God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain.” CS Lewis
Tomato Plant
This tomato plant was a gift from my church friends Thomas and Susanne in Germany. I was given many plants and seeds before and after Martin passed away and DIGUNA let me use a piece of their land to plant all my gifts. It´s been very healing for me as I have watched things grow. Corinna sent me an email picture of the tomato plant so I could see its progress while here in South Africa. I have felt very much like this tomato plant. People have watched us and now me as we embraced my husband, Martins life with cancer and passing from this earthly life to his heavenly one. I have seen how God has used it to grow many people closer to Himself, bearing much fruit for His glory. However I was reminded by a picture my mentor Janine had where she saw that I was like a tomato plant. The main supporting holding pole is Jesus Christ and the other smaller supporting poles are my families, my brothers and sisters in Christ who often pray for me, hug me, cry with me, send an email, card or gift. Each one of you has together with Jesus Christ held me up as I have grown in this journey of grief. I could not have walked this journey without you all on my side. I would have fallen into a heap with the weight of it all. But praise God I haven´t because you have all stood alongside me – thank you!
Martin and I met in Sudan, both missionaries passionate about God...we served alongisde each other, prayed and fell in love...God showed us that behold he is doing a new thing and now it shall spring forth...and we saw how our earthly life is like a flower that is here today and gone tomorrow. I thank God for the love we shared, the depth of friendship was incredible, totally honest and completely vunerable and real. We were married on the 7th April 2009 and he died on the 21 April 2009 from cancer...I thank God that Martin loved Jesus deeply and that he is now free from cancer for eternity! I believe God is painting a wonderful picture...the last 6 months have felt like the shadows and the dark colours of the painting. But I am excited to see God work as He paints brighter colours in my life. It is a bit like a rainbow, full of promises and the plans He has for me not to harm me - a plan, a hope for the future. I am glad my hand is in His and that He is leading me...to return to Sudan and the work we began.
