Dear Family and Friends of Carol, How we wish we could be with all of you to celebrate Carol’s life! As we received your faithful updates here in Afghanistan of Carol’s life slipping away, we were praying for you, as well as for her. While the adults asked God to keep Carol from pain and allow her to know God’s peace in her final days, the children prayed that God would make her well so she could come back to Afghanistan. Carol deeply touched our lives, from the youngest to the oldest. Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) Who could have demonstrated the meaning of an abundant life more vividly than Carol Erb Gingerich did? Truly she lived out this promise of Jesus. Her abundant life did not focus on fulfilling her own needs, but spilled over in blessing to those she met. We have many memories of the ways Carol encouraged us. On a rather discouraging day, she was quick to say, “What will that matter 50 years from now? Or 5 years from now?” How true! Just two weeks ago the IAM celebrated 40 years of God’s faithfulness in our work here in Afghanistan. Carol was remembered as one of those early team members who helped lay the foundation for our work today. We’re so grateful that CBM (Christoffel Blindenmission) offered Carol for service with the IAM to promote eye care in this needy country. Many of us were also privileged to enjoy her efficient help and gracious hospitality at the Peshawar Office and Guest House in the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan in later years. Carol ably handled pressures that might well have overwhelmed others, such as our evacuation to Peshawar just before 9/11, which left her with the responsibility of finding immediate housing for some 70 team members and children. She did it! We were delighted when Carol joined us once again in Kabul to serve at the University Eye Hospital. Again, by God’s grace, she was able to rise to great challenges in that arena, enabling others to stay effective and encouraged. Generosity was a major attribute of Carol’s. Her Afghan friends, as well as her expatriate friends, always knew they could go to Carol for help. We pray that as Carol’s life so vibrantly demonstrated Christ’s love to the people here, that her death will remind all of us to look to the One who enabled her live this abundant life. The sadness we feel due to Carol’s departure from Afghanistan and now from this world is very real. But what comfort to know that Carol is experiencing the purest joy possible in her Savior’s presence, and that in the future we, who also know Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, will see her again! Our love and prayers from Afghanistan are with you. Harri Lammi, IAM Executive Director Ruth Dougherty, IAM Personnel Director . . . on behalf of the IAM Team