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30.11.2010 Ernst Tipke is no longer with us
Friend, helping hand and an example For 18 years he has accompagnied our work for the abandoned street children of the Casa Don Bosco and thereafter the miserable children of our welfare center. He has actively supported us and made many sacrifices for it. In spring of this year he once again came together with his faithful wife, marked by his illnes he said softly like always: "Father, this is the last time." For years he had brought transports of relief supply to us with big trucks, later on the with the van. During the recent years he had taken on troublesome bus and railway journeys in order to come to us, to the children and me, and to personally deliver the donations collected. At the age of 71 Ernst Tipke has started on his journey to eternity on November 8, 2010. He was one of the few real friends who have been left. Ernst meant very much to me and by his active but soft manner was a friend and brother to me concerning ecumenism. Beyond the help for us he always was creative and available for others in his home country. He was vice mayor, director of a orphans' school, organized readings with famous authors, cultural trips and others to the former GDR, and he was lector and preacher in the Evangelical church. It is not possible to list all his activities here. Many people came to his funeral, a sign of his popularity.
When in the maelstrom of uncountable libels I was dragged through the dirt and many so called friends and helpers turned away from me with and without flimsy reasons, he stood by us truly and firmly.
Yes, I admit: I cried at his grave. Without an own family, I had to say farewell to one of the last true friends on earth. This farewell was the dearest moment of our earthly togetherness, our long friendship.
In a metaphorical sense you have planted so many trees on earth by your engagement and therewith you have won heaven.
On your journey to the Everafter we wave to you, all my wards, the children and the prisoners and me.
Everything will be alright. You show our children the way and sprinkle the milky way with cocoa powder. For them you wrap the moon in candy paper and let the stars burn as sparklers. finally, you can make the dreams of the children come true and conjure the vitamins from the spinach into the ice cream. When you have arrived please give us a sign and sprinkle us with confetti and wait for us in heaven.
Good bye, good friend and brother - bye for now!
Yours,
Father Don - beggar for miserable children and suffering prisoners in Romania |
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