The Apple Pie Man
That’s how we first knew him. He made apple pies for the New Attender’s class at Adventure Christian Church, which was taught by Don. One Sunday a month, the church held these meetings and every month Brian made the featured dessert: apple pie. We all loved seeing him come on campus – they were great pies! (No doubt more came for the pies, than to listen to me!)
We had the privilege of getting to know Brian more as he served on Adventure’s Financial Advisory Team and volunteered in the youth ministry and we started to love him for other reasons. He was kind, caring, generous, compassionate, interested, unselfish, brilliant, humble, helpful. He was a good friend to us, personally. And he brought all that to AIM as a board member, treasurer, financial advisor and supporter for the last 14 years. He gave his gifts and talents unceasingly (and so many times when it was inconvenient) to guide AIM financially and spiritually. He helped us with our taxes and all the crazy financial things that popped up. He never said “no” or that he was too busy. Not once.
Brian had a passion to work and change lives for God’s glory. He worked tirelessly to ensure that funds were in Cambodia to help take care of the girls, boys, women and men caught in the vicious trap of various types of slavery. He was never too busy or too tired to work for these causes and was a huge encouragement to us. He came to Cambodia several times to serve and encouraged everyone he met, young and old alike.
The last time we saw Brian and Jenny was at an AIM fundraiser in May when he carefully and lovingly packed some salmon for us from his last fishing trip. Little did we know as we walked to his car to fetch the styrofoam container, that would be the last time we’d hug his neck.
His sudden departure for Home has left a huge void in his family’s lives, our lives, at AIM and others… but what a sweet sound it must have been for him to be greeted suddenly with “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Heaven is a brighter place with Brian in its midst!
Please join us in prayer over the Winger family as they learn to move forward in their lives and carry his legacy with them.
In Jesus’ love,
Bridget and Don Brewster
Founders
“An advocate is someone who gently and intentionally makes others better, improves situations that are difficult, and makes the seemingly impossible to be possible. That was Brian Winger…”
-Sosamma Samuel-Burnett, J.D.
Read Sosamma’s touching tribute to Brian here.