A Joyous Heart

A conversation with longtime Covenant Living at the Samarkand resident John Engstrom guarantees laughter, reveals his strong faith and re-invigorates your sense of joy. "I'm thankful for the four F's," John says, "Faith, family, friends, and finance." He and his wife Helen, who shared 68 years together, 14 of them at Samarkand, decided to support their community through one of the most popular ways to make legacy gifts - by making a bequest to the Benevolent Care Fund. Motivated by seeing fellow residents become concerned about their finances as they lived longer, John and Helen felt a responsibility to step in and provide funds for those in need.

"I wasn't always generous," John admits, "There were times in our married life when we really had to work to make ends meet." But although he hadn't been taught to give, tithing came naturally to John. "Once you give, you are surrounded by love. If you've been blessed financially, you can find great joy in sharing that blessing with others."

John and Helen were on the waiting list for many years, but when their daughter and her family moved to Santa Barbara, they had an added incentive to move to Samarkand. Lifelong Covenant Church members, both immediately felt called to connect with fellow residents to provide love and support. Both were also active in campus life, with John chairing the Employee Appreciation Fund committee for years. After Helen's passing in 2022, John still sees giving of himself as his mission.

"I'm 94 now, and I want to make use of my time as best I can," John says. "When God asks me what I did with the extra years he gave me, I want to have a good answer. There is always work to be done."

John sees donating to Benevolent Care as a meaningful investment. "You never know, some day you might be in financial need yourself. Giving is like an insurance policy - if you contribute, it will benefit others - and, if something unexpected happens with your finances, maybe it will even come back to help you."

What would he say to someone who is thinking about making a legacy gift? John answers with a big smile, "Jump in and do it, and the joy will be yours."

To learn more about supporting your Covenant Living Community's Benevolent Care Fund with an outright or legacy gift, please contact your campus' Director of Philanthropy or email [email protected].