Thank you for your prayers. Juergen was stuck in traffic and it took him 7 hours to arrive at his dads. He got there at 10pm and his father died at 11pm. He died peacefully. Juergen was very grateful to be there to thank him and pray for him. Richard was one of the best persons I have ever known. I am so grateful for his life and the gift he was to all of us. He loved Jesus and I have total peace about where he has gone. And I know I will see him again.
Jürgen’s dad was a very special person. He was raised on a very large farm near the border of Holland. One of his brothers died in a farming accident, his mother died early from sickness, and his father was killed by the Nazis after he stood up at a town meeting and questioned them. So his life was not easy. He was forced to serve in the German army at the end of WW2. He was only 17 years old. He was sent to Holland. Once they were walking on a road when the road was bombed by the British. Everyone on the high side of the road died, everyone on the low side lived. He loved to study languages. When I first met him he was learning Russian and Swedish. I’m terrible at languages. But Nicole studies languages for the fun of it, just like her Opa. And today I remember so many little things. Like they never eat out much. But now and then Richard and I would sit in a café and drink a coffee. That was a real big deal to him. He taught Juergen how to use tools. So Juergen is very good at fixing things around the house. He was full of wisdom and grace. So many people in his generation were so bitter from the war, but Richard became a Christian shortly after Juergen did in 1973. And God really changed him. He was kind and generous and wise. He loved to learn. He took good care of his family. He always worried that Juergen took care of things like having enough money for retirement. He was responsible. He loved my cooking. He learned to help with the dishes. He liked to watch the news at the same time every night. He used a big cloth napkin that he keep near the place he sat at the table. And he read the new paper, and would cut out articles he thought were interesting. He would send us newspaper articles in the mail. I looked at our phone list today, and it has the phone number of Juergens parents. But they are both gone. It was hard for me to call my own Mom and dad to tell them. I still have them both, but Juergen has lost both of his parents. But at least I am comforted that they could be together in heaven. He was ready to go home. And I will really miss him. But I’m so grateful he did not have to suffer.
Jürgen’s dad was a very special person. He was raised on a very large farm near the border of Holland. One of his brothers died in a farming accident, his mother died early from sickness, and his father was killed by the Nazis after he stood up at a town meeting and questioned them. So his life was not easy. He was forced to serve in the German army at the end of WW2. He was only 17 years old. He was sent to Holland. Once they were walking on a road when the road was bombed by the British. Everyone on the high side of the road died, everyone on the low side lived. He loved to study languages. When I first met him he was learning Russian and Swedish. I’m terrible at languages. But Nicole studies languages for the fun of it, just like her Opa. And today I remember so many little things. Like they never eat out much. But now and then Richard and I would sit in a café and drink a coffee. That was a real big deal to him. He taught Juergen how to use tools. So Juergen is very good at fixing things around the house. He was full of wisdom and grace. So many people in his generation were so bitter from the war, but Richard became a Christian shortly after Juergen did in 1973. And God really changed him. He was kind and generous and wise. He loved to learn. He took good care of his family. He always worried that Juergen took care of things like having enough money for retirement. He was responsible. He loved my cooking. He learned to help with the dishes. He liked to watch the news at the same time every night. He used a big cloth napkin that he keep near the place he sat at the table. And he read the new paper, and would cut out articles he thought were interesting. He would send us newspaper articles in the mail. I looked at our phone list today, and it has the phone number of Juergens parents. But they are both gone. It was hard for me to call my own Mom and dad to tell them. I still have them both, but Juergen has lost both of his parents. But at least I am comforted that they could be together in heaven. He was ready to go home. And I will really miss him. But I’m so grateful he did not have to suffer.
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