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BROOKIE UPDATE FOR FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2013
THANK YOU
First of all, I want to thank several very special people who helped enormously with the whole huge process of the Homegoing Celebration.
Gary did all the preparations for the event at the gravesite. He had many people helping, and I don't even know who they all were. It was a huge effort.
The Leonard family were all very much involved. Gil arranged for and set up the sound system at the gravesite, including a generator (he and Dave Foquette actually got swideswiped by a bus on the way!). David Leonard ran the soundboard. Mayaan took charge of the incredibly delicate task of identifying the body, dressing Brookie, getting her to the gravesite exactly on time, and wrapping her in the incredibly beautiful linen painting anartist did just for that purpose. There was much opposition all along the way. Rachel helped in many ways, including preparing a power point of Brookie's life which was shown at the reception. Tehila was also involved in many aspects.
Sara did most of the work on the program itself, and it was beautiful. It was in preparation for days, including many corrections the day of the Homegoing. She was at the printer just hours before the service, getting the programs printed and she got them to the gravesite just a few minutes before people started to arrive!
Karen Davis led the worship team at the gravesite and David Davis gave a great keynote message.
Sharona and Brookie's nurse friend Marcie stayed with Brookie night and day for more than a week before she left this earth. Sharona hosted all the visitors and organized the visits, and Marcie provided around the clock professional nursing care, all in Brookie's house, where she wanted to be.
Teresa organized the reception at the Poriya Illit Community Center, feeding over 150 people and then re-organizing the space for worship, the slide show and testimonials until almost 10:00 PM. Of course there was much set-up, takedown, cleaning, etc. She too had many wonderful helpers.
All in all it was an incredible cooperative effort by the community of believers in the area (including Kehilat Poriya and Peniel congregations), as well as others from Haifa and Jerusalem. The "Body of Messiah" functioned beautifully! It was all anointed and orchestrated by the Lord, who was glorified in everything. THANK YOU, LORD!!!!
WEBSITE FOR POSTING AND YOUTUBE OF THE SLIDE SHOW
Rachel has set up a Memorial website for Brookie. Here are her instructions:
I've created a memorial website on which you may write your condolences/tributes of Brooke ("Brookie") or just light a candle (short msg. in her memory): http://brooke-escott.memory-of.com/About.aspx. My tribute (or memoir) titled "In loving Memory of Brookie" is posted as an example. Please feel free to make yours in a different manner than mine. The site will be operational for at least two more weeks.
Rachel also posted the slide show of Brookie's life on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc7FBYO6s-4&feature=youtu.be
God willing, we will be posting a video of the Homegoing Celebration when it is ready.
TERRI'S REPORT ON THE HOMEGOING
Brookie’s departure from this earth was the 29th of April, it happened at ll:23 PM, I had just returned from picking up my oldest and closest friend from America at the airport.
Brookie’s life had ebbed away slowly, and it had been almost a week since the doctors had predicted her immanent passing, so all of us were quite uncertain of that moment when she would draw her last breath.
My friend’s arrival on the day of Brookie’s departure was very significant to me.
The Lord, Whom I serve with all of my heart, showed me His body, as I have never seen it before.
So many people rallied around Eric and I offering to help in any way they could, words can never describe in this update how meaningful this was to me, personally.
My friend’s arrival on the day of Brookie’s departure could only mean one thing for me, she would see our lives in Israel in a unique way. I have waited 30 years for her to visit me in the land of my inheritance. She is the person God used to give me my first Bible and that gift eventually led to my salvation.
The body here helped in every way imaginable, getting the burial ground ready, making the graduation program, arranging for the food, music, speeches, order of service, arranging for the burial, plus the inspection of the body before burial.
The service was so beautiful, so reverent, so lovely in every way. There was a video made of the entire service, and soon a DVD will be available. God willing, we will be able to send it to those of you who could not come, but want to see the service. Also, it will be posted in some form, which we will let you know about in a future update.
When I read what a friend wrote, I realized that even in this God was meeting me completely, as we just brought our friend to the airport on Wednesday night, and I wanted to express my gratitude to the body here, and to express my thoughts on the Homecoming, only to see that my God had already inspired this woman of God, who is an excellent writer, to accomplish what needed to be said.
To God be the glory for the things He has done.
Love,
Terri
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