The Neighbors

by Erin Lundell

Mr. and Mrs. Zylstra, my neighbors, have big, big hears. They are like Santa Clause. They are always working to make kids happy and are always giving and helping out. Mr. and Mrs. Zylstra are missionaries that go to China every now and then to teach kids at a school about Christ. Last summer, they offered their home to two exchange students from China to live with them for a school year. They were like the students own personal dictionaries in the way that they would take time with the exchange students to teach them the English slang that they heard so much at school. During the holidays all of their grandkids flock o their house, all in one gigantic group like a group of geese that flock South, to their home. Like a mother bird feeding her young, Mrs. Zylstra goes out of her way to feed every mouth with delicious home made cooking. I have never once seen either of them hold a grudge. When the fierce wind blows an army of leaves into their freshly raked yard, they don’t get mad, they just pick it up again. Every day I see them with smiles and simply enjoying themselves! Mr. Zylstra, his face as old as ancient Egyptian pyramids. But despite that he still manages to have such a youthful smile that stretches wide across his face, as a rainbow stretches across the sky. He and his cotton striped sweaters and church pants that he wears day to day. Mrs. Zylstra, she is somewhat of a fictional character in the way that everything that happens to her she accepts whole-heartedly. She sprays her strong perfume from its "genie style" bottle. She wears her glasses carefully placed over her nose as how she used to wear them when she was an olden day teacher. Her hair, as thin and delicate as lace. Their house, the smell of fresh cookies from the oven, mixed with an "old" scent all grandparents have. Their yard, blooming with flowers in the spring and summer, as if they had captured the most beautiful gardens only seen in post cards. Mr. and Mrs. Zlystra have taught the world around them how to live for Christ Jesus, how to live their life being good examples, kind and compassionate and teachers for those less fortunate.