Chapter 13 - Page 172 - Tunnel Vision

He patterned the government after the American political system and so the ballot listed candidates for mayor and city council, for school board members, and for treasurer. Several people signed up for each position, because Jim pledged to pay a small wage to each office holder. Even Rhasha’s dad Thamish was on the ballot for mayor.

   The elections would be held in one month, allowing candidates time to sway voters to their side. After the election, Jim would have one month to train the elected officials in their new jobs. In the meantime, Jim and Rhasha went to an overcrowded church every Sunday and sang to a dedicated congregation. Every Sunday, Jim prayed for God to speak to the hearts of the village people. Every Sunday the congregation went home without professing Jesus as savior. Reverend Morris, Jim, and Jackie spoke to listeners daily, but it was as if a wall stood between the church pews and the altar. Several people told Reverend Morris they believed in Jesus, but no one was willing to be the first one to walk down the aisle.

   Jim prayed for Rhasha every day, that she might understand. Rhasha wanted to understand, but Jesus just didn’t make sense to her. She told Jim she would believe in Jesus if he wanted her to. He told her to wait until Jesus was in her heart. Rhasha sang Christian music as beautifully as any Christian Jim had ever known, but she would not come forward to profess Jesus as savior.

   Every Sunday the congregation met at the waterfalls after church, and this Sunday was no exception. Jim and Rhasha already had prepared everything they needed for the picnic, so they only had to load the jeep and stop by the hospital to talk to the patients for an hour and a half before meeting everyone else at the falls.