ALUMNEWS By INEZ McGAHEY
CHRISTMAS AR
ROLAND G. '50 and FURNE (HARRISON '51) RICH (Under W ycliffe Bible Trans lators— serving in Peru): A supreme thrill came to us hearing the report by Juan Sebastian, a Christian of the Piro tribe, first and only tribe to have the entire New Testament translated. He told of how most of some forty Piros in a ; remote comer of Peru on the Brazilian ; border had turned to the living Lord. The 1more we know of the language of the . Arabelas, the more we see the extreme need of the Holy Spirit to enlighten our : minds, guide us in our studies, and give us diligence. * * * EDDIE WAGNER '44 (Evangelist — La Habra, C alif.): “ Did you ever follow what you felt sure was the leading of the Lord, and then have to look back to see how Romans 8:28 could fit your situation? This has been our experience since coming to California six months ago. I am sure that the Lord wanted us out here, but as yet I don’t seem to know why. I haven’t candidated for one church these 6 months . . . Revival meetings have been small, few, and far between summer months are like that. M y wife, my 16-year-old son, and I have all tried to get jobs (with no success) to keep “ the wolf away from the door” . . . But, in all of this we can still rejoice and praise the Lord for the many blessings that he gives us day by day. Our address is 513 N. Fullerton Road, La Habra, Calif. * * ♦ MILDRED and EARLE '53 ROSENBERGER (Wycliffe Bible Translators— Mexico): “When we arrived at our home in Mexico, one night there was a letter from our Director stating that the Executive Board of P.M.T. asked us if we would be willing to go to Cuba to work with the staff for awhile. When we were led to work with the Practical Missionary Train ing we told our board that we would go where ever we could be the most useful in the work. This does not mean that we shall not be back in Mexico — perhaps in time for the summer program next year.” * * * DICK HILLIS '32 (General Director Orient Crusades— Los Angeles, California): “ Of course I’m hungry . . . I haven’t had a decent meal in three days. But I’m not asking for a meal. I’m asking for money. I’m a Communist, and my party needs money for literature.” This testi mony of a hungry Communist pointedly reveals his intense dedication to his cause, and also Communism’s confidence in the printed page. Communists are currently spending over three billion dollars to spread their atheistic propaganda! * * * HELENA B. WIEBE '52 (Under Orient Cru sades — serving in the Philippines): “Venture for Victory Basketball Team came to us. Again, this year, as in the pre vious five, there were life commitments and transformations not only here in the Philippines, but in Formosa, Hong Kong, Korea, Malaya, Singapore, and Saigon.”
K enya , A frica By Geneva Kosher
India By Don Hillis K a m j i D h o n g a r e is a typical abori ginal of Western India. His par ents have for centuries worshipped Hunamun, the monkey god. Until three years ago he also worshipped this god that has eyes and sees not, and ears and hears not. Now, how ever, he has been brought to Christ. Today he is enjoying his first Christ mas celebration. How different this is from the pagan festivals to which he has been accustomed.
I t w a s the Friday before Christmas, and festivities had already begun for Pearl Heath (Biola ’44), “Ma” Farnsworth, Carol Turner, and Geneva Kosher (Biola ’42). Pearl invited all of us to come to Mukaa station to celebrate His birthday. “Ma” left behind her the arduous work of t r a n s l a t i n g Bible correspondence courses into Kikamba. Carol left behind her the dispensary, and I left behind the unending school work. We all met at Machakos. The mail had arrived, and Pearl threw into the car several packages for different ones of us from members of our families. But one little package caught our attention. It was addressed to Pearl from “Ma’s” brother. Why would he send Pearl a package? Pearl would not answer. At least, not yet. Saturday was a busy time — cleaning and decorating the house, cooking, and answering the continual “ hodi” of African friends. Sunday was another busy day with “ Sundei” School, church, and dinner. During the afternoon, Pearl finally agreed to solve the mystery of the little package. It was opened — a tape! Soon Ma was wiping away a tear as she heard a famil iar voice say, “ Hello, Emma, this is John . . .” Her own dear brother, speak ing to her as though he were right in the room. Nor was that all — other tapes brought messages from Carol’s family, then from mine, and finally from Pearl’s. Miss Kosher (second from right), shares Christmas with her friends in Africa. Monday we had our Christmas chicken and opened our presents so that Tuesday, Christmas Day, we would be free to spend the whole day with and for the African people. The African Sunday School chil dren presented a lovely Christmas pro gram — songs, verses, and acting, com plete with costumes — to tell His story to all the parents, heathen and Christian. Then followed a wonderful sermon with “many words” telling why He came and that He wanted to come into every heart in Ukamba. The next day was Boxing Day, also a holiday in this British Colony, a day when we box and take gifts to needy folks. W e spoke to different ones of the gift of everlasting life. When our Christmas week was over and we went back to our many duties, we realized that Christmas is a time to cele brate every day as we offer the gift of everlasting life to hungry souls in this needy land.
Dr. Don Hillis (left), says "farewell" to his brother. Dr. Dick Hillis, founder-director of Orient Crusades. Don Hillis, also asso ciated with the mission organization, is busy working on a literature campaign. On Christmas Eve he finds himself as one of 900 men, women and chil dren wending their way by foot, by ox cart, or by train to the mission compound. His traveling companions are ill-clad and but semi-literate, yet, there is deep joy in their hearts. Many of them, crowded though they are in ox carts, are singing as they jostle their slow way along dusty roads. Ramji arrives at the mission com pound at sunset to find scores of fam ilies already camping under the love ly shade trees on the mission com pound. Before long, there are many little bonfires burning all over the place and family groups are cooking their meager meal of rice and curry. What a happy group! Late in the evening he joins a band of young men who go from house to house singing Christmas carols. This is a new and wonderful thrill for Ramji. At nine o’clock on Christmas Day nearly a thousand people pack into the church to sing Christmas hymns. Then, a gospel message built around the birth of Jesus Christ is preached to the people in two languages. The service lasts for over two hours, but the time passes quickly for Ramji. In CONCLUDED IN ADJOINING COLUMN
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THE KING'S BUSINESS
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