What a day!

11: pm, it’s been a long day!
I was slept in as long as I could this morning, until I knew I was pressing for time. I slipped out the door and headed to the Paps. As I prepared for the day, organizing the table and the kids’ school books, I spent some time in prayer. It’s been a stressful week already, and it was only Wednesday! With both the Pap’s leaving the Uganda program, and heading to Idaho in a months’ time, after 11 years in Uganda, and my business of also packing to move to stay with friends for my last month here, as well as preparing for a trip to Mombasa, Kenya next weekend, and organizing a VBS for when I return from Kenya, we all have been feeling the pressure. Despite the business of our lives, the children seem to swing well through it all, as we continue with school for the second last week, they look forward to finishing early each day, so they have time to do Art, or relax and watch a movie.
After leaving the Pap’s home at midday today, I headed to the office to spend several hours surfing the web for ideas for my VBS, as our theme this summer is the Fruits of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22-23. I spent the entire afternoon working on the internet, cutting, pasting, downloading and searching. Time kept ticking, and after a brief trip home to meet a friend as she dropped something off for me, I picked some dinner on the way back to the office to continue. It was near 8pm before I headed home, finished for the day; only to continue packing as I reached home. I hope to move tomorrow, and still had much to do.
As I put tea on, and phoned Opa for his birthday, I filled my suitcases, emptied the walls, closets and cupboards….. At one point I had to just leave the packing to really concentrate, Opa was asking me, “Are you Lena Mulder?” “Yes,” I replied, “that’s me!” That hurt, he wasn’t even sure who I was anymore, and after being here for over 8 months, his health with the Alzheimer’s had decreased significantly. It was painful to chat with him, as we couldn’t carry a single topic for more than a few sentences. All in all, it was great to hear his voice, however painful it was, as I also chatted with Oma and Mom. 3 birds killed with one stone. As I went back to packing, tears came to my eyes…. Would Opa remember me when I saw him in a month? If he couldn’t recall my voice, would he remember my face?
It was so special to talk with him, as though his memory is fading. Opa was still Opa, as he asked me how my faith was, and what priority level it was playing in my life. That has always been a special conversation between us for as far back as I can remember. Opa and I; as I grew up spent hours talking about God, salvation and faith while working in the greenhouse together, visiting and just as family situations happened. And to hear him ask me about it, that really was priceless! Thank You Lord!
Well, as I reflect on today, the 2 main highlights have been chatting with my dear Opa, one of the most special people in my life, and hearing from a special friend who had just arrived in Nairobi for a week of ministry. God is indeed good all the time!
Now, my suitcases are full, the kitchen and bedroom has been cleared, and though I have some little packing yet in the sitting room but I’ll get to that tomorrow! I am tired, and needing some rest! So, that was a day in my life here; busy and great as each one is!
Goodnight!!