maxey mark pauline 1965 japan

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A monthly rcp>on by the Mark G. Maxey family to the friends of the Kyushu Christian Mission Kanoya, Kagoshima, Japan Linkletter No. 145 January, 1965 Dear Christian friends, :/ : In the Orient's 12 year zodiacal system, .1 1965 is the Year of the Snake, Most of us would be hard / put to honor the wily snake but the Japanese have done it very nicely. According to them the serpent has three out- standing virtues - Tenacity, Sagacity and Agility. Since just found out that was born the Year of the Snake my- self I was quite pleased to learn what an admirable fellow the snake really is. (Any of you who will be 12, 24, 48, 60 or 72 this year are also Snake Year people) T,, , , 1 j . 4.U the honorable second son The handsome lad in the corner is Gregory Allen Maxey who entered the wonderful world of the *teens on December 30. He is Japan-born and reared, Gregory is developing rapidly into a fine young man and becoming more of a joy to have around. We depend on him to lend a hand in the house and to keep the yard and walks clean. Most of his day is spent at home studying his 7th grade work. For outside activities he takes care of his pets - Bantam chickens and a Collie dog - and plays in the band at the neighborhood middle school. He has played in several concerts and made a host of Japanese friends at the same time. Greg is faithful at church and Sunday School here in Kanoya and is my frequent companion on preaching trips to other churches. For his birthday party, Pauline cooked a meal to his order and he and ten of his friends had the time of their lives. Newtown church. Battle Creek, Michigan, has been the living link of this future missionary (we hope) since the beginning. We are equally proud of Walter Mark, our eldest son who became 19 on January 18th. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio while I was overseas and I did not see him until a year and a half later when Pauline brought him to Japan when we were still in the Army, We did not dream then that Japan would become our home. Now Walter is back in Cincinnati preparing for his own Christian service. Several have written us that he has made a good adjustment to Seminary life and is doing well there. Naturally, we were glad to hear that, Walter was four when we first came to Japan. At that time the Women's Council at Truman, Minn, and also at Madelia, Minn, became his living links. They are still continuing that relationship. You get many magazines at your house, I know, but how many of them are rel igious journals? I'd like to suggest the Restoration Herald. Cost: $2.00 per year. Address: 5664 Cheviot Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45239"! I have written a study of a missionary method now becoming prominent in the brotherhood. The first installment will appear in Febi^r)^'and run for several months. Your subscription sent in now will make sure that you geJ>«tTie entire series, This letter came the other day: "I belong to the JmiirtJr High Youth Group and we are now studying missionaries, I would appreciate it gre^r^y*)<^f you would send me a missionary paper or a briaf. the story into a "brief letter" is the problem. As the years stretch out the story is getting longer. We have mentioned beginnings at other times. Here is something brief about our life here, espec ially my life. At a later time I'll try to get Pauline to tell her story. By days it goes like this, Monday. Every one gets to sleep as long as they like. Mid-morning Pauline serves the big meal of the day - french toast with all the trim mings, This is the day for repairs, yard work, shopping, extra reading, and family outings if they can be managed. Tuesday thru Saturday the day begins at 7 a.m. We listen to the news of the world fron Armed Forces Radio in Tokyo as we dress. At 8, a.m. we sing a hymn, read a Bible portion and have prayer with Bro, limure at the Christian Center building. The child ren go about their duties and Bro. limure and I talk over books, bills, plans and correspond ence in connection with the bookstore and Christian literature ministry. Next a similar ses sion with Katsuo Shimoda. It is his job to keep the buildings in shape. The ever re-occuring repairs get first call. Lately it has been termite damage which keeps showing up everywhere.

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  • A monthly rcp>on by the Mark G. Maxey familyto the friends of the Kyushu Christian Mission

    Kanoya, Kagoshima, Japan

    Linkletter No. 145 January, 1965

    Dear Christian friends, : / :In the Orient's 12 year zodiacal system, .1

    1965 is the Year of the Snake, Most of us would be hard /put to honor the wily snake but the Japanese have done itvery nicely. According to them the serpent has three out-standing virtues - Tenacity, Sagacity and Agility. Sincejust found out that was born the Year of the Snake my-self I was quite pleased to learn what an admirable fellowthe snake really is. (Any of you who will be 12, 24, 48, 60or 72 this year are also Snake Year people)

    T,, , , 1 j . 4.U the honorable second sonThe handsome lad in the corner is GregoryAllen Maxey who entered the wonderful world of the *teens on December 30. He is Japan-bornand reared, Gregory is developing rapidly into a fine young man and becoming more of a joyto have around. We depend on him to lend a hand in the house and to keep the yard and walksclean. Most of his day is spent at home studying his 7th grade work. For outside activitieshe takes care of his pets - Bantam chickens and a Collie dog - and plays in the band at theneighborhood middle school. He has played in several concerts and made a host of Japanesefriends at the same time. Greg is faithful at church and Sunday School here in Kanoya and ismy frequent companion on preaching trips to other churches. For his birthday party, Paulinecooked a meal to his order and he and ten of his friends had the time of their lives. Newtownchurch. Battle Creek, Michigan, has been the living link of this future missionary (we hope)since the beginning.

    We are equally proud of Walter Mark, our eldest son who became 19 on January18th. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio while I was overseas and I did not see him until ayear and a half later when Pauline brought him to Japan when we were still in the Army, We didnot dream then that Japan would become our home. Now Walter is back in Cincinnati preparingfor his own Christian service. Several have written us that he has made a good adjustment toSeminary life and is doing well there. Naturally, we were glad to hear that, Walter wasfour when we first came to Japan. At that time the Women's Council at Truman, Minn, andalso at Madelia, Minn, became his living links. They are still continuing that relationship.

    You get many magazines at your house, I know, but how many of them are religious journals? I'd like to suggest the Restoration Herald. Cost: $2.00 per year. Address:5664 Cheviot Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45239"! I have written a study of a missionary method nowbecoming prominent in the brotherhood. The first installment will appear in Febi^r)^'and runfor several months. Your subscription sent in now will make sure that you geJ>tTie entireseries,

    This letter came the other day: "I belong to the JmiirtJr High Youth Groupand we are now studying missionaries, I would appreciate it gre^r^y*)

  • By 9.30 the children are at their desks in their own rooms and Pauline hasbegun their lessons. And I am in my office which is also in the house but has a separate entrance. There are no appointments for Tuesday and T use this day to work straight through onletters and other writing. Every day is frequently interrupted by callers, collectors,phone calls and such. Two welcome interruptions are the arrivals of the mail man just beforenoon and in the late afternoon. Mail is a very important event in the missionary home, believeme. A day without mail is a lonely day indeed.

    First we look for letters from our children and family, h'e read them overquickly at first and then again more slowly to savor all the news. Twice a month we look forthe familiar brown envelope from Mrs. Deiotte, our forwarding agent. We read her financialreport with a good deal of interest as you can imagine. At the end we unfailingly concludewith a sincere prayer of thanks to God for you who make it possible for us to carry on thiswork. Mary Deiotte includes in her envelope every letter she receives so when you write heryou can be sure you will be getting in touch with us also. We make it a rule to answer everyletter that comes to us as promptly as possible. As many of you know those replies are ratherbrief. One friend chided me: "Maxey, I don't believe you have every written me a completesentence in your life." I think he was right.

    Early in the morning we also look for the 8 page Mainichi Daily News, andEnglish language newspaper which keeps us informed on the news of Japan. Since it comes byovernight train from central Japan it is already a day late when it gets here. If it is notdelivered promptly in the morning we know there has been a train wreck or high winds havecancelled ferry sailings across the bay. We read this paper for Japan news only and getinternational and state-side news from Time magazine which has a Asia edition published inTokyo.

    Wednesday morning is devoted to planning for the services of the weekand month and season. Since everything takes longer in Japan and decisions are made slowlyadvance planning. At noon I take Faith down to her piano lesson and attend Rotary club atour one and only department store. Being the only American man in town I naturally am theonly American member and the only one who speaks English. I have been a member for many yearsnow and have no feeling of being an outsider. After the meeting and any committee sessionswhich may follow, I try to do the business of the week while I am still downtown - banking,buying, paying bills, repairs on equipment, hair cut, business and personal calls. Since parking has become a problem in our town, I usually make these rounds on V/alter's small motorcyclewhich he left here. Wednesday night is Bible Study night. Twice a month I go to Kushira, afew miles away and twice a month elsewhere,

    Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings must be set aside for sermon preparation and study for the Bible classes. One Thursday afternoon a month I go to the lepercolony for a two hour Training for Service class. It is a happy time. We are used to each othernow, I am not surprised at their disfigurement and they are not surprised at how I disfigurethe Japanese language. There is no time limit and we take time for good-natured banter backand forth as we study. I always leave the place happier than when I came. Every Thursday nightI leave the house at 5,15 for the half-hour trip to Koyama. From 5.45 to 6,45 I have anEnglish Bible class in a Japanese home there. It is a good class of high school students andtwo or three teachers. From 7 to 8 I have Bible Study in the same room. It has taken us ayear to cover the first 9 chapters of Luke. Usual attendance is six. We have tea and talkbefore leaving. On the way out of town I fill up my gas tank at the stand of Bro. Shigemotoa faithful Christian there. If there are no flat tires, I pull into the driveway about nine,lock the gates, play with the dog a minute, come into the house and play with the childrena little before they go to bed. It has been a goo^ dayI And since my space is gone thiswill be a continued story. Don't miss the next installment. IN HIS SERVICE,^^^^

    LINKLETTERMonthly Publication of

    Kyushu Christian MissionBox 49, North Vernon,

    Indiana 4726rMissions iiorvicesBoxJoilety Illinois60A54

    Non-Profit OrganizationU,S. POSTAGE

    PAIDLouisville, Kentucky

    Permit No, 537

  • A monthly fpoft by the Mark C. Mtxty funily10 i'e friends o( ihe Kyushu ChriuUn Mitiion

    Kunoya, Kagoihimi. Jipan

    Paula Maxey was born in Seymour, Indiana, November 29, 1943while her parents were serving theChristian church at North Vernon,Indiana.

    She went to Japan the firsttime when she was 3 1/2 years old.Her Father was serving in the U.S.Army as a chaplain at that time. ^Paula went to Japan the 2nd time in PAULA ^^AXEYAugust, 1950 when her family went out to begin their missionary work there. Most of her life since that time hasbeen spent in that country.

    Paula grew up speaking Japanese naturally. She alsolearned to read and write this difficult language. As agrowing girl, she learned the womanly arts of flower arranging and the tea ceremony. In addition, she always hada group of girls in her home, not only as playmates but toteach them about Christ. Paula was her Father*s faithfulcompanion on his preaching trips, often serving as interpreter for hira and other speakers in the early days.

    July, 1950 is an important date in her life. That waswhen she was baptized into Christ in a river at MahoningValley Christian service camp near Rushville, Indiana.

    Paula studied at home with her Mother through the 2ndyear of high school. She completed the other two years andgraduated from Canadian Academy in the city of Kobe, Japan,After completing four years of study at Milligan College(in 1966) she plans to take additional training in Christian education.

    Paula feels most at home in Japan and is making herplans to serve in that country.

    Friends who have traveled to the Maxey home at thesouthernmost tip of Japan often say as they come in thedoor exhausted: "How in the world did you ever find thisplace?" Briefly, here is the answer:

  • Mark Gregory Maxey was bom in Poneroy, Nashington, August 10, 1918. He

    was the nlddle child of nine childTen bom to R. Tibbs and I'laude Maxey. Six of the

    children are alive today, all active In Christian service: (1) Isabel Ditteaore,

    veteran nissionary to the Far East. (2) Tibbs Maxey, devoting his life to the causeof educating a Negro ainistry at the College of the Scriptures, Louisville, Kentucky

    C3] Mary Ellen Giese, wife of Alvin Giese, ainister at Storm Lake, Iowa, (4) Victor

    Lee Maxey, active in a Louisville church and preaching occasionally. (S} Bryan Maxey, nlnister at Hesten, Ohio.

    R, Tibbs Haxey died In 1938 at Circleville, Ohio where he had spent a mm-

    ber of years trying to establish a church. MarkMaxey's Mother lives in Claremore,

    Oklahoma, still active at 83,

    Asa Maxey of Bath County, Kentucky served in the Mar of 1812 and was a

    Binister of the church of Christ for SI years in the very beginning days of the Res

    toration Dovesent. His grandson, R. Tibbs Maxey, also believed in Restoration prin

    ciples and preached the Book without fear or favor - for SI years also. He pioneered

    in lonely places without benefit of sponsoring organizations or persission froa any

    headc^uarters. He believed in honesty and high moral principles. He also believed

    that Cod cared for His own and so launched out in faith. He willingly sacrificed

    privilege, promotion, popularity and financial gain for the things which he believed.

    His children have tried to follow in his footsteps.

    Mark Maxey spent his boyhood in Oregon, Idaho and Ohio. He first studied

    at the University of Minnesota Intending to be a doctor. Under the preaching of

    George Mark Elliott, he returned to his first choice, preaching the gospel. He grad

    uated from Minnesota Bible College and held his first sinlstries in Madelia and Tru

    man, Minnesota. Both churches still support the Maxey's missionary work.

    Pauline Haxey was reared in Hind Ridge, Pennsylvania. A life-long desire

    to be a missionary led her to Cincinnati Bible Seninary for training. She met her

    husband when he came there for graduate work. Mark and Pauline were married Dec. 29,

    1941 and both graduated froa the Seainary in 1943. They oinistered at the Christian

    church, North Vemon, Indiana fron 1941-1944 when Mark began five years of service

    as an Amy chaplain.

    The Maxeys have five children: Paula, Nalter, Gregory, Faith and Hope.

    Three other sons died at birth. The children are all fluent in Japanese. They are

    active in the Bible school and church in Japan and take their friends with them to

    the services. Their lives speak a word for Christ that adults would find it hard to

    duplicate. Through grade school they study at hoae with their Mother. (CalvertSchool of Baltiaiore, Maryland specializes in providing books, supplies and tests by

    mail to Isolated children around the world.) For high school, the children must go

    away like Pauls and Halter have already done.Then the parents begin to learn to

    drink the bitter tea of lonliness and separation and the children to learn the pangs

    of homesickness.

    Paula will :>oon cotnplete her education at Milligan College, Tennessee.

    Both she and her brother are coaaitted to Japan. You can expect to see thea there

    serving the Lord in sone capacity in future years.

    TAKEO II^^URE

    HIDEO YOSHII

    NAGANORI TANIJIRI

    JUNKO DAIKUSONO

  • In June, 1948, PuUln* joined her husband at a military base in Japan. Paula conTracted polioand thair stay was cut short. It was long enough, though, to catch a vision of service. Vision becane

    decision In August, 1949. They resigned froa the Ary to beeone direct support aissionarles. They

    wanted to go to Kyushu because the church of Christ had not yet entered that southern Island. They

    wanted to go to a place where nobody had gone nor was likely to go. While wondering where that would

    be, a letter of invitation case froa a group of believers in Kanoya. Paul Cook, now of the Kalaichi

    Hisiion, had been in Kanoya as an Air Force chaplain. The teaching of ho and his wife had borne fruit.

    A nucleus of Christians had been foraed.

    The Haxeys gladly accepted the invitation, Kanoya was remote - 1000 aiies fron Tokyo, an ard

    uous journey by train, ferry boat and bus. It was a city of 70,000 people, the trading center of an ua-evangelised peninsula. Forty years before a British alssionary teacher had lived there for two years.After him, no one. Duringthe war, the Kanoya Naval Air Station was an inportant "kanikase" base forthe Japanese war effort. Other than that, fewJapanese knew where it was.

    Arriving in Japan, Septeaber, 19S0, the Maxeys went to Kanoya iaBedlately. First they lived

    In a Japanese inn. Then in m ei^ty Aim/ house. Finally in their own aetal pre-fab house erected fine piece of land bought fron the govemaent at the edge of town. It was a lonely area then, butnow the city has grown out to surround the three acre alssion site Bade lovely by its trees, flowers

    and grass.

    TAKEO tIKURE and Sadahiko Hotoyoshi helped Mr. Maxey es they planted churches in Kanoya,

    Kushirs, Coyaaa, Sueyoahl and Tanialtu. The large leper colony a few ailes away and the town orphan-

    age becaae the first of nany preaching points. They are still served regularly. Isabel Ditteaore case

    to Kagoshina in 1952 and established churches in Kagoshina, Kushikino and Kajlki. JUNKO DAIKUSONO andNACAKORI TANIJIRI preach for these churches now.

    Paul and Kathleen Pratt worked in Kagoshiaa City froa 19S9 to 1964. They continue to aake a

    aignifigant contribution through radio broadcasting and Bible correspondence couzses.Hork was begun

    on the island of Tannegashlea, 50 ailes south. In 1951, A1 and Eleanor Kamond spent a nunber of

    fruitful years here frna 1954 on. With Tadayoshl Ikeda, they expanded the island work and continue

    PAULINEMARK G MAXEY

  • to direct it. The Maxey family, however, are the

    only nissionary faaily who continue to live on theKyushu field. New nissionaries who will dedicatetheoselves without reservation to this inportaat

    area are needed. Perhaps one of you who read this

    now will answer the call and prepare for service.

    A Christian Center was Iniilt on the nission

    grounds in Kanoya in 1958. Leadership training,literature evangelisa, a Christian book store,

    young people's siaoaer coop, oquipoent for teachingand evangeliSD and various teaching ministries are

    located here. It is the hub of the work. Takeo

    liBure conducts the Center progran and preaches at

    Xushira.

    Mr.Maxey preaches at all the churches on

    a regular basis, works with the preachers of thearea through the bi-nonthlyneetings and quarterlyrallies, and holds Bible classes in outlying areaswith a view to winning people to Christ and es

    tablishing the church.

    Fron the nission in Kanoya, Christian carpenters have gone cwt to build ten church buildings,six with parsonages attached. About 20 young people froa this prefecture, ten fra Kanoya area, haveprepared theaselves for Christian leadership at Osaka Bible Seminary. Their lives have blessed the entire work in Japan. HIDEO YOSHIl is one of these. Bro. Yoshii has returned to his home town of Kanoyaand is minister of the church there. Now he has established a Christian Kindergarten on the missionland near the Christian Center. Co-wrkers of his ability and dedication encourage themissionary tocontinue.

    Agood beginning has bwn made. Christian roots have gone down. Seed planted In former yearsIs now beginning to be harvested. Japan has complete religious freedon. New missionaries may enterfreely. In spite ofthe peculiar haidshlps and difficulties of the Japan field, many Japanese continueto seek and find Christ. But the redl job remains to bedone - 99 3/4% of theJapanese are still notChristians. Rising costs and the challenge of the unfinished task make additional friends and support-ters welcome. Kill you be one?

    Aclosing thought! The world must be won to ChristI If not by you, bywheaT

    .Omuta

    FACTS OF THE field:

    Location: Southern tip-KyushuArea Served: Kagoshima Pref.Population: 3 l/2 MillionWork Began: 1950

    - Type of Work:1. Direct Evangelism2. Leadership Training3. Christian Literature4. Audio Visual5. Cooperative efforts with

    the 8 Churches & 5 Ministers.

    SHIKOKU

    OTO

    ADDRESSES TO REMEMBER:ON THE Christian Mission, 8Mrs. Hark G. Maxey, Kanoya, Kagoshima, Japan (Phone:2384)COOTRIBtlTIWlS: (ThismUsion is a recognised non-profit corporation. Your gift Is tax exempt.)

    Mrs. Mary Delotte, ForwardJ^ Secretary, Box 49, North Vemon, Indiana, 4726S.SLIDES, DISPLAY MATERIALS, SPEAKING.^KAGEKEOTS; John Miles Baker, 147 AveniiB Cota, San Cleoente, California 92672 (Phone (714) 492-13S3)SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS WITHIN HEEK-EI TRAVELING DISTANCE AND SCHOOL VACATION PERIODS:

    Walter Maxey, Cincinnati Bible Seminary, 2700 Glenway Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 4S204Paula Maxey, Box 184, Mllligaii College, Tennessee 38662

    LINKLETTER: The Maxey's monthly report of their lives and witness in Japan. $1.00 per calendar year.Send subscription td; Mrs. Maty Delotte, Box 49, North Vemon, Indltoa 4726S

    MISSIONARY STtlDY PACKET FOR DVBS, BIBLE SCHOOL, YOtWG PEOPLES W" ' AJd'CHTLDREN'S MEETINGS:Contains map, visual aids, lilsplay materials and stor. - . . i twenty lewons. $3.00 per packet.Order froa Box49, North Vdmon, Indiana 47625.

    THFCF PRIMTEO MATERIALS BY MARK MWEY MAY ALSO BE (SDERED FROM THE SAME ADDRESS: . ^"Establishing the Chufch Abroad", 2St "Christlars in Japan", 35i "Meet the Missionary Family"S0( "Everyday with Kenjl and Mlchlko", 50^

  • i.mHi.eTreTtfA monthly report by the Mark G. Maxey familyto the friends of the Kyushu Christian Mission

    Kanoya, Kagoshima, JapanLinkletter Ho. February, I965

    APR 1Dear Christian friends,The harc^y plun in our back yard has put

    forth her blossoms. This is in defiance of the weatherbut a sure sign of warmer days to come. It Is a welcomesign since the long, cold seige from January to March isthe hardest of the year. The houses and habits of the Japanese are built around the warm months. Winter months are to be endured ^-

  • Al^0ugh Snndav is th first day of the week and a day of rest for many, forthis preacher it is^c,cllna3c of the week and a day of hard work. I woTildn*t have it anyother way. The firstNsfl^'third Siuidays are devoted to the chixrch at Sueyoshi, a hard hour andhalf ride over the mou^slrig northeast from Kanoya. By the time I get there the chug holes havealready dislocated ny eye teeth. I get there early and do some calling. The church has nothad a minister for many years and depends on me for preaching. Attendance averages 15 and therehave been baptisms recently. Two men have been added and they take turns in conducting the services. Bro. Nakamura, one of a^jr former English students, comes up from Iwagawa to teach Bibleschool each week. Recently the ladies have made cushions to help Insulate those cold, barebenches. The service begins at 1.30. The stndy class in "Training for Service" at 3 or later.At the end hot tea is served and we have a taste of the simple, sincere fellowship which Isthe Christians' particular joy here in Japan. While we sip, we talk. Right now we are talkingabout moving the church to a new location in the center of town and repairing the buildingwhich the typhoons have battered and bent so mary times.

    Every second Sunday it is turn to preach at the leper colony five milesaway* The autonomous group there does not call Itself a church but includes 21 that I havebaptised. The service is conducted entirely hy the people there, htjr sermons are never morethan 30 minutes long because many are unable to sit for long periods of time. I also conductthe Lord's Supper - always a touching time. Since many whose hands have lost their fingersare unable to grasp a small piece of bread or hold a. small cup, others who have better handsmust help them. The blind also must have assistance. It is a true picture of Christian fellowship as one makes uo for what is lacking in the other. Afterwards several of the believersgo with me as we take communion to the hospital ward8 Our first stop is always at the littleroom of a woman I baptised 14 years ago. Leprosy has dealt hardly with her. She no longerhas hair, ears, ^es or nose. Her mouth is an opening but there are no lips there. I must bebe honest. I can hardly bear to look at her for more than a moment. Yet she is the most cheerful, grateful person I meet when X am there. When I leave her at the end of our short service X promise n^self never to complain about anything again.

    On fourth Sunday mornings X preach at the Osumi Gakkusha, the government-runorphanage that we have served so long. Xt is a joy to go but a challenge, too, to have something meaningful to say to these seventy children ranging from years 5 to 15. There is a communion service also for the half dozen or so older children who have been baptized. Afterlimch X got to Tarumlzu as X do every second and fotirth Sunday afternoon* Pauline and thechildren attend Bible school and church faithftiUy at the Kanoya church but they often go withme to the other churches also, especially Tarumizu. It Is a beautiful drive along the bay.The road is all paved now - quite a change from former years. After a lapse of some years,Bible school has begun again. Faith often helps me with the Sunday school which begins at2.15* But now one of the new Christian young women has promised to teach beginning next month*The afternoon service begins at 3 P*ffl* And again the "'^raining for Service" class follows.No one is in a hurry to leave at the end in spite of the three hours we have spent together.But I confess to being talked out and often drink ny tea silently nodding agreement with whatever is said*

    On the fourth Sunday, however, I must make a little speed to get to Mt^ Sak- ^urajlma, on the car ferry, into Kagoshlma City and on north 30 miles to Kushlklno , the churchthat is farthest aw^Qr. Bro. Tanijlri and wife serve me a light supper in the few minutesremaining before the service at 7.30. Afterwards there is time to visit with some of thefine young men he is developing there. Mrs* Tanijlri spreads the futons on the straw matfloor in one room of the parsonage and the preacher and X continue talking far into the nightafter we have crawled in*

    On the occasional fifth Sundays X am either asked to preach at the Kanoyachurch or attend a church or area rally which are held on these days. Whatever the day it isalways a happy moment ^rfien the faithful Chevrolet Carry-All heads for home. Somehow or other.It always picks up speed as we get nearer Kanoya. I often think it is sinful the way T lookforward to getting back home again. Bed is a welcome project. IN HIS SERVIGE,45^

  • msmA monthly report by the Mark G. Maxey familyto the friends of the Kyushu Christian Mission

    Kanoya, Kagcshtma, JapanLinkletter No. 147 March, 1965

    Dear Christian friends.If the year continues to pick up speed,

    problems and dead-lines at the rate of the first threemonths, Pauline and I may not last it out. We willcertainly go out trying, however.

    The map will give you an idea of ourland problem. The solid lines indicate our originalplot-, -The-shaded-area-shows how much-we-will lese(22%) in the re-distribution. The dotted lines showthe size and shape of the lot that will remain.

    When finished we will be surrounded byroads. That is good for us and the neighborhood. One road willalmost touch the corner of our house. Not so good. Even worse iscity's plan to give the corner lot with a part of theChristian Center on it to a man who has lost all hisland. This man says he has been offered $19,000 for thecorner. If so this represents a fantastic three thousand percent increase over the purchase price 15 yearsago.

    Bro. limure, Bro. Yoshii and myself asofficers of the Kyushu Christian Mission Juridical Person holding the property have spent a lot of time withcity officials on the problem. One day 22 city council-men came up in a bus and spread out their maps in theChristian Center. Our alternative proposals have notbeen accepted. We have accepted the city's plan inprinciple if they will budget enough money so that ween re-locate and rebuild properly. So far this has notbeen done. Time will tell. We feel we have a duty tocooperate with the city officials and also a duty topreserve the distinctive Christian character of thisvery important piece of property.

    Note the location of the new kindergarten building. Bro, Yoshii has labored mightily supervising its construction and the other myriad problemswhich go with an undertaking of this kind. On February28, churches of the area met for a rally and dedication,I preached for the occasion. It is a fine building andall of you who have shared in it can be proud. The kindergarten will use mission land and share the ChristianCenter facilities. We have also lent them $2500 to bepaid back over the years. Classes begin April 1 for the50 children enrolled including our Hope and Bro, Yoshii 's son, Makoto,

    Another outstanding event of the monthwas the 10th Leadership Training Course, Bro. Itagaki,minister of the Nakano Church of Christ in Tokyo wasthe guest lecturer. His subject: The Life of Paul, Hewas thoroughly prepared, presented his subject withgusto and as a result had students who thoroughly enjoyed the study. We had six nightly sessions at the Chr-ian Center, two hours each. Attendance averaged 25.

    HOUSE [CENTER

    NORTH

    the

    NEW KINDERGARTEN

    ^ MISSION^ PROPERTY

    AT KINDERGARTEN DEDICATION

    BRO, ITAGAKI TEACHING AT TARUMIZU

    For camp speaker please detach here. Airmailto us in another envelope. 25^ postage For DVBS packet please detach here. Airmailto us in another envelope, 25^ postage

    Mark G. MaxeyKyushu Christian MissionKanoya, Kagoshima, Japan

    j Mark G. MaxeyKyushu Christian MissionKanoya, Kagoshima, Japan

  • Thirteen received certificates at the end of the week. Students came mostlyfrom Kanoya but also from Koyama, Kushira and Takasu, Next we took the teaching program to^the churches with condensed four hour sessions at Tarumizu, Sueyoshi, Tannegashima, Kagoshimaand Kushikino. As important as the teaching was the fellowship with the ministers and peopleat each place. When the class session at the Sueyoshi church as finished, we all sat down toa typical country feast at the home of Bro. Tanneguchi. All in all it was a wonderful twoweeks. Thanks Bro. Itagaki for the blessing you brought us.

    On March 7 the preachers timed their bi-monthly meeting to correspond with thededication of the new kindergarten that Bro. Daikusono has brought to completion at Kajiki.Paul Pratt brought the dedicatory message and rightly so. He and Kathleen have supported thisproject completely and sacrificially. At the preacher's meeting, Peter Voran, a Mennonitemissionary and kindergarten expert from a neighboring prefecture gave us all valuable guidancein how to really make the kindergarten a thoroughly evangelistic tool.

    Other projects have called for our time. Since last September I have beenpresident of the Japan Christian Booksellers Association. I have attended meetings in Tokyoand Gifu (near Nagoya) recently seeking to improve the witness and work of this group of 13independent bookstores as they disseminate Cliristian literature. It has been a rewarding experience. Our own Christian Center Book Store continues to have an increasing volume of salesunder the management of Bro. limure.

    In preparation for an article on rural evangelism for the annual Japan Christ-ian Yearbook, I conducted a nationwide mail survey of this type of work in Japan, The articleitself was short but I got a generous education myself in the process. Conclusion: After 100years of Christian evangelism in Japan, though many have labored sacrificially in the ruralfield, the job of winning rural people to Christ still remains to be done.

    Negotiations have been completed in Sueyoshi for the purchase of a strategiclot in the center of town. Cost: $1800. Work will begin on a new building there on April 1.Cost: Also about $1800. Denzo Shimoda, the Christian carpenter who has done all our otherchurch buildings will handle the construction. Church building provides more physical satisfaction than most other missionary projects but I dread it in many ways. The hours of talkabout the details equal the hours of construction. Through the years I have learned somepatience but I am ill-suited for this kind of prolonged palaver.

    An offer has been made to all the churches to forgive their building debts ifthey in turn would agree to raise their preachers* salaries fi engage in a program of beauti-fication and rehabilitation of their present buildings and sites. This program will go for mostof the year. Here at the mission we have two years construction ahead of us in connection withUiK land ledisliibulion.Thi?"has already begun.- _

    We have invited Prof, Lewis Foster and wife, Betty, of Cincinnati Bible Seminary to come to Japan in mid-May, They will speak in Tokyo, for the annual missionary convention, at Osaka Bible Seminary and here in Kyushu in that order. Missionaries here are payinghalf of Bro. Foster's travel expenses out of their own pockets. We anticipate the fellowship.

    Two important announcements: (1) Our son, Walter, now at Cincinnati Bible Seminary will represent the mission at summer camps. He knows this field intimately as he grew upwith it. We will arrange his itinerary here in Japan. Write us if interested. (2) We are updating our DVBS packet. A little late we know but if you will write us airmail immediately wecan have it in your hands by May 20. Please include a check for $3 for materials and postage.Our address: Kyushu Christian Mission, Kanoya, Kagoshima, Japan. Until the next time then. Whenyou pray, ask that we, too, may have a full slinre of the spiri^al po^r and physical strengthwhich our Lord shares witli those who ask. In Itis Service, y

    LINKLETTERMonthly Publication of

    Kyushu Christian MissionBox 49, North Vernon,

    Indiana 47265

    Missions oervlosBox

    Joiletp Illinois60^54

    Non-Profit OrgjnizationU.S. POSTACn

    PAinl.ouisville, Kentucky

    Permit No. 537

    RETURN REQUESTED

    Friends: Yes, please send us C ) ^VBS ;packet (s) featuring the work of the Kyushu IChristian Mission for use as the missionary iemphasis part of our DVBS this summer. Enclos-jed is our check for $3,00 to cover costs of |material and mailing. ]

    Signed i

    Our school begins it

    We expect approximately pupils. ;Please send material too: i

    Friends: We may be interested in havingWalter Mark Maxey as missionary representativeat our camp this summer if it can be worked outwith his schedule and ours. Let us know.

    Signed:

    Our camp dates are:Camp name:

    Camp manager:

    Camp address:

  • r'/ / 4itTTEZsiA monthly report by the G. M*x9y familyto the friends of the Kyushu Cbristism Muskm

    Kanoya, Kagoshima, Japan

    Linkletter No. 1*48

    Dear Christian friends.

    A

    April, 1965

    It's been a slow spring but at last the cherry-trees bloomed and the blossoms were lovely and fleeting asusual. This is one reason the Japanese prize them so highly.Their brief span reminds them of the shortness of man's lifeand ?5pecially the fleeting years of his prime.

    It was a pleasure to have Mrs. Dittemore, theelder sister of the family to visit us as she came in fromTaiwan. Family ties really reach their full depth of meaning wTien there is a reunion on a foreign strand. Isabelspent two weeks in teaching at Hiroshima where she is workingwith Mrs, Kishi in religious broadcasting before returning to Taiwan, She began a new workthere last fall. We celebrated her visit with us by picking up the phone and having a chatwith Mother in Claremore, Oklahoma, It was a precious extravagance.

    The other day Gwen and Sam Stone who minister at Western Hills church in Cincinnatiwhere Walter attends picked up the tab for him to phone us here in Japan. How eagerly thewhole family gathered around the phone for those three minutes, so joyous and so short. Twoother people have taken us up on the idea of phoning overseas since I mentioned it a few letters back. The Parkcrest Church at Long Beach, California which is sponsoring Paula's visithere this summer called us up at a Sunday night service and the whole church listened in,Norma and Vernon Miller did the same from Lebanon, Oregon. When the sound is as clear as nextdoor it makes the world seem small indeed. And your family of friends very close.

    The Christian Kindergarten is off to a fine start. It didn't seem so on the 13thwhen the Mayor and other dignitaries responded to Bro. Yoshii's invitation to join in theopening ceremonies. The day was cold, blustery and wet - a month out of season. But on the14th when classes began it was as fine as a day could be, Hope took her place with the other56 students - Japanese boys and girls age 4 to 6. It was a proud moment when she marchedout of the house with her blue tam, middy and pleated skirt. Greg carried her books and Faithheld her hand so they could share in the memorable first day of school.

    Today Pauline asked Hope what she had learned. Hope responded instantly, "We learnedhow to pray." Pauline said, "When you pray what do you do with your eyes?" Hope poked botheyelids shut. "And your hands?" Hope clasped her hands together in an attitude of prayer."And your mouth?"ginning.

    HOPE, FRIENDS AND MISS HORAI

    Hope zipped up her mouth with a stroke of her hand. That's not a bad be-

    Though we have mentioned the kindergarten, we should remind you that it is the workof Bro. Yoshii and the Kanoya Church of Christ. We are silent partners with a personal interest through Hope. Bro, Yoshii has done a splendid job getting the project off to a good start.He hafs two fine teachers to help him. One is Miss Horai who was a high school girl and became a Christian not long after we came to Kanoya. The other is Miss Shimago, daughter of theelder at the Tarumizu church. Hardly a day passes now that we do not see the seed planted informer years now bearing fruit.

    I often tell Pauline that I get the most interesting mail of anybody in the world,an exageration of course. This week I had one from Tadao Miyahara who was a student in one ofmy first preacher training classes so many years ago. He missed out on being a preacher but heis a business man now with a company engaged in foreign trade. This month he was in Manilaand as Sunday approached he began to look for a place to go to church. Catholic churches were

  • much in evidence be he couldn^t find a church of Christ, He asked the telephone operator atthe hotel switchboard if she could direct him to one. He was overjoyed to find out that shewas a member of the church where Bro. Diego Romulo preaches. She directed him to the churchand he had such a wonderful fellowship with the Filipino Christians, minister and missionariesthat he just had to write and tell me about it. His letter was a very bright spot in anotherwise very drab day.

    At Jiirt^-t^liristian Center, Bro. Takeo limure and I have had a lot of satisfaction ingetting the new DVBS packets completed and the first batch on the way to the U.S. It has takeian incredible amount of work re-writing, revising and updating. Hardest of all was typing thewhole thing for'the"offset printer - I am the world's worst typist. Next hardest was gettingit back from the printer. Japanese printers share a trait of their trade - long on promisesbut short on delivery. At last it is done. Except for the mimeographed page of contents itis all printed. It is attractive, readable and packed full of interesting things and information about Japan, its young people and the life and witness of each member of this missionaryfamily.

    Though the set has more than enough information for the entire DVBS course, its realpurpose is to provide the missionary emphasis for at least a half hour every day for a twoweek DVBS, It would be equally effective for lesson material for Bible school openings, clas-_ses, - yoimg_|3LeQpJ.e-ls.meetings and the like._ Lots_of material here, too, for missionary ralliesand displays. If interested, write us here in Japan or to Mrs, Mary Deiotte, Box 49, NorthVernon, Indiana. The cost is $3,00 to cover materials and mailing. You will be satisfied.

    March-April is income tax time around the world it seems. March 15 we file the report for Japan's income tax. A copy of this is passed directly to the tax office of KanoyaCity. They levy an income tax, too, and collect it every month. April 15 we must file for theU.S. Govt, principally for paying the Social Security tax. On the same day we must also makeout papers for the income tax of the State of Indiana where we are legal residents. It takesa lot of burning the candle at both ends to get it done. It is among the least pleasent of theyear's duties.

    A very pleasant duty, however, that comes every spring is the annual all-Japan convention of the churches. Convention number 16 was held this year in the city of Kyoto, nearOsaka. It was sponsored by the ministers and churches of both cities. Kyoto is the culturalcenter of Japan and the only city to escape allied bombing during the war. It was near therethat Pauline and I began life together again after a two year separation at the end of thewar. It was in Kyoto that Paula was hospitalized for so many weeks after she got polio. Anyhowit is a city of many memories for us. That plus the fellowship of Christian brethren, goodpreaching and praying made it a notable week.

    On the way home, the airplane I was on was diverted to another airport because ofbad_weather. Unhappily, it was even further from Kanoya than ever. Since it was a militarybase, we couldn't get out of the plane. An hour's wait for the bus. An hour's bus ride. Anhour's train ride. Another hour trying to get my car started. I huffed and puffed and finallyrolled it down a hill near the station. No luck. So out in the rain again to dry the wiringand clean the points. What a wonderful sound this time when one cylinder caught and then therest. Down through Sueyoshi were Shimoda-san is laying the foundation for the new church.Across the back roads and mountains to the town of Koyama arriving just in time for eveningclass and Bible study. It was after nine that night when I got home at last. It wasn't thelongest day of my life but it was a long one. I wasn't able to get out of bed the next day.But I did!

    Some of you long-time readers will remember Sadahiko Motoyoshi who worked with us inthe early years. He has neglected his faith in recent years but I called on him the other day.Last month his son came to Kushikino when I preached and confessed his faith. Resurrection DayBro, Tanijiri baptized him into Christ, This conversion can bring renewal of faith to Fa^erand family. Pray that it will be so! IN HIS SERVICE, MARK G

    LINKLETTERMonthly Publication of

    Kyushu Christian MissionBox 49, North Vernon,

    Indiana 4726 5

    RBTORN REQUESTED

    Missions ServicesBoxJoilet, Illinois

    Non-Profit OrganizationU.S. POSTAGE

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  • A monthly report by the S\aTk G. S\axcy familyto the friends of the Kyushu Christian Mission

    Kanoya, Kagoshima, Japan

    Linkletter No, 149 Mav.May, 1965

    Dear Christian friends.

    I'm glad it's a few more weeks to Father's Day. Maybe^I*can improve my image by then. (Or get rid of that toad.) PAINTING? THE KAGOSHIMA CHURCH

    The paint up - spruce up projects on the various church buildings are coming alongnicely. Kushira church is done and looks fine. On May 5, a national holiday, 15 of us gatheredat the Kagoshima City church and by night fall had given the church and grounds a thorough cleaning and painted the building inside and out. Some might not call it painting.' One collegestudent assured me he was 'experienced'. I gave him paint, brush and ladder and turned him loose.In a few moment it began to rain - paint right off his elbow. His method was to stick thebrush in the paint all the way up to the handle, hoist it aloft and try to apply the paint withthe side of the brush. I got h^-^wn off the ladder as gently as I could, cleaned out hisbrush and gave him some of the^ics of how to apply paint. By nightfall, he 'experienced',

    I have a large ^f^lope in my desk in which I put notes to myself under the title:Remind me to mention ty#r in the next LINKLETTER. Unfortunately, by the time the mainitems are covered,Xthesis hardly room left for my signature, much left the 'reminders'. So foronce, I will take cane of the unimportant things first and see if there is any space left afterthat. ^

    POSTAGE.f Many of you send us your church bulletjai^^gularly. We wish you all would.But when you do, send them by second class mail (5 cenpf^rather than first class (11 cents). Noenvelope is needed either. Regular air mail per half ounce but most people (including post^^^ite clerks) don't know there is a m^^cheaper air mail rate. It is foi^J^smalX pack-

    ^et" mailing and the price is much less - 2 ounc^. for 25 cents ifji remember correctly. Check tobe sure. No writing may be included. So when you have something bulky to send in a hurry, takeit to the post office when everyone is not rushed and ask the clerk to look up the "small packet"air mail rate in his regulations. A small green customs sticker with space for contents andvalue must also be applied. Get friendly with your post office people but don't let them chargeyou first class rates for everything you send. It's a waste of money. Besides that it offendsmy Scotch soul. For quick,cheap notes with no enclosures use the blue AEROGRAMME, 11 cents,stamped, gummed, ready to go.

    U.S. CHECKS. Most people think they can r.ot be used here. It is the other way around.The banks we do business with in this part of the world 'love' U.S. checks. They don't know whatthey would do without them - and neither do we. The common variety like you pay your bills withat home is fine. There is nd need to buy cashier's checks or money orders. The simplest way,of course, is to send your support directly to our forwarding agent, Mrs, Mary Deiotte, in NorthVemon, Indiana, But if you feel the urge to write us here in Japan, please do so by all means.It will be a pleasure to hear from you. We can send a receipt from here. What I have written isabout Japan Check with, the other mission fields you support before sending. Each one isdifferent. Asian or African countries can compare with the safety of Japan's mail or itsbanking facilities.

    LIVING CONDITIONS. We have never tried to misrepresent the way we live, but many peonleprefer to think of a missionary living in a primitive way and just barely existing. In many places

  • this is true and it can not be helped. Not so in Japan, It can be helped here and my opinion isthat the Japanese have little respect for those who could live better and do not. Others may disagree. Certain it is that in Japan's increasingly affluent society today, people are raising theirliving standards rapidly, in many cases far beyond what the missionary can afford.

    As to our own living standards, we have a comfortable home. Not elaborate but adequate.It is the same pre-^afe_Jipjise we built here 15 years ago. Its life span is limited but it shouldlast for a few more years yet. I have made it a point to make it as comfortable and practicalas possible for Pauline. She is the one that must use it the most in rearing and teaching herfamily. She is lonely enough as the only American woman in town and busy enough with her workand teaching not to have to put up with make-do measures in the kitchen. Kanoya is our home - hasbeen for many years and the Lord willing it will be for many years to come - and we have tried tomake our house home-like. Through the years we have used our personal money to add pieces offurniture and equipment just like you do at home. Our house is heated in winter with an oil-firedfloor furnace . We have good phone, water and electric service.

    We have a ^ig yard ^th trees and flov^ers and shrubs and we never cease to be gratefulfor it. The trees^^5.pecially have grown up with our children and we feel like they are part of

    _the family. Someone has said that the nicest thing about a house is the people who visit it.We feel that way.' We have never lacked for visitors and they have always brought a blessing. Ouryard, too, is always filled with childi3,,^Bom'-t1li'community having the time of their lives withour own youngsters.

    What breaks the heart of the missionary here in Japan is not his living conditions. Instead it*sthe infrequent response to the gospel, the slow growth of the church, and the so shorttime that many new converts maintain their faith. Not only do the churches at home expect sig-nifigant results for their missionary dollars, but the missionary himself believes that he willgather a greater harvest than he does. The Japan missionary then knows the feelings of despair^and soul-filling sadness that results from hope unfulfilled. The Apostle Paul said it: "Andapart from other things, there is the daily pressure Upon me of my anxiety for all the churches."

    LINKLETTER. It takes about eight hours of hard work to write, re-write and correctthis letter. Since it is impossible to find this much uninterrupted time during the day, I usuallydedicate most of one night about the middle of the month to this task. The next morning I takeit dov^n to the local offset printer. If all goes well, about a week later he will come in thedriveway with his little motor car bringing me the finished 4000 copies. About 600 of these areaddressed to individuals and sent off in a package to Louisville, Kentucky. There Bill Gaslinof Shively Christian Church kindly takes them to the post office for mailing on our postal permit.The rest are sent out in large envelopes, enough to provide one copy for each member of our sup-orting churches and classes. If you are not yet taking advantage of this plan, let us know howmany copies you need and to whom.

    The LINKLETTER is neither a 'gimme' letter, a 'cry sheet', a promotional paper nor adiscussion of the affairs of church and state that missionary writings may become. Its pu^ose isto give to each of you who are supporting us here a report, both personal and honest, of what weare trying to do here. We can not write everyone a long, personal letter, but i we were goingto do so, the LINKLETTER would be what we would write. We can't tell everything but do try totell you interestingly some of the things that happen to us. No one could have a more interestingdsr rewarding life than we do and we want to share it as much as we can with you who make it pos-sibJi^. Our personal letters may be v.ery far apart and very short when they do come, but the info-mation,"reports and personal notes you want are in the LINKLETTER. Please look for them there.

    Well, the space is gone and I never did get around to the important items. Maybe nextmonth. Until then, remember us when you pray and remember to pray often./^^^v^^^ h 7

    IN HIS SERVICE. MARK G. MAXEY'^^^^ /Non-Profit Organization

    U.S. POSTAGEPAID

    Louisville, KentuckyPermit No. 537

    LINKLETTER

    Monthly Publication ofKyushu Christian Mission

    Box 49, North Vernon,Indiana 47265

    RETURN REQUESTED

    Missions oervicesBox 9^8Joilet, Illinois60A54

  • A monthly report by the Mark G. Maxey familyto the friends of the Kyushu Christian tAission

    Kanoya, Kagoshima, Japan

    Linkletter No. 150

    Dear Christian friends.

    July, 1965

    Sixteen years ago this time (1949) 'we were winding up our Army tour and preparing to begin,^^ KANOYA MAYOR, BRO, FOSTER BRO, YOSHIIthe work of this mission. At that time Paula was six. II aNow she is a young lady with three years of college be- ^|V|hind her. After an absence of three years from Kanoya 'and two years from the family, she is with us here for ^the summer months. For this we have to thank the good ^friends at Parkcrest church. Long Beach, California, and |others who shared in their project to raise enough to |\IMfly her to Japan and back. It was a tremendous giftboth for her and for us. Again our thanks to all those _ j -jwhose prayers and gifts made her trip possible. 1

    The business of the last few weeks J||||H^h|^caused us to miss the June issue. Pardon us for that. j||The "missing Link" letter will let you know that we failto get things done and to live up to our intentions just BETTY FOSTER PAULA AT BANQUETlike other mortals.

    BETTY FOSTER PAUU AT BANQUET

    The annual convention of the missionaries of the church of Christ in Japanis now in its 13th year. Held each year in a different place with different missionaries ashosts, it is a spiritual highlight to which we look forward. This year it was held late inMay at Ono City where the Harold Coles are beginning a new work. Harold had arranged for ahotel where we could all stay, meet and worship under the same roof. It was a grand time ofsinging, preaching, reports, discussion and humor. V/e were refreshed by the total fellowshipof the convention, especially by the evening messages of Lewis Foster.

    En route to the convention, we took Pauline to the Japan Baptist Hospitalin Kyoto for a check up. She has been having painful arthritis in her right elbow. X-rays showit is not the crippling kind but she will have her daily quota of pills for some time in hopesof arresting it. Returning homeward, we stopped off in Fukuoka, the largest city of Kyushu(northwest corner) to visit the US Consulate. After five years of visas, amendments, extensionsand two sets of extra pages added, our family passport had literally expired. We got a new oneand started out fresh. Carelessly, I left it in a taxi and we had to come home without it.Happily, it was found that day and mailed to us the next. This act alone is tribute to thebasic honesty, friendliness and helpfulness of the Japanese people.

    Last fall we had set in motion a plan to bring Dr. Lewis Foster, Dean ofthe Graduate School, Cincinnati Bible Seminary, to Japan in the spring. It was our hope to havean outstanding conservative scholar of our people both for our own edification and for theJapanese brethren who put a high value on education but often equate a really fine educationwith unbelief. The missionaries themselves, Christian friends and churches at home, even theCBS students all joined to provide the necessary travel funds for Lewis and his wife, Betty,The Seminary administration granted him time and helped him make arrangements for his classes.At long last, preparations were completed for their arrival in Japan, May 16.

    As it turned out they were able to have fellowship with the Christians andmissionaries in Manila, Hongkong, Formosa and Okinawa enroute. Harold Sims arranged theirfour days of meeting in Tokyo. They were honored guests at the convention. Martin Clark wasin charge of their tv/o weeks of lectures at Osaka Bible Seminary and visiting missionaries of

  • that area, Paula arrived in Japan May 30, visited in Tokyo, Kobe and Osaka and then came toKanoya with the Fosters by plane and train or. Saturday, June 5. It was a big day for us as youcan imagine as our family and many of the Kanoya Christians lined up at the station platform togreet them. After our happy reunion there we felt that the Lord had brought to pass verymany of our hopes and plans, Ke felt the Fosters were part of our family, too. They have beenfriends since Seminary days over 20 years ago. Since that time our paths have crossed only atfive year intervals, but firm friendships have a way of enduring in spite of time and space.That night Pauline "killed the fatted calf" as a H'elcome Home to them and to Paula. The supperwas^ so good we decided it would also serve for some of the Thanksgiving, Birthday and Christmasdinners that Paula had missed.

    The next few days passed in a whirl. SUNDAY: Lewis spoke at the lepercolony, two times for the area rally at Kanoya church, and held the first service ever to beconducted in the half-finished church at Sueyoshi. Before.the terrible jolting ride back homethat night, the Sueyoshi Christians entertained them and Paula with a feast at the home ofBro. Tanneguchi. MONDAY: We slept late, had a swim at the beach and a fine sukiyaki supperwith the Hideo Yoshiis in their home above the church. Bro. Yoshii had looked forward to Bro.Foster's coming as much as we because of his year of study at the CBS Graduate School. Hewas able to repay this teaching somewhat by interpreting for Lewis for his eight messagesin this area, TUESDAY: Sightseeing in Kagoshima City in the morning with all the-preachers-andtheirf^r^i-lies - - 25 of usin all. Enrout-e-j- as we traversed Mt, Sakurajima, w had one of three flat tires we helped entertain the Fosters with. In the afternoon, we hada preacher's meeting at Kajiki with a Bible study led by Lewis, Then we had a Japanese bathtogether where one eminent Japanese divine doused me with hot water and another distinguishedvisiting scholar doused me with cold. There is no respect for one's elders anymore. That nightthe Kagoshima church was packed for the lecture on "Christ and the Church." VJEDNESDAY. Lewisspoke for the Rotary Club, visited the Mayor of the city, and gave his concluding lecture thatnight at the Christian Center. Visitors from four outlying areas also came,

    Betty Foster attended most of these meetings with her husband and gavegreetings at each one. Wednesday afternoon she spoke for the women at the leper colony andon Thursday night she was the featured speaker for the annual Mother-Daughter banquet herein Kanoya, Paula translated for her both times. Betty's talk, "Rainbow of Life" delightedthe seventy or so who were present. At the conclusion of her talk, the ladies presented herwith a kimono and got keen enjoyment from seeing her put it on for the first time.

    Before we knew it, the Kanoya visit was over. We had arranged for theFosters to visit Korea for three days. Thanks to Paula taking over the household for us, Paulineand I were able to go along. We took a train Friday to northern Kyushu, Mr, and Mrs, Kishi camefrom Hiroshima for a short visit before sailing. (She was also one of Bro. Foster's students atCBS.) The ship departed at 5 p.m. for the 115 mile trip. Our fare of SIS each provided only ablanket and a place to lay down on the floor but we slept soundly. We woke to an enthusiasticreception on the dock at Pusan, Korea, Dick and Melba Lash treated us to a substantial breakfastand the hospitality of their home, Mr. and Mrs. S.M. Chang (they also studied at CBS last year)had the Fosters speak at the Christian Vocational School and with the faculty treated them toa 16 course Korean meal, Bert and Marjorie Ellis gave us a fine supper. The highlight of thePusan visit was the tremendous Sunday a.m. service at the church led by Bro. Chang, A 7 hourtrain ride brought us to Seoul and the home of Harold and Ada Taylor. Monday morning, Lewisspoke at a special chapel service of the Seoul Bible Seminary which Harold heads. Then he andGordon Patten took us on an unforgettable journey to the Communist border at Panmunjom. A briskdrive got us to the Seoul airport a brief 30 minutes before the Fosters were to depart. Lewis'slarge suitcase which had disappeared in a fast shuffle at the train station Sunday night hadbeen found by Bro. Choi of the Korean Christian College and brought to the airport. This broughtan important missionary journey to a happy ending, .Thanks Lewis and Betty for coming. It wasboth a privilege and a blessing. Two feasts, four speeches and four days later Pauline and Iwere back in Kanoya to pick up our work again. IN HIS SERVICE,

    LINKLETTER

    Monthly Publication ofKyushu Christian Mission

    Box 49, North Vernon,Indiana 47265

    RETURN REOUESTED

    MiaslonB oervicos ^Box St'SJoileVf iHiwia60^ $4

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  • A monthly report by the Mark (1. S\axey familyto the friends of the Kyushu ChrisHart M/ss/ow ,

    Kanoya, Kagoshiraa, Japan

    Lv:

    Linkletter No. 152 September, 1965

    f

    Dear Christian friends,

    (Note our new type face. The IBM peopledecided that our location was too remote to service ourformer machine which utilized a rotating typing elementinstead of the ordinary striking bars. So they arrangedto exchange the old machine for this new one of the conventional kind at no additional cost. Thanks IBM forthis beyond-the-call-of-duty kindness. This representscustomer service at its best.)

    In late July, 1945 I boarded a trooptransport in San Francisco as part of force being prepared to invade Japan. The following 35 days spent zig-zagging across the Pacific stand outas some of the most monotonous, melancholy days of my life. In mid-August as we neared Eniwetoknews came that an atomic bomb had been dropped on Hiroshima. The details of that holocaust werenot known to us then, but as we gathered in groups to talk about it, we knew that it was one ofthe decisive events of history. A few days later came the news that the war was over. This wasnews we could all understand. In our joy rumors soon spread throughout the ship that we wouldreturn immediately to the U.S. That hope died immediately when this announcement blared outover the ship's speakers: "Now hear this.' Now hear this.' This ship will not, repeat, WILL NOT,turn around and return to San Francisco."

    The dropping of the atom bomb and the end of the war were both remembered withappropriate ceremonies in Japan this August. Japan's change and recovery in the last twentyyears since the war can only be understood by those who saw it then and see it now. The memories of the war, the bomb and the defeat are not forgotten in Japan, however, and no nation ismore pre-occupied with the peace movement than this country. The Socialists and the Communistsuse this sentiment for their own ends, of course, but no one must doubt the deep-seated convictions of the people of Japan on this point.

    It was some time before we got back to the U.S. Our ship went on to the Philippines where I served 16 months. Then on to Japan in December, 1946. Pauline joined me in Japanin June, 1947. We had been seperated two years. Walter was 18 months old then and I saw himthe first time at the port of Yokohama. Paula had rather forgotten me and was rather terrifiedof me at first. "I'm afraid of Daddy.' she said.

    During my tour in Japan (near Kyoto) Pauline began a Bible class for the Japaneseyoung people employed on the base. During that important bit of service, the seed of the ideaof serving in Japan was planted though we did not know it then. We returned to Japan in early1948 and during the next year and a half Japan was never very much out of our thoughts. One day,rather abruptly, we announced that we would return as missionaries. But looking back, it doesn'tseem abrupt at all. The seed of service planted while we were in Japan had grown quietly andsteadily into an all-encompassing tree of decision and commitment.

    Walter Mark and PaulaLula

    We sailed for Japan tn-mi%August, 1950 arriving here the first of September.So this month

    chunk out of anyolplace. As missionary service goes, 15 years is quite a respectable length of time. Japan consumes missionaries at a phenomenal rate making the average length of missionary service hereabout 8 years. This includes, of course, all missions and churches serving in Japan.

    On August 29, Bro. Yoshii and the Kanoya church held a 15th anniversary servicefor us combined with a farewell service for our children as they go off to the U.S. and to schoolhere in Japan. Christians from all the churches helped fill the churchy to overflowing. I preach-

    W W .4.** ^ 7 o ..-4-

    ma^s 15 years of service in^^d for Japan. 15 years, of course, is a gignifigantincludijig ours.' We have lived in Kanoya longer than any other one

  • ed in the morning . At noon we had the inevitable group picture. (In later LINKLETTERS we willshare pictures both old and new with you.) In the afternoon there were two hours of recollections and reminiscences by old-timers from each of the churches, Bro. limure who shared theearly days of this work with me; Mr. Shiota, the city Mayor and Mr. Hirahara, now in the Pre-fectural Assembly but then the Chief of Police of Kanoya. He revealed that for several weeksafter we had arrived inKanoya he had had a policeman sleep every night in a room adjoining oursat the hotel to preclude any incidents. Also to reassure the hotel owner that he had nothing tofear from having Americans stay in his hotel. Evidently there was some fear of anti-Americanfeeling in those days. If so, it was never made known to us because we have always felt welcom^^and at home in Kanoya.

    Each member of the family was presented a gift by the churches and bi th^Hayor -gifts which will always be treasured because of the givers and the occasion. Paula ay^altertold of their early memories of Kanoya and of their desire to return to Japan for Cttinstian service. These were moving moments and "Often for each other flow(ed) the sympathizing tear. Wewere especially happy that both of them could be here to share this day as these fifteen yearsencompass the formative, vital years of their lives. The service ended with a selection of100 slides recalling the people and places of the early years. It was a day our family will always remember. Special thanks are due Bro. Yoshii for his careful and thoughtful preparationfor this meeting.

    The whole of August has been important. The first week, the 15th annual Christian Service Camp was held in the Christian Center and adjoining grounds. Bro. limure was campmanager and Paula served as Dean of Women besides teaching a class on the Life of Christ. PaulPratt and daughter, Mary, made a vital contribution in the camp music and recreation program.I enjoyed to the full teachinpr a large class of Intermediates a course on conversions in theBook of Acts. ^^^B3tee-^5^snitpe^^a4e-decisions far-Christ. This was our largest camp ever with100 regular campers and many moredoming for a day or two. They consumed an 80 pound sack ofrice everv::d^ - and 80 pounds of rice makes a lot of cooked rf^e on" the table.

    A typhoon during camp has become traditional and this year was no exception.One came roaring through on Thursday of camp week, forcing us to drop the tents in the mudand water and the campers to take refuge in the classrooms for the night. Most people took thestorm quite-Calmly but I thought it was quite severe especially on the west peninsula whereit severely damaged the church and kindergarten at Kajiki and put an ocean going ship up on therocks of Mt. Sakurajima.

    Since August is the only month of vacation the school children have, this is thetime for Vacation Bible School. Miss Ryoko limure of Osaka Bible College has conducted fiveschools - Kushira, Tarumizu, Kagoshima and at the orphanage and Christian Center in Kanoya. Thelast two were best attended. Miss Horai of the kindergarten also conducted a class for theyounger group at the Christian Center making an attendance of over 100 for this week. Misslimure will return to Osaka Bible Seminary for her second year in mid-September. Bro. Sato hasgiven 2 months of service plus a week of DVBS at Sueyoshi. He will also return to OBS this monthto continue his studies.

    Walter arrived from the US on August 16 and we have taken time out from ourschedule to do things as a family. We have soaked up a lot of sunshine while swimming at thebeach and added a pound or two for the winter months as Pauline prepared the children's favoritefoods while they were home. Saturday and Sunday, August 22 and 23, the whole family went byship for fellowship with Bro. Ikeda and the church at Tannegashima. After the Sunday service

    "We~haa~a meal together~and recalled the early days^

  • FIFTEEN

    Dear Christian Friends,

    YEARS SERVICE: 1950-1965

    A monthly report by the Mark G. Maxey familyto the friends of the Kyushu Christian Mission

    Kanoya, Kagoshima, Japan.G

    October, 1965

    This must be the story of the exodus. It began on August 30 when I left for Yokohama alone to attend the annual meeting of the Japan Christian Booksellers. I have servedas president of the group the past year, but not very satisfactorily I fear. Bro. limureof our own Christian Center Book Store also attended. It was a good meeting and providedstimulation to continue one vital phase of our ministry - getting out the Gospel by theprinted word to the Japanese, the most literate people in the world.

    Christians and friends gathered at the mission house on September 1 to say farewell to the rest of the family as they left for Tokyo. I "the family at Osaka wherewe enjoyed the regular prayer meeting and fellowship of the"'^issionary group there. OnFriday we rode to Tokyo on the super express train at^lOO m.p.h,. That afternoon we touredthe Oljnnpic buildings, still famous a year later and^^n^iJjed^'^y 10,000 people daily. TheHarold Sims helped make possible^'lnemo^abr^ outdoor barbecue at one of Tokyo's famous restaurants as a farewell supper Paula, From there we went to the airport and said good-byeto her with a minimum of words aftda-maximum of feeling as she left for the U.S. She spentthe first week-end with the Parkcrest church at Long Beach who had sponsored her summer'svisit to Japan. The next week-end with Central Christian at Battle Creek, Michigan, herliving link church since she was a very small girl. From there back to Milligan College,Tennessee and her senior year.

    Sunday morning we preached for the English service of the Tokyo missionaries thenattended the morning service of the Nakano Church of Christ and enjoyed fellowship and abowl of noodles with the congregation afterwa.r.d&. Young people from the Kagoshima areawhoare in Tokyo also helped make the.hap^ one>:;^-^That night, we repeated the tripto Tokyo International Airport and/watched Walter win^Mjks way out over the Pacific. Wasit clouds or the mist in our eyes'TTTa-t---i"inally-t)b?cuf^^he lights of his plane from view?He returned to his sophomore vea^^nci.atTatlT^lble Seminary via visits to relatives inUtah, Iowa, Ohio and the Don Smiths at Salina, Kansas where he also spoke to a group of thenew church just formed there. (If sometimes you get a letter from me with a Stateside address,Mrs. Smith is the lady who typed it for me and sent it along to you.)

    Kiyoto Yanagimoto, faithful friend and Christian from Kanoya and now with Japan Airlines took care of us till we could board the;^;;!^^! flight" to Osaka. Martin Clark met usthere at 3 a.m. After a short rest, I too^?&reg_.lay^ interurban an hour's ride to^^K^^^^ndgot him enrolled at Canadian Academy. He ^^i4J-^lsarve in the dorm there while he takes his 8th

    r

    THEN; The House Being Built in 1950 NOW: The House Has Become a Home

  • grade work. Ot all our children hewill miss home the most. He was disconsolate at being left there but nowhas written that he has begun "tolike school a little bit."

    1(^Faith's scJiC^ was to begin

    on Tuesday^Tri?5Ut1iern Kyushu so sheflew off alone on Monday from Osakato be there on time. It was touch

    ing to see her waving vigorously fromthe window as the plane taxied away.For her it was an adventure but for

    us it meant that one phase of our family life had ended and another begun.She will get home every week-end, however, so she will be around to cheerour household for many years yet. GROUP AT DEDICATION OF THE SUEYOSHI CHURCH

    Pauline, Hope and I spent till Friday enjoying the ever generous hospitalty of-the-Clarks. and .parti.cjL45ating in the faculty conference and retreat at Osaka Bible Seminary..All of us had a chance to preach in our own language, sing in both languages and enjoy ampletime to cuss and discuss the curriculum and other vital aspects of the school life. Thesewere days well spent. After a night with Ray and Mattie Mings, Ray rushed us to the airportearly Friday in time to catch the last plane to Kyushu before a typhoon closed the airportdown. Back home that night, no wind, no rain, no clouds. Instead the most beautiful skiesyou could imagine. A few hundred miles can make a lot of difference in the weather.

    September 23, a national holiday in Japan, will be a day we will long remember.The church at Sueyoshi was host to the annual, convention and also the dedication of the newchurch building. Sueyoshi church has b^^en meeting sinc^ 1951. first in homes, then in its ownbuilding at the far edge of town. Decay and last year's typhoons brought its life expectancyto zero. A new lot in.the center of town was purchased lor $1700. Denzo Shimoda built asmall but sturdy building of concrete blocks, aluminum sash windows, arched roof, hardwoodfloors and a traditional straw mat room in the rear for an additional 31700., Chaplain CharlApTrinkle and wife Lucille paid for the straw mat room where we will drink tea, rest and havesmall class^V An appropriate plaque was hung in their honor.

    Besides the five ministers, there were delegations from Tarumizu, Kanoya, Kushira,Koyama and Kajiki. Each group was recognized, each person introduced individually, and areport from the church given. Bro. Yoshii preached the dedication sermon in the morning, Bro.Tanneguchi read a history of the church, Bro. Shimoda, the carpenter, reported on the cost ofthe church, item by item, and I brought the meeting to a close with a few pertinent remarksabout the-church building being :n great part an expression of the concern and love of Christian brethren in the U.S.A. The Sueyoshi brethren appreciate that fact. At noon the ladiesof the church served a lunch of "o-nigiri" - two huge balls of freshly cooked rice with picklesand grated fish on the side all wrapped in paper thin strips of very wide wood shavings andplaced in the palm of the hand. Delicious and refreshing, really. Each guest was also presented with an inscribed dish as a momento of the occasion. Bro. limure conducted the afternoon service as we had a song fest, sermon by Bro. Daikusono, closing prayer meeting andfarewell in time for everyone to catch a train home before dark. _A11 in..all it was a ^appyand satisfying experience That night and the next morning, we had ouF regularpreachers meeting - prayer, preaching, a good Bible study, review of the summer's camp andpreparation for evangelism in November - and left refreshed and ready for the fall work.

    In His Service,Mark G. Maxey

    LINKLETTER

    Monthly Publication ofICYUSHU CHRISTIAN MISSION

    Box 49, North Vernon,Indiana 47265

    RETURN REQUESTED

    Missions oervicesBoxJollety Illinois

    Non-Profit Organiz^tioprNon-Profit Organiz^tioiU.S.POSTAGE

    PAIDLouisville, Kentucky

    Permit No. 537

    oeC lb 1965

  • FIFTEEN YEARS OF SERVICE: 195 0-1965

    rv V J

    Linkletter No. 154

    Dear Christian friends,

    A monthly report by the Mark G. Maxey familyto the friends of the Kyushu Christian ^[ission

    Kanoya, Kagoshima, JapanNovember, 1965

    Just a year ago my older sister, Isabel Dittemore, went to Taiwan to begina radio, correspondence course and church planting ministry. In October she invited Paulineand I to come and hold a special meeting with a view to helping some of those she had faithfully taught to make a decision. Hope went with us on the journey.

    The first leg, 375 miles by ship from Kagoshima to Naha, Okinawa, took 25hours. By jet, the last leg, 335 miles from Naha to Taipei, took only one hour - hardlyenough time to have a cup of coffee and get the paper work done. In this 710 miles wewent through customs, quarantine and immigration procedures in three countries and filledout 36 forms in the process. Writer's cramp is the occupational hazard of the traveller inthe Far East,

    At Taipei,Isabel was on hand to give us a royal welcome as only she can.Her many years in western China pre-war are serving her in good stead now since China andthe Chinese were her first love. We found Taiwan to be a fascinating place. The sceneryis beautiful. The semi-tropical climate makes fruit plentiful and I ate my fill of bothbananas and papayas which I dearly love. The Chinese seem to be a happy and relaxed peoplewith churches and an interest in Christianity much more in evidence than in Japan.

    The Japanese were here for 50 years so we found no trouble in finding peoplewe could speak to. The Japanese made many worthwhile contributions to the island and seemto be well liked. Taiwan, about the size of Maine, has ten million native Taiwanese and2 million Chinese who fled the mainland when the Communists took over about 16 years ago.The military stance of the island is evident in its 600,000 man armed forces. The statedobject of returning to the mainland seems to give the nation a common purpose. It was nice,too, to be in a country that is not engaged in the popular pastime these days of biting thehand that feeds it. The Republic of China is a firm friend of the U.S. and is one of thefew countries of the world to voluntarily terminate our economic aid - as of this year.

    Isabel took better care of us than we deserved, introduced us to theisland and its people, hosted a 5th birthday party for Hope and gave us a taste of familyjoys which mean more to us as the years go by. But our real purpose in coming was to preachand we did not neglect that. Each morning was spent going over the sermon and the slideBible studies for the night with Bro. Suen, Isabel's faithful co-worker. He spoke no Japanese. I spoke no Chinese so we had to work through our one common language - English, Healways carried with him a concise English-Chinese dictionary of 2400 pages. That alonewould make any brief case bulge. But the use of that dictionary helped Bro. Suen do a

    CHINA^

    Shanghai]

    KOREA JAPAN

    Seoul

    Pusan^

    YUSHU

    U

    TaipeirAIWAN

    anoya

    A OKINAWA^aha

    (L.)THE MAPSHOWS HOWCLOSE THE

    ASIAN COUN -TRIES ARE

    (R. ) NEW CHRISTIANS, MISSLIEN & MR.MAHWITH MRS. DITTEMORE & I.

  • The meetings were held in the Shih Ling Church of Christ - a rented buildingabout two miles from Isabel's home. The crowds were not large but those who came were eagerlisteners and sincere students. The meeting came to a happy conclusion on Sunday, October10 when Miss Lien and Mr. Mah were baptized into Christ. Isabel had taught them patientlyand well and it was my joy to be there at the conclusion of the matter. The key to Isabel'ssuccessful missionary work is her personal interest in people and her joy in receiving themand teaching them both in her home and in theirs.

    This joy of sharing your faith with those of other countries was continuedin Okinawa where Claire and Donna Boulton made us welcome in their home. We enjoyed preaching to the First Christian Church of Okinawa made up of service families who are maintaining their witness and worship here. The ice cream social afterwards was mighty fine, too.On Thursday, October 14, Harlan Woodruff drove us to Nago where we spent a happy two hourswith Yoshimitsu Higa and other ministers and teachers of the Okinawa Christian Missionboth speaking and answering questions. That night, Claire and I were guests of Bro.Nashiro and his family for a sukiyaki supper and of the church at Nakajin for a special evening service. The service began at 8.30 and the church was full including three carloadsfrom First Christian who had driven the long journey up from Naha. The preaching and thequestion and answer period afterward lasted till almost midnight but when there is vitalinterest present, who worries about time.

    We were back home in time to take part in the "Undokai" of Hope's kindergarten. These athletic meetings are traditional for schools and almost any other kind of

    up in September and October. It is an all day affair with lunch on the ground and thewJ .e family, including the grandmas and grandpas, taking part in the athletic events.Pauline and I felt like we were in that age group ourselves as we took part in the gameswith the other kindergarten parents, practically all of whom were in their twenties.

    On the 20th, I held my 10th wedding in Japan. The bride was Miss Takenoshita,sister of Bro. Yoshii's wife. Like so many of our other young people, she will be movingto Tokyo and leaving a vacancy in the Kanoya Sunday School where she taught so many yearsand in the Friday night meeting that I conduct in her home town of Koyama. Another greatloss this month was the departure of Bro. Nakamura from the church in Sueyoshi also to Tokyo where he will continue his work in the school system. There is hardly a church in Japanthat doesn't have a faithful Christian in it from Kyushu. Exporting Christians is one kindof missionary work to be sure but it can be very lonely and often heartbreaking.

    Last summer Mother wrote me that Governor Bellmon of Oklahoma would be visiting Japan in the Fall along with 7 other U.S. governors. She wanted me to try to see him.There didn't seem to be any possibility that he would get this far off the beaten track soI didn't think much about it. But on the way home from a preaching point, I saw by thesigns that they would be visiting Mt. Sakurajima in our area that afternoon. When the grouparrived on the mountain top, Pauline and I were there holding large sign, WELCOME GOVERNOR BELLMON. All the governors -.got a kick out of being greeted by a solitary American family on a very solitary mountain at the end of Japan. Gover- .er Bellmon came over and we got acquainted and had our pic-tures taken together. Mother's husband, Frank Elrod, is a ^staunch Republican and the Governor knew him well. We had ^'W ^a good visit together talking about Frank, religion in Japanand the war in Viet Nam until it was time for the group to J fleave. Hope treasures a card from the Governor and a 100 / |yen coin from Governor Romney of Michigan, On the way homewe discovered that the officials had excluded all persons '^>^1''from the mountain and its roadways - but we acted as if webelonged there and all went well. V'

    It's possible our next LINKLETTER will not ^reach you before Christmas. If so, we will tell you nowthat it is the joy of seeing Christ born again in the livesof men that keeps us at our task here. We thank God dailyfor your prayers in our behalf and pray in return that iChrist will be born again in each of you this year.

    IN HIS SERVICE, PAULINE AND MARK^ ^ ^ WITH GOVERNOR BELLMON

  • F I F T E E N YEARS SERVICE: 1950-1965

    Linkletter No. 155A monthly report by the Mark G. Maxey familyto the friends of the Kyushu Christian Mission

    Kanoya, Kagoshima, JapanDear Christian friends, / e ,j pan December, 1965Every November Osaka Bible Seminary has a preaching rally they call "Tane

    Make Kai." (taw-nee mawkey ki - Iterally, "seed sowing meeting") The convention takes itsname from the parable of the sower going forth to sow. Christians and missionaries gathered from the ends of Japan to sing and pray and expound the first five verses of II TimothyChapter four. Plannned by Pres. Martin B. Clark, the program is built around the facultymembers of the college plus outside speakers. My text was, "Reprove, Rebuke, Exhort." Gregory came over from his school in Kobe for the evening sessions. When he saw the program, hejabbed his finger at my subject and gave me a sidelong look as if to say,"Daddy, there arethree things that you can do very well."

    In one morning session by a happenstance, there were four missionaries oneafter the" other preaching the word in Japanese. It wasn't the world's finest Japanese tobe sure but it was the vernacular, it was being understood, and it was being spoken freely.I thought to myself, "We have come a long way and I believe we are on the way to going evenfurther." By the end of that session the Japanese? Christians themselves got the message:the missionaries not only have something to say but they are able to say it. Needless to say,it was a grand convention and the O.B.S. Tane Make Kai has set a standard for other conventions in Japan to come up to - if they can,

    Paul and Kathleen Pratt and the blind singer who works with them, Miss Yabiku,and myself came home on the train together. Along with renewing their fellowship with thework in the Kagoshima area, they spent a day with us in Kanoya and we had a good visit.

    Another happy day in the middle of the month was Faith's tenth birthday. 12of her friends had a Saturday afternoon of fun and frolic in our front yard followed by another session in the house eating the cake and goodies that Pauline had fixed. Faith is sucha happy girl that the house becomes lonely the moment she leaves for school on Monday and itbrightens up immediately when she returns each Friday night.

    The annual week of evangelism ("dendo" is the Japanese word) the last weekof November was a great event here. Again our thanks tc Osaka Bible Seminary for sending outtheir young people to gain practical experience in the all-important task of telling the goodnews to others. We had three dendo teams totalling 15 members come our way. One team led byProf. Nakano of the seminary held meetings with Bro. Daikusono and the churches at Kajiki andKagoshima. A second team led by Pres. Clark and Prof. Shimada spent a week with Bro. Ikeda

    t

  • and the church on the island of Tannegashima to thesouth. Miss Ryoko limure, a 2nd year student andthe only Kyushu student at O.B.S. this year was amember of this team. She was able to spend onenight with her family in Kanoya before returning toOsaka. Her father, Takeo limure, runs the Christian Center Book Store and preaches for the church atKushira, six miles away. A third team led by Prof.Lonnie Mings and his wife, Coral, came to Kushirachurch and later to Kushikino with Bro. Tanijiri.ltis this team especially that I want to tell you a-bout. Three of them were from Hokkaido at the extreme northern end of Hokkaido so we benefited fromthe labors of Wesley Walker and Ernest Faber in having them here.

    The meetings began at Kushira on Sunday night. Bro. limure had prepared well. Good advertising was placed in the local paper and attractivesigns were placed at the entrance of the church. Thechurch had never taken the responsibility of takingcare of the evangelists before but they did so gladly. The men slept in the church stacking their bedding in one corner during the day. The girls sleptin the home of an aged Christian lady at the back ofthe church. The success of the meeting was up tothe team itself. They came prepared, however, andtheir preparation plus zeal made the difference.

    From the first night the church wasfilled with people who were eager to listen and tolearn. The team provided preaching, singing, special music, scripture readings, personal testimoniesand chalk art that really warmed the soul. I satback and drank it all in myself. The weather wasfoul outside but nothing but showers of blessing werefalling inside. On Wednesday afternoon, just before the meeting ended, four who had madetheir confessions of faith made the journey to the Kanoya church and were baptized into Christin the baptistery there. It was a happy time. That night at the concluding service, 8 otheryoung people publicly made their choice for Christ and are to be baptized soon.

    On the Sunday afternoon the meeting was to begin. Faith came in the house andsaid, "Daddy, there's a boy out in the yard who wants to know how he can become a Christian.I said, "Have him come in." He was Junichi Maki from a neighboring village. After we had studied together he came-every night-to the meeting. in_Kushira. On Tuesday night he confessed hisfaith and on Wednesday he was one of those baptized. He has not missed a meeting since. His

    ^coming and the wonderful results of this one meeting at Kushira reminded me again (if I hadforgotten) that there are people out there searching for the word of life. Thank you, youngpeople from Osaka, for stirring me up to do a better job of helping them find that for whichthey are searching - Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Saviour.

    Gregory came home for Thanksgiving but the grand meal that Pauline had prepared for the occasion was delayed till Saturday night so Bro. Clark and Bro. Doyama of OBScould be with us. We counted our blessings as we ate - especially the blessing of Christianfriends like yourselt whose prayers and means sustain us here. IN^IS SERVJCE_, MARK G MAXEY

    LINKLETTERMonthly Publication of

    KYUSHU CHRISTIAN MISSIONBox 49, North Vernon,

    Indiana 47265

    RETURN REQUESTED

    Missions JervicesBox 9'>8Jolletf Illinois60k^

    Mr. liipure and daughter, Ryoko

    -'"v. :

    The Kushira team at our house.

    Non-Profit OrganizationU.S.POSTAGE

    PAID

    Louisville, KentuckyPermit No. 537

  • FIFTEEN SERVICE: 1950 -

    A report by the Mark G. Maxey family to the friends of theKYUSHU CHRISTIAN MISSION, KANOYA, KAGOSHIMA, JAPAN

    + + + + + + + + + +

    Friends who have traveled to the Maxey home at the southernmost tip of Japan often say as they come in the door exhausted: "How in the world did you ever find this place?"Briefly, here is the answer .

    Asa Maxey of Bath County, Kentucky served in the war of1812 and was a minister for 51 years in the very beginningof the Restoration movement. His grandson, R. Tibbs Maxey,also believed in Restoration principles and preached the Bookin pioneer places without fear or favor - also for 51 years.His children have tried to follow in his footsteps.

    He and his wife, Maude Maxey (now living in Claremore, Oklahoma) had nine children. Six are alive today, all activein Christian service, including Isabel Dittemore, veteranmissionary to the Far East and Tibbs Maxey, devoting his lifeto training a Negro ministry in Louisville, Kentucky.

    Mark Maxey spent his childhood in Oregon, Idaho and Ohio.He first studied at the University of Minnesota intending to

    KYUSHU

    jAmuUGOSHIMk CITY

    KANOYA

    ^CTS OF THI-; help:Localiojv Simihern (ip Kyus'iuArea i>ervet): Kiigoshima Pre(.Population: 3 l''2 Milli'mWork Began: 195 0Type of Work:

    1. Direct Evangelism2. Leadership Training3. Christian Literature4. Audio Visual

    Cooperative efforts withthf 8 Churches & 5 Ministers.

    SHIKOKU

    UfiDSHIMi'F

  • be a doctor. Under the preaching of GeorgeMark Elliott, he returned to his first love,preaching the gospel. He graduated fromMinnesota Bible College (1939) and held hisfirst ministries at Madelia and Truman,Minn.

    Pauline Maxey was reared in Wind Ridge,Pennslyvania. A life-long desire to be amissionary led her to Cincinnati Bible Seminary. She met her husband when he camethere for graduate work. Mark and Paulinewere married Dec.29, 1941 and both graduated from the Seminary in 1943, They ministered at the Christian Church, North Vernon,Indiana from 1941-1944 when Mark began fiveyears of service as an Army chaplain.

    In June, 1948 Pauline joined her husbandat a military base in Japan. Paula contracted polio and their stay was