Andrew & Mama’s jacket, Bella and Ketsi

Our church is very diligent about reading letters from missionaries. Every Sunday in the Sunday School assembly time, every Sunday evening service and every Wednesday night service. On Sunday and Wednesday nights the pastor will gather the letters that have been read and distribute them to the families that have taken those missionaries as prayer commitments. To hand out the letters he calls upon the younger children in the church.


Andrew is only four years old but he never met a stranger. I suppose he is physically average for his age but he is the smallest of the responders – and the most noticeable. Every Sunday and Wednesday night he charges up the steps to the podium and mixes it up with the older children. I do not think he is ever denied a letter to deliver. I am sure that sometimes he is not sure who to give it to, but there is always plenty of guidance from the congregation.

Last Wednesday night Andrew was sitting with me and Mama. Being four years and thin, he was cold and was sitting on my lap on every occasion – until Mama came back from her discipleship study; when it comes to laps, there is no contest there. Since Mama had an extra jacket – a light terry cloth style one – Andrew had put it on even though he was sitting on Mama’s lap and they were sharing a cape she leaves at church for the evening services.

After hand-shaking time, the pastor held up the missionary letters and began questioning the congregation for those who were praying for the particular missionary the letter had been written by. Andrew did not hesitate. He hopped off Mama’s lap, shot past me and rushed up the steps to the pastor; all the time fighting to get the sleeves of Mama’s jacket pulled far enough back to expose his hands.

The pastor stared for a moment as the congregation muffled a laugh. He was so taken aback that he had to turn to the mike again and ask fro the name of the person Andrew should be looking for. He leaned on the pulpit and watched Andrew pop down the steps, swallowed up in the jacket, look to the congregation for direction and deliver the letter before he continued. By the time the pastor was done, Andrew was back on Mama’s lap wrapped in jacket and cape.

The pup, at only eight weeks old, is proving to be quite a digger as well as a chewer. The chewing was anticipated, the digging was not. Grandpa had to come and get some plants to rescue from her teeth before her reach increased too much more. Now he has to rescue the plants from both dogs, Bella and Ketsi.

Victoria has been working with Bella and she claims to be seeing improvement. I am less convinced. Bella’s destructive enthusiasm is difficult to contain. Thankfully, Grandpa remains hopeful.

Still working on the farm purchase.