Page 288 - Three Score Years & Ten
P. 288
“THREE SCORE YEARS AND TEN” MISSIONARY WORK IN CHINA
Amy Moore
Now Mrs. Xiao told me the doctor himself was suffering again from an appendix pain he had had
before, but now it was much worse. It really scared him this time so that he promised he would go and
have it out as soon as he felt well enough to travel. He would go either to the English Baptist Hospital
in Xi’an, or south to the CIM hospital in Sichuan. Mrs. Xiao laughed as she said (in Chinese of course)
“He can prescribe for other people but not for himself”.
NEWS OF FAMILY AT HOME
In Australia my sister Beth was now engaged to Wilfred Douglas, and I was longing for news of what
was happening at home. I knew she was hoping our father would be well enough to give her away,
though his health had been deteriorating. Of course I wanted to know what she would wear and who
would be the bridesmaids and best man. Also what Mother was going to do for a reception, and where
they would have their honeymoon. Like us they were both missionaries, though to the aborigines of
our own country, and not overseas. It is during family events like these that one feels so far from
home and longs to be a part of it all. Of course when I myself was married, none of my own family
were able to take the long journey to Shanghai.
In Canada, Percy’s parents had arrived safely in Toronto after a long trip from India, down to Australia
and right round the south coast from Fremantle to Sydney in order to avoid enemy submarines at sea.
I had hoped they could land in Fremantle and meet my parents, but they were not permitted to land
anywhere. Before they left China, they sold most of their belongings and of course, when leaving the
country, the exchange which was so much against us receiving money from abroad, was in their
favour. With what they managed to sell, they were able to pay a deposit on a small house in North
Toronto, and by the time their letters to us arrived, they were settled in and enjoying the luxury of a
home which was all their own. Marj and Doug, who were both married, welcomed them with joy and
they were beginning to know their other grandchildren. Ours were the only ones they had known up to
this time.
In England, Jessie and David and the twins were also safely home and living with David’s parents in
Hereford where the little boys were getting to know their grandparents, and to be loved by them in
spite of their having mixed David’s father’s toothpaste and shaving cream together! David’s brother
John had been a prisoner of war in Japan for four years.
They had heard nothing of him for three years except they were told he was still alive. Then in
October he suddenly arrived home. He had been in Batavia (named Jakarta after 1949) for two years,
and eighteen months on an island near New Guinea building an aerodrome. He had the rank of
Captain and at that time had been in charge of anything from one hundred to one thousand men.
David said his parents had renewed their youth since he came home.
Jess was still far from well and the sprue which she had suffered from ever since the twins were born,
was taking a long time to clear up. A further bout of dysentery had discouraged her a lot and they
went to the London School of Medicine where she had a thorough examination. They told her the
actual sprue was cured, but she must expect occasional bouts of dysentery for awhile as this is the
after effects of the disease which would gradually clear up.
My brother Jack was still a prisoner of war somewhere in Germany, but as news began to filter
through that the war in Europe was over, I was hoping soon to hear that Jack was on his way home.
Most of all we longed for the war in China to be over and out little boy whom we had not seen for four
years to be home with us.
288
Amy Moore
Now Mrs. Xiao told me the doctor himself was suffering again from an appendix pain he had had
before, but now it was much worse. It really scared him this time so that he promised he would go and
have it out as soon as he felt well enough to travel. He would go either to the English Baptist Hospital
in Xi’an, or south to the CIM hospital in Sichuan. Mrs. Xiao laughed as she said (in Chinese of course)
“He can prescribe for other people but not for himself”.
NEWS OF FAMILY AT HOME
In Australia my sister Beth was now engaged to Wilfred Douglas, and I was longing for news of what
was happening at home. I knew she was hoping our father would be well enough to give her away,
though his health had been deteriorating. Of course I wanted to know what she would wear and who
would be the bridesmaids and best man. Also what Mother was going to do for a reception, and where
they would have their honeymoon. Like us they were both missionaries, though to the aborigines of
our own country, and not overseas. It is during family events like these that one feels so far from
home and longs to be a part of it all. Of course when I myself was married, none of my own family
were able to take the long journey to Shanghai.
In Canada, Percy’s parents had arrived safely in Toronto after a long trip from India, down to Australia
and right round the south coast from Fremantle to Sydney in order to avoid enemy submarines at sea.
I had hoped they could land in Fremantle and meet my parents, but they were not permitted to land
anywhere. Before they left China, they sold most of their belongings and of course, when leaving the
country, the exchange which was so much against us receiving money from abroad, was in their
favour. With what they managed to sell, they were able to pay a deposit on a small house in North
Toronto, and by the time their letters to us arrived, they were settled in and enjoying the luxury of a
home which was all their own. Marj and Doug, who were both married, welcomed them with joy and
they were beginning to know their other grandchildren. Ours were the only ones they had known up to
this time.
In England, Jessie and David and the twins were also safely home and living with David’s parents in
Hereford where the little boys were getting to know their grandparents, and to be loved by them in
spite of their having mixed David’s father’s toothpaste and shaving cream together! David’s brother
John had been a prisoner of war in Japan for four years.
They had heard nothing of him for three years except they were told he was still alive. Then in
October he suddenly arrived home. He had been in Batavia (named Jakarta after 1949) for two years,
and eighteen months on an island near New Guinea building an aerodrome. He had the rank of
Captain and at that time had been in charge of anything from one hundred to one thousand men.
David said his parents had renewed their youth since he came home.
Jess was still far from well and the sprue which she had suffered from ever since the twins were born,
was taking a long time to clear up. A further bout of dysentery had discouraged her a lot and they
went to the London School of Medicine where she had a thorough examination. They told her the
actual sprue was cured, but she must expect occasional bouts of dysentery for awhile as this is the
after effects of the disease which would gradually clear up.
My brother Jack was still a prisoner of war somewhere in Germany, but as news began to filter
through that the war in Europe was over, I was hoping soon to hear that Jack was on his way home.
Most of all we longed for the war in China to be over and out little boy whom we had not seen for four
years to be home with us.
288
