ICC Inspirations: Aging Gracefully and Strongly

          Another area of inspiration during the Intercultural Communications Course at JAARS is that of  role models  who are aging gracefully and strongly. I've enjoyed eating in the center dining room with course participants and  JAARS staff, hearing their stories, and asking questions. (some are volunteer staff retired from full-time missions).

          An outstanding example aging gracefully and strongly is Bob and Martha Tripp. Both walk at least 30 minutes  day; Martha walks an hour daily and Bob play tennis @ 86. Bob teaches Sunday School weekly and they often go to a Latino flea market on Saturday to distribute Christian tracts. 
          Martha wrote  Jungle Jewels and Jaguars. This book chronicles the unique experiences of living with a remote group of indigenous people called the Amueshas, in the headwaters of the Amazon River -- learning their language, reducing it to writing, establishing bilingual schools, and translating God's Word into the language -- and the joy of seeing the Word change their lives resulting in the development of 45 churches established by the Amueshas themselves.

         It was my privilege to stay the month in the home of Marita Eden, a Eastern Region Recruiter  for Wycliffe Bible Translators and a JAARS board member in her 80's.  Marita bounded up the stairs way faster than I did.   This petite lady usually walks 2 miles in the early morning several days a week and works out at a gym. Her cooking and eating habits were extremely healthy with portion control and normally fruit for dessert. Her home is on the Missions Home register -- Marita feels called to share her home with those preparing to serve or in midst of serving in missions. She was an role model for gracious hospitality.  OK, she was real - had a sweet tooth... and sometimes made oatmeal cookies but with many healthy ingredients. YUM! I appreciate Marita's positive can-do attitude.

        A couple I ate lunch with several times in the JAARS dining room was Ellis & Martha Deibler, 78 and 82, who play two games of table tennis daily. Martha says table table is a better cardio workout than walking.

        Takeaway...choose some regular form of exercise and do it faithfully and choose to eat healthy and moderately. We can enjoy some of life's little pleasures like cookies - best chock full of healthy ingredients.