Brenda Joanne Platt
At 4:30 p.m. on Friday (June 3, 2011),
Brenda Joanne Platt entered the presence of the Lord. The date and
time would mark her freedom from the life-long limitations of
cerebral palsy, free too from the pain and suffering of terminal
cancer.
Brendy, the youngest daughter of Dr.
and Mrs. Albert T. Platt, was born on June 30, 1956, in Guatemala
City, Guatemala, Central America, while the Platts served the Lord as
missionaries in that country. And though wheelchairs early became her
mode of moving around, in no way did that cause Miss Brendy to lessen
her enjoyment of life.
She early came to know the Lord Jesus
as her Savior and learned to love God's word, memorizing great
portions of it. She so enjoyed the great hymns of the church with
their solid expressions of biblical truth, and they too were stored
in her famously encyclopedic memory. Usually you could count on her
to know all the stanzas and more often than not in both English and
Spanish. It was natural for her to become interested in God's people
and God's work. It became the environment in which she acquired the
host of friends who came to love her and appreciate her testimony
plus increase her prayer life.
Entirely home schooled, she developed a
vocabulary and writing style that opened a special door of ministry.
For years, she wrote short devotionals under the title "His Path
... Mine" from her (and her dear mother's before her) favorite
verse, Psalm 16:11, "Thou wilt show me the path of life: in Thy
presence is fullness of joy and at Thy right hand there are pleasures
for evermore."
That vast array of friends became the
prayer warriors, holding Brendy up before the Lord during her cancer
ordeal. From literally all parts of the world have come the
testimonials to the blessing of knowing Brendy, her warm, bright
personality with its infectious laugh, of seeing her acceptance of
what the Lord had for her, her trust in Him and the resulting courage
with which she faced adversity.
The pre home going process was not
without considerable cancer-induced suffering, but the event itself
was calm and peaceful with family around her bed singing some of
Brendy's favorite hymns and recounting favorite stories of her life.
That bedside ensemble included Brendy's dearly loved older sisters
and brothers-in-law, Pastor Steve Friesen and Bobbie from here in
Newton and Gonzalo and Beth Sandoval, missionaries in Mexico.
"Brendy dear, we all rejoice in
your newfound freedom, but, Oh, how we miss you; I most of all!"
(signed) Your Daddy. You can read Brendy's story online at
www.caringbridge.org/visit/brendyplatt.
Memorial gifts can be sent to CAM
International, 8625 La Prada Drive, Dallas, TX 75228. Mark the memo
"BRENDY FUND."
