Page 16 - moondani kyema
P. 16
ndani kyema, My Story - Ray Moore 16
Helen; but in fact, Betty instead hid her daughter in the room inside a sleeping bag.
The very next morning, 8 December 1934, John and Betty were marched down the
streets of Miaosheo to meet their deaths. Curious onlookers lined both sides of the
streets. A Chinese shopkeeper stepped out of the crowd and talked to the
Communists, trying to persuade them not to kill the Stams. The soldiers ordered the
man back into the crowd, but he wouldn't step back. The soldiers then invaded his
house where they found a Chinese copy of the Bible and a hymnbook. He was then
led alongside the Stams to be killed as well, for being a Christian.
After marching for a short while longer, John was ordered to kneel, and he was
beheaded. Betty and the shopkeeper were killed moments later. Betty and Amy Amy
had shared their time in Language School when they first went out to China.
The baby, Helen, was found two days later by a Chinese pastor who took her home
and took care of her.
Then there was the ongoing situation of Arnolis Hayman and Rudolf Bosshardt.
The full details of this story were not known to the other missionaries until 1936, but
at the time of my birth they were aware that he and fellow missionary Arnolis
Hayman, were being held for ransom by the Communists on their Long March
somewhere to the south of Hanzhong.
Bringing the danger even closer to home was the capture of the Frenchams who
lived in the southwest of Shaanxi Province near the corner of Shaanxi, Gansu and
Zechuan Ptovinces. Here’s an edited version of how Charles Frencham tells their
story. It helps to paint the picture of how the missionaries in Hanzhong (and myself)
were in real danger:
On the morning of the Chinese New Year, Monday February 4th
1935, some of the Communist soldiers were almost at the city gates
on three sides of the city, only the north side remaining clear at that
time. The following morning my wife was captured.
I was captured in the city by the bodyguard of one of the Communist
officers and I had to follow them around as they made their tour of
inspection I was eventually taken to the headquarters of the
Communists. On February 7th I was reunited with my wife in
captivity and we were sent under escort, along the main Szechwan
road towards the provincial border. The next day we arrived at the
Communist Headquarters which had just been established in this
mountain village and things were not very organised.
. . . The last Saturday in captivity I was given the opportunity to
present our case to the senior officer and also to plead that because
of my wife's coming childbirth she should be set free. He smiled and
said, "you have no need to fear, you have not opposed our
Communistic principles nor have you broken our laws, you are our
guest. I will see what can be done."
On the following Thursday morning he sent around news to the
effect that we were to be released whilst he explained that we could
not have been sent back whilst the Communists were advancing in
Helen; but in fact, Betty instead hid her daughter in the room inside a sleeping bag.
The very next morning, 8 December 1934, John and Betty were marched down the
streets of Miaosheo to meet their deaths. Curious onlookers lined both sides of the
streets. A Chinese shopkeeper stepped out of the crowd and talked to the
Communists, trying to persuade them not to kill the Stams. The soldiers ordered the
man back into the crowd, but he wouldn't step back. The soldiers then invaded his
house where they found a Chinese copy of the Bible and a hymnbook. He was then
led alongside the Stams to be killed as well, for being a Christian.
After marching for a short while longer, John was ordered to kneel, and he was
beheaded. Betty and the shopkeeper were killed moments later. Betty and Amy Amy
had shared their time in Language School when they first went out to China.
The baby, Helen, was found two days later by a Chinese pastor who took her home
and took care of her.
Then there was the ongoing situation of Arnolis Hayman and Rudolf Bosshardt.
The full details of this story were not known to the other missionaries until 1936, but
at the time of my birth they were aware that he and fellow missionary Arnolis
Hayman, were being held for ransom by the Communists on their Long March
somewhere to the south of Hanzhong.
Bringing the danger even closer to home was the capture of the Frenchams who
lived in the southwest of Shaanxi Province near the corner of Shaanxi, Gansu and
Zechuan Ptovinces. Here’s an edited version of how Charles Frencham tells their
story. It helps to paint the picture of how the missionaries in Hanzhong (and myself)
were in real danger:
On the morning of the Chinese New Year, Monday February 4th
1935, some of the Communist soldiers were almost at the city gates
on three sides of the city, only the north side remaining clear at that
time. The following morning my wife was captured.
I was captured in the city by the bodyguard of one of the Communist
officers and I had to follow them around as they made their tour of
inspection I was eventually taken to the headquarters of the
Communists. On February 7th I was reunited with my wife in
captivity and we were sent under escort, along the main Szechwan
road towards the provincial border. The next day we arrived at the
Communist Headquarters which had just been established in this
mountain village and things were not very organised.
. . . The last Saturday in captivity I was given the opportunity to
present our case to the senior officer and also to plead that because
of my wife's coming childbirth she should be set free. He smiled and
said, "you have no need to fear, you have not opposed our
Communistic principles nor have you broken our laws, you are our
guest. I will see what can be done."
On the following Thursday morning he sent around news to the
effect that we were to be released whilst he explained that we could
not have been sent back whilst the Communists were advancing in
