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The rumour began to grow that we were to be taken to Stanley, a peninsula on the eastern side of the island. Finally we were told that we might send for personal things and take them with us. We had no idea that once in Stanley, we should be totally cut off from seeing or writing to our neutral and Chinese friends in Hong Kong. We were told that we should have 3 days warning before we left. However, the word came on the 22nd of January to be ready to go the following day. We were to leave what we could not carry to come later and take food for one meal and bedclothes for the night. Mr. King and several others insisted on staying with the things. He also asked George to go with us in case we needed assistance. Ma Si Fu had been told to come that day at noon, but we were marched off before, and no one was allowed at the hotel that morning, so I had no chance to give him a parting message, or to ask him to get some cups we needed. One of the things the Japanese delight in is unexpected moves. They rarely do a thing at the time set. They have endless delays until one gives up all hope, and then they move suddenly, and unexpectedly so that one is momentarily unprepared. During our internment at the Nam Ping Hotel, Mr. Rankin of the Southern Baptist Mission led our church service. His text was: "Thanks be to God which giveth us the victory." The translation he used was "Causeth us to march in one continuous procession of triumph." It was the idea of the Roman triumphal procession, only instead of a short period, it was all time and instead of unwilling captives, we were willing slaves. I then saw Christ marching ahead triumphantly and in his footprints followed willing slaves through nations and generations in a continuous process of Triumph. It was neither the British nor the Japanese who were giving our marching orders, but Christ through them. Therefore behold the Cook family with red wagon, doll's pram, Celene, Clyde and baby in pram and myself and George on the job helping when needed-behold us joining the others
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