By Rafik Bishara

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being a donor to CICOA. My wife, Patricia, and I also are donors. Some 43 years ago, I landed at JFK Airport after crossing the Atlantic to my new home and country—the United States. From there, I flew to Indianapolis, and Indiana has been my home ever since.

I praise God for all the opportunities and blessing he has bestowed on me including a beautiful wife, three daughters, a M.S. degree from Butler, a Ph.D. from Purdue, and a wonderful career at Lilly for more than 35 years.

All my life I wanted to honor my parents and my wife's parents in their old age. Pat and I were blessed to honor my parents who passed away in 1978 and 1984. Currently--and with help from CICOA--we are honoring Pat’s parents who are victims of Alzheimer’s disease.

Please allow me to share with you that we are called to help each other. We are called to tithe and to give alms. It is my humble opinion and judgment that generously donating to CICOA is a blessing. May I please remind us that God says, “Give, and it will be given to you.” The cup we use to measure with will be the same cup that will be used when it is measured to us.

Pat and I have a great pleasure to be among the donors to CICOA, whose staff:

• Help their clients find solutions and make contacts to allow them to stay in their home and live with dignity
• Investigate eligibility for Medicaid waiver
• Revisit and re-assess every three months
• Are available to answer questions
• Recommend tools, equipment and furniture to help the aged
• Constantly give ideas to improve life at the client's home
• Share references for agencies to get help
• Are the most caring case workers—Thank you, Erika!—and whose periodic home visit is such a pleasant experience for the client

CICOA is a true giver of time, talent, treasure and testimony. Please join me in thanking the staff and management of CICOA. Please join me in thanking the donors. Please join me in wishing all of CICOA’s clients all the best. Thank you and God bless you!