Cactus Flower

A couple of years ago we bought a little house in a little rural community where we had hopes of placing a young missionary couple and starting a new work.  Alas the best laid plans of mice and men often don't go the way they hope. The couple came, but went somewhere else and now they aren't there either.  It's complicated, and the little house has sat empty collecting dust ever since.  We would stop and visit it from time to time, but we had not time to begin to use in ministry. But recently the little green house was opened up and cleaned up and put to use.  In July a large group came to Lage dos Negros with doctors and nurses and free medicine.  At the end of the week there was quite a bit of supplies left over.  But we didn't know.  Just a few weeks back, someone asked what we planned to do with all the leftover stuff. Some of the medicines were close to their expiration dates.  We needed to move quickly if we were going to be able to use them...

  Years ago in one of the houses where  we lived, we had a "party line" telephone.  When the phone rang, you had to answer and listen to see for whom the call was.  There were several other phones associated with ours. If it was for you, you stayed on the line.  If it wasn't, you were supposed to hang up. I should mention that the phone was attached to the wall and to hear you had to pick up the receiver part and place it near your ear.  If you called a number that was part of your party line, you could talk to them all at the same time if you really wanted.  We knew most of the people on our line.  They were neighbors.  My mother could ring the phone and talk to several other ladies at once. It was kind of cool for a while.  Eventually we got our own line.  I don't remember when.  But for a long time, that was how it was.  Today phone's are just plain scary.  With one touch on the screen you can book flights, order g...