Joys in a Time of COVID: Personal Highlights of 2020

 

We don’t need to tell you that 2020 has been a hard year, with a devastating pandemic and a hard-fought election. But Christmas is a season of hope,  a light that shines in the darkness, a time to celebrate new possibilities. The birth of a child, even in the most dire circumstances, is a time of joy. So we want to share our joy with you so that “our joy will be complete” (John 15:11).

Here are 13 things that gave us hope and joy in 2020.

1. The birth of Riley Jeremiah Heirendt (premature and only 3 lbs.) to our nephew Michael and his wife Emma on February 6. Today he is healthy and “radiates joy.”

2. Trips to visit our dear Mamacita (Jill’s Mom who turned 90 this year). Even though she has late stage

Alzheimer’s, she is always overjoyed to see us and we always have a blast spending time with her, despite her limitations.

3. News of three family members getting engaged during the

pandemic: Peter, Cody, and Joey.

4. Our housing justice nonprofit is thriving and making a difference, with 197 people attending our annual gathering, 34 churches interested in having affordable housing on underutilized land, 902 affordable housing units in the city’s pipeline, with nearly 250 units of these units approved in the last two years (145 of which are permanent supportive housing, which ends chronic homelessness). 112 units of affordable housing were approved right next to City Hall—an historic victory!

5. Our mid-week Bible study/relaxing/check in/lunch time with Mark (shown here with  “Mamacita), our weekly

Methodist Bible study with Pastor Sandy Olewine, and our monthly Quaker bible study fill our souls with joy.

6. Our discovery of “Rumicub,” a tile game we found in a drawer, and which Anthony figured out how to play (and which Jill wins at least half the time!).

7. Our garden is thriving, with citrus,  bananas, grapes, peaches, plums, pluots, avocadoes, tomatoes, pomegranates, loquats, kumquats, sapote, figs, and much more.

8. Camping trip to Cachuma Lake and  riding around the Santa Fe Recreational area and also our neighborhood

with our electric bikes.

9.The rescue of our cat Rosie who was lost for a month and then found in a neighbor’s yard, emaciated but
alive. She is now fat and happy. Praise God!

10. Time spent with friends (socially distanced) at our home under the grape arbor at the “El Greco Café” and also through Zoom dinners.

11. Learning more of a rhythm, with Jill loving to do detailed cleaning, Anthony cooking and vacuuming, Mark fixing stuff that needs repair.

12. Zoom birthday parties which enabled people from around the country and the world to be together and

celebrate.

13.  Anthony letting his hair grow until he gets vaccinated, and Jill keeping him from looking too shaggy.  

 

With love and hope for the new year…. Jill and Anthony

PS We’e aware that this year many have suffered loss of jobs, family members and friends. Our hearts are with you. We have also experienced loss and grief, with Jill breaking her ankle,  team members dying of COVID and other sicknesses, and an African American neighbor named Anthony McClain shot and killed by police. Let’s stay connected with each other and God during the upcoming and hopefully healing year!

Anthony and Jill