Dear family and friends,
We hope everyone had an enjoyable Christmas and holiday season. As usual, this is our belated Christmas letter!
On March 29 our daughter Sarah gave birth to Luna Hope. Luna continues to be a healthy and happy baby and enlivens our intergenerational household which includes Sarah, her husband Andy, their 8-year-old daughter Jolie, and our son Justin. Third-grader Jolie especially enjoys her extra-curricular participation in a rigorous gymnastic program.
Justin struggles almost daily, but also finds some enjoyment, especially watching the Chicago Bears play (particularly since they’ve had a great season!). We’re thankful that we found a new psychiatrist for him, since his previous one retired. This is our 6th Christmas since Josh passed. We’re thankful for his 37 years with us, now with Jesus and with us in spirit. Aaron, our sons’ best friend for almost 30 years, who lives with us off and on, is doing well.
We enjoyed a pre-Christmas Christmas here with George, Angel and Abel, who is now 5 years old. Esam and Ipek, now married, joined us for Thanksgiving, this year held at Andy’s mother Dulce’s house.
[Marty] In September we traveled to my hometown of Enid, Oklahoma. We stayed with my sister Diane, and visited with our friends Court and Vivian, Kent, Curtis and Rosa, Lindy and her family. We attended my 60th high school reunion, as well as Court and Vivian’s “alternative reunion” party! I felt honored to give the sermon at Enid First Presbyterian, the church my sister Diane and I grew up in (and which Diane still attends).
Our church here, New Hope Fellowship, continues to be a nurturing spiritual community with a diverse membership. We’re excited that New Covenant Fellowship, our former church in Champaign, Illinois, will have its 50th anniversary Jubilee in June of 2026.
[Diana] I continue to work at the Alexandria Health Department assisting women with high-risk pregnancies and their newborn children. The end of 2026 looks like the year to retire, God willing. I try to encourage, support, and provide resources for my mostly Hispanic clients, many of whom live in constant fear these days. For example, Maria’s brother was on his way to work when he got stopped by Immigration. Her brother has lived and worked in the US for 17 years and his life and family are here. He is being held in custody, but hopes, if possible, to be released so he can fight his deportation case. I’m sure he and his family would appreciate your prayers.
Many have similar heartbreaking stories of trying to stay safe and yet earn a living to support their families. I am reminded of Jesus words from Matthew 25, “Whatever you do for the least of these, you do for me.” We ask God to help those in U.S. leadership “to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with God” (Micah 6:8).
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As Diana writes, this has been a hard year for many people in America and around the world. Much of the pain that we human beings experience is completely unnecessary. That’s the pain that we inflict intentionally on each other. Suffering from illnesses, accidents, and natural disasters is largely outside of our control. But why do we choose to add to each other’s suffering by unthinking personal actions and cruel governmental policies? Policies like making basic medical insurance unaffordable for millions of Americans and withdrawing life-saving international food and medicine assistance.
This Christmas I think of Jesus’ saying, “I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly.”
Surely, we serve Jesus more faithfully by choosing personally and as “one nation under God” to help enhance people’s lives and alleviate their suffering rather than adding to it.
May God grant us all a wiser and more compassionate year ahead.
Love, Diana, Marty & family,
Grandchildren Abel, Luna and Jolie
