Hello Folks
This Newsletter is longer, more personal and more open than other Newsletters: David will talk a little about the pass away of his father. For this reason, we will also talk a little more about our faith. But don't worry: Information from our family will continue to the main topic in the Newsletters. However, as faith is part of our lives, we think we could emphasize this aspect a little more for once.
Pass away from David's father
Right after our return from Hong Kong, on the day we were going to celebrate David's parents' 50th wedding anniversary, we found my father in his apartment: he had died the night before. There was something surreal and strange about the situation: all the relatives waiting together and then the news that one of the two main people had died so suddenly and unexpectedly.
On the other hand, there were so many people together, comforting each other and cherishing fond memories. David's mother in particular was not alone, but was surrounded and protected by a crowd of loved ones who were able to comfort her a little and share the immediate moment of the difficult news with her.
The fact that we three children now have to do a lot of things ourselves that my father used to do is a challenge. Suddenly it's up to us to make more visits, organize things, be the contact persons for the nursing home, manage the finances: Nothing really major, but just a few more things on top of the existing backpack.
My mother has adjusted very well to the situation: Yes, she misses her Eduard very much and always does. But she is also very interested in the children and grandchildren, takes an active part in conversations and can express and communicate her wishes and opinions: She is much more active than she was two or three years ago! We are happy about that. And she is very happy in the nursing home Sennhof.
But we miss Dad! The conversations, his contented smile, his visits to my mother, his accompanying us as a family to McDonalds in Oftringen...
Ursula goes back to work outside the home (and another surprise)
As a housewife and mother of three children, you're never in a situation where you're "not working". Nevertheless, it's a big step for Ursula to go back to work for a wage. This is the story:
Before Hong Kong, Ursula thought to herself that it would just be "nice", if God would show her what He means about working away from home. She really didn't know what she wanted and thought it would be easiest if she received a phone call with a concrete job offer. Nothing of the sort happened in Hong Kong and there was no clarity about it. So Ursula was a little disappointed when we got back home.
On the first Monday back, she received a surprise: a phone call from a small elderly home asking if Ursula would like to do the cooking: one day a week and one weekend a month, lunch and dinner on her own for the 14 or so residents. OK - that was very quick and very specific!
On the same day, she also received a good offer for an e-bike: a second topic that had been on her mind for a while: Ursula had been given money for one thing for her 40th birthday, but wasn't sure exactly what she wanted.
Suddenly there were solutions for both issues served up on a silver platter - just like that and, on closer inspection, both were very good solutions!
Ursula enjoys riding her e-bike and has been working at the elderly home since August. The start was quite tough and very challenging for Ursula. In the meantime, however, things are going quite well and she really enjoys working there!
Job David
We have known since August that the Salvation Army is outsourcing part of its IT. The question underlying the whole idea is whether or not it is a core task of the Salvation Army to operate an IT infrastructure. In recent years, it has become clear that the existing resources and knowledge have repeatedly reached their limits and that major investments in new technologies would have been required: It was therefore the right time to ask this question and the honest answer is that outsourcing makes sense.
From a purely job-related perspective, it doesn't seem to be such a problem, as the chances of finding a good job in IT are currently intact. The other side of the coin, however, is the question of what exactly David wants: he really likes it at the Salvation Army, the working conditions are great, he sees a purpose in his work that goes beyond pure IT and it's great to be out and about with lots of people after four years - all IT users - and slowly but surely really getting to know the operation. It's great to have the feeling that you can make a difference in the Salvation Army, that you can make your own contribution to the development of the organization.
Is that simply finished now? Around the end of March it will become clear whether there is still room for an IT employee, even if it is no longer technically about running servers and networks. But perhaps there will still be one or two roles where David can contribute his experience and knowledge and continue to develop himself within The Salvation Army.
Kids
Being ill is something you encounter again and again. But two things were less great: Benaja was ill for several weeks in August - with pneumonia and so on. We're very happy that this subsided after a second round with the right antibiotics.
We were really shocked when Nayara came home one day crying that she couldn't feel her left side properly and the corner of her mouth was pulled down: Suspicion of something really serious! So it was almost a relief when they didn't diagnose anything serious and simply suspected migraines. Over the last few years, she's always had moments when she's felt sick in anticipation, accompanied by headaches and so on. So the diagnosis of migraine with psychological triggers makes sense. Now she always has medication with her so that she can act immediately in moments when it looks like a migraine attack approaches: This has worked well so far and she has been spared further severe cases
The children can still learn to interact better with each other: there is no need to constantly provoke each other, nor is it necessary to reproach each other for mistakes or repay "certain niceties".
It is also difficult at school at the moment because there are problems with a few children who are mean to others. All three Wiedemann children and many others often suffer from this situation. We are very happy that the school is trying to deal with the problem well.
We also have the privilege of having children who do well at school. Since last week we know that Benaja will be attending secondary school in Huttwil next year! He has also made personal progress and is making more effort and working more accurately: this is encouraging and we are delighted!
Holidays
Here are a few impressions of the breaks we've had as a family since spring:
Bringing charity supplies to Italy
As a project, Seppu has prepared old Salvation Army PCs for a pastor in Italy so that they can help the local population in their second life in poverty. I was delighted to bring them to Italy with him:
New cat
Unfortunately, Sheena disappeared during our vacation. After a few weeks of waiting and worrying, we have decided to say goodbye to Sheena and adopt a new cat:
Musik of the Newsletters (von David)
I raise a Hallelujah
This time I would like to go a little deeper into a song, for me it represents a lot of what my father was all about: the older he got, the more he grew!
The song is about holding on to God and praising him even when things are difficult: things that we can't cope with, that seem like huge giants in front of us, that we don't feel up to. Even when he didn't know what to do, my father trusted God, he asked Him and acted according to how he understood God! Especially when getting older he used to say: "I'm not worried: if I die, I'll just die: He'll make sure it's all right and I'll be with Him!"
Many people think that being a Christian is about adhering to a religion, following rules that the church - whatever that is - imposes on us, fulfilling traditions that have been around for a long time - but that's not how I understand the Bible:
We believe that God really exists! It's not about science versus faith, acting good or bad and the like. It's about the fact that there is someone who made this world, who wanted us humans - each and every one of us. He is interested in a relationship with us and loves us so much that He has given everything so that we can have fellowship with Him at all: The death and resurrection of Jesus.
As the only person who ever lived as a human being, Jesus lived 100% according to the way God intended. As such, He died innocently on the cross for all our inabilities, our failures and all our bad things; He took them upon Himself. In doing so, He built a bridge for us humans that enables us all to be connected to God WITHOUT any preconditions: We can't earn it or work for it or anything - neither with good deeds nor with money or any other commitment - but can simply go and tell Him that we are sorry for our mistakes and want to accept the gift of His forgiveness!
Through the resurrection at Easter, He proved that His statements that there is life after death - without tears, illness or death - have substance. This gives us hope that life is not simply over after death, but that it continues! Our life in this world determines whether or not we will spend our afterlife with God.
In all our sadness, we have the hope that we will be able to see dad again one day! When I come back to the company from finding my father, our youngest comes to meet me, flies around my neck and says: "Dad, do you know what the good thing is that Granddad died? He is now with God!" That's the promise and we want to hold on to it!
Dad probably didn't know the song and I don't know whether he would have put it above his life. But for me it fits very well:
I raise a hallelujah in the presence of my enemies
I raise a hallelujah louder than the unbelief
I raise a hallelujah, my weapon is a melody
I raise a hallelujah, Heaven comes to fight for me
I raise a hallelujah with everything inside of me
I raise a hallelujah, I will watch the darkness flee
I raise a hallelujah in the middle of the mystery
I raise a hallelujah, fear, you lost your hold on me
I'm gonna sing in the middle of the storm
Louder and louder, you're gonna hear my praises roar
Up from the ashes, hope will arise
Death is defeated, the King is alive
English original (Interpretation, I like very much): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lFJWxyq9pA
German (and a bit less rocky ;-) ): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6xi_0-2Qcs
A few final pictures
Love regards
All Widis: Ursula and David with Benaja Isaak, Nayara Joy and Matthja David