12/23/10

Letter to Marian and Frank, February 15, 1970

 Mom Holding Helen

My Aunt Marian kept many of the letters my mother, Donna Biel, wrote to her.  She recently returned them.  The most interesting parts are recorded here.


Dear Marian and Frank,

We got your lovely Valentine cards and letter three days ago.  The children were delighted to get the cards and Rachel read and understood all her letter.

I had planned to write you the day your letter came, but then a lady came to our house at 7Pm  from our congregation who has been in a mental hospital many times.  She was hysterical and I listened to her until Joey came at 10:30.  He is gone most evenings during Lent to different points in our parish.  This lady stayed overnight.  I listened to her for two more hours while Joey talked to the family.  The 18 year old daughter had a fight with this lady and bit her, pulled her hair plus kicked her.  The family wanted her to stay with us for a few days but she decided to face the music and go home.  I would have been a nervous wreck if she stayed as Joey is gone today and yesterday was coming home at night.  I feel sorry for for this family for the lady said she wouldn't stay anymore but go back to her father but she has a 9 year old son to think of.  The daughter needs psychiatric care, too.  Anyway, after this I felt I needed to relax.

I have a Reader's Digest Condensed stories book and enjoyed "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck.  We got a book from the States- a paperback which we enjoyed very much.  It is called "Smuggler for God" by Brother Andrew.  A Dutchman who with his co-laborers is smuggling Bibles into communist countries and as yet, haven't been caught.  Only in Albania and China were the people not interested in Bibles.  He has been to Cuba and planned to go to North Vietnam and North Korea.  He ends the book by saying all may be ambassadors of Christ when they travel abroad by carrying New Testaments of that country and leaving it somewhere as someone would want it but yet, I think this could be dangerous.

We hadn't heard-  Are you planning on going to Hungary this year?  You didn't mention if you work 5 days a week and what hours?  5 to 11 pm?

We hadn't realized that you were doing repair work on the house or that Louie was doing it.  I'm sure you are enjoying being in your own house and being able to do to it whatever you like to do.

I'm going to try to get a map sent to you this week.  They aren't expensive so consider it a present.  I think I will send a map to the other brothers and sisters and perhaps they will be more interested in writing.  ...

Does Lisa go to private or public nursery school?  Here they have to be 3.5 years.  I think Helen will go when she is 4.  She went for two weeks in November but didn't listen much.  We pay $5 a month for the school.  There is a nearby public nursery but it is small and hasn't any openings.  Helen seems to get into everything.  I have to put my purse up high as she took money out twice and bought ice cream.  She came back with change but I don't know if it was right as I didn't know how much she took.  We have ice cream carts, cotton candy, and colored ice carts going by the house all day. A couple of days ago one of her friends cut off a big chunk of her hair- now she will have to use pixie hair style.

You asked about Valentine's Day.  It is celebrated here in June, however, they don't have cards like we do to give on that day.

Tuesday Rachel starts back to school after two months of summer vacation.  She has been living at the neighbors house, a Japanese girl and has been disobedient- not coming home after we call her several times so she has to stay home for a week.  Yesterday we went to a good circus here.  I told Rachel not to take her doll along but she hid it and took it along- then when the circus was over, she forgot it and it was stolen when we went back.  Now she has to wait until Christmas before we buy her another one.  She says she will listen to me now but I wonder.

 Rachel learning how to ride a bike.

Charles enjoys the bike he got for Christmas.  At times, Joey goes riding with him on his bike.  Rachel has tried to ride it but can't yet.  She is good at swimming and Charles is afraid of the water which goes past his waist.  Charles is soon going to start kindergarten with me.  He knows how to print many letters but doesn't know the name of the letters.  In August, he will start first grade at the small mission school.

We had some sweltering weather 96-98 degrees every day but lately it has been raining and pleasant, in the low 80's.

When we get the books you sent, we will let you know.  We found some books for Rachel in English at a a Christian bookstore in Campinas.  We have sent for Child Craft Encyclopedia and when they come we will get a bookcase set up in their bedroom.  One book we got for us at that bookstore which was published in England is "War of the Worlds" by Aldus Huxley.  amazing when you think he wrote it before people were using automobiles.

Feb 17th

I got 3 maps sent today to your address.  One is for Cynthia and Nels and the other for Louie and Rosie.  I sent them by ship which takes 2 to 3 months.  The maps are huge and it will show you how large Brazil is.  More maps.................  (a page must be lost...)

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