94 Years Apart

Yesterday, we left Southern California and won’t return until the beginning of August.  Santa Rosa will be our home base for the next three weeks before we leave for Uganda on January 26^th.  Leaving was pretty tough, especially on our kids, as they had to say goodbye to their friends for seven months.

The morning we left Malibu

The day before, I kicked off the New Year of by visiting with two of my heroes from 2011.  One was born in 2002, and the other in 1908.  Both have defied tremendous odds to even be alive, and both are hugely inspiring to me and those who know them.  My resolution is to be more like them this next year – brave and playful for one of them, and wise and generous for the other.

We set off toward San Diego before 7:00 a.m. on New Year’s morning so that we could arrive by the 10:00 a.m. kick off of the Scott Street parade.  Bob Goff (another of my personal heroes) and his family started this parade 17 years ago when their children were kids.  The one rule for the parade is that no one is allowed to watch – all have to participate.  This year, the Grand Marshall of the parade was Hero, the 9 year-old Ugandan boy I have written about previously.  About 18 months ago, he was kidnapped in rural Uganda by a witch doctor, carved up pretty badly, and left for dead.  Not only did he defy heavy odds by surviving, but he bravely stared down his attacker at the witch doctor’s trial and identified him as his assailant.  In November, Bob Goff brought him to the United States from Uganda and Hero had reconstructive surgery.  While there has been one minor complication, he is recovering quite well.

At the parade, Hero was running around, smiling and laughing – there was no hint of the hell he has endured.  I had a chance to chat with him for a few minutes and to get a few pictures with him.  Bravery and playfulness.

On the way back to Malibu from San Diego, we stopped to visit my second hero of 2011 – Herb Nootbaar.  Herb was born in 1908 and lived an inspiring and successful life in the grain industry, rising to be the head of the international trade association.  Herb lost his first wife to cancer about forty years ago, and later remarried his long-time office manager Elinor, who had lost her first husband also.  Elinor had been Herb’s office manager since 1950, and they married in 1983.  When he was 89, Herb fell off of his roof while cleaning the gutters and broke his neck.  Not only did he defy heavy odds by surviving, but over the next year, he learned to walk again.  In 2008, Herb took his drivers’ license renewal test and was so good that he was granted a five-year extension on his license.  I have ridden with him several times and he drives like he is in his 30s.  On Monday, he told us (with a grin) that he intends to fulfill his obligation to the citizens of California by driving until his license expires on his 105^th birthday, but then he will surrender his license because he feels like 105 is too old to be driving.

Herb celebrated his 103^rd birthday in November.  Unfortunately, his birthday party took place while I was in Uganda, so I missed it.  In March of this year, we lost our dear Elinor after her brave battle against various afflictions.  Herb and Elinor have been members of the Pepperdine family for about five years, and are the namesake for the Nootbaar Institute for Law, Religion, and Ethics at Pepperdine.  Also this year, Herb and Elinor made a game-changing gift to the law school.  Among other things, this endowment will allow Pepperdine to continue to send students and alumni around the world to serve the underserved.  Herb has a special place in his heart for the poor and afflicted around the world, having personally traveled to 126 countries.

My family and I treasured the two hours we were able to spend with Herb on Monday, and benefitted by his words of wisdom and encouragement.  He really misses Elinor and continuously stressed to us the importance of time spent together as a family.  Wisdom and generosity.

I pray that you will all have heroes in your life this year (even if they are 94 years apart) who will inspire you to be the very best of what your Creator made you to be.  May we all be brave and playful, and wise and generous in 2012.