SPECIAL TRIBUTE
By KATHIE Palazzolo
October 16, Connie Helgerson,
wife of National Evangelist–
Northeast Peter Helgerson, passed
away after a 5-year battle with can-
cer.
How glad I am now for the prayers
we shared, the scriptures we stood
upon, the laughs we had, and our
many conversations about faith,
about hope, and about healing. I am
humbled and honored to have walked
though this valley with her, to have
known her so well, and loved her so
much.
Of the many things I admired
about Connie, it was this above all that
garnered my deepest admiration and
respect: in the face of a devastating
diagnosis, Connie showed us all how
to live with resilience, joy, courage,
and steadfast faith. She did not allow
her diagnosis to keep her from min-
istry. She traveled with Peter across
the United States and around the
O N
world, right up to their last state rally
one month before she passed away.
Her ministry was not limited to
CMA events and CMA members. She
spent many hours knitting prosthesis
for women who had endured a mas-
tectomy. She donated them with a
CMA tract attached. When I called
Connie after her chemo infusions to
see how she was doing, she would tell
me who she met in the waiting room
that week and how she was able to
comfort, encourage, and minister to
them. “Everyone needs hope,” she
said. Connie was determined to share
the hope of Christ with everyone she
met, everywhere she went.
We all struggled to understand why
this diagnosis came just as Peter and
Connie started as CMA Evangelists.
But Connie marveled that because of
their position, she had many hundreds
of people praying for her and she
cherished every prayer raised up on
her behalf. And
so many of us
might have
missed the
opportunity to
know and love
this amazing
woman of faith.
I am thankful for the happy care-
free days we had; that we did not
know we would lose her so soon. God
alone knows the number of our days.
God chooses for us days of joy and
days of sorrow. He, who allows our
sorrows, also provisions our lives with
hope. Hope in Him, who for the joy set
before Him, endured the cross, despis-
ing the shame, to make a way for all
of us to live and to die with this prom-
ise: death is not the end (Hebrews
12:10).
Death was for Connie the beginning
of the promise and the reality of our
hope. For us who wait now and grieve,
we too have His faithful promise and
this enduring hope. We believe and
reaffirm that all things work together
for good to those who love God and
are called according to His purpose
(Romans 8:28). Connie loved God and
she lived and died according to God’s
purpose for her life.
Please continue to pray for Peter,
for their children Erik and Christina
and the Helgerson family, and for all
of us in CMA who
have so profoundly
felt her loss. CMA
Kathie Palazzolo was a
good friend of Connie
Helgerson.
honor the life and celebrate the home going of National Evangelist–Northeast spouse, Connie Helgerson, the 1,800 th
language will be in memorial to her life and ministry.
The Balangao people group numbers over 21,000 people and is primarily located in Northern Philippines. This lan-
guage translation is currently being recorded and is scheduled for release in 2020. Donations to Run for the Son
through the Connie Helgerson Memorial Fund will complete the funding needs of this translation and its release.
Connie made such an impact for Christ in all the lives she touched. Thank you for considering being involved in this
memorial to continue to further her memory and ministry. All donations to the Connie Helgerson Memorial Fund will
be credited to the memorial account for Run for the Son incentive purposes. Donors will not
receive Run for the Son credit for their donation. Donations may be tax deductible for the
donor and a receipt will be provided, upon request to [email protected].
Jesus Film Project® is approaching the significant milestone of 1,800 language translations of the JESUS film. To