This might be hard to read for some of you who were close to mom...
Finally, on Valentines day, 14:14PM on the 14th God decided it was time to come and fetch His valentine. I was holding mom's left hand. Suddenly, with strength yet much trembling, she lifted her hand and I could see she was trying to point at something. Her eyes followed something or Someone all the way from the left to the right up in the sky.
It was so clear that this was the moment Jesus and His angels came for her. The next day a friend sent me a message... saying: "this is how the generations from Abraham to David to Christ are recorded. 14-14-14."
SERMON (Only in Afrikaans)
Sarah Anna-Lise speak about the last final hours (in Afrikaans) as I will relate in writing below for my English friends.
Full message by Ds. Koos Prinsloo and Sarah Anna-Lise
FUNERAL PICTURES
In our Afrikaans culture, we throw soil into the grave as a final 'see you later...'
The PHOTO that stirred my heart most when I was gathering photos for the booklet:
It was when I reached this photo that I felt an incredible loss. Mom was a swimming instructor for many years. This is truly how I remember her growing up.
When we moved to Stilbaai, she simply swapped the pool for the river that flows into the beautiful ocean here in Stilbaai.
What I will treasure the most, is growing up with a mother that had positivity as her top strength. This meant she did not know the wrong side of any bed at any time when she woke up. NEVER. The very last thing she replied to me while she could still talk, as I sat on her bed after going for a bike ride up a 1.5km steep hill, telling her about it was, "Good for you. Well done!" She made it sound like I broke the world record. In her pain, in her last moments talking to me, she could only encourage me, as she had done my entire life. What an incredible legacy of motherhood she left with me.
She was the one that released me into missions knowing it would cost her so much. She was the one that raised support for me to be in YWAM without income. She was the one that was in some sense full of pride that I could choose not to marry, knowing Jesus asked me to do this. It was an honor for her. I only have good memories. Not many can say this...
She always played "last touch" with all of us. Before the car would drive away she would reach into the window, shout LAST TOUCH, and laugh! Funny, this was the one thing we ALL wrote in our letters to her at the end: "Last touch" This I did as they wrapped her body before leaving our house where she passed away on her own bed. This too was the most amazing blessing. Why? Mom nearly passed away three times before this.
The first time, roughly three months ago, dad and I were alone with her. She then suddenly stabilized and lived.
The second time, all the family gathered around her as she sat in the living room (where I live now - I will get to this)... This was in December.
The third time was the morning of the 14th. She told dad and me that she wanted to go inside the house to her bed, (just 5 meters away). Dad and I helped her and then Dad let go... not a few seconds later, 1 meter away from the bed, she collapsed in my arms. I managed to get her sitting on her bed but then she fell backwards... and for a while, it looked like she passed away. I could not even get her eyes to close.
I yelled to my brother that was downstairs and he came rushing up. Mom finally came around again and was not the same. F.C. managed to get her in an upright position where she later passed away.
That afternoon, Rianni and I left so that I could 'catch my breath.'
I said to her... "I think I will need to ask Jesus to come into that moment when mom fell backward. I don't know if it was a stroke or if her heart stopped but that was super traumatic. When Zarias passed away, the one thing we could not do was close his eyes and that haunted me for months. Now, this thing happened with mom... so I need Jesus to show me where He was."
As I said this to her, I suddenly heard Jesus say to me, as clear as crystal:
"I wanted your whole family there. I did not take her until you were all present."
I said to Rianni: "Wow - I did not even have to wait, Jesus just told me what happened." Peace flooded me and is still with me when I remember that horrible moment. A scripture that came to mind with this was how God promised Jacob-Israel that his son Joseph would close his eyes.
Not only did mom pass away 14-14-14 a generational sign of blessing but all her children and her husband could sit around her bed, close her eyes, and say "thank you, see you later."
My 4 closest heart friends were with me during this time.
All but Rianni flew in to be here: Adrie, Charmaine (& her dad), Penny, Me and Rianni.
A very significant move in my life.
SandboxBible have a permanent home and I live there now :-)
Two weeks before mom passed away, I was sitting with my SandBoxBible Study group in my house. As usual, we told a Bible story, and with the application placed ourselves somewhere in the sand... then we ask: What do we sense Jesus is telling us.
Earlier that same day, my dad mentioned that it might be time to swap my flat upstairs with mom and dad's downstairs. Mom was getting weaker and she could not climb stairs anymore. Dad always said that one day he would like to live upstairs with no stairs to the road outside. In my heart I was sad - I have only lived in the flat for 2 years and made it really nice. I thought I would be there for a very long time.
This was too quick for me and the flat downstairs was very old...
As I placed myself in the sand that night, not even thinking about the move that might happen, Holy Spirit said to me ... "MOVE NOW" I suddenly knew in my heart, God was about to come and take mom, and He wanted me downstairs. Peace came and flooded my heart. The Grace-Ticket to move came.
Within 24 hours most belongings were swapped! How my brothers and I did it I don't know... but we did. Mom loved her last two weeks in my place upstairs, on the stoop high up in the trees where she could watch the birds she loved to feed.
In hindsight, it was the best move ever for me too. Few things I wished for fell into place with the move:
- I finally have an office where I can film that is separate from my living room.
- I have a private space to do counseling.
- I was able to host 4 people during the funeral for a week.
- The SandBoxBible machine is right next to my front door.
- I have a garden for the dogs.
- This will be a permanent base for me for the years to come.
MAKING A MASSIVE NEED KNOWN:
I am about to write about fundraising - at a level I never did before. This flat is 3 decades old and have never seen an upgrade - only layers of paint over the years.
10 pictures to show you why this flat needs a desparate make over:
-Windows are falling out
-Taps are broken
-Both toilets have major issues
-The walls need re-plastering
-New doors are needed
-The cupboards are rusting
-Tiles are 3 decades old and desperately need replacement.
GOOD NEWS:
1. I have a brilliant retired friend/builder that is willing to stay in my place to fix my house.
2. I am gone for 3 weeks on outreach/conferences during May to Nepal and Thailand.
3. I don't have to be here while they remove tiles and fix walls / bathroom.
THE BIG ASK:
Costing wise it will be roughly R190 000 - R220 000 to redo this old two bedroom flat. This is where I will retire.
This is for the LONG HAUL.
I am just grateful I do not have to trust for a house anymore.
I have to trust that God will release through the Body of Christ and friends, this huge amount. I trust that as I type here, if you are part of the team to give extravagantly, you will simply know.
Bless you as you listen and obey. I can even connect you with the builder so that finance can go straight to him and not me. Pray with me that those God wants to use will give a more than willing YES.
R200 000 is 9 000 pounds / 10 000U$
Sarah Anna-Lise