On This DAY, the 14th August, 1971
this man and this woman
became One for life.
And to day
we Celebrate 50 years
of our ongoing life together
in Marriage
It has been a Wonderful fifty years.
And I can do no better than repeat here
what I wrote in 2019
'I was born in England, and she was born in Kenya.
I was white, and she was brown.
When we met and fell in love, many warned me, saying
that we would not work out together, because
out cultures were different, and our children would suffer.
We went ahead anyway!
I had already opened my home and heart to more than twenty youngsters who had no home or settled life. The day Esther married me she became the instant mother of 28 with ages ranging from eight to fifteen - and they did not all experience 'love at first sight' for her!
Esther was a High School Teacher.
She was also a sinner saved by Grace. She had left teaching to be my wife, and the mother of other people's kids, as well as those God would give us as our very own. She walked out of a settled and reasonably comfortable and secure life, into the unknown.
Neither of us knew much about trusting God for our daily bread. I had begun to find out two years before, when I had taken in two boys who were stranded and in trouble. One was eight and other twelve. She began when she married me
TOGETHER we leaned on the Everlasting Arms God, in Jesus Christ, and found it possible that He was able to provide our daily bread, and indeed all our need together with as many others HE brought to be with us.
Yes, we were and still are, very different people and personalities, but our common faith and belief in Jesus Christ has bound us together, day by day, through many joys, trials, and temptations. It was not always easy, or without offence or disappointment to each other, but God's LOVE always found a way to bind up our wounds, and to bring us to forgive each other, - also 'day by day'.
And so we pressed on, in His Name, to remain faithful and true to each other, and to our promises made in front of God for each other.
We have, today, been married fifty years. We have grown to love and value each other the more with every passing day, and He has used our hearts to become One in reaching out to all those that were brought to our doors, needing care and acceptance. It has been an experience, and one that progressively taught us, through times of great happiness, and also times of frustration, disappointment, and seven distress, that God is with us, and will never fail those who put their trust in Him.
It has also taught us both a lot about Marriage. It improves as we endure, and walk together with God.
We are older now than when we began. Yet we are still in love with each other; still in love with the Family that have shared their lives with us as 'Dad and Mum' , and still in love with God. Dear friends, be willing to love one another, as God loves us, demonstrating it in, and through the life of Jesus, and his Death on the Cross. Love one another, and FORGIVE one another, always!
John and Esther Green
*****************
The Day dawned cloudy but warm enough
for us to sit on our veranda.
Late morning Daryl called us to the Office.
As we entered a surprise awaited us!
A king size Silentnight bed
AND
a Washing Machine
A Golden Wedding Gift
from our Testimony Family, represented here by just three of them
all grown up now, and living their own lives
Our old bed had all but collapsed with wear and tear!
We were without a washing machine.
Our dear Sons and Daughters, Thank you,
Thank you for letting us be your parents for a little while
And Thank you all for sacrificing for our Happiness and Joy.
God Bless and Prosper you all
Dad and Mum
14th August 1971-2021
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