"The mission of Cheetah must go on, Rena would have it no other way..."
Dear friends,
Rena had become ill in Africa. That is one of the risks inherent in our work. We managed to evacuate her from Africa but she collapsed in Amsterdam on the way to the States. At a hospital in the Netherlands it was found she had blood sepsis and acute liver failure, which resulted in a liver transplant. None of the hospital staff expected her to survive. Nevertheless, 10 weeks later (and several miracles by any estimation) she was alive, well and close to returning home. Unexpectedly, she suffered a massive brain hemorrhage and died suddenly.
Rena is a remarkable young woman. It doesn't matter if it is a poor villager or a high government official, Rena is liked and loved by everyone she meets. Even seemingly casual acquaintances in the USA and Africa have insisted to me that she is not only a friend but a close friend. She knows how to love, especially people in need, emotionally or physically. And she could convey that love the first time you met her.
Rena leveraged her intellect and her business training for Cheetah, becoming our Tanzanian country manager over a 3 year period. For example, she created a systematic way to engage and promote our African staff from volunteer to intern to being hired as permanent employees. This created a new energy and level of commitment in our African staff and weeded out ineffective workers in advance. The mission of Cheetah will go on. Rena would have it no other way; she loved our work. African farmers frequently lose their children. We are helping change that and we must go on.
A beautiful young lady, Rena has a quick and ready smile, an energetic hug, and a fresh insightful view on life. As her father, I refuse to speak of her in the past tense, for she will be with us always. There is no answer to the question, 'Why?' Yet now we pray for peace in the midst of inconsolable grief.
In God's peace that passes understanding, we remain yours,
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