her ( I had tried to go in January but she had just been discharged and didn't return my calls or emails wanting to get in touch) and I called the hospital and was told she wasn't up to visitors. While I have been preparing myself for this news since I first heard about her diagnosis in December, it still doesn't make it any easier. Especially after my healing! I have been praying for Joanna's healing for years and just prayed harder after I found about the cancer diagnosis. As a good friend of mine told me, my prayers were answered - just not in the way I had wanted! The memorial service is tomorrow (Friday) at the bible college we both attended. I know that it is going to be very tough but I want to be there to support her family and let them know how much Joanna has meant to me over the years. I have lost family members and friends, but they have all been much older than me and losing someone who is my own age makes you look at life a little different! You never know how long your time here is and you better make sure that you are doing what God has planned for you and you also better enjoy each day to the fullest!
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