His name is Andrew Chiappelli.
My family met Andrew in 2007. He was a patron
of our restaurant and we instantly connected with him. My children worked with
us in the restaurant from time to time, and his love for children drew them
into a blessed relationship of a man, who became family, a mentor, who always
encouraged them in their faith and talents.
My two boys were really rough and
tumbling. Soccer, football, wrestling, trampoline, fort building type boys.
Andrew was more of an artist, creative soul, who was full of mercy, peace and
stillness. He gave my boys a gift of patiently waiting through the process for
a creative masterpiece. They created everything from sculptures to paintings to
planting things to decorating my house, including the boys, my daughter and me
in the process. Yet, he would still go on the trampoline and jump with the
kids, have water fights, build forts and tell these great adventure stories to them
that delighted them.
Andrews’s relationship with my daughter was a sweet
blessing. They had a special connection, as she is very artistic and creative.
They would sing together and dance and do all kinds of fun projects together.
He always encouraged her to pray and listen to God. He would do her hair and
buy her cute outfits, even though, at the time, was struggling financially. His
selfless love, still impacts my daughter today.
Andrew became a dear brother in Christ to my husband and I.
Because he was single, he spent many nights at our house for dinner and board
games, movies and walks and bike rides. He carved pumpkins with us, helped us
decorate our Christmas tree, always helped me clean my house, as running a
restaurant and home schooling three children always had me challenged in that
department. He taught us about soaking in the LORD through worship and Andrew
and our entire family would lie on the floor and “soak” in the words and songs
and of God in stillness and peace.
When we were about to close our restaurant, he would work
with us doing caterings and events to help us stay afloat and pay bills. Every
time we gave him a paycheck, he would not cash it. When we closed the
restaurant, he gave us an envelope with all the checks he didn’t cash, to help
us pay others. He was there, praying with us and for us when we closed. Crying
with us, helping us clean it out and sell the items to pay bills.
My husband became the general manager of Dai Bai Dang in
Fresno, and we were able to start recovering from the hit of losing the
restaurant. Andrew still spent time with us and ate dinner with us frequently.
When that restaurant sold, my husband lost his job. We were about to lose
everything we owned, but God gave us a ministry job in another city. We sold
most of what we owned and then moved away in 2009.
We would call Andrew from time to time, but space and time
got wider and wider. My husband got a General Manager job in Santa Barbara in
2010, so we moved even farther away from Fresno.
We moved to Easton in 2011, my mom was diagnosed with
pancreatic cancer, so my life became consumed with taking care of her. My
grandmother passed away and so did my mom, by the end of that year. In 2012 and
2013, we were trying to re-establish our lives, struggling to find jobs and
dealing with grief. We talked about Andrew frequently, wondering where he was,
and how he was doing. I put up curtains and matching pillows he gave me in my
new home in Easton and always thought about him and prayed for him. My kids
missed him too. When they would jump on the trampoline or when they would quote
funny things he said or did. “I gots the tegrity” was one of the funny things
he said, about having integrity. He said it with a country voice and had us
rolling in laughter.
I often looked him up on facebook to see if he had one, so
we could reconnect. I found him and friended him but quickly realized he was
not a facebooker. My son graduated in 2014 and we became urban missionaries. More
years passed and we did not see Andrew.
In April, 2016, my daughter and I were in Fresno doing a fun
mama and me day. On the way home I noticed I needed gas, so stopped in Easton
to get some, before heading home. My daughter stayed in the car and I went into
the building to pay for my gas. As I was walking back to the car, I saw a man
pumping gas that looked a lot like Andrew. I thought, Oh my goodness, is that
Andrew? I am a very outgoing person, so I had no fear in going up to some
random man and tapping him on the shoulder to see if it was Andrew or not. If
it wasn’t, I knew I would meet someone new. I walked closer to him and said, “Andrew?”
The man turned around and said, “Oh my gosh, Teresa, how are you?”
With that, he, my daughter and I stood in the parking lot
for over an hour talking and reconnecting. We told him that we were urban
missionaries and invited him to come to our Bible Study, just across the street
from the gas station, where we were standing. We told him that the boys would be
so excited to see him and that he had to come over for dinner. He shared with
us that he was helping to care for a couple in Easton, and that he was getting
his master gardeners certificate. We reminisced and laughed and he marveled at
how tall Carah was. She is 5’8” and was taller than him. Then he shared this
amazing story with my daughter and I about his recent trip to Israel. This, I
believe is so beautiful for all who loved Andrew to hear, as it is exactly what
he now gets to be in permanently.
Andrew painted a beautiful picture of what he saw:
“The last time I was in Israel, I had the most beautiful
encounter. I was visited by an angel every morning in my hotel room at 5am. The
angel literally woke me up and told me to expect amazing things. The angel
would have conversations with me about my desires and told me what to look for
when I was there in Jerusalem.
The day that changed my life was the day we went on a tour
to the place of Jacob’s ladder. We got up early and went into an armored
vehicle to the spot. We had to travel through an area that is prone to violence
and so not very many people take this tour. We drove for hours and slipped
through the violent areas, without any issues. We finally came to a place that
was in the middle of nowhere. In the distance you could see some mountains and
sheep in the valley.
I was instantly caught up in the spirit and I saw the angel
that had been visiting me every day. He motioned me to follow him to Jacob’s
ladder. I saw many angels coming and going up and down the ladder. It looked
more like a stair case and on one side there were angels coming down and on the
other side. I stated walking towards the ladder and got to the base. Instantly
I was at the top of the ladder.
I was in the throne room. It was huge. There were thousands
of angels and beings that surrounded the room. It was glorious. In the distance
you could see this bright light. It was covered by clouds, but was so brilliant
it drew you in. As I was looking at this light, I was instantly transported to
the space right below this light. I was standing on a bright, clear sapphire
floor. Right in front of me was a clear river. You could see the brilliant blue
sapphire on the bottom. On the other side of the river were thousands of people
worshipping God, right in front of the throne of God.
As I was looking at
the throne, I was instantly transported to the base of the throne. The throne
was huge. I could see God sitting on the throne. His feet were this beautiful
golden bronze color, the size of cars. His hands were resting on the throne and
had great strength and gentleness in them. His face was the light I had saw
earlier, but was covered with clouds. The sound of voices worshipping God was
majestic and calm. I took it all in and felt peace and love like I have never
known before. I was looking up at his face, covered and clouds and wished I
could see His face.
Instantly I was
transported on His lap. I was a child again, and He was holding me close, with my
head on his chest. I could hear his heartbeat. I could feel His breath on my
head. He pulled me in and I was home. I wanted to stay there forever. I
breathed in let out a deep breath, I was full of joy.
Once I breathed out, I was instantly taken back to my body,
lying there on the stone foundation. I opened my eyes and tears streamed down
my face. I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to stay there in His presence. It was
the most amazing experience of my life. I can’t wait to go there again.”
After he told Carah and I the story, we were mesmerized. We
asked him to share his experience with our Bible Study group and he said he
would. We exchanged numbers and became friends on facebook and began to plan
times where we could be in each other’s lives again. It was beautiful and sweet
and we were so delighted that God brought Andrew back into our lives again.
Then, I saw on facebook, that he had been killed in a crash.
It seemed like a dream, like it was not real.The first thing I thought about was the vision he had just
shared with us not too long before. I couldn’t help but smile. And even though
my heart grieves that we only got to spend two years with Andrew and will not
get to make more memories with him, that were long overdue, I am delighted to
know that he is exactly where he wants to be.
I think of all the dreams Andrew had, that were never
fulfilled on this earth; all the hopes he had for building a place for the lost
and wayward, having capital to help people succeed, and so much more. I wonder
if those dreams were really just shadows that were never meant to come to pass,
but only to keep him moving forward on the path he was on for healing, growth,
love, service, joy, a full life.
I am sure, if Andrew could attend his own funeral, he would
talk about how he wasn’t able to see those dreams come to pass… but in reality,
Andrew was a Dream Supporter. He supported so many people in their dreams. He sacrificed
his own ambitions and dreams so many times to help other people’s dreams come
to pass. In reality, he was a part of many dreams coming to pass.
My husband and sons were so sad to hear of his passing and
that they did not get to see him. But his legacy and gift’s that he gave to my
children and us are ever present and will now become a part of our own legacy.
We all have a different perspective of our Lord, because of
the legacy he left with us. For that we will carry it on to everyone God puts
into our lives, to bless, love, encourage and bestow a gift to. Until we see you again friend.
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