An American couple that works with the same organization that we do, recently came to our city and shared a dream of their heart with us. For a long time they had wanted to go to Arunachal Pradesh, a state in Northeast India, for research and making contacts. It is one of the few states in India that requires a permit and they have strict requirements for entry. You have to have four foreigners to register for a permit and each permit costs $50 USD. They asked us if we would consider going with them so that we would qualify for entry. We were praying and thinking about it and then decided we would go ahead and try to apply for the permit with them.

On Friday we got a phone call from the travel agent telling us that we got the permits and so we were trying to get everything organized and making plans to go. Houser was planning to go and visit Toshi on Sunday as he had been praying and fasting a few days, asking God to heal him. We were planning as a group to leave on Monday for Arunachal. Saturday morning we got a call from Guwahati saying that Toshi had become unconscious and been rushed to the hospital. We started praying more and Houser started packing to go immediately to visit him. About 20-30 minutes later we get a call that Toshi has passed away. Then we both started throwing things into a bag and made plans to go to visit his home and family right away. Houser was weeping and I was in shock, we had thought that there was so much more time.

We went to his parent's home and there were many people gathered outside, hanging out. We saw many people there that we hadn't seen for a long time. We went inside and nothing could really prepare me for what was there. His wife, parents, and various close friends and family were inside sitting around Toshi's body. I've never seen the body of someone that I knew and cared about that had passed away. The whole thing wasn't a reality until I really saw him lying there and I started weeping and weeping. It was just so final. His wife was near him, touching his forehead, crying, and many of us in the room were joining her.

His funeral was planned for the next day and so we stayed the night in Guwahati and spent time with others who loved him. There were around 400 people at his funeral the next day. Houser had an opportunity to share about Toshi and his life and multitudes were crying. He was a man deeply loved. We are rejoicing that his life was one well lived and that he is now free from pain and for all of eternity he shall never be touched by it again. His last words were "Praise the Lord," and "Hallelujah."

During the funeral I couldn't but help think of the brevity of this life and my heart is longing for the place where there is no more sorrow, no more crying, no more sickness, and no more pain. Our life is so precious and our friendships, family, choices, and time spent are of great value.

We had made plans to meet this American couple in Guwahati on Monday to go to Arunachal, so with heavy hearts we met them and begin a long, long journey.