It isn’t every day we get to learn from someone who lives past 100! Here is the story of the one person I knew who did, and the profound words that will stay with me.
I’ve written about Margaret before. She was the founder’s wife at the camp where we live and work. She was a spunky little lady who loved quoting Scripture and offering goosebump-inducing wise advice. She went home to be with Jesus this past January, at the age of 96.
Today, I want to talk about Alf, Margaret’s husband.
People often describe Margaret as a “woman of faith.” I agree. I would say her husband was a man of faith too. But I have another word in mind for Alf.
I think of him as a man of courage.
In 1944, he loaded his new bride onto a boat called the Goforth.
Between the two of them, they didn’t own many earthly possessions, but they had great vision and faith. They wanted to travel up and down the coast of British Columbia, stopping in remote areas to bless people, encourage them, and share the story of Jesus.
I imagine that took a mighty dose of courage.
…the stepping out in faith.
…the journeying into the unknown.
…the steadiness & consistency through every kind of storm in life (literal and figurative!).
Alf is now 97 years young, and I feel incredibly blessed to have watched him live life over the past 21 years.
This year has been hard for him. Losing the partner he had shared each day with for over 60 years has been a sad adjustment.
Still, we’ve watched him turn his eyes to Jesus for comfort and strength. He is honest about how much he misses Margaret, yet he chooses to focus on true joy as well.
Alf recently took another mighty step of courage.
{our current staff and families, with Alf}
After living in the same house on the Camp Homewood site for more than 47 years, he chose to move to a retirement complex in a nearby town.
Packing up all those years of memories was a difficult task for him, and we are all adjusting to the change as well.
The night before he left, we held a special dinner for him. Near the end of the evening, he stood up and leaned in to talk to us. He shared a bit about his past year and the upcoming move, and wanted to leave us with a few words.
He told us about a brilliant theologian who was asked, after devoting his whole life to study, what the most profound words he could ever say were. The answer was the words Alf left with us as well:
“Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”
We’re so glad Alf isn’t far away, and we can still drop in for a visit or a chat on the phone.
I told him that night that although I love hearing the stories of the early years, I’ve loved even more watching with my own eyes how he and Margaret lived out their faith in plain, everyday life.
Blessings to you, Alf. We love you so much!
**Update: Alf passed away on July 29, 2018, just a few days shy of his 101st birthday. We say goodbye with bittersweet feelings. We’re so happy he is now in glory, where he longed to be, and with his dear Margaret, whom he missed so much. But he will be missed. Thank you, Alf, for a life well lived.
