Sherry lowered her eyes to the floor. The sound of a barking dog filtered through the thin walls. And then the dog was yelping as if it had been hit by a hurled stone or the flat of a hand maybe.

“It may sound strange, but actually Helen convinced me that I should come. Because God called me.” She nodded, thinking about that. “Yes, because God called me.”

She lifted her eyes to his and saw that he had both eyebrows raised—whether in eagerness or in doubt she could not tell. “Do you believe God speaks, Father?”

“Of course God speaks.” He lifted a finger and cocked his ear. “Listen.” She listened and she knew he meant the jungle sounds. “You hear that? That’s God speaking now.”

She smiled and nodded. “But do you believe he speaks specifically to people today?”

“Yes. I do. I’ve seen too much of the supernatural out here”—he motioned outside—“to doubt that it flies about us every day. I’m sure he speaks to the willing ear now and then.”

She nodded approvingly. He was a wise man, she decided.

“Well, it feels very strange to me, I can assure you. Not only am I being peppered with memories that frankly scare me to death, but I’m supposed to find answers in the midst of them all.” She shook her head. “I don’t feel very spiritual, Father.”

“And if you felt very spiritual, my dear, I might worry for you. It’s not your duty to feel predisposed to any clear message. Think of yourself as a vessel. A cup. Don’t try to guess what the Master will pour into you before he pours. Only pray it is the Master who pours. Then be willing to accept whatever message he wishes to fill you with. It’s his to fill, Sherry. You only receive.”

The words came like honey and she found herself wanting more. She uncrossed her legs and shifted back in her seat. “You’re right.” She looked away. “That makes so much sense. God knows I need things to make sense now.”

“Yes. Well that’s both good and bad. If your life made too much sense to you, you might forget about God altogether. It is man’s most prolific sin—to be full of himself. But your tormenting has left you soft, like a sponge for his words. It’s your greatest blessing.”

“Suffering a blessing? I’ve suffered a lot.”

“Yes, I can see that. Christ was once asked why a blind man had been born blind. Do you know how he answered? He said the man had been born blind so that God would one day be glorified through it. We see only the terrible tragedy; he sees more. He sees the ultimate glory.” He let that sink in for a bit, but she wasn’t sure how far it was sinking.