Page 100 - GFA – A Different Drumbeat
P. 100
GFA – A Different Drumbeat 100
For the past few months, over the summer of 1930, GFA had been accompanied by Dr J
Hillington Kao and others while organising the famine relief in Gansu province. It had been
an adventurous time when their lives had been in danger many times. One of the
missionary women who had been guided by Dr Kao to leave their mission station which
was under threat from a Muslim army, expressed their great appreciation of his influence in
the situation. “We felt that Dr Kao’s presence with us at such a time was the Lord’s
provision for our need.”18
As far as Dr Kao and GFA were concerned, their very productive partnership of the last few
months ended here in Peking. However when Dr Kao asked GFA about the situation, he
quietly asked when they were leaving, taking it for granted that he would be going with them.
The two of them made a formidable team, and it was no wonder that GFA echoed the
sentiments of the missionary some months before when he said “Here again was the most
unmistakable evidence of the Lord’s provision against the time of need” 19
Their train trip to Paot’o was without any major incident. However they became
increasingly aware of the cold, as their train was not heated, and of the fact they were
passing through bandit infested country. This became evident by the vigilance and
apprehension of the station staff and other travellers.
At Paot’o the railway station was situated some distance from the city, and so an armed
guard had been prepared to escort them in to the city where the CIM mission home was
situated. The walk in to the city was somewhat surreal as the soldiers were on edge to spot
any brigands who might have a pot shot at them. And then while they were still a distance
from their destination they were challenged by some soldiers on horseback. To their relief it
was the resident missionary from Baotou who had come to meet them, and he was able to
give them the good news that the two ladies were free, but were in an unknown location
about twenty miles from the city. The bad news was that there were about 4,000 outlaws
between the city and where they were presumed to be.
Following protocol, they met with the Divisional Commander of the government forces, only
to find that he was loathe to give them any assistance as 40 of his men had been killed in
the last week, and he was new to the district and was still getting to know it. There followed
hour of talk and negotiations to try and persuade him to help, but with no success. Dr Kao
however had a friend in the army who was a subordinate to the commander, but knew his
way about better. He agreed to help and they spent the rest of the day planning their
rescue mission.
18 I do not have a full source description for this. It was on page 183 in the November 1930 edition of? –
Probably the “China’s Millions”
19 “Perils in the Wilderness” ibid page 45
For the past few months, over the summer of 1930, GFA had been accompanied by Dr J
Hillington Kao and others while organising the famine relief in Gansu province. It had been
an adventurous time when their lives had been in danger many times. One of the
missionary women who had been guided by Dr Kao to leave their mission station which
was under threat from a Muslim army, expressed their great appreciation of his influence in
the situation. “We felt that Dr Kao’s presence with us at such a time was the Lord’s
provision for our need.”18
As far as Dr Kao and GFA were concerned, their very productive partnership of the last few
months ended here in Peking. However when Dr Kao asked GFA about the situation, he
quietly asked when they were leaving, taking it for granted that he would be going with them.
The two of them made a formidable team, and it was no wonder that GFA echoed the
sentiments of the missionary some months before when he said “Here again was the most
unmistakable evidence of the Lord’s provision against the time of need” 19
Their train trip to Paot’o was without any major incident. However they became
increasingly aware of the cold, as their train was not heated, and of the fact they were
passing through bandit infested country. This became evident by the vigilance and
apprehension of the station staff and other travellers.
At Paot’o the railway station was situated some distance from the city, and so an armed
guard had been prepared to escort them in to the city where the CIM mission home was
situated. The walk in to the city was somewhat surreal as the soldiers were on edge to spot
any brigands who might have a pot shot at them. And then while they were still a distance
from their destination they were challenged by some soldiers on horseback. To their relief it
was the resident missionary from Baotou who had come to meet them, and he was able to
give them the good news that the two ladies were free, but were in an unknown location
about twenty miles from the city. The bad news was that there were about 4,000 outlaws
between the city and where they were presumed to be.
Following protocol, they met with the Divisional Commander of the government forces, only
to find that he was loathe to give them any assistance as 40 of his men had been killed in
the last week, and he was new to the district and was still getting to know it. There followed
hour of talk and negotiations to try and persuade him to help, but with no success. Dr Kao
however had a friend in the army who was a subordinate to the commander, but knew his
way about better. He agreed to help and they spent the rest of the day planning their
rescue mission.
18 I do not have a full source description for this. It was on page 183 in the November 1930 edition of? –
Probably the “China’s Millions”
19 “Perils in the Wilderness” ibid page 45
