Emily Stauffer

A NEW LEARNING
Any personal retirement issues fade to insignificance in light of a recent event in someone else's experience. I have known Allen Hern for years. He was a fellow pastor in the same family of churches. His daughter Jaunita is married to another pastor, Terry Stauffer. I met the Stauffers years ago when they were a sweet young couple eager to be serving the Lord. My heart aches for all of them today. Terry and Jaunita live in Edson, Alberta. That's where tragedy has gripped the family. I first knew them some years ago, a sweet young couple eager to be serving the Lord. Through the years they have had one son and three daughters born into the family.
Last Saturday 14 year old Emily Joy Stauffer was attacked and murdered by a stranger in broad daylight on a walking path. This has traumatized the small town of 8000 people, 200 kilometres west of Edmonton. Emily loved photogaphy and her school walls were adorned this week with her photos that included portraits of her sisters Petra (9), and 7 year old Anne. Over 800 people packed the school gymnasium yesterday (Friday Oct 3). As one would expect, these people of faith affirmed their confidence that Emily's personal faith has now become the reality of actual sight, and God is good, and we will see Emily again. Among the 8000 townspeople we will pray that there will be many whose attention is directed to spiritual matters because of this community loss and that God will come close to them as He frequently does in times like this.