By her sweet, positive example, her consistently unselfish spirit, and her total reliance upon the Person of Jesus Christ, we were kept from becoming bitter or resentful.
Not once did my mother make us feel that by staying behind she was sacrificing her life for us children. Her eyes were bright with unshed tears, but there was a beautiful smile on her face as she said, “OK, let’s clean the attic! Then we’ll have Lao Niang and Lao I up for supper!” (That’s Chinese for maternal grandmother and grandfather.) I turned to look at Mother, sensing her feeling of loss and loneliness. mother, or grandparent when you rad Coffee and Conversation with Ruth Bell Graham and her daughter, Gigi Graham Tchividjian. Another plane to catch, another city, another Crusade, another period of weeks before we would be together as a family once more. We listened to the retreating sound of the engine and waited for the final “toot” of the horn as he reached the gate. Then Daddy was whisked away in the car, around the curves, and down the steep mountain drive. We would back away and watch as Daddy took Mother in his arms, kissing her warmly and firmly, knowing it would be some time before he would hold her again. Though there were many such goodbyes while we were growing up, it never got easier. I couldn’t bear to look into his eyes because I knew that they would be glistening with tears. He took each of us in his strong arms, held us tightly, and then kissed us goodbye. We ran to him, dreading what we knew would be another long separation. Suddenly his tall, handsome figure appeared in the doorway, his overcoat slung over one arm, his hat on his head. We children ran around on the driveway, laughing and playing while we waited for Daddy. The suitcases were packed and ready to be loaded into the car. Mother stood waiting outside the doorway. While I am intensely preparing for my Cove seminar this weekend, I cannot shake the very heavy burden I feel to pray for Afghanistan. Ruth showing off the Grahams’ first child, Gigi. Today we are sharing reflections from Billy and Ruth’s eldest daughter, Virginia, known better as Gigi. Ruth Bell Graham and her daughter Gigi Graham Tchividjian have created a devotional journal that will lead the reader to discover and experience the meaning. Following her death in 2007, Ruth Graham’s children shared memories of their mother with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
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