We finally received some Memorial invitations, so this last Wednesday, rather than go somewhere in the bush, we stayed here at the Ridge and started distributing the invitations. When I go to Kaituma this week, I hope to be able to determine whether there will in fact be a Memorial held there. It all hinges on whether arrangements can be made for a place to hold it. If there is going to be one there, I think we at the Ridge will be doing the work of distributing the invitations there as well. There are three sisters from ‘town who are coming here next Monday (4/6) until after the Memorial, and they can help with the work as well.Stephan and I were talking recently about the mixed signals we get at times from our studies. For instance I have a study with a young man Lear. The last couple of times I had gone, he wasn’t there. This week, as I was walking out to go, I saw him on a bike in front of the hall. I mentioned I was just coming to him. He said he had to get something at a shop. I told him I would start walking towards his house. He said he’d meet me there. When I got there, I sat by the road waiting. I waited about 15 minutes, and was just about ready to go, and probably write the study off when he arrived. We were studying the promises in the bible for the future. We read the prophecy in Isaiah where it mentions that no one would be sick. He made the comment, “I would really love to be there.” He said it with complete sincerity. It really touched me to see a young one like that accepting, rather than questioning what the bible says. Needless to say, all thoughts of terminating the study vanished.My study with Junior continues to progress. I am also teaching him to read. He now is willing to make the sound of the various letters he’s learning. At first he was reluctant, I guess he was self-conscious, but now he calls them out nicely. This week, for the first time, he told me he will come to the meeting next Sunday. We will have to wait to see if he follows through. Filbert walked out with me again today. It was cute hearing Filbert whisper the answer to Junior during the bible study. But as I was leaving, I heard Junior tell Filbert he would come by Filbert’s and they could walk to the meeting together, so I’m somewhat hopeful.When I walk to my far study on Mondays, I have been watching as a large area of forest has been cut down for a ‘farm’ I commented to Michael today that it’s a shame that all those trees can’t be cut into boards, but I realized it would be a far way to have to carry the boards to get them out to the road to sell. I mentioned that at least a large house could be built there in the bush. He mentioned that no one had a chainsaw to cut the boards. I asked about some of the larger trees that had been cut, and he assured me they had all been cut down with axes. I was amazed, because the largest one was 3-4 feet in diameter with larger buttress roots on it.With a little help from my friend, we have made our reservations for returning to the states. We will be leaving here May 29th. Now that the date is set, I find myself thinking in terms of ‘until we leave’. For instance, I have three more Public talks to give (we will be missing two Sunday meetings for the SADs). It’s not that I’m anxious to go, it’s just my nature to be always looking forward. When I think of all the things I want to accomplish before leaving, my stomach starts to turn.Between the Memorial and then the SAD in Mabaruma (we leave for Mabaruma two weeks from tomorrow), April is going to fly by. And then in May we have the SAD in Barimita, the CO visit, and getting ready to leave, so May will go even faster.As a side note, we had 71 at our meetings this Sunday. This week’s picture is of the huge tree that was among the many cut to clear for a ‘farm’. That’s my backpack hanging near the base of the tree to try to bring a little prospective to the picture. And remember, that was cut down with an ax!!
