Mark Metherell

UPDATE: The paddleout in memory of Mark Metherell was held July 4th, 2008. The Laguna Beach Independent created a wonderful slideshow of the event on their homepage: http://www.lagunabeachindependent.com/news/2008/0711/Front_page/0001.html and Viki High added a very nice YouTube video below.

The family has asked that donations in honor of Mark be made to either:
1. Naval Special Warfare Foundation: http://www.nswfoundation.org—This is a fund for the widows and orphans of Navy Special Forces veterans killed while serving their country; or,
2. Growers First: http://www.growersfirst.org—This is an organization that helps rural poor farmers around the world to improve their lives through sustainable development programs.
Please write “In Memory of Mark Metherell” in the comment line if donating online or on the memo line if writing a check.

An impromptu and unofficial memorial service happened April 13 at Little Church by the Sea for Mark, the link is: http://www.lagunachurchbythesea.org/markmetherell/ for those who are interested.

New blog posts are on the main page. Past posts are under subdirectories in the right margin; i.e., “Family,” “Friends,” etc. . . Happy hunting!

Please report any inappropriate posts or comments to . This site is not a place for posting personal political agendas. It is a place to remember Mark Metherell and share memories, thoughts and prayers with his family and friends.

From Sarah Metherell:

I am Mark’s wife, Sarah.  I can’t begin to explain to you how wonderful Mark was as a man, a husband, and a father.  I wouldn’t know where to begin and where to end.  So, I hope you don’t mind, but I am going to read to you some of the letters and other things Mark wrote over the years (he’s a much better writer than I am) and share a few stories.

Right after we were engaged, when I was living in Argentina, and Mark was heading out for a six month deployment with the SEAL Teams, he wrote the following letters.  They show his character and our love and relationship in a way that is more humorous and more meaningful than I could otherwise hope to express.

(Mark’s Letter 7.20.98)
Sarah,

Can infatuation last for two years?  Can a man spend two years thinking of a woman, only to find out that it was simply a fleeting fascination that has disappeared?  Of course not… this is true love, and it doesn’t happen everyday.  Come to think of it, it only happens to a select group – a chosen few – an elite group of lovers gifted by God with each other – molded in the fiery furnace of passion!  Sarah, I have fallen so deeply in love with you over these past two years that I no longer think of myself, but of you.  I want to give you the world… of course, all I’ve got right now is a used snowboard, a really great surfboard, and an old BMW, but hey (!) you get ME.

Dear Sexy,

Today is my last day in paradise.  In fact, I’m flying out in about four hours, so I decided to send you one last Aloha from Hawaii.  The powers that be have changed my schedule once again, and I am now going to Texas, as was originally planned – it would be a nice surprise if people could just stick with a plan. 

Anyway, I am writing to you from a bench under a palm tree in front of an aquamarine bay.  In the distance, steep mountains sit quietly, their sides are ribbed from centuries of rains and erosion, making them appear like cathedrals of vibrant green.  Until a few moments ago all I could hear was the wind blowing through the palm trees, but an endless line of helicopters just showed up making low sweeping turns to land at the airfield on the base.  This has abruptly ruined the illusion that I’m at a resort hotel sitting here awaiting your return from the bar with two margaritas. 

This morning, we received one last kick-in-the-rear from this exercise.  We received gas mask training.  This wonderful evolution consists of donning a gas mask, walking in a room filled with tear gas then… that’s right (!) taking that perfectly good mask off the face and getting lungs filled with sweet, wonderful gas before redonning the mask.  Afterwards, walking outside, my face covered in snot, tears, and drool, I realized that this stuff definitely wakes you up in the morning.  It’s even better than a cup of coffee.  If you took this mentality a bit further, we would have shark attack training where you get bitten by real sharks, or combat training where you are shot in some non-vital area – a leg perhaps.

Our separation is much more painful than getting tear gas in my face.  In fact, gas me every day, just so long as I can come home to you.  Still, I can see that God is at work in the lives of those around us, and that His love is reaching others through us.  This is part of his plan, this separation, because it makes us stronger by both of us coming to Him.  It’s a miracle that we came so far while we were so far away – A Miracle I Tell You!  I love you so much Sarah.  You are the most precious thing God ever made, as far as I’m concerned.  What a wonderful, caring person you are.  Hooray for Sarah!  You’re a right lusty wench too (Big Kiss).
I love you so much,
Mark

More recently, we each had to write an autobiography as part of our adoption application.  Mark wrote the following about our marriage.

Sarah and I have a weird marriage.  We both feel that the honeymoon phase of our relationship has not gone away (we’ve been married for almost 8 years). And we don’t believe that it needs to go away.  Perhaps it is because I travel and we therefore value time spent together, and therefore we don’t take each other for granted. We definitely have differences of opinion, but it is through compromise that these differences are settled.  I learned very early in our relationship that if Sarah was sad then I was miserable, so I try to listen and to be empathetic to Sarah. 

Our relationship took on a whole new dimension when Cora came along.  Mark loved babies, but I was having a hard time thinking of what to say about Mark as Cora’s daddy, so my sister asked, “Well… what pops to mind?” “He wouldn’t let me have her!” I replied.  Mark got so excited every time he heard Cora waking up from a nap.  As soon as she peeped, he would ask (rubbing his hands together) “Can I go get her?  Please.  Please.”

Since I’m mean in the morning (something Mark told me soon after we were married), Mark would get Cora in the morning and I would put her to bed at night.  He was trying to let me sleep in, but he and Cora would be downstairs making such a rukus laughing and gurgling, that I always ended up wanting to get up and join in the fun.  He put her to the task from the time she was about two weeks old with baby push-up sessions and a few months later, moved on to crawling.  I came down one morning to find her in the crawl position, and he was moving her right arm and leg forward, and then her left arm and leg forward.  He didn’t realize that that’s how a horse walks, but not how a baby crawls.  If he had had the chance to teach her to swim, I’m sure it would have been much more technically correct. 

In the adoption application we filled out more recently for baby #2, Mark wrote this:
“We were able to adopt Cora as a newborn, and God has blessed us with a healthy, happy baby who is a real joy.  And she is SO good!!! I know that it is not supposed to be so easy.  Cora has a very funny personality … very precocious, and fun.  We can’t wait for her to have a brother or sister.”

Later in that same application, Mark wrote:

My strongest influence is Jesus Christ.  He is my touchstone and it is from Him that I gain strength.  While my job is fairly dangerous, I truly believe that God wants me out there.  He is the one who protects me, and challenges me to quietly show God’s love.  It’s a funny thing, I tend to talk about my faith more with Muslims then with other Americans that I work with.  I think that it is a parallel that we have, our faith in God that bridges a fairly substantial gap in our cultures. 

To summarize (if such a thing is possible) the kind of husband and man Mark was, following is the inscription he wrote to me in his favorite book, Refiner’s Fire.

Sarah,

This is one of my favorite novels.  It is the story of a life full of adventure and magic, of someone who takes risks.  Someone like you.  I pray continuously that God will be with you as you take those risks and that He will be at the center of our love.  My prayer is that I will never hold you back, to let you grow, spur you on to reach any dreams you have, and to give millions of passionate kisses to you for the rest of our lives. 

I love you – Mark

When Mark’s good friend from work came to tell me about Mark’s death, he gave me a coin.  The coin has a cross on one side, and on the other side says “Fear Not” A few days later, I came across a return address label on a note from a friend.  The label read, “Fear not, for I am with you.” In reading through some of Mark’s letters, I found the following letter that I will leave you with.  At the top, the letter quotes Isaiah 41:10.

Isaiah 41:10 Do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Dear Sarah,

I read this verse tonight and thought of you in a new country alone, and I realized that you are not really alone.  You have a friend and protector.  “Do not fear, Mark,” He is saying, “for I am with Sarah.” That is his promise to both of us, and it makes me feel a lot better when I think of you alone… with God sitting with you.

From Alex Metherell:

I have been thinking about what a privilege if has been for us to have been the parents of such an outstanding young man.  As I look back I have come to realize some amazing things about Mark.

For example, I cannot recall a single time when he lost his temper. - - Well there was the time when he was about 4 when Auntie Dee-Dee gave him a 2 wheel bike.  Upon trying to ride it for the first time he fell off and said to his mom “Give it to the Salvation Army.”

He never showed any fear - - not even the time when he was 5 and Alison was 3 in Miami and I was in Medical School.  They had just gone to bed and I crept in with a human skull and a flashlight shining inside while making moaning noises.  Alison screamed in terror and 5 year old Mark just laughed his head off.  - - Of course, I got properly scolded by Pam.

This fearlessness served him well when he became a SEAL.  When faced with a tense dangerous situation he would become very calm and controlled.

One such situation was when his SEAL team was deployed to Kodiak, Alaska in winter. He was out in a small open boat – a RIB I think it was – when the outboard motor quit.  There was another SEAL with him, along with a visiting Admiral who came along for the ride.  The seas were pretty rough and the boat was drifting towards some nasty rocks.  The Admiral started freaking out while Mark calmly figured out how to get the engine restarted and they got safely out of there.

This fearlessness and a lack of a temper gave him a unique ability to defuse a tense situation.  When faced with hostility his amazing gift with words would calm everyone down immediately.

Mark loved people, especially children.  With kids he would make funny faces, tickle them and, in effect, become like one of them.  He was like a “Pied-Piper.” Children would flock to him because he was so much fun.

His people skills were unsurpassed.  Even with people who spoke an unfamiliar language, he could communicate immediately.  No one was afraid of him.  These personal traits and characteristics qualified him uniquely for the job he was assigned to, most recently.

He never really told us much about what he did or where he went.  He did not want or need any recognition for his work.  He just loved doing it and told us this was his dream job.

A couple of years ago, when he came back from one of his deployments, he told us a little bit about how he was living.  The people he was with, were among remote feudal tribes in a region close to Pakistan.  These tribesmen don’t even trust people from neighboring tribes, let alone a foreigner.  He not only made friends with them – they welcomed him in as a brother – so much so, that he was invited to be part of a wedding.  This is unheard of for a foreigner.

Such were his people skills.  I can just see him growing a beard, playing with their children and winning the minds and hearts of the people.

His most recent mission was serving as a Special Advisor training Iraqi Special Forces.  These brave Iraqis were made up of the sects who for generations have been killing one another, but these Iraqi patriots set aside those differences – no doubt with the help of Mark – to serve a more noble cause.

Mark and 7 Iraqis, who were the best-of-the-best of their Special Forces, were killed by a massive IED that destroyed the lead vehicle in which they were riding in the early hours of April 11 on the outskirts of Baghdad. We are not surprised that Mark was in the lead vehicle.

I feel confident that out of that blood soaked soil will grow a stable, peaceful, free Iraq with a government OF the people, BY the people and FOR the people, with complete freedom of religion and expression.

When this happens they may look back and count those 7 patriotic Iraqis among the Founding Fathers of their reborn nation. They will, hopefully remember Mark Metherell as a patriotic American hero who stood by their side.

Mark was the ultimate peacemaker.

Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount—“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.”

From Pam Metherell:

Alex and I named our first born child Mark for three reasons:

1. Because it was Biblical
2. Because it sounded great with Metherell
3. Because it meant “Warrior”

Occasionally over the past years since he graduated from Wheaton College and entered the Navy SEAL program I have thought maybe a “wimpier” name would have been safer but it would not have fit.
First and foremost Mark was a GODLY son who loved Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior since being introduced to Him at 4 or 5 by his best friend Scott Crowell who told him he would go to hell when he died if he did not pray to have Jesus in his heart and he immediately prayed to do so. Two little blonde kids sharing the most important lesson in life.

Actually it was Mark that brought our entire family to a saving knowledge of Christ. Although Alex and I had not been attending church, we had wanted to have Mark baptized when my parents were visiting from Scotland in the summer of 1969, and as we had been married in a Presbyterian church in Scotland, we looked in the yellow pages to find a Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach.
The first one only did baptisms at certain times of the year but Charles Dierenfield said he would be happy to have a private ceremony in the chapel at St Andrews. Because of his graciousness we started attending church there and were invited to join the Ensigns the young couples group which had monthly speakers.

At one such meeting Chuck Missler spoke and gave a statistical analysis on how one man, Jesus Christ, fulfilled over 300 Old Testament prophecies. Alex as a scientist computed the numbers in his head and became a Jesus “freak” on the spot.

I liked the transformation and would accompany him to Bible studies. At one such study in Huntington Beach the teacher was explaining the meaning of “original sin” and pointed to a newborn baby girl in her mother’s arms at the back of the room. “If that baby girl needs Christ in her life because of original sin, what about those of you who are older?” I surrendered my life to Christ that night and that baby girl grew up ------ became a Christian --and married my son Mark.

Alison, Mark’s sister, became a believer as a little 4 year old at the neighborhood Good News Club where they gave out doughnuts to those who asked Jesus into their hearts. The teacher explained that she could only do it once!

Caroline, Mark’s other sister, became a Christian as a 3 year old when she was scared on learning that I was having some minor surgery and I told her that I had Jesus in my heart to take care of me and she wanted Him in her heart to take care of her too.

Mark was a LOVING son who loved his sweet wife Sarah passionately. After first meeting her he told me “she is the most awesome woman I have ever met”.  A friend writing on his website expressed it
perfectly, “only the brightest gem would do for Mark. The gem that fit so tightly into the nooks and crannies of Mark, that joined together they became the brightest star”.

He was a PRECIOUS son who adored his baby Cora because “brown babies are so much cuter and isn’t she just the cutest! He said recently “the only problem is she makes Sarah and I look so pasty. We are going to have to spend a lot of time at the beach”. On his blog he wrote to a friend who is considering adoption, “We love Cora so much. She is much cooler than anything we could have produced. Brown is so much more interesting than pasty-pale.”

He was a NOBLE son who loved and respected his parents and was loved and respected in return.

He was a LOYAL son who loved and protected his two sisters Alison and Caroline who were born 2 years and 7 years after him and was so proud of them and their accomplishments.

He was a COMPASSIONATE son who loved my mother, his 97 year old Nana, and wanted Cora to call her “Super Nana”. He played kings in the corner with her whenever he was home and always allowed her to win because she was “so small and so cute!” Dave, a good friend, is taking over that assignment in Mark’s place.

He was a CARING son who loved my sister Wendy whom as a baby he always called “Dee Dee” and still did whenever he saw her.

He was a KIND-HEARTED son who loved my late Dad, his Grandpa whom he described when he was a little boy, as “the wisest man in the whole wide world -----– except of course for Dad.

He was a GRACIOUS son who loved Sarah’s parents Gail and Peter and the rest of her family so much that Alison and Caroline were concerned that he had become more of an Ochs than a Metherell ------ and he almost had, enabling us to become one extended family.

He was a CORAGEOUS son who loved growing up at the beach where he could monitor surf conditions from his bed, and would dive in to join dolphins and whales that he spotted swimming in the bay. On Monday, there were hundreds of dolphins leaping and somersaulting in the surf.

His burial plot at the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery is on a bluff overlooking the ocean across to Coronado, where he will be buried with full military honors. What a perfect spot for a Navy SEAL and a California surfer dude!

He was an HONORABLE son who loved his Cottage-style home on Brooks Street in Laguna surrounded by some of his best friends.  That same street where American flags, at half mast, waved in the breeze under brilliant blue skies all week, and where on Friday evening a week ago, under a bright moon and sparkling stars, candles were lit, and Amazing Grace was sung, in his memory.

He was a PATRIOTIC son who loved his country and his “dream job” which took him all over the world on secret missions and amazing adventures, and we are now just learning of the many lives he has saved, both physically and spiritually. A friend wrote that “he was an ambassador for freedom in every sense of the word”.

He said that if anything happened to him “he would be on the most exciting adventure of his life”, which he is on today, making Heaven more inviting to those in our family who are left behind.

His last words to us on the day before he died were “I love you both.” “I am fine.” “Don’t worry.” He IS fine and we don’t have to worry any more. In closing----one of his favorite books-- and oh, how he loved to read ---- was written by Stu Weber a fellow alum. from Wheaton College, also in the Special Forces. The title of his book sums up Mark perfectly in 2 words ------ Tender Warrior. 

Mark “you have fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith. Well done, good and faithful servant”.

Thank you for organising this.

I have the very fondest reminiscences of my time with my cousin Mark and his extraordinary family. Time spent with Mark always seemed to involve water, being outdoors, and a certain amount of excitement!

When he visited Cambridge (I guess he must have been about 16 and I was about 10) we found a half submerged raft in the river. We managed to re-float this primitive watercraft and then made a spirited and not perhaps not entirely ‘parent-approved’ expedition down the river.

I was also the owner of a weapon called a long-bow. Sweet Mark very kindly gave me the generous gift of a beautiful hand crafted and brass-tipped arrow for this weapon.

This present was the cause for more raised eyebrows with the powers that be. Although Mark reckoned that any suggestions that his present was perhaps not entirely hazard-free were ill-informed.

‘If you tried to shoot a rabbit with that arrow’ he drawled, as only Californians can, ‘The rabbit would grab it and throw it back at you’.

In California, there was more adventure. Mark introduced me to the art of riding waves in St Anofre and Churches. Catching waves with Mark as the sun rose; accompanied by dolphins; in places that I’d only heard of in the lyrics of songs by The Beach Boys is pretty much top of my list of memorable experiences.

Being given surfing lessons from Mark turned out to be another full bore experience. After another generous gift, this time a wet suit, with the owner of the store pretty much giving
the suit to Mark, such was his remarkable charm, we set off – Mark having invited a friend with a truck to provide suitable transportation of a suitable level of cool.

Mark gave me detailed instructions and then he was off, carving up the waves on his surf-board with a style that had my jaw dropping in amazement. He was incredibly athletic and strong and could ride waves in the most beautiful style.

‘You see those whirlpools in the water’, Mark would say, pointing at some lethal looking ‘boils’ that eddied in the water near where we were surfing. ‘Well, that’s where the reef is. You don’t want to go there’.

We would then all pile back into the truck, and cruise off to the drive-in where Mark would buy me a feast of cheeseburger with large fries. Mark is, and continues to be an inspiration to me; both physically, emotionally, mentally - and spiritually.

I’m truly grateful for the memories of some very special times.

Deepest sympathies.

Oliver Metherell

Hi, i am searching for some useful information about different topics like certification and find your blog. you have done very well in this blog and also your provided information is 100% correct and guaranteed. Thanks a lot for providing enough information. 

I only knew Mark briefly, so I can’t tell the kind of heartwarming or funny stories about him that those who were closer to him or knew him longer have to share. But in those few weeks before the incident that I worked with him, his gentleness of spirit and quiet courage made a profound impression on me.  I wanted to share the view I had of this good man; I worked with Mark directly for several weeks, and during that time I learned a little about Mark, and a lot from him.  I learned he was a complex, intelligent, patient man who cared about others and cared about the world, enough to try to make it a better place despite the costs.  The things I learned from him were more complex and esoteric, very much specific to where were we were and what we did, but he welcomed me into his team and to a certain extent he took me under his wing.  Working with someone of his knowledge and experience, I was able to glean a lot, and it was a great benefit to me, as much of what we did was new to me.  But Mark was a generous man, and I was not the only one to profit from his presence.  Because of his knowledge, bravery, and character, Mark was one of (if not the most) well-liked men there: beloved of his team members and respected by all his peers. 

It was only by chance that I happened to be assigned to work with another group that fateful night, and that in itself is a sobering reminder that life is not always balanced, logical or fair; there is always an element of chance.  As they say, “rain falls on the just and the unjust”; Mark was certainly in the former category, but he also knew the risks he took and why he took them.  Anyone who would say his death was in vain or a mistake misses the point and I think Mark would correct them on this.  He knew what it was that he did, and why, and what it could cost, but he did it precisely because he DID know the cost: the cost of not doing it.  Sacrifice is sometimes a part of life, and Mark knew this far better than most.

I mourn Mark’s passing, not with as much personal pain or loss as his family and loved ones, but as someone who briefly knew a good man whose passing made the earth a bit poorer.  There is a Chinese proverb I found : “when a tiger dies, it leaves its skin behind. When a person dies, he leaves his name behind”.  The name Mark left for himself will not be forgotten by anyone who knew him or was lucky enough to have him make an impact in their lives; such is the life of someone who has lived well, no matter where, when, or how they pass on.  The world may be poorer for his passing, but we are all richer for having had Mark in our lives, and the world will be richer again if people see his example and follow it.

I’m the short guy in the middle (Fern), I think Meth and Plunk were paired up as swim buddies, because Plunk had some long legs that were (possibly) capable of keeping up with Meth. There was no way I was diving was Meth, he couldn’t run to fast, but he was like a dolphin in the water.
We were diving the Channel shown behind us, which was rather challenging due to the currents, which were never what they were supposed to be according to the Tides and Currents books. The flood and ebb was ripping at close to 1 knt at times, which totally caught us by surprise when we dove again later that night. There’s nothing like recomputing leg times and bearings while in the middle of a dive, while still trying to maintain your depth and speed. Thats where you separate the men from the amatuers- and Meth new the game well. Considering the Thai SEALs would not even dive in their own channel at night, I’d say it takes an extraordinary amount of intelligence, and composure to do the multitude of tasks required while diving at night in waters such as these.

- Fern

Recently, Patricia Kennedy of Beverly Hills, CA - businesswoman, activist, philanthropist, actress and model - created the non-profit foundation, Step Up for Vets http://www.stepup4vets.org to help transition our veterans back to civilian life after having being deployed abroad.  Known for her famously exquisite jewelry collection, Patricia created a medallion she named the Peace One Earth medallion which is either pined to a lapel or worn as a necklace. The back is engravable and can have the name of a loved one on it.  By wearing the medallion, one can express gratitude to the defenders of our freedoms and to acknowledge their service and sacrifice to our country. 

After hearing about Mark, she was so moved by his story that she decided to finish the creation of and unveil this medallion ahead of schedule to honor Mark’s service at the Step Up for Vets gala she held at her estate in Beverly Hills last June.  Patricia presented medallions with “Mark Metherell - SEAL Team 5” engraved on the back to the Metherell family and two of Mark’s friends who were hosted at the gala.  All of the proceeds from the sale of the medallion and the fundraising efforts of Step Up 4 Vets foundation go to support the National Veterans Foundation. You can find out more information about the medallion at http://www.peaceoneearth.com.

The Laguna Beach Independent is hosting a slideshow of some photos from the paddleout in memory of Mark that finally happened (and worked perfectly) on the 4th of July. Attached is the link to that slideshow with commentary from Sarah Metherell.

http://www.lagunabeachindependent.com/news/2008/0711/Front_page/0001.html

Family, friends and loved ones gathered together on the Fourth of July for an honorary surfboard Paddle-Out in honor of Mark’s lifelong passion for the sport. This is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a fellow surfing comrade. Endearingly synonymous to Mark’s surf style, the wave sets were impressive as they all paddled out together quite a distance to “Second Reef” off of Brooks Street in Laguna Beach where they shared a quiet moment and tossed a floral wreath contributed by Mark’s sister Alison, onto the familiar rocks Mark knew so well. As they disappeared into the mist, friends and family waited patiently on the shore for the clan’s wave-riding return. Due to the size of the waves, the beach was red-flagged to swimmers which meant the surfers owned the waves which, by the way, is somewhat unusual for Laguna Beach and a surfer’s dream day. Fitting. 
The song at the end is one of Mark’s personal favorites called “Ripple” by The Grateful Dead. 

This is a patriotic 4th of July tribute you might enjoy viewing. Thinking of Mark this weekend, dancing on the streets of gold.

It was the summer of 2000 when a young couple in love singed up to be volunteers with elementary age children in the Hispanic Ministry of College Avenue Baptist Church in San Diego. I say they were in love because they could not keep their hands off each other! Our church ministers to an area where there are a lot of needy families. Sarah and Mark came faithfully on Tuesday nights and just loved on the kids. Mark and Sarah left very soon after this summer and moved back to Orange County after Mark’s service ended for the military in San Diego. Mark and Sarah left a lasting impression on the kids that came during that time and vice versa.

Mark and Sarah’s love for each other was very evident. Their love for Jesus was just as real and alive. These two wonderful friends have lived the scriptures in Matt. 6:1-4 that read, “...Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired...When you give a gift to someone in need, don’t shouted about… But when you give to someone, don’t tell your left hand what your right hand is doing. Give your gifts in secret, and your Father who knows all secrets, will reward you.” Mark is already getting his reward!

Mark and Sarah kept in touch with us; they took our kids and families in their hearts. Soon after they left San Diego they let us know they had prayed about it, and wanted to start a fund in our church for the benefit of the La Promesa kids and their families. Since 2001 until this year they kept their commitment, increasing it somewhere along the way. This fund has been managed and handled with the Metherell’s desires and wishes in mind. Their love gifts have blessed a great number of kids, individuals and families. They have bought shoes, clothing, toys, food, gas,
medication, etc. We have helped bury children and adults. We have had Kid’s Night Out with movies and pizza and Parents Night out. They have helped single moms when they are short on rent; have purchased tires or a AAA road service membership for them when they are stranded on the roads. Those women that thought they could never drive; we sent for driving classes. We are especially proud of Lucy who has eight (yes! 8) children, and always depended on rides. She now comes to worship driving the car her husband purchased for her for $600!!!

I could go on and on about the impact Mark and Sarah have had on our ministry. BUT, I want to tell you about the impact they have had on us. My husband and I met the Metherell’s when we were starting as Pastors here at La Promesa. To have people believe in you and invest in you personally, and in your ministry has been something we believe has come from the good hand of our loving God! One of the first things they did for us in early 2001 was send us two nights to a cabin in the mountains of Julian (Strawberry Hill) to rest and refresh our commitment to God and to each other. A year and a half ago we rested and relaxed at what we call “the Metherell’s Spa “ in Laguna (their home) when they were away on vacation.

Mark and Sarah are gifted in many ways; but what sets them apart is the loving and caring people they are. Above all, they love God with all that they are and others as well. This is also evidenced by how thrilled they were when Cora came into their lives. The love they have poured on her has been evident by all that have witnessed it. Cora didn’t change Mark and Sarah; Cora just revealed the depth of the love these two have for each other and for this beautiful brown little girl.

We miss Mark deeply. Our hearts ache for Sarah and Cora without Mark, but we know God’s strength will be sufficient for them. His love and care for them is real. He is faithful and will see them through this life until they see Mark again. Our prayer is that Cora will come to know Jesus, and understand His plan and purpose for her life; just as her father did.

Along life’s journey we are marked by people God has placed in our lives. We believe Mark and Sarah are these kind of people. Someone has said it before..."we are better people for having known Mark and Sarah.” We are grateful to God for the time we have spent with them; for the blessing they have been in our lives and the lives of many others.

Con el amor de Cristo,

Pastor Bogar and Mari Hernandez

We are all thinking of Mark this weekend. Let’s honor him and all who have sacrificed by putting out our flags, attending a Veterans Pancake breakfast, raising your glass in a toast, or anything else creative. *Thank you Mark for your life, your friendship, your fun and your faith*.

At Mark’s passing, he leaves behind his parents and sisters as well as my sister and their 1 year old daughter. After his eight years as a SEAL, when he decided to work as a private contractor, I was a bit annoyed with his decision as I kept thinking that he didn’t have my sister’s best interest in mind because his work was so dangerous and something could happen. And then when they adopted Cora I was even more annoyed because I kept thinking what it would now mean for not only my sister but their daughter as well if something were to happen.  And now something has happened. However, my heart has really been changed by reflecting on a talk that Gary Haugen of the International Justice Mission gave at a conference this past Fall; about it being better to be brave than safe and that choosing to be brave means choosing not to be safe.

Mark clearly had what is needed to be an amazing SEAL and amazing contractor. He was gifted by God with a heart, mind and will that allowed him to perform at a top level with the toughest and bravest of men and he had a true calling to his work. And from what we’ve heard, he befriended and helped those in the most dire of situations – Afghanis and Iraqis- who are fighting for their lives and their countries. 

One of Mark’s friends wrote on the website (http://www.markmetherell.com ):
I always knew Mark was a Christian, but he had a very quiet faith while at Wheaton.  I think while he was in the Teams his faith grew and matured significantly.  I remember talking to him soon after he was an official SEAL and he explained how many Christians there were among the SEALS.  Apparently when you put your life at risk every day in training, you begin to realize that you could die at any moment. 

Another wrote:
As I read over tributes to Mark the pieces start to fit together. And they only serve to deepen my respect for (him). Most of us choose the safe course in life even as we see a path that may be our truest path yet forego that road out of fear, inertia, complacency. Mark seemed to have clicked one day in determining that he knew his path and was going to be THAT true to himself.

Mark chose to be brave knowing that he was choosing to not be safe. He put his life completely in God’s hands and God chose to take him home – but after a life lived more fully and more closely to God than many will ever live. He hiked up the mountain and did not stay in the visitor’s center. (see Gary’s talk for reference)

As Pastor Jeff from the Little Church by the Sea said, a verse that fully embodied Mark was Micah 6:8:
He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.

Gary_Haugens_Talk_on_Courage_--_2007.pdf