Dear Sniffer Jean;
Just got into town the other day and have been working thru a pile of correspondence ever since. Your last letter was dated July 30th - so its been a long time since I heard from Malad. Mrs. Mahaffrey sent clippings of "Jack Frosts" acceptance and your mothers funeral. Please know that I share with you the loss and am sure you miss her greatly. She had a wonderful, triumphant spirit which struggled to overcome all obstacles. I am glad that her problems have ceased and she is now at rest. How providential that you were home this last hear to make life so meaningful and full for her. Of course I assume the funeral went as it was set up years ago Just out of curiosity, where is the grave? No doubt this has been a very trying time - dealing with emotional outbursts but hope everything has calmed down. There are new adjustments ahead and I hope everything works itself out.
Congratulations! Finally you zeroed in on a pastor. By the build-up on the paper, about all he hasn't done is swim the English Channel - as we say in French FORMIDABLE. Just think, an engineering, law, BD, degree with a Mrs who has a B.D. and "Bee by". Such a formal array of letters surely ought to confuse the Mormons. And what about a manse? Started a campaign to buy yet? Whose this Maralyn Bjorkman? I'll kick myself if I missed another wedding fee.
Got a letter from some guy who is looking for a pastor for a church at Guadalajara, Mexico - it is right down my alley (ideal vacation spot). The only problem in accepting a call is I'm too slow and too far away.
So much for the mail bag. Here I sit in delightful Spring weather (guess it was frightfully cold in July and Aug). My this letter is getting long (It'll costs a fortune to mail). But then its been a spell since I wrote last. Oh yeh - I must mention the romances ( "one in every port" is the motoe). Something wrong - I keep giving these eligible, lonely, maiden missionaires a break - must be the jungle fever. The last was a 30 year old nurse in S Rhodesia. We went hunting together; while she and I sat on an ant hill waiting for game to come to the water hole, our chaperone, with his elephant rifle blasted away at a Duiker (about the size of a jack rabbit). He just creased its back but half the meat was spoiled. Actually, I think I was the boy with the big game...mmmmmm...YES!!!
Told some fellows I was interested in buying a ranch. They pricked up their ears and took me 200 mls (each way) into the bush to see a layout. A dirty trick - but at least I saw some mighty fine country - and if I were buying a ranch in Africa this would be it! Just think all the land you want, with shoulder high grass, easily put under gravity irrigation, for $4 an acre. Labor is cheap too - $7.00 a month. Don't tell Johnny Fred or he'll bust a blood vessel n excitement. Truly this is the pioneer land of the 20th cent. Wish I was young and would make a start.
I'm going to be around Jo'Burg tell Oct 14 (you can get a letter here by then); Then look on your maps, follow me as I go to Salesbury, Lake Tanganyika, Dar es Salaam, Kilamanaro. Till Oct 24th my address will be Presbyterian Mission. After that it is Am. Express, Cairo.
Give the girls my love - and I hope all is well.
Sincerely,
Bruce
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