-
A monthly report by the Mark G. Maxey familyto the friends of
the Kyushu Christian Mission
Kanoya, Kagoshima, JapanLinkletter No. 156 January, 1966
Dear Christian friends,
In the twelve year cycle favored by the Japanese, 1966 is the
Year of the Horse. This gallant steedhas galloped in full speed.
First came the year-endgifts from the places where we do business:
calendars,boxes of sugar, towels, soap, coffee cups, pottery
andwhiskey. This year we got two quarts of whiskey and abottle of
apple jack. I was quite impressed as I thoughtit must be very
expensive. But when we traded one boxin it turned out to be worth
only 650 or $1.80. What alet-down. Pauline brought home three cans
of fruit. Theother -box we traded for 10 bottles of pepsi-cola
which- -we all enjoyed.
It is the tradition to send special New Year'scards to all your
associates. No matter when in Decemberyou mail them, they are all
delivered at one time earlyNew Year's morning. We got over 80 in
our bundle andhad many enjoyable moments recalling the Japanese
friendswho had sent them. An added interest is the code
numberprinted on each card by the postal department. A
nationaldrawing is held in mid-January and the winners get prizesWe
always get a few postage stamps out of this drawingeach year.
Perhaps we'll do better this time.
We had a blessed Christmas at our house whichlasted all month as
the postman brought his daily quotaof cards, letters, greetings and
remembrances. Paulinefixed a big fruit basket with a green bow and
painted itred. This was soon full to overflowing and we have
oftensat down to read and re-read the messages you have sentus. We
can not tell you what they mean to us out here.
One of the blessings of a house are the friendswho visit it. We
have had some wonderful visitors. First,was Vera Mushrush. on her
way home from Rhodesia. She hadtaken a year off from her work with
IBM in Indianapolisto help with the secretarial work in the Central
AfricaMission squeezing in as many visits to other missions asshe
could en route. She spent three days with us plyingus with some of
the most fabulous tales of adventure Ihave heard from any traveler.
Hear her in person if youcan.
At Christmas time came Velma Weir, teacher inthe dependent
school of the Air Force near Tokyo and Mrs.Lois Harris, dorm mother
at Christian Acaaemy, also inTokyo. (Her daughter is wife ot John
Tigner, minister atRockford, Illinois.) What a wonderful time we
had together. They laughed at my stock of stale jokes likethey had
never heard them before. When I carried theirsuitcases in, I
thought my arms would break but I soonfound out why. They were
loaded with goodies which Pauline made even better in the fabulous
meals she prepared.They went to so many Christmas programs with us
that bythe last one they were singing "Silent Night" in
Japanese
VELMA WEIR. PAULINE, MRS. HARRIS
GREG AND FRIENDS AT BIRTHDAY PARTY
-
from Memory. Since Christmas fell on Saturday, it made the week
seqm busier than usual. Ourschedule: Dec. 17. All day at Faith's
school enjoying the Christmas program and the fellow-snip oi the
other parents. Dec. 18. Vera Musnrush came. Dec. 19. Christmas
worship and fellow-snip party at Sueyoshi church. Dec.22. Christmas
party with the local Rotary Club. Dec. 23Greg came home from school
escorting Velma and Mrs. Harris the last part of their journey.
Dec.24. Christmas program at Kanoya church followed by caroling and
midnight lunch for the carolersITT'our house. Dec. 25. Up early to
look in the special big red felt stockings that Pauline hadmade.
Worship at the leper colony at 9 a.m. in a room so cold that our
breath fogged ourglasses so we couldn't read the hymns. Honest.'
Sharing candy, stockings and presents with theorphans at 11 a.m.
Children's S.S. Christmas program at the Kanoya church at 1.30 p.m.
Thatnight from 7.00 P.M., Christmas program and party with the
Christians in Kushira. Sunday,Dec.26. Left the house before 8 in
order to get to Kushikino at 10.15 and share in their Christmas
program and worship. Departed there at 2 p.m. and drove 75 miles
around Kagoshima bayin order to attend the Christmas meeting at
Tarumizu church from 5 to 8 p.m. Any way youread it, that's a lot
of Christmas. Back in Kanoya we stopped at a little restaurant at
Greg'searnest request and got a steaming bowl of noodles all the
way around. Tired, happy and blessedis a trite way of saying how we
went to bed that night.
Pauline and I quietly remembered our 24th wedding anniversary on
the 29th. The houserocked with laughter on the 30th as Greg's
friends gathered for his 14th birthday .We began theNew Year right
at the 6 a.m. prayer meeting at Kanoya church. The young people
held their annual New Year's convention at a hotel in Kaigata Jan.
2 and 3. It ended on a spiritual notewhen ' a young man was
baptized into Christ in the ocean nearby.(In December there
werebaptisms in each of the churches as a result of the November
meetings.)Jan. 3 and 4 the preacher's held their annual fajtiily
gathering in the same hotel and I think the wives and
childrenenjoyed it more than the fathers. Jan. 8 I finally agreed
to Kanoya City's plan of takingpart of the mission land and even
now the bulldozers are knocking at our gates. It will be ayear of
many physical changes but we can only hope the spiritual changes in
us all will be
In His service, MARK G.even greater and better.
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prepared last spring. Please order early as the supply is
limited.CONTENTS:
Course outline for ten daysStory set: Meet the Missionary
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Religious words in JapaneseEnglish and Roman letters^Picture Sheet:
(21 x 30 inches) 25 pictures to go with the lessonsMap of Japan:
(21 x 28 inches) with Facts
14.15.16.17.
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of the field and pictures of Mark & Pauline 22.Large
picture: A Christian ChurchLarge picture: The Christian CenterSong
Sheet-chorus in Japanese & English.Picture folder of Kagoshima
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Pamphlet: Recruits for JapanFolder: Background Notes:
JapanOffering bag - Japanese stylePair of chopsticksReturn
envelopeSample of Japanese SS lessonSample of Japanese SS
attendance cardSample of LINKLETTER, monthly publication.Japanese
book mark of Ten CommandmentsScripture portion;, The Sermon on
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Mount in both English and JapaneseAll sent in a large, double
thickness,manila envelope.
Also from the same address these pamphlets byMark Maxey:
ESTABLISHING THE CHURCH ABROAD,25^CHRISTIANS IN JAPAN,35?iasion8
oervices"^
-
A monthly report by the fAark G. Maxey familyto the friends of
the Kyushu Christian {Mission
Kanoya, Kagoshima, JapanLinkletter No. 157
Dear Christian friends,
February, 1966
Remember I told you this was the year of the horse? Well,this
week I was down at the dock and saw that horse swinging at theend
of a rope. Any way you look at it, he was up in the air and wehave
been, too, the past few weeks. ,
All the walls around the property have been broken down. iOver
two hundred 15 year old trees have been re-pianted. Ditches |are
being dug and roads -re-located. All the beautiful shrubs
andflowers have been planted elsewhere temporarily until the new
property lines are surveyed and the garden can be built again.
Bro.Yoshii is building a new addition to the kindergarten and all
thesebuilding materials are workmen are on another part of the
property.To make room for that building our workshop had to be
moved so wehave had a crew of men jacking it up and rolling it a
few hundred yards away to a new site. Progress has been made but it
lookslike we will remain "up in the air" for a number of months
yet.
Hope decided she was tired of saying "ouch" every time herMother
combed her hair. Not long ago Pauline braided up the excessand
handed me the scissors to do the honors. We were sad but Hopewas
overjoyed and danced around the room for hours celebrating hernew
'short' cut. Now she combs it herself and enjoys it so much.
Hope has completed her year at kindergarten and"graduates"in
March. Just to show how affections change, when shebegan last year
a little boy named "Shin Chan" made herlife miserable by pulling
her hair, knocking over herchair and doing the other little tricks
that make small Tboys so endearing. After a year of this, Shin Chan
has '' 'become her best friend. Last Sunday at church, someonemade
a slighting remark about him and Hope cried as ither heart would
break. Nothing would stop her tears. Sheis going to miss her
"budc^y" and all the other playmatesas she begins to study first
grade at home with her Mother and the ever faithful Calvert course
by mail.
Gregory got home for a short vacation so forone week-end we had
a happy time with all the children .home. Greg has lost twenty
pounds and feels and looks .better. He seems to be doing well at
school except for HOPE'the new math but that puts him in the
company of most ofhis class and maybe even the teacher.
There has been another wedding at Kanoya churchBro. Nakamura, my
first student at the first leadershiptraining course married Miss
Kiyomizu, a Christian nurseat the leper colony. Nakamura san met
his future wife jr ^six years ago when they both were part of a
group ofChristians who sat up all night with the body of a de-
UK19ceased Christian. I can imagine the fun he'll have inlater
years telling his children how me met their motherat a wake.
Isabel Dittemore came up from Taiwan and spenttwo weeks with us
working with Lydia Kishii on her Jap-anese broadcast materials and
follow-up courses. It isnice to have a member of the family near
enough to visit. RE
it
hX
1,
-
Akira Oda is Professor of Greek at Osaka BibleSeminary. Last
year he completed a Greek-Japanese lexicon of the New Testament.
Before that, seminary students had to work through a lexicon in a
third language(usually English) in their Greek studies. Osaka
BibleSeminary undertook the financing and publishing of hiswork.
The first edition of 2000 copies was sold out ina year and the
second edition has now been printed. Salesof this book throughout
Japan are handled here in Kanoyathrough our Christian Center Book
Store. The lexiconwas a signifigant advance both for Greek study
and fortheological training here in Japan and it brought nationwide
recognition to Bro. Oda and to the Seminary.
Three years ago, Bro. Oda furthered his Greekstudies by a year
at the University of Athens. Duringthose months he visited Biblical
sites both in Greeceand the Holy Land. Since then, I "have been
trying toget him to come to Kanoya ("The Center of Japan"') togive
a series of lectures on the "Lands of the Bible".At last we got
together on a date, February 11 - 22 andhe arrived on schedule to
conduct our 11th LeadershipTraining Course at the Christian Center.
Coming andgoing he gave condensed four hour versions of the
samecourse in the area churches: Kagoshima, Tarumizu, Sue-yoshi,
Kushikino and Nishinoomote. We wanted thesechurches to have a
chance to share in this instructionsince most of them were too far
away to come to Kanoya.
PROF. ODA WARmNG UP TO HIS SUBJECT
11th TRAINING COURSE - LAST NIGHTThere were five night sessions
at the Center '
from 7.00 to 9.15 p.m. with a ten minute break for tea and cakes
in between, Bro. Oda used thefirst hour to present the geographical
and historical backgrounds of the Bible and the secondhour for
slides ending with a spiritual application from the scriptures. His
presentations werea masterful combination of history, Bible, humor
and personal anecdotes that forever stamped thelands he described
in the minds of his hearers. I was particularly anxious to have
this subjectbecause there seems to be a tendency among the Japanese
to divorce their faith from its factualbasis - actual people and
places and time in history. We had a total of 45 different
peopleattend the lectures at the Center with 25 receiving
certificates on the last night. (Half ofthese h^d perfect
attendance and the other half had only missed once.)
While in Kanoya he had little chance to rest during the day.
Wednesday noon he wentwith me to Rotary Club. His presentation
there was very well received. That afternoon he wasguest speaker
for the monthly meeting of the Kindergarten Mothers. Thursday
afternoon he spokeand showed slides for two hours at the leper
colony. Saturday afternoon I asked him to dothe same for my three
English Bible classes. I combined the first two classes and 69
attended.30 were present for the second session. This short, short
course in Bible geography tothese young people may have been the
most important opportunity of the week. I figure hespoke in 7 towns
to 11 different groups and a total of 339 different people. It was
ten dayswell spent and I want to thank Bro. Oda again for be
willing to spend himself so freely.
Sunday, February 20, was the longest day. We left the house at
7.30 a.m. Drove anhour and a half to Sueyoshi church where we had
classes and teaching from 9 to 2.30 p.m. Itbegan to rain heavily as
we drove for three hours across the prefecture over some roads
underconstruction that seemed both impassable and impossible. En
route we stopped for coffee withBro. Daikusono at Kajiki. I smelled
gas and looked under the car. Gasoline was pouring out ofa hole in
a steady stream. Repairs were impossible then because of time and
the rain. We boughtmore gas and made it to Kushikino for the
evening appointment on schedule. Later that night,when the rain
subsided, I dipped a toothpick in glue and stuck it in the leak. It
did the joband I was able to finish my journey home. IN HIS
SERVICE,
LINKLETTER Non-Profit OrganizatioMonthly Publication of U.S.
POSTAGE ^
KYUSHU CHRISTIAN MISSION PAIDBox 49, North Vernon, Louisville,
Kentucky
Indiana 47265 Permit No. 537
RETURN REQUESTED
-
A monthly report by the Mark G. Maxey familyto the friends of
the Kyushu Christian fAission
Kanoya, Kagoshima, JapanLinkletter No. 158 March, 1966
Dear Christian friends,
The front buzzer rang and there was Morita-san standingat the
door. Two foreigners had lost their way coming through townso he
had brought them to our house to rest. They introduced themselves
as Dr. Niels Klag and wife Christine from Denmark, now inthe
seventh month of an around the world tour in a Citreon automobile.
They planned to stay only a few minutes but we urged themto stay
longer.
I had to go to Kushikino to preach that night but Paulinetook
them to the evening service at Kanoya. After the meetingthe benches
(no backs) were arranged in a circle and Bro. Yoshiiasked Niels if
he would care to say a few words. He did and thisis what he had to
say:
"When I stepped into this church tonight, I felt here
wassomething different than I had ever experienced before. I
havevisited many churches, cathedrals and places of worship in my
travels, They were all so ornate - bright - gaudy and everything
conducted in them was a ceremony. Since it was ceremony
withoutmeaning I had no desire to know what they were saying.
Tonightas I sat in this simple church, so plain, with nothing to
detractI felt here the spirit of true worship. As I listened to
theminister speak directly from the Bible I knew it wasn't
ceremonyand I wanted with all my heart to understand what he
wassaying. I felt for the first time in my life that here Iwas the
simple church that was in the New Testamentand that this was surely
the way the first Christiansworshipped. And after the service was
over and we allsat down and drank tea together, I knew it was
reallytrue - this was the fellowship they had in the New Testament
times."
The Klags stayed with us two more days. Paulinehelped them get
their laundry all caught up. I gaveNiels suggestions on how to
complete their journey inJapan and in the U.S. In return, he
whetted my wanderlust by giving me details of their travels thus
far.We were, genuinely sorry to see them go but Niels mustbe back
in Denmark by September 1 to begin two yearsof service as a
military doctor.
I
Our area continues to be torn up. Katsuo Shi-moda has finished
the roof on the new storage building.A crew if putting the
finishing touches on Bro, Yoshii's (kindergarten building that many
of you have helped Jbuild. A local company has started rebuilding
the cement block wall around the yard on its new boundaries.As soon
as it is done, the flowers and the trees andthe rocks can be put
back in place. That will be theday.
Hope's kindergarten came to a proper conclusion with remarks by
a few 'notables' including myselfand the head of the kindergarten
PTA. Hope's teacher,Miss Horai, who was a young middle school
student when
m
PTA CHAIRMAN AT CLOSING CEREMONIES
YOUNG PEOPLE'S MEETING AT OUR HOUSE
-
we came to Kanoya leaves for Tokyo and marriage - joining the
steady exodus of some of ourfinest Christians for points north.
Going in the other direction to a lonely island almost to
Okinawa, is Bro, Sameshimaof the Kagoshima church. He has just
graduated and has pledged himself for five years toteach English in
the high school at this faraway place. He is determined to carry
his Christianity with him and I am sure he will. If it weren't for
his devoted service to the Kagoshimachurch, I doubt if I could have
found the strength to continue my weekly trips there thepast year
and a half - a trip that requires 90 kilometers od driving, 45
minutes of ferry riding, 50 minutes of walking (to the church), 10
minutes in a taxi (back to the ferry) for atotal elapsed time of
hours for two hours of teaching.
Kagoshima is only one of several English Bible classes I conduct
- At Tarumizu churchon Saturday, at Koyama on Friday, at Sueyoshi
twice a month, and three hours at the Christiancenter in Kanoya
every Saturday afternoon. I could spend forever teaching English
but Iearly made up my mind that was not my purpose in coming to
Japan. I did come to teach Christ,however, and if I could do that
thiough the medium of English and at a church or other placewhere
services were held, I would give it a try. The students understand
that my subjectmatter is Christianity but that they will also
receive personal and exact help on their pro-
-nunciation problems --an area where^he foreign teacher-can be
expecially helpful.
To help carry out this task I have developed three text books.
The first one, TWELVEWEEK COURSE FOR ENGLISH BIBLE CLASSES has been
in print over ten years and has sold well over10,000 copies. The
second, TWENTY FOUR WEEK COURSE, was test taught for one year
before beingput in print last September. The first issue of 1500
copies sold out in six months timeand the second edition containing
numberous corrections and revisions came off the pressthis month.
The third, BASIC COURSE FOR ENGLISH BIBLE CLASSES, after some time
as a mimeocourse, was re-written and considerably enlarged and is
at the printers now. This course isfor beginner students who are
still learning the basic A,B,C's and the simple words that gowith
them.
Having been at it for 15 years, I meet my former students
everywhere but the placeI like to meet them best is at church. Two
recent Christians are Otsuka-san at Kushira andMatsumoto-san at
Koyama. The subject matter of the English Bible Classes attracted
themto the Person about whom the Book is writen - Jesus Christ.
They have accepted Him as theirown personal Saviour. Such decisions
do not happen often but they do happen several timesa year and each
one makes the entire effort worthwhile.
We have had numerous interesting guests at our home this month
including two U.S.airplane crews grounded here because of bad
weather who stopped by for a cup of coffee andto change enough
dollars foryen to pay their hotel bills for the night. One of the
largestgroups was 17 young people from the Kanoya church. Pauline
had invited them to come afterchurch on the second Sunday to eat
with us and hold their business meeting
afterwards.Sheexpected_liine or ten, but Pauline's cooking- is
jus-tl-y-famed-and the number soon doubled. Theyreceived all the
sphagetti and meat balls they could eat plus the delicious
trimmings.
One of the "young people" was a first timer who said he was from
Koyama and who wentthrough all the motions of being an earnest
Christian. At the end of the meeting Pauline sawhim going through
all the pockets of the coats hanging in the hallway and wondered
what hewas up to. She mentioned it to me but I supposed he was
looking for his coat. A week latera minister from Miyakonojo
called. It seems our "Christian" had called on this minister,
showing a folder with our picture in it, and had been asked to stay
for the night. He rose upearly in the morning, stole the preacher's
money and quietly went his way. The preacher investigated and found
the man was just out of prison. He phoned to suggest we ought to be
morecareful about such things. I agree. But this is not the first
time I have been taken in andprobably won't be the last. "The sons
of this world are wiser.,.than t^ sons of light."
Missionary life anyone? IN HIS SERVICE,^LINKLETTER Non-Profit
Organization
Monthly Publication of Missions oervices U,S.POSTAGEKYUSHU
CHRISTIAN MISSION Box PAID
Box 49, North Vernon, Joiletj Ilii'^oia Louisville,
KentuckyIndiana 47265 60A>t Permit No, 537
RETURN REQUESTED
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A monthly report by the Alflr/fe 0. Maxey familyto the friends
of the Kyushu Christian ,Missio
Kanoya, Kagoshitoa, JapanDear Christian friends, April, 1966
"God is dead" some of the bright ones are saying.Since those
saying it are on salary at institutions established by God-fearing
people, it is evident that these menhave put their consciences to
death as well.
It used to be that funerals were private affairs forthe families
concerned but these men are so elated at the sup-possed "death"
that they have invited the world to view theremains. Many of the
mourners, however, have already lookedremains. Many of the
mourners, however, have already looked FELLOWSHIP AT THE
CONVENTIONinto the casket and discovered that God is not there. It
is a mock funeral after all.
God lives though many have reason to wish Him dead. If men are
going to sin withimpunity, it is better not to have a God of
Judgment around to observe what is going on. Dismiss Him then. In
this sense the "new (non) morality" and the "new (non) theology" go
handin hand. They were made for each other. More pointedly, they
deserve each other.
The "God is dead" publicity is not all bad. Many Christians have
never really examined their belief in a God "in whom (they) live
and move and have (their) being." If the present discussion moves
them to do so, the result will be good.
But what concerns me as a missionary is that Japan for the most
part doesn't yet knowthat God is alive. For over ten centuries
Japan's custom and culture has been based on Buddhist thought.
Buddhism has much to commend itself in the way of ethics but true
Buddhismis athiestic, a fact that a great many people either do not
know or choose to ignore. So whilein the West some are denying what
they have so long affirmed, in Japan the thinking class ofpeople
have hardly given God a thought.
Alfonso M. Nebreda in an article, "The Japanese University
Student Confronts Religion,'presents some interesting material in
this regard. (Monumenta Nipponica, Sophia University,Chiyoda Ku,
Tokyo, Vol. XX, Nos. 1-2, 1965, pp. 15-40T1
Prof. Joseph Roggendorf of Sophia University (Catholic) wrote
that the "Europeanwhether he be a believer or not, does not seem to
be able to conceive a universe without someBeing above who governs
and explains it." But Professor Masutani Furaio, a Buddhist
scholar,replied, "Exactly the opposite is true of the Japanese. The
Japanese do not know and cannotbelieve that there exists a God
above the universe."
For a number of years after the war, courses in morals were not
taught in the schoolsof Japan. Now they have been resumed.
Educators face difficulty, however, in teaching moralsand ethics
not identifed with any religious system. In any case the teaching
of religionis carefully avoided. Along the way, however, the
student develops a bias against religion.Atheism takes root and
faith in science and humanism takes precedence.
In this situation it is not surprising to hear Mr. Nebreda
report that 90% of thestudents entering a Tokyo middle school
consider themselves athiests. Or that in a surveyof 200 students
entering Sophia University, 62% were actively hostile toward
religion. Thishostility, it must be noted, extended toward all
religions, not just Christianity.
One student wrote in answer to a question about his belief in
God: "Since the day Iwas born until I finished the third year of
Senior High School I have never given a thoughtto God or felt the
slightest desire to know anything about Him." Another wrote,
'...AlthoughI would like to be impartial on the subject, namely
religion, I cannot but feel strong antipathy towards it and its
devotees when I think that it is the twentieth century in which
weare living. I know that even to thi^ day there are many people
who would rather die thanlive without a God - at least there are
many who think they would. And yet, personally, Iwish men had never
thought of Him."
In Japan, then, we have one of the most secularized nations on
earth where religionhas little practical relationship with life or
art or music or law or education or in any of
-
the other areas which we take so much for granted in the U.S..
It is no wofJder then thatmany of the Sophia students described
religion as a mere "accessory," "a si^n of helpless-^ess,!'
'^sentiment, " "illusion," "irrational," a "relic of the past," "a
product of the humanmind, completely useless in the modern world,"
and as "taking refuge in another world."
Perhaps reporting this situation is unsettling. Possibly, also,
you may begin to understand why we are not "turning the world
upside down" with our preaching here. All is not darkof course.
There are many, many Japanese with open minds and hearts. They are
both seeking
-.God and finding Him. This includes college students. The
Japanese have a capacity for ardepth of faith and committment equal
to any. "Of such is the kingdom of heaven" - and we willcount
ourselves fortunate to be able to enter the Kingdom with them.
A quick run-down on the events of the month. The last of March I
went north for theannual convention of the churches of Christ in
Japan held near Tokyo. En route I spent Sundaynight with Bro. Yuse
and wife at Nagoya. Monday was spent at an executive meeting of
theJapan Christian Booksellers Association. Tuesday at the
Councillor's meeting of Osaka BibleSeminary and Wednesday and
Thursday at the convention itself. In the program and in the
facilities provided it ranks as one of the best conventions yet to
be held. The program didn'tmeander. It had a consistent theme which
provided us both teaching and inspiration and nota little good
humor in between. A youth hostel in a setting of great natural
beauty was givenover completely to the convention's use.
Congratulations are due the Tokyo area ministersand missionaries
for an exceptionally fine meeting. Next year the convention will be
comingto our own beloved Kagoshima area.
Friday morning I joined Kiyoto Yanagimoto, long-time friend and
employee of JapanAir Lines, on an early flight back to Kagoshima.
He spent five days of his spring vacationwith us. Greg stopped off
at Fukuoka on the way home from school and came on home in thecar
with Tom and Barbara Poston. The Postons are members of Bethany
church near Anderson,Indiana and now stationed at litazuke Air Base
in the north part of our island. They arevitally interested in the
work here and we tried to show them as much of it as possible
during their visit with us. Faith got home from hei; school on
Friday night, All of us togetherhad a wonderful week of fellowship
together with the regular schedule of church visitation.
The Chevrolet Carry-An^had had i;ts engine re-bored and
begSi~it^ 11th year of service. The new addition to the
kindergarten has been finished, dedicated, and has begun itsnew
school year with a staff of three Christian teachers. We spent a
day at Faith's schoolenjoying a music recital of all the students
and the hospitality of the Verney Unruh family,long-time missionary
friends and neighbors (50 kilometers).
Resurrection Day was a full one. Preaching and communion at the
leper colony at8.30 in the morning. Then visitation ana taking the
communion to the hospital wards there.Prayers, Bible study and the
Lord's Supper with Bro. Yamashita at their home in the villageof
Takasu. He is crippled and can not walk. To Kanoya church in time
to be present forthe baptizing of Otsuka-san. A quick lunch before
going to Tarumizu for the afternoon serviceat three followed by an
hour and a half class in Training For Service. Home at 6.30
weary,weary. The evening closed with family singing and scripture
reading. On Monday Faith andGreg started back to school. Our guest
had returned a few days before that. Pauline hasstarted her first
grade classes with Hope and I am doing my best, with the Lord's
help, tokeep on keeping on. IN HIS SERVICE,
LINKLETTER ^Monthly Publication of
KYUSHU CHRISTIAN MISSIONBox 49, North Vernon, ^
Indiana 47265
RETURN REQUESTED
f-'
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Permit No. 537
'' y fwCO
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A monthly report by the Mark G. Maxey family
to the friends of the Kyushu Christian MissionKanoya, Kagoshima,
Japan
Linkletter No. 160
Dear Christian friends
May, 1966
May flowers and May showers have made this a veryfine month ~
and very busy. None has been busier thanPauline, the nicest part of
this household.
Hideo Yoshii invited her to give the morning message on Mother's
Day. I arranged my schedule so I couldhear it. The oistinction she
made between mothers andChristian mothers confirmed in me the
conviction that mywife more than deserves the top place I give her
in mylist of blessings.
It is said that back of every great man stands a ||||||hgreat
mother. True, indeed.' But to this must be addedthat alongside of
him stands a great wife. Certainly nomissionary could continue his
work in any satisfactoryway without a wife more devoted and more
consecrated thanhimself and more than willing to carry her share of
theload. Such a wife Pauline has been to me during our al-most
quarter century of married life and over fifteenyears of missionary
service. "*^^2
One of Pauline's special projects in May each yearis the
Mother-Daughter banquet sponsored by the women'sgroup of the Kanoya
church. Pauline teaches them eachmonth of the year and when it
comes banquet time theirdedicated work is what makes it such a
success.
Almost 100 mothers and daughters gathered for thethird annual
event held on May 28 at the kindergartenbuilding. The theme was
"Hands." The young women of thechurch gave a play that Pauline had
written. Mrs. BettyTurner gave a chalk picture of the helping hand
of Godwhile Ryoko Seguchi sang the hymn, "He Leadeth Me." Pauline
gave the message of the evening ending with special " "recognition
of the oldest "hands" present (86 years) aswell as the youngest
"hands" (9 months). -
Very simple food, a reasonable price (42^) and aperiod of
hilarious games made this affair quite differ- -ent than a similar
banquet would be in the U.S.
Another outstanding event of the month was thebaptism of 14
lepers by Bro. Yoshii of the Kanoya church.The entire group of
leper Christians spent the day at thesea shore. When the appointed
hour came, rain was fal- ---ling and the wind was churning the
water. But Bro. Yoshiidid a masterful job of conducting a beautiful
service inan impressive natural setting. Many of those baptizedwere
crippled and had to be helped to and from the waterby those more
able. The Christians at the leper colonydo not constitute a church
as such. Rather they are anassociation of believers who meet
together, conduct theirown-business and rotate leadership of their
meetings |H|Hamong themselves. Bro. Yoshii goes twice a month
toteach and preach. I do the same. And Pauline goes once
PAULINE MAXEY
KM
MOTHER-DAUGHTER BANQUET
BRO. YOSHII BAPTIZING INTO CHRIST
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a month to teach the women's group. So tothe joy of these 14 who
made the greatcommitment was added our joy in seeing afruitful
response to teaching which hasextended over many months - even
years.
To my regular schedule of Bibleclasses and church services I
have added
one more. This class which meets at theChristian Center every
Saturday nightfrom 6.30 to 8.10 p.jn. (100 minutes) willbe accepted
for credit at Osaka Bible Sem^inary. To begin v/ith, we have
threefaithful and vitally interested studentswho will study
"Training for Service" for20 sessions. After that, other
courseswhich will fit into the Seminary curriculum will be offered
on a regular basis.We have had short courses through theyears but
this is our first attempt tohave something on a year around basis.
We do not know what will ultimately result from this
_very .simple, beginning but will be content to see what use the
Lord makes of it..
During the month, Pauline and I and Hope went to Kyoto Baptist
Hospital for our annualphysicals. We found we needed headache
pills, vitamins and much stronger bi-focals but it lookslike we
will probably live for another year, if the Lord wills. Along the
way we had delightful visits with Dave and Edna Kruse at
Yatsushiro; Tom and Barbara Poston at litazuke AirBase; Martin and
Evelyn Clark at Osaka; took part in another Councilor meeting at
Osaka BibleSeminary; spoke for chapel at the Seminary; took Pauline
to Osaka's busy wholesale districtwhere you can do some mighty
interesting and reasonable shopping if you have need of something
by the box instead of by the pair; and after visiting Gregory at
his school at Kobebrought him home for a four-day break before his
final month of school begins.
During the five day trip, we spent two nights on the train and
sixteen hours drivingto and from northern K3mshu over some newly
paved roads we had never been on before. Unfortunately. bumper to
bumper traffic in the north part of our island makes driving a
treacherous chore and leaves little chance to enjoy Kyushu's
unequaled scenery. Car ownershipis becoming quite common here but
the road system lags a generation behind. Road congestionand an
extremely high traffic fatality rate will get much worse before it
gets better - ifit ever does.
We have had visitors. Bob Desbrow, a former Navy pilot, and our
neighbor here forfive years until 1962 stopped by for a delightful
four day visit. Bill and Betty Turner,formerly of the Philippines
and now completing a year of service at Osaka seminary had a
chanceto teach and preach as they included us in their visit to
mission stations over the country.
FOURTEEN NEW CHRISTIANS
Attendance at ceremonials is an essential part of life in Japan.
Especially satisfyingwas Kanoya City's 25th anniversary as a city
on May 27. As a regular tax payer and a long-timeresident it is a
pleasure to observe the city's outstanding physical progress. We
could hopethat there has been spiritual progress as well and that,
if so, w^ have had some part in it.But God must be the judge of
that. IN HIS SERVICE, j
LINKLETTER
Monthly Publication ofKYUSHU CHRISTIAN MISSION
Box 49, North Vernon,Indiana 47265
RETURN REQUESTED
KiaiiionsiBox 9^8Joiletf Illinois60^3^
1953
Jices
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A monthly report bv the Mark G. Maxey family
to the friends of the Kyushu Christian MissionKanoya, Kagoshima,
Japan
Linkletter No. 162 July-August, 1966
Dear Christian friends,
It's been a long, hot summer so we skipped an issue. Weare
sending you, however, a 24 page brochure, JAPAN MISSIONS,1966,
which gives a survey of the entire Japan field. Extra copies are
available so drop us a card if you are interested.
It's become a tradition at our house to invite all the
'tmissionaries of southern Kyushu of whatever church for a celebra-
f* ^ ^tlon on July 4. We had a fine day and a fine group. We
gather- MANAGER: BRO. lANIJIRIed around the flag for patriotic
songs and the pledge of alleg-iance; around the tables for a good
picnic dinner, and in shadyspots around the yard for games,
conversation and relaxation. P,
In July we had an 80 year record for rain fall - 30inches in a
48 hour period. That's a lot of water. Every road ,"3,became a
river. I thought I was piloting a boat instead of 1 ^ dHBB
ijdriving my car as I made my rounds that week. jl
Not to be outdone, August was the hottest in 20 years. ^ ^The
temperature hung around 95 for days. That in itself is not ^ ^ v
jjptoo bad but when combined with 70 - 80 %humidity it becomes very
\i fNK^ Juncomfortable. Sweating brings no coolness or relief at
all. A
In spite of the boiling sun, we had a very successful summer
camp - the 16th annual session. For the first time in ^^years we
had neither rain nor typhoons to mar the week. Held HOST MINISTER:
BRO. DAIKUSONOthis year at the Kajiki church, there were a total of
80 campersfor all or part of the week and a dozen confessions of 4^
X,
Each camper brought his own rice, blanket,paid his own
transportation and 1400 ($3.88) for the '^ Vsweek. The mission paid
the way for 18 young peoplefrom the orphanage near Kanoya where we
hold services, i /hFi I
HOST MINISTER:BRO.DAIKUSONO
n rice, blanket, ^ vAL'k \\400 ($3.88) for the18 young people ,
^^-^4
re we hold services, i /^limp program and itare some inovations
; P/lv .W /
eam sold on the ^ ' \ \ |had no- sickness ' ^
The faculty runs a fine camp program and itis a pleasure to
share in it. Here are some inovationsthis year: No candy, pop or
ice cream sold on thegrounds (and for the first time we had no
sicknessand no stomach complaints.) One faculty member designated
each day to act as counselor to discuss personalproblems with the
campers. A special class held eachmorning during the quiet hour to
teach new campers
'aP ^t r
{si-C "K '?i, , H- ->* Nil ^ -y"V Si:
16th ANNUAL CAMP FACULTY
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how to pray. Three separate camp programs for grade school
school,junior high school and high school students held
simultaneouslywith all worship services and recreation held
together. An afternoon digging small clanA at the beach. The clams
were served forbreakfast the next day. Delicious.
Our three children attended. Hope and I kept each othercompany
in our tent-trailer. I contributed my part to the campprogram by
serving as song leader, morning chapel speaker, teaching an English
Bible class and acting as one of 8 group leaders.It was a very
fine" week. As soon as the camp was over a two dayretreat for
college and working young people was held using thesame facilities.
Afterward I hauled the dishes and tables andother equipment back to
Kanoya on the trailer for storage.
We have had help this summer - two fourth year studentsfrom
Osaka Bible Seminary. Bro.Doyama is spending the summerpreaching at
both Kagoshima City and at Tarumizu, an hour's ferrytrip across the
bay. Bro. Sato is holding forth at Sueyoshi tillmid-September, We
are glad to have these young preachers in ourmidst not only to
share the preaching load but also because of thegift that their
zeal and faith makes to all of us.
Our home has been blessed with visitors this August.Many, many
Japanese friends. An officer of the U.S. GeodeticService announcing
that Kanoya had been picked as one of 33sites around the world for
an observation station to accurately!measure the earth's surface by
sightings on a satellite now inorbit. We had a delightful ten days
with Dick and Melba Lashand daughters Dorothy and Dawn as they took
a vacation fromtheir work in Pusan, Korea. Then a fine visit with
Tom and Barbara Poston from litazuke Air Base. Pauline and I are
happy ilour home can bring a blessing to others. IN HIS
SERVICE,
fa.'* /
50 MILES BY BIKE TO CAMP CHOW TIME: RICE AND.
BRO. SATO AT SUEYOSHI
BRO. DOYAMA AT KAGOSHIMA
WATERMELLON TIME
GUESTS:LASH FAMILY OF KOREA
LINKLETTERMonthly Publication of
KYUSHU CHRISTIAN MISSIONBox 49, North Vernon,
Indiana 47265
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RETURN REQUESTEDSil88lon ServicesBox 9f)QJoliet Illinois
60434
SfiP 23 BSf
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A monthly report by the M(7rk ('. Ak/.vt')' family to the
friends
of the Kyushu Christian Mission Kanoya, Kagoshima, Japan
Linkletter No. 163
Dear Christian friends,
September-October, 1966
It's never too early to announce a goodthing and Christian
fellowship is one of the bestthings there is.
Come next May 16,17 & 18 the 18th AnnualConvention of
churches of Christ in Japan will be heldhere in Southern Kyushu. We
have already reserved anentire hotel at the base of Mt. Sakurajima,
a place ofunrivaled beauty at the very finest time of the year.
I
The annual missionary convention will followimmediately on May
19,20 & 21 at the same place. The ROADS LEAD SOUTH TO THE 1967
CONVENTIONtheme for both conventions will be Christ for theWorld."
We hope to invite leaders from other Asian areas to come and help
develop this themeand to make this convention for the first time a
real Far East gathering of our people.
Summer came to a close for us officially on September 1. On that
day we loaded thefamily in the Carry-All and drove to Fukuoka", a
day's journey to the north, where we had a fineweek-end with the
Tom Poston family. On Monday, Faith took a train to Miyazaki
Christian Schoolwhere she is in the 6th grade this year. She leaves
home every Monday afternoon and gets backevery Friday night. So we
have her happy presence with us every week-end.
Pauline, Hope and I went on to Kobe by train and helped Gregory
get established inthe dormitory at Canadian Academy. He is enrolled
as a Freshman. In contrast to last year, helook forward to getting
back to school this time. During our two nights there, we were
thegrateful guests of the George Beckman and Claude Likins
families.
On the return trip we stopped off at Hiroshima for four hours to
help Mrs. Kishinegotiate a new contract with the local station for
the radio program that Isabel Dittemoresponsors there. That
completed Mrs. Kishi treated us to a wonderful supper in the
newly-com-pleted railroad station before taking a fast train at 6
p.m. on back to Fukuoka. The next dayafter saying farewell to the
Postons we drove home via the new toll road down the highlands
ofcentral Kyushu, truly a beautiful and fascinating country.
Paula spent the summer in southern Wisconsin serving as
counselor in a camp thatthe Salvation Army operates for the people
they serve in Chicago. She enjoyed the experiencethoroughly. Walter
spent the summer at Fairborn, Ohio about 65 miles north of
Cincinnati. He
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worked on a construction crew five days a week and continued to
serve as youth minister ofthe local church on nights and week-ends.
Early in September he drove up to get Paula. Now bothare enrolled
at Cincinnati Bible Seminary, Paula as a senior and Walter as a
Junior.
At home, along with her many other duties, Pauline is teaching
Hope her first gradework. The other day Hope burst into my office
with her first page of numbers from one to ninethat she had
written-herself. Naturally, that had to be rewarded with a hug and
a kiss and acoin from her Daddy's pocket. October 4 she became a
big six year old. She had two very niceparties to celebrate the
occasion. Pauline made a beautiful cake in the shape of a
butterflyto her order. Her prized gift was a talking doll which at
the press of a button gives forthwith six different set speeches -
all in Japanese, of course. Whether I can afford to keepthat doll's
innards supplied with batteries is the next problem.
Probably for the first time in history, our immediate area has
not been touched bya typhoon. Truly a wonderful blessing for us -
but not for the rest of Japan which has sufferedbadly. The rice is
heavy-laden and will produce a record crop. But since the
gov-ernment subsidizes the crop and sets the price, rice will cost
more this year in spite of the plenty. Inflation has become a way
of life in Japan averaging about 1% a month for the last 4-5 years.
Thisin effect has reduced the purchasing power of the yen about 50%
since 1960.
Now that October is here, the really delightful fall weather is
upon us. The otherbeatmontb-Ls-Ma-yIl^is-woi^h endur-ing the-other
ten-months to have-these-two-. All-proper-tymatters with the city
were settled last January. Since that time roads have been
completlybuilt around the property. Half the Christian center has
been torn down and all roatis, treesand shrubbery within the
property re-located. Bro. Kozono, the gardener who built our
firsitgarden 16 years ago, returned and built the new one including
a typical Japanese garden witha small waterfall and fish pond. A
fine stand of grass has healed the reconstruction scarsand made the
front yard a place that not only we enjoy but our neighbors and
Christian friendsas well.
Recently the Kanoya church had family night there. The church
women prepared ricecurry which we all ate with relish before the
evening of games, singing and personal testimoniesbegan. Then on
September 23, the annual fall convention of the area churches was
scheduled tobe held there but heavy rains not only limited the
attendance but forced us to hold all thesessions in the Center
building. Nevertheless good preaching and a fine discussion in
theafternoon the problems of the Sunday Schools in the various
churches made it a worthwhile gathering. All the ministers came a
day early and we worked on conventions plans for next year
andreviewed the summer camp program.
September 26, four young men from the U.S. Coast and Geodetic
Service arrived inKanoya with a C-130 cargo plane full of equipment
to begin six months of photographing thesatelite PAGEOS(which
stands for Passive Geodetic Satellite). Sister stations are at Wake
Islandand Alaska. When the triangular observations from these and
other sites around the world arefinally completed and compared, man
will know for the first time the actual shape and size ofthe earth
within a very few inches. It has been my pleasure to help the team
make innumerablelocal arrangements-ih-getting settled. -
At some future time a book will be published showing.the
corrected locations of everyspot on^earth. At that time Kanoya will
become the reference point for Asia for making correc-^^^^
V iWi lllc.rL.J.Ug CUl'XtSCtions Of distance on current maps. I
have always claimed h^f in truth and half in jest that^anoya was
not Qnly the "center" of Japan but of the world as well. Now the
U.S. Government has
- - -- jjis serTiCe,^^^^ jo.acted to confirm my claim. Thanks
Uncle Sam.LINKLETTER
Monthly Publication ofKYUSHU CHRISTIAN MISSION
Box 49, North Vernon,Indiana 47265
RETURN REQUESTED
Non-profit OrganizationU. S. POSTAGE
PAID
Louisville, KentuckyPermit No. 537
Hisslon SemoesBox 968Jollet Illiaols 60434
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A monthly report by the \\iirk \|f/,V('v family to the
friends
Linkletter M ^ V Hf Novemberof the Kyushu C.hristian S\ission
Kanoya, Kagosbima, Japan
Dear Christian friends,
One sure sign of fall is the requests for information about
Japan missions thatstart coming in from students in mission classes
in U.S. seminaries. Three came in the maillast week. We gladly send
off all available information along with the prayer that afterthe
material is gathered and the term paper written a missionary
commitment to Japan willbe made.
Other mission fields may seem to offer better opportunities for
service (and success) but I offer this statement which impressed me
in my reading the other night. Japan.This remarkable society, the
only fully developed nation outside the West, could play a creative
role as buffer and broker between the West and an Asia increasingly
under Chinese domination. Or it could be drawn into the Chinese
orbit and become a client and perhaps ally ofChinese power and
ideology. With a very fluid ideological and religious situation,
and greatcultural and social vitality, Japan merits close
observation and careful missionary planning.(Occasional Bulletin,
Sept. 1966, p. 7)
Japan also merits the life-long missionary service of the finest
young people thechurch has to offer. This service offers countless
opportunities for individual conversionsof the Japanese plus the
future possibility of a Japan leading the East in the
Christianfaith as it is now leading it in so many other areas.
Coming along very rapidly these days is Korea, Japan's near
neighbor to the west.Korea has had a very late start and can not
hope to reach Japan's economic level for manyyears yet. But in
regard to the Christian faith, Korea has a Christian community
whosenumbers and zeal is truly outstanding. Fellowship with them is
such a wonderful experiencethat I always look forward to the chance
of experiencing it again.
This chance came from October 17 to 24. S.M. Chang and Dick Lash
had invited meto come to Pusan for lectures at the Far East
Christian Vocational College. I was more thanglad to oblige. At the
same time I held a threenight meeting to help launch a new
churchwhich will meet in the college chapel. There were eleven
responses to the invitation. Eagerlisteners plus the hospitality of
Dick and Melba Lash, Mr. and Mrs . Chang and the
stimulatingassociation with the college faculty and studeiit body
made the time well spent.
Thursday morning early I took the train north for a 24 hour
visit with John andJane Hill at Taejon. I preached twice at Korea
Bible College there and visited briefly anumber of the churches and
ministers of the area. A very pleasant visit but all too short.I
joined Dick Lash on the train at Taejon station Friday noon.
Combining the sack lunchessent by both Melba and Jane we ate very
well indeed as we rode into Seoul. We moved quicklyout of the
station and across town for a 2.30 appointment at Korea Christian
Seminary ledby Choi Soon Gook and Chae Yoon Kwon. Bro. Choi was my
interpreter for an hour's sermon andfor another hour of lively
discussion answering questions put to me by the student body.
Againwe greatly regretted that the time was all too short. After a
wonderful supper at the home
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VTEAM ONE MEETING IN PROGRESS AT SUEYOSHI
Dick and Ginger Herndon on the staff of the American Embassy in
Seoul, they took us to thenight train. Unfortunately, there was no
sleep and no heat.
I sat, shivered and shook my way over the mountain range to the
coastal city ofKangnung on Friday night and repeated the
performance on the return trip Sunday night. Butthe two days in
between were worth it. Dick Lash spent a number of years in
Kangnung and hehatlo ahow f^r hie labors to-say nothing -of-the
scenic and cultural sights of thearea. I enjoyed the companionship
of five ministers and Christian leaders, sleeping onthe heated,
oil-papered floors of BrOo Choi's home, enjoying my fill of Korean
food (pluswatering eyes when I got an overdose of 'kimchi' a very
hot Korean relish) and preaching threetimes in three separate
churches. Again I was encouraged by five responses to the
invitation,at Kangnung church on Sunday morning. Back in Seoul on
Monday morning, we unthawed with hotshowers and a hot breakfast at
the home of Harold and Ada Taylor (Seoul Bible Seminary)
beforetaking the mid-morning plam back to Pusan and on to
Japan.
Korea has more than its share oi problems but it also has four
Bible colleges of 'our people with a total enrollment of
approximately 225 - probably the Targest number of ministerial
students on any of our mission fields. That certainly gives reason
for optimism inthinking of the future evangelization of the
country.
Back home, there was just a few days left to get ready for the
annual week of evangelism (November 6-13) sponsored by Osaka Bible
Seminary. Every year the college closes forthis week and sends its
faculty and students all over Japan for special meetings. We had
twofine teams. Team one (Miss Kuyama, Mr. Kikkawa and Mr. Sato)
worked with me three nights atSueyoshi, one night at the leper
colony and three nights at Koyama. Team two (Miss Naruse,
Mr.Nakamori and Mr. Azechi) worked with Bro. limure for 4 nights at
Kushira.St at Tarumizu for 3nights. By day the teams were out
visiting all the homes in the community with tracts and
announcements. By after school hours, they were gathering the
children for Bible songs andstories. By night they were witnessing
to their faith by chalk pictures, special music, per-
. S-QnaltesjtimQnies and gospel sermons^We can not report any
new Christians as yet from these meetings but we have many
new contacts and the intensive advertising and personal contacts
will continue to bring inevangelistic opportunities. Hospitality
and meals were provided by the Christians in each place.Their
spiritual renewal in providing this service and in shari^ the v^al
faith of thesestudents is itself reward enough. IN HIS SERVICE,
^
LINKI.ETTER
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Box 49, North Veruon,Indiana 47265
RETURN REQUESTED
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