Chapter Three
CHAPTER THREE
PRESSING ON
dl agree we are just three zeros, but Thou art our Leader, and that makes 1,000," Informally, Isobel spoke her mind to the Lord. And her words stood out bold-typed in Charles Peterson's memory. The three missionaries were knecling together in the shanty: Isobel, John and Charles, It was on a Saturday afternoon, preceding the Monday opening of the very first Rainy
Season Bible School.
There had been short Bible schools from almost the beginning of missionary work in Lisuland. But the Rainy Season Bible
School was quite different. It was timed to fill profitably the three months when farming made the least demands on the tribesfolk.
It was Isobel's own idea.
At first the Lisu church leaders were sceptical about the plan.
But "Ma-ma'" persuaded them to give it a trial. Meanwhile she consulted with Mr. J. O. Fraser, then the C.I.M. Provincial
Superintendent. He heartily approved.
But Fraser never lived to see the great success of the new project, for about that time he contracted a virulent type of ria. His Home-call left the irreparable vacancy in the work that in due time brought John Kuhn into the office of Superintendent for West Yunnan. From that time the Chinese churches and missionaries on the plain claimed much of John's energy.
So Isobel went on with preparations for the proposed Rainy Season Bible School. She planned carefully and prayed earnestly.
She herself taught as well as enlisted the help of others. She prepared her lessons in outline well ahead of time, then when the sessions began she chalked them on the blackboard and required her classes to memorize them.
Once Isobel declared, "I love to teach the Bible. Evangelism was never my gift, but the opening of the Scriptures feeds and blesses the teacher even more than it does the student."
Actually, she did not have any Lisu text of the Bible to teach!
ONE VISION ONLY
(Only a few books of it were then in writing. Even during those very years Allyn and Leila Cooke, with the assistance of Mr. Fraser and the Lisu evangelist Moses Fish, were throwing themselves into the translation of the Lisu New Testament.)
It did not baffle Ma-ma, however, that she had so few books of the Bible to use—it simply was more of a challenge to her as a student and as a teacher. And when the first session of the Bible
School was concluded, it had proved so successful that Isobel reported jubilantly, "A most blessed time, thrilling proof that this was what the Lisu church needed!"
That was in 1938.2
Ever after that the R.S.B.S. continued. Probably Isobel Kuhn's greatest contribution as a missionary for twenty years in China was through the Rainy Season Bible School. In addition to the regular session, the first special school for young women was started in 1942. In 1943 the first special school for young men began, and in 1943 and 1944 there followed the first special sessions for children.
Year by year bare feet came filing along the mountain trails converging on Oak Flat village. But also, year after year, problems piled up, threatening to block the whole programme.
At one time paratyphoid broke out among the staff. Just before another session, Charles came down with rheumatic fever. Then one year infant Danny, doubled up with colic, kept his mother heavy-eyed because of disturbed nights. Before another session, shortness both of staff and supplies made the prospect of a school seem hopeless. Most serious of all, however, was the fact that during some of those years the missionaries were separated only by a few mountain ridges from one of the hottest contests of a global war.
"The Japanese were just across the mountains from us. We were never allowed to forget them," Isobel declared. Soldiers appeared at most unexpected times and places. Since the local tribespeople had never seen a Japanese, they suspected every strange uniform and panicked he 1 Tt was finally published in 1951.
® The same year Isobel Kuhn's first little book was published, f.c.
Precious Things of the Lasting Hills (out of print).
~ i
PRESSING ON
"Those days," Isobel commented, "the whole world was learning from England what a boost to a nation's morale is the spirit of "Blitz or no blitz, we carry on business as usual.' "
"Business as usual? Impossible for Oak Flat! . .
. but—well, let's stick to it as long as we can, and see what God does for us."
This wavering between faith and foreboding was a periodic temptation. But when they decided to ignore peril and go steadily on with their usual programme, their fortitude had a wonderfully stabilizing effect on the whole countryside.
Hundreds gathered for the 1942 Christmas festival.
Yet among that crowd, when Isobel asked how many young women planned to come to the Girls' Bible School in February, not one would promise. The Lisu work was wholly indigenous, so of course all students would take care of their own expenses.
But money was always scarce. Local taxes were high. War rumours were unsettling. Understandably, the young women asked: "What if we came and then the military situation turned bad suddenly? We couldn't get back across the river to our homes!"
That was a real objection.
"But as 1943 dawned," Isobel commented, "all seemed quiet.
Then came the problem. Should we prepare for a Girls' School without the promise of even one scholar? Charles and I prayed about it and decided to go on as if life were normal. If the Lord didn't say "Stop!' wasn't it common sense to infer that He meant
"Go ahead !'? So we decided to have the dormitories repaired."
As Charles just then was to be out of the village, holding other Bible classes, it was up to Ma-ma to hire the workmen and oversee the job. At that particular time John was far off, attempting to rescue Mr. and Mrs. Fred Hatton, who were still within Japanese-controlled territory at Stockade Hill. Consequently les and Isobel knew they must conduct the School without John's help. Eva Tseng was on hand, however. She was an educated Chinese girl, an carnest Christian, and almost as devoted to Isobel as a daughter. Capable and willing, she assumed responsibility in house work and did some teaching as well.
Isobel had good reason to remember that session of the RS.B.S.
"As the day for assembling at Girls' Bible School drew near,
ONE VISION ONLY
the weather turned against us. Snow clouds came down over the great peaks (12,000 to 15,000 feet high), the wind blew icy cold, and on the lower slopes the snow turned to rain—penetrating, chill, damp. The girls on the west bank of the Salween would have more-than twenty miles of mountain road to travel, besides crossing a dangerous river—which they would not dare attempt in a snowstorm.
"Saturday was assembling day and by night fall we had over a dozen girls, but all from the east bank. Now our most progressive students (mentally and spiritually) were those who fived on the west bank, so you can imagine how we prayed for them to come.
"Sunday continued stormy. But Monday there was a lull.
The sky was dull and grey all day, but at least there was no downpour. We began the school with the girls we had.
"You can imagine our thrill at sunset when a shout came ringing up the trail, "Girls from the west bank are coming.'
"We ran to the door, and there around the edge of the mountain was a line of little dots moving down the trail towards us!
We stepped out gingerly, for the ground was too wet and sli pery to allow speed. There they were—their bedding and ren in big bags slung over their shoulders or carried on the back with the strap placed over the forehead to distribute the weight.
Mary, Lydia, Julia, Chloe—and their brothers or husbands coming on behind, carrying their grain supply! Happy smiles and handshakes. "We were afraid you wouldn't make it,' was answered by a chorus of girlish exclamations as to the difficulties encountered and their determination to press through. Chatter, chatter, as bare feet pattered over the muddy trails to the church kitchen where warm fires and a hot supper were waiting.
"That night, for the first evening session of the school, we had thirty-three students! And what a praise service! How it pays to take one step at a time with God! What if we had not prepared the dormitories? That very night the storm descended again and® kept it up for a week. Sometimes His door opens only for a very short period, and if one is not fully ready to enter in, it wi close, perhaps permanently. With so many bright-faced girls to teach, Charles, Eva and I swung into the school work with joy and zest."
yee! ae
PRESSING ON
I§t F So the girls' session that began in bad weather came to a sunny ing.
And this cut itself into a pattern; first came troubles, tangling plans, then the Lord's hand moved, setting things in order. Obstacles always gave way as Ma-ma and the staff pressed on, believing in the God of the impossible to change things and people.
"Find out what God wants you to do," said Isobel, "and deliberately put aside "wind-words' (alarming rumours) and press on with your job."
The Lisu caught the spirit, and the R.S.B.S. prospered even when Ma-ma and Ma-pa were absent on furlough.