Crystal Cathedral People
By Dr. Jim Kok, Pastor of Care Ministries
"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'" - John 8:12
Donna is a self-confessed talker. When asked to share her story with me, she warned me that if someone asks her for the time of day, she is likely to tell him or her how to build a clock. This quality adds to her delightful, lively, lovely personality.
Chicago is her birthplace. There, her mother and a terrific stepdad raised her four brothers, (one of whom was her twin, and died very young) and her. Donna's mother was a Ziegfeld Follies performer, and her dad was a genius at taking care of and fixing anything mechanical. When she was 15, the family moved to Texas.
As Donna talks about her early years of education, what stands out are all the grades she skipped, and how she started high school at age twelve. She clearly is intelligent and, to this day, a voracious reader.
She was an athlete, too, loving to play softball and other sports. Beside that, her spirit is dependent on music, and her life nearly turned toward becoming a virtuoso piano player. That was her major, along with English, at Trinity University in San Antonio, where she was a Cum Laude graduate. Donna's dad saw to it that she and her brothers were in Sunday School faithfully and, to this day, she is very close to God. She says, "I was totally immersed in God." She even took classes to become a Christian Science Practitioner, since she grew up in that tradition.
After college, Donna worked as a legal secretary, where she remained for twelve years. During that time, she was fixed up on a blind date with a brilliant accountant, Paul Sivachenko. When she was in dire need of a companion to accompany her to a party, Paul's name popped into her mind, and the rest is history.
They weren't on the same page spiritually at first. Paul was a non-participating Russian Orthodox. Donnawas a fervent and faithful Christian Science believer. It all came together after many years living in Beverly Hills, Lake Tahoe, and eventually Orange County, where they began attending the Crystal Cathedral. However, life was going to hammer them. At age 46, Paul was knocked down with a major stroke that changed their lives forever.
They were living in Lake Tahoe at the time. There, Donna had become a Campaign Manager for a neighbor, a real estate developer, who was running for the U.S. Senate from Nevada. Though he lost the election, she continued as his "right arm" as he continued to work in politics with such notables as Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. Donna and Paul attended both the Reagan and Bush inaugurations. Paul's first blow was a ruptured aneurysm in his brain. It did not kill him, but medical mistakes nearly caused him to lose his life. Then a stroke paralyzed his right side and took his speech. Years of rehabilitation followed with Donna the faithful coach and cheerleader.
In the middle of the crisis, Donna happened upon the hospital chapel, and decided to go inside. She sat down in the back row, took a deep breath, and started to weep. The tears flowed like a flood and would not stop. Gradually she became aware that a man had come in and sat down close beside her. He was lightly touching her with his arm and shoulder, leaning slightly against her. He just stayed there quietly. A warm and comforting presence, he soothed her soul profoundly. Finally, she stopped crying and turned to look at the man. "No one was there," says Donna. "No one was in the room! I know it was Jesus."
With Donna's persistent and loving coaching, Paul regained enough strength to do volunteer work. His mind was clear, but words were few and he remained partially paralyzed. In his long months of rehabilitation, Paul met God deeply and profoundly here at the Crystal Cathedral. In that experience, he and Donna came together in a wonderful and meaningful way - a major blessing within this painful loss. Paul lived 22 years after his stroke, going home to be with the Lord in 2004. Their son Roger is a young tech-genius who lives with his family in Boston. Geographically he is far away, but remains very close to his mother. Donna is a treasured volunteer, serving in a variety of capacities at the Crystal Cathedral. She was recently commissioned as a Minister-of-the-Day, serving Care Ministries. She is also a MAT graduate, and has been a ministering elder for 11 years. Her most recent venture is serving as the lead volunteer on Crystal Cathedral's "Soup Kitchen" team called "Monday Meals." She loves to help, and her life experience highly qualifies her to do so. She is truly a "light of life" in this world!
