Maria Drummond

When I started visit teaching Gaye, I was about 2 years into my marriage, young, and clueless. During the subsequent 3 years that I got to visit with her for 45 minutes or so each month, I grew up, partly just because time does that, but also partly because of her influence in my life.

I remember visiting and thinking, "What on earth am I supposed to share with someone who gets life so much better than I do?", so we mostly shared testimonies with each other. Coming to her home was like going home to my parents' place. It was a welcoming, warm environment where the Spirit seemed to have set up base camp. I always left feeling inspired and excited to be alive, even (or maybe especially) on days that I had come into the visit feeling tired, burned out, or self pitying.

One of the greatest things Gaye blessed me with during those visits was a "You can do ANYTHING" philosophy. I had given up on running after having my first child because of some knee problems I ran into (besides the lack of sleep and trouble of what to do with the baby while I ran.) Gaye never told me what I should do, or pushed me any direction or the other, but little by little, as I saw her face major health problems with courage and grit, I began to wonder if maybe I'd given up my dreams too cheaply.

I eventually asked her for a recommendation to a good sports medicine doctor, which she happily and enthusiastically gave me. Now, a year later, I'm 15 weeks pregnant with my second child, and signed up to run in the Freedom Run 10K this July 5th. I feel strong, and empowered to be able to work through any barrier that should come up with proper cross training and precautions.

Gaye helped to inspire me to reach for a part of myself that was missing-the part that believes I can do anything I put my mind to. Running has been a boon to me as I greet the every day challenges of parenting a toddler and making ends meet as a poor student family. It is because of Gaye's influence that I decided to fight for it, and do what I need to do in order to help support my body to be able to perform as I would like it to. I'll be running this race in her honor, and will have her in my heart as I continue to work towards future dreams and aspirations that I would have otherwise told myself were simply out of reach.

Thanks, Gaye, for showing me how to fight with faith and determination, and how to love and serve with genuine caring and concern. I hope I'll be able to live up to the example you set in both those areas.

Love,

Maria Drummond