My foster parents died within six months of each other 13 years ago,both of them died of cancer.When my foster parents became witnesses it cut us off from my whole family except my unbelieving foster sister. The elder who gave the talk at my foster mother's funeral did a tremendous job of healing old wounds and brining the family together. Less than six months later this same elder (ken howitt) delivered the most disgraceful travesty of a funeral talk that it split the whole family once again. He used it as an excuse to ram their beliefs down my family's throat. He made it quite clear that the only worthwhile thing that my foster father did was to become a witness. My foster sister( who had cared for him in her home through the whole thing was so upset that I thought she was having a break down). I had been out for 5 years at that point. My foster brother and I (he is still very much in) almost had a fist fight. I said that as long as he is a witness I want nothing to do with him. He said,"you never were much of a witness." I said,"Stephen, that is the best thing you have ever said to me." Then the callous bastards used the occasion to try to get me back in!