Chironga
22nd March, 1956
Dear Ruth and family,
I was so glad to get your letter which came quite some time ago. I was glad to hear about your family. I hope, too, that I can visit you when I’m home. I’m not too certain if I’ll get home this coming December or not as there seems to be no one to relieve me but the picture may change.
On the second Sunday of May we are going to dedicate the church which was built with a memorial fund sent in after my dad died. It is a lovely, big church. We are getting a picture of dad to hang in the back with a note about him. It is built in the shape of a cross. Our work out here has received a gift of $10,000 for a hospital. We haven’t decided on just which station that will be built. We are looking for a doctor now.
You asked if we celebrate Christmas. Yes, we do much the same as at home, although we have to really do it or there would be nothing to let us know that Christmas time had arrived otherwise. In Salisbury where we do our shopping is mostly English people and their way of Christmas is a bit different than ours. We missionaries usually carry on in our own places the way we were used to in our homes.
I’m looking forward to going into town the last week of April and then we go to our annual missionary conference. I haven’t been to town since before Christmas. I usually get there three times a year.
We’ve been able to get corn, pumpkin, little tomatoes and wild cucumbers from the Africans lately so that has supplemented our tinned diet. Our gardens haven’t started to produce yet. Yesterday we had a big flood and most of my garden got taken down the river. So now I have that to begin over again. I suppose you’ll be enjoying lovely spring days by the time this reaches you and also you’ll be busy in the fields. I hope that you have a good growing season.
I am quite busy all of the time. My work is mostly in the school. I have help in my house so I don’t do much of that kind of work except as I get time. Of course I always try to have a bit of time in my house on Saturdays and that is when I do my baking. Mom sends me out the yeast from home. It is ever so much better than what we get here. We can get most all the things which are available at home. Not all, but most of the important things. I don’t miss much along that line.
Well, I trust that this finds you all well. Write again sometime.
Lovingly,
Eunice