When I met Gertrud Paulowitz in Düsseldorf some years ago, little did I know that I would be her pastor when she turned 85!

My wife Monica and I met Mrs. Paulowitz in the mid-1970s in Düsseldorf, where she became a member of the church of God. As is the case with most Germans her age who went through World War II, Mrs. Paulowitz has had her share of challenges in life. But she has always remained cheerful through it all, even with difficulty walking and seeing in recent years. It is odd sometimes how people who might have a valid reason to complain don’t, when others complain frequently and have by comparison a lot less – if anything! – to complain about in the first place.

Even though Mrs. Paulowitz is dependent on public transportation, she rarely misses a service at our Dormagen congregation. She gets there all by herself! She told me once that she had to ask someone to help her buy her ticket at the ticket machine, since she was having trouble reading the instructions. She recently had eye surgery to improve her eyesight. Mrs. Paulowitz celebrated her 85th birthday this month and received a bouquet of flowers at services.