In memory of Keila Dea Gutierrez Marshall.

In memory of Keila Dea Gutierrez Marshall.

“Making my case.”

Did you notice that the lawyers work very hard to make their case dad? Said my son Nathaniel. Why should we not work even harder to make our case for Jesus?

Then I remember many years ago when I was a young revolutionary wanting to train myself to be a sniper.

I used to go to the local jails and police stations and make friends with the warden and the chief of the police station to beg for their old munitions and left over bullets from previous years granted by the government. Then how I used to borrow the old Mouser high power rifles from the old pre-military school and go to the countryside to practice target shooting.

My friends would help me by providing ice cubes in a zip lock bag to refresh my eyes from the glare of the Sun and the gunpowder residue. Then I would wait until the black and blue marks caused by the recoil of the hard kicking rifles on my shoulder would heal before I went back in another shooting spree.

I worked hard in times of peace in order not to bleed on times of violence during the Revolution. I wanted not just to survive but win during the Revolution.

I suppose I was making my case like the lawyer of my son’s observation.

But the real reason why I am writing this article is to honor the memory of my daughter Keila who did not only work hard making her case on behalf of Jesus, but spent herself by literally working herself to death three years ago at the University of Delaware as a teacher to international students from all over the world.

She would say, “Dad, I wanted to be a missionary in hard places like Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia or China. I cannot go there by myself... but our Lord has brought them to my fingertips by giving me students from ten countries,

If I were not Keila’s father I would say that my hard work for Jesus is after the example of my legendary daughter Keila who was a true lover and follower of Jesus. I find myself trying to measure up to Keila’s life and dedication to the service of the Lord.

It is indeed a daunting task to be the father of Keila, a “true servant” of Jesus.

The one thing that I admire the most was her tender heart where at the first thought of having offended you she would ask in true humility for forgiveness and would not let the Sun go down in anger and would not rest until she got things straight.

In my view Keila was a true great woman of God of whom the world was not worthy. I pattern the balance of my life after the example of Keila.

Keila crisscrossed the Atlantic and the Pacific in search of souls to win and never settled for conformism and she aimed for the forest but never ignored the trees in front of her.

Many people wept loudly when Keila died including me. Oh, how I miss Keila the “gladiator” of Jesus.

If it were not silly, I would like to say, “When I grow up, I want to be like Keila.”

Thank you precious Keilita for truly loving me and for your contribution in my life. Thank you for those who you led to the Lord Jesus. You surely are a daughter of your beautiful and godly mother Ruthie, a true evangelist.

I guess life in a way is “Making a case.” Thank you for your example Keila.

Gerry Gutierrez.

Pictures are of my precious Keila.