Departures
Trip Start
Feb 01, 2007
1
2
Trip End
Feb 10, 2007
Nordhorn, Germany
Saturday, January 27, 2007
My father's sudden departure for the new system delayed our departure to Suriname. He walked to the kingdom hall only to arrive in Paradise when it is resurrection time. As one brother put it, "he's on the sleeper train to the new world". I guess that would be a nice way to put it. After all my dad could sleep instantly in any plane, bus or train. Most of my friends reading this will understand this comparison. I am just as sure to see him back as I would have been if he would have left on a long journey.
But of course it disrupted our travel plans if not our lives. Just 3 days before Vivian had visited us and we had a fun day in front of the fire place, planning our trip an eating pizza. Only a few days later we were gathered around that same fire place looking for warmth and comfort for our grief.
It was my planned departure for Mexico in May/June that year that turned out to be a very fortunate coincidence. To save money I had moved in with my parents just 2 months before. So fortunately my mom wouldn't have to be alone at home. And I was fortunate to experience the love, support and comfort of the Nordhorn-Ost congregation.
So it came to be that instead of departing for sunny South America, we departed for the Northern European harbor town of Bremen, where we visited my mom's friends. Little did I know then that I would go to South America. In fact I would even go there 3 times within the next year...
