Page 44 - GFA – A Different Drumbeat
P. 44
GFA – A Different Drumbeat 44
Working in connection with the Shansi Committee :- Mr. R. Williams, Mr. A.
Trudinger, Mr. J. Falls, Mr. H. J. Mungeam.
Working in connection with the Honan Committee :- Mr. F. S. Joyce, Mr. E. 0.
Beinhoff, Mr. H. T. Ford, Mr. E. R. Baker.
During 1918 and 1919 the harvests were not good so no reserves could be stored, and
1920 became known as "the year of drought." The summer of that year was exceptionally
hot. On July 30th and 31st and August 1st the shade temperature at Tientsin registered 106,
107 and 108 degrees Fahrenheit or 41.1, 41.6 and 42.2 Celsius. By October 1920, the
Griffiths were dealing with widespread famine full time. They continued this work right
through 1921. No wonder that he became ill in March and asked for help.
On March 31, GFA left Chefoo on board the SS Fengtien and by Saturday 2 April he was in
Tientsin where his younger brother Arthur was waiting to meet him. Arthur was soon to
become engaged to one of the Levitsky sisters, so while GFA was in Tientsin they were
both invited to tea with the Levitsky family.
He left on Tuesday 5 April for Peking. There he connected with the International Famine
Relief Commission and got a first class ticket to Hsun Te where he arrived the next day. On
arrival he found Mr Griffith much better and sitting up, and almost ready to start work again.
So GFA stayed for a few days supervising the collection of 80 tons of grain from Manchuria
and he also preached on Sunday. Here are his diary entries for the next few days:
8 April "Another several hundred famine stricken folk received grain. Some pitiful
sights among them."
9 April "80 tons of grain arrived from Mukden."
10 April "A welcome shower of rain. Busy in the afternoon getting the grain from the
station - 800 bags."
11 April "Distribution of grain to Kufang people".
13 April "Distribution of grain to Paishan people".
14 April "Very busy writing out tickets".
16 April "Busy all day distributing grain and writing tickets".
21 April "Another big grain distribution".
22 April "Further grain distribution in a tremendous dust storm".
24 April (Sunday) "Left on the 5:55 p.m. train for Peking".
Working in connection with the Shansi Committee :- Mr. R. Williams, Mr. A.
Trudinger, Mr. J. Falls, Mr. H. J. Mungeam.
Working in connection with the Honan Committee :- Mr. F. S. Joyce, Mr. E. 0.
Beinhoff, Mr. H. T. Ford, Mr. E. R. Baker.
During 1918 and 1919 the harvests were not good so no reserves could be stored, and
1920 became known as "the year of drought." The summer of that year was exceptionally
hot. On July 30th and 31st and August 1st the shade temperature at Tientsin registered 106,
107 and 108 degrees Fahrenheit or 41.1, 41.6 and 42.2 Celsius. By October 1920, the
Griffiths were dealing with widespread famine full time. They continued this work right
through 1921. No wonder that he became ill in March and asked for help.
On March 31, GFA left Chefoo on board the SS Fengtien and by Saturday 2 April he was in
Tientsin where his younger brother Arthur was waiting to meet him. Arthur was soon to
become engaged to one of the Levitsky sisters, so while GFA was in Tientsin they were
both invited to tea with the Levitsky family.
He left on Tuesday 5 April for Peking. There he connected with the International Famine
Relief Commission and got a first class ticket to Hsun Te where he arrived the next day. On
arrival he found Mr Griffith much better and sitting up, and almost ready to start work again.
So GFA stayed for a few days supervising the collection of 80 tons of grain from Manchuria
and he also preached on Sunday. Here are his diary entries for the next few days:
8 April "Another several hundred famine stricken folk received grain. Some pitiful
sights among them."
9 April "80 tons of grain arrived from Mukden."
10 April "A welcome shower of rain. Busy in the afternoon getting the grain from the
station - 800 bags."
11 April "Distribution of grain to Kufang people".
13 April "Distribution of grain to Paishan people".
14 April "Very busy writing out tickets".
16 April "Busy all day distributing grain and writing tickets".
21 April "Another big grain distribution".
22 April "Further grain distribution in a tremendous dust storm".
24 April (Sunday) "Left on the 5:55 p.m. train for Peking".
