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ancestor who had disappeared from the tribe (he had been taken as a
slave to America). These two men were illiterate in their own language
but had developed fantastically accurate memories. This has helped me
understand how stories of Christs teachings could be remembered ac-
curately and recorded years after his death.
Having arrived in Arabia in mid-May on what was described
to me as a three or four month assignment, I had expected to be re-
leased to return to the States in August or September. In late August,
Bela informed me that he would be leaving on Long Vacation in early
September and that the management wanted me to replace him. I was
terribly torn. Jean and the kids were expecting me to bring them to New
York in September. On the other hand, the chance to replace Bela for
three months was a tremendous opportunity. He was a member of the
Management Committee in Dhahran, his job placement was substan-
tially higher than mine, and this relief assignment was a real vote of
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she would do so now. I agreed to the assignment and wrote to her. Not
long after, she reported in a letter that our six-year-old Janet said to her,
When I close my eyes, I cant see my daddy anymore. That was an
H൵HFW , QHYHU ZDQWHG
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worked hard all day, I worked most evenings. I also worked at least a
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could visit the drilling and oil operation in Abqaiq. I visited Ras Tanura
WR EHFRPH PRUH IDPLOLDU ZLWK WKH UH¿QHU\ DQG PDULQH WHUPLQDO , OLV-
tened and asked questions wherever I went. I tried to learn all I could
wherever I went. And how I worked! But it was a terribly lonely life in
Arabia without Jean and the kids.
During the summer the daily temperature hardly changed from
one day to another, with the high being 110 to 112 degrees Fahrenheit.
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was low, but sometimes the breeze would come from the Gulf and, es-
pecially in the evening, humidity could be very high. Montana is spoken
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