Day Eight Hundred Eighty Three #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

I worked on the damaged drone all day. I isolated the problems and gave a list of parts to Jezer when he returned from the hiding place.

He promised to have what I need sometime overnight.

Meanwhile Meesa made some calculations and came up with a deadline for us. We need to have everyone out by the day after tomorrow. We will time it to the morning exodus for scrap recovery.

Elijah held up by himself in his new favorite spot – a tiny, little garden, set in the courtyard of the residence Meesa shares with us.

He has chosen to fast until further notice. And to prepare himself for another round of meetings late tonight.

No sleep for me either.

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Day Eight Hundred Seventy Six #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

After news came in that many of the orphans and widows had been killed in a fire where they were being held, we had to haul Jezer off of the man responsible. If we hadn’t, we were sure he would have strangled him to death.

When Jezer had time to settle down, he turned contrite upon sober reflection over his actions. But he felt even worse when word came back that the object of his former ire had gone out and hung himself.

It was all we could do to rescue Jezer from the whipsaw of his emotions. Elijah cancelled the rest of the day’s meetings to tend to his needs.

I believe that the Spirit will redeem this situation.

Day Eight Hundred Seventy Five #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Our second round of meetings was taken off course tonight by many of our scheduled contacts being forced to work through the night. The few we did confer with, gained thereby for Elijah used the extra time to open up more deeply to those in attendance.

I am greatly encouraged at the depth of their desire to please the Holy One.

And one of the attendees was accompanied by the noisome individual that I suspected of perfidy. He indeed had done what I feared. And he was there to confess and beg for our forgiveness.

This we freely gave him.

All was well until Jezer arrived with news – a group of widows and orphans he had hidden was taken away.

Day Eight Hundred Seventy Four #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We have completed our first round of meetings, and they have resulted in a multitude of blessings. Besides the bonds that have been forged, the fact that we were kept on the move, thwarted the attempts of the authorities to locate us.

Meesa reports that all are encouraged by our freedom of movement, and they claim it to be the Hand of the Holy One at work on behalf of His children.

I confess to one lingering concern. If the authorities had indeed learned about the presence of Elijah and myself in the city, who told them?

My thoughts insist on returning to the individual who demanded that Elijah confront the persecutors with divine power.

Could anyone be so unwise?

Day Eight Hundred Seventy Three #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

It has come to pass sooner than Jezer thought possible. Stricter controls have been dropped in place overnight between the various quarters within the city, and on all the ways in and out.

And demands have been stepped up for more work and longer hours from those who refuse the mark. Rumors are flying about that harsher measures will soon be implemented.

On the plus side Meesa has scheduled meetings for Elijah and me to reach out through the network leaders.

So Elijah and I were resting in preparation for the next series of meetings, when Jezer came in with news that a search is on for us, launched by world government forces in Damascus.

Someone has betrayed our presence.

Day Five Hundred Ninety Eight #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We arose early and went in search of our friends. Only a few farmers in carts heading to market shared the roads with us.

We said little on the way in.

When we came to a temple we had passed by yesterday Elijah insisted upon entering. It bore all the signs of rededication to the cult of Stan. An acolyte motioned us forward but we skirted around the morning crowd and made our exit.

With the citizens across the city tied up in similar meetings we quickly got through to the civic center. There the Captain and Tomas were penned in a cage. Their surrounding captors fainted away at Elijah’s approach.

We released them and together returned to the country.

Day Four Hundred Twelve #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

While Elijah again accompanied the Purser to meetings, he assigned me the task of going through the entire camp seeking for people bearing the mark.

They have been plagued by lone wolves coming into their midst, feigning allegiance to Hamashiach, and sowing discord instead. My mind sprang back to the man we rescued from the quagmire as a likely example.

Elijah deputized me with his staff. I will take it with me on my assignment as a sign of authority.

It was not long before I knew that this was going to take more than a day to accomplish. At the same time that realization was paired with an unshakable burden. I feel that my every movement is being watched.