Back in the 1980s when I was teaching at Eastern College, I became good friends with my student Brian Hamilton. He was from Main and went on to study in NYC at Union Seminary, The New School, and then he finished up at Eastern Baptist Seminary. Later on he and his wife Ruth began pastoring an integrated Presbyterian church in Washington D.C. where they have been serving for a good many years now. Recently Brian has undergone an extensive operation on his lower back which will require many months of recouperation. He has not yet begun to walk again.
In addition to being an outstanding student, Brian was a good basketball player, and we spent many happy hours together playing pick-up games in the college gym. One summer Brian lived with me while he learned to make stained glass windows, a skill he has perfected and continues to practice. Mari and I have been able to enjoy the ones he made for our home for forty years now. While Brian was studying in NYC I often visited him. Once he introduced us to his professor at Union, Cornel West. We also saw several pro basketball games at Madison Square Garden during those years.
I do not how to effectively express my love and gratitude to Brian for our lasting and great friendship over these many years. Indeed, it has his knowledge and determination that directly led to my being able to produce these very blogs. He spent many frustrating hours setting it up. Eventually he set the whole thing up and saw to it that I followed through with writing them. He and Ruth came to visit us when I was seriously sick last winter, and helped get me back on my feet.
Perhaps it might help to say that Brian, his classmates, and many other students are the very concrete reason I became a teacher in the first place. He symbolizes in my mind and heart the literally thousands of students I have had the privilege of working with throughout these 60 years. I have been so fortunate to have so many close student friends like Brian down through the years. Brian once lived with me and helped me through a very difficult time in my life, and I shall always be ever so grateful. I am confident that he will come through this present affliction to continue to minister to those whom he has been called to serve.
If any of you who know Brian, or even if you do not know him directly, would like to join with me in wishing him all the best in his recovery please do so. His email is: beh@westminsterdc.org I know he and Ruth would love to hear from you :O) Thanks so much for reading this rather weird and personal message. All the best to you and yours. Paz, jerry