A Harvest of Hope (25 page)

“I am just being practical.” Her voice dripped self-righteousness.

“Look, if you don't want to help, that is your choice, but I think most of us take our town and our people as part of our family. This can be a tragedy or a chance to show others the love of God that we have all lived with these many years.” Penny's voice grew louder, and she glared across the table. She surged to her feet. “I'd better go take a walk before I say something I might be really sorry for.”

“All right. That's enough.” Mary Martha spoke softly and gently. “Penny, walk around the building and then come back in.”

Hildegunn shoved back her chair and snatched up her sewing basket. “No need to leave on my account. I know when I am not wanted.” She leaped to her feet and stormed out the door before anyone else could get their mouth shut and feet in motion to stop her.

For a long minute, no one said a word. They all studied the table like they had never seen it before.

“I'm sorry,” Penny offered. “I must learn to keep my mouth shut.”

“You only said what the rest of us were thinking. Between Hildegunn and Anner, they've managed to offend most of the rest of us.” Ingeborg, who was sitting next to her, patted her hand. “I suggest we continue our discussion of how to help those devastated by the fire. We need a plan. We have several quilts we were going to send to the Indian reservation, but now we will need them here. If anyone has any pieces or tops, let's get them finished as quickly as possible. I was going to cut Haakan's coat down for Manny, but a grown man will need it. We need to gather up as much as we can.”

“What about writing to some other congregations to ask for help? John and I talked about that last night. Or was it this morning?” Mary Martha wagged her head. “It is all mushing together.”

“We could gather the clothes we have and bring them here. Let people come and help themselves,” Penny suggested.

Ingeborg added, “Miriam and I started jumpers for the girls on the reservation but girls here can use them, if we have any the right size.”

“I have an idea. Why don't we make a list of all the people, and as clothes come in put family names on them. Start a box for each?”

Mary Martha nodded. “We have a box of outgrown clothes at the school. I keep it to pass things on as needed. We can start with that.”

“Bedding will be needed, but not until there is housing. Clothes are necessary now. Anything else?”

“Mostly we need clothing for men.”

“True.”

Everyone agreed to bring in what they could find, and Sunday after church, they would open it up for their refugees to choose from.

Mary Martha clanged a spoon against her coffee cup. “Let's close with the Lord's Prayer. Oh, wait. John and Thomas Devlin have been talking about a gratitude service for all the town. They decided on Saturday night at the schoolhouse. John is going to give Mr. Nyquist, Kaaren, and Miss Rumly notes to send home with all the schoolchildren. We can post signs in town and tell the men at work. Anything else?”

“What are we serving?” Kaaren asked.

“Why do we need to serve anything?”

“Makes it more like a party. If we call it a party rather than a service, more people will want to come, especially the Tent Town people. We can have music and throw a real celebration.” Kaaren smiled at everyone. “We need a celebration, ladies. We have so much to be thankful for.”

Penny nodded. “Then we need dancing too. So we will make punch and coffee and everyone can bring desserts, cakes, pies, cookies, whatever you want. Just bring plenty.”

Mary Martha's grin brought out returned ones. “I knew I
could count on all of you to dress this thing up. Not a service. A celebration! I'll tell the men.”

Ingeborg chuckled on the way home. “Did you notice that Mary Martha did not say she would ask the men? She said she'd tell them.”

“I did.” Kaaren swung her basket. “Please, Lord, hold off the winter for us.”

“I suppose someone should go talk with Hildegunn,” Ingeborg said with a sigh.

“Not yet. Give her a chance. Perhaps she'll see what is truly happening.”

“True. So back to praying for the Valders senior. And that the two of them do not take out their bad feelings on Gerald and his family. Maybe Benny will be a softening influence. Besides, maybe repairs to their house and a real cleaning will soon make it liveable again.”

Please, Lord, let it be so
.

T
he meeting the next evening started at seven o'clock on the dot with an opening prayer by Reverend Solberg. Daniel Jeffers calling the meeting to order.

“The purpose of this meeting is to better understand our financial resources available right now and to develop a plan to seek outside assistance if we need it.”

Astrid sat at the back of the room to make it easier to leave if she needed to. Her mor was sitting beside her, and Penny, the Garrisons, Sophie, Kaaren, and Mrs. Jeffers were there too. Astrid was surprised Hildegunn wasn't present. She turned her attention to the front, where a table was set up. Daniel, Hjelmer, Thorliff, and Mr. Valders looked out over those assembled.

“We asked Anner Valders and Hjelmer to prepare a statement of the bank funds.” He nodded toward Anner Valders, who stood up.

Anner cleared his throat. While the worst of the redness from the burns had left his face, he still looked rather strange—hairless and patchy. His right hand was covered in a bandage.

Astrid wondered how bad his hand was burned. Daniel said he'd injured it slamming the safe closed. It was a miracle the man had gotten out of the burning building in such good shape.

“Understand this is a preliminary report.” Anner cleared his throat again and looked like he would rather be anywhere than standing before this group. “As you know, most of our bank cash is reinvested in local loans, so because of that, our liquidity is kept low. When more money comes in, it becomes available for loans. Sometimes, when we have a sufficient surplus cash flow, I invest in other worthwhile ventures so that our money is always earning more money for us to use.” He looked up from the paper he was reading. “Any questions?”

Daniel leaned forward and waved his hand. “I assume that seasonally, then, our cash flow is affected. Like with all the wheat harvest, we would have considerable extra cash at this point.”

Anner's tone of voice sounded like a schoolmaster correcting a child. “Remember, much of the harvest was still in the elevator, now lost, and is therefore not going to give us income. Only the wheat that was shipped.”

“Of course. But—”

“Also, we have been investing heavily in the construction projects here in Blessing, and until they are complete, there is no return on the money invested except for loan payments. They may well dry up.”

Daniel stood. “You mentioned outside investments. Outside of Blessing?”

“Yes.”

“But this is a locally owned bank intended to provide local investment funds.”

Anner was growing more and more tense. “The outside investments are short-term ventures, promising a fifteen percent return or higher.”

Daniel's mouthy dropped open. “What kind of investment would promise that kind of return so quickly?”

“How short?” Thorliff too was scowling.

“Let's say the investment has not met our initial projections
for profit. However, the time frame on this sort of thing is never exact. You have to expect a few months either way.”

Astrid caught Hjelmer in an eye-rolling response. Uh-oh. This didn't look good. She looked at Thorliff, who was studying the paper in front of him, his jaw tight.

Either the heat in the room had gone up or the tension had. Maybe they needed to open a door.

Ingeborg reached over and took her hand. Between Ingeborg and Reverend Solberg, prayers were going up for sure.

“What kind of return have you had on those investments so far?” Daniel kept his voice steady but firm.

Amelia Jeffers hooked her arm through Astrid's from the other side.

“You must be patient,” Anner insisted. “We will realize one thousand five hundred dollars at any time now.”

Astrid almost felt sorry for Anner. Almost but not quite. But she was certainly glad she was not the one being questioned. She'd not seen this side of her husband before. She knew he was a good businessman, with a great deal of knowledge. Right now she was so proud of him she could have jumped up clapping.

Thorliff dropped his papers on the table. “So that accounts for the fact that our citizens' recent requests for funds have been turned down.”

“If any of us needed to withdraw from our savings, there is none available?” Sophie asked, standing up.

Anner looked at Sophie. “These two are trying to paint an unnecessarily dark picture. We have operating cash in the safe, preserved from the fire. And as members pay their loan payments, that will increase the fund. We are not in arrears.”

“But we do not have ready cash to assist with the emergency repairs needed right now.” Thorliff said it as a statement, not a question.

“True, but the suppliers will no doubt extend credit, as they
always have, and by the time the bills come due, we will have sufficient liquidity to work with again.”

“In other words, we must depend upon the largess of suppliers to whom we will owe a great deal of money. So we pray there is no run on the Blessing Bank.” Thorliff sounded grim.

At Astrid's side, Ingeborg stood up and looked around the room. “Why would there be? It is our bank. If any of us needs something, someone else will help provide it. That is the way we have always done things. We take care of our own.”

“Including all those people who have come here to work.” Penny shot Anner a dirty look. “We
will
take care of our own.”

“Look!” Anner slammed his papers down. “You hired me to manage your resources. I have done so. Now you are questioning my management after the fact. I do not accept that. You people are not professional financiers. I am. When I make an investment, you will not question it. I believe I am finished here.”

And he walked out, his jaw set, his back straight.

Hjelmer stood. “I think we need a point of clarification here. Anner did nothing dishonest. He made a poor choice, but in investing, that happens. He's invested before, and his investments have probably paid off. Instead of castigating him, I suggest we need a board that will take part in decisions like that. We as a community have been remiss in leaving these decisions solely up to Anner Valders. Even with a board, the same thing could happen.”

Except to Hjelmer. He'd been known to have a Midas touch. In fact, he was often teased because of it. Within the family, anyway. Astrid heaved a sigh of relief.

Daniel nodded. “Which leaves us back to the question: Do we have the funds to both finish construction and repair fire damage?”

A person Astrid did not know stood up, coughed, and spoke. “If a town gets strapped like this down in Mexico, the province it's in—no, I guess those are states, like Sonora or Colima—the states issue chits. Promissory notes. You get a chit for every dollar. Peso. You can spend it in town on rent or groceries and
things, and then when the state gets more cash, you can exchange the chits for real dollars. I suggest we try that here.”

Hjelmer scowled. “You mean anyone can issue their own money?”

“No. Just the bank. Only the bank. Like a bank note, only different.”

Hjelmer wagged his head. “Doesn't sound very good to me.”

Thorliff nodded toward the fellow. “We will consider it as an option, though, sir. Thank you. We need all the options we can muster. Other discussion?” He looked around. “If there is no further discussion, I suggest we close with prayer. Reverend Solberg?”

“Lord God, we thank you for guiding us, your people, to live and do business according to your Word. Your Word reminds us over and over to love one another. Sometimes we are not easy to love, but you always promise to lavish us with your great mercy. We can do no less for one another. Help us to remember who and whose we are. In Jesus' precious name we pray. Our Father . . .”

After the prayer, he lifted his hands in the benediction. “The Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord be merciful unto us and give us His peace. Amen.”

“Thank you all for coming. If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask them.” Daniel smiled graciously, as if he'd been hosting a party.

Astrid feared she might just pop with pride. She grinned at her mother-in-law, who looked like her feet were no longer touching the ground.

Astrid turned to kiss her mother's cheek. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For helping keep my feet on the ground and for all the hours you spend praying.”

“Oh, Astrid.” She started to say something, but sniffed and smiled instead. “I pray you will sleep well.”

“I know. All will be well.”

“Ja, it will.”

Astrid watched her mother walk off, her arm locked through Kaaren's.

Thorliff stopped beside her and leaned in to whisper. “You married a good man, and right now I am so grateful for the way he ran this meeting that I am almost out of words.”

Astrid turned to him, wide-eyed. “You, Thorliff Bjorklund, out of words?”

He nudged her with his elbow. “Thanks for helping Elizabeth feel better. I think I could sleep for a week.”

Daniel joined them. “Am I ever glad that is over. Let's go home, Dr. Bjorklund Jeffers.” He tucked her arm through his and latched on to his mother on the other side. “Sure makes you wonder how God is going to clean up all this mess, doesn't it?”

“Where do you think we'll find the money we need?”

“I have no idea, but I truly believe God does. After all, He brought Mother and me to Blessing in the middle of a horrendous nightmare. I heard Him say ‘Trust me,' and I've been trying to do that ever since. I was so pleased with Hjelmer's comments.”

“I was shocked. Something has changed with him too.”

The next morning Jonathan Gould, accompanied by Thorliff, knocked on their door before Astrid even headed for the hospital. “Do you have a few minutes?” he asked when Daniel opened the door.

“Well, of course. Come on in.” Daniel stepped back. “I think Mother has the coffee ready. Have you had breakfast yet?”

“No, but I wanted to catch you before anything else happened.” Daniel and Thorliff looked at each other and shrugged.

Astrid paused on the stairs, watching the men. “Good morning. Is something wrong?”

“No. I just have a suggestion.”

When the men were seated around the kitchen table with coffee before them, Jonathan looked at each of them. “I was at the meeting last night, so I do understand what is going on here. I know my father would be pleased to loan you any amount of money you need. He will offer you a better repayment plan than banks here can afford to.”

“We aren't looking for a handout.”

“Well, a handout and a hand up are two different things,” Jonathan said. “Investing in Blessing is good business. My father has always said so. I am confident he's ready to do that. I suggest that since the telephone system is out and will probably be so for some time, you send him a telegram if you need money quickly, or a letter.”

“There is no rush, and we might be able to manage without his assistance.” Daniel looked to Thorliff for confirmation. Thorliff nodded.

“As long as the lumber yard will continue to ship to us, for we have a long list to send them. I have Trygve's report on the roofs, and we haven't counted the windows yet. Thirty minimum. I'm not sure where Sophie is with the boardinghouse. I know the new wing was a big investment, and now it will need a lot more.” Thorliff nodded slightly as he took a drink of his coffee. “I think we are probably more stable than it felt like a few days ago. And I have to admit, I have no idea why I'm thinking that.”

“Amazing what a good night's sleep can do to clarify our thinking.”

“That and deciding that booting Anner out of town was probably not the best way to handle things. When a real crisis hits, you kind of get a better perspective.”

Mrs. Jeffers slid a plate of cinnamon rolls she'd just taken out of the oven onto the table. “To help you think better.”

Daniel smiled at his mother. “The day is looking better by the minute. Help yourselves, gentlemen.”

Just as Astrid was about to head for the hospital, another
knock came on the door. She answered it to see a large group of people, both men and women, gathered around the front porch. “How can I help you?” she asked.

“Ve come to help clean up Blessing.” In spite of the heavy accent, the message was clear. There they stood, all the people from Tent Town, even older children. “This is our town too.”

“Wait, I'll be right back.” She hurried to the kitchen. “Come quick, all of you. This you have to see.”

She wished her far were there to see it. He always said if you do unto others the way you wanted to be treated, God would see to the ending.

The man repeated what he'd said.

Daniel stepped forward. “This is wonderful! Thank you. There are many jobs that must be done, such as getting all the debris out of the streets and alleys. From the burnt and heavily damaged buildings, we must salvage any wood that can still be used for repair.”