It is with great heaviness of heart we write this letter. On May 17^th 2010 our precious daughter Carissa went home to be with her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Before returning to spend the summer with us in Ukraine Carissa was invited to visit a friend in Maine. Carissa and her friend Irina McEntee were kayaking near Ram Island off the coast of Maine. We do not know all the details of what happened but Carissa and Irina ended up in the water, which was only 48 degrees. They were wearing life jackets but in the events that followed they lost their kayaks and were swept out by the tide. They spent the night in the water and our Lord took them home. This has been a great loss for our family. We have returned to the states for a time to recover and take care of the details of Carissa’s funeral. Carissa was a fine Christian girl; she lived her life for her Saviour. Everyone who knew her knew she undoubtedly had the joy of the Lord and a ministering heart. We know that Carissa is in the place where she longed to be – she is with Jesus! We thank you for your prayers as we begin our lives without her and wait for the day that we will meet her again at the feet of Jesus. If you would like to see some pictures there is a memorial page on Facebook for Carissa and Irina. If you wish, you could contact us through our Facebook accounts, just search for Michael or Robin Ireland. You also may learn more about Carissa in the tab above or click here.