John Chapiewski was a dear friend for many years. I remember the first time I met him. He was working in the culinary department at Russell County High School, and it was the night a Christian band, JJ Weeks, was playing in the high school’s auditorium. I remember that he helped to bring the concert to the community in Russell County.

I don’t dare guess how long ago that was.

He eventually came to teach culinary arts at Central High School. We went to church together for a while, and we occasionally talked on the phone. It was always Christ-centered. Every time I saw him at the high school, he talked about his students. They were his biggest ministry. If you didn’t already know, John loved his students fiercely and wanted nothing more than to see them know Christ. I believe he even had a small group for a time.

He passed away last week. The news broke a lot of people’s hearts.

John overcame kidney failure only to discover stage four prostate cancer in December. He stopped receiving cancer treatments in February and began receiving hospice care. He told me that he couldn’t believe God would heal him from kidney failure only to take him with cancer. He believed his students were still his mission field. I reminded him that even in sickness, he was reaching people who may not know Christ. He knew people were watching him, and he would remain strong in his faith. A few days later, he shared the peace he felt as he heard God tell him to pray to see His face.

John’s mission goes far beyond the time he was on this Earth. He taught so many kids skills that they are now using daily. He knew not everyone was meant for college, but he knew his students could learn to create delicious food and earn a living. He also knew the importance of sharing Jesus. As a public school teacher, you have to find ways to share Christ. Most of the time, it’s how teachers care for their students and the example they lead. Looking through John’s Facebook page at the beautiful words people have written the last week, it’s obvious that he made an impact. I continue to pray people saw the strength of his faith and want to know more about Jesus through his example.

A celebration of his life will be held April 15 at 3 p.m. at Central’s auditorium.