My Friend Al Sanchez!

It will be two years since we painted Al’s house with a group of about 40 volunteers. He was our 5^th house that we had painted. We are now up to 30 homes and will paint two more in a few weeks. If you had told me two years ago that Mr. Sanchez would become a significant part of my life I would have said I don’t think so. Yet, after taking him burritos and donuts on a weekly basis over this time we have become good friends.

I have also gotten to know his 5 daughters over this time too along with a boatload of grandkids, great grandkids, cousins and various other relatives. I have walked with him through many health issues where he has been in the hospital and on a few occasions the sisters truly believed he was going to leave us. The great thing about Mr. Sanchez’s story is that he in one sense is your typical 82 year old Hispanic guy who worked as a cook most of his life. Loved to draw, has a quick wit and wasn’t ever afraid to tell you exactly what he thought. He joked about his attractiveness to young women at 80.

Every time I would visit I would look at the latest cartoon he had drawn, asked about his blood sugar level, where he was at in reading his Bible. (New City/Barrio Nuevo always gives a Bible to the families whose home we paint. His is actually Spanish/English version.) What astounded me about Al was that he actually read his Bible cover to cover over the time we were meeting.

I know I will write more about Al but the main purpose of this blog is to honor him as a father, brother and friend. He is in Hospice of the Valley dying. I know that he wouldn’t pass most standard church membership exams for understanding doctrine but what is important is that he knows Jesus and has placed his life in his hands. As with any family there is always drama, especially with not 2 but 5 daughters. My hope is that I can be a faithful friend and pastor and I visit and am part of a welcoming party that sees Mr. Sanchez experience the glory of God as he enters into eternity.

Mr. Sanchez I will miss coming by and listening to your wild stories, eating your great avocado mixtures and looking at your drawings. This is a sad happy ending. I know that you will go to a better place but you will be missed big time!

I love you, your friend – Dave Bennett