MOTHER DECIDES TO HAVE ANOTHER BABY

   My mother’s arms had felt so empty and her heart remained so sad after the death of Harold.  The two eldest sons Paul and Fred soon married and left home.  Their third son, Albert (often called Al) was conscripted into the Canadian Army and based in England.  One never knew if or when he would return to Canada.  The dental missionary, Helen had been staying near the coast of South America waiting for the next wartime ship that had space for one more passenger leaving for Africa.  Helen said she had been called of God and felt it was her duty to help the people of Africa.  She spent 52 years there and during that time the family kept in close touch through air mail letters. Helen received no salary but two people in the Keyes family who had helped her through high school sent $50.00 each month during all her years in Africa.  Bob and Margaret Keyes now are retired.  Helen stayed in Kamloops with my younger sister Esther and her husband Lloyd for nine years and helped her keep in touch with those back in Africa.  Now in a retirement home in Kamloops, Lloyd and Esther visit her three times a week and bring prints of the e-mails that have come for her.  She likes to remind me that she asks him to use the clear side of “pre-used” paper.      

   Now we’ll go back to our Mother who had the idea that they would have another child to take the place of Harold John, They would name him John Harold and perhaps this new one would bring back to earth the soul of Harold.  The replacement arrived on December 3^rd, 1938, and they called him John Harold Krueger.  Educated in Canada, he had trained as a high school teacher.  The hearts of both our Mother and Father felt a healing.  Our brothers and sisters kept an open mind and precious lessons were learned along the way  The new baby did not have the blond wavy hair like Harold  shows on the only picture taken of him standing in his little wagon and seems to guide it with both hands and beams a pleasant smile. 

    After retirement and receiving a teacher’s pension, John and his wife Jean went to Kenya and organized The International Fellowship.  Any couple already in Kenya who may have up to four children of their own and were willing to welcome two more into their home could become residents on the farm, work together, and be part of that community. In retirement John and Jean remain available when asked for advice by the board of directors of the International Fellowship. 

The picture below shows Harold Krueger beaming his pleasant smile.