My Dearest Family and Friends,
This year, our Christmas letter is difficult to write. We are grateful to the Lord who is faithful. We celebrate Christmas and worship Christ because He is a God who loves and saves us. Last year, I spoke about Bahman’s journey with pancreatic cancer. I mentioned that we would be walking out his health journey the first half of 2024. We did just that. Bahman underwent chemotherapy treatment starting November 22, 2023. His doctors changed the chemotherapy in January 2024. On March 29, Bahman had a biliary stent placed to drain his gall bladder. In April 2024 the cancer had progressed to stage 4 when the tumor metastasized to his liver. By May of 2024, the doctors stopped chemotherapy treatment because it had ceased to be effective. In June, we consulted with Dr. Nader Javadi of the Hope Health Center in Calabasas. One of Bahman’s best friends, Shoreh Mohtashemi, told us about him. We agreed to pursue treatment with Dr. Javadi. However, on July 1, 2024, Bahman went to heaven. The good news is that I was able to speak with Bahman about salvation in Jesus on June 28. I told him to stay close to Jesus for all of his life. I am at peace knowing that Bahman is filled with joy in the presence of our Lord. In the first six months of this year, I was at home, managing our household, trying to help with Bahman’s business, and taking care of Bahman. The grocery store was just down our back alley, so I could walk to get groceries quickly and only be gone about 30 minutes. That was the only time I left Bahman. I am grateful that I was able to be with him almost every moment of the last eight months of his life. Bahman continued to work until about March. He continued to drive (he insisted on it) until the beginning of June. We enjoyed visits with many friends: Ali Araghi, Sara Araghi, Shahrzad Ardalan, Bahman and Mehrnaz Badie and family, Behrouz and Fahimeh, Behrouz and Shahin Beyzaiee, Kiumars Bourbour, David Delrahim, Shahin Espahbodi, Hamid and Firouzeh Eftekhari, Mahmad Fahami, Allen G, Bahman Ghobeh, Changiz and Shahin Hayat Davoodi, Parviz and Soudi Ilbagian, Masood and Jilla Javadi, Faramarz Khodayari, Massi Khodayari, Iraj Khoubnazar, Steve Leffert, Farhad and Shoreh Mohtashemi, Iman and Stephanie Mohtashemi, Morteza and Effat Moghadam, Kamran Nasiri, Sadegh and Shabnam Nojooki, Mehdi and Mitra Noori, Farhad and Elahe Nosrati, Michelle and Maria Nunez, Sarah Panah, Farhad and Nazy Pezeshki, Warren and Elizabeth Press & family, Vartan and Jaklin Sarkissian, Nejat and Homa Sarshar, Abe Siani, Essi and Minoo Shilati, Saeed Tehrani, Tino Veroni, Bijan and Maria Yarjani. Thank you to all who came to spend time and connect. Bahman also spoke with many more of you on the phone. Thank you to all who kept us in your thoughts and prayers. For Bahman, to be around loved ones is life. Thank you for your friendship and love. It is love that sustained Bahman. Thank you for sharing your love with him. At the end of February, I needed to help my mom in preparation for her to move to the Philippines. I went to Tampa, Florida for a few days to help with specific appointments and arrangements. During that time, my friend, Sue Schlindwein treated me to a Lauren Daigle concert! We had great seats and had such a great time. Vita Vea of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers was seated next to me at the concert! On March 28th, my mom moved to the Philippines. My first cousin, Thelma Rojas Howarth, accompanied her on the flight from Tampa, Florida to Davao City, Philippines. My cousin was very thoughtful in arranging a 13.5 hour layover in Los Angeles on their way to the Philippines. I picked them up from LAX and we had a wonderful day together. I was able to plan for that day. I wrote my mom a letter and read it to her while we were sitting by the ocean. I was able to express my love, gratitude, and appreciation. I was able to encourage her to enjoy her golden years with the members of our family that she hasn’t spent much time with for the past 60 years. I reminded her that when she visited her hometown of Baganga, she could look at the Pacific Ocean and know that I was just on the other side of it in Santa Monica, California. I have walked along the Pacific Ocean many times since then, remembering my mom each time. I want to thank Bahman’s crew: Jimmy, Bicho, Saul, Bobby, Avo, Carlos, Herach, and others for supporting him and carrying on as far as we could go. Thank you to the many who helped with Bahman’s memorial: Above the Block, Shahrzad Ardalan, Saeed Azarang, Bahman Badie, Pouneh Barahman, Nancy Dahl, Alen G, Gorg Gorgeiz, George Haratoonian, Faramarz Khodayar, Moeen Mohsen, Farhad & Shoreh Mohtashemi, Shake Qhachatrian, Homa Sarshar, Essi & Minoo Shilati, Abe Siani, Hasmik Yessaie, and family members. Thank you to all who attended Bahman’s memorial. Several of you flew in from out of state. Hundreds of you viewed his memorial online. Bahman’s memorial is still on YouTube. Thank you to my friends and neighbors who helped me move to and live in Tampa: Isaac Cohanzad, Elanit, Josh Feinman, Matthew and Belinda Howell, Bernardo Leon and Mercedes, Shahin Moarefi. Additionally, before I left Los Angeles, I was able to visit with: Matt Braaten, Giv Nasiri, Alise Phelan, the Shahlapour family, Ziba (Sima & Monna) Shirazi, MaryAnn and Francis Szyskowski, Nader Vakili, and Rudy Vale. A special thank you to Homa Sarshar, Bita Milanian, Faramarz Khodayari, and Shoreh Mohtashemi who all helped with fundraisers. We are still afloat because of the generosity of all of you. On August 31st I moved to Florida. Once I left my apartment on August 30th, I was officially homeless. My friend, Denice Cox, was kind enough to let me stay with her for about a month. I moved 17 times in the last four months of 2024 staying with you friends who have been kind to take me in. I have been able to visit with the Labrador’s in Lakeland, Michelle Nunez in Fort Lauderdale, the Gay’s in Eustis, the Duldulao’s in Orlando, Barbara in Texas, the Leal’s in Tampa, Gisela Portalatin in Carrollwood, the Camacho’s in Naples, and the Falasiri’s in Tampa. God has been working through you for the provision of my needs. I have entered into a master’s program with Southeastern University (SEU). I am earning a master’s degree in Ministerial Leadership in Christian Ministry. I am part of the She Rises Cohort. It is the first, all-female cohort that SEU has ever had in its 90-year history. The cohort was put together by Pastor Holly Wagner. As many of you know, I attended her Christian women’s conferences over the past decades. Our cohort meets with the regular cohort for this master’s program. Together we are ~30 students making this journey. My cohort mates are mostly pastors, some are non-profit directors. Working through an academic study with a roomful of mature Christians has been so good. I am very grateful to have this opportunity to immerse myself in the study of the Bible and to grow my relationship with God. Drawing myself closer to God is a good place to be in my time of grief. I have been studying continuously. When I landed in Tampa, I hit the ground running with my studies. I had been unable to study during my move from Los Angeles to Tampa, therefore, I was behind by about two weeks. One of my professors allowed us extra time to finish our final paper for his class, so I am using my winter break to finish this paper. I moved to Tampa to be near Christian. He is in his last year of college. We are attending the same university and studying the same area - just at different levels. Christian is earning a bachelor’s degree in Ministerial Leadership in Christian Ministry. It has been fun to be students together. We hung out at coffee shops together with our laptops, doing our homework. It is nice to spend time with Christian, especially after living across the country from each other for the past two years. Cyrus is in his sophomore year at Trinity Valley Community College (TVCC). I was able to see him over the TVCC Homecoming week. The cheer team performed an outstanding routine. All of us spectators were astounded by the team’s athleticism and talent. Their coach announced that the team was performing ahead of pace for the season, a testament to the athletes’ diligent work. This was the first time I met Veronica Camacho. She is Cyrus’ teammate, who has become Cyrus’ girlfriend. I also met Paulo and Evelyn Camacho, Veronica’s parents. The Camacho family is very kind and friendly. It was fun to cheer on our cheerleaders together. Cyrus and Veronica tried out for the US National Premier Coed Cheer Team. They did very well in their try out. Unfortunately, they were not selected for the team this year. Cyrus and Veronica were happy to have done their best. They will continue to work in their sport and come back next year to try out again. Christian, Cyrus, and I ended our year together. I had two dog-sitting jobs at the end of the year which provided a house for us to be together in for Christmas and New Year’s Eve. I believe God has special favor for the widow. He has certainly provided for all of our needs through many of you. I have been dog-sitting to help support myself while I am a full-time student. It is one thing I can do that allows me the full capacity to keep up with my studies. We miss Bahman. It is hard to leave 2024 without him. However, we have peace knowing that his profession of faith that Jesus died for his sins has granted him eternal life with God. Bahman has gone to heaven ahead of us. I know we will join him one day. If there is one lesson I have learned in 2024, it is the importance of making memories with your loved ones. It is all you have in the end. It is a top priority – second only to God. I know Bahman would want me to share the story of Jesus’ love with all of you. Please know that God loved you so much that He sent His only Son to die for your sins. Through Jesus’ death, our sins have been forgiven. When you believe this, Jesus becomes your Savior and you receive the gift of eternal life with God. When you die, you will go to heaven! That is where Bahman is. I believe that he and God are getting along so well. In God’s grace, we will too. Love,