by Aaron Esparza

Reflecting on loss and remembering with monuments

During our time at Multnomah, God walks us through the hard times. He uses these times to teach us how to have dependence on Him to carry out His purposes through us and for us.

Sometimes, for this very purpose, God calls home our friends.

But we do not lose heart. Our brothers and sisters who have died in Christ are this very day dancing with the Lord in paradise. They are awaiting their resurrection unto life eternal where we are promised that there will be no more tears or death.

Not long ago, our Multnomah friend and sister, Jennica Kruse, was called home to the Lord. Jennica was studying in the Masters of Arts in Teaching program at Multnomah when she died suddenly of a brain tumor. Despite our pain at her loss, we rejoice with the memory of her because she is in a better place. The goodbyes are for but a moment and soon we will see her again with our precious Lord and Savior who has conquered death.

Until that time, her memory lives on in our hearts. Andrew Kruse, Jennica’s husband and our fellow Multnomah friend, has set himself as a model of such an attitude even though the devil tempts him to forsake praising the Lord. Let us honor this man for his steadfast faith in the goodness of God.

This is not an isolated incident. Many of our Multnomah friends in Christ have gone home before us. Let us take heart that their memory lives on in the hearts and minds of Multnomah students, faculty, and staff. Various memorials placed throughout our campus help remind us of our friends who are no longer with us.

Laura Silva
Planted outside Multnomah’s JCA dining hall, a tree grows beside a memorial stone in memory of student Laura Silva. Laura died from a fall she sustained while rock climbing in the Columbia River Gorge in 2009. She is survived by her husband, Bobby Silva, who works in the Multnomah Biblical Seminary. The memorial tree and plaque were placed at the request of Bobby.

Terry Dirks
Staff member Terry Dirks died in 1999. Terry died in Japan where he was leading an international prayer renewal team from Multnomah. He had led the international prayer renewal team on the Multnomah campus since 1986. Terry died of a brain aneurysm and was found sitting up in his bed with his Bible open on his lap. The prayer chapel is named in honor of Terry.

Holly Miller
Student Holly Miller’s heart was devoted to missions. She went to Sumba, Indonesia to follow her passion to be a missionary. While on a trail outside the village she ministered in, Holly stepped between a snake and a little girl. The venomous snake bit Holly and she died. In Holly’s memory, Multnomah’s Dr. Garry Friesen, along with some of Holly’s friends, donated and raised money for an endowment scholarship that is still given to students for the purpose of missions trips.

Multnomah’s buildings
All the buildings on Multnomah’s campus are named for the deceased friends of Multnomah in honor of their faithful service and love for Christ. Sutcliffe Hall is named after Multnomah’s first president, Dr. B.B. Sutcliffe. Dr. Sutcliffe was a statesman and nationally known Bible teacher who served the Lord at Multnomah from 1936-1943.

Multnomah’s library is named after Multnomah’s co-founder Dr. John Mitchell, who taught here for many years. Dr. Mitchell taught at Multnomah until he died at 96 years old. As you enter the library through the north-side door, you will see plaques that memorialize Dr. Mitchell’s sayings to the students he taught. One reads, “Don’t you folks ever read your Bibles?” Many of the faculty members still remember Dr. Mitchell saying these words.

In memory of Jennica Kruse
Jennica had a heart for children and teaching. Multnomah’s Professor Dave Jongeward is working with her family and friends to set up a scholarship in her name. Her husband and family, along with Dave Jongeward and all the Muse staff, would like to ask that you pray for the scholarship to be established to reflect Jennica’s love for teaching and to serve as a blessing for future MAT students. If you would like to donate to the endowment for this scholarship please contact Dave Jongeward.

May Jennica’s name and the names of all our Multnomah friends who are no longer with us live on in our hearts until the day we are reunited in the kingdom of God. Praise the Lord, who conquered death to provide this true hope of life with Christ, forever more. Praise the Lord!

–Chris Hansen is a senior Communication Studies major.

by Brent Looyenga (looyengaphotography.com)