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“Mr. Kasten,” the attendant said.
“Yes?”
“There is an investigative reporter at the Welcoming Shack asking for you.”
“Me?”
“Yes, sir, specifically for you.”
“Okay,” said Kasten, “May I take a cart down there?”
“Of course. Just use your . . .”
“My passkey. I know. I spent a week at the Pennsylvania Village.”
The electric garage door opened as Kasten approached with the cart and closed after he passed through and onto the street out front. The Welcoming Shack was about a quarter-mile away. He soon could see a van with a satellite dish on top stopped next to the shack.
“A television van!” he said to himself. He did a u-turn through the bypass and parked behind the van. Mark Ryan was leaning out of the building’s window.
“Mark!” Kasten said. “You are one brave guy. After being kidnapped you’re back on the job the next day?”
Mark smiled and motioned to the driver of the television van to get out and meet Kasten.
“Dave Kasten? The real David Kasten?” the driver asked.
“One and the same,” said Kasten. “And you are?”
“John West of WMFD-TV, Channel 68, Mansfield, Ohio.”
They shook hands.
“And where is Mansfield, Ohio relative to the Village?”
“About 43 miles West-Northwest.”
“What can I do for you?” asked Kasten.
“Well, I gotta’ tell ya’,” said West. “We heard about the short kidnapping caper and pipe bomb incident from Bill Wiley, and he told me you were instrumental in solving the case.”
“I just found someone who saw the perpetrators talking to Mark,” said Kasten.
“That’s what Bill said, and we reported it briefly on the morning News. But I didn’t put two and two together until I began covering another story in our helicopter this morning and I saw, for the first time, this community from the air.”
“And then?”
“You’re the Dave Kasten that wrote the book entitled ‘Village,’ and the series of nationally published articles about Search International.”
“That's me,” said Kasten.
“Exactly. You’re the same guy that witnessed all the miracles at the Pennsylvania Village and now, here you are at this new Village in our backyard.”
“Where are you going with this?” asked Kasten.
“Mr. Kasten,” said West, “this is no longer a little story. My audience is going to want to know about this place and what you’re doing here.”
“They are?”
“Absolutely,” said West. “Can we talk? Can you take us on a tour?”
Kasten turned to the Ryan boy.
“Mark, try to reach Rachel Evans at her home,” Kasten said.
“Rachel Evans!” exclaimed West. “Is she here too?”
“She was very much involved in the formation of both Villages,” said Kasten.
“Have you seen any healings here?” asked West.
“Slow down,” said Kasten. “I just got here yesterday.”
“Mr. Kasten?” called Mark. “Mrs. Evans,” he said handing Kasten the handset.
“Rachel, Hi,” Kasten said. “There is a TV news team here from WMFD-TV. They want to talk with me and would like a quick tour of the Village. Do you think it would be okay with . . .”
Rachel apparently interrupted and gave Kasten the go ahead.
“Thanks, Rachel,” he said. “We won’t bother George,” and he handed the handset back to Mark.
“Can I meet George Evans?” West asked.
“No,” said Kasten. “You heard me tell his wife we wouldn’t bother him.”
“Is he ill?” asked West.
Kasten laughed and shook his head. “As a matter of fact, he’s not,” said Kasten. “This guy’s not getting a piece of my story,” he said to himself.
“You know,” the reporter said, “I remember all of this from your book. This place must be identical to the Village in Pennsylvania. Has Rachel Evans done any healings here that you know of?”
Kasten shrugged his shoulders. West turned his head from side to side as they passed the completed buildings he knew from the book, ‘Village.’ The cameraman (a woman) was recording all the while. When they approached the Medical Center, West wanted to stop.
“Can I interview you here?” he asked Kasten.
“Sure,” he answered.
The cameraman told the two men where to stand as she set up her tripod. The sign, ‘Medical Center,’ was above and to the right of where Kasten stood. West began.
“Mr. Kasten, thank you for talking with us today.”
“It’s a pleasure,” said Kasten.
“In Pennsylvania, at a Village identical to this one, you witnessed a cancer patient being brought back to life and to full health by Rachel Evans, a co-founder of both Villages?”
“The woman you are speaking of was pronounced dead before I got there, and when I arrived I saw her sitting up on an exam table in front of Mrs. Evans.”
“A miracle?”
“The doctor thought so.”
“Mrs. Evans has the power to heal and bring people back to life?”
“She attributes it all to the Holy Spirit,” said Kasten.
“You’re an investigative science reporter. What do you attribute it to?”
“Trust.”
“Trust?”
“Belief and trust in God,” said Kasten
.
“Have you witnessed other miracles Mrs. Evans has done?” asked West.
“She would not take credit for any of those.”
“Then there were others?”
“The Villages are special places filled with special people,” said Kasten.
“Are Holmes County residents welcome in the Village?”
“I assume this Village has the same programs as they did in Pennsylvania,” Kasten answered. “Everyone will be very welcome and can come to visit and shop here. On Saturdays, I'm sure, they will be permitted within the central complex passageways.”
“Thank you Mr. Kasten,” said West.
“You’re very welcome,” said Kasten.
Turning toward the camera the reporter added, “Mr. Kasten is the author of a fascinating report on the Pennsylvania Village called, simply, ‘Village.’ It would be very worth while getting a copy and reading it cover-to-cover as I did.”
The camera was turned off and West told Kasten, “I hope that plug does some good. My report will be on tonight’s news.”
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