LISD and RAWANG CHHRCHES DF CHRIST IN BURMA

NORTH BURMA CHRISTIAN MISSION

"Where China, Tibet, Burma and India Meet"

(formerly Yunnan-Tibetan Christian Mission)

One of the deacons of the church in the

village of Hpama. His happy, friendly

nature is reflected in his smile.
Picture by J. Russell Morse

seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousnessf and all these things shall he added unto you.'''*

FIRST 1964 NEWSLETTER

No. 34 News Series Beginning January, 1953
The J. Russell Morse Family
P. O. Putau

Kachin State, Burma

IT HAPPENED IN 1963

JANUARY - Betty accompanied Helen and Eugene's eldest son, David, to Mohnyin Mission Hospital to have his eyes checked, following
which he returned home.

Helen, Tommy and Ronnie met Betty inMyitkyina and went to Rangoon
for medical and dental care and other business.

Betty underwent surgery for removal of her gallbladder (with 68stones)

on January 14.

Tommy and Ronnie made the 700 mile plane trip home alone on Jan. 28, and Robert, Bobby, and Dede went to Rangoon to join Betty. Bobby had his tonsils removed on January 31.
LaVerne returned from 1-month preaching trip to Krangku area. January birthdays; Jan.l, Drema Esther; Jan. 4, R. LaVerne; Jari.

18, Frances Jeanette, youngest daughter of Eugene and Helen, (1961)

FEBRUARY - Lois to Rangoon for medical care.

goon.

Dorothy Drema (Dede) had tonsils removed. Helen, Lois, Robert and Betty and family all returned home from Ran-

Tommy, second son of Eugene and Helen fell and broke his right arm. LaVeme became seriously ill, with diagnosis ofpossible heart trouble. February birthdays; Feb. 4, J. Russell Morse; Feb. 23, Robert Jr. (Ahkeyj, youngest son of Robert and Betty (1954).
MARCH - Mrs. J. Russell Morse accompanied LaVerne to Rangoon for

further diagnosis and treatment of his illness, which proved to be bronchiectasis and high blood pressure. They returned on March 18. Conclusion of school year at Putao Christian School (P.C.S.) inDukdang.

Beginning of 6-week typing and Christian literature production class, taught by LaVerne. Twenty-nine students enrolled.
Mrs. J. Russell Morse began teaching a Bible studv class for Tangsa
total of about 15 students.

Naga students, plus a few other people who wished to study, for a
(iy4y;; March JU, Lois.

March birthdays; Mar. 19, David, oldest son of Eugene and Helen,
APRIL - Easter conventions in various villages, attended by Eugene and Helen, Mother and Daddy, LaVerne and Robert. Drema Esther and Jesse Yangmi married in Muladi on April 15 before
kyina.

some 1000 people. Left a few days later for a wedding trip to MyitApril birthdays; Apr. 8, Robert; April 18, Eugene; Apr. 14, Mark Russell, son ot LaVerne and Lois, (1959).

MAY - Mrs. J. Russell Morse concluded Bible class for Naga students. LaVerne completed six-week typing and literature class. Drema and Jesse returned from Myitkyina.

Opening of P.C.S. for new school year, with 290 students enrolled. May birthdays; May 15, Dorothy Drema, (Dede) daughter of Robert
and BeHy, (IV58).

JUNE - LaVeme to Myitkyina for two weeks forP.C.S. registration. Visited churches in Myitkyina area. Betty to Rangoon for three weeks for medical check-up.
New house for Mr. & Mrs. J. Russell Morse completed to point where

they could move in.

JULY - LaVerneand Lois and family to Rangoon on July 15, to await birth
of baby.

Robert Morse acting principal of P.C.S. during LaVerne's absence. Betty helped by teaching some of LaVerne's English classes.

July birthdays; July 22, Thomas Eugene, (1951); July 28, Marilyn

Louise, -second son and second daughter of Eugene and Helen; Helen, July 30.
AUGUST - Lois Beth bom to Lois and LaVerne in Rangoon on August 7.

This is their fourth child, third girl. Their son, Mark, had a growth removed from his back, which proved benign. LaVerne taking care of printing work, purchasingof supplies, and other
business in Rangoon. A one-week women's school was held in Dukdang, with classes taught

by Mrs. J. Russell Morse and Betty. This was Betty's first timeto teach
in a school without a translator. Attendance was around 140.

August birthdays: Aug. 1, Betty; Aug. 30, Marcia Louise, oldest daughter ot LaVerne and Lois, (1955), Aug. 7, Lois Beth, youngest daughter
of LaVerne and Lois, (1963). SEPTEMBER - Two-week Preachers' Retreat held from Sept. 16-28, with

around 70 preachers, and total of 120 in attendance. LaVerne and Lois in Rangoon, finishing business, preparing to return
to Mulodi.

September birthdays: Sept. 28, Margaret Elaine, oldest daughter of

bugene and Helen, (l957).

OCTOBER - LaVerne and Lois and familyreturned from Rangoon on Oct. 8. Thanksgiving conventions in many places. Seven different gatherings attended by Mrs. J. Russell Morse, Robert, LaVerne and Eugene with
his two sons.

Beginning of 3-month Bible School forassistant and prospective preach ers and other church leaders on October 28, taught by Mrs. J. Russell Morse, Eugene, Robert, LaVerne daily and Lois three hours each week.

October birthdays; Oct. 2, Cynthia Marie, daughter of LaVerne and Lois, (iy6U); Oct. 8, Jonathan Russell, oldest son of Robert and Betty,
(1949).

NOVEMBER - Bible School continuing, with enrollment of 280.

Eugene supervising laying out and construction of new building for

P.C.S.

November birthdays: Nov. 9, Ronald Keith, third son of Eugene and Helen, Nov. 19, Stephen Anthony, second son of Robert and Betty, (1952); Nov. 24, Sammy (Ahpu), adopted Lisu son of Drema
Esther, (1954).

DECEMBER - Christmas conventions in different areas. Eugene and son

Tommy, and LaVerne attended at Hpama. Jonathan and Stephen, two oldest sons of Robert and Betty, attended at Shanggong, even though
their parents were unable to attend.

Bible School continuing, but many students felt they should return to their homes because of unsettled local conditions and many rumors,
leaving only about 120 students to finish the school.

Martha Camille born to Betty and Robert, at home in Dukdang, on Dec. 31. This is their fifth child, second daughter.
December birthdays: Dec. 19, Mrs. J. Russell Morse (Gertrude); Dec.

JI, Martha Camille (1963), youngest daughter of Robert and Betty.

Activities which cannot be pinpointed at a definite time: Medical work by J. Russell and Drema Esther. Literature work - translating, mimeographing, printing and proof-read ing, preparation of Bible School notes, etc. LaVerne's work as principal of Puhao Christian School; teaching of children at home; Drema's S.S. classofmore than 100 children weekly. Daily conferences with preachers, elders, and others. Supervision of building, and maintenance of machineryand equipment by Eugene and David.

Martha Camille, daughter of Robert and Betty Morse, born at their home in Dukdang village, Dec. 31, 1963. She was 10 days old when
picture was taken.

RAWANG LITERACY SCHOOL

By Robert Morse

The educational levels and extent of literacy in the population is of little concern to many missions, but as most of our friends know, it is a primary concern in the North Burma mission field. Working among the hill-tribes, we have been blessed In having to deal with cultures and soc ial systems which are remarkably free of class stratification. The Lisu, Rawang, Kachin and Maru tribes may have feuded and fought each other down through the ages, and built up innumerable age-old animosities, but at least they recognized that "everybody is more equal than anyone else." And they were all equal in never having heard of such out-of-this-world abstractions as literacy, or being bothered with such tomfoolery as edu
cation .

such a situation we have gone ahead as besFlve can, with tne formal local church-sponsored day-schools on the one hand, but have also found to be
of extreme importance various mass-educational methods.

vate, church-sponsored day schools, and "school" might be anything from schooling can still cover only a minute 5% or so of the population! In
the comer of a church building to a dirt-floored bamboo shade, - formal

when students had to be bribed to stay in school, and parents were uni versally hostile to this new-fangled system which deprived them of their baby-sitting, herd-tending offspring. Books and Iiterature arean essential to every household now, and a good majority of the population is at least literate in their own tongue. Yet in the jungles and mountains of what is some of the world's most rugged terrain, - where most schools must be pri

place to start but at the bottom, the last decade has seen a truly remark able and radical transformation here in North Burma. Gone are the days

to theWord of God, must have some degree of literacy, and be concerned with educational levels. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." (Rom. 10:17). So with a wide open field, and no

But a church which can stand on its own feet, and have direct access

It has been proven that, given the proper materials, education can be

od of teaching. When reading ability can be established within the short

gotten at home, by literacy campaigns and the each-one-teach-one meth

literacy is (usured. Given a supply of usable follow-up reading materials, and the motivation ofthe Good News ofSalvation, such literacy and con tinuing education can be "for the masses" rather than just for the privi leged few who undertake formal schooling. The Word of God, available for any person to read for himself with understanding, is a greater induce
of the Bible is an inexhaustible well ofsource material forproducing read ing materials. Here is justification for a person devoting a lifetime to the
precise work of Bible translating, as we have done. of our day schools even, have adults and even married men and women in

^4 week span of the learner's initial enthusiasm for a new thing, primary

ment than any other motivation we might induce. And within the covers

Age, we find, is really irrelevant to the question of learning. Many

the first 2-3 primary grades I So there is no problem in getting together nightly literacy classes from among the adults. In Dukdang though, the adults noticed the youngsters caught on more quickly and were more for ward, so soon we had separate classes for children, young people, old la

dles and older men. Giving impetus to such local study are the annual Bible Schools. Beginning at first with an annual, bi-lingual school of up to 12 weeks, we have now progressed to where we have every year, scat tered throughout the mission field, as many as a dozen smaller regional schools, both Lisu and Rawang, held by the preachers themselves. These schools attempt to train a group of church workers from allsurrounding communities, in reading, writing and singing, as well as the elementals

of Christian doctrine and the life of Christ. And they helpto give the lie

to that very false idea that education is a status symbol.

teaching, differed only in that representatives were invited from all the scattered Rawang tribes. Reading and writing and singing was taught,

The school held in February here atDukdang in Rawang, with ourselv^

along with the Life of Christ and elementary Christian doctrine. Teachers

were Robert, Magaltaq Peter, LaVerne and Bezi Tychichus. There were quite a few newly printed books available for text-materials; two Rawang
Lisu and Rawang, and these proved extremely popular.

primers, the Gospels of Luke and John, and the Life of Christ Visualized Series of 3 books (in both Lisu and Rawang). LaVeme had also arranged for a sturdy binder for these Visualized sets to be printed with the title in
peaceful. As the February opening date drew near and the local situation became increasingly serious, it seemed doubtful even that the school could open. But our prayers were answered, and when over a hundred students
When the school was planned and word sent out, conditions were still

for four whole weeks before the situation became so difficult that it was disbanded. In the more than 200 students who attended were men and wo

were gathered by opening day, we went ahead, and were able to continue

men, youth and adults both Lisu and Rawang, speaking eight major dialect groups. They ranged from teachers with as much as 10 years of formal schooling in Burmese, through preachers and teachers in the local church
Metwang and Jerwang, each from a different culture and a different
the only workable basis for unity in diversity.

es who were attending for a refresher course to improve their teaching, down to students who wanted to improve their own reading and writing abilities. Daru and Kwinsang, Longmi and Tangsarr, Dakem and Pangrin,

lect, they demonstrated how Christianity in north Burma today provides

Atotal of 49 congregations were represented in the school, despite the many who were unable to attend because oftheir situation behind the lines. At the end ofschool when they started collecting supplies to take

the primers and gospels. Once again we realized that one ofthe most im portant jobs we can do as a mission is to keep up the supply of Scriptures
and other Christian literature needed for the churches, and to keep print

back with them to teach in the villages, we found we didnot have enough booltt on hand. Some teachers wanted to get at least 100 copies each of

ing and re-printing the material available in the national languages.

portunity. At present, there are 25 schools among the churches of Christ

area 18 days' walk away where churches have been established only since 1959. These schools are mostly supported by the Christian villagers them selves. Some financial support to eight of these schools, and much guid
ance to all, is given by the mission.
here in northernmost Burma. One of these is in the far-off primitive Naga

churches of Christ in Burma today, this is a ma{or responsibility and op

TRAINING CHILDREN FOR CHRIST

By R. LaVerne Morse

Children may be small in size, but they surely are not small In import ance in the program of Christ's Church. Even as Jesus said, "Let the lit
tle children come unto me, for of such is the Kingdom of heaven," so to

day one of the most vital areas of Christian evangelism and teaching is
among the children. Children of Christian parents must be taught, con verted to Christ, and strengthened to be effective workers for Christ.

The purpose of eachschool is to give the children a good academic ed

ucation with the Bible as central. Christian conversion, Christian char

acter, and Christian service are the goals.

Here In Burma, many thousands of Lisu and Rawang tribespeople, for

merly worshipping evil spirits and living very primitively, have turned to
To fulfill government academic requirements, children start in kinder garten leamingtwo languages which are foreign to them: Kachin and Bur
mese. In the earlV standards (grades), some explanations of the history,

Christ and the light of the Gospel. The training of their children has be come one of the most important phases of Christian missionary work, a
to continue the spread of the Gospel.

geography, and otner subjects are made to the Lisu, Rawang, and Naga
children in their own tribal languages. In the upper standards (grades), the children are also required to learn English. But especially, for all the students from kindergarten upwards, the life of Christ and other Bible sub jects are taught.

primary Iwpe of future strong churches and native evangelists/missionaries

In a sample Lisu Christian village of about 150 population here in Burma

Adequate Christian teachers for all these schools has been a principal >roblem. Since its beginning in 1957, the Putao Christian Middle School

today, school-age children number about 90; those above general school age number about 60. Formal education, though, until the past several years has been a very rare thing. For instance, until about 1961 it was
not unusual for a kindergarten student to be given temporary leave from school so as to attend the wedding of his vounger brother 1 After all, the kindergarten student was twenty years olal

las been a major source of Christian teachers. Christian children from primary schools all over the mission area go on to the higher standards in

Advanced Bible is taught byLaVeme Morse everyday in a rotating 3-year

course to about 200 students in the 5th, 6th, and 7th standards. From Putao Christian Middle School, already the Lisu and Rawang churches

ly equivalent to the ninth grade in America. Subjects taught include ge ometry, algebra, general mathematics, world and national geography, general science, English, Burmese, and Kachin speech and literature.

P.C.M.S. The highest standard at present is the seventh, which is rough

Before 1954, there werepractically no schools in the Christian commun ities where children of Christian parents could get a formal education.
There were two alternatives: One was that the children of native Christians

would remain largely uneducated except for reading and writing in their

have sent a number of young people to do native missionary work amongst people ofother tribes and of other languages. We hope that there will be many more young people Iikewise to goas native missionaries and evange lists to people of other distant tribes, preaching in the languages which they have learned in school, telling of theGood News ofsalvation through
Jesus Christ.

own language. In tne face of more contact with the outside world, the leadership ofChristian communities would then be seriously handicapped. Especially, if the missionaries had to leave, the native Christians might bedependent upon non-Christian or denominational sources fortheir needs such as Christian literature. They would be handicapped tremendously by not knowing any languages, other than their tribal language, for contact
with the outside world.

Another alternative was that the children of native Christians would be

already teachers and principals of Christian primary schools throughout

the churches. Some P.C.M.S. graduates, having gone to high school in
their alma mater.

A large number of students from the Putao Christian Middle school are

sent toschools far from home in non-Christian communitiestaught by nonChristian or denominational teachers, without day-to-day true-to-theBible teaching and guidance. Students trained for many years in such a

Christian leaders in many phases ofcommunity life throughout the churches

of Christ here in Burma. We trust and pray that they may strengthen their
home churches in the "faith once for all delivered to the saints," and that

In the years to come, we trust that all of the students will serve as

situation would be strongly influenced to lead their communities contrary to the way of the churches of Christ. In addition, as part of the difficult transition from primitive cultures to "civilized" living, the children would be strongly influenced to being ashamed of their "uneducated" parents, and, in turn, being ashamed even of the present Christian way of living
of their parents.

they may spread the Gospel to many tribes, languages, and nations.

A solution for these problems has been the establishing of Christian Day
schools within the Christian communities themselves. Among about 200

10

KiThe missionary daughters at Muladi. Mar. 4, 1964.

Left to right:

Cynthia, age 3 yr. 5 mo., Mareia, age 8 yr. 6 mo., holding Lois Beth, age 7 mo., Marilyn, age 4 yr. 7 mo., Margaret, age 6 yr. 5 mo., holding Lucy Ruth, age 2'/2 weeks, and Jeanette, age 3 yr, 2 mo. Cynthia, Marcia and Lois Bethdaughters of LaVerne and Lois. Marilyn, Margaret and Jeanette, daughters of Eugene and Helen. Lucy Ruth, daughter of Drema Esther and Jesse Yangmi.

The missionary daughters at Dukdang, Jan. 9, 1964. Dorothy Drema (Dede) age 5 yr. 7 mo., Martha Camille, aga 10 days, daughters of Robert and
Betty Morse. The 2 villages are about 4 mi apart and it is hard to get all the children together at once.But these two pictures show all NINE of the granddaughter^ on the mission field.

Marcia, age 8, carrying little sister, Cynthia, age 3, in Ltsu style. Daughters of LaVerne and Lois

Jeanette, daughter of Eugene and Helen on

her third birthday.

Lois Beth, Mar, 7, age 7 me.-daughter of

LaVerne and Lois. We hadn't had "close-up" of these two for quite a while.

Jan. 18, 1964. Marilyn, age 4 yr. 5 mo., Jeanette on her 3rd birthday, Margaret, age 6 yr. 5 mo. Daughters of Eugene and
Helen.

Picnic time at Muladi

Mark, son of LaVerne and Lois, Margaret and Marilyn on either

side, with Marcia and Cynthia at right of picture.

''Hi!'*
r,::: Si;

r.

A Daughter for Drema and Jesse Yangmi

record time a letter came telling all about the baby, her mother and fa ther. Nurse Helen delivered the baby for Drema, as she had done for
there to help.

We were so happy when, on February 19th a coble was received tell ing us ofthe birth of Lucy Ruth Yangmi on the 17th of February. Then in

Betty a few weeks earlier when llttleMartha Camille was born. Being at home mode it possible too, for Jesse, Mrs. Gertrude Morse and Lois to be

Lucy Rufh, daughter of Drema Esther (nee Morse) and Jesse Yangmi,
born af home in Mufadt village, Feb. 17, 1964. Age, 10 days when picture
was taken.

Word From Helen

It was not planned to be this way at all. Originally Drema and I were to hove gone to Rangoon on February 17. Then, because of the unsettled situation everywhere, plans were changed, to go only as far asMyitkyina, leaving on February 20th. (The baby was due about March 6). But as time went on, the wisdom of going even that for was questioned. How ever, we were all much in prayer about it, and had prayed that the Lord
would show us His will, and prevent our going If that was not His will. labor on the very day we would have originally been going.
We couldn't have received a clearer answer than for Drema to start In

and prayerful wait i ng and watching. And finally, at 3:47 p.m. little Lucy Ruth Yangmi mode her appearance into the world. She gave us a

From 3:15 a.m. onward, on the 17th, there was an air of expectancy,

all was well, and both she and her mama have been fine. We call her

few anxious moments at first when she was a little slow aix)ut crying, but

the little Tibetan princess, since both Drema and Jesse are part Tibetan in ancestry. She is so sweet, with lots of silky black hair, a tiny rosebud mouth, and skin like a rose petal. She's a very good baby, too.

very recently we have heard reports of much fighting and unrest in that area. Truly He doeth all things well, and we praise Him for His love and
constant care over us."

We do thank the Lord, our Great Physician, for His care in this case, we have been kept here rather than being down In Myitkyina, for |ust

which was without complications. We can see His hand In the fact that

LATEST NEWS FROM BURMA

t^he various ones in Burma is quite apt to contain the comment, "This may
the l^rd that letters have kept coming through with amazing speed and
regularity.

Conditions have been uncertain for some time and each letter written by be the last letter we will be writing for a while." But we thank and praise
We will quote from a letter written by Mrs. J. Russell Morse to their

throughout the world; it surely fulfills Christ's prophecy in Matthew. This may be our last letter for some time, yet we have thought this before, and we are trusting in Him to continue His care for us and continue tokeep the
way open, so we continue to praise the Lord...

area.).. .We aredisturbed about so much trouble in our own country and

living linkchurch in Inglewood, California: ".. .God has kept us in peace here in this land until now. (The civil war activities finally reached their

ary. Tiiis was also a Bible School. Although most of them have been able to read the printed books, many of them have never I earn ed to write or

Robert s Literacy School for theRawang leaders opened the first of Febru

"Our school for the assistant preachers closed the 11th of Janua^, and

teaching in the Christian School, the medical work, daily conferences with preachers and elders, selling of Bibles and Bible helps, hymnals, school book mimeographing, writing translations, teaching, and the home work mcbding the orchard and garden work. I've been quite busy taking
care of the babies who have been having an epidemic of Flu. Some days
there have been 20 or 30 cases....

There was an enrollment of about 200 with students from all of this area. All of the other missionaries have been busy with the routine work here:

read the written script. Robert's two Rawang informants helped also.

"Iwant tosay that many ofour preachers have reported quite a number ofnew inquirers from their various home areas. Please pray for those and all of the Christians as well as for all of us in the days and weeks ahead. How we praise Jesus that He died to carry our sins, the punishment for our
sins, and

t^hat we have such a precious hope set before us."

Quotes from a letter written by LaVerne and Lois to the church in Joliet, Illinois follow: . .The situation out here is not good at present. As you know, the Burma Army and the Kachin Independence Army have been
12

fighting in Kachin State for some time now. Please be praying that there will be as little bloodshed as possible in this area during the days and weeks to come. The population is very heavily Christian, as you know. At present theairplane is our only link with the rest of Burma and the out side world; and we never know from one plane to the next when this one tie might be broken, leaving us completely out of touch with all of you. We do have our radios. We appreciate deeply your prayers for all of us and for the people of this area." Now a few excerpts from a letter from Robert and Betty to the family and living link churches: "Now that kerosene is unavailable we'll proba

bly soon be going back to old ways, (torches and/oran alter-like hearth
at the front of the church used as lighting for night services.) Right now we are trying here in Dukdang having our services before dark, especially in view of the curfew rules, (same was being done at Muladi.) You can understand why there is... .a lack of inter-village travel these days. "Our new addition, Martha Camille, is queen of the roost, being big, strong, and colicky. We're survivingthe initial shockof readjustment and continuing ourwork, --yep, I can hear her now, loud and clearat a hun dred yards, really telling the world what she thinks of us for not feeding her 28 hours a day. After all, she is on the new-fashioned (and original)
"demand schedule."

and Lois. First we will quote the few lines inserted by Lois; "This is your brown-eyed "daughter" - saying Hi there.... I'm sure I have told you we won't be coming home this year. We haven't the faintest idea under the
sun when we'll hit U.S. soil again, but it's all in His hands and we are content. Naturally it is a deep disappointment, but His grace weighs
heavier on the balances."

Just as we are ready to go to press we have a letter from Eugene, Helen

Both Helen and Lois mentioned a wedding which took place in Muladi on March 25: "Yesterday was a big day in our village - the wedding of our headman's daughter and one of our P.C.S. (Putao Christian School) teachers. We have known the girl eversince we first came - she was just a girl then, - and we have known the boy for several years too, since he wasformerly a P.C.S. student. Bothare very sweet, and theyshould make
a fine couple. It is one of the few cases of real love marriage that we've

seen. They've waited for each other for a couple years, until they fin ished school and each taught a year, so they'd have money for the wedding and to start our their home. It was a very pretty wedding, with the bride wearing Drema's veil, and her bridesmaid wearing the one belonging to one of the teachers. They had decorated the church, and even had two little flower girls. We played some recorded wedding music at the begin
ning, while folks were gathering. Lois and I sang a duet, then, with Da

vid accompanying us on the guitar. He did very well.

".. .Our work keeps us busy, not giving us time to think about the many other things we might like to do - such as visiting with those we love. Don't worry about us. The Lord is able to keep. But pray much for us, for wisdom and guidance, for strength to endure, for health for the chil

dren and ourselves, and that we may be able to continue our work. Just
pray that the Lord will supply all our needs, for we can't see ahead."
13

WORSHIP

By Helen Morse Beautiful buildings, stained gloss windows, soft organ music, and over all a reverent hush - these are the things that come to mind when we think of going to church. But in many places, although some, or even all, of these elements may be missing, still God Is worshipped. After being on the mission field, 1 came to realize more than ever before that many of the things we consider so Important or even essential to a worship service in America are, afterall only su pe rf i c i a I. It is not the surroundings in which we worship that delight the heart of God, but rather the praise and adoration In the hearts of men and women, and their earnest desire and hunger to commune with their Father. I would like to share with you the sights and sounds that are a part of

a Sunday service here in Muladi. In Imoglnation, come with me as we go

to church on Sunday morning. Be prepared for a long stay, sitting in back less benches, for we have two preaching services andeach sermon is like ly to last 40 minutes to an hour. The temperature Is only about50 degrees today and the church is not heated, so be sure to wear a warm jacket.
As we enter the church, one of the first things you will notice will be that there are several small chickens and a pig or two, all in bamboo bas kets, just inside the door. These are part of the offering, but since they

are likely to become noisy and distract attention from the sermon If placed

Mrs. J. Russell Morse and three of the women of the Muladi Church.

The one in front of Mrs. Morse is the mother of one of the preachers now preaching about ten days travel from Muladi.

a small basket of grapefruit, a heap of the roots^ called hbee, a basket of

rice, and some eggs. Oh, yes, there is also a piece of cloth and a bookbag. All these also are part of the offering. In the summer there would be beans, corn squash, and perhaps cucumbers, instead of the fruits and veg
etables you find now in this winter season.

up front, they are kept at the back. Up front, under the table used for a pulpit, there are some mustard greens, a bunch ofbananas, two pineapples,

The second thing that will impress you as being unusual is the fact that families do not sit together, but men and boys sit on one side of thechurch, and women and girls on the other. Small children are nearly always with
the mothers. We have tried to urge them to have families sit together, and it was tried for a short time, but too many people were "shy", and unwill

ing to change an old custom. But it would be much nicer if the families would sit together. Under this present arrangement, the women must have

of the women have tnree or four children under six years of age, it is al

the tull responsibility of keeping all the small children quiet. When many

most impossible for them to keep all of them quiet. Consequently many do not even try, and there are always some little ones wandering up and down the aisles, or playing at the back of the church, and it is a distrac

apers, so the mothers' clothing is wet much of the time* And after this
those sitting nearby. But the men sitting on the opposite side ofthe church
anxious to change the status quol

tion. Small babies are carried on the mother's backs. They "have no di

occurs several times, there is a strong smell! Because of the need to look

after the little ones, the mothers cannot listen to the sermons - nor can

out loudly in favor of husbands sitting with their families and sharing the

can listen without interruption! All of us missionary wives have spoken

burden of keeping the children in order. But we can see why they are not

stead of the music to which you are accustomed, you will find numbers replacing notes. But the tunes are the same. Since no musical instruments are available, the pitch is set by the song leader. As the congregation begins to sing, in beautiful 4-part harmony, you will see why choirs are not considered necessary, except for special occasions, for the entire

As the song leader announces the first song and you open theLisu hymn book (each person carries his own, along with his Bible), you may think it looks very strange, except for the fact that titles are in English. In

This is the situation in which all new missionaries find themselves their

group becomes the choir. You will not be able to understand the preach er's sermon, since you haven't been here long enough toleam the language.
feeling tobe in the midst of a group but isolated because of not being able
to understand what is being said.

first few years on the mission field, and believe me, it is a very lonely

concerning Christian stewardship, and giving, and then the deacons come

At the close of the first service, the minister gives a brief message

eggs there which someone has given. When they have finished, they re
there is the prayer of thanks.
15

'round with the little bags on the end of a stick which are customary out here. The benches are far enough apart that they can go back and forth between the rows and aswe drop in our money, we see there are also some

turn to the front of the church, place the offering on the table, and then

stands for the first hymn of the second service. The pattern is much the

^ this time, everyone is getting a little tired of sitting, so everyone

same as the first, with two or three hymns, prayer, sermon, closing hymn
non-Christians do not come to the church services.

and prayer ,. There is no invitation hymn as we know it in America, for the

Then comes the main event of the morning - the communion service.

on the communion theme. Then, following the prayer, the emblems are passed by the deacons, going between the rows as during the offering. In this way, each person is served individually. We have had the communion ing about the emblems. Since grapes are not grown here. It is not possible to use grape juice, and thus tea Is substituted. The bread is usually un

This is preceded bya hymn and brief (10-15 min.) message by the minister

trays only a few years, you know. Formerly, two cups were used - one for the men, and one for the women. Incidentally, you might be wonder

there is one final prayer, and then the preacher walks to the back of the
church, stands at the door and shakes hands as first the women and then
the men go out. Normal attendance is around 350-400.

they have bought in the store. At the close of the communion service,

leavened rice cake, although sometimes they do have soda crackers which

seem a long time, but it has been a time of fellowship with others of God s

p.m. and we have been in church for more than three hours. That may

As we start home, we look at our watches and find it Is nearly 2;00

children, a joining together with others who desire, as we do, to worship

God "In spirit and in truth".
*****************

NOTE CONCERNING LOST MAIL

In our last Newsletter we mentioned that some mail bags had been lost and we thought some packages for the mission personnel might have been
ages for Mr. and Mrs. Robert Morse from Illinois, one for Mr. and Mrs.

included in the loss. This has been confirmed now. Three or four pack

California ore known to be among Items lost when mail bogs were taken
between Myitkylno and Sumprabum.

LaVerne Morse from Ohio and one for Mr. and Mrs. J. Russell Morse from

Moiled by Mrs. OSCAR L. MYERS

2024 N.
For

14fh St.

Terre Haute, Indiana

NORTH BURMA

Sec. 34,66 P. L & R U. S. POSTAGE

PAID

CHRISTIAN MISSION

Terre Houte, Ind.

PERMIT NO, 32?

RETURN

REQUESTED.

BRIKGHUES!r, HClAMa.

USD and RAWANG CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN BURMA

NORTH BURMA CHRISTIAN MISSION

"Where China, Tibef, Burma and India Meet"

(Formerly Yunnan-Tibetan Christian Mission)

Young Peoples Choir from Muladi Church

"Bu/ now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
I CORINTHIANS 13:13

SECOND 1964 NEWSLETTER

No. 35 News Series Beginning Jonuary, 1953

The J. Russell Morse Family

P. O. Putao

Kachin State, Burma

FOREWORD

The past months have been a period of uncertainty for the whole world and the mission field in North Burma has not been exempt. Activities In the preaching and teaching have necessarily been restricted as the armed conflict between the Burmese Army and the Independent Army of the Kachin State has come Into the villages of Dukdang, where Robert and Betty and
family live and also in Muladi, the village In which the homes of J.
Russell/ Eugene R. and R. LaVerne Morse are located.

^om the field tells of answered prayer and urges that we at home remain faithful in this very important ministry.

the United States, and so many have responded - not only in praying, but also assuring us that they will continue In this prayer support. Each letter

We have sent out prayer requests to churches and individuals all over

come home for furlough if they could get the necessary permits. Accord ing to our latest word, they had arrived In Rangoon safely, July 3rd, but
sary visaes and travel papers,etc.

Lois had been planning to take their furlough this year, then decided they would stay on. But with itbecoming increasingly more difficult to carry on the phases ofthe work forwhich they had been responsible, they decided to

missionaries have been restricted. Night meetings have not been held, the visiting between nearby villages has been very limited. LaVerne and

Because of the political unrest and uncertainty, the activities of the

do in the matter of bringing residence papers up to date, obtaining neces

had no idea as to when they would actually get away. There was much to
When they arrive home they will let the churches know through Ho

rizons and their living link churches. Neither LaVerne nor Lois are C^ll and~we would suggest that after definite word of their arrival in theStates

Is received, they be permitted time to rest a bit before being contacted

for speaking dates, etc.

We will try to keep friends of the mission informed of conditions through our Newsletters and through Horizons.

various ways in which the needs have been met. Several years ago a num

We havediscussed the problem of literatureon the mission field and the

ber of Lisu typewriters we'-e bought and LaVerne condnrfpH a class In typ

ing. In answering an inquiry concerning this p'roiect he wrote; "In 1963

school for twenty-eight selected from throughout the churches. It has turned out very well so far. leaders The twenty-eight persons that Itaught have since then taught many others, and the typewriters are

Christian leaders can go on to the next step ofactual ly printing Bible School notes, Christian Hymns, Choruses, Teaching materials, etc. through out the churches, it would be a great step towards self-sufficiency. A number of persons who learned have actually produced - by typing and
mimeographing -Christian material which has already been very useful
In the churches."
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in the hands of the churches throughout the mission field. Now If the

Students in Christian Day School

_ )/^yorp^qUrt commented on the Christian Day School which has be^oriie such a very important port of the over-all Christian training and ed ucational program: "The Putoo Christian School of which I have been prin cipal, has ended its seventh school year with a record number of young men and women having c o mp I e t e d the seventh standard. The students come from all over the mission area. I believe they are very Important for the future growth of the churches. They have had strong Bible teach ing as well as a good scholarly curriculum. Some of our former students who went on to higher training down country are now already back and serving as much needed teachers and/or leaders in theChristian churches.
If things were peaceful, it would be good if h I g h e r standards or grades

could be added here. We pray that God may guide as to the continuance
of this program".
VISIT TO PUTAO

By J. B. Kuhn

We possessed a visa valid for a two months' stay in Burma. Upon ar rival in Rangoon we were told how fortunate we should consider ourselves, as resident missionaries were being denied permission to return and tourists' visas had been Jjmlted to ten days with no permission to leave Rangoon.

Later this time was limited to just 24 hours. Our Immediate goal was Myitkylna, 722 miles north. Excepting for a

short Interrogation at Mandalay our jo u r n e y was uneventful. We soon

foundourselves deeply Involved in aBIbleSchool at thevlliage of Koomoo seven miles north of Myitkylna. This was among the LIsuTrlbal Christians, many of whom had crossed over from China and were now rehabilitated in

Burma. Isobel Kuhn and I worked among them along the Salween River years ago in China. Five and a half years ago Eileen Kuhn and I visited this area, andnow inthe goodness of the Lord we had returned. All during that month of blessed treasure hunting in the Word of God I kept wonder ing about a visit to Putao where Mr. and Mrs. J. Russell Morse resided, and whom I knew formerly in China.

Sunday marked the closing day of our sofourn at Koomoo and on Mon day February 4 we flew to Putao. Laverne, the youngest of the Morse
boys, came to the air-strip to meet us. We soon established contact in

the midst of a hodge-podge nondescript crowd of country folk who had come to flag the big event of the day-arrival of the passenger plane from

plain in the jeep and made our first stop at Dukdang where second son,

Rangoon. After Laverne saw to an errand or two, we were off over the

heart-warming welcome. I had of course known Robert inhis student days. All seemed to marvel at the strange working of Providence that brought us
to thejr environs.

Robert and family live. Here we were accorded a most enthusiastic and

Then off again over a beautiful plainland and through tall grass until we crossed over a divide and faced the valley of Muladi. Here we laid

tory but a few years back. Now everything was green around the village of Muladi, which in itself was most attractive, having been orderly laid out by one of the Morse boys. Most of the gardens adjoining on to the

eyes upon a recently opened countryside populated on both sides of a gorgeous river by more than 200 Lisu tribal homes. It was all virgin terri

appeared as a little paradise in itself. How our hearts thrilled as the jeep rolled down through main street and then was brought to a stop at the
Morse plantation.

Lisu homes could boast at least one orange tree in them. The whole area

could it be that the Kuhns of the Overseas Missionary Fellowsnip should

visit them?

had visited them from the outside world forever so long, and why and how
Well, the Morse family were missionaries to the Lisu and
we had come to visit them. Having known each other in China, and having been in Kunming at the same time as

J. Russell Morse said, "this is a miracle" as he welcomed us. No one

Mr. Morse was imprisoned there some years back, I was especially interested in them. Lastly, curiosity took us there. We had heard of the phenomenal results they had reaped in the work. (Upon enquiry we were told the con
verts from the two tribal units, Rawang and Lisu now num

bered, say, 50,000 souls).

This we wanted to see.

Apart from this, there was just that "still small voice" which said "go".
So now we were being ensconsed at the Morse Home situated in their

had been introduced to this area as a material contribution to the physical

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luscious citrus grove. Soon we were to learn that Citrus Fruit growing

well-being of the people. It would build up vi t am in C and give them stamina which otherwise they lacked. This cultivation had now develop ed to tremendous proportions, there being in the neighborhood of 50,000
fruit trees in the whole of this wide area.

However, Citrus Fruit was not the heart of this work, but only a pro duct. The Gospel message had taken root and the all-consuming concern of all the Morse family was the care and n ur t u r e of these thousands of
precious souls - the spiritual harvest in the work.

We were eventually introduced all around and our "listening in" be

came Increasingly intense as we began to grasp the inside story of the whole Putao work right from the early evacuation journey out of China in 1927 when the vision of the place and people was given, right through the change-over from China to Burma in 1949-1950 down through to the pre sent. We were coming to see a very dear and unusual sight - eight mem bers of the Morse family all heart and soul engaged in the Lord's work for
the Gospel throughout the whole area. Here we were viewing the whole

strategy of the harmony of gifts and ability within the fabric of a closelyknit family.

4^ ' ^

S'if*

Mission Home bulit by Eugene Morse houses books, conferences with native workers,

dispensory, Eugene, Helen and family living quarters. Drema, Jesse and children shared home. Also, Mr. & Mrs. J. Russell Morse two yeors until their home was completed. As many as 21 have been In the home at one time. J. Russell Morse
citrus trees in foreground.

Father and Mother Morse:

on the vision to the rest of the family which they have tenaciously held

They are the chief spiritual backbone to the entire work, having passed

to and brought to accomplishment down through tne years. Mrs. Gertrude Morse is the "Mother in Israel" to the whole work, always keeping upper most the spiritual needs and claims of the entire testimony. Mr. Russell Morse celebrated his 66th birthday whilewe were there. He said our coming was his birthday present. He also carries responsibility for a fair
portion of the medical work at the Central Station.
Eugene Morse;

Eugene Is an architect and this is seen in the buildings erected in the work, whether for residential purposes, or that of public worship. Some of the splendid church buildings speak eloquently of Eugene's skill and mastery of the basic principles of architecture.
Robert Morse;

Second Morse son, Robert, is a linguist with a splendid basic and work ing knowledge of Chinese and a mastery of the two main tribal languages with which he has worked - Lisu and Rawang. He is now engaged in the translation of the Bible into the Rawang tongue. He carries on literacy schools and shares in the regular affairs of the growing churches.
Laverne Morse:

Third son, Laverne, is an educator, but with heart andsoulin the spiritual warp and woof of Christian growth. Schools have been established in the area which conform to Government standards, but which also are thoroughly Christian. The school at Dukdang is a model of Christian ef fort in each grade and every department.

their devoted husbands in the work, taking their share ofresponsibility as

The noble and dedicated wives of these three sons are wholly one with

well as faithfully overseeing the education and upbringing of their cnildren. I think the resident grandchildren numbered 14.
It was my privilege to preach on three occosions during our short visit there. There was ready understanding of the message, sincere attention given and a wholehearted response. Bright, cheerful singing sparked the services and a sense of reverence and worship pervaded the meetings. One gathered, however, that the work Is not without its problems and the burden for revival is much on the hearts. The outstanding problem in the church today is with the Youth. The attraction of modern life and the in

roads it makes within the church present the most serious problems today.
Nothing but vital spiritual stimulus and power will suffice. Thus the need to pray and preach for genuine heaven sent revival. A new spiritual awakening sent from God which cannot be denied or ga 1nsa id is the one answer to this great problem. It was the burden on our own hearts as we preached to the many believers there. In fact, dear Brother Russell, as
-6-

he shook the hand, exclaimed that the revival hod begun. May It be so. May you who read these lines be burdened to pray to this end.
Our three days' visit was coming to a close. God was In the midst; that was most evident. Reasons behind our going to Putao were increas ingly clear. The Morse family themselves are In a precarious position there In the Far North of Burma. The countryside is In the midst of political unrest. Civil war could breakout any time. It is extremely difficult to be neutral
under prevailing circumstances, and there Is no freedom to move or leave

the area. The Governmfsnt might quite easily deny them re-entry per mission. So the prayers of God's people are asked on their behalf. They dare not write as they would like.
So now: "Brotherand Sister Kuhn, you will get others to pray for us
as you return."

"Yes, Russell, we'll do that very thing,"

out, "We want you to come back again." Our trip to Putao ended. God
was In it, and tne story has not ended I

And then as we climbed aboard the plane to return, Laverne called

17^u UxrticrnxLL

^onn/emllxm

MISSIONARY

THROUGH
CH RIS-riAN

WITNESS

September 22-25
NEW YORK 19, NEWYORR

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Ronnie, David and Tommy, Sons of Eugene and Helen Morse.

Jonathon

Stephen

Robert, Jr., (Ah-key)

Children of Robert and Betty Morse.

Mark, son of Laverne and Lois Morse and Sammy (Ah>pu) adopted
Lisu son of Dremo Morse Yangmi.

LEHER FROM BETTY MORSE

Dukdang Vfllage
June 21, 1964

Dear Friends and Loved Ones in America,

How dear alI of you have become tous out here aswe have Iived through these heartbreaking months. Will we everseeyou again, we have wondered many times. Are they remembering us nowadavs? Have they forgotten us? Will they care if we don't get back? These thoughts and many more flood
asking these questions of one another!

through our minds and hearts sometimes. Then we find ourselves actually

known people who cared enough to let us know that they are praying. I don't know - maybe people didn't write these letters - maybe the angels wrote them to cheer us upl But really, we do want to say thonk you to those who have written and to God Who helped the letters to get through
to us.

spire one's pen in this day and age. We~have thrilled at letters from un

we have received froirTA me r ica these lasT months are masterpieces of Christian writing. Don't anyone tell me that the Holy Splrif co^nnot !n-

But then the mail finally gets here, and we refoice and praise God because we know you do remember us, and do care. Some of the letters

lute dependency on Him. Though some of the lessons seem hard at first, we are learning, and we count it a real privilege to be in such a place at such a time where we cannot depend on man, but have to depend whol
ly on God.

years and now He Isdealingwithusto bringus more and more into an abso

through whatever is ahead. We know that we don't deserve any special favor, but we know with certainty that He is going to see us through. Just watch and see if He doesn't. G^ has taught us much through the

Robert and I want you to know that we are trusting God to see us

Before the trouble even began up here, God showed me that. I must clean up my heart and repent of many little things which I had not con sidered important in the knowledge of all the BIG, BLACK sins which I

acknowledged as sin, and had striven to repent oh God put it in my

things up?" God revealed to me what a cow

You'll never know how hard it was to write. My philosophy has always

heart to write several letters of apology to people whom I had offended.

when we had to cast ourselves on Him. May God continue to guide us

all.

emergency and so there were no encumbrances in the way ofour prayers

through all this. By His wisdom all these things were done before any

ard I am and a Iways have been I I guess God knew that if I hadn't the courage to write a letter, I'd never have the courage to stay on here

The monsoon has come and we have had some of the heaviest rains ac companied by the strongest winds we have ever had. Our house leaks in
-9-

every room, and it can be really depressing in a bamboo house. We have no chimney and the fire from our stove in the kitchen and the open fire
place in the livingroom have put a film of soot on walls and floor. We sweep and dust, and it is o.k. in the most used areas of the house. But when the roof leaks, it doesn't always pick thespotover which we have just swept, so instead of a film of soot, we now have streams of SMUD.

I'll just have to tell this joke on my mother. Several months ago in a letter, mother was telling me how pretty her bathroom is fixed up. She
described the curtains and tile and then commented on the beautiful tow

els and washcloths that MATCHED her color scheme. Then she asked, "by

the way, what is your color scheme?" Bless my mother's heart ( whicn must be of royal blood} she knew that her daughter would have a color scheme, even in the jungle! She menFToned that she thought she would send me one of hers anyway, so I could see how pretty they are. Well, now three months later - the towels have arrived. The softest of yellow with big yellow and brown roses that look sculptured in velvet. These are towels? That you use on your body? That the boys might wipe their ust washed muddy hands on? Well, part of my thank you letter went

ike tViis. "Mother, the beautiful towels arrived and they match my house
beautifully. The brown is the exact shade of my bamboo walls, and the yellow is the same gorgeous tint as the yellow mold on my brown walls!"
Robert added a P.S. that the towels would be used for dresser scarves and

would never see our bathroom, if he could help it.

We are constantly amazed at themany phases of our life in which God

has taken over, and helped us. Take morale, for instance. In past years, if our letters were stolen or lost out of the mail, I felt a very great sense
of loss, and a feeling of defeat. I thought, "what's the use to even write?" and many times I wouldn't even rewrite the letter. I still am not a member of the Bombay Natural History Society because the letter to Laura Nelle asking her to send my dues to India got lost and I didn't know it for a year. I just thought they had changed their mind about wanting me as a member. I can see what a defeatist attitude that was, now.

I don't know how to explain the chonge in us this year. Certainly we have had wonderful answers to prayer throughout the years here on the field. We loved the people as much as we do now. So many things are the same, and yet there is a subtle difference. The children can see it, as can the villagers. Even the animals react differently. We believe the
stories now about hermits off in the forest who communicate with the ani

mals. As I mentioned before, last year Robert and I began to have a longing, a yearning for a closer walk with God. If there are spiritual
truths which we have overlooked or neglected, we want to learn them. We can see now that it was God I on g i n g for us to come closer to Him. Anyway, we began earnest study and prayer. We determined to let noth ing interfere with our morning devotions. You might ask, "What would there be to interfere? People! Animals! Children! This'is a farming community and people are up and out early. We've had people come as early as four a.m. to ask for medi cine before they went to their fields. We've always gotten up and given it to them, realizing that by night
-10-

when they come back it would be too late. (One can usually feel ma laria coming on, and by taking medicine in time, can ward off the attack
and thus continue to work.) But we decided not to interrupt our devotions

for anything or anybody. Actually I felt guilty about it and thought the

people would think we were selfish. But no matter what, we sent word - wait until we finish praying. Once or twice, someone said, "we can't
wait". So we said, "Go ahead then, but we will be out when we finish

our prayers." And without hurry, we went ahead. In the old days, I would have been In a dither to finish and get out to whoever was waiting. Far from getting impatient with us, many seemed to be relieved (as the troubles began to unfold) that we were on the job doing what was most
important. We can see that the children are calmer and unafraid. And

the animals. We hove geese, and they chase any and everybody they get
a chance to. There was one gander in particular that terrified me. Some times in autumn, we noticed that he didn't chase Robert and me anymore. Then he began to follow Robert around. Then he began to come up and want to make friends, stepping up on Robert's shoe, and trying to climb Into his lap if he was sitting down ! We were flabbergasted, to say the least. Then the gander became Robert's personal bodyguard! It took up

sentry duty underneath whichever room Robert happened to be in. If any

one approached, he honked. As Robert wal ked from room to room the gander trailed him, under the bamboo floor! The dogs began to spend all day in the house, barking to warn us of prowlers underneath or near the windows. And though we didn't know it at the time, and continued to be unconcerned, there HAD BEEN a danger - a roaming gang of Communists,

on the run from the Rebels! Stevie's puppy. Rickety, had always adored

Stevie, but now began to shower us with attention. She would come in

early in the morning, stand in the doorway, and yowl, "yeeellllooooo." The first time It startled us by sounding so human. There were many inci

dents that showed us that our relaxed, happy outlookwas reaching others people as well as animals! It is hard to write of a spiritual experience such as we have had, and

even if I could express myself perfectly, some might not understand. But I still think that It is good to testify of what the Lord has done for us. So many of you all may be going through critical situations too, and it seems a shame for us to be defeated and not have the guidance and power which
God has given for our use here on earth. I believe that America will not continue to escape the wars and pestilences that afflict the other nations, and I think it would be so good if our American Christians could build up
their faith before troubles come.

The person who is going over to the post office is leaving now, so 1 will stop and hope to add another note later. July 2, 1964
Somehow in all the excitement of" Lois and Laveme getting off, this letter was overlooked and didn't get sent either to the post office or to them to take down and mail. I'M glad though, because I have a lot more
I want to talk about. The reason I am in the mood to write is because the

children are back in school again, after a three month vacation. During the vacation I had an American type school for Dorothy Drema, 6, and

ers, Yena, daughter of preacher Tychicus, and Marta, our closest neigh

three of her little friends, Nang Shar, daughter of one of theschool teach

mosphere, and we got a lot accomplished. Isupervised the boys in private

bor. These children all attend the village school and can read and write in Kachin, Burmese and Rawang, so it was easy to have a real school at

they are learning all the "facts" that children \eam in a school anywhere

reading, but didn't make them keep school hours. In their Burmese shcool

boob are good and keep them busier than I ever was, because according to the Burmese system, the children are required to MEMORIZE a great

in the world. The boob are up to date and well written. True, there are not all the "seat work" books and such that I had as a child, but the text

tounding memories and can repeat long stories and lessons almost word per fect. The teachers out here also enforce strict discipline, which is good
good for the chi Idren. Even six year old Dede (Dorothy Drema), gets
At first it seemed like the school wouldn't get to open this year. The
spanked if she doesn't have her homework all written out on a clean slate when she goes to school in the morning I

at first hand in our own children. They (and the other kids too) have as

deal of the material. I thought this was nonsense when I first heard about it, but now I am completely in favor of it, since I have seen the results

for our American children since we tend to be more permissive than is

rebels want their own Republic, and call Burmese a foreign language, wanting Kachin to be the main language of instruction in the schools up here. They have burned many schools in the districts around, and came
year, though they did let us finish up last year in peace since it was so
yet, and also our village isoneofthefew stillunder the Burmese, so there is nothing else we could do, unless we just close the school down. 1was not in favor of that at all, because I know how long these ware in Asia drag on, and why should a whole generation of children be denied an ed
ucation because the adults can't get along. 1realise that the rebels have legitimate complaints, but I also believe Christian education will over

here last year and threatened our school too, not to teach in Burmese this

near to exam time. But there are not enough books translated into Kachin

crime and violence. (I read them, so don't misunderetand). It just isn't suitable for these jungle children to go to school 200 miles away when their parents are still in the 18th century. And so, more than ever, Iam hoji^ful that our school will be a stabilizing influence and help to the
is a strain, but worth it, we believe.

or even TIME magazine, for that matter, with its accounts of racial strife,

close our school because of fear of the rebels, then many many of the Christian children will go to the state schools which have no chapel hour and where all kinds of political doctrines are rife. With no background of life OP the outside, imagine the effect of a child reading Karl Marx,

come many of the conditions that are at the bottom of the trouble. If we

entire community. Robert and I are teaching and we stay pretty close at home here next to the school, in case trouble should turn up, so that we

can help keep the teachers from being taken off or the school burned. It

Idon't enjoy teaching the older students English, because they have already learnt bad pronounclation from their teachere, who learned it

from theirs! But Ido enjoy the little children and they learn amazingly

fast. And it is a change to help one of the most pitiful groups in all Asia.
It would take pages to tell of the children out here. There is a great dif ference between here and lower Burma and other countries, in that the

people want all the children they can get, and nochild is everturned out into the streets to beg if his parents die - they are potential workers, and every family can use an extra hand in the hard struggle to get a harvest from the [ungle. But that is the only break that kids here get. From five years on up, the children work from morning to night, carrying babies on their backs, collecting firewood, getting water from the river or stream, and when they are able, working in the fields beside the adults. As Animists, the children suffer from superstition from birth. The mother would

not dream of sewing a little shirt or acting happy in anyway, lest the de mons know that a new life is expected and try to harm it in some way. If the demons haven't harmed the child during labor, and it lives, the par ents then give It some ugly name, such as Rat's Droppings or worse, to throw the demons off the trail so that they won't re a li z e that a healthy baby is around. It can't be given a toy or rattle as it grows bigger, or
even a pretty blanket or shirt, for fear the demons will notice it. The morep mother loves her child, the vfone she must treat it - speaking no

word of love and hitting it for petty little mistakes - lest some demon be come jealous of the child and take revenge by causing sickness. The child
a time. Just sit. Maybe that doesn't seem so Dad to American parents, whowould give anything for half an hour of peace and quiet - but It would

Is filled with such fear that even as babies, they will just sit for hours at

kill you to see It. Nothinghas evertouched my heart like the babies and children out here have. You hand a year old a pretty rattle andhe looks at it and puts it down, or holds it quietly In his hand.

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Evil Spirit alters around a native house (Non-Christian).

Let the critics say what they please against mission work; let the an thropologists rave against the missionaries for "changing people's customs;"

but Idefy them to deny that Animist children should be helped. Idare

and report honestly on which are the worse off. It is interesting to note

them to compare the cnildren of Christian parents and those of Animist,

what the famous botanist-explorer, Kingdon-Ward had to say about Rawang children. From reading all his books I know that he is anything but sentimental, and this is what he says, "The men loaf in the huts all day while the women work, collecting firewood, carrying water, and pound ing the paddy. The babies squall with distressingfrequency; they are being broken into a hard world. So wretched a time do they have in their early

years - for children are much the same the world over, and surely these mites pine for an easier existence - that henceforth nothing can distress
them. That is, if they live." (FROM CHINA TO HKAMPTI LONG,
London).

I'm not saying that life is bliss, :>r even easy for Christian children.
It isn't. But the difference is too great not to be noticed. The Christians

are happy, and laugh and play with their children. They have a prayer meeting and dedicate the children to God, placing them in His care. They give them names, and call them by their name, which they never
dared to do before. And now, where we have schools, even the little

five-year old baby sitters are allowed to attend. This is a great sacrifice
on the mother's part when you realise what a hard life she has, and how much harder when she has to carry the baby and do the work too. If the Holy Spirit had not worked in her heart, how could she be so unselfish and take on that extra burden! But even with a changed heart, the people are desperately poor, and though wonderously wise in the ways of the

}ungle, abysmally ignorant of hygiene and child care. You can go into
10 homes and not find boiled drinking water in 9 of them. Go into any
classroom in our school and ask which children had milk for breakfast, and

not a hand will be raised. Yet there are probably over three hundred cows in our village. It will take much patient teaching on Stewardship before the men will put their families first, before they will see the futility of collecting cows for prestige. (The calves might die if the children drank the milk, whereas the children can eat other things, goes their thinking.)

And yet, no one would be more surprised than the men, if you accused
(continued on page 16)
CONCERNING FUNDS

PLEASE do not send funds directly to Burma. Money-orders, checks, cash, etc. cannot be used by the missionaries in Burma. Funds must be transferred directly from the bank here to the Bank in Rangoon in accord ance with the regulations of the Burmese government. We do this at times when a specific request is made bysomeone in the Morse family for a def
inite sum and at a definite time.

family should be sent to the North Burma Christian Mission, c/o Mrs.

All funds other than living link funds for the various members of the

Oscar L. Myers, 2024 N. 14th Street, Terre Haute, Indiana 47804. Mrs. Myers takes care of the General Fund for the work of the missioa
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LATE NEWS FROM BURMA

auote!'MiT-''- 'TiJ"' K" '='ved from Helen dated Aug. 3. We

Z of^^lrUutltTeshing"'"^''"' '

oppn-e the S,ur4 " A "schools il"? have l" wo; .if"-

^b^cTanWh tf

meant much in the life of the

"""' 'he'roi'ns were ove" Ld "mfortably in ahome just

^ible study and a

u''!'.Tt '"'^'"9 supper to gether. Helen sbirthday is July 30, and Betty's is birthday August 1. Ronnie,
. "r^' "'?<' file birthday cake from mixes sent from Ik the States. David, Tommy and Ronnie made birthday cards for their mother and Ronnie wrote the following poem for Helen:
Happy Birthday

Ai^d^fto^ And if to the Lord you re 'T'"''"' always near. You never have athing to fear.

' t,"atlX 'jhlT

>' j'l

Itnever, never fails to pay. And when He talks to you He will tell you wtet^to do.

'f y"'"

fo'lo" His way

And now on this wonderful day

In closing, Helen wrote: "Just keep praying for us We are seeino

I wish you a Happy Birthday j

EsToeam'^ L" y- The Lord has been keeping dlvon'd^hf IT "t guidance eac? ay and the solution of problems. There are so many new ones each day "
THE HUMAN TOUCH

Merely the fact of being on the mission field is no guarantee that one

don'f Lois wereIchange discuss ingthis and Lois said, "But 1 don t {1 feel[ spiritual when the baby's matter, diaper1"
WITH THE CHILDREN

XrSef^n rnd!'"''"""'"^''" "' t""'J"'''

brou/hrout ^ne d^y'

song, rOp Goes the Weasel" . Vrv \\eT nevi version, the \asV two \tnes

Marilyn, 4-yr.-old daughter of Eugene and Helen, was singing the lU-

\\\e m) \\\e mouev goes, Popcorn the v/ease\" \ 15

;nh^;fnln"eve'rit any .one/- there ore very few jobs ro

be had, yet a cow can always be used as money. v.. Ican see the loqic in their thinking, and Iknow that you cannot

mmmsi
hove something to do with health and growth.

go into the news letter. Please continue to pray for us, that we may con
tinue on here in Putao.

There is much more to be said, but I'd better quit or all of ^hls won't
Love,

Betty

Mailed by Mrs. OSCAR L. MYERS

2024 N. 14fh St.

Terre Haute, Indiana

For

47BD4

Sec. 34-66 P L & R U. S. POSTAGE

PAID

north BURMA

CHRISTIAN MISSION
RETURN REQUESTED.

Terre Haute, Ind.

PERMIT NO, 321

.<5

0^

MISSlCi SSWICES BOX 968

.TOLIRTc ill.

T:.

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Of NEWS from the MORSES NORTH BURMA CHRISTIAN

-LS
H
MISSION

W.

"Where China, Tibet,

Burma and India Meet"

VOL, X

SUMMER 1961;

No, 3"

If Tge had prepar&d this Kors^^ls

yesterday-we would have .-.written different!ly

than we mst write todayt, As"!' yesterday^ all late news from Burma had been good for several weeks (from up-country) and word had been: received that LaVeme and Lois had at last been pumiitted to leave Burma and were enroute home. This was indeed
Joyous nei^ as we realized the weaidsome troubled five-week-long wait that had been
theirs in Rangoon^

Today is September 3rd - a little late for" a "Summer" issue of Morse-Is^ but it does contain the news of the summer happenings, so perhaps you will forgive the late date of the actual writing.
This has been a summer of severe trial for all of the missionaries and the native

Christians in North Bmrma.

-ation.

Conditions havfe been uncertain, there have been times of

pJ^sical danger, times of discouragement and times of i^ejoicing in the Lord* It has been a time during which many decisions had to be made in carcful, prayerful consider
This has also been a time of testing of faith *- for those in Burma and for'

loved ones at home as we have had to commit those so precious to us into the Lord's
care each day; As the day dawns here and we realize that it is night over there>

we pray, "Lord, keep them and strengthen them through this night" And then as we prepare for our night of rest, we again come to the Throne of Grace praying, "Thank you, Lord, for keeping o^lr loved ones and for your guidance ani watchcare," So the
daj's of summer have passed and we rejoice in the many wonderful answers to prayers of family and Christian brethren all over the World, Perhaps we have sort of "let down" in our constancy in prayer*
by Robert:

Todsy our hearts

are burdened as we read and re-read the letter received from Helen with a note added

Muladi Village, August 23j 1961;

"Dearest Mother and Daddy:

Am writing in a rush as Robert ahd Betty are returning homa (to Dukdang 1^' miles
away) and I want to send this with them# (Dukdang is only 3 or i; miles from the Post Office in Putao. The airstrip, too is at Putao.)
"Duiang the past week we liave had experiences such as we*ve never dreamed of. When Robert and Betty got ttirough the lines today after being cut off for a week they
found us sort of shell shocked and dazed ftom all the noise, but otherwise O.K, We have been praising God constantly for the wonderful ways in which He has answered prayer and kept us in the most marvelous peace in the midst of conflict. We never

realized the full meaning of our national anthem - about the 10th line or so until
the past couple days.

"Must rush, but wanted you to know we are 0K, Prav as never before for us and all the churches. Ask all of our friends to have special prayer, too, as this is a time of crisis But do not worry God is our refuge and strength. He is ab3^ to keep and to do exceeding, abundantly above all that we ask or thirJc, We love you so very, very much. All for n<M We will -tjrite as we are able, Helen, Eugene & Children Then there was a note added by Robert: "Back home safe and sound. Folks seemed highly encouraged by our visit and

we had . good cprortii:dty CSunday) to witness to the troops, (I used Luke 8:7-li; as

AlthoTigh there is considerable strain yet truly PEACE surrouridjs God's

ch-lLirsix- I.'ite-:t dGvrlopnients all fonnsr erperiencos and J0V2:' gi:'ir:idcbj.ldren X"4fLl. have aojie irttcresting baj'.iv-x'aisiiic personal accounts to tell 61 an^^'one xwi.ll bejAeve Bsfctj sjid Stephen went Firiday on an exploratory effort wliich liac successful, except that Botty, tramping in the mud, got a brace of huindinger
blistcrsc

"Some day we'll "write you more fully - share this with Long Beach also as I am not able to T^rite them this week. Right now our job is a leech-like clinging on through prayer process, aaid how praise God for His wonderful interventionj' Just one li.ttle worry for which I have no present solution - the calloused-seeming, casual
way our kids talk about comniando-like actions, as thou^ they were hardened cidrainalsi

1 suppose Idds-in-AineriGa-get-the-same ^ay-^watching- T^, - Here they see the gory deii^ tails in reaillty and seem not tO;'^*^clce^ed^ UghlI ^t" how could they last if they didn't? Well, God has-.4swe3y prbt&cted people# Pray for the little ones; little

Margaret, especially."

"

Love, RbbeH ;^d

what the special problem concerning her might be> but do sisk tot you do pray spec ially foirlier--thiere must be ai" definite need or Robert would not have mentioned her
specifically,

Margaret is Eui^rie and Heleris oldest little ^i;lalmost 7* We don't know

prayer during these day& of deep need# We ask that y^u do continue, to uphold thiem
in the ministry of prayer.

In ciodliig we wrot to a<5d a iwrjJ bit;

to a^ idio have been so faithful in '

a number .of .reqi^^-te^te come::.aa^g them to.

for youo " ;

Since the anncunceirient that jUVerne and Lois are on the w^ boms for furlou^,-

some time to r^st and'.make plans* ^ filteg all request. ^ will turn them over to LaVerne ^ goon-aH possible^^ You will be. contacted when, no has some definite word

various cbvrches. They will need

-Wen ^nd ar^Vo:^^

school in C^cihii^

'LaVerne. and lioi^' two 'oldest cMlijren,;:)^

w^aryv r-

this mon,th. I^ay far.:.Layerne and Lois as liiey are not very

9 and Mark 5, will be entering

Our deep^ apprecialtioh goes to ^i ,wh6-m^e it possible,for. the Gospel to be

preached "Where China, Tibet, Bixrma and India meet,"

Mrs. bsc^ L,. Ityei's, Forwaijding agent

Terre Haute, Indiana 2;780U
202k N. li^th Street

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