Page 131 - The Diary of A. H. W. Behrens

60
1880
Once we had arrived in Pretoria, I left Miss Wittrock with the Berlin Missionary Grünberger, borrowed his horse and rode the 30 miles over Selikatsnek to Bethanie where I arrived completely unexpectedly. It was dark already and my father was in the church for his evening prayer. I looked through
the window of our house and saw my mother and my sisters sitting at the table. I did not disturb them, fastened my horse and walked up the lane to the church. About halfway to the church I bumped into father who was coming down from the church, deep in thought. I hugged him, kissed him and greeted him. He did not know what to say, with me having arrived
so unexpectedly. When he heard that I had not yet greeted mother and my sisters, he asked me to keep quiet because
he wanted to tell them. He went inside and said that there
was still a visitor who had arrived and they had to get ready and had to accommodate someone and he wanted to lead the visitor inside. That is what he did, and you can just imagine the amazement and the joyous welcoming. Some people of the congregation heard of it, rang the school bell and many people came together, sang and greeted me. It was a happy, joyous evening. So, after five long years I had eventually returned home! Our dear God had protected us all and had granted us a happy reunion and we could simply not stop talking, although there had been no lack of correspondence by letter during the five years! –