This is from the daughter of one of Mom's close friends and a teacher at CCA:
you know how some people say that others are beautiful inside and out? when i say that about ms. cheri, i honestly mean it. my mom is the spanish teacher at a private christian school in my hometown of mcallen, texas. agustin also attends the school and both he and my mom absolutely love it there. when my mom met her for the first time, she came home and told me, "everyone is so nice there, and the principle, she is so sweet. i've never met someone so joyful in my life." as the school year started and i went off to college, mom would always call and tell me what was going on at the school and would just brag about her "lovely spanish speaking" students. she also let me know how she developed a close bond with ms. cheri and how it was a total blessing to have a person like her in her life. i finally got a chance to meet her during one of my visits home. when i did, it was as if we'd known eachother for years. she was so caring and welcoming and not to mention, i witnessed how loving she was towards my mom and family. during my summer vacations at home, i'd go to school with my mom to help her get things together for the upcoming school year or with summer camp classes and ms. cheri was always there to encourage my mom and to see what was new in my life. she would always ask how the school year had gone or what i wanted to do after graduation. and she would always be so thoughtful about my many different ambitions. i'll never forget when mom and i went to a special event at baptist temple, the church where ms. cheri attended. after the event, ms. cheri, mom, and me had a couple cups of coffee and lots of shared laughter at a local restaurant. i'll never forget the way she spoke of her family and how much every single one of her kids meant to her. she shared funny stories and gave excellent advice. mom adored her sense of humor and her honest heart and not only that, mom really considered her one of her closest friends. it made me happy to see that my mom and baby brother were so blessed to have a leader like her in their lives and not only was she a huge impact on them, but also on my dad and middle brother, matias. they loved her just as much!
on the morning of the accident, i was on my way home from summer school. i couldn't believe what my mom had told me on the phone. i kept thinking, "surely there's been a mistake." i was in total shock and became hysterical. i started praying and asked God to grant me the assurance that everything was going to be okay, that her family would be taken care of and loved on, and that my mom, the other teachers, parents and students at CCA would be comforted and at peace. now, i rarely listen to the radio but for some reason, that day i was. i somewhat calmed down and was searching through stations. and out of nowhere, the song "sherry" by the four seasons came on. as weird as it sounds, i had so much peace in my heart and i just burst out in laughter and happy tears. and that was His way of letting me know, she's okay.
i don't know where to begin in explaining how amazing she was and how to tell you how much she blessed my families life and the lives of others. when mom talks about school now, it's a little different. of course she's so happy to be back with her students and agustin is totallyyy enjoying his year as a 5th grader, but when there is an irreplaceable person missing..nothing is the same. God has blessed the school with new leadership and has a grip on the "CCA family". this school year is going to be hard on them and their families at home.
and me? well..i miss her. when i call my mom and she's in the middle of carpool, i miss the voice in the background saying "hey sweetheart!" and mom saying, "ms. cheri says hi!" and handing her the phone to have a quick hello/goodbye. i miss getting pictures from my dad through email of ms. cheri and all the kids dressed up for 16 de septiembre at school. and most of all, i miss her as a strong christian leader and as someone who i looked up to with my whole heart. it took me such a long time to write a blog about her because i had so much to say and couldn't find the words to say it and still don't know if this all sounds okay. but, i know she's having a blast right now. she couldn't be any happier! she left behind a beautiful legacy that will go on through her family, through the CCA family and through other lives she has touched. it's just like what agustin said about her, "
this isn't goodbye, it's just a 'see you later'".
Last Friday, Oct. 17, 2008 we dedicated the "Cheri Sarver Gymnasium" at Covenant Christian Academy. It was four months to the day of when we held Mom's memorial service...her "graduation celebration" as Dad called it. It was a fitting way to mark the occasion. The new gym and multipurpose building was a huge accomplishment for Mom.
She spent hours of time, energy and prayer helping to plan, prepare for, fundraise for and organize the new building. In many ways it was the culmination of her dream for CCA to move to the next level, by having a permanent building and a solid foundation for the future. She was thrilled when the first bit of concrete was poured, when the walls went up and when the first the event was held there just weeks before her death. I can only imagine that she would wholeheartedly approve of the final accessory...her name on the corner of the building! The dedication service included music, testimony and photos of her beloved CCA kids, and it culminated in the release of 500 purple balloons into the sky...little tokens of love being let up in the air to say one last goodbye to Ms. Cheri.
