Pilot ~ Photographer ~ Scuba Diver

As we are approaching 60 months since we lost our precious Brianna, this is a difficult time for her parents. But we are encouraged as we think of a letter lovingly written to us just nine months after we lost her. Here is an precious excerpt:

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“Is it possible in heaven where the past and the future is eternally present in God’s time that Brianna will be able to see (as on video for e.g.) how her life would have continued had she been permitted to live on.  I am confident, if this becomes possible, that her praise to God will be at a higher octave than her former limits because she will see beyond any shadow of doubt how God’s plan for an early exit from this mortal life was not only in her best interest but was God’s way for holding her secure in His loving arms so that her future life would follow His pre-determined plan.”

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Through these many months of loss, God has brought us together with other grieving hearts—one commonality that we all share:  that our loved one will not be forgotten.

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We are asking you at this time of the year and for “Giving Tuesday” to remember our Foundation, Brianna’s Wings of Passion. Truly consider joining with us in the spirit of giving.

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Our foundation spans in many directions, one being the Campfire. Since we have been part of the Campfire (November 8, 2018), we’ve given clothes, food, literature to help with the grieving process. Because we are in corporate mourning over the loss of our community—homes, lives, possessions, displacement—it has been a communal grief for the last year and still ongoing. We’ve come to see how those residing in the area tell of the constant reminder of the loss, just as those of us who are grieving their loved ones this time of year. This is why we are needing continued support in this area.

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MIGUEL

We are so excited that our mission pilot, who we have been assisting in his pilot training, has completed the first part of his Instrument rating and is in process to complete the second part (The second part being his examination process). He has been faithful and dedicated in travelling the distance of 14 miles each way to the aviation school by bicycle.

This missionary couple has truly sacrificed more than we can understand here in the States. On a very low stipend monthly, Miguel and his wife, Mirta have been struggling month to month. Three to four times a year they take a small group (half a dozen or so) of medical professionals and lay people into the interior of Bolivia for a week to ten days to help small villages along river routes with medical supplies, health education and literature to assist them spiritually. These trips are sometimes made by bus over long distances (1-2 days travel). It is out of the love and care for those less fortunate that Miguel and Mirta host these quarterly excursions.

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Our desire would be to help Miguel and Mirta with reliable transportation and completion of his aviation training. Please consider assisting us here.

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GUARDRAILS

Approximately three years ago, we were determined to have guardrails placed in the area where our daughter’s life was taken, praying it would never happen to anyone else.  Since that journey, we have met with local county officials, state senator and congressman’s office. This opened the way to our involvement with drowsy driving.  After hundreds of hours of research and creating drowsy driving educational materials, we have come upon obstacles, but we’ve been able to make a difference in the following areas:  Added Drowsy Driving verbiage to the DMV Handbook starting in 2018 partnering with Kohl’s Dept store twice a year to distribute thousands of brochures and other promotional items, drowsy driving awareness to surrounding high schools, statewide message boards on major interstates, and last but not least, legislation being worked on in Washington D.C. on the awareness of drowsy driving.

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We’ve saved the best news for last.  Our guardrails will be up after December 17th—a very meaningful accomplishment surrounding December 19, our 60-month marker.

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We have dedicated our lives in keeping busy by ministering to those who grieve as we do. We have done this on a personal one-on-one counseling, as well as in group presentations. If you know of anyone who might like to have a presentation on grief recovery, please contact us at our contact page.

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We were contacted by a friend who was providing care to her dying brother-in-law and played for him the cinematography that Brianna put together. She shared later this testimony with us, “One of the beautiful music/nature videos we played for him was Brianna’s filming. It was the most comforting end of life peace I had in my exhaustive care giving all week.” We’ve had many other stories which have been shared with us over the time of our loss—these testimonies have been very instrumental in keeping us going.

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Please consider donating to BWP Foundation for “Giving Tuesday” and in your year-end giving. It is much appreciated in keeping our daughter’s legacy alive by helping others. If you'd like to donate, you can do so here:  Donate

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Blessings in the New Year,

Rod & Mary