DAWN WILL RISE

DAWN WILL RISE  Part 3: GOD IS LOVE      Helga had come back to Mark and Ella's home full of happiness. As tactfully as possible, she described meeting Janice as a gift. They could all benefit from another friendship. That way Ella could see she wasn't being replaced as someone very important to Helga and her children. After all it is no small thing to share your home.     Ella was actually happy for her, realising almost at once that Helga did not want her to feel cast aside. And Helga had taken six children to meet the sister of the man she so obviously cared for.     Had she and Matthew been so clearly happy that others had noticed? They had met and kept glancing at each other, trying to be near, oblivious to the fact that others might notice!     And now Helga and Matthew were just as visibly taken with each other, but she thought, they had not realised this for themselves!     Anyway, Ella would like to meet this Janice, a...

DAWN WILL RISE  Part 3: GOD IS LOVE       Janice knew she was having a nightmare. Part of her mind recognised this but she also felt powerless to alter her dream. She was tied to a railway track. This can't be happening, she tried to tell herself.     Tying a young woman to a railway line happened in silent films and some gallant male races the train and rescues her in the nick of time. Somehow Janice managed to call out "Jesus," and instantly was awake, shaking but safe.     After her brother's initial verbal rebuke earlier that day, he pushed down his feelings, introducing Helga and then her children as they tumbled into the room. The children were awesome, she remembered as she sat there in the darkness.     The moon had risen, "waxing "that faithful witness in the sky," - a quote from the Bible, and her small high bedroom was filled with soft calm light.     In Helga, Janice knew she had found a kindred spirit. Helga felt t...

DAWN WILL RISE  Part 3: GOD IS LOVE      Gavin and Esther Barton , Ella's parents, her sister Janet and Mark's parents, Molly and Tony had all clubbed together to buy a large light blue vehicle for Helga.     They had asked her to choose, which embarrassed and overwhelmed her. She did make a choice.      It did not use much petrol although not new, was in great condition. Mark had also helped by giving the seven-seater van a good overhaul and, inwardly shuddering as how, panicking, he had almost left this small family to the no-mercy bushfire. He agreed with Ella to contribute petrol.     Neighbours, such as kind Sally next door, had found car seats for the twins and her church had rallied round, cheerfully donating toys and clothes.     Now the pale-blue people mover pulled up outside Mark's small house. There was a garden with pretty flower bed, overflowing with random flowers and little paths to the front door and aroun...

DAWN WILL RISE  Part 2: HEROES      Janice was tapping away almost as quickly as the moving fingers of a gifted concert pianist - which she almost had become, but a strong sense of justice drew her to journalism. At first she was overwhelmed by the extremely blurred lines between truth and fiction, then she remembered her years at school.     A stalwart teacher, appalled at the lack of serious education had introduced two books to his first year high school students, among others.     Though only twelve at the time, Janice absorbed the contents of these two now-dated small volumes - "Straight and Crooked Thinking," and "Uncommon Common Sense."      Few books were involved in modern teaching, but already the little girl was heartily sick of hearing about how right abortion was, and about assisted suicide for children and teens. From her own adept internet forays, Janice was aware of many, many victims of invasive gender-change surger...

DAWN WILL RISE  Part 2: HEROES      A month later, it was raining and much too cold anyway for a trip to the park. Dr. Matthew Walters phoned a trifle nervously. Mark answered sounding cheerful. "G'day!"     "Hi, Matthew here. Okay to speak with Helga or is she busy? Are you all well?" he added with genuine concern.     Mark hesitated......"Still get nightmares about that fire I was stuck in, doctor. Think our guests do too!" He had lowered his voice. "Hang on, Helga's coming."     Matthew noticed he was sounding more upbeat as Helga came to the phone. As yet the young mother had not given the doctor her cell phone details and he had not pushed. A landline was a little dated, but useful.     "The weather has beaten us," Helga said, a little woefully. He could hear the baby grizzling and the boy whining.      "My young sister is here all weekend," Matthew began. "Would you like to visit?" "Say yes, mama,...

DAWN WILL RISE  Part 2: HEROES      It was a very beautiful day, warm and sunny with no wind at all. The trees in the park were a mix of stately old eucalypts and exotic trees such as oak, beech and ash. The oaks were still green, but the ash leaves were a pleasant yellow. There was a darker one, a claret ash. A young maple was a fiery red and the beech leaves were turning brown autumn.     The young couple were watching a little boy play near a rivulet. A water pump nearby sent more water cascading down the narrow winding watercourse. Every so often the child would scamper over to the park bench for more cheese sandwiches or carrot sticks. The baby slept in her pram.     Today the young doctor broke a somewhat tense silence. "You are wondering why I am asking you out some Saturdays?" he queried. The woman flushed, which he found endearing. "You came to check my baby, then you come again," she said carefully. "Why?" Helga's English was much better...