Emtisal Ghattas Vatne

Our mother was born in Cairo in 1930 and was raised by a quiet Godly mother named Hanna. (While her older siblings were married or at college, she lived a rather small life with her mother.) After the death of her own mother -who died in Emma's arms at the tender age of 16 - our mother returned to an orphanage where she had spent some of her early years. There, Adventist missionaries came along, inviting children to come to school. Mother attended but remained at the orphanage. By Middle East standards - at the "nearly old maid" age of 22 her brother Samuel agreed with a college friend to marry his sister to his friend's brother. Our father's parents approved of the marriage and young Emtisal married a stranger whom she had seen once and never spoken to. He too was a Christian whose father was a pastor and one of the first Adventists in Egypt.

The young married couple moved to Alexandria, Egypt where son Nabil/Bill and daughter Vi-o-lette were born 13 months apart. Nearly 2.5 years later in Cairo daughter Mervet and son Adel/Dale were born 16 months apart. These were full days for a young mother who made most all of her children's clothes by hand without patterns and worked full time. In 1959 they moved to Lebanon's Middle East College, an SDA setting, where both of our parents worked in the field of "callportering". (a somewhat unknown term to many - meaning they sold Christian literature and books door to door). Mom shared the story of how she sold her books and materials to the first lady of Egypt, President Nassar's wife. No one had ever been able to approach or enter the palace or the first family. Her supervisors were in shock and disbelief that she had gotten past the guards and actually made it inside the palace, let alone meeting Mrs. Nassar and making a sale. Mom was a hard worker and had success in these ventures.

Sometime during their few years in Lebanon at the Middle East College - they started to dream & plan for a move to America where they believed they could give their children a life of Religious and political freedom. Mom's priority was for her children to know Jesus and that meant not being in a non Christian dominated part of the world. Contacts were made and the process started. They sold everything they had and waited for the time.

A full year was spent in long anticipation while living out of suitcases with 4 young children ~ needing to be ready to go at any moment. When 4 families from a Baptist church in Everett took on this effort with the support of their entire church family ~ we finally arrived in America in August of 1963. (story of our sponsors and house in Everett.)

Two courageous parents and 4 children - with zero English speaking skills. Our mother had taught us to say "yes, no, please, and thank you" but we didn't understand the language spoken to us so we often answered incorrectly or not at all.

3 short months later, JFK was assassinated and our world seemed uncertain again. Yet mom fully embraced the American dream seizing every opportunity. She loved and appreciated America. She often said, "Only in America could a woman do what I have done - Only in America."

While our father struggled to find his place professionally, mother jumped in working hard to make sure her children were taken care of. She began working at restaurants as a cook's helper, a su-chef and eventually worked her way up as the head chef in fine dining dinner houses. Mom recalled stories of tears shed in the cooler in the beginning as she struggled to learn the language and pulling the wrong vegetables, due to language 'sounds like'.. * Carrots Emtisal and she brought carraffes (celery).

She was a valued employee and one Friday afternoon when her employer urged and begged her to work into the Sabbath hours due to overwhelming business she finally agreed on the condition that she had to clock out and would do it as a friend, not an employee getting paid for service or labor on the Sabbath. Her cooking was the best! She came to be known at work as the soup lady. They valued her greatly.

A few years later a surprise came to four kids - Mom was expecting. Not knowing that Violette had been praying for a baby, mom was overwhelmed about working full time and the thought of a new baby. During her pregnancy - 4 children continually asked, "momma - will the baby be Egyptian or American?" The addition of light and laughter was added when our Judy was born at general hospital in Everett - which we thought was THE general hospital on TV.

Over the next few years Mom made the tough decisions alone- as she was struggling to take care of the kids on her own. She worked so hard, often working 2 full time jobs, especially in the summer when the older kids could take care of the younger ones. Billy always defending his siblings, Violette thrust into the role of acting mother to Judy. Mom's rushed calls between jobs for Violette to comb out her wig so she could quick change and be off to her next full shift at another restaurant. We were close and Mom always positive and upbeat about life and God's blessings. We never felt poor, alone, or hungry. We didn't know we had less than others. She was all things to us, Mother, father, disciplinarian, friend, & spiritual leader. A single mother of 5, with no child support or outside help of extended family, she continued to hold her children up to the Lord. Mom's conviction of a Christian education was made real by the fact that her children spent a combined 15 years at Auburn Adventist Academy as resident students, living in the dormitory. This was in addition to Christian primary schooling. What an amazing commitment!

Over the years, working in the restaurant business took a toll on her small body - wracking her back. She ended up in the hospital in traction for 2 weeks where she earned the nickname "easy Emma" as she would not bother the nurses for anything, even when she needed something or was in pain. They loved her. She then transitioned, after 9 months at Capital business College, and went to work for the state.

She had received attention from several suitors, but her commitment to sit still until a good Christian man came along who would accept and love her children as well as her, was her firm resolution. The year Violette graduated HS/AAA ~ 1974 our father died. Mom met and started dating a young Tom Vatne. He was brave - entering this loud and gregarious family of 5 children with his quiet ways. In addition - we inherited 2 small boys and their infectious laughter into the family - Dan & Ed Vatne.

One by one we grew up, departed home, got married, giving our mother a total of 7 grand children and 4 from Tom's sons, and her first grandchild, Killy Nichelin, giving his grandmother, her first great-grandchild -Kaiden. Her grandchildren loved her and remember her wonderful food, stuffed grape leaves and playing games with them. She was able to be a child with them and they fought for the privilege of having her spend the night with them!!

Tom and Emtisal combined their efforts and bought Southgate Fence from Tom's parents. They worked that together until Mom ventured out buying real estate. She worked hard as a landlord, cleaning units, dealing with unpaid rents and trying to build something. Her legacy in that arena is also clearly evident today.

Over the past several years mom's life revolved around reducing her hands on management of her real estate as she worked with Dale, spending time in her home or spending time with all her children in their homes. Besides time in Palm Springs at the Koelschs to warm up, she loved to walk briskly around Capitol Lake with Tom regularly and to the Valley for a swim and a warm shower. * Mom was adorable to sleep with as she would roll over in the night and praise God's name out loud and settle right back into her sleep. His name was always on her mouth. "My lord and my God - God is so merciful OR God is so good"

Mom's greatest gift is her love of others. When her physical strength to do cooking and entertaining slowed she bestowed her next best - words of affirmation to all. She worked to build relationships and to create connection wherever she went. Mom loved the church, she loved God's word and she loved the idea that she could have a part in Egypt's Nile Union Academy that she had started supporting financially. She has always loved her pastors, Bob S, Rick Casebier and Tom Decker who wrote us that he never left a conversation with her when she did not affirm him. She loved life and it loved her right back. (See Tom's note from Egypt)

Over the last year after a small stroke in January 2010, Dale started an endearment regarding our beloved little Egyptian Mother. As he and Elizabeth had her in their home for several months, he would call me and say, 'do you have the package,' I would call and say I've dropped off the package' - Elizabeth would call and ask if I was bringing the package home in time for supper. We wanted to take care of her - yet she remained staunchly independent never wanting to be a burden to anyone.

There are so many stories of tremendous hardship and aloneness that she felt over the years, as well as times of joy and blessings in her life. There is no possible way to convey them. But if you know her children, you know we do not tire of speaking of her - or using her incredible accent in irreverent comedy and storytelling.

Joining us in this love for mother are two uncles from our fathers side and their wives who were here for the funeral, our aunt on mothers side as well as several cousins we have come to know and love from California, Oregon & Florida, some of whom were/are here as well. I want to acknowledge Maurice Ghattas - her brother's son/our cousin who returned from Kuwait just 3 weeks ago and came to be here tonite. Thank you for serving America Maurice.

Mom leaves an amazing legacy to us of faithfulness to her God, to God's word and I am content knowing she is resting, warmly cradled in the arms of her Heavenly Father, until that day when I know she will hear those longed for words, "welcome home Emtisal, you have been a good and faithful servant with all that I have entrusted to you".

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Tom Decker Sat 1/08/11 6:07 AM

To: Mervet Sanchez, Tom Vatne

Dear Tom, Mervet and family,

My thoughts and prayers have gravitated to you daily these last few weeks. I enjoyed so many wonderful conversations with your mother. She was relentless in her encouragement of me and the ministry God has given me to do. She always spoke with compassion regarding those she worried about and very much wanted God's will in their life. She was grateful, very grateful for all God had lavished on her. Her sweet accent and the gentle way she had about her are uniquely hers; yet now that I live in the culture that shaped her, I see in her its echoes. I was blessed to have Em in my life from the first rice wrapped grape leaves in 1991 to the last dinner with her last summer at Mervet's house.

Living only a few miles from where Em matured from childhood to being a mother, I recognize that the difference in freedoms and opportunities that are available to people here are minuscule compared to what is available to one growing up in America. On this day that you grieve her loss and celebrate the life she lived and gave, I would encourage you to live this day in gratitude for the woman who was passionate to love, courageous to take almost unthinkable risks, persistent in her determination to find and achieve what she dreamed for her and for her children.

You will live in a grieving gratitude for the rest of your life. But because of the woman she was, it must be a grief that has the determination of hope at its core. God is with you in this grief, for surely He will miss sharing her love in your lives. While this phase of her life is over - I know we can all live in the hope and confidence that this is only a small piece of the eternal life we can share with her. May we all stay close to Jesus in the sure and certain hope of sharing eternity with each other.

Ma Salama (may a double portion of peace be with you),

Pastor Tom and Family

Tom Decker

Principal

Nile Union Academy

El Gabel El Asfar, Egypt

Tom Decker, 12/10/2010

When I found out I was going to Egypt to do ministry for 5 years, I let my family know and then the next person I wanted to tell was Em. Her joy blessed me beyond words. From my first visit to her house almost a dozen years ago to our lunch at Mervet's home last summer I have always felt that she was my Arab/Middle Eastern Mother. She consistently showed me love and gratitude, and never left a conversation with me without affirming me for something. I am earnestly praying for her and will tonite in a short time have 150 of my students in Egypt praying for God's healing hand on her. We love her and are keeping her in our prayers on this side of the world. God is loving, powerful & wise - trust him.

Praying with you,

Tom Decker