Again, yes once again, the Rehoboth Community is mourning.
On Wednesday August 15, we received word Chris Johnson, age 31, was killed in Iraq. Chris is the son of our middle school Science teacher, Chuck Johnson, and Mary, who teaches at UNM-Gallup. And he is the brother-in-law of newly appointed HS Science teacher, Zach Evans, who is married to Chris’s sister, Laura. Chris is survived by wife Vivian, and three step children, living in Huntsville, Alabama. They were married just shy of two years.
Chris, the pilot of a Chinook helicopter, died along with his crew on Tuesday in a crash about which few details have been released. We received the news in the middle of our All-Staff retreat as we prepare for our new school year.
You can only imagine how this tempers the joy and enthusiasm of a new school year. And many of you will recall that we lost a 7th grade student on the last day of the school year this past May. Surely, we are being tested.
But at our staff retreat, just after we received the news, Pastor Ken Koeman spoke on “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest…” (Matt 11), which was already the text for his planned remarks. Even as we say “again” about our mourning, we can also say “again” in claiming the promises of God. We will “view the present through the promise—Christ will come again.” Chris was a believer, and even now he is in the presence of the Lord!
Will you please pray for Chuck and Mary Johnson, Zach and Laura Evans, another sister, Dawn Vink and family in Visalia, CA. And of course for widowed Vivian, and three children with whom Chris had bonded so beautifully. And the entire Rehoboth family, staff and students, who love Mr. Johnson, and who have seen all too much grief in these past years.
May the Lord strengthen us.
Ron Polinder
Executive Director
