From: 	 heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com
Sent: 	 Wednesday, August 20, 1997 11:51 PM
To: 	 Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup
Subject: Rabbi's Car


From:          "Hay Did Center For Learning - haydid" <haydid@haydid.org>
Reply-to:      shalom@haydid.org
To:            heb_roots_chr@geocities.com
Subject:       Rabbi's Car

Thank you for all your prayers of support! Several of you  have written
to ask if the fund has been established for Rabbi. YES! Any money sent
to HaY'Did will be collected and given to him on one of his drop by
visits that are so welcomed. You may also send money directly to him at
Rabbi Othniel, PO Box 1452, Independence, KS 67301. Words of
encouragement would also be welcomed! So many of you have prayed over
this move, that we want you to know that they were most precious to
everyone! THEY covered the family in their 4 day adventure crossing from
Massachusetts to Kansas in a covered wagon----I mean---a Ryder truck and
a rental car! They are finally in their new home as of Sunday, but the
work crews are still coming and going as time allows to try to finish
the remodeling job that the teenagers from OKC started over a month ago.
We will be sharing some photos from that weekend on our site soon, and
will let you know when the BIG update is finished, too.

Let me tell you about the house...<grab a cup of coffee, okay?>

The house that was donated is probably over 150 years old. Grandma Lena
died when she was in her 80's and she remembered the day that the then
old farm house was moved onto the lot when she was about 6 or 8. THAT'S
OLD! Grandma and Grandpa Lessman lived in the house for many years, and
then when she died about six years ago, the house was closed up and left
empty for several years. (I'm not sure how long, okay?)

So, then one day this crazy woman named, Cheryle Holeman, decided that
she just wanted to do "one little old Passover." Actually, I usually say
something like, "All I wanted to do was have one crummy passover, and
look what God did with me!" <Be careful when you start doing things in
HIS plans, okay? It can get you catapulpted to meeting lots of new
friends on the internet four times a week! Obedience to HIS Will can
change lives! Your's included.>

So, one day I decided to go to the local newspaper to place some free
advertising. When I came through the door I saw the Family Editor
sitting calmly at her desk typing away, and walked over to her desk and
introduced myself. Her name was Lois Lessman, and her life would be
changed from that encounter. She was Grandma Lena's granddaughter, so
this extra insight is now explained, right? <grin>

I told her that we were going to do a real Jewish passover and had about
150 people coming from all denominations. She looked at me with her blue
eyes alight, and said, "Where do I get tickets? I've been to Israel and
my life has never been the same? I also have a friend that will be very
interested to fly in for this." So we were off and plotting our
newspaper coverage of "the one little ol passover." 

We visited often as the time approached, and I knew that Lois and I
would be friends. She purchased tickets for her husband and herself, and
they attended! But at the end when we all took hands to sing some
songs,  she looked down at her husband and realized that she had made a
mistake in bringing him to this event. She just knew that she had
experienced something that would change her life, but that he hadn't
been moved at all. But that was the beginning of the falling apart of
her marriage. I won't go into the details but if you have a friend who
has married someone and later discovered that the person wasn't truthful
in their relationship, then you understand. It wasn't to be. So many
months later she filed for divorce. He disappeared and she was left with
two little girls, and no place to live. Where to go? 

Lois' wonderful parents asked the family if Lois could move into Grandma
Lena's empty house. They agreed, and we were there to help as we could.
When she moved in, it was a nightmare! The city came through and ripped
out the lead water pipes. The gas company turned off the gas and told
her that she HAD to have a new heating system. The electric company came
in and condemned all the wiring! No heat! No lights! And no water! Such
a deal! Lois was in tears! She was in the midst of fighting bankruptcy
away from the door, and finally sold her former home to give her the
ability to not have to go into bankruptcy, and to spend a few thousand
on the house, but when the estimates came in, it was well over the
amount of money that she had! She was in tears when we found her! She'd
asked for a grant locally to help, but she had to live in the house for
a year before she could get a grant! Now where to turn? So, we worked
with her. She had enough to buy a central heat unit IF Tom could install
the duct work, and do the work of a subcontractor. So Tom took his
vacation and did just that! One night Tom stopped by to find Lois and
her mother trying to put a new window in the bathroom. They had a hole
cut in the wall, but didn't know what to do next. Tom stood in the alley
and watched them struggle, and finally he asked if he could come in and
help. They leaped on his offer, and he introduced them to "framing" and
such things. Finally after many months of struggling the house was half
way liveable and over the years Lois would struggle on $6++ an hour to
support her two girls, and wonder where her worthless Xhusband could be.
The house needed so much work, but atleast she had central heat, new
water pipes, and electrical wiring piece by piece. 

Then her father, Gerald, died suddenly. He was a wonderful father, and
is greatly missed by all. But after he died, Deloris, Lois' mother,
stepped in and helped with the girls needs. Soon the two women realized
that they needed a home together. They went house hunting, and then
suddenly Deloris had inherited some money that allowed them to purchase
the old convent! 7 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 living rooms, an office,
etc!!! What a wonderful place to live! So Lois closed Grandma's house.

We talked to them about the house over the years, and felt that the
house really meant to be part of this ministry. We didn't know how we
could do it, and we knew that Lois definitely needed to sell the house,
but how? Well, we all prayed. Guess what? Lois felt led to let Rabbi
live in the house rent free for several months until he had his feet on
the ground! We'll keep praying about buying the house, but for now 
Rabbi had a house! Baruch HaShem!

When the teenagers arrived with Randy and Betsy Felton, they were met
with the need to replace the roof, right? They also saw that every inch
of plaster was cracked in the house and needed new sheetrock. Great! 6
rooms of mudding, and sanding, and painting and papering to do in just 4
weeks! Whew! We've been busy! Rabbi and family have been real troopers!
They lived at the convent with Lois and Deloris and spent their days
with the volunteer work crews that arrived around their full time jobs. 
Have you ever mudded and sanded sheetrock? If you have you know what I
mean when I say that six rooms of mud is like a never ending fight of
dust! If you haven't, then just imagine living in a dust bowl for days
and days. Every time you turn around, you find one more nailhead that
has to be mudded or sanded. Ceilings and walls in 6 rooms and one of the
rooms is a lofty hall that we couldn't figure out how to mud! Finally we
ran into a contractor friend who came to the rescue with some
scaffolding. Now we had to find a fool to stand on it! Hello? The
scaffolding swayed and moved as it was suspended over the stairway! Not
for Cheryle, or Rabbi, or Rachel,...but brave little Laura stood on her
tip toes to get the first layer done. Then Tom---the Knight in Shining
Armor---arrived to the rescue! Ta! Ta! He's 6 feet tall and able to
reach the top! Hopefully by this weekend he will have the hall finished.

The Rabbi and the Rabbits (his pun for his family) worked like troopers.
Finally Sunday afternoon we were talking about getting beds out of the
Swims garage, when Ephraim's, Rabbi's oldest son, eyes lighted up. "Are
you talking about sleeping here tonight?" "Yes," we said. "All right! My
own bed! My own room!" he shouted.

So they have been in their own beds ever since. We've been moving truck
loads of furniture on to the porch each day, so they can put things away
as they go. There's still painting and papering to do, but the Othniels
were on their hands and knees last night pulling up the ancient
carpeting to reveal a beautiful hardwood floor underneath! What a
surprise! Carpeting is needed through out the rest of the house though,
but it is looking up! We purchased them a nice blue sofa and coffee
table at a garage sale Friday, and beds have been borrowed until such
time as they can purchase their own. (They had to leave rabbi's bedroom
furniture and Ariele's in Massachusetts.) 

As for transportation, we have provided them with an old 79 Ford truck
to drive for now. They have their Kansas driver's licenses, and are
insured. They haven't had a vehicle in over 2 1/2 years, so the freedom
that they now have is really appreciated. Yesterday the kids broke out
their bikes for the first time and were able to ride freely without
harrassment or fear! What a relief to know that their family is safe,
and have such good attitudes towards all the work on the house. Rachel
homeschools the children, so she can count the remodeling as vocational
training. Believe me, they didn't know what they were getting into when
they headed to Kansas, did they?

We certainly thank Lois and Deloris for the gift of hospitality and the
house. The poorest among us ---the widow's mite---you might call it, was
what they gave! Since then Lois has received word that she is getting a
major raise at work, her worthless xhusband has been found and is paying
child support, and her Amway business is blossoming! We all rejoiced at
the news! She was faithful to be obedient with the small things, and now
HE is fulfilling HIS word by blessing her back. All glory to God!

We've all been blessed by the ongoing saga of the rabbi's move to
Kansas. And your help through prayer and obedience is much appreciated.
We will keep in touch in the days ahead as much is happening here. We
rejoice in your friendships across the miles and pray that Adonai richly
bless you. Your words of encouragement are appreciated by all!

Shalom Alecheim,

Cheryle Holman
HaY'Did Learning Center
PO Box 804
Independence, KS 67301
1-316-331-7712

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