Well I have kind of been out of the loop, but after having spent 10 years in Greece, and the past 19 in Qatar (arabian gulf)... it was great to read some of the stories that I related to immediately - on the Blog.
I think like Len Magee and the rest of us at Elim Bible College, I was among those - the first of your fans - to witness your total 'togetherness'. Wandering down the woods to your little chalet was like a retreat within a retreat. And hearing Elizabeth mouth those words "Chatze" ...was like honey dribbling down the mouth of a very happy bear, as Helmut would give that great big immaculate grin and concede defeat in the presence of this daunting blonde woman, who exuded an aura of such calm & sweetness, and yet was a very potent spiritual being. That little recording studio in the stables of the College seemed so important, just because Helmut operated the mixing desk!
You were, and still are, an amazing pair to observe. It seems that almost everyone watched you interact and wondered if it was possible to have a marriage as great as yours. Not only a marriage of bodies, but of minds, of spiritual awareness, of practical caring, and always - absolutely always - of encouragement. I don't even think either of you knew you were doing it, it was so natural to you. I even tried to copy you for the first few weeks of my own marriage by calling Geoff "Chatze"... explaining that I'd spent a lot of time in Germany recently, and that I liked the word...but the real reason was that I thought maybe if I used that magic word, it would also have the same effect on my own marriage. (I gave up after a few weeks !!)
Joining you recently for a meal down by the Wharf in Eastbourne and comparing wrinkles, grey hairs, and not a few memories was wonderful. It was as if no time at all had passed, the only difference was that the food was more memorable when it was in your own kitchen. I even told you then that one of my best kitchen memories was being introduced to Ratatouille; it was one of my main food sources after that, when we moved to Greece and could get all the ingredients cheaply. Then I saw on the Blog that everyone else also had a story about your kitchen ! But seeing as I never had a sweet tooth, it was the salad, veggies, & salami's etc that took my attention. My husband hardly passes a day in Greece (annual holidays) without a hunk of salami ...we can't get it here in the Middle East - pork being a banned substance.
Last but not least. I feel the same as most of the others on the blog... I loved to hear you two sing. I always preferred it somehow to whatever we were all doing in the studios!! It was always so simple, so pure. A few strums, two harmonizing voices, and I couldn't think that there was any other way to communicate the Message. I think that captured what the Gospel is actually about. Its so simple, so unadorned, that we sometimes miss the point totally.
I join the long list of those privileged enough to call you 'friends', and wish you both a long and happy and fulfilling 'retirement'. And of course, I've already suggested that you come out to Qatar ... as we're desperate to have some 'sound' training out here. Now you're available, I can't see why you shouldn't be using this 'retirement' time of yours. It will be like early Echo studios all over again... only this time, I can make the ratatouille!
Much love, hugs, and lots of blessings.
Gwen (Murray) Newnham
