Hilde and Lou met in 1995. The two of them worked in  Circuit City, located in Miami, Florida.

In the beginning of their friendship, talking and getting acquainted, Lou noticed  that there was an unspeakable bond that was developing between them.

In the next few months, Hilde’s car trouble seemed to help bring the two of them together more often than they expected. She always needed a ride to work, the store or to her friend’s house. Lou always seemed to be available to pick her up and take her wherever she needed to go. Hmmmmm! Sounds like love is in the air.

Their conversations seemed to them, as just a few minutes, but in reality it was 4-5 hours at a time, talking about everything under the sun.

Within the next 4 yrs. their friendship became sweeter and the “goodnights” or the “see you later” hugs lasted longer and felt much stronger. In 1999, they became “steadies”.

On Dec. 23, 2007, it was wedding day and it was announced to the world, this new married couple: Mr. and Mrs. Lou Pinchanat. What a beautiful couple!!!!!

Just a few weeks later, Hilde found out that she was pregnant. Because she had several health problems, she was considered a “high risk” pregnancy. It was bad enough that it was suggested to her that she should consider abortion because it was a danger to her life. I was told by Lou that Hilde said that she would risk everything, in order to give him a child. She was bedridden during her entire pregnancy. Then on Sept. 16, 2008, their little bundle of joy, cute and cuddly Elijah was born. What a blessing from God!!!

Hilde battled kidney problems for years and in the last few years she had to go on dialysis. During her health struggles and challenges, Lou was her anchor and support. He loved her and did everything he could to help her.

I had the privilege of meeting Hilde as a result of her receiving a postcard in the mail, inviting her to a mom’s group – It’s 4 uMom, endorsed by Trinity Baptist Church. Because Lou, Hilde and Elijah had just moved to Jacksonville, in 2010, Hilde wanted to connect with other moms in the area and thought it would be a great place to make new friends.

So on Sept. 13, the first mom’s meeting of the fall sessions, ladies were arriving and all were invited to sit wherever they like. Of the 8-10 tables that moms could sit at, Hilde sat at the table where I sat. I was one of the mentor moms of the group. Jill and Jen, the coordinators with 3 other moms sat at our table. Hilde’s smile and sweet spirit was an automatic connection. She was the type of lady, who treated you as though you had always been her  friend. At the table, we enjoyed great conversations, sharing information about our spouses and children.

I guess it was the end of October, that I asked Hilde about getting together. I was selling Mila, a natural Omega 3 product and she wanted more information about it, hoping with her Dr’s permission, the Mila might help improve her health conditions. But as time would have it, our busy schedules and the holiday festivities, kept us from getting together until the first of the new 2011 year. It was Jan. 5th that we finally got together. It was a cool sunny afternoon, that I had the privilege of visiting with Hilde and her son Elijah in their home. We exchanged small talk, and then I shared the information about Mila and was really hoping it would help her feel better. Then our conversation turned to Elijah. Hilde desired to put him in the preschool program at Trinity Christian Academy. I wrote down the names and phone numbers for her to contact and she was so excited because it would give Elijah friends to play with and would give him a good foundation for his education.

Our conversation shifted again and we started talking about where we were from: she was from Brooklyn, N.Y and I was also a Yankee from Northern Michigan. I told her that some church members would pick my sisters and me up for church and at the age of 8, the pastor’s wife shared Bible verses with me telling me how I could know for sure that I would go to heaven some day. I received Christ as a result of her sharing these verses with me. I told Hilde that through the years, I have seen God lead me and help me in my relationship with my husband and how God has helped us raise our children for the Lord. The road was not always easy but God did and continues to guide us today.

I then asked Hilde if I could share some of those same verses with her. She smiled her sweet smile, and said, “Oh, yes, I would love to hear them.” I opened my New Testament and together we read and I explained the key verses in the book of Romans to her:

We are all sinners.

Romans 3:10:”as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.”

Romans 3:23:”for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

Our payment or check for the wages of our sin is that someday we are going to die, but God wants us to receive His gift for that payment, by accepting the death and resurrection of His son, Jesus, and receive eternal life.

Romans 6:23:”For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

We are all born of Adam. Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, because they disobeyed God. We are all born sinners.

Romans 5:12:”Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

It is because God loved us, He made a way for us to get to heaven someday: Believing that Christ came, died and rose again for our sin. He paid our sin debt.

Romans 5:8:”But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

If any person believes that Christ came as a baby, virgin born, (Christmas), and believes that He died and rose again (Easter) and asks Christ to forgive them of their sin, and come and live in their heart (soul), they become a child of God. A spiritual birth into the family of God.

Romans 10:9,10:”that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

“Whosoever” is Hilde, me, any and everyone that WILL CALL upon Christ.

Romans 10:13:”For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”.

On Jan 5, 2011, Hilde bowed her head and asked Christ to forgive her of her sin and asked Christ to come into her life and be her Savior. After prayer, we were both very excited about her decision. We laughed, cried and hugged. I gave her my New Testament. I talked to her about prayer and Bible time, suggesting she start reading in the book of John. There she would learn more of Christ’s life. We talked about church and she said that she wanted to attend church at Trinity, but a lot of times they are traveling because of Lou’s business or to visit family and friends in Miami.

Hilde was very faithful to our mom’s group. She would bring her mother-in-law Carlien (I call her Queen) to the mom’s group because all moms were invited regardless of the age of their children. Hilde attended the moms group during 2010 – April 2013. Everyone who met and connected with Hilde thought that she was the sweetest lady with a beautiful smile.

During the summer, we would send messages to each other on facebook or on the phone. We were going to get together in July, but life was so busy and so many other things became priority, that we found it difficult to get together. What I didn’t know was that Hilde became very sick in June and was hospitalized in August for a while and then released. She continued to get worse to the point that she didn’t want any one to touch her and she became very irritable because of her pain. She was bedridden. She had open sores  from her waist down and with the help of Lou and Queen, they cared for her the best they could. Then finally Lou knew she needed to be in the hospital again. The Dr diagnosed her with “Calciphylaxis”.  It is a skin eating disease and effects a few people that have a kidney disease. 80% of the people that get this disease never survive.

On Oct. 31st, 7:20 am, Hilde passed away. She was now with God. She leaves behind her husband Lou, who is hurting deeply; and her son Elijah who doesn’t understand what happened to his mommy. He made a comment to Lou that he hopes that mommy might drive by the house and wave to him. Our prayers are with Lou and Elijah. We pray that God will touch them and they will trust Him to protect, comfort and guide them.

As I conclude my tribute, I thank God in heaven that Trinity Baptist Church has endorsed “It’s 4 uMom” – an outreach ministry, and opened the doors and have welcomed all community moms to build relationships with other moms and while we are connecting with these sweet moms, have opportunity to witness and win them to Christ. Without this outreach endeavor, we might never have met this beautiful wife, mom and friend – Hilde Pinchanat.

To God goes all of the glory!!!!!!!