A Family Retreat Sharing

Our daughter Rachel spoke earlier of the courage. faith and determination of our great, great, great, great, grandfather Jacob in leaving his home and most of his family to cross the ocean to begin a new in life where his faith could be lived out for his family and descendents. He had a commitment on which he based his whole future life which he left as a challenge to all his descendents.

Almost 200 years later, my father was a young man of 19-21 who also had a dream. He imagined going to India, half way around the world and be a missionary. It was a time when there were very few Mennonite missionaries yet, and to have such a dream for an Amish youth was just too much. It never happened to him.

However, less than 25 years later, my father begin to see his children go out to  Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Arkansas, Colorado, Texas, Virginia, and Ohio. Even Red Lake Ontario, Brazil, and Belize. What he dreamed about in his youth was greatly expanded by his children in ways he would never have imagined when he was young.

The challenge today for my generation and especially the generation following us is to live by example and conviction so that the work of God will continue to be done around a world which is getting smaller and smaller. Loretta and I pray frequently for our grandchildren that they will respond to what ever call God has for them. None of our own grandchildren are married- yet. Thus we are very mindful that there are likely more than a dozen youth and children “out there” who will some day link to our grandchildren. So we pray for them also like as for our own, that they will join in the call of God on their lives. As the Scripture says,“So the next generation would know…even the children yet to be born, and they in turn will tell their children.

Let me then turn to our life in Belize. W knew that it was a risk to do something very different in mid life, going 2,000 miles away in a country we only heard about ( Next door compare to our father Jacob’s daring venture) But we have never regretted going there in almost 25 years. It was life with enough challenges and rewards to stay and stay, so that sometimes I wasn’t even too excited to return back to the States every year. Let me just tell you one story, bits of which some will already know.

About 30 years ago there was a young, 13 year old girl in the town of Georgetown. Her father was abusive, she told me, especially when he was drinking. So she sneaked off to the town we later came to, and when her parents pursued her, she went on to Belize City. You can imaging the girl was ill-equipped to live on her own, especially so far from her mother who would have had much to teach her. I am not sure that she ever retuned to live with her family. Instead, over the next 20 years she had 8 children, from several men. The first child served time in prison before he was twenty. The third, also served some months, and the latest I heard, the police were looking for him. But, the second son, while we were here last summer, e-mailed us that he had turned his life over to God completely. There is one daughter. While she was in catholic confirmation classes some years ago, it seems she made a serious commitment to Christ and this year she told me that with her husband, they were attending a church, at least some. She is a fine Christian character, a most kind friend of ours; so near and dear like a daughter.

Here is where some of you know bits of the story. The last 4 children, preschool boys were with us in Dangriga when the mother had left them with us to go to the city, supposedly to escape someone. While there she called us and said we could give the children to the welfare. (She denied she said that later) For 9 months we cared for them as our own. I was likely more involved with them then I had been with our own, perhaps as Loretta had others to care for. Each evening I put them to bed, praying for the older ones sleeping in a big bed, and then kneeling over the younger ones on the floor, praying that they would grow up learning to know God’s love. In the daytime they were always with me, if they could be, and when I would sit on the sofa, they would pile on me sometimes until I had to beg for space to breathe.

After nine months we received legal custody of the kids and brought three of them to the States with us for 6 months. When we returned to Belize with them, two couples came to Belize to adopt them. (7 years ago Aug 2. We were reminded last Sunday by a father.)

One of them wanted to be baptized several years ago- when we were here, he requested.

To experience this family and be to there for them in crucial; times, which was continuous at times, certainly was a high plateau of our experience as to both challenging and rewarding. To see 6 out 8 children now on the track for God, where only God would know where they would be otherwise.

It was hard for me to think over the years about leaving Belize. I wondered what could compare to the life in Belize. Perhaps two years ago we began to think about it a bit more. But in a journal where I keep some of my personal thought, in December 2008 I asked,”Is there life after Belize?” Slowly and gently God showed me that there may be life after Belize. One of the encouraging points was when I realized that the work of God would go on around the world after me, and that some of the grandchildren were already committing them selves to that. My father had a dream which he could never fulfill in his life. Now I have a vision that is realistic and just over the horizon, with the light of a new team of workers from the grandchildren of all my brothers and sisters. Already some have been in Thailand, Zambia, Jamaica, Mexico, Belize, Brazil and Paraguay. Likely more countries then come to my memory.

The challenge for my generation and the one right after is to be most supportive to the next generation to carry out the work of God in what ever vocation they choose. I expect some will make mid life shifts in vocation like we did as God calls them in His timing. At mid life I ask myself and God, what might I do that I will have few regrets when I turn 65. God had the answer. He also has the answer for each of us, if we ask him in all sincerity. Each of us is a chain link in the purposes and work of God in generations to follow us. May each of us dedicate our selves continually to God’s work for each of us, and persist in prayer and be an example as we teach our children.

                                           Stories of My Early Childhood

The earliest recollection I have is of a Christmas day, very long ago. Apparently my mother's family was at our house. After dinner, most likely, when the men were sitting around in the living room, and the women clearing the dishes, I was sitting there on the floor, perhaps six or eight feet from the door to the kitchen, playing with some wooden blocks. Some big person came along and asked me if I know who gave me those blocks. Was it Aunt Esther who asked me? I indicated I did not know. They told me, "Grandpa Bender." I was named after him. It was special to him that I had his name and thus he blessed me with that gift. I know that was a very early Christmas for me, as soon after my third birthday in May the following year, Grandpa was gone.

Life wasn't easy for me in those days. Other things happened which I know about only by hearsay and family legends. They say I did not look like the rest when I was born. I had light brown hair and all the other children had dark brown hair. I was different! The first time I went to church, we had a wild horse that was so unmanageable, they stopped on the way to church to get a sharper bit so they could control the horse. Obviously I survived. But I was very sick my first winter, perhaps of pneumonia. I was so sick they had to hold me a lot, and the doctor said I would not get better until spring came. My sisters would hold me sitting, in the sun when it was warm enough. On the lighter side, at least to others, once when a pet rooster died and my siblings were burying him, I insisted, actually with crying and screaming (according to Sister Miriam), that they bury him with his head out of the ground so he could breathe! This was after they had had a funeral for him. It is not known who preached at that time.

Another story was what happened when my baby sister died. She was only about 6 months old, and two years behind me. Such a lovely baby with long dark brown hair, very responsive to everyone. I really don't remember her. But they say that at the grave, I was very agitated. "They dare not put her in the ground," I cried. So I was left without her, again the youngest child, being cared for by a grieving mother, who after all was very hopeful for the baby girl. In the rhythm of boy/girl again and again, I had broken the regular cycle. Now she had had the little girl I wasn't and she lost it. How despairing it must have been for her and for also losing her father that same year. Fortunately a year and a half later, she had another baby girl who seemed to her to be a replacement for the one she lost. I believe I remember when she was born. I was about 4 and a half and recall going upstairs that morning telling the older brothers that we had a new baby. Now Mom felt a little better.

Sometimes I was treated like a baby even when I was no longer one. Once I was with my older brother and sister walking in the back lane, back there close to where there was a patch of tea along the lane. For some reason, they were carrying me between them, whether it was my idea or theirs, I don't know. There was always conversation on those walks, although I wonder what they were talking about. It was probably above my head.

I also remember that in my preschool years, we would put Mom's wash tub out in the yard and fill it with water. How we "suddled", splashing each other and just having great time jumping in and out of the tub! It may well have been in my 3 year as I recalled that first happening.

In those days also, once I was entrusted to carry home from Daudy's (Grandpa Hochstetler) something special. Somewhere from the deep recesses of my memory, it seems it was goat meat. I carried it in a small granite bucket. I think it was a speckled bucket, as I know they also had a dark blue bucket. Anyway, after I had walked through the big field and was nearing our house, I stopped to play at a trash pile where we disposed of some things like old tin cans and junk. I set the bucket there on one of the large rocks, right by the fence. When I left, I forgot to pick it up. Mom, likely, asked me about the meat. I told her it was by the rocks at the trash pile. She sent someone to fetch it. They couldn't find it; so I had to go and show them where it was. I don't remember how we liked the goat meat. It must have been OK.

We were close to our Miller cousins who were about the age of us children. Once we were back in the truck patch where we had crops such as sweet corn and behind where we had a big raspberry patch, and we were all discussing deep things of interest. We wondered about God, what was he like or where was he? I just remember that we agreed that he can see us but we cannot see him. My mother taught us to pray as well. We would kneel at the bedside by her knees as she sat there and said the prayer that she taught us. I don't remember praying after I had learned the prayer, if I prayed it by myself. Every morning and every evening Dad read a chapter of the New Testament, usually without comment and then we all knelt for prayer. If he was away or traveling, Mom would read and pray. Dad could probably have told you what was in every chapter of the New Testament. He read it so much and so many times from beginning to end- in German.

Before I started school, we had a big patch of pickles in the 20 acre field west of our house; 2 acres. They had to be picked every other day. Usually I would help my father, taking the other half-width of a row with him. It was a whole family endeavor. As an incentive, or encouragement to all of us, Dad gave us a cent per bucket. We had whole wagon loads of pickles in feed bags. I don't remember whether we hauled them to the house or if a truck came to pick them up in the farm. I just know that a truck came and picked them up.

Once Uncle Elmer gave us a pony. There we were right in front of the house, circling it and admiring it. Apparently I was too close at the wrong end and suddenly became rather dazed. They supposed the pony had kicked me in the head as I seemed a bit stunned, No one saw it happen. But now you know what happened to me!

It seems I was not very responsive to my mother's requests for doing something. Probably I was usually engrossed in my own day dreaming or playing and did not find it easy to shift and listen to her. She felt it was her duty both to teach me and train me to obey her like all good children should obey. I was more independent than she felt I should be. I know it was hard on her and she did not like to spank me although she felt she had to train me right. One time she insisted that I take the strap and spank her and we were both crying. I doubt that I struck her. Often her threatening to get the leather "strap" was enough to bring me to compliance- but not always. (The strap was kept handy in the compartment above the stove where food was kept warm until meal time.) My sisters agreed in later years that I was disciplined more than any other child. At times my mother told me that my oldest brother was never like that. For a variety of punishment, at least once each, I had to sit in the stair entrance or on a chair for an hour to learn a lesson, no doubt on obedience.

I know that I was also a restless child in church which was a problem for my mother. Once she warned me about taking me outside and spanking me if I didn't behave. I suppose I teased my younger sister or something. But what was a kid to do in a 2-3 hour service that had nothing for children? One person from church said he never saw such a restless child like me. Fortunately, they usually did pass around white crackers and cookies somewhere in the middle of the service for children. I remember once I was so tired and as mom had another child to hold, a woman offered to let me sleep with my head on her lap. I just remember that it was fairly comfortable, probably a bit more cushiony than my mother's lap.

We knew that my father loved us very much. I remember him bending over a small child, cooing something like "beloved child". As Christmas neared each year, I would sit on his lap and he would ask us how long it was until "Silent Night". Then he would sing it to us in German. I was often with him as he was out working. Once as he was repairing or building a fence between the house and barn, he taught me a Bible verse in German I still know. Seems he was often talking to himself, or to some imaginary person which seemed a bit odd to us.

It was always special when church was at our place, like the Amish still have church services in homes. The benches were brought to our house on Saturdays before church on 

Sunday and the furniture set off to a side or stored elsewhere. The benches were stacked in the living room and we might make our bed under the benches for the night. The next day, after worship services the benches were made into tables and everyone sat to eat the simple meal of peanut butter on bread, pickles and red beets. Coffee, if you were big enough. The preacher would announce that everyone should "hold quietly" for prayer- a silent prayer before we dug in. It was amazing how many slices of bread a small boy could put away. I know my father would buy a large box of loaves of bread on the Saturday before to feed everyone. It probably took more bread because the services were so long! After dinner there was time for the big people to talk about anything they would think up while we children were somewhere else playing, perhaps out in the yard or in the barn in the hayloft until it was time to go home.

When my next brother was born, when I was 7, Grandma Hochstetler was there to deliver the baby that night. They just lived up the fields from us, "up", as it was a slight upgrade in the field between our farm houses. We were there overnight and coming back from Grandpa’s that morning where we had been kept out of sight overnight. Daudy wanted to tell us that we had a new baby, but couldn't just come out and tell us. "If you had a new baby," he teased, "would you wish for brother or a sister?" I don't remember our response. We soon found out about that. There is the story that when Mom would go into labor, she would hang a white sheet on the wash line behind our house as a sign for "Mommy" Hochstetler that it was time to come and help.

It seems that even though I was slow in minding my mother, I did have some motivation for doing what was right in my childhood. On my eighth birthday, May 8,1945 I sat down and wrote my commitment for life. Basically I wrote that I want to be a better person than I had been before. Someone, probably Uncle Elmer, had told me that when there is a sameness of the birth date and your age, that is a critical time of life; I took it seriously. I can't say I was converted then, but at least I made a determination about my life that I was going to seek the better way.

Certainly my most memorable story of my childhood is of a trip to the East coast when I was 5 years old. But that is another story.

                                          How and Why Hochstetlers are Different

I have often wondered what kind of characters my ancestors were. Now I am wondering how their strengths and peculiarities are found in us their descendants, even in me. It is not easy to know a lot about them as they were not writers nor expressive intentionally. They only did their thing in their time, and that is how we have to search out what kind of persons they were. It is therefore a rather subjective matter to glean from their activities and at point meager writings just “who” they were. It seems off hand that they did not uncritically follow others, but did their thing, for better or worse. It could be guessed that they were not highly popular for their individuality, nor genius in their public relations.

Our Immigrant ancestor Jacob left his home in perhaps South Germany in 1738 with his wife and 2 small children. He was only twenty six as he left family and homeland to cross the Atlantic Ocean, hardly expecting ever to return again to family left behind. What courage and confidence he had in making such a life changing decision! We don’t know much about the situation he was leaving, but he was among the first of his faith and family to venture into the “new world.” likely partly because of local hostility to Anabaptist faith. It was only a year after the first of his group had ventured out. He took the chance and his descendants have been affected no doubt by his venturing spirit into the unknown, away from the security of the known..

About 19 years after the above journey, the family was attacked by local “Indians” who murdered two family members and took captive the father and two sons. Legend has it that they could have defended themselves with arms, but refused, standing up for their faith of non violence, contrary to what many would have done then and what would be considered foolish today by many. When the captive son Joseph was with the Indians, he adapted to their way of life and had ambivalent feelings about coming back to his people when he had the opportunity.

We see in these examples character that stood up without regard to conventional thinking and assumptions. They did what they felt was good and right, no doubt going beyond their fears and doubts and the likely attempts of others of less courage and conviction to persuade them otherwise.

It could be assumed then, that the descendants of these pioneering ancestor would continue in this disciplined individualism in faith and life. It may appear that many of the present day family are also free to be themselves and not subject to conventional assumptions. We see this in the way our family in the past two generations has gone global, both in geography and ethnic intermarriage. There are now prospects of DNA from six continents and persons having lived in various countries and in many states away from their parents. They feel unbounded by family to the land of their birth.

Yet paradoxically, the Hochstetler family is still one family and keeps in close contact, using both travel and social media to relate, often on a daily basis. There is a basis of family awareness from the time of being children and maturation, aware of the close family and the broader family. This is also based on a strong religious foundation that is share almost universally. We have a cultural, biological, and religious foundation for remaining unified in a binding way while remaining free to make individual decisions of life.

It seem then that we are not culturally bound to local conventions of life, but free to move about in our own way within the limits of the values of the larger family. We do not take for granted that the way we have always lived, or where, is the way we have to, yet within the parameters of faith and family values.

It is also true that we are free to choose religious affiliations within the limits of our basic faith. We are not denominationally bound, but adhere to a basic faith handed down to us. Our families are geared to pass on faith values, again allowing for “disciplined individualism”. We are free to make decisions and not tied to tradition ultimately in the specific fellowship of our faith. We do not take for granted the specific shape of the working our of our faith on cultural matters unrelated to our basic faith.

It is likely our families along with our faith that makes us unique or at least peculiar among many peoples. There is a balance between structure and freedom, with responsibility at the core. This is in the context of our faith. Our families are not perfect in the process of growing up, but core values of faith responsibility are paramount. There is the confidence that as we follow our parents we will be doing the right thing.

                                              What is Heaven Like In My Mind?

                                                          (My Imagination)

For at least two thousand years people have tried to picture Heaven- the next life after this one. The final book of the Bible has the most vivid images found anywhere. Some take it literally and quite accurately according to our capacity to picture it as a most beautiful place. I suppose my thinking has evolved beyond those images although not eliminating any of those pictures. I want to share some of the details that have come to me in the past years from various experiences and suggestions.

We used to think of Heaven as somewhere up there far away from earth. Some years ago I learned that Gerald Destine, whom we have met only a few times, believed that heaven will be right here on earth. The Book of Revelation does talk of heaven coming down, apparently to where we are, although there would be a new Heaven and a new earth. So maybe it would be right here, renewed.

But how much of the here would continue or resemble the new Earth/Heaven? Some years ago as I was walking through our orange farm in Belize on a Sunday morning in an atmosphere of worship, I suddenly exclaimed, “God are you enjoying this as much as I am?” I went back home and after that, made a map of every tree on the farm, as much as possible, and entitled it, “Our Garden of God.” God made the earth as he wanted it to be, the way he enjoyed it, and the way his image in man would appreciate it as much as he could comprehend it. I have often been enthralled by the wild flowers in natures, in hidden places where no man would ever see them. God must have planted them for his own bountiful enjoyment. So if this is what he wanted man to enjoy even as he does, why would not Heaven be in the pattern of nature as we appreciate it?

Certainly there would be major differences. There would be no heat or cold that would make us uncomfortable. Either we or temperatures would come together comfortably. Our bodies might change, or the weather might! There are also matters of time and space that will be different. Time is a measurement of duration for man's sake so he can tell when things are happening as life here has limited duration. In eternity, time will not be a factor. As God is the light and there will be no need for the sun, according to Scripture, there will be no day or night- just the perpetual light of God's presence- everywhere. Somehow, space also will no longer be a barrier to fellowship either. We will not be limited in traveling ability, but as spirits, we will crisscross distance without reference to space limitations of gravity or inertia. There will also be eternity to meet all the people we knew here and so there will be no longing to meet anyone without being able to access them any time as time will be no more.

On the question of Heaven being on earth. I suppose it is also more plausible with my experience in Belize where we were closer to nature unspoiled. And now back here in Indiana, having the fortunate experience of enjoying our own little Garden of God where we live. It just seems that nature altered a bit would be heaven. There is also our retirement which enlightens our view of heaven. All our needs are supplied without necessitating work. We tend the land as no doubt Adam was to do in the original Garden of God. Just “tending it” so we. It is activity but not work. It is at our leisure, not of our necessity. It is to make this Garden more as we like it, a right God has entrusted to us in making us co-maintainer of his earth. So Heaven will also find us moving about in joyful activity in a glorious Nature environment.

Certainly Heaven is much more than I can pictured here. At least this maybe a beginning as Heaven may be. It would be absurd to assume any close picture of all God has prepared for us. What about the restoration of our personalities which will be renewed and healed , enabling us to relate in joyous harmony with all people? What about the full knowledge and experience of God's love? What of knowing those of the rest of God's creation in other worlds? There will be so much more than we can imagine in the best of our dreams. But it is exciting to start dreaming!

                                             What is Our Aged Perspective?

When I was a youth we felt old people were traditionalist, conservative and “old fashion”. We felt they lived in the past and made up their ideas by outdated thinking that was not very relevant for us today.

Today, half a century later, I am there where we used to think of older people like that. How do we think about our “out datedness” when possibly some youth look at us the way we used to think of our elders? So much about the different perspective on things depends on our age and stage in life.

It is likely a frequent misunderstanding of how we older persons think and why we think as we do. We do not think only in the framework of another age of the past. We actually form our present ideas and values based on an accumulation of all our experiences including the present. We do not base our lives only on 15, 30, or 45 years’ experience. We may have 7 decades of experience on which to base on all ideas and of feelings about reality and life. We can draw on things we learned say, 50 years ago, as well as all we learned and experienced in the decades since. So certainly some things are based on “ancient” knowledge and ideas but they are modified and expanded by events and experiences since that give us a much larger perspective. So instead of taking a stance on a past, short perspective, we base positions on the longer experience in which we have accumulated a lot as we participate in life with the next generations. Constantly we evaluate the present by this long-range perspective. Thus we are not impressed by “conventional wisdom”. This is very true when we think politics, economics, and God’s will for our lives as well as about everything else. It means that we make judgments and opinions based not only on current and popular thought, but also on all of our past as it informs the present.

It can be said that aged people may have a special mentality which only they can really appreciate. It is an interesting experience and matter for us to blend the past into the present. We do this in various ways as a hobby and style of communication. Personally as a couple, we constantly resurrect verbal expressions and music from our distant past and apply them to present situations. Used in German, these often archaic expressions are an interesting form of humor that constantly spring up in our casual conversation. Often we don’t use the contemporary idiom or denotative speech, but we use old particular expressions in new and ways unrelated to their original setting. My father-in-law used to say about our deacon that when he was young his mother said about him, “Davie is so stubborn-headed”, but stubborn headed hardly has the flavor of the German word, and is still funny to us. Another source of bringing ideas from the past is recalling words from songs that we learned years ago and using them to express our feelings of the present. When I am little depressed, I may moan, “O lonesome me”, from Elvis Presley, of almost 50 years ago. In fact in the past few weeks, I have collected 25 such allusions and recorded them. So frequently we blend so much of our past into the present to give a deep or light-hearted approach to present situations, however we feel.

Sometimes we joke about being in our “second childhood,” an expression that used to be used long ago for senile person becoming old and childish. But part of that early childhood is still with us and is romantic at times. For example, Loretta is still intrigued by doll furniture and clothes and nursery rhymes. Perhaps we are freer than earlier to express the unspoiled childishness that is still in us and perhaps reawakened in us. We are not living in the original, but the earlier is living in us and it blends into the present eon, enriching our daily lives. Perhaps having a little more time, being more relaxed, we are a little more creative and reflective to bring the most interesting of the past into our present experience. We are not living in the past, but the past is still with us to enrich our lives.

It seems to me now that many middle-aged and younger persons do not have as much fun with a sense of humor as we do in our private lives. They think too straight forward and often don’t smile at the ironies of life with a sense of humor. When our children were youth, I could hardly be funny to them however I tried. They were too serious and objective, or didn’t they think adults could or should be funny, just “da…” was the response I sometimes received.  At our age now, we don’t have to be serious all the time, not even most of the time. We can stand more at the sidelines and just smile or laugh at the strange things of life. We can see wonder, humor, irony, or incongruities where many persons tend to see only a current set of facts. We stand, watch, and critique life rather than being buried or challenged by it. Being more carefree, we are always ready to see the weird side of issues. After all, what are we suppose to worry about, although we could have plenty to be concerned about.

Frequently we see younger persons expressing their hopes, dreams, and uncertainties. Neither did we nor do they know what the future holds. We know what our life has been, where we achieved our dreams or didn’t. We know youth have options; we also know that life will have twists and opportunities, and attractions so that any young person’s goals may shift as life is lived out. They have many options, but can’t predict how it will all turn out. We look back; they look forward. We can see where we succeeded. where we might have made other choices. We cannot advise younger persons with any great wisdom but they may learn from our lives, although they are living with some different perspectives and opportunities. It seems every generation has to work through its own directions and issues. They can learn from accumulated knowledge of their elders, but they must integrate it into their life in a meaningful way just as their elders are still doing. Probably the greatest guiding light for all ages is, “What will I wish I had done when I look back 5 years from now, or 50 years from now? Projected hindsight, you may call it, to guide you now. From the back of my memory is the poetic line, “Grow old with me, the best is yet to me” which also comes up in a more recent song by John Lennon

                             When You Really Love A Person

You care as much or more about the other person as you do about yourself.

You are often looking for ways to please the other person.

You can keep on loving even over time, trials, and distance.

You would rather see the other person happy than yourself happy.

You can share unpleasant tasks with the other person as well as fun activities.

You can listen carefully to the other person even when you disagree.

You will think what is good for the other person and not only what pleases yourself.

You will often give in to the other person.

You will say it kindly when you disagree with a person.

You can wait for many things, like lunch, going somewhere, or sex.

You can discuss reasons and issues, beyond your own feelings on them.

There is time to plan your life with the other person.

You want to learn about this person as long as you live.

You want to be within communicating distance to this person as much as possible.

You seek common agreement with each other;

You try to agree, not emphasize disagreement.

You will want to do many things in life with this person.

You want the other person to become all he or she can be in life.

Your feelings for this person grow and you discover new reasons to love.

You can see the other person's weaknesses and still love the person.

Even after an argument, you would still sacrifice your life for each other.

Your love is a two way street; you both love each other.

                 

                                                           Who Are the Angels?

If we had a full answer to this question, we would not have to ask it. But not knowing clearly,

prompts us to investigate who they might be. Some things we know and so we have to build on that.

But many things are left to our imagination. 

The following are things we know by Scripture, human experience, or insight;

      They are intelligent, usually using human language.

      They are from somewhere else.

       They come to humans for a purpose.

       There are good angels and bad angels.

       They can communicate to humans and are interested in human life.

        They relate to ultimate good or bad authority- God or the devil.

        They do not seem to respect gravity or inertia.

        They approach humans on their own interest or mission

         They might come by human request.

        They may take a physical form and be visible.

        Their presence may be clear whether they are experienced physically, emotionally, or spiritually.

        They may identify themselves or may not.

         They may appear to persons as a person or be incognito as far as being angelic or from God.

         Angels are only one way God communicates a message.

         They do not explain their usual place of existence.

          They may be known by their message more than by their form.

          Children have their own guardian angel according to Jesus.

What more we might imagine:

         They may be “extra-terrestrial, from another planet or place in space

         They may have movement possibilities that are different from anything we know on earth.

         They may have knowledge of earthlings not limited by physical connection.

          They relate for reasons of their own, which earthlings may not be aware of.

         They may be infinitely more intelligent than us.

          They may be present far more, in fact, more continuously than we have any concept of.

          They have a different mentality than humans which we would only have to guess about.

           Some may be from a “place or planet” where sin had not come. 

           They may be able to change the form of their being at will, e.g. physical vs spiritual, etc.

           They may not be confined to space and time as humans are.

           We do not know if their knowledge is limited or omniscient like God.

          They may be unlimited in number or limited.

          They maybe from eternity or in time.

           Whether adults have a literal personal guardian angel or just one when needed.