Before coming to Jeffrey’s Bay, South Africa, the word “Fervent” was spoken over me by my World Race coaches. Immediately, I knew this was going to be my word for the month.
I got my tattoo and wrote a blog about the manual labor my team helped with the first week we were here. I talked about this huge tree that I spent two days digging out of the ground and how passion gives us the strength and persistence to do hard things.
Just as I was putting the final touches on that blog, I heard the news. Richard Logan, the CEO and founder of Attack Poverty, the man I was so blessed to work for in 2019, a leader whom I respected and loved, was found dead along with his wife and son. A few hours later after hearing the news, it was confirmed that Richard killed his family and then committed suicide.
My heart is broken along with everyone who knew this wonderful family. I have so many questions and have spent countless hours relaying the facts and trying to figure out how such a Godly man could have done such a horrible thing. I refuse to believe that the Richard we all knew and loved did this. Yes, it was his body, but this was not HIM.
During the past 5 months on the World Race, I have seen some horrible things and it used to make me think, “how could there be such evil in the world if there is a God.” This thought began to take over my mind after hearing the news. I could feel the lies satan was planting in my head and heart. And that’s when God spoke to me, “Richard Logan was a fervent leader and his servant heart will never be forgotten.”
Fervent means to have or display a passionate intensity.
“Passion is the degree of difficulty we are willing to endure to accomplish the goal.”
– Louie Giglio
Fervent translates to Vurige in Africaans.
Vurige means to have a fire inside of you.
Richard Logan was the most laid back, funny, passionate, and empowering person I knew. Richard had such a passion for people and was determined to empower everyone around him, but he did this effortlessly. His joy overflowed from him every time he smiled and he had this way of speaking that made you stop what you were doing to listen to what God had put on his heart. When he spoke about Attack Poverty, you could feel his passion and the fire inside of him, which made you want to become apart of the work he had a vision for. Him and Brandon Baca were changing the face of Christian NGOs because of the way they listened and cared for people. People all around the world were realizing that listening and obeying God’s plan is the way to empower people and to stop generational poverty, not how much money, donors, or employees they have. Richard knew that faith in God and His plan conquered everything.
In the midst of this tragedy we cannot believe the lies that satan is planting on our hearts. Satan attacks those who are successfully doing God’s work. Satan knew the mission and vision Richard had for Attack Poverty and he finally found a way to slow us down and put doubt in Attack Poverty’s mission. We can’t let this fester. We have to believe in the Godly man we knew and all held so close to our hearts. We have to remember the fire inside of Richard Logan that empowered people all around the world and ultimately served God in everything he did. I will never forget the fervent leader I was so blessed to learn from.
This one’s for you, Richard.
