An amazing encounter on Sunday

On Sunday morning after a late breakfast I went with my hosts, Gary and Jannie, to their church for the service. In the bulletin I read a request for prayers for Harry who was going through more chemtherapy. The name was familiar and I began asking people in the row in front of me if Harry had gone to Dordt College. After the service I was introduced to Harry's wife Rose who had also gone to Dordt and we both remembered each other. She told me the story of Harry's battle with cancer and his present experience of significant decline. As a hospice chaplain we talked about the future and the type of support available from hospice.

Later that day I traveled with my hosts to the site of a celebration service for the SeatoSea riders and the work God was doing through this event. We arrived about two hours early so area people could meet the riders. Not long after we arrived Harry and Rose came and found me. Harry had not been feeling well enough to attend church that morning but wanted to talk to me that afternoon. We had a wonderful time talking about "old times" at Dordt College and about the present realities of his terminal condition. Harry's body had changed alot since I last saw him in the late 1960's but his smile and courageous attitude had not changed. After more than an hour of sharing we hugged and said our goodbyes. We both realized that this was a God-created moment at a crucial time in life. I told them that this was the most meaningful experience of the ride for me. I was touched deeply.

Incidently, while we talked under the roof of the pavilion it was pouring rain for two hours. At 5 minutes before 4 PM the rain stopped and at 4 PM the celebration service began as scheduled and it was a beautiful service of celebrating the work that God was doing through caring people to reach and help people living in poverty and injustice situation around the world.