July 21, 2005
Dear Thomas Moore,
On the last day of the DLM conference, after the last slide of photos, a tribute was on the screen for your father.
I send my deepest sympathy and prayers to you and your family. I know that he must have been a good, wonderful man because of the special, wonderful person you are.
I still have my Father, but my mother is also gone from this world and lives in joy with the Lord. Each day I think of her and I miss her. From my mother I learned much. She taught me about God’s love and true faith. From my parents I learned so very much – how to give happily, to live happily, and how to love and serve the Lord.
My mom would say you can see the joy of the Lord in His people. You give much and share much and it shows in all that you do. Your work blesses many people.
It was a blessing for me to be able to see you again at the DLM conference. I want you to know that each time I have been able to see you in person, hear you speak at a workshop, has blessed me, as I know it has blessed many others also.
I especially want to thank you for taking time to visit with me and having a photo taken with you. You are always so kind and patient with everyone. What was especially wonderful was to hear your voice in Spanish as you read to me “Mazora de Maiz” [“Corn on the Cob”; see excerpt below], and when you read “El Mundo de sonidos.” To hear you read in Spanish fillled me with much joy, and it touched me deeply and blessed me greatly.
When my mother began school, she couldn’t speak English, and she cried because the teacher couldn’t understand her. The teacher would send for her brother; my mom’s brother in third grade would translate. My mother’s brother spoke broken English, but he helped her through that first year of school. Later, my mother told me how in high school, they were forbidden to speak in Spanish. I wonder if those who made this school rule realized how this hurt.
Our world has come far from that, and I thank God that now the language can continue for everyone and with it new songs, new words and “un mundo de sonidos,” for our world, God’s world, is full of many beautiful languages. Thank you THomas Moore, and may God bless you abundantly. In Spanish, “Dias te Bendiga” – God Bless You!
Cynthia Aleman, Cuero, Texas
Excerpt from “Corn on the Cob”