DO 954-617/12/80

Dearest Dad & Maria‚

I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! I just wanted to write you a little note about my reactions to Jus' defection & to thank you for your little notes to me, Dad, that were such a help & encouragement! What you said about "just keep busy for Jesus & He fills all the empties" is so true. Thank You Lord!

WHEN I READ THAT FIRST LINE OF THE PHONE MESSAGE THAT JUS HAD LEFT WITH ALL THREE OF THE KIDS, my first reaction was I was really mad at him! (Dad: You should be!) Then as it started to sink in, I just got really really sad for the kids & just broke down & cried & cried. (Dad: So sorry!)

EVERY TIME I THOUGHT ABOUT IT I'D START CRYING—when I thought how they were at his parents' house & without any Grandpa Letters anymore & the Family & Scripture memorisation, etc. I do really hope that Jus doesn't turn around & say that all that we have been teaching them all these years was wrong & not true—how could they ever believe another word he ever tells them if he does that! (Dad:—He can't! They won't!)

IT WAS ENCOURAGING FOR ME TO KNOW THAT ALL THREE OF THEM ARE SAVED & have Jesus in their hearts & that they are the Lord's children & He will take care of them! Even if I never saw them again in this life, our lives here are but a vapour compared to Eternity, so I'm just putting them in God's hands & know He will care for His own! PTL! (Dad:—Amen! GBY! We're praying for you.)

I'M REALLY SORRY THAT IT ENDED UP THAT JUS WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE WITH ALL THE KIDS, but on the other hand I'm thankful, as you said, that he left peacefully. Since he was mindful of that country, God made a way for him to return & he took it, & now I'm sure the Lord is really going to sock it to him, & probably use the children to do it. (Dad: Amen. It was really sneaky & mean to you!)

SO I'M REALLY PRAYING FOR THEM THERE, & that maybe someday they will come back to the Family & that God will get a great victory out of this seeming defeat! I agree that it's better to have an unreliable traitor out of our midst than living with us, & I'm sure God had His hand in the way the whole thing came about. (Dad: We gave him another chance, but he rejected it. "He's joined to his idols."—Hosea 4:17. Look it up!)

IT WAS A REAL SHOCK TO ME AT FIRST, & STILL IS, & it really broke my heart when I heard it, but I'm sure even this was part of God's plan, to break my heart & draw me closer to Him & His Word & set me free to serve Him to the fullest & the utmost.

I'M WHOLLY YOURS & HIS & have nothing in this World to stop me from the Work that God has set before me!—And I'm so happy. PTL! I just pray I stay yielded to Him & an obedient servant so He can use me in the highest best way possible according to His perfect plan! (Dad: Amen. GBY! WLY!—& He loves you! "The trying of your faith is more precious than gold!"—1Peter 1:7.)

THE LORD COMFORTED MY HEART WITH SO MANY ENCOURAGING SCRIPTURES, even the one you received for Spain's persecution: "Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust & respecteth not the proud nor such as turn aside to lies!" (Ps.40:4.) Also that "all things work together for good to them that love God & are called according to His purpose." (Rom.8:28.)

GOD NEVER TAKES ANYTHING AWAY FROM YOU WITHOUT GIVING YOU SOMETHING BETTER—& He has surely given me so much in the way of all these wonderful spiritual children I've been bearing, all the little MO babies! PTL! "Every one that hath forsaken husband or children for My Name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold & shall inherit everlasting life!" (Mt.19:29.) PTL! "For thy Maker is thine husband, the Lord of hosts is His Name!" (Isa.54:5.) Hallelujah!

(DAD: AMEN! "HEPSIBAH!" I just got this name for you!—I think it's a Scripture: "From henceforth thou shalt be called Hepsibah, for the children of the barren shall be more than they of the married wife!"—Ha! Wotta Scripture! Please look it up!—I just got it for you! TYJ! God's got all the answers, amen? GBY! ILY! Ha! The message is evidently a combination of two Scriptures: Isa.62:4 & Isa.54:1! Ha! Wotta comfort!—Straight from the Lord!)

SO I'M MAKING THE LORD MY TRUST & GONNA PUT HIS WORK & WORDS FIRST & STAY BUSY FOR JESUS & He'll fill all the empties! PTL! ILY, Dad & Maria, so so so much! Thank you for all that you have sacrificed to make this wonderful Family possible! (Dad: —And you too!—You've been with us from almost the beginning! GBY!—You made'm possible!—You were my 2nd secretary next to Maria!—& always faithful! We're praying you can stand this test!)—With much love & devotion forever & ever,—Your Sal. (Dad: May the Lord help you make it!—I know He can! GBY!—Praying for you!—Love,—D.)

(From Maria:)

DEAR SAL‚ YOUR LETTER RE: JUS & CHILDREN MADE ME CRY‚ it was so sweet. He had to break the vessel to make it into a new & better one, more fit for His use. (2Tim.2:21.) We've all been praying for you much. I'm sure the children will never forget their training & the Lord will bring them back to you eventually‚ even if you have to wait till Heaven. They're not to blame, so He'll keep them safe & in His arms.

BUT THE LORD MUST KNOW YOU NEED THIS DRAWING CLOSER TO HIM even more than they need the Family right now, think of that! So He'll take care of them, don't worry. Romans 8:28. Love‚ Maria.