Dear Grandchildren,
This week saw a small group of visitors roll into town from Istanbul. Two senior couples arrived on Thursday, for a grand total of four, of course. I had arranged for a driver and van to take us directly from the airport to Ephesus and beyond. Grandma and I brought sandwiches for the six of us, thinking that we had made everyone’s day. Then these people started pulling out baggies filled with nuts and other light fare. So our little effort to help with our lunch was thrown into stark relief -- as rather modest. These people travel with enough to sustain themselves, and others too. I like the way they travel.
This time to Ephesus, we went looking for what is traditionally Luke’s tomb. The identification of the place as Luke’s tomb is late. So I don’t take it seriously. But it was fun for me to come upon a place associated with the gospel author whose work I have come to revere. I had known of this place for months, but I had not gone looking for it either because I was with a group and a guide, or because I had entered the site from the other end and could not exit to go looking without incurring an extra entry fee.
Because we had the van and driver through Thursday and into Friday, I called my agent friend and got permission to go to another archaeological site, for an extra fee of course. So after spending three hours visiting the huge site of Ephesus, we piled into the van and asked the driver to take us to the place where the Apostle Paul last met with Asian saints, his friends from Ephesus, at the city of Miletus which now lies in ruins (see Acts 20:15–38). The driver said it would be an hour’s drive. Off we went. When we arrived, no other tourists were visible. Almost no one goes to that place. Eventually, a couple emerged from the big theater. They were the only other people at the site. In fact, after we got past the theater, we found an enormous spread of ruins, including the quay where in antiquity boats sailed in from the sea and docked to unload their goods. We walked over most of the site that was exposed by archaeologists years ago. It was the highlight of the trip because we had the run of the place and explored more or less off the beaten path.
Today we conducted a grand experiment of trying to render our Sacrament Meeting into two languages at the same time. Our Turkish translator was in our meeting; the Farsi translator sat in Ankara, connected by Skype. Our YVs turned two of our smart phones into microphones. We set up two laptops, one dedicated to the Turkish translation and one to Farsi. We began by keeping the one "microphone" under the voice of our Turkish translator, hoping that his voice would not be so loud in the other "microphone" that was a couple of feet away, feeding the English talks to the YV in Ankara for his translation. But the Farsi hearers, unfortunately, were hearing first the English speech and then the Turkish translation mashed together with the Farsi. It was confusion for them. Finally, the light went on in one of our VY’s heads. As the second talk began, he brought his cell phone to our little podium, with an open connection to the YV doing the Farsi translation, and took the smart phone which had been connected to the laptop that was carrying the Skype signal to the Farsi speakers. He shut off the smart phone "microphone." Now, the translator in Ankara was hearing the English through the cell phone, but none of the Farsi speakers could hear that. What they were hearing, and the only thing they were hearing after the "microphone" was turned off, was the YV in Ankara translating the talk into Farsi (he was connected to them via a Skype connection that allowed them to hear him and see us). The experiment was working. Someone — our YV — had figured out how to make our effort a success. Next week, it will be a completely different experience for the Farsi speakers. A sigh of relief.
We were nineteen today in our Sacrament meeting, nine in our hotel abode and ten joining us by Skype. I keep thinking that our numbers will go up in the hotel. But each Sunday, the numbers remain modest. I saw one of the YVs’ contacts yesterday and he said that he would see us today in our church services. But he did not come. I was disappointed. But a thousand things can happen in a matter of sixteen hours. So there may be a good reason why he did not show up. Maybe next time. I remain optimistic. I like this fellow and he has accepted the idea of a baptism. The next step ...
In one of the very nice touches of the day, our YVs showed up at services with roses for the three sisters, two in attendance and one who joined us for lunch after taking an exam. I give them many kudos for their thoughtfulness.
I keep thinking that the cool weather is finished. And then we see some rain and the outside temperatures come down a few degrees, keeping the nights cool. But it is hazardous to our sleep health to open our windows to enjoy the air. Like most cities, noises from outside continue well into the night, including an occasional honking horn and a person's sustained yelling. Or, as in our case, someone cranking up the volume about ten o'clock for the singer with a bad voice in a nearby restaurant. What is more, about five o'clock in the morning, the ravens and seagulls decide to serenade one another. Or shout at each other. Some mornings I can sleep through the racket, others I cannot. Oh well. Perhaps noise pollution from all quarters is here to stay.
I love you and pray for you. And I wish the women a very Happy Mother's Day. The mother here prepared a meal for nine. Not bad for her Mother's Day. She needs to get a special treat out of this.
I love you and pray for you all by name.
Grandpa Brown
No comments:
Post a Comment