where there are hard languages to learn, premises almost impossible to rent, old debris to clear away in long un-shep herded places, or new foundations to lay where no messengers of Christ have pre viously penetrated. “Keepers at home!” This is my re sponsibility just now in the feeding of the Headquarters’ family, usually num bering 20 to 25. Interesting work, when we may serve in one meal fish frozen in Scotland, potatoes from Holland, Ma layan spinach, tomatoes canned in Italy, fresh butter from Australia, bread made from Canadian flour, California oranges and dates from Arabia! Of course, we have the help of servants. We had to begin with a group, none of whom were Christians, yet are amazed at how quickly prayer, and daily instruction in the gospel, has changed their attitudes —no more loud brawling at each other or insolence to us. Our two young laun dresses give some evidence of sincere trust in Christ. We would appreciate your prayers for the salvation of the faithful old cook, also the smart■young table-man and his wife. The population of this city is a little over a million, three-fourths of whom are Chinese, and the rest a great mix ture of Asiatics and Europeans. It pre sents a kaleidoscope of color, bright cos tumes, flowering trees, lush greenery. The Tamils (East Indians) are fascinat ingly new to us, black-skinned bewhisk- ered men and lustrous eyed, bejewelled women—jewels set in ears and at the sides of the nose and some even have rings on their toes! With all the flash of affluence, Singapore has many sordid and dark spots, too. In a crowded Hindu temple we saw some SO devotees dash ing barefooted through a sizeable bed of hot coals. A boy of eight tried it and fainted. What a contrast to go early Sunday mornings to sit around the Lord’s table with Tamils, Chinese and Malayans! In a Brethren Assembly where English is spoken we have found a wonderful sense of fellowship. It al ways seems to us a foretaste of heaven, where people of every tongue and tribe will be praising our dear Saviour to gether. We are often aware of your help by prayer. Please do continue to pray for us. We are well, but need strengthening nervously. On Oct. 1U when Lydia Pflueger ’18 arrived here, we suddenly realized that exactly 54 years previously we three had sailed together for the first time to China, being members of a party of 12 from B iol a in Los Ange les. After spending so many years on the home staff in the United States, Ford and I are thanking the Lord daily for field service again, and for what someone called “ the twin angels, Goodness and Mercy" that have accompanied us all the days of our lives. With the best of wishes for the New Year, Affectionately, (signed) Ford and Carolyn Canfield BiOLA ’18 T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
“ Typhus shots! Typhoid shots! Para typhoid, cholera, smallpox and tetanus shots! Footlockers and trunks! Pass ports and visas! Some conglomeration”— but to the missionary these are familiar formulas for prospective sailings, and thus it is the greeting of Dick and Lu cille Webster ’40, 5947 Shafter Ave., Oakland 18, Calif., as they look forward to a booking for Formosa early in April. Thais Good ’49,Sudan Interior Mission, Box 127, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, E. A f rica, tells of opening a school in near by Obbi with an initial attendance of five pupils. The third week there were 33 in attendance ranging in age from 3 to 17, all of whom were in the first grade because there had never been a school in that district! Thais states: “ Along with the joys there are always the problems and discouragements, but this truly is life.” Matilda Alexander ’42, Director for Is rael of the International Child Evangel ism Fellowship, writes, that after 21 months spent in Israel working among the children, she is now on the island of Cyprus, which is a part of her field. She entered Israel almost two years ago on a tourist visa which has to be renewed at short intervals. Our prayers are re quested that she may soon be able to re turn to Jerusalem. The Navigators Annual Conference at Forest Home brought 542 young men and women together. They came from 29 states, the District of Columbia, Alaska, Mexico, Panama and Canada. One of the thrills of the conference was the sing ing of the original Navigators Quartet, the first time they had met in fourteen years. Gurney Harris ’39 (Africa), John Dedrick, ’40 (Mexico), Les Spencer of the American Sunday School Union and Daws Trotman, President and founder of the Navigators, 1101 W. Colorado, Los Angeles 41. Evangelist Billy Graham brought an unforgettable message to the group on First Corinthians 13. The Log states that 32,961 souls were won to Christ in the Graham - Formosa cam paign by the personal witness of new Christians. Daws is now making a spir itual survey of South America. Letter of the Month 22 Chancery Lane, Singapore 11, Malaya For the first time in our lives we send you Christmas and New Year's greet ings from under the Southern Cross. We have not yet decided whether to use a cocoanut palm or a banana tree for a Christmas tree! While we do not have the trimmings of a traditional Christ mas, we nevertheless enjoy the very heart of Christmas in having the Lord Jesus Himself. We are very happy in our fellowship here and conscious of the riches the Lord has given us through His Page Twenty-eight
a K ? FAMILY CIRCLE
“I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sun der the bars of iron” (Isa. 45 :2).
own poverty. ‘‘Sitting on the jolly equa tor” during the summer and autumn months has not been so bad as we had anticipated. Apart from the fear of be ing washed away in a sea of perspira tion, we are not suffering. When the hot sun drops at about 6 p.m., the air cools. Almost constantly good breezes play through our wide open house. (Inci dentally, chirping sparrows, and little lizards do likewise!) A week’s vacation at Fraser’s Hill at 4,000 feet elevation has given us a much appreciated taste of coolness. Between daily downpours of rain, we took pic tures of giant tree ferns and other dense jungle growth. We saw purple orchids on their native banks and wild monkeys in the trees. We also passed the spot where last year the High Commissioner was murdered by terrorists, but we are thankful to say that things are appar ently more under control than at that time. On the way we passed through rubber and cocoanut groves. We hardly realized on what a highway we would be living in Singapore. Some of our missionaries who, little more than a year ago were emerging from dangerous places in China, are now stopping here, en route to their new work in Malaya, Japan, Hongkong, Borneo and Thailand. Only eight are still detained in Red China. Of these, Wilda Miller Mathews is one of our own Southern California girls. She, her husband and three-year- old daughter are beginning a bitter win ter in North China. Dr. Rupert Clarke and Clarence Preedy are in that same area, while Dr. and Mrs. Witt, Mr. and Mrs. Hollenweger are in the South. Please continue with us to pray for “ our eight.” In August, Ford’s work took him to Hongkong, Formosa and Japan. In the latter place he took part in Bible and Field Conferences. He came home tired, but happily conscious of the Lord’s bless ing. It is really remarkable to see what the Lord has been doing in the new fields
Made with FlippingBook Online document