#2 Sept 20

I see there are quite a few on here this morning so will add more of the story before I head out to bowling. New comers remember you will have to scroll down to the beginning and work backwards to the present.,

I have made arrangements for an honorarium of three hundred pounds to be paid to you for your extraordinary service to the church and I would be pleased to see you use it to give your family an enjoyable vacation.”

  Both the Doctor and Mrs. Pearce stared at the Bishop in stunned silence. ‘Three hundred pounds – a fortune, a vacation – they had never had one’ ran through both their minds.

Finally Doctor Pearce said, “I’m, I’m uh sorry sir, a vacation, such a huge amount; I’m overwhelmed, I don’t know what to say.”

  “Just give me your answer after you have thought about it, perhaps you would like to run up to Leeds, you could go by train today and come back tomorrow or the next day. Just be here by Sunday and then off you go on your vacation. I think if you start your holiday next Monday and be back here the following Monday should be quite right. Now the limousine is waiting to take you back, away you go, I will see you on Sunday.”

  Little was said on the way back to the Inn, but as they arrived Mrs. Pearce broke the silence. “Henry we rested all day yesterday I think we should see if there is an afternoon train and make the trip today and come back tomorrow or the next day.”

  “I agree, m’dear. Tomorrow is Friday, so that gives us plenty of time and it will be like an extension to our vacation week.”

  Phone calls were made, overnight bags were packed and by two o’clock that afternoon they were all on a day coach to Leeds and Headingly.

  They stayed in the area until Saturday afternoon, they visited the church which was very old but made no attempt to find the current pastor. The war seemed to have missed Headingly entirely so it reminded both of the parents of the small town they had grown up in the south of England. Within the first hour of their arrival their minds were made up, this is where they would wait out the coming months or years until they could return once again to China.

Chapter 7.

  They went back to the Inn in London Saturday afternoon, they attended church on Sunday and innovatively Doctor Pearce had each member of his family elaborate through out his narration of their missionary work, the bombing of their hospital, their escape from China and the comfortable years of their medical and spiritual work in British Columbia.

  In a meeting later with the Bishop, he gave their acceptance of the offer of the stewardship of the Headingly church.

  “We are looking forward to the respite you offered but we have been traveling for so long, we have decided to simply go to Headingly, attend services and become acquainted with the people of the area. I would like to have time to visit with my predecessor and hopefully enlist his support in the future. Also school time for the children is not too far away and I would like them to get as settled as possible before classes begin.”

  The Bishop nodded as the Doctor spoke and said with a slight smile, “Splendid idea! I will telephone Reverend Smythe and let him know you are coming. He will, I’m sure, be able to provide you with some guidance in getting yourself settled. There is a manse but you will have a short wait until he has vacated.”

  Later, Doctor Pearce said to his wife, “I do believe that the Bishop had this all planned out. As it is now we are spending our vacation funds on establishing ourselves in our new home.”

  Mrs. Pearce nodded, “Now, now he couldn’t have known which position we would take. You are much too suspicious. Oh how I’ll be glad to settle down again and get the children back into a routine.