Grandpa Harold Kurtz

I know I’m a little young to be considering my own mortality, but then again, I never thought I’d be contemplating my grandfather’s death. I can clearly remember telling a friend (in an awed tone) that he was 60 years old and still traveling the world. Now it’s my parents who are nearly 60 and grandpa passed away on Friday afternoon at age 84. And until last year, he was still traveling the world! He went on donkey treks through the Ethiopian bush, celebrated church growth with leaders in frozen Siberia, worked with untouchables in India and gypsies in Romania, with Korean and Peruvian believers…all with one simple dream. For every people, an indigenous church; for every church, a mission vision. He was a man with a vision, with principles, with passion, and I am so proud to have known him! The world lost a champion for responsible missions, for empowerment of the 3^rd World, for us in the 1^st World to take note of what they can teach us about faith, and family, and perseverance.

He has left behind a ‘clan’ who will miss him so very much--a wife, 6 kids, 23 grandkids, and 6 great-grandkids. And he taught each of us some important lessons:

• 1. Until death do us part means exactly what it says.
• 2. Do anything possible for family, but remember that everyone is family
• 3. There’s always room for one (or two, or three…) more
• 4. We are citizens of the whole world, and we should act like it
• 5. Popcorn makes a perfectly good dinner
• 6. Always make it 100 miles before breakfast

We know he's having the greatest time, worshiping the One he served his whole life. And we are so glad that his earthly struggle with the brain tumor, which robbed him of his ability to tell stories or give advice, is finally over. The Kurtz clan will never be the same with him gone, but we are all better people because of knowing him. We love you, grandpa!