Charles (Chuck) and Rachel Keim (Dan Thiessen’s son-in-law and daughter)
My friend Chuck passed to the other side, and we attended his celebration service in Edmonton.

1989. Chuck, Henry, and I are on an epic road trip, checking out the Joshua trees with Henry’s propane-fueled Cadillac in the background.

1989. Rick and Chuck at an orange stand “in a West Texas border town” or somewhere like that.

I knew Chuck when we were all still single. Once, my brother Henry invited Chuck and me to a long, meandering road trip clear across the United States the long way, from sea to sea and from Canada to Mexico. We took the long way there and back again, even driving hours out of our way to eat at a Mexican restaurant in El Paso. Henry had converted his Cadillac to propane as a less expensive fuel alternative, a new idea then. We traveled secondary highways and backroads, fueling up at trailer parks and anywhere we could find propane. We laughed all the way there and back again.

My cousins Dan and Rebekah are missionary kids. They grew up in remote regions in Borneo, and the church-planting work their parents initiated continues to grow.

Dan was the chairman of the Xtreme Mercy Canada board for fourteen years. Chuck married my cousin Dan’s daughter, Rachel.

2025. I am showing Uncle Henry photos of his missionary life in Borneo back in the 1960s or so. His body is strong, but his mind cannot always remember his exploits and relationships.

Last week, I had coffee with Uncle Henry in Abbotsford. He came twice to Brazil with Dan 20 years ago, and I asked him to tell Borneo missionary stories to the young churches in Brazil. The idea is that while the new churches start as receivers of the gospel, they pass on their blessing to others by planting more churches, maybe even internationally. Brazilians are loved worldwide and may have easier access to some groups.