Page 282 - Three Score Years & Ten
P. 282
“THREE SCORE YEARS AND TEN” MISSIONARY WORK IN CHINA
Amy Moore
enthusiastic about it. Then, not long before Christmas, a letter came from Myrie, “I’ve been searching
the shops to find something I could send you for Christmas, but they don’t have a thing I thought you
would like. I have more baking powder than I need, so am sending you a tin and am sorry it is not
more exciting”. Exciting! She could not have sent me anything I appreciated more, once again my
‘widow’s cruse’ was full.
During the end of 1944 and the beginning of 1945 we were all living in a state of uncertainty. The
Japanese were pushing further into China, not only from the east, but also from the south towards
Chongqing. The north of our province, Shaanxi, as well as Guizhou and parts of Yunnan had all been
evacuated by consular orders and we were holding ourselves in readiness to leave at a moment’s
notice if it became necessary. Percy sent word to all our workers to come in to Hanzhong where it
would be easier to get transport. The Becks, Duncans and Margaret Crossett with her little girl, all
came in and spent Christmas and the day of prayer with us and stayed on then praying for guidance
whether they should return to their stations or not.
Doris Weller had finished her language exams and could leave as soon as there was transport. Ruth
Saunders was preparing to write her exams and could leave after that, and Emma Blott who came out
from Anhui with Bert Kane was waiting for her luggage to arrive before going on to help in the hospital
in Lanzhou. The hospital people were urging her to come quickly, but Mr. Sinton was not sure it was
right for her to go north under the present conditions, so perhaps the luggage hold up would help to
solve her problems.
Paul Contento had been sent off to Chengdu to
rest and recuperate from his operation. He
seemed to be doing well, so well in fact that he
did not want to come back. He said he was
having wonderful opportunities among the
university students which he could not bear to
miss, and if Maida was willing, he would stay
there. He did not say anything about whether
HQ would be willing.
Doris Onions was staying on with us and Percy
Some of the refugees from Henan and had asked her to take over the secretarial work
Anhui Provinces who were cared for by the for the Province, which left him free for his work
Moores during the war years. as Area Director (Superintendent). A big school
had evacuated from Henan and settled about 8
li outside Hanzhong, so Doris was able to work amongst them. She found some of them were keen
little Christians and she enjoyed the contact with them.
The American airbase in Hanzhong was being increased and Christmas services that year found our
sitting room packed and overflowing out on to the stairs and study and the verandah. They sang
carols, played games and ate heartily of the cakes and buns and coffee we provided (all materials
courtesy of ‘Uncle Sam’).
Some of them were boys who had already been coming to church, but many were new and had never
been before, and the sight of our children really broke some of them up. It was Christmas time and
they must have been very homesick for their own families.
For the sake of the children who were with us, our own and others who had evacuated from other
provinces, we had ‘Santa Claus’ arrive on Christmas morning with whatever gifts we could manage to
282
Amy Moore
enthusiastic about it. Then, not long before Christmas, a letter came from Myrie, “I’ve been searching
the shops to find something I could send you for Christmas, but they don’t have a thing I thought you
would like. I have more baking powder than I need, so am sending you a tin and am sorry it is not
more exciting”. Exciting! She could not have sent me anything I appreciated more, once again my
‘widow’s cruse’ was full.
During the end of 1944 and the beginning of 1945 we were all living in a state of uncertainty. The
Japanese were pushing further into China, not only from the east, but also from the south towards
Chongqing. The north of our province, Shaanxi, as well as Guizhou and parts of Yunnan had all been
evacuated by consular orders and we were holding ourselves in readiness to leave at a moment’s
notice if it became necessary. Percy sent word to all our workers to come in to Hanzhong where it
would be easier to get transport. The Becks, Duncans and Margaret Crossett with her little girl, all
came in and spent Christmas and the day of prayer with us and stayed on then praying for guidance
whether they should return to their stations or not.
Doris Weller had finished her language exams and could leave as soon as there was transport. Ruth
Saunders was preparing to write her exams and could leave after that, and Emma Blott who came out
from Anhui with Bert Kane was waiting for her luggage to arrive before going on to help in the hospital
in Lanzhou. The hospital people were urging her to come quickly, but Mr. Sinton was not sure it was
right for her to go north under the present conditions, so perhaps the luggage hold up would help to
solve her problems.
Paul Contento had been sent off to Chengdu to
rest and recuperate from his operation. He
seemed to be doing well, so well in fact that he
did not want to come back. He said he was
having wonderful opportunities among the
university students which he could not bear to
miss, and if Maida was willing, he would stay
there. He did not say anything about whether
HQ would be willing.
Doris Onions was staying on with us and Percy
Some of the refugees from Henan and had asked her to take over the secretarial work
Anhui Provinces who were cared for by the for the Province, which left him free for his work
Moores during the war years. as Area Director (Superintendent). A big school
had evacuated from Henan and settled about 8
li outside Hanzhong, so Doris was able to work amongst them. She found some of them were keen
little Christians and she enjoyed the contact with them.
The American airbase in Hanzhong was being increased and Christmas services that year found our
sitting room packed and overflowing out on to the stairs and study and the verandah. They sang
carols, played games and ate heartily of the cakes and buns and coffee we provided (all materials
courtesy of ‘Uncle Sam’).
Some of them were boys who had already been coming to church, but many were new and had never
been before, and the sight of our children really broke some of them up. It was Christmas time and
they must have been very homesick for their own families.
For the sake of the children who were with us, our own and others who had evacuated from other
provinces, we had ‘Santa Claus’ arrive on Christmas morning with whatever gifts we could manage to
282
