Surprises are fun for almost everyone - as long as they are good ones! Here I was walking along in my studying and teaching program at Nyack College - way back in 1954 - and along came Dad, the biggest and best surprise I ever had or ever will have in this life! During these years we have walked together with God, He has continued to bring good things - sometimes amazing, unexpected things - into our lives.
People pop up from time to time in whose lives we had input and even influence way in the past, and it makes us glad to hear of their journey. Facebook and emails are a big help in this area. Dad has gotten back in touch with a man whom he had not heard from in fifty years and they share with each other regularly through email. What will the surprises of Heaven be like when we are with Jesus and also with many others we have known around the world! A young man from Kurdistan just wrote me: I was thinking of you today and the good times we had here. We hear from former students and pastors and friends from many countries in Africa. Yesterday morning early our SKYPE rang, and guess who? Yusufu! He could hardly greet he was so overcome! Elin had gotten him connected with us!
Another surprise for us was when Uncle Dave and Aunt Donna - who lived with us in their High School years - all ended up with happy families in the same area of Africa where we worked! Who would have thought that Uncle Jim and Beth would live in the same town as we do for our retirement!
It was such a surprise to us when national office asked us to go to San Pedro for a year after we were retired from Burkina in 1999. That was a good year, and especially good because you Bubnas and Clousers lived in Abidjan. We were also able to be present when the FATEAC was deicated in a big open air ceremony! That too was a surprise. I had been on Home Assignment and flew back to Abidjan for a FATEAC board meeting for a week and during that time Tite had taken me out to show me the beautiful property which we were hoping to buy! Another of God's surprises....and here we were assisting at the open air ceremony of this beautiful Seminary where many are training to serve God throughout Africa!
Neither of us has ever thought that we are the kind of people who deserve recognition in any area - we just do the work we are given to do and enjoy the journey as God leads us. And so it came as another big surprise when ATS contacted us about receiving honorary doctorates from the Seminary. In God's planning, Phenicies were MIR at Nyack that year and so we all went up by plane, en familly - you boys and families and us! What a celebration. We never attach "Dr." to our name, but we appreciated the honor given us by that school. And we have happy memoires of the time spent with so many of you there in Nyack.
Another surprise came when Bob Fetherlin called and casually asked us on the phone if we would be willing to go to Mali for a year to be field director couple. Totally unexpected, a total surprise! But we went, we survived and we have many good memories of that year - plus a few that we do not dwell on!! While we were in Mali that year, another surprise came along - the Bobo Bible finally arrived in Africa! The date was set for us to go to Bobo for the dedication ceremony. We drove over, thinking we would participate in the planning of things. The Dedication committee invited us to their meeting the first evening after we arrived in Bobo, and told us that we just had to be present, that they had arranged everything. They wanted us each to say a few words, we were also to be decorated by the Burkina govenment (another big surprise!) and we were just to enjoy ourselves! Wow! That was a beautiful week - only Clousers and Tim of our family were there to share this special time. The committee had secured the big public sqare, blocking off traffic, had bleachers set up, both Catholic and Protestant choirs singing - it was a serious celebration! Our only sadness was that all of you kids could not be there to rejoice with us. You would have loved it!
Last year our big surprise was being invited to the dedication of The Cheryl Phenicie School of Nursing - again, wow! We were so proud of you, Cheryl, as you gave the Founders' Day address. It was such a fun time being all together there - our only regret was that some of you had to miss it! What an honor - for you, our daughter, and also for us - your parents and family!
Now another unexpected surprise comes along - the phone call inviting us to go to Nyack College at their expense for Homecoming, as they want to name us alumni of the year. Again, what a surprise! I think the thing we are mostly looking forward to is being together again with family there, as you boys and families and Elizabeth will join us for these celebrations. How blessed (and really undeserving) we are!
And the biggest surprise of all is the one you kids have all planned for us - going back to Africa another time - and visiting Tunisia this time also - this was beyond our expectations! Thanks to all of you as you planned this for us. You are the greatest!
But the awaited surprise - and wonder - of all will be when we all enter into God's presence in Heaven and enjoy the magnificence of His glory for eternity!
Surprises are the best and you've had a lot of them! This was a great post, Mom.
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