After my father passed away, I was inundated with emails, texts, and voicemails from those offering their prayers and condolences. This was preceded by those expressing the same after the death of my wife’s dad just a week earlier. There’s no way to thank everyone for the prayers; I certainly hope they continue, especially for our kids, as we all process the double loss.
It’s not surprising to hear that after events like these, you spend more time looking at life, your place in this world, and what kind of mark you hope to leave. What will people say about you and me after we’re gone?
My father was far from a perfect man, but his heart was in the right place and it was backed up by action. He touched so many lives here in America through his preaching, teaching, and personal discipleship of others.
Many people shared with me what my father meant to them, but I won’t include their words here. What I will do is include some of the words from a few of the overseas partners to give you an idea of how he was loved and respected by them too. If a fraction of what was said about him could also be said about me some day after I’m gone, I must’ve finally figured out how to love and serve others as Christ did.
J.L. was a friend, a confidant, a counselor, and a mentor. His spiritual, financial, and material support to me, my family, and the church cannot be evaluated. His faith, love, and hope are unfathomable. His impact in my life and the lives of many young people in my country is indescribable.
Mali
We have in this lifetime seen many missionaries in this world in the twenty-first century, but no one stands close to Brother Williams. His love for the Tibetan world will always remain as a landmark in the history of Tibetan Christianity.
Tibet
While we did serious work with J.L., we also had lots of fun at the conference center. He would get everyone to work. The enjoyable thing was that when J.L. left, people remained working. They used to say, “We can’t stop working—the spirit of J.L. is on us!”
Zimbabwe
He was loved, and loved deeply. He was so genuine. He would sweat buckets as he toiled in the hot noonday sun. While fellow workers would look for some shade to cool off, he would be back, cheering them on to finish the task. Yet, they were all mesmerized by him. Such a father figure in a world where many are yearning for fathers!
India
I will never forget about all the good and nice things your dad accomplished. He was a great intellectual who wanted to change the lives of the poor people. All his accomplishment will never be forgotten. He was an honest and serious person. He always forgot about himself just to help the poor. Dr. Williams isn’t dead; his name will be known forever because of his good heart and honesty.
Haiti
