Whit Returns
Time of
Adjustment for Popular Shopkeeper
By Marigold Substance
| Features Reporter
 Few Odyssians will forget the
outpouring of affection at City Hall for John Avery Whittaker when he
finally returned to Odyssey from his stint as an archaeological missionary
to the Middle East. Now that he has been home for awhile, we thought we
would check in to see how he is adjusting to Odyssey.
From all appearances Whit's
End has changed very little since Whit's departure and his subsequent
return. The most popular displays, like the Imagination Station and the Room
of Consequence, are still in good working order. Attractions like the Little
Theatre, the Library and the "County's Largest Train Set" still enthrall the
children and parents who visit. "I'm very happy with how well Jack [Allen],
Jason [Whittaker, his son], Eugene [Meltsner], and Connie [Kendall]
maintained the show while I was gone," Whittaker said.
Whit himself seems tanner than
before and sports a few more laugh lines around his eyes. He's also more
trim than some might expect. "I had a fairly rigorous schedule at the
archaeological site. I certainly didn't eat as much as I do when I have more
time."
"More time" seems to be the
operative phrase for this busy man. Between his duties at Whit's End, his
church, local charities and when he travels, one wonders when he ever has
"more time." Whit chuckled when I asked him. "For me, the secret is making
sure that I have set times during the day when I can get away from it
all--to think, pray and meditate on the Bible. Even if it's only a half-hour
or fifteen minutes, it makes all the difference in my outlook."
Outlook is the thing that
seems to separate Whit and his shop from other places designed for kids.
"For one thing, I don't look down on kids. They're not 'little adults' like
some think, but they're also not without intelligence, intuition and
feelings. They pick up on a lot more than a lot of people suspect. But at
the same time, they aren't mature enough to know how to 'process' what they
see and hear. Because of my Christian faith, I believe it's important to
help kids develop the equipment--the wisdom and discernment--they need to
understand the world around them in a God-honoring way. That means in how
they think, speak and behave. Sometimes we have to dig deep to get to their
hearts, but it's worth the effort."
Digging deep is something that
Whit knows well. As an archaeologist, he won the prestigious "Archaeologist
of the Year" Award from the National Association of Middle Eastern Academics
for his paper Biblical Proof in the Dust of Time. He also found
himself in the midst of a scandal that very nearly rocked the international
archaeologist world. "People are making a bigger deal of the story than they
should," he says modestly. "I found some manuscripts that had--well, le's
say faith-impacting significance. But things weren't as they seemed and it
all turned out right in the end. I'm sorry to be so cryptic, but there's not
much I can say."
If anyone would know about
crypts, it's Whit. "Yes," he chuckles. "My work took me into a lot of tombs
and crypts. But it's not like wandering around in a graveyard at night. We
found that burial practices can tell us a lot about ancient religions. And
through those religions, we get a sense of the people themselves."
I asked him if, now that he's
returned, he has a sense of the people of Odyssey and how they've changed.
He nodded thoughtfully. "Life is dynamic. I didn't expect things to stand
still while I was gone. However, I've had to make some adjustments to how
the people have changed. Connie is far more responsible, of course. She's
going to graduate soon--and who knows what the future will hold for her.
Eugene is going deeper into his relationship with Christ (and another
relationship, I might add). Jack has embarked on a business of his own. Some
of the kids I enjoyed seeing have moved on. They've either grown up and gone
on to other interests or have moved away. I admit that I'm sometimes anxious
about the changes, but I pray a lot and try to put them all into God's
hands."
With that, a young customer
came in to Whit's End for a scoop of ice cream and some helpful advice about
a sick turtle. Whit thanked me for my time and walked away with a smile on
his face.
This
article originally appeared in "The Odyssey Times," a
special fictional newspaper produced by Focus on the Family to promote
Adventures in Odyssey.
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