Meet the Rios from Gainesville, Florida.

Kari and her husband, Austin, are assistant pastors at a church. They have two very good friends who moved to upstate New York from Florida last year, with plans of starting their own church, in Richmondville. The Rios family has come to support and help them with this new undertaking. While speaking to Kari about the hardships of life and how there are highs and lows, her daughter Bellamy spoke up. She said to Betsy, “Do you want to know something? It’s really sad. There used to be this big beautiful tree where we lived in Florida and because of the hurricane the tree is no more.” Betsy knelt down so that she could have a conversation with Bellamy. Betsy could sense that Bellamy was feeling the weight of what is happening in the world around her and wanted to give her some hope. Betsy told her that even though the tree is no longer alive that it is still going to be of service; that it will pass its life on by decomposing, and giving back to all that surrounded it. She explained to her that sometimes, even when things feel like they are falling apart, it gives us the opportunity to build anew. Life is never without struggle. It is about how we perceive and respond to the struggle that matters. Kari and her family have chosen to live a life of service and pass on whatever seeds they sow to the future generations, no matter what storms they are silently facing. There is a solid lesson to be learned in that. Thank you to the Rios family for sharing your story and for visiting. May God Bless you