Our new home is working out very well. We have adequate amounts of water and firewood and our mighty men of valor have found game for our table. The chickens are molting and so egg production is low. We eat a lot of cornbread, potatoes, and beans. Trigger has not had much to eat and Sam was able to get a sack of horse feed for him last week. Sam is starting to have trouble getting work. More and more people don't want anything to do with those who will not take the Mark. Barzallai goes to town twice a month for groceries and has given K some things we have needed like bandages, soap, and a number of other things he has had for a long time and never used. K helped him clean out is closets and brought a large bag full of good warm clothes which my wife soon altered for various ones who needed them.
Our hearts have been saddened by a grim reality. The fifth trumpet has driven two from our little band. It seems that Mary has left us. We are not certain as to why. She departed quietly one night without saying a word to anyone. She did not seem like herself after Pastor read and explained Revelation 9:1-11. The next day she did her chores like usual but seemed very worried. I have a theory about why she left but I hope it is not true. If she had stayed with us the locust would have revealed that she was not one of us. She did not want to take that chance so left. There does not seem to be any other reasonable explanation for her sudden departure.
Hannah has also left us but not anything like Mary. When the locust came she was bitten by one as she was filling the water jugs at the well early one morning. At first we thought she had been bitten or stung by some kind of dreadful spider or scorpion. We never dreamed it could be one of the locust for we just knew she would have the seal of God in her forehead, being a saved person. The second time she was stung Pastor and I saw it. In her agony and pain she cursed us and left in a rage screaming. She left expressing that we were all against her, that we had misunderstood the Bible teaching about the fifth seal, and that we thought we were better than her. In her mind she is convinced she is saved and that there has to be some other explanation for her being stung when none of the rest of us have been. “Let her go,” Pastor said. “There is nothing we can do.” There is a fear that she will turn us in but we are hoping she will not. I am afraid that she will reason in her mind that the Mark is not really of the devil and will take it so she can survive. We now know how the disciples must have felt when they found out about Judas. Their leaving came as a complete surprise to us all. It might be that Mary is lost, knows it, and yet so far has done nothing about it. Hannah is lost, does not know it, and goes on thinking she is okay. We pray that they will repent and be saved.
The locust have been spreading like a plague everywhere. They seem to have no interest in eating vegetation like normal locust. There are reports that many have been bitten by them and their bites are very painful. None of the pesticides will kill them and they just seem to be everywhere. They seem to stay away from our camp for the most part. We have seen only one or two at a time whereas in town they are seen in swarms. Sam and K are very careful not to come in contact with these locusts. They are very afraid of them. So far they have not been touched and they credit that fact to their carefulness. They wear heavy clothing and look like bee keepers when they are outside. They think they're safe because they are careful and are in good standing with God since they have helped us. As for the rest of us, when we walk outside of camp the locust move out of our way and though they look like they would just love to bite us they don't even try. The chickens just love them. I assume they don't taste like chicken to chickens.
I noticed on our way into town that the hospitals are filled to overflowing with people who have been bitten. They seem to be in agony and even the strongest of men were weeping and wailing. It seems the sting and swelling only lasts for about a week but with so many locust one can't help but be bitten every week or even every day. Those who can, stay indoors with their windows and doors taped shut. There does not seem to be any medicine that will relieve the pain and swelling. Many are put on suicide watch because the pain is overwhelming. Heavy sedation works well but they can't do that for everyone.
We are down to 12 now and this plague will last for four more months. Only two more trumpets and we will be going home.
Our hearts have been saddened by a grim reality. The fifth trumpet has driven two from our little band. It seems that Mary has left us. We are not certain as to why. She departed quietly one night without saying a word to anyone. She did not seem like herself after Pastor read and explained Revelation 9:1-11. The next day she did her chores like usual but seemed very worried. I have a theory about why she left but I hope it is not true. If she had stayed with us the locust would have revealed that she was not one of us. She did not want to take that chance so left. There does not seem to be any other reasonable explanation for her sudden departure.
Hannah has also left us but not anything like Mary. When the locust came she was bitten by one as she was filling the water jugs at the well early one morning. At first we thought she had been bitten or stung by some kind of dreadful spider or scorpion. We never dreamed it could be one of the locust for we just knew she would have the seal of God in her forehead, being a saved person. The second time she was stung Pastor and I saw it. In her agony and pain she cursed us and left in a rage screaming. She left expressing that we were all against her, that we had misunderstood the Bible teaching about the fifth seal, and that we thought we were better than her. In her mind she is convinced she is saved and that there has to be some other explanation for her being stung when none of the rest of us have been. “Let her go,” Pastor said. “There is nothing we can do.” There is a fear that she will turn us in but we are hoping she will not. I am afraid that she will reason in her mind that the Mark is not really of the devil and will take it so she can survive. We now know how the disciples must have felt when they found out about Judas. Their leaving came as a complete surprise to us all. It might be that Mary is lost, knows it, and yet so far has done nothing about it. Hannah is lost, does not know it, and goes on thinking she is okay. We pray that they will repent and be saved.
The locust have been spreading like a plague everywhere. They seem to have no interest in eating vegetation like normal locust. There are reports that many have been bitten by them and their bites are very painful. None of the pesticides will kill them and they just seem to be everywhere. They seem to stay away from our camp for the most part. We have seen only one or two at a time whereas in town they are seen in swarms. Sam and K are very careful not to come in contact with these locusts. They are very afraid of them. So far they have not been touched and they credit that fact to their carefulness. They wear heavy clothing and look like bee keepers when they are outside. They think they're safe because they are careful and are in good standing with God since they have helped us. As for the rest of us, when we walk outside of camp the locust move out of our way and though they look like they would just love to bite us they don't even try. The chickens just love them. I assume they don't taste like chicken to chickens.
I noticed on our way into town that the hospitals are filled to overflowing with people who have been bitten. They seem to be in agony and even the strongest of men were weeping and wailing. It seems the sting and swelling only lasts for about a week but with so many locust one can't help but be bitten every week or even every day. Those who can, stay indoors with their windows and doors taped shut. There does not seem to be any medicine that will relieve the pain and swelling. Many are put on suicide watch because the pain is overwhelming. Heavy sedation works well but they can't do that for everyone.
We are down to 12 now and this plague will last for four more months. Only two more trumpets and we will be going home.
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