80 year celebration

We were blessed to have 80 plus folks gather on the evening of the 2nd of April to join us in thanking God for 40 years of Andi and 40 years of Sheba!


Meeting on the terrace of our building, just above our flat, on a warm summer evening we were able to review the amazing 4 decades we have lived through. Charting our lives over the years in a presentation peppered with priceless shots from our kiddie and not-so-kiddie days (thanks Mum and Amma for sending the pics!) we were amazed to see just how good God has been to us over the years.

Over and over again we came up to this simple but vital reality: we are blessed. Blessed with wonderful, sacrificial parents. Blessed with the knowledge that we are loved and accepted for who we are. Blessed with amazing siblings. Blessed with tremendous educational opportunities, wonderful teachers, loyal friends. Blessed to know Jesus from an early age. Blessed with parents and grand-parents who prayed for us. Daily. Blessed with superb opportunities to put our training into action, to work with some of the most challenging people around. Blessed with colleagues and church-members who are broken and brittle like us - but who are being moulded into the image of our Lord.

This God-drenched sharing was followed up by a short and stirring meditation on the Bible by Stanley Nelson. He looked into one of the many overlooked couples in the Bible: Jehosheba and Jehoiada. Princess and Priest. Married to each other. She took the initiative to hide the only true heir to the throne and both nurtured and prepared the boy king Joash for his eventual rule (2 Chronicles 22:10-12). The key that Stanley brought out was this couple's willingness to put down their own opportunities in favour of what God wanted. She being a princess could have legitimately staked her claim to the crown - or her children's claims - he being an astute and popular leader could have put himself foward too. The end result was a kingship that flourished under their guidance - and Jehoaida being buried with the kings. Would that we will be faithful and not use our positions to pursue our own selfish gain (Isaiah 32.8). On the other hand -what opportunities their are - big and small - to see the wonders of the Kingdom lived out in our midst, in our time!

After the talking there was time to eat! Chicken biryani makes anyones day in our opinion!


Towards the end of this time of celebration I noticed something. My upper cheeks were hurting. Then I realised why - I had been smiling so much that the smiling muscles hurt. The last time they had hurt like that was at our wedding at the end of 99! Hopefully it will not be another 10 or 40 years before that happens again!


We are so grateful for all our dear friends who turned out in force - and the many friends and family members who have been praying, sending greetings and loving us from a far. What a rich inheritance we have!