Here is the plaque that will rest alongside a playground that has been constructed of Ryan and his beautiful life and passion for Africa...
Ryan’s Playground
“Live for His Life”
What a wonderful seed planted in me
the twenty-ninth of April, one terrible Spring…
When my brother was taken in billows of smoke,
and his spirit ascended leaving me broken.
He was parked on the road, traffic at halt;
when a semi-truck hit him smashing his car.
The sound was deafening, like and earthquake occurred.
The sight was so haunting, and who could endure?
His homework was scattered all over the grass;
his camera was thrown under the dashboard.
His bookbag was ripped, torn and ruined;
his Bible was stained with the stench of car fluid.
Then the news came; it pierced like a knife,
and everything changed in a moment of time.
All of my heart and all of my mind,
could not seem to grasp the Lord’s reason why.
Could not God have stopped it? Could he not escape?
Did God really plan it— ordaining his days?
But then something happened which I did not expect.
His legacy was sown and grew rather quick!
For the love which he had and his beautiful heart,
behind the eye of his camera which captured such art
And his passion for people, to live overseas,
to go to Uganda, took root in me.
Although he’s in Heaven and his time here is finished,
if you follow Jesus, we can carry his vision.
So on this day of dedication as I stand here and cry,
remember my brother; live for his life.
Ryan M. Rendleman
August 8th, 1985 – April 29th, 2008
“Live for His Life”
What a wonderful seed planted in me
the twenty-ninth of April, one terrible Spring…
When my brother was taken in billows of smoke,
and his spirit ascended leaving me broken.
He was parked on the road, traffic at halt;
when a semi-truck hit him smashing his car.
The sound was deafening, like and earthquake occurred.
The sight was so haunting, and who could endure?
His homework was scattered all over the grass;
his camera was thrown under the dashboard.
His bookbag was ripped, torn and ruined;
his Bible was stained with the stench of car fluid.
Then the news came; it pierced like a knife,
and everything changed in a moment of time.
All of my heart and all of my mind,
could not seem to grasp the Lord’s reason why.
Could not God have stopped it? Could he not escape?
Did God really plan it— ordaining his days?
But then something happened which I did not expect.
His legacy was sown and grew rather quick!
For the love which he had and his beautiful heart,
behind the eye of his camera which captured such art
And his passion for people, to live overseas,
to go to Uganda, took root in me.
Although he’s in Heaven and his time here is finished,
if you follow Jesus, we can carry his vision.
So on this day of dedication as I stand here and cry,
remember my brother; live for his life.
Ryan M. Rendleman
August 8th, 1985 – April 29th, 2008
1 comment:
James, this is a most beautiful poem in tribute to your 'brother'. I know Ryan would think it need be turned into his song!
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