Dear ones,

We want to thank you all for your marvelous support over the last few months. Truly, you have been the "body of Christ" to us, as we have gone through this deep valley with our beloved Andrew.

We would like to tell you just a few things about Andrew's 24 years on this earth. When he was born, doctors shook their heads and said he may not live. After a few months, they said he may not walk or talk. Next, they said he certainly won't be able to function in a normal learning environment. In May 2006, Andrew graduated summa cum laude from Belhaven College with the highest gpa in the History department. It was a wonderful, supportive, stimulating environment for him. If Jim and I had known that his life would end after 24 years, we might never have let him leave home, and he would have missed such a rich, nurturing and enjoyable 4 years. When people began asking us how they might honor Andrew with a memorial gift, Belhaven College immediately came to our minds. The scholarship is for a student who has some type of handicap, and they have asked us to be on the committee to choose the student each year. Our prayer is that it would be as great a blessing for that one, as it was for Andrew.

The address: Belhaven College
P.O.Box 158
1500 Peachtree Street
Jackson, MS 39202

Attn. Andrew Hilleke Memorial Scholarship

To God be the glory

Jim and Laura

Happy Birthday!

Today, Andrew's second nephew was born. His name is Arthur Andrew Richey, and he weighed in at 7.5 lbs. Mother Sarah is well, little Arthur is healthy and loved, and Jarrod will be a wonderful father. God is good.

Sharing Photos of Andrew...

Andrew and his sister,Sarah Richey, at a Jug Band event in Mississippi.

Andrew took some photos of himself with his "iCam"(webcam) on his Apple Computer
.

Another Photo that Andrew took with his iCam .

Andrew and his grandfather, Dick Ayres, Christmas Eve 2006.

Andrew and Belhaven Buds at Moe's.

If you have any photos that you would like to share or have us post then send them to sarahrichey@gmail.com or jarrodius@gmail.com. We'd love to post those. We got it started with these photos.

A Marvel to Many

Our family was truly touched by the efforts of so many to come and support us as well as demonstrate their love for Andrew. He was someone extra special to more people than we imagined. The services were times of blessing. We were able to be sad with you yet rejoice in the eternal hope we possess in Christ. Andrew would have loved to see such a gathering of his favorite people.

Since many were unable to attend, I wanted to share with you the passages of Scripture read at the memorial worship service. They were uplifting truths to hear, and perhaps you might be encouraged by reading them in your own time.

Scripture Reading:
Psalm 116:12-19
Psalm 139
Romans 5:1-11
Psalm 71:5-7 "A Marvel to Many"

Here are the hymns as well:
Rejoice, the Lord is King
My Hope is in the Lord
All the Way My Savior Leads Me
For All the Saints

At the graveside service, my father mentioned that "life is about fellowship," the Father, Son and Holy Spirit with each other from all eternity, then God with us and then our fellowship with one another. It is how we are created to function. Not alone. Thank you for fellowshipping with us in this time, the best way to lift our spirits along with your own.

We closed everything by singing the doxology together, calling on all to join in praising the Lord, including Andrew who is now among the hosts of heaven.

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.
Praise Him all creatures here below.
Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts.
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen


A Side Request:
If any of you have stories or wity moments or pictures or lessons you learned through contact with Andrew, please email them to me (his sister) at sarahrichey@gmail.com
Such stories have been tremendously comforting for my family to read, and I would personally like to have them for reference in case I have opportunity to write or compile something about Andrew in the future.

Love and thanks to you all,
Sarah

Correction to Graveside Info on Thursday

The Natchez graveside service is at the Natchez CITY Cemetery NOT the Natchez NATIONAL Cemetery. They are both on the same road. The address corrections have been made to the previous post. Directions to the family property remain the same.

The easiest way to get to the cemetery from the bridge is to go to the traffic light at the intersection of John R. Junkin (street leading from the bridge) and Canal. Turn left onto Canal and drive straight through town a long way until the street dead ends at Madison St.

Turn left onto Madison and immediately right onto Linton Ave. Follow Linton Avenue several blocks. You will cross Oak Street and see the Natchez Little Theatre on the right where Linton and Maple merge and become Cemetery Road, which just leads directly to the cemetery. Take the third gate into the cemetery and drive just past the side of the old office building. Folks will just have to park in the road and walk to the lot on a slope to the left of the road. There is a huge old cedar tree in that lot. It can't be missed.


If you are coming from US-84:
1. Turn LEFT onto US-61 S / US-84 W. <3.4>STRAIGHT to go onto DEVEREUX DR, keeping right, which becomes ST. CATHERINE. (If you find yourself on E. Franklin Street, continue straight anyway and you will come to S. Pine.)
3. Turn RIGHT onto S. Pine
4. Turn LEFT onto Madison
5. Turn RIGHT onto Linton Ave. Follow Linton Avenue several blocks. You will cross Oak Street and see the Natchez Little Theatre on the right where Linton and Maple merge and become Cemetery Road, which just leads directly to the cemetery. Take the third gate into the cemetery and drive just past the side of the old office building. Folks will just have to park in the road and walk to the lot on a slope to the left of the road. There is a huge old cedar tree in that lot. It can't be missed.

Funeral Arrangements

Funeral Service
3:00 pm, Wednesday, April 11th at:

Grace Church
4900 Jackson Street Extension
Alexandria, Louisiana
71303

There will be a reception there immediately following the service. Everyone is most welcome to stay for refreshments and fellowship together.

Graveside Burial Service
11:30 am, Thursday, April 12th in Natchez, Mississippi at:

Natchez City Cemetery
2 Cemetery Road
Natchez, Mississippi
39120

Everyone is invited for food and fellowship immediately following at the family property, Roseland Plantation, just outside Natchez.

Directions from the cemetery to the property:
1: Start out going SOUTH on CEMETERY RD toward MAPLE ST. <0.1 miles
2: CEMETERY RD becomes MAPLE ST. <0.2 miles
3: Turn LEFT to stay on MAPLE ST. <0.1 miles
4: Turn RIGHT to stay on MAPLE ST. <0.1 miles
5: Turn LEFT onto W OAK ST. <0.7 miles
6: Turn RIGHT onto PINTARD ST. <0.1 miles
7: Turn RIGHT onto BRENHAM AVE. <0.3 miles
8: BRENHAM AVE becomes AUBURN AVE. <0.1 miles
9: Turn LEFT onto E FRANKLIN ST. <0.2 miles
10: Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto MELROSE AVE. <0.1 miles
11: Turn LEFT onto LIBERTY RD / JOHN A QUITMAN BLVD. Continue to follow LIBERTY RD. AWAY from downtown Natchez <6.4 miles
12: End at 1 Ayres Rd
Natchez, Mississippi 39120

The property entrance will be on your left, a dark red gate with a sign "Roseland" in the middle. For maps, enter these addresses at mapquest.com

Precious in the Sight of God...

Most Beloved Friends and Family,

Late last night, our Lord and Savior chose to take Andrew to Himself. We are comforted by the knowledge that Andrew is now well and without trial in the presence of his Lord. For those of you who knew him well, you know that Andrew is certainly enjoying heaven with great zeal, probably interviewing ancestors about family history and asking his most gracious heavenly Father a myriad of fascinating questions. His faith was true, his salvation sealed.

Of course, we are saddened to lose Andrew's presence here among us, but we know the Lord's timing is always perfect and purposeful, even in death. He has planned and given us every moment He intended us to have with Andrew, and we are grateful. We will miss him together now but be reunited with him again in the life everlasting.

Your outpouring of love and support these last months has been both moving and strengthening to us. It is wonderful to know how many people Andrew has touched in his life. We thank you for letting us know what he meant to you and for loving us for his sake. Whenever he had good days, we would tell him often of the support and encouragement you all sent his way. He knew he was not alone, and we were not alone either.

Now, let us thank the Lord together for giving us the time he has with such a remarkable person, comfort each other with the knowledge of Andrew's salvation, and pray that the Lord would lift us up to continue to serve His purpose on this earth while we yet remain.

Thank you for everything you have done for Andrew and for us,
Andrew's Family



If possible, we will post funeral information here soon.

As of Sunday night, Andrew is still in critical condition in Houston with his parents, Laura and Jim. The Hillekes are visiting him in ICU every 20 minute slot that they are allowed. The doctors in Houston are doing what they can for Andrew, but as always, our Lord gives and sustains our lives.

Echoing what Steve Wilkins said in the previous post, continue to pray for Andrew and his entire family that we would continue to trust in the Lord who works all things for our good.

-Jarrod Richey
(Andrew's brother-in-law)

This is a summary given by one of Andrew's uncles, Steve Wilkins, on Andrew's condition as of Saturday morning:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Just a quick note regarding Andrew Hilleke. The doctors have had to give him numerous transfusions over the last 24 hours because of serious internal bleeding. The oxygen level in his body is dangerously low and consequently, he is in very critical condition. Please pray for Andrew that he might be enabled to trust in the Lord and not be afraid and pray for his parents, Laura and Jimmy, and the entire Hilleke family.

God bless,
Steve Wilkins

Laura's brother, Steve Ayres, drove Laura back to Houston, TX to Be with Jim and Andrew.

Doctors have not started the weaning yet. We are waiting and praying. Pray that Andrew will "hear" our scripture reading, words of encouragement, hymns and prayers in his heart of hearts.

Love,
Laura

Depending on how Andrew is doing, doctors might start the weaning process from the ecmo tomorrow. I think our prayer lives have all been transformed, so thank you in advance for supporting us in your prayers. Here are some wonderful verses that Jim and I found individually that describe Andrew so well. Read Psalm 71:1-8.
Love,Laura

Andrew's doctors want to leave him on the machine until Wednesday so his lungs can heal. At that time, they will try to start to put him back on the ventilator. Pray that it will be successful. Our dear friends, the Tassins and the Monclas have been up to support us. We are surrounded by kindness on every side.

Laura