November 1990

Dear Saints and Aints.

Peace be multiplied unto thee...

As my task in the Business of Heaven is relegated to "Advertisement" rather than "Management", the procurement and distribution of finances does hence not lie within the purview of my employment. When therefore, the Postal Services misplaced one of our monthly drafts for about four weeks, we had a bit of trouble. Any change in the rhythm of remittances is a bit upsetting - we simply lack the resources to deal with them - that is - faith apart ... It is difficult to save something for a rainy day - when it rains all the time... While God has given us many local friends, to feed five hundred kids for three to four weeks does not lie within the financial resources of anyone of them. Anyhow, it was an interesting experience to live on a day to day basis with 500 plus people. George Mueller, "wrapped in the sacred mantle of history", is now a "Hero of the Faith". Those of us who haven't made it that far as yet - i.e. are still alive - are given other "titles" ... Nevertheless, the Heavens do rule and God, like of old, does answer prayers and does send his ravens, in various disguises, to bring food to his beleaguered saints - of which, I am humbly tempted to believe - we are some ...

Recently I received a spate of letters extolling my "sacrificial spirit". After the last one I ordered a bed of nails, thin, pointed ones, 1 1/2 meter of real rough sackcloth and some hard bread; water is freely available. Now I only need a gourd to sleep under and a skull on a rock facing me to remind me of my mortality (not that my aching bones need any help in doing that)...

The other picture I conjure up is of an old goat being dragged to a stone altar where somebody is waiting with a rather sharp knife to see if it still has any blood left. I have no problem with the "old goat" (I've been called worse) only with the idea of sacrifice. But thanx anyhow. The idea of a "living martyr" appeals to me especially when I can enjoy it besides the millions of things that other martyrs have to do without.

The "best" way to start the day is to count all the things you don't have ... Count them all! Then in the evening, after you returned from the psychiatrist or had some "cheer-up-pills", phone me and tell me how your day went ... If you are otherwise inclined, start off by thinking of all the things you DO have and are able to enjoy. Then surprise will turn to joy, joy to wonder and wonder - to worship. Nevertheless - problems do exist ...

"The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah ... " Sounds great except when they do it at night along the beam that "upholds" the "well-being" of my roof and, by inference - mine. That the aforementioned beam crosses my bed at its "equator" and the also aforementioned ants do not march one by one nor, for that matter, in one direction, aggravates the situation. The problem is compounded by that they also carry their eggs and that most of this is going on while they march - upside down ... As it happens, among them, as among us, are the Wise and the Otherwise and the latter cause me sleepless nights as they tend to drop their eggs and then seemingly, in an heroic effort, jump after them to recover them. Though as it all happens in the dark it could simply be that they loose their footing and fall and that no "heroic gesture" might take place except in my mind. However what does NOT take place in my mind is that in their search for their "offspring-yet-to-be" they crawl all over me and even, as far as nature and the human anatomy permits, into me ... That this state of affairs is not conducive to the "sandman's" coming need not be elaborated upon. Well, so much for the ants ...

How is life with 500 kids ... The other day while going to town we came across a bunch of boys who, seeing us, grinned. I quizzically looked at the fellow with me who simply nodded. Afterwards I told him, "I thought they were ours. Though I could not recognize their faces - the smell was familiar ... "

I am in the process of making some biscuits. If, when finished, they look anywhere close to the way they look now (the taste hasn't been established as yet), the dogs will wonder whose birthday they are celebrating ... The end of another 5 years in India approaches and I am tentatively planning on a three months furlough to Canada next September. I realize by then we might all be in Heaven, or whatever is applicable, nevertheless, we will plan as if we lived here for ever.

In closing (aren't you glad) I want to again thank you for having been, in various ways, one of God's "ravens" who supplied, again in diverse manners, for all our needs ...

Many Thanx!

Lots of love

St. Francis and Assorted Saintlets