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TH

Mr. and iQrs^rchie Fairbro+her ^


Christian Missionaries associaEe^"^TtlihwfdHranJ J. Lois Rees
ASSAM INDIA MISSION CHURCHES OF CHRIST

Mawlai, Shillong, Assam, India


FAIRBROTHER FORWARDING AGENT:

REES FORWARDING AGENT:


Mrs. Jess Hilt Box 343

Mrs. E. D. McKltrick 2437 . Mifflln St.

Madison 4, Wisconsin

Cottage Grove, Oregon

JULY

1956

Michigan City S Evangelist to Assam


The First Christian Church, link comes from one church now. Michigan City, Indiana has called The Englewood Christian Church,
Archie Fairbrother to be their Evan

Indianapolis, Indiana is continuing

gelist to India. This makes two their support for Marguerite. evangelists to foreign lands for this Marilois and Jewel have their church; the other being Julius support continuing from the church Fleenor, evangelist to Japan. in Mt. Pulaski, Illinois. Ellen and

livinglink amounting to $150 a year per child. You might be the one to the support they had before? The supply this need. East Forty-Ninth Street Christian Church, Indianapolis, Indiana and The Fairbrothers take this time the church in Potomac, Illinois, be to thank those who are now support sides a very good Christian lady in ing them. Ve only pray that much Kansas made up the livinglink sup will be done to the glory of the Lord port for Archie Fairbrother before. and that the years will bring many They have pledged to continue their happy memories of our fellowship support for the work as a full living- together.
the Fairbrothers in India, what of
UATTENTION!!

Since this is the second term for

Charles are both in need of their

You've Been Looking For This


'Hands Across the Himaiayas"
is a book of ten short stories of
missionary experience

-7
x r

mi r- j

9<r<te fairbnther. It is reody Tibetans and of the Khasi in Asf.r sole ot 30^ '"T,labored 'C""" torChrist among these *1 1Q ^ each or FOUR <or and
people.

A Letter from Phillip


Dear Friends in Christ:

Thank you very much for your kind support of me. Your kind support has really gone a long way in this part of the globe. The people here are rather very poor and cannot in the real sense of the term "have two square meals a day." I think that pet animals in your country are better cared for and looked after than most of the people here especially when they
are sick.

As a qualified Compounder, I used to take care of them when they are sick and give them medicines besides preaching. As long as it is that medicine required is of cheap and average price 1 could help them but when the question of costly medicines come 1 had to disappoint them for lack of fund. I am trying my utmost to give a helping hand to them and

for that they are very grateful to me. Thly are re^ly very simple folks

and they cannot go so far as to from where all the funds come but when I told them they were surprised of the love and generosity of you and they are indirectly very grateful to you and the American as a whole. With bet ter fund I am expecting to be able to do more but this is the thing that always stands as a stumbling block. Let us all pray and see what the Lord will do and in His wisdom I yield myself.

The prospect for the progress of the Church of Christ here is plenty but only a few draw back is shortage of workers. Some of my friends I
won over to our church are now making much headway and some of them are really sincere workers. One of them who when he was a Presbyterian he was used to be called by Brother and Sister Rees as Phillip's friend but from the time that he joined our church he has proved his worth and once Sister Rees said as "Thank you for your sacrificial service." He is an educated man and is very much appreciated both by the church members as well as by the missionaries. Brother Davis was very pleased with him when he visited our church and presented him with one Bible. On the whole I could without hesitation say that the ground is very fertileif we have enough people to plough, good harvest is a certainty.
I am now at a lost of how to write and of what you really want to know.

What I am writing is only a bare outline of a general letter. If you, by the way, have any special interest to ask about any information, I shall deem it a pleasure to furnish you with the same. Therefore for the present I close my letter and request you to kindly drop me a line or two if you
could find time. Please also write your name and address clearly so that

I may keep record of it and also to avoid delay or any chance of missing
of letters.

Once again I thank you for your kind support and most precious of all, your love for your brethren in Lord Jesus Christ.
In Christian Love,

(signed) Phillip HoDupao

Marilois' Letter
Dear Friends:

We were living on Grandpa Fairbrother's farm in Wisconsin the last


time I wrote to you, and I was going to Sunny Slope School.
As soon as school was out we moved down here to Michigan City. The First Christian Church rented a house for us near the beach. We have lots of sand to play in. We went to Vacation Bible School at the First Christian Church.

Daddy and Mama both taught in it. Grandpa and Grandma Bare came to
see us while we were having VBS, and Aunt Maribel came, too.

The next week wewent back up to Wisconsin for camp at Chute Lake. Aunt Jean came up from Texas and Aunt Claire came from Milwaukee; so
house, and we ail went out to see Grandma Fairbrother's grave.

we spent an afternoon with them and Grandpa Fairbrother at Aunt Lucy's


When we get back to India we will have lots of things to tell Emrys
and Warren and all the Reeses. It will be fun going to school with t^^em again, but we will miss our friends in America, too.
Your friend,
Marilois

When Are Fairbrothers Sailing?


This is one of the most popular

I :H
I t {^1 .9

* 1 questions among our friends. We

wish that we could give a straight


that we have to admit there i^no

^i^swer to this question. It is aln ways with a great feeling of lon^ng


tentative sailing date. We truly wish

' r c o u l d say that we will sail


on a certain date in the neat future.

.
I
f-. '
, ,

i- ^

i.

'.J*

1^-

Our first hope was that we would

V last spring. That did not work out


matters which took a lot longer than
because there were certain legal

^1^

leave the States early

'i

expected. Now we want to leave


ginning to straighten out and thmgs

this fall. The legal matters are be-

Christ's influence can be seen look better than before. Please pray in the lives of these children with us that these legal papers nec-

whoseparents are Christians, essary will be hurried along.

Projects Needed Immediately


Support for Phillip Ho, $20 a month. Support for Lasslydian Lyngdoh,
India. He became a Christian, while living in Batang, under the influence of Miss Gladys Schwake, R. N. Miss Schwake, our faithful missionary to

Phillip is a Tibetan missionary to $25 a month. Lasslydian is our Head mistress for the Middle English Christian Day School in Mawlai, Shillong. It would relieve the general fund if someone would pledge to the Tibetans, taught Phillip many support this fine Christian girl as things about medical work. He is she helps the Mission. She is wellnow doing all the medical work of qualified for this "position and has the Assam India Mission Churches held it for three years. of Christ among the Khasi. One church has already pledged $3 a month, and has been giving it for

sever^ years. Phillip needs the rest Support for Charles, 18 months, and
Ellen, three years, $130 a year each.

pf this support now.

Projects Needed on our Return


Large tent. This is to be used for churches or individuals $23. Here Young People's camps as well as is something all can help in, giving village meetings. It will come to whatever they have, whether more $400 complete. $100 of this amount or less as described here. has been given. You can supply the rest. Microscope. This is to be used in
-xhe^medical work,- determiningtheexact disease being treated. $30 Return Fareamounting to $1,900. of the $230 needed has been given Nineteen churches could give $100 for this project. Your help here

each or 38 could give $30 or 76 would be greatly appreciated.

A Project for NOW and ALWAYS


Prayer. Here is a way that all can est to unite with all Christians in help as we labor among the Khasi. this project. If you will do this, you %'e look to the oldest and the yoimg- will have our sincere gratitude.
THE ASSAM MESSENGER

non-profit organization

mailed'from First Christian Chnrch 1102 Cedar Street

Michigan City, Indiana

HANDS ACROSS THE


HIMALAYAS

9--

% -

by
MARGUERITE FAIRBROTHER

HANDS ACROSS THE HIMALAYAS


TEN SHORT STORIES
of

MISSIONARY EXPERIENCES
North of the Mountains
and

South of Them

by
MARGUERITE FAIRBROTHER

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Marguerite Fairbrother is the daughter of


Dr. and Mrs- N. H. Bare who were missionaries on

the border of China and Tibet for fourteen years.

They returned to the United States when Marg


uerite was thirteen.

At the age of eleven Marguerite was used as

an interpreter by new missionaries. She therefore met with both the problems and the joys of the
mission field.

After her marriage and the completion of her college work, she and her husband went to

Assam, India, to serve the Lord among the Khaai tribespeople in that province. They went to India
because the door of service for the Lord in China

had been closed by Communists-

Her years of service qualify her for writing the stories in this book. It is her hope that through this book, Christians, young and old, will have a
better vision of what the Word of God is doing

in the lives of people half way around the world.


Archie Fairbrother

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PART ONE Tibetan Stories

Home For a Pilgrim And The. Blind See


Driven Out Who Were The Robbers

! 5 9
.....13 17

Gway Lan
PART TWO Khasi Stories

21

PlaymatesPartners ,
The Blind Leads the Blind

26 30

Khasi Kids
Robbed! !

;.

;......1..34
39
43

'Father, You Come, Too!'

HOME FOR A PILGRIM

It had been another long, hard day for the pilgrims. Travel in Tibet was hard enough, but
now that they were getting down into the heat

of China, walking all day was even harder. They had camped outside the town of Kang Pu in a meadow just across the road from a walled-in
compound.

"That must be where the foreigners live,"


the leader remarked.

"Come," someone suggested, "let's go there to beg. The foreigners are always rich; we may
get a full meal from them." They crossed the road and filed in through the open gate. Then, leaning on their walking sticks, they began the beggars' chant: "Please, please. Precious Long Life, give us food. Have mercy on us, poor pilgrims. Gain merit for yourselvesGive us food. Please, please. Precious Long Life!" Their chant attracted several strange-looking white children. One of them shouted in Tibetan, "Uncle Tsering, pilgrims have come!" They were approached by a big, burly Tibet an who greeted them cordially and promised them tea and parched barley flour (tsamba) if they would first listen to his messaige. The leader scowled and mumbled something about going somewhere else, but most of them nodded agree ment, They were willing to stay for tea and
tsamba.

Uncle Tsering began with a fact that they


all acknowledged; that all people are sinners. That was why they were on this pilgrimage; so their sins would be forgiven. But their pilgrim age was vain because only One could forgive sinsThe true and living God, Creator of heaven and earth, He alone could forgive. Briefly, and in simple language, Uncle Tser ing told the pilgrims of God's love and His desire

to save them.
Him.

He had sent His only Son to live

on the earth and to die for the sins of mankind.

Ail we need to do is to believe on Him and obey


Some of the pilgrims were listening in rapt
attention. Others were getting restless, wonder
ing how soon they could have their tsamba and

tea. But these words were thrilling to old Grand ma Tsering Drema- 'A God who Ipved?' She
yearned to hear more. Eagerly she questioned, "Is this salvation for Tibetans, too?" "Yes," Uncle Tsering assured her. It is for all who will believe and obey." "What must I obey?"
"The commands of God." "How can I know them?"

"They are written in His book."

The leader snarled impatiently, "Be quiet Mother!" Then turning to Uncle Tsering, "We
have heard enough. and let us go." Give us our tsamba and tea

Soon after their evening meal the pilgrims


6

were rolled up in their robes and sleeping around their camp fire. But poor old Grandma Tsering could not sleep. It was not just the aching of her aged muscles that kept her awake, but also
the words of that Tibetan preacher. Perhaps she could persuade her son to let them rest tomorrow
so she could hear more of this wonderful God who loved and of the salvation He offered.

When the leader awoke them early the next

morning,

Grandma Tsering Drema knew she


It was all she could

would not be able to go on.

do to sit up for her bowl of tea.


She waited until he had finished eating, and

then she quavered, "Son, let us rest today. My old joints are gone to water and my aged bones are aching. I cannot move one step."
The leader's temper flared, "Old woman, we

are going on! Your are only using that as an ex cuse to stay and hear more about the religion of
those accursed foreigners."

"Son," she pleaded, "let me rest just one day."


"No!" he roared, and grabbing his walking stick, he began to beat her. Suddenly someone grabbed his arm. He
turned to confront Uncle Tsering-

"You will kill the old woman!" he protested. "What is that to you? She is my mother."

"If you can't treat her better than that," Uncle Tsering answered, "you better leave her
with me."

"All right, take her," the leader cursed, and


then he ordered the rest of the pilgrims to be on
their way.

Uncle Tsering- gently lifted tiie old woman


in his arms and carried her into the mission com

pound where her bruises were treated by Dr. Bare.


Soon she was able to be up and around and was enjoying life more than she ever had before- The best part of all was hearing the stories of the God who loved, and learning His commandments so that she could obey Him. Indeed, the stories of God and His Son were strange and wonderful,

and very sweet to hear.


her heartless son?

Better still, they were

easy to believe, for was not his love shown in the

very actions of Uncle Tsering in rescuing her from


Of the white doctor in treat

ing her v/ounds? Of the white woman in pro viding food and shelter for her, a stranger? Grandma Tsering Drema sighed happily on
that beautiful April morning as she waited on the bank of the Mekong River for her turn to be buried with Christ in its muddy waters. She listened to the hymn being sung by Chinese and Tibetan Christians. Uncle Tsering's voice rang out above

the others.

"What can wash away my sin?


She smiled as

Nothing but the blood of Jesus."

the missionary's older daughter came up out of


the water, a new creature in ChristNow it was her turn. Her sins of a lifetime

would be washed away.


had ended !
have eternal life!

Her v/eary pilgrimage


She would

Her sins were forgiven !

AND THE BLIND SEE

The missionary's children were playing in


the court yard of their new home in the Tibetan border town of Atuntze. A young man came thru . the gate and stood peering around through over
grown eyelids.

"Oh, look!" one of the children exclaimed.

There's that blind man Daddy treated on, the way


here."

The children greeted him, "Have you come


to see our father?"

"Yes," Mozone answered, "the medicine he

gave me helped a little, and I think if I stay here


for treatments he can help me much more-" In the days that followed Mozone became a ^

familiar sight in the court-yard of the missionary's home. His father was the headman of his village, a half day's journey from Atuntze. Being a mem ber of the wealthiest family in the village, Mozone had learned to read Tibetan, so he had been given a New Testament written in his own language. ' While he was waiting for the operation on his eyes, he passed his time painfully reading the New Testament, attending church services, and telling
stories to the missionary's children. He had many exciting adventures to tell of

his many pilgrimages, taken in hopes of pleasing


the gods so that his eyes would get better. His family had paid for many religious services and ceremonies to be performed so that he could see again. So, he was familiar with the ways of the

priests and knew more about the Buddhist religion


than most of the people knew-

"Our priests do many amazing things,"


Mozone told the missionary's children. "They can heal the sick and cast out demons, as this book tells of Jesus having done. But they can't make
the blind to see nor raise the dead."

"Oh, Mozone," the children begged, "tell us how they cast out the demons!" "There are many different ways of doing it," Mozone replied. "For each kind of demon they
must do a different way. But for all of them there must be some kind of an image into which
to drive the demon. Then the image must be sur

rounded so that the demon can not escape, and after that the ima,ge should be burned- Then you
know the demon is safely destroyed."

"Yes," said one of the children, "once we saw a tsamba (barley flour) image of a man being burned by some priests. They had scared all the demons in the village into it, so that the demons couldn't harm the crops that had just been planted." "One time," Mozone resumed, "I was present when the priests were called to drive the demon
from a sick relative. Because I could hardly see

anyway, and the room was quite dark, I sat near the table where the priests were working. "They made a snake out of tsamba mixed with tea, which could be molded like clay- They
laid the snake on the table and began the prayers, chanting of spells, beating the drum, and ringing
10

It had reached the corner and was starting down


the leg when the priests caught it and burned it
up!"

the bell to drive the demon into the snake. Sud denly the snake started crawling across the table.

"Oh, Mozone!" the incredulous children ex claimed. "What made the snake crawl?"

"If I had not been sitting so near the table,

snake in the spilled tea- Then, at the proper time

a pool of tea on one corner of the table, and one of them carefully made a winding track of it across the table and down the leg. They laid the

sick person had gone into it. But when the priests molded the snake out of the tsamba they spilled

I would have .believed that the demon from the

in the ceremony, the priest sitting at that comer of the table tilted it just a little, and the snake began crawling along the track of tea. It would have been very impressive if I had not seen what
they did."

fessed his faith in Christ and asked to be baptized.


The missionaries, native Christians, and six believ ers, including Mozone and Garland, the mission ary's son, climbed up the mountain to a beautiful

Some time after Mozone's operation he con

aries that the local priests were stirring up the

lake for the baptismal service. A few days later word reached the mission

her holy water with their baptisms. In her anger she refused to send rain, so all the crops would
11

people by telling them that the Goddess of the Lake was angry because the Christians had defiled

fail that year, and the people would starve- The only way to avoid such a disaster was to drive
away the missionaries. But immediately, it started raining.

Atuntze

valley had the richest harvest that year that the people could remember, and they exclaimed to
each other in wonder, "The white people's God has power!"

DRIVEN OUT

At the invitation of the governor of Kham Province, Tibet, Dr. Bare, the missionary doctor,
had established his headquarters in the town of Tsakalo, known in China as Yen Chin. Now, for two years, the family had lived there, and it had been longer than that since they had seen other white people. Imagine the excitement of the children at the coming of another family of American miss ionaries ! As the time for their arrival drew near, each day, eager eyes searched the trail winding down the mountain side into Tsakalo Valley. One bright January day the cry went up, "Here they come!" Sure enough, tiny figures could be seen, one by one, coming around the side of the mountain and zigzagging sin,g-le file down
the trail.

In wild excitement the missionary's four children raced up the path leading from their home to the main road. For many a lonely month they had planned, prepared and prayed for this day, and now, at last, it had come. Daddy was coming home and bringing the new missionaries; the Nichols, Miss Schwake, and Miss Palmer. He had taken the long trip down into China to meet them and bring them up to Tibet.

For a few minutes a fleeting feeling of shy


ness slowed the feet of the four young Bares.

Then, as they turned a corner, the trail started up


sharply: and comin,g down on horses and mules
13

were the new missionaries, led by Daddy riding Deborah, his faithful Chinese muleThe shyness was forgotten in the eagerness to welcome their four young cousins to this strange
land.

"Are you tired? Do you like to ride horses?"


Your house is ready for you!" "We've been watching for you every day!" "Our Christmas tree is still up, and we've saved Christmas for you!"

"Do you know any Tibetan, yet?" Such was the greeting the Nichols children
received.

In the golden days that followed, the eight cousins went exploring all over the valley. The
Bare children were busy introducing their cousins

to the strange ways of Tibet, and the Nichols child ren were busy entertainin,g their ,cousins with
wonderful stories of America.

It was a great day in Tsakalo when the Nichols' Windcharger was set up and their radio began to play. Tibetans thronged in from all over to see and hear this strange "box-with-a-voice."

Men got down on their hands and knees to look


for someone under the table on which the radio

sat. Others looked into adjoining rooms; and the Bare children were kept busy translating to their cousins the exclamations, explanations and ques
tions of the Tibetans.

In the meantime the priests were taking

advantage of the wonderful opportunity that had


come to them. They had always resented the
' 14

presence of missionaries in their land, but now that


the missionary population had grown from six to fourteen, something had to be done. The valley ruffians, and even some of the better citizens, were
called to a conference and filled with barley beer

while the foreign population of the city was dis cussed. It was heard on good authority that the

foreigners had come to take over the city with


its valuable salt wells. The new ones, just arrived, had brought in a shipment of guns. The only thing to do was to steal the jump on them and
drive them out before they could act.

During the discussion the question was brought up, "Would it be a sin to kill the white
people?"

"Yes," the priests replied, "it would be a sin,


but robbing them would be no sin." Someone told the missionaries what was hap

pening.

"Even now the priests are inciting a


Be prepared

bunch of drunkards against you!

for anything!" And then the drone of an angry mob could

be heard. Yes, here they came, milling down the village street, shouting threats and curses"Break down the doors!"

"Drive out the foreigners!" "Take everything they have!"

The eight cousins, just finishing lunch at the


Bares' house, looked anxiously at their parents, who were perfectly calm. "You children go into the other room to pray
15

while we go talk to them," and down the stairs they marched, unarmed and unafraid. The children prayed, wondered what was

happening, and prayed some more.


ional voice could be heard.

The angry

i-umble of the mob had died to silence. An occas

: Then the parents came back, unafraid and unharmed- They reported to the children, "They
have given us a month in which to arrange a cara
van, pack, and go. The Nichols must cross the

border back into China, but we may stay in Tibet." But their troubles weren't over. The people
were commanded by the priests to sell no food

to the missionaries.

The people were obedient;

they gave it instead. One day some men were sent to turn aside

the stream which supplied water for the. mission

aries.

One of the native Christians happened by

as they were carrying out the order. "Now let's see your foreigners get water!" one of the workmen jeered. "Don't worry, God will send rain," the Chris
tian replied.

The reservoir began to One

rain poured down and filled the little in the missionaries' back yard. People whisper, "Their God is helping them!" by one the problems of this sudden de

parture were solved, and by the end of the month

the missionaries were on their way.

16

WHO WERE THE ROBBERS?

It was a long trip from Tsakalo to BatangThere were high passes to climb and deep rivers to cross. In good weather it should take no more than seven days, but what difficulties would wet
weather bring?

fifth day, Sunday, they spent together at Lhamdi,


which was to be the new home of the Bare family.

Bares, Nichols, Miss Schwake, and Miss Pal mer traveled together the first four days. The

Monday morning, bright and early, the cara van started on toward Batang, across the border

into China, leaving the Bare family at Lhamdi


short a member; for Marguerite was sent along to serve as an interpreter for the new missionaries. The rains delayed the party repeatedly, and

by the time they reached a small tributary of the Yangtze River, it could not be forded as it ordi narily was. Boats called coracles, had to be ord
ered from the Yangtze crossing. They are made from the skins of yaks and become water logged after only a few hours' use, so they have to be thoroughly dried and oiled before they can be used again- The missionaries and their native help were ferried across with their immediate necessities, so they could continue on their jour

ney ; and a guard was posted with the rest of the supplies which were to be brought as soon as the
boats were dry again.

For several days the missionaries waited at the next crossing for the rest of their belongings.
17

Then, one bright morning, the boxes bcigan arriv ing, and were stacked up on the beach to be

ferried across, as soon as the boats were ready


again.

Mr. Nichols had gone down to check the boxes as they arrived. He discovered that one of them was broken. Looking into it he found it

nearly empty. He lifted the next one, and to his concern, it felt unnaturally light. Upon investi gation, it, too, was discovered to be almost empty.
Box after box showed that at least some of the
contents had been removed.

"Marguerite," he called. "Yes, Uncle Edgar?" she left her castle in


the sand.

"We've been robbed!


in the inn."

Tell Gigen and Aleh

to bring the horsemen and boatmen to our room

The other children had gathered around.

"The rest of you children and Jah Lama stay out here and watch that no one else gets into what
is left."

"All right, Daddy." The conference began in the forenoon with

the usual amenities and Oriential hedgings. "Gigen, Ni Museh (Mr. Nichols) says we
cannot pay either the horsemen or the boatmen

until we learn who has taken the things from the


boxes."

"Uncle Ed, Gigen says the horsemen must be paid soon in order to get a good start back to their
homes."
18

"But, Gigen, Ni Museh says we cannot pay

anyone until we learn what happened to the things


that are lost out of our boxes."

"The horsemen say they haven't seen any

thing.

The boxes were full and heavy when they

turned them over to the boatmen."

"The boatmen say they received the boxes and were amazed at their ligntness, knowing that

white people travel with very heavy loads-"


"The horsemen say they are in a hurry to get
started back to their village. They must recross the river while it is still light."

"But Gigen, Ni Museh says we can't just for

get about everything that is lost. Why should we pay the guilty party? They already have more
than their wages." "The boatmen say the Kongse-kaw horsemen are notorious as robbers. The boxes should never
have been left with them."

"The horsemen say the boatsmen are common thieves who bi-eak in and steal anything they
want."

"The boatmen say they are busy earning an

honest living and would not defile their hands


with plunder." "The horsemen say why should they bother

with petty pilfering? If they wanted the white people's goods they could just have loaded all
the boxes on their horses and gone home with
them."

"Ni Museh says we cannot pay any wages

until we know what has become of our property."


19

The sun had set and the room was almost

dark.

Senom came in silently with a kerosene

lantern and some candles.

"The horsemen say they have to igo. Already we have delayed them until they can no longer
see to cross the river."

"The boatmen say their boats will crack and be ruined. They must go and take care of them."

"Gigen says no one but the guilty ones and God will ever know who took our tMngs. We might as well pay them and let them go." And to this day the mystery has not been
solved. Who were the Robbers?

20

GWAY LAN Her mother had often told her stories of the

days when many missionaries lived in Batang. Mother had been a teacher in the mission orphan age in those days, before she married Gway Lan's father. Now, years later, missionaries had come there once again. Curiously she watched the four white girls playing and laughing under the walnut trees. Those two older girls must be about her age. One of them, she had heard, was bom there at Batang years ago and spoke Tibetan like water flowing.
She wondered which one it was.

From the house someone called in Tibetan, "Marguerite, come and translate." The shorter of the two older girls turned and left the other three, calling back something in
English.

Every day Gway Lan went up the mountains


for a load of wood which she sold in town for a

few coppers; and each day, after she had sold


the wood, she came to watch the white girls at

play. There was an older boy, too, but he didn't play with the girls. She could never stay long
because she had to be at home to care for her

mother and baby sister, Phoebe.

Often she was tempted to speak to the girl


who would understand her and ask for medicine

for her mother. Sometimes the igirls would look up from their play and smile at her; yet she
21

couldn't gather enough courage to speak to them.


They would think she was a beggar. One day she heard that the young interp

reter's family had come. They had lived at Batang several years before. Perhaps they would help her mother. Still she lacked the courage
to approach them. Her mother was getting sicker and weaker.

One morning she told Gway Lan not to go for wood. Instead, she must,go to the wife of Teacher Shao, who had been one of her former pupils. She must ask her to take the baby to the mission aries. Gway Lan could support herself, but the baby must have a home. Naomi Ho and Mrs. Shao hurriedly followed Gway Lan to the tiny doorless hovel in which her mother lay in a pile of rags on the floor. MrsShao was shocked at the abject poverty and dying
condition in which she found her former teacher.

Tsong Drema was too weak to offer any explana tion and could only beg Mrs, Shao to take care of
her baby. Mrs. Shao and Naomi Ho hurried back to the

mission compound and called Mrs. Bare and the nurse, Miss Schwake. Together the four ladies
went to the hovel where they did all they could

for the dying woman.


starved.

The baby they found nearly

Miss Schwake took her home to bathe

and feed her and although she was two years old, she weighed only nine pounds. The next day Tsong Drema was a little better. She began having new hope for life. Each day
22

the ministrations of her friends left her feeling-

better ; but best of all were the prayers.


given up praying.
wasted.

She had

been such a sinful woman that she had long since

Her life had been utterly


When she

Little by little her story came out.

had worked for the mission many years before, she had been an attractive young teacher. Then she married a wealthy Chinese merchant who took
her down into China and then left her for a

Chinese wife because she had only a baby girl, Gway Lan. To forget her trouble she had taken

to smoking opium. She had brought her little girl back to Batang in the hope of finding a job

to support the two of them.

However, her opium

habit was more than she could support, so Gway Lan had to start carrying wood as soon as she was big enough to go up the mountain. Tsong Drema married a Chinese soldier, and after Phoebe was born she took in sewing to help support the family. When she became paralyzed so that she could no longer go to get her work, Gway Lan would bring it to her. Finally she be came so paralyzed that she could do very little even for herself. The full responsibility for the

support and care of the family fell on Gway Lan's


young shoulders, for Phoebe's father had deserted
them soon after she was born.

Tsong Drema's condition improved consistent ly under the skillful care given by Dr. Bare and Miss Schwake. Then the missionaries went up
into the mountain for a vacation.
23

They had left

money and medicine with Tsong Drema. One morning while the missionaries were away, a dark figure loomed up in the doorway of the hovel. A gruff voice growled, "Where's the money the foreign devils left
you?"

Tsong Drema cringed at the appearance of


her husband.

"Where is it?" he demanded.


me!"

"Give it to

"I can't," she protested, "it is given me only


for food for myself and the children." "Tell me where to find it," he bellowed.

Again she refused. Grabbing Phoebe he shouted, "Give me the money or I'll kill the baby!" The next instant he had dashed the little thing'
against a boulder just outside the hovel.
lifeless in the grass.

The

screams of Gway Lan and her mother frightened him away, but the poor little baby lay apparently "I sat down by her," Gway Lan told later, "and cried and cried. After a while she opened
her eyes and looked at me.
to life!"

She had come back

family were moved up to the mission compound.


Soon she was gettin,g around on crutches and tak ing every opportunity to study the Bible and tell
others what God had done for her.

Shortly after that Tsong Drema and her little

As for Gway Lan, who had thought she would always, have to carry wood, going to Bible School
was more wonderful than a dream..
24

"Gway Lan, why didn't you ever talk to us


while you watched us playing?"
"I was afraid."

"You aren't afraid of us now, are you?"

"No, I know, now, that you are here to show


us the love of God."

PLAYMATESPARTNERS

The jeep ground to a stop and was immediat ely surrounded by eager brown faces. Marguer
ite, the wife of the new missionary looked out at them, smiling and haltingly responding to their 'Khublei's', (hello's) but thinking, 'They look
more like Tibetans than Hindus look. I wonder if I'll ever leam to love them as I love the Tibetans.'

Then a tall young man stepped forward and said the familiar words, "Demuh ari?" (How are you?)

Grasping his extended hand, she answered, "Demuh ri." (I'm fine.) Then in recognition, "Yohan! Chen Yohan. Except for your size you haven't changed." He laughed, "You also look much as I remembered you." Seeing she still understood Tibetan, another young man came up with the conventional, "Are you tired?" in Tibetan.
"I'm not tired. Ho Dubao, but I believe you

have changed more than Yohan." Such was the meeting of Tibetan Border play
mates on the other side of their beloved Hima

layas, in India.

The two young Tibetans who had fled Com


munism with the Nichols and Bare families ran

into a problem.

It was easy to revert to their

childhood habit of calling her "Marguerite," but what should they call her husband? In a short
2fi

time they became used to calling him "Archie."


To the Fairbrothers the boys were Phillip and John. It didn't take long, either, to get acquaint ed with the two younger Tibetans, Andrew and
Reuben. Reuben was a jolly playmate for the two
little Fairbrother sisters.

"I didn't think you would remember Tibetan

so well," Phillip laughed. "I told John not to speak Tibetan to you because it would embarass you!"
"Garland and I used to talk Tibetan to each other. Then when we were in college we talked Tibetan with Dorothy, too. That way we kept from forgetting it so much." John remarked, "As well as you had known Tibetan I didn't think you could forget it!" "John, do you remember on the way to Batang where we were camped by the river a week waiting for the horsemen to take us the rest of the way?" Marguerite asked.
"I remember a little about it, but what I remember best about that trip is when my horse

started galloping, and I lost my white sun hat." "Oh, yes," Marguerite smiled, "how you cried
about that!
noon."

You were only five then,"

Phillip interposed, "I remember how you used


to take Miss Palmer's dog for a walk every after "What I remember best about you, Phillip,

is how quiet and shy you and your brother were," she responded. "And how surprised Dorothy and
I were when Garland told us you were our age!"
" I remember how you translated the serm27

ons in the evening services," said Phillip, laugh


ing, "your face always got so red when Miss Schwake used a big word, and you had to ask her
what it meant."

John reminisced, "My mother cried so much


when you left."

"I always loved her," Marguerite answered.

Did you know she gave me a turquoise ring for a farewell gift? I lost it in America, and I've always
felt sorry about that."

Phillip exclaimed, "Who would ever have thought, then, that we three would meet again
in India!"

"We were playmates in Tibet," Marguerite mused, "and now we are partners in the Lord's
work in India."

invaluable to the new missionaries, although they,


too, were struggling to master the Khasi lang
uage.

Phillip and John proved themselves almost

When the Nichols had to leave, Phillip took over the medical work of the mission. John help ed by sewing clothes for the missionary's children. When household emergencies arose, both of the boys proved themselves useful as housekeepers
and cooks.

Marguerite's father had given her an accord

ion, which unfortunately, she could not play. John picked it up and began playing hymns right away.
How that drew the crowds when the missionaries
went out to new areas to hold services!

Archie's living-link church sent them a flan28

nel-graph board and sets of stories. Phillip's artistic talent proved helpful in drawing back
ground scenes.
When the Fairbrothers had to return for

furlough, a farewell service was held. The church was packed with Khasi Christians, many of them weeping. 'Yes,' Marguerite thought, 'I have
learned to love them as I love the Tibetans!'

The special number, "Seeking the Lost" was the last song translated into Khasi by Marguerite. It was sung by a quartet of the young people, with John Chen singing the bass. Before the Fairbrothers left, John came to the house. "Here, Marguerite, take this home
with you."

It was a Tibetan turquoise ring!

29

THE BLIND LEADS THE BLIND

"Kong Deh!" The Khasi woman turned sight less eyes to the missionary, who continued, "There is a blind girl at the hospital. She is very discour
aged and hopeless, and she is not a Christian. I

think if she could meet you it would help her and cheer her up. Would you go with us today to
see her?"

"Yes, Sister Fair*," her dark face beamed. "I would love to help a blind person!" They climbed into the jeep and Brother Fair

drove them across the town to the eye hospital. When they entered the room, the patient turned
her blank, hopeless face toward them. "We've come to see you again,
Deh."

(sister)^ said the missionary, taking her hand.

Kong,"

"This time we've brought along our blind Kong


She guided their hands together, and Kong Deh started talking. "Don't be discouraged, Kong.
I've been blind for 18 years, and I've never been happier in all my life." "Happy when you're blind," the girl mutter ed, her voice toneless with discouragement. "Before I went blind I was a Khasi in relig ion. My mother taught me many things about making medicine from plants. We made a lot of money with our practice, but then I became
*The Khasi people call all women "Sister" and all men
"Brother." Mr. and Mrs. Pairbrother were called Brother
.",0 and Sister Fair.

violently ill. My blindness is the result of that ill ness, and when my family realized I could no longer see, they turned me out saying, 'She will be
of no more use to us.' "I found a room for rent and earned a little

money washing clothes and making medicine from plants. I could tell how to do that by the
feeling and the smell. "Then I became very ill again and was given

As I lay on my pallet on the floor wait He was Rajani Kharkonger, the preacher of the Church
ing to die, a man started talking to me.
of Christ. He told me of God's love and prayed for me. He urged me to believe and promised to come again. Brother Nichols, the missionary who was here first, came with him the next day. He, too, prayed for me and ,gave me medicine. "I improved rapidly and had a new hope for
life. While I was sick I had much time to think

up to die.

of the things they told me of God and His love, and that He sent His only begotten Son to die for my sins. I believed what they said. My own family, who didn't know God, had cast me out because I was useless to them, but these strangers had come to me when I was dying. They gave me new hope and a new light. They paid my rent, brought me food and some warm clothing. "When I got well I went to them and told them I believed. Brother Nichols baptized me. Then I began washing clothes for them twice a
week.

"When Brother and Sister Fair came, they,


Tl

too, hired me to wash for them. Now, with the Reeses here, I wash missionary clothes every day
and have no more time for my medicinal work.

"Don't be discouraged, Kong; I am so happy to meet a fellow-blind-person." The girl interrupted defensively, "I may not always be blind." "K there is still hope for you to see, I am more than happy," Kong Deh rejoiced. "But if there isn't, don't be discouraged. Once you get used to it, it isn't bad at all. Everyone is so interested in me! I go to the river to wash clothes; I go to the market place to buy food; I go to church; I go to my friends' homes. Wherever I go, people stop and watch me. They say, 'There goes a blind
woman. Watch her.'

"Sometimes strangers ask me, 'Are you really blind? How can you tell where you are going?' My friends like to tease me. They ask me if I smell my way around! "Now that I am a Christian, life is a joy and my blindness is no burden. I know that when I get to heaven my new, perfect body will have eyes
that see, and I shall see Jesus, who made the blind
to see when He was on the earth."

Kong Deh paused for breath. Her vibrant joy in living was conta,gious. Everyone in the room was smilingeven the blind girl. She groped for Kong Deh's hand, and hold ing it murmured, "Thank you for coming and thank you for your story. It gives me much to think about. You have brought some light into
32

my darkness. But tell me," her voice was sympa thetic, "have you no hope of seeing again?" Kong Deh laughed, "I no lon,ger have the
desire. I remember how the country looked be fore I was blind. All I want to see, now, are the

faces of my dear friends and my Savior, and I can


see them all in heaven."

Such was the way the missionaries discovered

Kong Deh's ability for personal evangelism. Her light had been hidden under bushels of dirty
clothes!

But Kong Deh had further ability to be dis.


covered. - Her knowledge of the Nepali language

has opened the possibility of a work among the


many Nepali people in Assam. Kong Deh, the blind washer-woman, is hap

pily leading the spiritually blind, along the Way


of Salvation to the Light of Heaven.

S3

KHASI KIDS

"What's that song you're singing?" Sen asked


his school-mate.

The school mate sang the chorus again : "laid lembadJisu. . ("Walking With Jesus"). "Where did you leam that?" "At Jingiaseng Khynnah (children's service).
You should come. It's Sunday afternoon at the
missionaries' house."

We learn new songs every week.


yet."

"Can just anybody come?" "Sure! It's for all the children in Mawlai.

We're just

learning one that goes, "Ka long Kaba shisha . . ."

("It's A Reality"), but I don't know it very well,


"Is singing all you do?" "Oh, no! After we sing we have a Bible

story. Then we have a contest between the boys


and girls to see which side can answer the most

questions. The boys usually win. When we leave. Sister Fair gives us Bible pictures that American
children send her."

ing!

Sen was there, next Sunday. It was interest It was fun! It made him feel like Jesus was interested in children, too, and not just in

grownups.

He went proudly home with his picture, and was met with an angry, "Where have you been all afternoon? Why weren't you at church?" "I went to the children's service, and look.
"Were you at the Church of Christ?"
34

"I was at the children's service.

It's for all

children, and see, I got a picture of Jesus!" "Don't you go there again or I'll thrash you!" Sunday he was regular, though always late. Then one Sunday he got home a little later than usual.
His parents were waiting. "So that's why you've been sitting at the back of the church lately! You've been sneaking out and goinig over to that children's service."
He nodded

The following Sunday he came again, but he was late and out of breath. For the next few

"I said I'd thrash you if you went there


again." He was soundly beaten,

"You stay away from their church and come


to ours!

Blinking back the tears he answered, "It may be your church, but it isn't mine, and it never

Understand?"

now, but when I grow up I will go to the Church


of Christ!"

will be mine. You can make me go to your church


Hs

Sohtlun is her Khasi name, but it means Pine

Pineapple heard the sound of a motor com ing down the road past her house and ran out to
see who would be traveling on that road. ly, she raced back into the house. Quick

apple ; so she shall be Pineapple in this story.

"Mother, Brother Fair's jeep is coming!" Mother quickly laid down the five-day-old

Baby Brother, and grabbing the broom, began

sweeping the tiny kitchen of her home. But KongBeau and the missionaries were already at the
door.

"Oh, you mustn't sweep when the baby is


still so young!" Kong Beau protested.

saying, "I'm ashamed for you to see my house so


dirty! But come in and sit down."

Mother pushed the dirt into a dark comer,

Pineapple ran over next door to borrow a couple of bamboo seats, although the missionaries insisted they could sit on the tiny wooden benches.

When she came back with the seats they were all

admiring Baby Brother.

Kong Beau teased, "We came to see if you


will give your brother to Sister Fair. She feels Even

so sad that she has only girls; and Marilois, Jewel

to joke she wouldn't agree to give him away. She listened quietly while the grown-ups talked. They were talking about starting a child
ren's service there in Umtlong.

and Ellen all want a baby brother." Pineapple shook her head and smiled.

Kong Beau asked, "Would you be willing to


let us hold the meeting in your house?" "We'll be glad to have it here, and I'm sure a big crowd will come. A lot of children live around here and there are no churches near for
them to attend."

"How soon could we start?"

ed, "Why wait? Come next Sunday." Without waiting to hear another word, Pine3(;

Pineapple felt so proud when Mother answer

apple ran outside.


around.

attracted by a jeep in the vicinity, had gathered


. ,

All the neighbor children,

"We're going to have a meeting in our house

next Sunday!" She announced happily. "There will be singing and stories. Be sure to come!" Pineapple's father had been baptized about
a week before Baby Brother was born. When the baby was two months old. Mother felt strong enough to walk to the river to be baptized.

Pineapple's home for their weekly service, she


told them happily, "My Mother is a Christian,
now!"
}'fi Jll

That afternoon as the children gathered in

Apstar lives in a Christian home. He and his


little sister, Mihplimon, have almost perfect at tendance at the children's service in Mawlai. While the Fairbrothers' house was being built, the children's service was held in Ap's home. His

only regret about the missionary's family was that


there were no boys for him to play with. Then came the exciting day when the Reese

family arrived. They had two boys a little larger but a little younger than he. How could he wel come them? . , 1, 11 Every morning before school Ap had to walk about a mile to get a large gourdful of water for
his mother. The Reeses had arrived on Saturday, a service of welcome was held at church on Sun

than usual.

day ; Monday morning Ap started for water earlier


The missionaries were just eating

ful of water in a basket on his back.

breakfastwhen he came to the door with a gourdEagerly, he explained, "I have nothing else

to give you, and I thought perhaps you could use a little extra water. I am so glad you have boys
for me to play with!"

thing you could give us; and I'll be tglad my boys


can play with you!"

beamed.

"Thank you very much Ap," Sister Reese


'I need the extra water. It's the best

ROBBED!

Homiwell Kharluki is not much over four and a half feet tall and weighs only 80 pounds. He is a bachelor. When ,anyon6 asks him why he

never married, he replys with a doleful smile, "I've always been too poor." Having been the second of three sonsy he is commonly known as Brother Middle (Bah Deng).
He is the oldest deacon in the church, and, for a

while, he was the church treasurer. Bah Deng's enthusiasm for Brother Fair knew
no bounds. His admiration for the 6-foot-2, 200

pounder, was almost beyond expression.


Flexing his muscles. Bah Deng would ex claim, "The very sight of Brother Fair makes me feel powerful!" His greatest joy was to visit churches in other villages, and soon his admiration of the way Broth er Fair handled the jeep was almost as great as
his enthusiasm for his size.

Flinging his arms in wild gestures he would proclaim, "Brother Fair can make that jeep find
roads where there are none, climb over boulders,

and jump ditches! I believe if he told it to spread


wings and fly, it would!" Nevertheless, whenever the jeep came to a bad place. Bah Deng would clutch the seat tightly and start singing mournfully, "Perhaps tonight
the last call will come."

The Khasi people do not trust the banks of


India. Those who have money keep it hidden
39

somewhere in their homes. Because of that, no matter what is going on, someone must always
stay home to watch the house. But what if there is only one person living in a house? One day Bah Deng came home to find the

lock on his door broken.


set. He had been robbed!

Papers were scattered

around, and what little furniture he had was up


His first thought was for the church money.
He dashed to his bedroom. There on the floor

beside his bed was the only undisturbed spot in the house. His New Testament, song book, and
a pile of American Sunday School leaflets were just as he had left them. No, he couldn't read the papers, but he loved the brightly colored Bible
pictures on them.

Quickly he snatched up the papers. There underneath them lay the money. He squatted on the floor beside the money, laughing until he was
weak.

"What a joke on the thief!" he thought. "He has taken all my valueless possessions, but he has
over-looked God's money.
His money!"

God has taken care of

Gradually, the extent of Bah Deng's own


losses began to dawn on him. All his food was

gone, his own meager savings were gone; and,


except for what he had on, all his clothes were

gone. But every time he felt like grieving over his losses, he began laughing again at the wonder
ful mistake the thief had made.

He took the money to a safer home and re40

vsigned from his position as church treasurer. At every opportunity he told the story, laughing hil ariously at what the thief had missed by overlook ing the Sunday School papers. Soon people began seeing less and less of Bah Deng. He began missing services because of illness. Then some observant person noticed that a rather strong puff of wind nearly carried him
away.

Bah Deng was starving to death! had noticed it! Quick, to the rescue!

Nobody He was

given rice and eggs. The missionaries provided poAvdered milk and vitamins, and they urged him
to have a little to eat whenever he visited them.

After some time he was asked why he didn't come back for more powdered milk. He said he
didn't care for it.

"You don't like it?


make it?"

Why not?

How do you

"I take a cup of hot water and sprinkle a little powder over it." "Oh, Bah Deng!" Sister Fair exclaimed,, "let me show you how to make it!"
He watched as she demonstrated.

"I didn't know you had to use so much milk,"


he remarked.

"Now, taste that," she said, handing him the


cup.

"Delicious!" his face brightened at the first sip. "Oh, this is very good." Sister Fair urged, "You must drink three or
41

four cups like that each day, so that you can grow as big as Brother Fair."
He almost choked on the rest of his milk at

that suggestion. After that he came back freq uently for more milk. It brought him back up to his 80 pounds; and again he loves to laugh about the thief who over-looked God's money.

42

"FATHER, YOU COME, TOO!"


Two little boys in identical blue suits came into church and sat up near the front. The older of the two was carrying a cloth bag, out of which he took a worn New Testament and a more badly
worn song book. The younger one acted like a little boy; squirming in his seat, turning around to see who else was in church, pestering big brother, and finally, going back to sit with mother and baby
brother.

As soon as the first number was announced, Chos, the older brother, turned to it and began singing at the top of his voice. At the close of the service, the new missionaries, impressed by
the mature actions of the boy asked about him. "Who is that little boy?" "He is Chosterfield Khongwir."

"Can he really read, or has he already mem orized the hymns we san,g this morning?" "Oh, he can read, all right! I didn't believe it myself until I tested him." "Well, how old is he?"

"They say he is only six."


The missionaries watched Chos leading little brother Clous, down the road toward home. Here
was a child to watch.

Chos comes to every service and takes an

active part in the children's service.


it, and sometimes he is the only one.
43

Each time

a verse is assigned to be memorized, Chos learns

"Chos, why are you always so quick to mem


orize the Bible verses?"

"I'm going to be a preacher some day, so I


want to know all the Bible verses I can learn." At nine Chos is in Class V in the Indian school

system. That means he will be in high school in two more years. His grades are excellent. During a two-week vacation from school, an
intensive Bible School for teachers and church workers was held. Chos asked to attend. What?

A little boy come to school with church leaders


and teachers?

But wait!

Some of those very leaders had

progressed no farther than Class III.


the Bible School?

Chos was
He took

ahead of them in school; why forbid him to attend

Chos came and listened carefully.

notes better than a number of the adults and could

answer questions along with the best of them. The two-week school was followed by a three-day convention of all the churches. Chos and his family had returned from that first sess ion on Friday night, and now the house had settled
to silence.

Chos got up and went to his father's room. "Why, what's the matter, son? Why are you up at this time of night?" "Father, I can't sleep." "Why? Are you sick?" "No, Father, I'm worried about you." "Worried about me? There's nothing wrong
Vv'ith me."
44

"Father, tomoiTow morninig- some people are

going to be baptized. Won't you come and be a Christian, too? When Mother and the rest of us die, we will go to heaven, but what will happen to you? Please, Father, be baptized, so you can
go to heaven with us." "Son, I didn't realize you thought about that. I didn't know you worry about me." "I do. Father, so much that I can't sleep, and I've been praying for you a long time!" "Well, son, you know that I have to go to the bazaar tomorrow to sell our produce, so I can

support you and your brothers. That's why I can't be baptized tomorrow. But I promise you
I will be thinking about it; and when I come back, I will be baptized. I didn't know it meant so much
to you!"

Chos not only is going to be a preacher, but


he has started already, right in his own home.

45

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