From Loren and Darlene Cunningham —

TRIBUTE TO JIM NIZZA from Loren & Darlene Cunningham
August 14, 2010
Curitiba, Brazil

Truly a warrior has gone home!

Jim and Barb Nizza stood as pillars among us at YWAM/UofN Kona, pointing with unwavering faithfulness to the goodness of God’s character and His will…no matter what! They loved God wholeheartedly…listened intently for His voice…worked steadfastly to do his will…and laughed hard to make it all enjoyable for their family and for everyone else.

Barb was with us in the early days in Kona…during the “Youth With A Machete” days, when we were first claiming the land and God’s promises. She helped to pioneer the area of Early Childhood Education and write the preschool curriculum that has now laid the foundations of faith in the hearts and lives of thousands of wee ones around the globe. In the early 80s, she headed off to Hong Kong to help lead Far East Evangelism Teams.

In the meantime, Jim, who had been working with YWAM primarily in Europe, arrived at the YWAM/UofN Kona campus. There, in the early 80s, he helped to pioneer ministries with King’s Kids, Children at Risk, Early Childhood Education and other schools with the College of Education.

Barb was invited back to Kona for a seminar by match-makers David & Carol Boyd….which led to the meeting and marriage of a dynamic leadership team for the purposes of God’s kingdom! Jim went on to work with our Community Development Schools and then came into the role he is best known for in Kona: leading Schools of Biblical Studies. He was passionate about the Word of God and its power to transform people and nations. With the addition of Joel and Crystal along the way, the Nizzas became a family that set a positive example and had a great impact among us at YWAM/UofN Kona.

It was Jim and Barb’s commitment to hear and obey the Lord that led the Nizza family to Ozark, Arkansas eight years ago. We commissioned them and sent them out from Kona with our blessing and have maintained a strong relationship and prayer commitment to them, throughout this time of pioneering and the simultaneous battle that Jim waged with cancer.

Death is an enemy that God never intended. Jim fought a valiant battle, never wavering from his trust in God, even as the enemy tried to mock him through the taunts of this invader. But in the end, Jim won…and God won…because Jim is with God.

Barb, Joel and Crystal…our thoughts and prayers are with you in these days of the loss of your husband, father and friend. But Jim’s legacy lives on in you and in the thousands he trained and commissioned into God’s purposes. May it somehow comfort you to know that, though your husband and father is with the Lord….the Lord is with you!….and this separation is truly only temporary. May God’s presence fill you with great grace and comfort today and in the days to come.