Gene Stoltzfus (1940-2010) and me in 2005.
One day in San Jose Gene and Deborah and I talked about PCPJ while Nathan and Kharese played. He was encouraging Deborah and me, and I shared with him that I really have trouble asking for, or accepting, money for PCPJ.
Gene looked at me with his smiling eyes and said, “Maybe it’s because you’re too proud, you have to be humble to accept other people’s money.”
I grinned at him and said, “And all this time I thought I couldn’t accept money because I was so humble.”
He smiled back, “Nope. It’s ’cause you’re proud. Let’s go get some ice cream.”
We then walked down the street and ate ice cream together because Gene believed in eating ice cream, in telling the truth, and in loving fully and deeply. He was a great peacemaker and justice seeker and I will be forever blessed to have been his friend.
Thank you, Gene. I love you, and I miss you.
