On Monday I had an email from my friend and former GEM Ireland / City Gates co-conspirator, Dan Witwer. Dan is now serving with a church in Hershey, PA and he was letting me know that our mutual friend Larry Dodds had been taken into hospital and was seriously ill. A few hours later I received other emails saying that Larry had since died.
Cheryl and I more or less grew up in a community of Christians that Larry's parents had helped start in the front room of a house in Montalvo, CA. I remember walking around the lemon grove just before his dad's construction company cleared the site to begin construction of the buildings at the corner of Johnston and Ralston (though there was NOTHING else around at the time).
Over the years Cheryl and I would see Larry and Lois stop back through...as he trained to be a doctor... served in the military.... and then eventually went to Peru to serve the cause of Jesus among tribal peoples in that nation.
From time to time they would come back to Ventura...and we loved meeting their kids and hearing their stores... watching their lives. They have been friends, encouragers, and examples to us over the years; and certainly they were among those who encouraged Cheryl and me to trust Jesus..and to take BIG steps of faith...and follow Him even if that took us far from home (as it eventually did).
I remember sitting around the dinner table in my sister and brother in laws house (where we are now) and having a major discussion about the boundaries of the Kingdom of God. They were talking about their encouragement and fellowship they had with some Irish missionary nurses they knew in Peru. And I was concerned and hoping to set them straight. God forgive me for some of the ignorant and arrogant things I said that night (and many other nights). I was just out of seminary and knew pretty much everything. [If Larry even remembers that discussion at all I hope that he and Agnes (Gondža Bojadžiu) will have a good laugh together on me.] Thankfully ...they kept loving us and caring for us in spite of ourselves.
We moved to Ireland...and apart from the odd meeting back in Ventura didn't really see or hear of them much. We kept track of their daughter Katherine and son in law Steve.. They eventually returned to the US to focus on caring for cross cultural workers (Lois by then had a doctorate in counseling / Larry did medical care...and together they just loved people) To our surprise and delight GEM began to invite them to come to our annual staff gatherings. So every summer we got to catch up with them...always had at least one meal together. We even got to spend a week with them at their center in Pennsylvania...learning, worshiping, discussing, reflecting.
Somewhere in those years Larry was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's, a progressive neurological disease. He was incredibly fit when it hit..so for many years he just managed the limitations. I remember him picking
us up at the train station in Harrisburg, PA and driving us out to their home in Liverpool. I'm sure he had his moments..but I was always amazed by the positive way in which he adjusted and adapted as his physical condition declined. Later he was diagnosed with cancer. He used to say to me "It's a race to see which one gets me first."
Ironically we were here in Ventura many years ago the year that Larry's father Archie died. I turned 40 that same year and for some reason I was deeply moved by the memorial service. The church was absolutely packed. The extended Dodds clan showed up singing songs, telling stories...and basically thanking God for the incredible legacy of faith and love that Archie had given to them and to us all. The word LEGACY took on special meaning for me that day.
So right now family and friends are making their way to Pennsylvania..to gather around Lois, to hug and encourage each other, and to remember and celebrate Larry's life. The legacy he received he is now passing on. Now able to run and jump and cheer again for the first time in years, he has joined the huge cloud of witnesses described in Hebrews 12..cheering us on, and urging us to keep on running the race before us. Eyes fixed on Jesus.. pressing for the finish.
Today our hearts and our prayers are with Lois and his family..and so many others.. We're thanking God for Larry's friendship, love, skill and example...
I'm sad because we miss him.. But I'm moved by that same memory to just keep pressing on.
