who otherwise might have turned to crime to survive.
“In Morocco, we are not allowed to preach or offer any public worship services,” Daniel explained. “Instead, we try to do what good we can in the Lord’s name and attempt to influence people by example.”
He paused for a short break when the talk moved from Morocco to Spain. There, life was much freer for missionaries; they were permitted to move around the country, preach the Gospel, offer educational programs and teach in the schools. Leah was fascinated by the old buildings, the parks and gardens, and the slides of farms, scenic mountains and ocean beaches. Daniel said that he’d liked the Spanish people and had been impressed by their loyalty to family and the sense of history and culture that held a place in every part of their lives.
When the lights came on and Daniel thanked everyone for coming, it took a few seconds for Leah to realize that Susanna was chattering away to her. So absolute was her concentration on Daniel’s world that Miriam had to take hold of her arm before she broke out of her reverie.
“Did you fall asleep?” Miriam asked, teasingly.
“Lemonade,” Susanna repeated. “Pink. Want some?”
Leah met her little sister’s excited gaze. “No. You go on with Miriam.” As the two followed Charley and the Gleaners to the refreshment table, Leah found herself drawn to the desk where Daniel was shutting down his laptop.
“Daniel?”
He glanced up and his face creased in a big smile. “Leah. I hope I didn’t waste your evening.”
“No.” She shook her head. “It was wonderful. You were wonderful.”
His green eyes lit up with pleasure. “I’m glad.” He shrugged modestly. “I tend to run on. Speaking’s not really my strong suit. I like the work… What I mean is, this speaking thing wasn’t my idea. But Douglas Wheeler—he’s on the mission board—thought that because I’m younger than most of our speakers and not a pastor that I might attract more teenagers to…” He stopped and chuckled. “There I go again. I told you, I talk too much.”
“I don’t think so,” she said, smiling back at him. “I think you’re…inspiring.”
“It’s nice of you to say so.” He hesitated, carefully wrapping up an electrical cord. “I wondered…”
“Yes?”
Daniel cleared his throat and grimaced, for just a moment looking more like fifteen than however old he really was. “I don’t know if you’d be interested, or if it’s allowed, but on Tuesday, Caroline, Leslie and I are helping out at the food bank in Dover. It’s only open once a week. My aunt usually volunteers there, but she’s having a root canal. Do you think—”
“I’d like to help?” Leah suggested. “I would. Very much.”
“That’s great. It wouldn’t be a problem for you, would it? I mean, your church doesn’t usually allow you to do volunteer work for outsiders.”
“That’s true,” she said, never having thought about it that way before. “But that doesn’t apply to me because I haven’t joined the Amish church yet. I’m allowed to do what I want.” Leah chuckled. “Within reason. And I think that helping out at the food bank would be something I’d like to do.”
“Great.” He laughed. “I said that before, didn’t I?”
“It’s all right.” She suddenly felt shy. “I don’t mind.”
“I think I like you, Leah Yoder.”
She glanced up into his pleasant face and, for a moment, felt giddy, as if the floor had suddenly swayed under her feet. “And I think I like you, Daniel Brown.”
“Good.” His crooked smile widened. “The girls and I will pick you up at twelve-thirty on Tuesday, if that’s okay?” She nodded and he went on. “And wear comfortable shoes. You won’t get a chance to sit down until our shift ends at five.”
* * *
The kitchen clock was striking nine-thirty when Leah, Susanna and Rebecca arrived home to find Mam and Aunt Jezebel waiting up for them. “Oh, you should have come with
“In Morocco, we are not allowed to preach or offer any public worship services,” Daniel explained. “Instead, we try to do what good we can in the Lord’s name and attempt to influence people by example.”
He paused for a short break when the talk moved from Morocco to Spain. There, life was much freer for missionaries; they were permitted to move around the country, preach the Gospel, offer educational programs and teach in the schools. Leah was fascinated by the old buildings, the parks and gardens, and the slides of farms, scenic mountains and ocean beaches. Daniel said that he’d liked the Spanish people and had been impressed by their loyalty to family and the sense of history and culture that held a place in every part of their lives.
When the lights came on and Daniel thanked everyone for coming, it took a few seconds for Leah to realize that Susanna was chattering away to her. So absolute was her concentration on Daniel’s world that Miriam had to take hold of her arm before she broke out of her reverie.
“Did you fall asleep?” Miriam asked, teasingly.
“Lemonade,” Susanna repeated. “Pink. Want some?”
Leah met her little sister’s excited gaze. “No. You go on with Miriam.” As the two followed Charley and the Gleaners to the refreshment table, Leah found herself drawn to the desk where Daniel was shutting down his laptop.
“Daniel?”
He glanced up and his face creased in a big smile. “Leah. I hope I didn’t waste your evening.”
“No.” She shook her head. “It was wonderful. You were wonderful.”
His green eyes lit up with pleasure. “I’m glad.” He shrugged modestly. “I tend to run on. Speaking’s not really my strong suit. I like the work… What I mean is, this speaking thing wasn’t my idea. But Douglas Wheeler—he’s on the mission board—thought that because I’m younger than most of our speakers and not a pastor that I might attract more teenagers to…” He stopped and chuckled. “There I go again. I told you, I talk too much.”
“I don’t think so,” she said, smiling back at him. “I think you’re…inspiring.”
“It’s nice of you to say so.” He hesitated, carefully wrapping up an electrical cord. “I wondered…”
“Yes?”
Daniel cleared his throat and grimaced, for just a moment looking more like fifteen than however old he really was. “I don’t know if you’d be interested, or if it’s allowed, but on Tuesday, Caroline, Leslie and I are helping out at the food bank in Dover. It’s only open once a week. My aunt usually volunteers there, but she’s having a root canal. Do you think—”
“I’d like to help?” Leah suggested. “I would. Very much.”
“That’s great. It wouldn’t be a problem for you, would it? I mean, your church doesn’t usually allow you to do volunteer work for outsiders.”
“That’s true,” she said, never having thought about it that way before. “But that doesn’t apply to me because I haven’t joined the Amish church yet. I’m allowed to do what I want.” Leah chuckled. “Within reason. And I think that helping out at the food bank would be something I’d like to do.”
“Great.” He laughed. “I said that before, didn’t I?”
“It’s all right.” She suddenly felt shy. “I don’t mind.”
“I think I like you, Leah Yoder.”
She glanced up into his pleasant face and, for a moment, felt giddy, as if the floor had suddenly swayed under her feet. “And I think I like you, Daniel Brown.”
“Good.” His crooked smile widened. “The girls and I will pick you up at twelve-thirty on Tuesday, if that’s okay?” She nodded and he went on. “And wear comfortable shoes. You won’t get a chance to sit down until our shift ends at five.”
* * *
The kitchen clock was striking nine-thirty when Leah, Susanna and Rebecca arrived home to find Mam and Aunt Jezebel waiting up for them. “Oh, you should have come with
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