June 4th, 2013
Dear Team Members,
Can you believe it? We just unpacked our cases again! Looks like we could be home now for a while – MAYBE!
We had the joy of being able to go up near Atlanta, Georgia over Memorial Day weekend so we could go to the military Cemetery in Canton, Georgia. That is where Charlie’s mother has been buried. The cemetery is beautiful! Each grave has their own headstone and they were able to do the inscription on hers by the weekend. There was a Memorial Day program on Saturday the 25th and it was so encouraging! We are so thankful Charlie’s Mom (Mum for our Australian/NZ friends) could be buried in this cemetery. Charlie’s Dad died during WWII before he was born and a ruling allows the spouse to be buried in a military cemetery.
We would appreciate your prayers for our son Raymond who is donating a kidney to his friend Dan on June 18th. Dan is in Ray’s Bible study group and Ray was a match for him. We met Dan last September and Charlie commented to him that when he gets one of Ray’s kidneys he will be family and Dan said “I already feel like family”. Also our son Ben and many other workers may be losing their jobs at the end of June with Qantas, in Australia. They all work at the military base in the Western suburbs of Sydney. The planes they were working on are being made obsolete. The last few months have been difficult ones for them with health needs and also a failing economy in Australia. Know they would appreciate your prayers. Also our daughter Esther’s little girl Desirae has been unwell with pneumonia and is doing a little better, but I know they would appreciate your prayers also! Charlie and I seem to be getting over a second bout of the flu, and gaining strength each day. Thank you all for praying!
How we wish each of you lived closer and could come and celebrate with cake and ice-cream for our Golden Wedding Anniversary on June 15th in our Assisted Living dining room from 2-4PM. We got married on Flag Day, June 14th 1963. We still have to laugh as we got married in the evening and just as they pronounced us man and wife, there was a band concert in the park next to the church which struck up a John Philip Sousa melody at the same time! How thankful we are for all the Lord has done in our hearts over the years. Sure is hard to believe 50 years have gone by!
Getting back on our feet has helped us be able to be more involved here with our retirees: Charlie being available to help folk with Notary Public needs, both of us occasionally helping at the receptionist desk here at our retirement center, and reaching out to folks here who need help. Seems to be no end of the flu with the retirees here.
Thank you all for your love and prayers which encourage us. God bless each of you so much!
At the end of the Memorial Day Program at the Military Cemetery, the Chaplain gave thanks for all the people who made the sacrifice for our freedom and then gave thanks to God for the ultimate sacrifice of His Son for us – AWESOME!
Because of His Great love,
Charlie & Cherrie