What is your name : Angela Theobald

Who do you want the poem written for: My parents, John and Betty Wolfe

Why do you want the poem written: It is their 50th wedding anniversary this year (December 11th) and I want to send them something unique to let them know how much I love them. They have struggled financially over the years - they're missionaries who served in Zimbabwe, but in spite of the lack of money, we (their 4 daughters)always felt loved and cared for. We lived out in the bush with no electricity, except when a generator was turned on for special "movie nights", so we made our own entertainment - often singing around the piano by the light of a paraffin lamp.

What are the key messages you would like to send: To reflect on many of the wonderful memories we (their children) share. God's love and faithfulness to them as a couple, and their love, sacrifice, and commitment to us as a family. The tremendous legacy of faith that they have passed on to their children and grandchildren.

Do you have any funny, sad, happy, embarrassing or otherwise memorable moments that you would like to share: Dad building us "fufi slides", usually from tall ant hills down to a tree (kind of like a pulley that we hung onto and swung downhill); raising our own ducks and chickens for food, as well as vegetable gardens; collecting the eggs from under the hens every day; many "wild pets" - monkeys, a duiker, rabbits, parrots, cats and dogs; many, many incidents with snakes - dad was an expert killer of snakes!; home movie night with "The Sound of Music" played twice every time; Mom making everything from scratch, including bread, and pecan rolls on Christmas morning; Christmas Carol night with surrounding farmers; wonderful birthday parties with treasure hunts and specially designed cakes made by Mom - they did all they could to make us feel like "Queens of the Day"; letters and care packages sent to us in boarding school (we called it the hostel); tears from them and us as they took us back to the hostel after a vacation, and watching their truck as it disappeared behind the trees, trying to keep that last glimpse imprinted in our memories; Mom making our dresses because we couldn't afford to buy new ones; croquet on the lawn; wonderful camping vacations in Cape Town, Beira, Wanki Game Reserve, Vumba and Inyanga; getting stuck in the mud during the rainy season, way out in the bush, and having to stay there overnight until help came from a nearby village in the morning - very dark, but the stars were spectacular!; rides down the river in a dugout; Mom treating patients at her clinic every day so faithfully; Dad helping her pull teeth!; Dad building his own hangar for his plane; flying us home from the hostel for vacations; Dad preaching in Shona every Sunday while we sat on hard, concrete benches without backs; being VERY embarrassed when Dad was preaching at an American church and told the pianist to "tinkle" a bit on the piano! (in Africa it means play the piano a little bit!); Dad climbing the hill behind Scarbarough to find treasure in the caves for the grandchildren; Dad sitting under the table with a teacosy on his head, reading stories to the grandchildren; Mom swinging a baseball bat in her senior years at one of our family picnics; both parents working so hard in the tea room to pay for a university education; Dad's care of mom during her surgeries and illnesses - they are so totally devoted to each other; a lasting impression of them reading the Bible and praying together every day.
Do you have any other comments or thoughts: We have been so blessed to have the parents that we do. Even with the budgetary constraints, they always managed to make us feel special and loved. They have been a tremendous example of faithfulness to each other and to God, which has deeply impacted all their children and grandchildren. There have been countless times when they were in dire financial straits, but God miraculously provided for them.

What style of poem would you prefer (happy, sad, romantic etc.): Maybe something reflective, with happy, sad, and nostalgic memories. Also capturing the importance of their spiritual legacy.

Please choose which package you would prefer:Unique

Do you have any last comments or thoughts: Each of us girls gave our parents times of concern and grief, but throughout it all, they loved us unconditionally and continued to pray fervently for us. They never criticized, just quietly loved and prayed. Now they do the same for our children (their grandchildren).

Priceless

We lived out in the bush with no electricity, so we?d often sing around the piano by paraffin light, and it was very rare that the generator was turned on, apart from, of course, the special ?movie night.? Our favorite movie was The Sound of Music, naturally, it was played twice every time, and now these memories come flooding back, but that?s not the main reason for this rhyme. Because we all just wanted to say thank you, we?ve never really said just how wonderful you are, but if our love for you were a distance, then it would be further than the furthest star. You?ve always struggled financially over the years, but where there was not money, there was abundant love, and we know we?ve been blessed to have shared you, in truth, we know we?ve been blessed by the heavens above. We always felt loved and cared for, you make many a sacrifice for your family, and we just wanted to thank you for being you, you?ve made all our worlds a great place to be. And we?d like to thank you for our wonderful memories, we?ve just too many to individually list, just know that each and every one is precious, honestly, there?s not one that we would?ve missed. Dad would build us slides, we raised our own ducks and chickens for food, we?d share Christmas Carol night with the local farmers, and that always got us in the Christmas mood. Mom would make pecan rolls on Christmas morning, and every birthday, we were The Queen of the Day, there were letters and care packages sent to the hostel, and yes, there were tears every time we went away. We?d watch your truck disappear behind the trees, we?d try to keep that last glimpse imprinted on our mind, because we know we had truly special parents, never have two people been so wonderfully kind. Mon would make us dresses (we couldn?t afford new ones), wonderful camping vacations in many a National Park, getting stuck in the mud and having to stay overnight, the stars were spectacular (but boy, was it dark!) We?d ride down the river in a dugout, and Mom would give her patients her tender loving care, Dad would ever help her pull teeth, but if there?s a job to be done you two know how to share! Dad would fly us home for vacations, and every Sunday, in Shona, he would preach, we remember you asking the pianist to tinkle on the piano, but thankfully, that?s one lesson you didn?t have to teach. Dad climbed the hill behind Scarborough, of course, he was looking for the grandchildren?s treasure, but just like those birthday treasure hunts, we know we?ve found wealth beyond earthly measure. Because we?ve been lucky enough to have you, you?ve taught us about love, the truth of the lord, and it?s been because of your love, faith and kindness, well, that?s the reason every one of us has soared. I know there?s been many, many time, you?ve both been in simply dire financial straits, but every time, God has miraculously provided, and together, you?ve steered and mastered the winds of fate. And the example you?ve shown is simply priceless, yours are the lessons that just can?t be bought, and we just wanted to say thank you, thank you for all your kindness and magnificent support. And we also wanted to say Happy 50th Anniversary, I guess that?s really what these words are for, here?s to you, Mom and Dad, you?re truly wonderful, and here?s to at last another 50 more.

Copyright www.agiftofpoetry.co.uk 2009

Allen Jesson

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