Mavuradonha
15th March, 1953
Dear folks,
It has been so long since I’ve heard from you but maybe our post will come this week. The rains seem to be finished and so perhaps the buses will resume their journeys again. I surely hope so. These past months have been about as bad as I’ve experienced in Africa for post, it seems.
This has been a nice restful afternoon for me and I’ve appreciated it, too. My days still seem to be full but not so rushed as before Marie took over. Thelma has dispensary so I have nothing to do with that anymore. It is time now for our afternoon meeting which we have every Sunday with the boys.
I’m wondering how you all are, especially Pa. Also how your winter has been, also about the new arrivals that are due this month, etc. It will be so good to hear. I’m wondering if you kept the television.
Did I tell you that Marie has a carry-all? We will be able to ride to town in style now. It feels strange to ride in a big car like that out here as I’m used to only a truck. It cost her plenty to get it into the country, too. It really isn’t a car for here but being that she had it she brought it along. Her people live only a few miles from Helen Dunkeld’s and she is the only child, but she fits in good and she, Effie and myself make three of a kind down at school. It makes it nice that we do. The school boys call me head-mistress. Really I’m acting Principal in Mary’s place this year. Marie, however, exceeds us all as she has a Masters in education, so one of these days I’ll have to find some other work and leave the teaching to those qualified. I’m a jack-of-all-trades and the master of none.
The Everswicks are quite settled. Did I tell you that they have a Maytag washing machine? The Blairs also and one of the new missionary couples. As long as I can get someone to do mine, I won’t miss a machine. But they are nicer – there are no two ways about it. People don’t have them in this country much, a few only. People in Salisbury think that we came back with all of America for baggage. Well I must go. I’ll finish later.
22nd March
Here it is a week later and we are still without post and haven’t sent any either. I say that we’ve got to do something about it but these men don’t seem to get excited. It is awful being shut-off like this for such a long period. One doesn’t know what’s going on any place. Maybe Brutons will try and go to town.
Last night I let Marie cut my hair with a gadget which she has and she practically scalped me, so that’s the last time she has that privilege. Honestly, it is miles too short. I don’t even want to be seen with it like this but there’s nothing to be done about it now, and Conference is only a month away.
It is hot today. I’m wondering what it is like in Iowa. My food stuff certainly is low. I’ve been out of meat for ages, so it seems. We have two weeks of review in school and then about two weeks of exams and the term is finished. Every Saturday around five o’clock we three go for a two-mile ride in Marie’s car. It certainly is an exciting event.
Well, I guess I’ll not add more to this but seal it and whenever post goes it can go, too. If necessary I can write again but I’d rather not until I hear from you. We don’t know what our post service will be like even when the roads get fixed as we don’t know about what buses will be running.
Love to all,
Eunice