Mavuradonha
16th March, 1954
Dear folks,
I should have written before but I’ve just been waiting to hear from you again. The post hasn’t come yet this week. It should come on the bus tonight. I guess that it will come late tonight. I hate when it comes in the middle of the night. Then I always have to get up real early to get it sorted and to get our post off. I’m in charge of the post so it is my business to get it in and out. We have a lot of post coming and going on this station with all of the school and the missionaries. I also buy and sell stamps. I’m what they call a stamp-vendor. I buy a license each year. I just entered that role the last half of last year. I also run the book store here – school books and Bibles – then I run a miniature grocery store. I supply the teachers with whatever they want such as sugar, soap, cocoa, powdered milk, matches, bluing, cooking fat, etc. So you see I’ve got lots of side-lines. Friday evening after school is my selling time for groceries and also paraffine (kerosene) to school kids who want it.
I think that I might go into Salisbury when school finishes this term. We close on the 21st or 22nd of April. Conference will be a week from that time. So Marie and I think that we might go in then and stay the week-end and come back on the Monday. I don’t have very much to go for but a break will be nice as I never get off of this place.
Thanks to Ila, I don’t have to worry much about Conference clothes. I do have material for a dress and a skirt which I want to make. Maybe I’ll get some time now. Review soon begins in school and then I don’t have so much preparations. It takes lots of preparation for me to teach well. It is too bad that I’m not a full-fledged teacher as really it is one of my lines. I will hate to give it up but I probably will as soon as they get more qualified ones out here to take my place. Anyway, I suppose the Lord can give me another type of work which is my line, too.
I really do like working with the young Africans. I feel as if I know them and their ways to quite a great extent. Of course I should know something about them after all of these years. It will be ten years next month when I set sail for Africa.
I had a letter from Ila this past week. She says that you have heard from Harold. I should write him. Aren’t I awful not to have done it before? I’ll wait until I get a letter from you, then I will.
I know that your birthdays are this season of the year. I wish you a happy one. Would you like some of those wooden, shoe-polished curios which we get out here? Near here is a man who makes beautiful things and he comes here every so often to sell them. I bought two nice candle holders this last time. I think I’ll buy some and send them. They are not too cheap, yet I think that they are nice and I like them, too, because they are made out of the wood just around here, also because he is a local fellow who does it.
I’ll stop now and leave this space until the morning in case I hear from you.
Next morning
I’m sorry the post came but no letter from you, so I guess I’ll finish this quickly. I got the pictures from Ila of Pa and Linda and the one of Debbie. It looks like Pa has put on weight is that right? My, that Linda is a chunk. I’ve heard through Ila that Evelyn has lost 20 pounds. My, that is certainly good. She should keep on and get down to her right size. How are you coming? I’m trying also again as I want to get in trim for Conference. I’m not doing too well but perhaps in the end I’ll be O.K. We have no fresh vegetables and it is hard.
I’m in a rush so must stop.
Love to all,
Eunice
[p.s.] It sure is hot these days. It is like in 1951 when we had the Conference at Blairs when Dunkeld’s baby died. We about roasted that time, just after I had come back from furlough.
[p.p.s.] Are you having any spring days yet?