Day 10: Honor with a Grateful Heart

“Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart” ~Seneca

I had the wonderful privilege of speaking at a Women’s Conference at the church grew up in yesterday, and publicly honoring two very significant women in my life: Mrs. Helen Olsen, widow of the late Reverend Kermit Olsen of First Baptist Church and Mrs. Caroline Florey, widow of the late Mr. Robert Florey.

Reverend Olsen and Mr. Florey, along with several church families set out on a mission to organize the sponsorship of my family in 1975, after the fall of Vietnam. Having escaped by boat, we made it to a refugee camp in California where we awaited sponsorship. This process involved detailed paper work, finances, and a team of volunteers assigned to our family around the clock for many, many months to help us acclimate to this new country.

My family and I are forever so grateful to the late Reverend Olsen, the late Mr. Florey and their widows as well as the church families who joined together and provided all the essentials that my family needed to start a new life. From letting us live in their church house that the church owned for the first several months, to furnishing our entire home and even spent time teaching everyone some Basic English.
I have some vivid memories of this season in my life and am in awe when I reflect on all that they did.

At the end of my speaking, I took some time to honor the two precious women who are now in their 80s and 90s. This may be one of the last times that would be with both of them together. Mrs. Florey does not leave the house any longer due to her conditions, but she made every effort to be there to hear me speak (that was the most precious thing to me). I was so blessed to have had the opportunity to thank the two women and acknowledge them publicly for all that they’ve done for my family and me, for the tireless service to our family as well as share some of the stories that I remembered about each of them.

I have so many more people to honor in my life and I am waiting for those opportunities to come. It makes me happy and blessed to honor those so deserving!

“In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you.” ~1Thessalonians 5:18 NAS

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Live Healthier & Happier,