FRED PEREZ
1951-2019
The Fisherman
Fred loved to fish, and then tell the stories of his great catch. As a believer in Jesus, he eventually saw himself as a fisher of men, just like the Apostles. Knowing Fred, he tells those stories today even as he is helping prepare Heaven homes for others while pressure washing and cleaning the main gates.
Fred experienced some of the tougher parts of life, but he believed there are no accidents in life. The experiences he had, while leaving scars, made him a better man. And being a better man, he rejected anger and bitterness at life and at God; and, so Fred chose to serve others.
Serving his fellow man and woman faithfully through the years at SAMM Ministries and Haven for Hope gave hope to others when they needed it most. By serving others, he brought his experiences of life to Haven. Because he did not believe that those experiences tore him down, he was able to lift others up. At Haven, he found a home and extended family grounded in service.
Fred served people as a volunteer and, eventually, as an employee. He served with diligence and always wanted to give his best. He wanted to do whatever he was tasked to do with excellence and only wanted to do it himself – so he knew it was done to his standards. In this way, he attracted others to himself and then he could serve by helping them heal. In fact, once Fred caught you, he never forgot a face.
He called many people “Amigo.”
Today he may not fish with us, but he does fish for us in a beautiful sea that cannot even be imagined.
GOSPEL MIRRORING
John 21: 1-14
1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way:
2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.
3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
4 Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
5 He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
“No,” they answered.
6 He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.”When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
7 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water.
8 The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.
9 When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
10 Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”
11 So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn.
12 Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.
13 Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.
14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to his disciples after he was raised from the dead.