November 25,1996
Dear Andy:
It is so pretty in our little valley, in the mountains, you and your brother would like it here. I wish I had the opportunity, as a little boy, to live in the country and play with the rabbits, deer, cats and dogs.
Right behind our house is an old barn where I am sure you and
your brother would have hours of fun playing. And behind that
is a large mountain, covered with a forest of trees. From the
top you can see many other mountains in the distance. And then,
there is round mountain about fourteen miles from our house. It
is 4600 feet high and from its top, which is bald, that is, it
doesn’t have any trees on it, you can see for hundreds of
miles in all directions. You can also see many higher mountains
from there.
In front of our house is a creek that flows out of the mountains.
It is very cold this time of year, but it is pretty. There is
a small bridge that crosses it, just large enough for two boys
to cross together. They grow corn on the other side, but now it
is just a barren field.
Just down the road from our house, a farmer has a heard of cows
and further down the road, an old woman has a flock of chickens,
that run or fly across the road when I walk past. She also has
two dogs, one large one that is tied up and a smaller one that
stands high up on a hill and barks at me. The lady’s house
is perched on the side of a steep hill so you can see underneath
it.
The creek has rocks in it causing the water to make rapids, and
in some places, they create small water falls. This year, the
creek is low, not very much water in it, but when it rains, it
swells and almost overflows its banks, the way it did last January.
There are lots of fun things for young boys to do here, but there
isn’t any football or cricket, although maybe the school
has a football team. I don’t know much about the school.
Why don’t you and your brother persuade your mother and dad
to move to Tennessee. They might even like it here.
I would enjoy receiving a letter from you and your brother. Tell
me what you would like to do or be when you grow up. There are
lots of things you could do. You could be a missionary to Africa,
or start a farm so young boys from the city can learn about God
and nature, there are just so many things for boys to do when
they live in the country.
What do you want to do when you go to heaven? What do people do
there? Have you ever thought of that? Do you want to live in heaven
with Jesus?
Remember to pray for your mother and Dad when you say your night
time prayers and pray for me also, I need lots of prayers.
May the Lord bless you. Your brother in Christ.
Allen Benson