一封珍贵的回信(A Most Treasured Letter)

　　dear miss austin,

　　your letter made me happy. i did not expect such a full return. i am eighty years old, and i am blind.there is little i can do except knit,and that is why i knit so many caps and sweaters and scarves. of course i cannot write this, so my daughter-in-law is doing it for me. she alsa sewed the seams and made the buttonholes for the knitted things.

　　what l most wanted to say, my dear, is this. for sixty years i have been making up missionary packages of such clothing or food or medicine or books as i could collect. in various parts of the world and to various parts of the world i have sent them. sometimes i have received a printed slip of acknowledgement from the headquarters depot or mission board,sometimes nothing. occasionally i have been informed that my contribution was destined for syria or armenia or the upper yangtze. but never before in all that time have i had a personal letter picturing the village and telling me who is wearing the clothing and what they said. i did not suppose that ever in my lifetime i should receive a letter like that. may god bless you.

　　sincerely yours,

　　laura russell