Witnessing Jehovah

[Guest guest]

Witnessing Jehovah September 14, 2001 (3 days

after the terrorist attacks on NYC and D.C.)

 

 

Relaxing on the grass out front in shorts, quietly enjoying the

sunshine, we hear an unexpected car rolling up the gravel road toward

our house. Because this event is so rare we are all open and eager to

see who has arrived. Besides Bodhi, our tailwagging welcome

committee, Kheyala is the first to rise and greet our visitors. They

are both clean-cut, well-dressed and each is holding identical soft

briefcases.

 

JW: Hello. [she smiles in a friendly way] My name is Marie and

this is my father....

 

K: Oh! [big smile of recognition] You must be Jehovah's Witnesses!

 

JW: Yes. Have you met with others before?

 

K: No, but I have heard that you visit with people, door to door, toting Bibles.

 

JW: [she nods] We know how you must be feeling in the wake of what

has been happening recently. I would like to share with you this

verse.... [she pulls a small, worn book from her bag and opens it]

 

K: Wait, you didn't ask me how I feel.

 

JW: [she puts her finger in the book to keep the page] Okay.

[slightly disturbed] How do you feel?

 

K: [silence. looking directly at her]

 

JW: [after a moment, fidgeting and irritated] Oh, you don't want to

tell me how you feel?

 

K: [calmly] I don't want to speak to you from here [pointing to my

head] , I want to say it from here [hand on my heart].

 

JW: [patronizingly] Okaaaay.

 

K: [more silence, but not for long]

 

JW: [she gives an exasperated look at her father and then back at me] Well???

 

K: [grinning] I am feeling that you don't really want to know.

 

JW: [visibly agitated] Well I asked, didn't I?

 

K: [matter-of-factly] You asked with your mouth.... [then silence]

 

JW: [raising the book up in a jerk] Look. Do you want to hear this or not?

 

K: [openly, still looking right at her] No.

 

 

She abruptly pivots and heads toward her vehicle while hurriedly

returning the book to its pouch. Her father, the elderly gentleman

who had been a silent observer throughout, gives us a respectful and

humble bow with his head. They drive off. I notice that their car

has some children and other adults in it. My friend says to me, "We

used to have them come to our place at least once a month. I have

never seen them leave in such a hurry, ever!"

 

They came with the intention to show us God's Grace. What they

were met with when they arrived was That very Grace. She couldn't

handle it. But who can?

 

 

 

Only Grace.

 

 

 

Love,

Kheyala

 

 

Attachment: (image/jpeg) Clear Day Bkgrd.jpg [not stored]

[Guest guest]

Hi Grace,

 

Er, uh, I mean Kheyala. That was funny, touching, and well written! I

think her father *was* listening to your heart. Maybe he'll teach that to

her when the time is right. :-)

 

Love,

 

--Greg

 

At 12:14 PM 9/14/01 -0700, Kheyala wrote:

>Witnessing Jehovah / September 14, 2001 (3 days after the terrorist

attacks on NYC and D.C.)

 

....