Jorge Tapia
It is with great sorrow and a heavy heart that I stand before you today. My name is Paul Dixon and I had the pleasure of working with Jorge Tapia at a place called Paradise Canyon. Jorge and I first met at Paradise Canyon while clearing the steep bank on the side of the river in October of 2015.
He amazed me immediately with an intense work ethic. Normally I prefer to “out work” my staff with hustle and motivation, so seeing Jorge handle himself that first day, made me quickly realize I had met my match.
A match did happen. We instantly became a working pair. From project to project, his competency and effort continued to amaze me. He always gave his whole effort on the job. I was exhausted and he would go on to report that after leaving work he was headed off to help someone else with their yard, home, or fence needs.
Jorge, was forever bragging on his family. From “good morning Daddy” greetings on the phone with Kaydee, to motorcycle rides, to ministry efforts with his church and Melinda’s parents. Jorge and I would be working, and out of the clear blue, he would announce another grandbaby was on the way. To which I would congratulate and realize that God has truly blessed this man! 12 children.
Jorge and I built entire buildings from literal scratch: clearing the land, bringing in utilities, pulling string lines to set the concrete forms, to setting steel, helping put the roofing on and performing finish out work on the interior. Jorge helped with all the small engine work and tools. These tools even included our loader and skid steer “bobcat.” There wasn’t anything that intimidated him or any effort he couldn’t complete. Jorge could literally do it all. Jorge and I were privileged to include his son, Nick in our work team. The three of us cleared land, installed fencing, painted, cleaned, collaborated and even built a huge pavilion.
Jorge, I came to realize, became “my hands.” We probably can all identify with his never-ending acts of service. Jorge was larger than life. The many people that have influenced me in my life have not compared with Jorge’s influence. Jorge’s attitude and testimony became a regular story I’d tell my family and Bible study buddies as an example of Godliness. He chose God’s will. He tried, never gave up and went hard the next day all over again… doing God’s will.
He taught me to laugh. Jorge would spontaneously deliver a joke in the middle of the day, leaving us all laughing and wondering where he got that material from. Jorge even laughed at himself. When a welding spark would catch in his clothes and hurt him, he’d laugh and dance it off rather than exclaim in pain. He would always say, “I have scars on top of scars” and then keep going as he laughed about his pain!
Jorge was a machine. Jorge even made giving his standard conduct. He could out give anybody. Daily he would share tacos, drinks and grilled chicken! He even shared a drink named “Jamaica me happy.”
A fun fact that you need to know is that Jorge collected lost toys that he found at Paradise Canyon. One day I am walking into the tool building and found this shelf covered with little toys that he had been collecting. With a big smile and a long pause I studied the many toys that still had joy in them. Jorge was like that. He found joy, he found happiness wherever he went. Next he put it on display and continued to add to it. This was his style.
As many of my friends have learned of Jorge’s passing, I would explain that Jorge was one of the most righteous men I’d ever met. Jorge would only choose Jesus. From praise reports, to leading someone to Jesus, to only listening to Christian music, and always posting Scripture on facebook. He lived it out. Just in this last month during a cold spell Jorge asked to take a tent that someone left at Paradise Canyon. He wanted it to help out a homeless guy he had found. Later he texted me a picture of how the person was sleeping under a barricade with a just a piece of fabric hanging over the top for a home. Jorge was caring and giving till the end.
Jorge loved his motorcycle, and I think his motorcycle loved him too. When, he’d drive off at the end of a day, it was as if all things “FREEDOM” and “happy Jorge” were united again and all the world was right.
The world is right, because Jorge made it so. Jorge made my world. Jorge literally built Paradise and I know he made your Paradise too.
