open letter to Dad

                             David Roy Jones   August 24, 1925 - September 15, 2015


   My Dad has experienced the ultimate stripping - the removal of his body of suffering.  He has now entered in to his reward. This is the letter that I wrote to him after his death which I read at his memorial service.


   Dad, you were many things to many people:  a missionary statesman, el fundador de la radioemisora HRVC, "la voz evangelica de Honduras", a friend and servant to the university student missions movement, a faithful husband and father, someone committed to showing hospitality to foreigners (especially foreign students), a good organizer and administrator, and someone who never lost their sense of humor.  I think Dr. Seuss had someone like you in mind, Dad, when he wrote about Horton the elephant.  Like you, when Horton committed to something, no matter what happened, "he was faithful one hundred percent."
   But Dad, I'm not going to put you up on a pedestal.  I know you would not feel comfortable there.  My appreciation  and admiration of you was never diminished, but rather enhanced, by your ability to be transparent and straightforwardly honest about your flaws and failings.  You never hid behind a facade of machismo or let the high esteem given you by others go to your head.  You were a man of integrity, Dad - the same person at home and in your private life as you were in public.
   Your faithfulness at letter-writing meant so much to me, Dad, especially when I left home to go to college and the years after.  You were never rattled by my forays into non-traditional spirituality and lifestyle choices.  Instead you encouraged open communication and a love that transcended our differences,
   Above all these things, Dad, you gave me a foundation - a rock solid foundation, that I could build on and pass on to my own children and grandchildren.  I am still testing and exploring that foundation, maybe in ways that you never would.  But as you now know with perfect clarity, our Saviour - Yeshua Hamashiac (Jesus Christ) invites us to explore with all thoroughness the intricacies and intimacies of his love.
   Thank you, for being my father.  I am proud to be your son,  I love you and will miss you.