Mavuradonha
9th January, 1955
Dear Gladys and all,
Thanks for your letter written the 29th which I received yesterday. Ila also wrote. I am thankful to you all for writing and telling me the things that I want to know. Mom’s letter was so good and I was so pleased that she herself wrote.
I didn’t get word until the 27th. I sent a wire the following Friday or Saturday. I don’t know just when it would get sent by the Postmaster. Then, of course, I wrote.
Yes, it is a blessing that he didn’t linger on being helpless, etc. It was sad to get the news and yet such a comfort to know that he is with his Lord. How hard it must be for Christians whose loved ones pass into a Christless eternity.
I’m so glad to hear that Mom is bearing up well and Ila said that she was watching television while she was writing, so that, too, sounds good. She will be lonely and so we should do our bit in keeping letters coming. It was good to hear of the kindness and help of the neighbors and friends. I was sorry Uncle Paul couldn’t have been at the funeral.
The natives, as soon as they heard, came immediately to offer me their sympathy. The teacher seems to have heard almost as soon as I did. How, I don’t know. They come and sit silently with you, as they do for their own. The teacher and evangelist prayed. I appreciated it. Mary and Marie and Muriel stayed with me until time to go to bed that night.
When they told me (the men here, as they had gone to another mission station and one of the missionaries there had been notified), they didn’t even know the date so I never knew until we got the post the following Saturday. We do not have a bus coming anymore so we are having the post sent on to Mt. Darwin which is 45 miles from here and we send boys on bicycles to get it on Friday. That system is working good so far.
I was so surprised to hear of Jim getting home. After I heard that Pa had passed away, I immediately thought of him and felt sorry for him. It was nice that he was able to come.
Yes, I will appreciate seeing the pictures. Thanks so much. Thanks, too, for the card and hankie you sent me at Christmas. I’ve received some snaps of the children taken when you were home in August. They are real good and I believe that I’d know them if I saw them. Margaret Ott Anaheim sent me of her kids, too. Quite good.
Love to all,
Eunice