LISD and RAWANG CHURCHES OF CHRIST IN BURMA

NORTH BURMA CHRISTIAN MISSION

"Where China, Tibet, Burma and India Meet" (Formerly Yunnan-Tibetan Christian Mission)

Rawang Preacher Mark and his wife

"Trusf in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not un to thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." PROVERBS 3 : 5 , 6

FIRST 1959 NEWSLETTER

No. 20 New Series Beginning January, 1953

The J. Russell Morse Family and Associates

P. O. Putao, via Myitkyina
Kachin State, Burma

IT HAPPENED IN 1958
JANUARY

Mr. and Mrs. LaVerne Morse to Rangoon for medical care and supplies. Miss Drama Esther Morse to Myitkyina for two weeks, for supplies. Began Bible School for non-preacher students, both young men and women,
with attendance 350.

Printing of Lisu Hymnals begun in Los Angeles.

Pastor Sopater made a 1-month evangelistic trip among the Lisu living in the
Hukwang Valley, northwest of Myitkyina, near the old Ledo road cmd the
India border.
FEBRUARY

LaVerne and Lois returned from Rangoon Completed Bible School Robert completed translation of Gospel of John in Rawang, submitted nnonuscript to local "translation committee" for suggestions, corrections, etc.

Pastor Phillip and companions went on preaching tour of Burmese army units,
where several
MARCH

hundred of

the Lisu and Rawang Christians are serving.

Muladi State Primary School opened, with Mrs. Gertrude Mor^ teaching one
hour of Bible each day.

LaVerne and Robert to Myitkyina for one week, to take cdre of business.
End of first year of Putao Christian School.
school self-supporting.
APRIL

Representatives from surrounding areas, who act as Advisory Committee, met with LaVerne (who served as principal) to draw up plans for following year, and to try to make the

Betty and Jonathon to Rangoon foi- medical care, April

Robert on April 28. Easter convention held in various areas on April 27.

T4th, followed by

LaVerne mode 10-day evangelistic trip, touring plains-areQ churches, reaching non-Christian Shan and Kachin tribespeople as well as Liki orxi Rawang.
MAY

Robert had operation for hernia on Moy 13, very III with traumatic menengitis
following operation.

Dorothy Drema, 4th child, first daughter of Robert and Betty, born In Rangoon on May 15. ^ ^ John Lawrence (Larry), fourth son of Eugene and Helen-Morse died on May
21 at Muladi.
JUNE

On June 5, Putao Christian School (mission assisted school) opened for the second year of classes, with 144 students in primary section at Dukdang, 77 in middle school at Muladi, making a total of 221 students.

Bible School building completed, under Eugene's direction. Building is 70 ft. long, 40 ft. wide, has lime concrete wall and floors, cost $200 to build. Robert and Betty returned from Rangoon on June 26. Robert still very weak
from his illness.

Lois began teaching daily English classes in Putao Christian Middle School.
LaVerne began one-hour-a-day, year-long Bible Class.
JULY

Betty started teaching English daily in the Primary Christian School at Dukdang.
Also began handwork class for the girls in addition to studies.
Began 3-mo. Bible School for preachers on July 21.

Rawang Gospel primers printed in Rangoon, 3rd edition, 10,000 books at a cost of $3,000.

Extremely unsettled political conditions in Burma, and time of uncertainty and

anxiety.

Robert held one-week school for entire church at Dukdang. Attendance averaged 350 in daytime classes, 400-450 at night. Taught 7 hours a day.

AUGUST

Preochers' Bible School in session, taught by Mother, Eugene, LaVerne, Robert and Lois. Attendance 10083 preachers, 17 ossistarrts and former preachers. Printing of third edition of Lisu Hymnals, 10,000 books, completed at Los Angeles at a cost of $13,578. (Does not include shipping). Robert held one-week school for entire church at Sirkumdom, with daytime attendance of 200, and 300 at night. Taught 7 hours a day.
SEPTEMBER

Preachers Bible School in session.

OCTOBER End of Preachers Bible School.

Thanksgiving services in various areas.

Permit granted for bringing Lisu Hymnals into Burma.

NOVEMBER

4,000 Lisu Testaments purchased from Bible Society, at cost of $3,021.06 Lisu Hymnals shipped from Los Angeles.
Eugene began construction of new mission house.

Lisu and Rawang evangelistic teams, supported by the local churches, started on another trip to carry the Gospel to the Burma Army units, and to
non-Christian Lisu far to the south In the Shan States.
DECEMBER

School for church leaders held for 4 weeks at Dukdang. Attendance 178, representing 109 congregations. Taught by Robert, LaVerne and Pastor Elijah, using both Lisu and Rawang languages. School for wives of preachers and other church leaders held for 3Vi weeks at Muladi, with attendance of 56. Taught by Mrs. Gertrude Morse. Christmas Conventions held in various areas.
Zewin

Reported attendances as follows;

4,000 500
700

Rawangtang Krang Ku (Triangle) Sumprobum area Myitkyino (Dengolu)

500 500

Ratnamtuq (near Nogmung)

Wokwe

1,069
800 450

Ahkyong Valley
Total

8,519

These figures are approximate, as an absolutely accurate count is impossible. Counts are usually based on village-by-village reports of attendance, submitted by elders, before close of convention services. Several areas are not included,
as no report has as yet been received.

It should be noted thot this list includes only activities which can be pin
pointed as having occured at a specific time. It cannot possibly many phases of the work which are carried on day after day as a regular routine. One very important example of this latter category is work carried on by J. Russell and Drema Esther. They care for an include the part of the
the medical

overage of 100 patients a day. ( besides the 20-30 cared for at Dukdang each day by

Robert and Betty.) Cases include everything from malaria and worms to burns or fractures or other accident coses, tuberculosis, obstetric cases, and numerous

undiagnosable ailments. Other types of work not included in the list of month-bymonth events ore such things as the almost constant conferring with preachers
and other church leaders regarding church problems, schools to be held or new areas needing evongelists, overseeing of Christian Day School, etc., general main tenance of work on mission equipment; supervision of construction work; repair

and distribution of phonographs; arrangement for tronsportotion of supplies;

translation work; literature production; teaching of American School to the mis
sionary children, etc.

ED. NOTE: Because of the irregular moil service from Burma during the
summer and early fall, this letter from Betty was received too late for the

Third 1958 Newsletter, for which it was intended.

We are sure you will

appreciate the letter, even though written some time ago.

Dukdang Village October 29, 1958

Dear Christian Friends:

We forget so easily. Just a month or so ago we were wondering if we might have to walk out overland because of the real threat from across the border. Then, it seemed that plane service would never begin. Now I am sitting here wondering if I can get this letter on the rumored plane tomorrow.

Our family has much for which to be grateful and to praise God since we wrote our last Newsletter. I think most of you know abou our illness in Rangoon last summer. We are both fully recovere now and we want to thank all of you for your prayers on o'. behalf. God heard and answered marvelously and we have be thrilled watching Him work openly in our lives. I suppose it was inexperience on my part, but I have always been impatient with people who told me that suffering is good for a person. All I
knew was that being sick made me cross and irritable and I couldn't see how that was good for my soul. But somehow, in the weeks I was in the hospital before the baby came, God seemed closer to me than He had ever been before, and the fellowship I had with Him was a completely new experience for me. I believe that in His mercy He was preparing me for what lay ahead. In those weeks of pain He built for me a new foundation, and when the strong bitter winds began to blow shortly afterward, I was able to stand. Robert too, came through his very serious affliction with a sense of having been dealt with by God, and of having much of the old will purged out. We thank Him that He counted us worthy to be remolded and made into better vessels for His work.

Robert spends most of his time either translating or preparing materials to be translated. There is a great need for Christian reading and study materials. We wish that our preacher friends would send us sermons and tracts that they find useful. It would save so much time that we really need to give the actual transla
tion work, to have good sound material from which to work.
I manage to keep busy with the children, caring for them and teaching the three boys every morning. We manage to keep pretty well on schedule and all three ore progressing. Jonothon is in third grade, Stevie in first and Bobby i' in Kindergarten. All three speak Lisu and Rawang fluently and are a great help to us. Sometimes when people come from far away districts to ask for medicines or books, I can't understand a word of their dialects. Lisu is not so bad, but Rawang dialects are really tongue twisters. Joni hos hardly any trouble under standing even the strongest, ones because of all his pals, whose families have moved here from the various areas, one or the other is sure to speak the different dialects, and Joni has lamed many of the strange expressions in play! Even Robert has a bit of trouble with some of the- Rawang suffixes and verbs which the kids just breeze right over.

We realize now what a job Robert's parents hod in raising a Christian family
in the wilds, and so daily we commit the children into God's hands. If it were not for the strength and comfort from above, we would hardly know how to begin to cope with all the problems that confront us daily.

Little Dorothy Drema is thriving. She is very strong and heolthy, praise God. She has brought joy and comfort to our family during these troubled days this post summer. She sits clone now, and so far she is pretty and sweet. She hos long curly hoir, block at birth but golden brown now, and her eyes are turning brown. We covet your prayers for her and her brothers that God may keep them safe from physical harm and that He will give us wisdom in train ing them to be lovers of God and His servants.
I am teaching in the mission again this year. I teach English to the third and fourth grades. The government and the people demand schools nowadays, and it does seem that the only hope for real Christian teachers for our mission Working school and other schools in this area as well, is to train our own.

with the lower grades is quite discouroging at timesI wonder if all my work
will ever produce fruitbut keep at it and just yesterday I was encouraged to hear that my former students were better in the secondary school than students
who graduated from other schools.

Once a week I have a class in handiwork for the girl students. In the culture pattern here, there is no place for a girl who knows only books. The older generation is already complaining that the young people are forsaking the ways of the post. I understond the girls' problems. How con they study, and sit on the ground weaving cloth in foot-wide widths at the some time? They con't and pass in their studies. But it is possible for them to knit and crochet sweaters, hats and socksall articles in great demand up herein their spare time. So I have token on this new job, and the girls have responded wonder fully. I hove enjoyed discovering the good points of several girls whom I hod considered hopeless as far as getting an education is concerned. They are all patient and careful in their handwork. So for we hove had little to work with. I'm using my own personal supply of wool yarn which I brought out from Americait is cheaper than the worst quality we could buy up hereand my

embroidery thread is almost gone too. I remember when Mother used to take me to the sewing circle at church when I was little. They met on Tuesdayso I have my class on Tuesday too. I know you won't think this is a letter from me if I don't tell you our latest snake tale! Well, we didn't see a snake all summer and were really pleased. Then just as the rains were beginning to quit, Robert killed a cobra on our front walk. A week later the children were out gathering nuts when they sow another cobra. They tried to kill it with a stick, but it chased them when they got near enough to hit it. Thy had a BB gun, so while Joni held the stick one

of his little Rawong friends aimed with the gun. He actually hit it and stunned it enough so that Joni could get neor and kill it with the stick! My heart stopped beating when Joni came leading the gong. marching parade-like with his first
cobra! Now I sing these word to "Davy Crockett."
Born on a mountain top in North Burma He plays in the jungle in the rainy summo' If you wonder why his Mom's in such a state It's just cause Joni killed his first cobra at eight! Chorus: Joni, Stevie and Bobby Little pioneer missionary boys.

And we were all in o state not long after when Robert shot a big, fat, bright green pit viper three feet long, under one of the beds, about nine o'clock one
night!

We are going to try to do better about writing this year. But if you don't get an answer right away, won't you be patient and keep writing anyway? So many times we don't get all the letters written to us, and sometimes our outgoing mail gets "lost" in the P.O. here. We are trying to do a good job here, but sometimes we get discouraged by the lack of interest in the homeland. We live an extremly isolated and lonely life here, so please keep writing. We proy that God will bless you all as you strive to do His will.
Betty, Robert and the children.

IN HIS FATHER'S FOOTSTEPS

Rc4)ert and Betty Morse

Hephasha was a young Lisu

living high in the north Sal-

. V^

>

ween gorge at Milewa, when

^ s p r e a d that for-

V ''^'.V 6'9"''s
:

were

preaching

^
^

strange ^new religion ^ in a

news for him, because it prom-

A A Naga hunter as photographed

by Dan Streeter.

1 convert,' 'and' was"' actively

spreading the Gospel himself,
as f-,0 learned more and more

Reconciliation with the Almighty Creator and God was to him a precious truth, and he loved to pray, and soon grew to treasure the fellowship with the Father which he obtained through prayer. But he suffered from an embarrassing disability which made him avoid strangers, and as this conflicted with his urge to go out and spread the good news, he grew bold enough to ask the Lord to touch his body and remove this handicap. His prayer was grac iously answered by the Lord. Hephasha became one of the first of a goodly number of victims of epilepsy in Lisuland who had their affliction taken away in answer to prayer, and this in itself drew him even closer to his Saviour and Lord. After a few years when Eugene and I went with Dad on preaching trips into the north Salween, I especially was impressed by and loved to hear the beautiful, personal and heart-warming prayers,or conversations with God,which this young church leader gave. It wasn't sur prising that this young man should be one of the first from that
area to attend the first Lisu Bible Schools which Dad held in the

Mekong valley some 5-6 days' journey away. Soon he became an active evangelist, traveling from village to village winning converts to the Jesus Way. As the years passed and the work grew, Hepasha, who had taken on the name of his favorite Bible character, Paul, married and became pastor of the church at Tada.

By the time he had built up the membership of the Tada congre gation to some 400 members by evangelizing the more than 15 surrounding villages, and it had become the largest church in the valley, he was looking around for new areas to evangelize. So he
went across into the Taron valley of north Burma as a missionary
to the Daru tribe. He and his wife Susanna, with their young children were sent out as the first Lisu missionaries from the

Tada church, and endured many years of hardship and privation

ministering to the Darus on the Tibetan border. Even we wonder at the grace which was given him, to be able to stay on arid teach and love these aborigines. Their culture was so primitive that
even the Lisu considered them wild. Oppressed by all the sur

rounding tribes who raided their settlements and took them off as slaves, they didn't build proper houses or engage in regular farm ing. They dressed in next to nothing and their food usually con sisted of various jungle roots and herbs. When Paul returned to the Salween valley with some of his converts, he put clothes on
them for the first time in their lives!

During the last war when the mission field was cut off from fresh supplies from the outside, and Paul needed more doctrinal primers and hymnals for teaching new corvverts, he managed to produce his own supply. He had found a deposit of good work able lead, so he cut out lead plates and after some trial and error was soon carving out page after page of type for printing. Local iron deposits also produced the metal from which he fashioned his own carving tools. He made his own printing ink by experimenting with combinations of various jungle fruits and berries. And he even invented and produced his own supply of rough kraft-like paper from certain jungle plants! Such was the industriousness and inventiveness and zeal of this great minister of the Gospel, that
he next undertook to build out the local home-made materials,

a crude typewriter to facilitate production of teaching materials! Then after one year, after his mission field had seen well over a thousand conversions, and several young Timothies were headed for the ministry, a series of epidemics broke out which claimed many lives, including that of Paul himself. But such was the devotion of his wi^fe to the work that she stayed on for many months, continuing to teach the Daru Christians until other vol
unteers could be sent from the Salween valley to relieve her.

When finally she returned to the Salween valley to their home congregation and the hamlet of Milewa, Susanna brought with her 3 sons and 2 daughters, all suffering from malnutrition and
rickets. She had lost her two older sons as well as her husband
on the mission field.

Some ten years later in 1954, Susanna, since remarried, and now with a family of six children, was a part of a large group of hun dreds who migrated from Chinese communist persecution. In No vember of that year we had the privilege of welcoming them into our home for a few days and renewed old acquaintances. Fourth son Jeremiah especially interested us because of his patient, longsuffering air and quiet, earnest ways. He looked very much like

fannily, so arrangements were made for little, stunted Jeremiah to live with us, be a companion to Jonathan, and go to the Christ ian Day School. He proved to be smart and diligent, as well as

his father.

There was difficulty in providing for such a large

In school he was soon learning

helpful, and soon won our hearts.

Burmese, Kachin and English.

By 1957 he was in the second

grade, and making good grades, as well as making up for former years of privation in bodily growth. Meanwhile his family had migrated on westward into the jungle fastnesses some 10 days'
trek away in a no-man's land between the Naga Hills and the Mishmi Hills of Assam. Last year, during the spring holidays when one of his brothers made the journey out to get salt and other supplies and brought word that his mother was feeling badly, the four years' separation from his family was too much for Jeremiah, so he
Most of us have heard of the notorious head-hunting Naga tribes, and of the fierce Mishmis. In former years Lisu hunters roaming the forest have tangled with both groups and given good cause for feuding, so these Lisu settlers now had been careful to avoid both groups. But this lost year it so chanced that
on Atsi-Kochin chief leading a large party of Naga hunters in search of wild

left us to go back into the jungle with his family.

elephants and medicinal herbs met up with the Christian Lisu settlers deep in the jungle. The Nogas outnumbered the Lisu, but hod no inclination to pick a quarrel since each Lisu was fully armed with the wicked crossbow and a long
machete. Neither group spoke the other's language, so they made slow ac
quaintance until little Jeremiah, now one of the Lisu hunters, found that he could make use of the Kachin which he'd learned in school. So then the Lisu invited the Nagas to visit their settlement which was closeby.

The Naga tribes ore animists and totemists in such bondage to Satan that they offer human sacrifices, indulge in religious cannibalism, wear human skull necklaces and scalp their enemies. Although some of the Naga tribes have been "pacified" by the Indian and Burmese governments, and some in Assam have been reached with the Gospel by missionaries, officially the door is closed to them, and any missionary work among them is forbidden except for that which is being undertaken by a Buddhist mission trying to convert them to Buddhism. TKis particular group came from a "pacified" tribe living close by the Ledo Rood of wartime fame, and had never heard of any religion other than that of
demon oppeosment. They were surprised to find in all the Lisu settlement no sign of demon worship or appeasement, nor any observance of taboos and use of

other tribe to follow the bidding of the evil spirits? Weren't they most careful to observe the necessary taboos? Didn't they consider their life the most ideal, since they were on the side of the spirits, and offered the supreme sacrifices? Yet here, in this Lisu settlement, the people seemed if anything more happy and
carefree, enjoying life and living in peace. How could this be?

fetishes, and wanted to know the reason why.

Didn't they do more than any

Soon Jeremiah, with his limited knowledge of Kachin but practical, solid ex perience of Christianity, was trying to explain to the Nogas the worship of the
only true God, about the Jesus Way and its freedom from the fetishism and ta

boos of Animism through Jesus Christ. The Nogas were intensely interested, and even invited the Lisu to come to their village and teach them more! A friendly
contact hod been established for the first time on their front between Lisu and

Nagas. As the Nagas promised to lead them to the Ledo Road, where could get supplies much more easily than before, it being only 15 days' through the jungle, a group of the more adventurous Lisu soon agreed to company the Nogos bock through the trackless jungle. Naturally Fourth

they trek
ac Son

Jeremioh had to go along as their speaker and interpreter. We can only imagine with what fearful hearts they entered the Naga village finally, but they were received hospitably and as friends. They found that these Nagas had never heard of God, nor of Jesus, nor of Christianity. But the strange new doctrines of the Jesus Way were so interesting and wonderful to

them that they never seemed to tire of hearing more, and kept the Lisu men up oil hours of the night asking questions, listening to their explanations and teach ing, and wondering and enjoying their happy hymn-singing. (And the Salweeners con really sing!) We can well imagine how some of the Naga listeners shackled as they were by their superstitions and Animism, fears of the spirit rulers of darkness and taboos, must have yearned for the simple peocefulness
and unworried contentment of the Lisu Christians.

Traditionally suspicious of all outsiders and afraid of trickery and exploitation, they could be sure that these Lisu, living even more isolated than they, had no ulterior motives, and were speaking from out of their own experiences. Here, entirely outside of the planning of men, the Lord has so arranged it that the Gospel may continue to reach the unreoched, savage and aboriginal Nagos.
Little did we dream, bock when little Jeremiah lived with us and went to the

Christian Primary School, that we would be following in his fathers's footsteps, and go out as a missionary to help take the Gospel to people of a different tribe and a strange tongue, depending more upon the witness of their own lives than on the medium of words, to get across the message of the redemption which is in
Christ Jesus.

May we ask you who read this to join with us in prayer for these witnesses,
that they may continue to teach the Nagos, and win them to Christ, and that

not only this door, but many more also, may be opened unto them.

CHALLENGING NEW DOORS FOR THE GOSPEL

by R. LaVerne Morse

The goal in every mission field should be for the missionaries to work themselves out of a job.

The first task of the missionary, of course, is to win people to

Jesus Christ so that they themselves will be saved. Then, under the guidance of the missionary, the individual Christians must be taught to form into a church or churches according to the New Testament plan. These churches thence need constantly to grow spiritually towards the goal of being able to stand SPIRITUALLY AND MATERIALLY, on a permanent basis, without the missionary.

The missionary needs to keep before himself constantly this longterm goal of establishing self-supporting, indigenous churches ac cording to the New Testament pattern with Jesus Christ as their

only headquarters. Otherwise, the missionary's purpose may be diverted from the New Testament pattern towards crystallizing as
a permanent institution a mission station or a particular mission
field.

in spite of the vast economic empire he had built up, he was a failure because he had neglected to train someone fully able to take his place. The principle which he expressed is nowhere truer than

Some time ago, I read that a famous business man stated that,

in the missionary's objective of making the native church fully

able to stand on its own feet.

church can simply maintain the status quo; it must either go

forward or slide back. The purpose of the Church of Christ on earth is not just to keep safe the souls already within its fold. The purpose of existence for the Church as a wholeand of every individual Christianmust be spread further the Gospel to people

recession, cannot fulfill the purpose of the church.

Nevertheless, simply being able to stand, without backsliding or

In fact, no

who do not yet know Christ as their Saviour. A church which helps others helps itself. The churches on the mission field need to start sending out their own native, locally supported missionaries in the very process of becoming indigenous, selfsubsisting, and strong themselves.

For several years, the Lisu and Rawang churches here in this northern part of Burma have seemed increasingly hemmed in by barriers of language and geography. There are about one hundred eighty congregations, estimatedly ten thousand Christians and the present (Burma-side) mission work, and ninety-three full-.time preachers supported by the local churches. In addition, especially through the Preacher's Training Seminary courses which we have been holding, there is an oncoming crop of about a hundred and

eighty more potential evangelists, young men who are already active on a part-time basis In their local areas. Nevertheless,
mission area evangelized or nearly evangelized, the churches need to lift their horizons to other tribes of people and to other, far away areas which are yet unreached.

with almost all of the Lisu and Rawang tribespeopie in the present

Myitkyina, the capital of Kachin State, is normally considered the launchout point to reach less-civilized areas such as the heretofore mission field around
Putao. However, for a number of years our hope has been that the churches in the

comparative jungles could be instrumental in taking the Gospel to the towns.

It seems this hope is definitely shaping into a reality.

In 1956, when Lois, Marcio, and I rented a house and stayed in Myitkyina for about four months, besides working with Lisu and Rawang Christians from

up-country to produce Christian literature for the mission field, we helped or ganize a church of Christ several miles outside Myitkyina town. In 1957, we arranged for relays of preachers from the Putao area to help keep the church going. Then in 1958, one of the larger Rawang churches of Christ, Sarhkumdan village near Putao, sent a full-time Rawang preacher named Gideon with his family to work in the Myitkyina area. The church near Myitkyina was yet weak and unable to support a preacher and his family, so the older Rawang church in this area is filling out the needed support as their living-link missionary project. In the past year it seems the number of Christians has just about doubled. Throughout the area, interest in the church is very high. For the last Easter Convention there, though the church had perhaps not over fifty

members, the attendonce came to over five hundered persons!

Even some of the

of the Maru tribe indigenous to the area northeast of Myitkyina, south of the heretofore limits of the mission field, have also repented and turned towards
Christianity.

Last winter, the Muladi church also sent a Lisu evangelist, Sopater, to tour the Myitkyina area and the Hukwang Valley westwards along the Ledo Road. His tour is beginning to bear some fruit with a request for a full-time preacher for Lisu villages along the Ledo Road, plus some good prospects for students in the forthcoming Young Preachers' Training Seminary. Some weeks ago, I broached
the matter to the South Muladi church of sending Sopater and his family as a

full-time living-link missionary of the South Muladi church to evangelize around Myitkyina, in the Hukwang Valley, and possibly other parts of Burma easily accessible from Myitkyina because it is the rail-head. The church would toke

the missionary as their direct responsibility in the Gospel, and the missionary/ evangelist would be directly responsible to the living-link and to God. The South Muladi church was thrilled by the idea, and has made preparations to send out
their first full-time missionary this winter.

For several years, we have been receiving requests from individual Lisu and Rawang soldiers in various Army units to send them Christian literature and
teachers. I have been building up a file on the requests and the responsibilities of

sending evangelists regularly.

It seems thot some units have as many as fifty to

o hundred Lisu and Rawangs who either are Christians or have some connection with the Christians up here. Various ones of the mission have been encouraging the Christians whenever they return home on leave that they should gather

regularly for Christian worship in their Army units. Last winter, the churches sent one preaching team to the Army units. Although the tour was short, a beginning of organizing congregations was made in three of the five main Army
battalions in which Lisu and Rawangs are enlisted. Since then, many more requests

have come from all the Army units for definite and frequent evangelistic meet ings, and for the Scriptures and hymn books in the Lisu and Rawang languages.

We are hoping that a number of evangelists from the Myitkyina area and from up here can henceforth regularly tour the Army units holding evangelistic meet ings. This is one of the special challenges of the work at this time.

Another great challenge began to take shape in 1956. In Myitkyina, a Lisu visited Lois, Marcia, and me from a region which we had never visited, where

we didn't even realize there were Lisus. He come from the eastern part of the Shan State of Burma. He said he himself was a Christian, but there was a vast

area south of his village where many, many non-Christian Lisu villages were

no evangelists were available to go there, the people were still in the darkness of evil-spirit worship. None of them had yet turned to the Way, the Truth,

scattered over the mountains all the way to the border of Thailand.

Because

and the Life. Ever since Lois and I heard that report, we have been hoping,

praying, and working that at least some of the Lisu evangelists in the present mission might gain the background, initiative, and courage to go to what has been to them totally unknown land, a lond far away and partly inhabited by a tribe of hostile head-hunters. Since that day in 1956 when we first heard about the challenge of evangelistic work there, there have been other reports of the great needs. With God's help, it may be that in 1959 two or more Lisus will be able to

prayer that the doors will truly open, through God's working, for the Gospel
This last May while I was on a preaching tour of some churches south of Muladi, from a Lisu Christian who had been a soldier in the Burmese Army I
heard a fascinating story. Not long ago when he was in the Army, his unit was assingned to maneuvers against insurgents near Inle Lake. Inle Lake is renowned in Burma as being the home of the famous leg-rowers of Southern Shan States, east of Mondolay. In one village beyond the lake where the people were very much frightened by the possibility of fighting, the soldier was amazed to hear the villagers in that unlikely part of Burma talking to each other in the Lisu language. He started speaking to them in Lisu. They were
to be carried to this challenging field.

make a preliminary evangelistic trip to that area. We wont to ask for ^ecio

over-joyed that at least one of the soldiers could speak Lisu. Then he inquired whether they were "Wu-sa ho-le-su" ("believers in God"), but they replied they didn't know what is meant to believe in God. They hod never been taught.

When he asked whether they knew about Christian books in the Lisu language, they were delighted and exclaimed, "We haven't even heard that there is any

writing in the Lisu language." They begged him to show them the Lisu books and
After hearing this account, I asked the Lisu soldier, out of the army now, whether he would like to go back to carry the Gospel to those people. He answered that though he did not know how to preach, he could lead a Lisu evangelist to that region. Now in November, the Lord willing, the North Muladi

to teach them. Nevertheless, because he was on maneuvers in the army, he did not have any books with him, and had to hurry on without teaching them.

church is planning to send one of the older Lisu preachers with the ex-soldier during the present winter dry season when travelling is especially goodto evangelize that area, to tell the people about God who created them, and about

for spreading the Gospel, for lifting the spiritual horizons of the churches in this area, for continuing to fulfill the Commission of Christ, "As my Father hath sent me, even so I send you." "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations . . ."
The Great Commission of Christ must be obeyed by new churches on the mission

Jesus Christ who died and rose again to give them everlasting joy and life. These are some of the great, new, challenging doors which seem to be opening

field just as much as it is to be obeyed by churches in America which hove

been established for mony generations. We want to ask the churches everywhere

been very precarious; they ore for from settled yet. Nevertheless, with God, the
greater obstacles, the most glorious the victory.

in America for prayer support particularly at this time. Conditions in Burma hove

'THE SAME COMMIT UNTO FAITHFUL MEN"

By Robert Morse

Ever since the first Lisu churches were established in the Me

qhurch leaders. In the Salween valley, even when they had to carry their own food from as far away as four days' journey away, the
deacons and elders came to study. Since these schools were usually attended by the older generation, the village and com
munity elders who also became the elders of the Christian com

kong valley in the early '30s, Bible Schools have been held for the

church leadership, and although the Lisu and Rawang churches no

elders, the Lord has raised up in almost every congregation devout and earnest men who have fulfilled the duties of the eldership fn
a magnificent, heart-warming way.
clearcut, titular distinction has been made between deacons and

second generation Christains are ready to step into positions of

Thus most of the schools for the church leaders lasted only for 1 or 2 or 3 weeks. But down through the years, a different picture has emerged in the Christian community, and many of the

munities, at first we couldn't make much use of the written word, but depended largely upon the spoken word, as all were illiterate.

and suitable means of government and discipline within their own cultural pattern. The group which finally assembled in the Dukdang church on November 30th for a four week session included all

elders, Lisu and Rawang, we couldn't tell just what type of students we would have. The younger men would be more literate, and perhaps take more interest in deeper studies, and in plans for more intensive spiritual development and growth. The older men, a good portion of whom might still be illiterate, with more experience behind them might be more Interested in the practical expression of the Christian life, and the development of customs and practices

for a Church Leadership School for all the church deacons and

When the letters were sent out last September announcing plans

who had attended Bible School before, and had already had the
teaching we were prepared to give in this school. These wanted
Then there were those who had some more advanced teaching.

kinds, and presented quite a few problems. There were those

but recently become Christian, to whom abstract concepts and pure ly spiritual matters still seemed just a little new and strange. These were doubtful if they could get anything out of coming to the

school, but later were among the most enthusiastic. And there were many who still needed a course on plain reading and writing. These were usually the older generation, who, though wellgrounded in the faith, had been outdistanced in literacy by their
juniors and had been too embarrassed to seek individual instruction.

were Rawang. We had to use two languages in teaching, speak-

Of the total 178 students who attended, 110 were Lisu and 68

ing Lisu first and having preacher Elijah of Duicdang to translate into Rawang. Even this presented diffuculties, because at least 8 widely

divergent dialects of Rawang were presented, some of which could not understand the central Rawang dialect as well as they could the Lisu. Others bypassed both the Lisu and Rawang and used the Kachin Bible. This bilingual system also cut down the time for teaching, so that out of each hour actually only half an hour's teaching was accomplished. That is partly why the daily schedule
included 8:15 hours of class-work.
Some of the elders hod come on foot from 15 days' journey away on the Tibetan border, and even past some Tibetan settlements. One arrived by air plane from the Rawang church near Myitkyino and civilization. Over 115 of them came from distant congregations more than two days walk away. This meant that we hod to arrange to feed all 115 of these. Those from the surrounding congregations which were less than 2 days' walk away either brought or pro vided for their own food. All were housed in the sixty-some homes of the

Dukdang congregation, and were helped out with their vegetobles by their hosts. For their staple food, rice, all the dozen or so nearby churches con tributed according to their ability, and a total of 647 bushel tines of rice was thus donated and used. Then the Dukdang village hunters killed several deer
and wild boar to furnish meat. In all a total of 108 congregations were re

eastern portion of our north Burma ifield.

were not represented.

presented, 35 in the western portion, 28 in the central section, and 45 in the

Even so, several dozen congregations

already served in the church for over 10 years, and several for 14 years, even though the Lisu and Rawang churches have annual elections. But the main body
of the students were those who hod been elected to the church leadership during

Many came who had never been to a school, but 4)ad been sent by their congregations, so that they might upon their return serve as deacons. Many had

the past year or so, and hod not yet been to one of the Bible schools. But due to the fact that only LaVerne and Robert were able to teach in the school, they could not be graded and taught differently. The subjects taught included Fundamental Doctrines, The Establishment of the Church as recorded in Acts, The Pattern of the Church revealed in the Scriptures, and the Work of the Eldership. A class including Reading, Writing, and Music filled out the time available for clasps.
Most of the spare time between was spent in individual conferences with the
various elders concerning problems within the church.

Looking over the roster of students, we see, for example, Nanggo Pong of Moshang. He led a delegation of ten from a large congregation a week's trek off in the Triangle area, which group lost year read itself out of a denominational body to become a free church in Christ. Nanggo Pong is a middle-aged elder speaking the Longmi dialect of Rawang which none of us can understand, but we

solidly in the Word of God, to the extent of marching almost his whole body of
^with the attendance of over 100.

do understand and appreciate his earnestness in trying to ground his congregation

church leaders up to the school, meanwhile having arranged for the preacher, Peter, to hold 6 weeks' school for all the young people of the congregation
Along with several elders from Donglituq came Dingkong Di, a young man recently discharged from the Army. He had returned to settle down among his people and lead them further toward civilization, but on a Christian basis. We are

fortunate in his cose that his contacts with civilization through his military

career hove not driven him away from Christ. of the future pillars of the Rawang church.

We hope that he may become one

Then there is the elder Ago from Gunrilop with 14 years experience as a

church leader. He ministers not only to his own congregation but often makes tours of surrounding areas, teaching, exhorting and looking out for the spiritual welfare of the Christians. He has encouraged most of the young men of his area to serve the Lord, and his own son is a church leader.
And so we continue down the list, telling of these men who help to make up the present and potential leadership of the Lisu and Rawang churches. The im portant thing to see is that they are in most ways the some as their counter^-

parts elsewhere; human, with human frailties and handicaps, most of them

earnestly and sincerely concerned in establishing the Church of Christ among their people and furthering the spread of the Gospel, confronted perhaps with
more problems and difficulties than leaders elswhere because of the limitations

and primitiveness of their former way of life. And one thing is certain, they all need the continued prayer support of fellow Christians elsewhere thot they may
continue to learn mare perfectly this Way of Life and their duties as leaders in

the church. And pray for us who hove the privilege of leading and teaching them, that we may guide them according to the Word of God.

CHRISTIAN LITERATURE
By Helen Morse

and evil is especially fierce in the newly-independent nations of Asia.

The bottle for the minds of men being waged between the forces of good

Here

hundreds of thousands of people, for the first time in the history of their nation, are becoming literate. The big question then presented is: What shall they read with their newly acquired skill? The answer: Whatever is presented to them. This opportunity to provide reading matter offers a" tremendous chal lenge to us as Christians to supply them with moteriol which will point them to the Light of the World, Jesus Christ. And once they know the Saviour, there is still a vast need for literature to help them grow in their Christian life.

Here in Burma, there has been a constant effort to try to meet, at least in part, the need for Christian literature among the Lisu and Rowong. A small start has been made In Kochin, also. But even if production of literature oc

finitesimal compared to the amount readily available to all English-speaking people.

Robert has devoted much timein fact most of his timeto Rowang translation, work. In the spring of 1958, he completed the translation of the Gospel of John. Having been submitted to the local tronslotin "committee' for suggestions and corrections, it is now ready for printing as soon as the necessary funds are on hand. Eugene, Robert, LoVeme and their mother have all worked on preparation

mode.

cupied the full time of all of us out here, the need would still not be fully met. In spite of limitations because of pressure of other work, some headway has been
Yet, the amount of material which has been produced thus for is in

of notes for various classes in the Bible Schools. These materials, prepared over a penod of several years, now cover a foirly wide range of subject matter, including
in the week-end evangelistic program carried on by the students of Putoo Christian School. Plans are under way at present for the periodic publication of a 12-16 page magazine", to be mimeographed on the field, which will contain sermons, news of the churches, discussions of problems common among all the con
gregations, etc.

on basic Bible doctrines, and some devotional material. LoVerne also prepared the material for a Gospel Primer In Kochin, which was mimeographed and used

the Gospels, Acts, Romans, several of the Pauline epistles, Revelation, a booklet

not only by Lisu, but by Rowongs as well, for many of them have learned Lisu in order to be able to study the Word of God, and sing His praises. The first edition of the presently-used Lisu hymnal (7,000 books) reached the field in 1949-50, and was used up by the end of 1954. A second edition of 4,000 books arrived during the winter of 1955-56 and was sold out in o little over a year. Now, during 1958, another edition of 10,000 copies has been printed in the

Among the printed matter most needed and requested, the list is headed by the Lisu New Testament and the Lisu Hymnal. These two books are purchased

USA and should reach the field before the end of the winter dry season if all goes

well. In 1950, 3600 copies of the revised New Testament with Psalms were purchased from the British and Foreign Bible Society, and these reached the field in the spring of 1951. Later on additional 1,000 were bought (making a total of 5600), but still we were without any Bibles to sell for over a year, until the
first of a shipment of 4,000 books of a new edition arrived the first week in

December, 1958. Both of these books hove been subsidized by the mission, and are sold at less than cost. (Ed. Note: Funds were borrowed by the mission to help meet the tremendous printing costs during the post year because the books
were so needed as o vital part of the work).

The need is equally great for the Rawang Gospel Primer and Hymn book (combined). This contains the fundamental teachings necessary for new Christ
ians, as well as 102 hymns. This book was first printed in 1951, at which time 3,000 books were ordered. These were used up in less than a year. Then, in 1953, after revision and the addition of some new hymns, a second edition, of 7,000 books was printed. These, too, were all sold very quickly, and for quite some time there were no books available to meet the growing demand. Now a new revised, enlarged book, with many new hymns added, has been printed in Rangoon. An edition of 10,000 books was ordered, and the first shipment reached the field about the first of December. Already (about six weeks after the shipment was received!) over one thousand books ore in the hands of the people, and there is a steady demand for more.

jn an attempt to present a concise, brief summary of the work on literature

10,000.

which has been accomplished during 1958, the following data has been assembled:
Commercially printed material: Ltsu Hymnals (printed in U.S.A.) Lisu New Testaments, with Psalms

$13,578

(Purchased from Bible Society)

Rawang Gospel Primer (Printed in Rangoon) Mimeographed on the field in 1958

4,000
10,000

3,021
3,000

Kachin (^pel Primer

1,000
500

Concordance, Lisu 48 pages

Devotional Booklet, "Eternal Life", Lisu 36 pages 200 Basic Bible Doctrines, Lisu 36 pages 300 Cost of Rawang, 52 pages 300 these Class notes on Ephesians, Lisu, 52 pages 200 items Class notes on Revelations, Lisu, 20 pages 200 including Outline of Gospel of Luke, Lisu, 10 pages 300 paper, Rawang, 9 pages 300 ink and Bible Teoching Concerning the Church, Lisu, 26 pages 200 stencils Putao Christian School prospectus, Kachin and Lisu, 8 is pages 200 $183.00 (None of the prices above include the cost of transportation to the field of either the materials (such as mimeographing) or the finished book.) Thus far, distribution of the mimeographed class notes has been, of necessity, confined to those students attending Bible Schools, although we hope eventually to be able to make them available to anyone who wishes to buy them. Preachers have been given class notes without cost, for it was felt thot they, needed them in order that their effectiveness in preaching the Gospel might be increased. How ever, other students have paid a small sum for each booklet. Perhaps from this, you will gain some idea of the type of work which has been and is continuing to be done in the field of providing Christian literature, as
well as the need for further intensive effort along this line. We are particularly eager that the Rawangs be able to hove the Word of God in their own language. Up to the present time, they have only Acts and the Gospel of Mark. The Gospe4 of John is ready and waiting to be printed and Robert has already completed the translation of Luke. Please pray with us that It will be possible to get these additional portions of the Scriptures printed and into the hands of the people at an early dote. Also, pray that we might all be given strength, wisdom, and guidance as the work of preparing Christian literature continues.

BIBLE SCHOOL REPORT

Mn. J. Russell Morse

December 24 marked the close of the 4-week Bible School for the

wives of the preachers and other church leaders.

About fifty-six

women studied. This school was held at the request of the preach ers and was the first of its kind to be held in this area. The group

was made up of thirty-seven Lisu and nineteen Rawangs. Be cause most of the latter group did not understand Lisu, it was neces-

sary to have all classes translated into Rawang.

of the Lisu women and some of the Rawangs, could read and write.
Classes were held from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 with an hour's rest

these students had never attended a school before, yet nearly all

Although most of

period at noon. Subjects included Life of Christ, using the Gospel of Luke as text; Fundamental Doctrines; Philippians, taught by Stephen (pastor of the Muladi congregation); and a class in Rawang reading and writing taught by Preacher Timona. During this last period, the Lisu women spent their time in copying class notes. A few class periods were spent in discussion of some basic, simple
rules of health.

plains, but several had walked from ten to fourteen days to get here. One of these was the wife of one of our very fine Rawang
preachers in the area north of Putao who was taken across the

Most of the students came from the churches on the Putao

Burma-China border to visit his parents, and while on the return journey he was taken prisoner. Nothing has been heard of him
since.

^an some of those who could read. When the more experienced
and try to win the non-Christian neighbors to the Lord, even

earnest. She was just learning to read, and it was hard for her to study, but she listened so attentively that I think she learned more

of a deacon, from an area in which there is no preacher, was very

Another student, a middle-aged Rawang woman who is the wife

Christians of their community decided to move down to the Putao

plain where food is more plentiful, this family decided to stay on

s^lxty or more people of that area who want to become Christians.

Please pray for this couple, and for the new Christians there.
Moited by Mn. OSCAR L MYERS
2024 N. 14th St.

teaching of this couple and several others, there are now about

to sacrifice the comfort which they might have on the plains, that they might win some souls for Christ. By the earnest prayers and

though they didn't know very much themselves. They were willing

Sec. 34.66 P. L & R.

U. S. POSTAGE
PAID

Terre Houfee, Indloira

For

NORTH BURMA

Terre Haute, Ind.

PERMIT No. 321

CHRISTIAN MISSION

Return Postage Guaranteed.

HARROLD HCFARLAMD Missies SERVICES

BCK 968
JOLIETe ILL.

.^1

m
Scene in typical Lisu village.

"TTie Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall

I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom
shall I he afraid?" PSALM 27:1

SECOND 1959 NEWSLETTER

No. 21 News Series Beginning January, 1953
The J. Russell Morse Family and Associates
P. O. Putao, via Myitkyina
Kachin State, Burma

LETTER FROM MRS. J. RUSSELL MORSE

Church, Springfield, Illinois gives an occount of those who were in Rangoon
durnig March ond April. Dear Friends of West Side:

The following letter to Mrs. Morse's living link church, West Side Christlon

This tirne I'm writing to you from Rangoon, Burma's capital and only major city, it is quite a large and spread out city, with a number of beautiful and modern business and office buildings, and
with greater variety.
yet come.

der, and red. It reminds one of the cherry blossoms of Japan, only
The weather here is extremely hot, a hun

many heathen pagodas. At this season it is quite attractive with its many flowering trees of all colors,yellow, pink, white, laven

dred degrees over this week, as the summer monsoon rains have not

I came to Rangoon to accompany two members of our family and to attend to some very important mission business. Betty,
Robert's wife and Lois, Laverne's wife, had to come down to the hospital. Betty had to have two blood transfusions and was soon recovered. Lois now has a nice little baby boy born April 14th.
His name is Mark Russell.

Mark Riisseli, son of LaVerne ond Lois Morse. Born in Rongoout, Burma, April 14, 1959. Weight, 7 lbs., 6 ox. He hos a sister, Martea, w1o
will be four in August.

Although Mr. Morse was seemingly in good health when ! left him In Putao on March 5th, yet just a week later he started having pain in his side. This continued to get worse until he could

not eat.

Rangoon. We met him here that evening and took him right into the hospital because his condition was so serious and he was in so much pain. After examination and x-ray, the doctor diagnosed his trouble as gall-stones. The gall bladder and surrounding liver
want to operate at once. Russell had to undergo very intensive treatment for over two weeks just to reduce the inflammation and get into shape for the operation, with sometimes ten injections a day. On the 2nd of April he was operated on by Dr. Dupper and Dr. Dunn, American missionary doctors here in Rangoon. They found and removed one very large gall stone, and the very much

So on March 15, the folks put him on the plane to

and abdominal tissues were so inflamed that the doctor did not

damaged gall bladder and several adhesions. They worked for three
and one half hours and also removed his appendix.

He got along

very nicely and there were no complications.

Putao and Muladi.

We are indeed

thankful to the Lord. He was released from the hospital on the 17th of April and since then has been preparing to return to
Since this is the first time he has left our

jungle mission station at Muladi and come out to civilization

since he returned from the States in 1953, he is making the most

of this trip to get replacements of various equipment and stores we need upcountry. At present he is working on his medical order
for the Muladi clinic.

As you will no doubt have heard by this time, a Dr. Charles Brown and family have volunteered to come out and help in the work in north Burma. They are from the Inglewood, California Congregation. Russell had told them about the needs out on this mission field many years ago, before they were married and before
Dr. Brown had entered medical training. Now they have finished
But it is an exceed

their training and also have had about two years or so of experience both in hospital and private practice. They have now volunteered
to come to Burma and help in the Lord's work.

ingly difficult job to get a new missionary into Burma these days. In fact, it is almost an impossibility. Many, many older missionar
ies to Burma have been refused permission to return to Burma

after furlough.

But we know that with God all things are possible.

If it is God's will for the Brown's to come and help us, we are sure

that He will help them to get the permits. So please pray much
with us as we work from this side to get the necessary permits. It is a little easier nowadays for a doctor to get such permits than

it is for mere religious workers. Please do pray daily that the Browns' permits may be secured, if it is God's will.
We have experienced some rather trying circumstances here

in Rangoon this past month or so, as we have no mission base

here. The main problems have been housing and transportation. But through it all we have been made especially aware of our

heavenly Father's kindness and loving care. He has sent along many friends to help us in time of need as the occasion demands,
so that we have come through many seemingly impossible situ ations. We are truly grateful and thank the Lord for His many
kindnesses.

I am not sure when the permit for Dr. and Mrs. Brown will come through, but I hope it will come very soon. Meantime I have
to keep going to confer with first one and then another of the

Secretaries of the Ministers. As soon as this task is finished, I hope

to accompany Russell back to Muladi. As the rainy season is be
ginning, it is very important to return home quickly, before the

plane service stops, else we may have to walk seven days in the deep mud to get back to Muladi, Please remember us in your prayers. Of course, Russell is still not very strong and is unequal
to an overland trip.

Sincerely yours in His service,

Gertrude Morse

When Betty went to Rangoon March 5th with Mrs. Morse, Lois and Marcia, she took the two youngest children with her Robert Jr. (Ah-key) and little Dorothy Drema, who was a year

old May ]5th. On March 9th Robert and the older boys, Joni and Stevie flew to Rangoon to be with Betty, Mrs. Morse has told
of Mr. Morse's trip on March 15. Then on March 27th LaVerne

went by plane to be with Lois in Rangoon. The Preacher Training School has been completed. That left only Eugene, Helen and family and Drema Esther at Muladi. Helen had not been away from
the mission field for more than two years and it has been four

years since Tommy and Ronnie had medical or dental check-ups

and little Sammy (Ah-pu) went by plane as far as Myitkyina. They went the rest of the way by train to Rangoon. All were
to have dental and medical care.

so on May 2, Helen and the children along with Drema Esther

Robert and Betty spent two weeks in Hongkong for a bit of

rest and vacation. They left Rangoon April 8th and returned

on the 26th . The children stayed

i and were able to go all the way

^

^ to the mission field on May 4th

Morse left Rangoon by plane on
Hth.

' Robert, Betty and family returned

Rangoon

with Mrs. Morse.

^1^^ 1

plane. Mr. and Mrs. J. Russell

The rains have been

^arly and quite heavy sometimes

HKmSk -|J|i

on through to the airfield at Putao. plane could not go all the

preventing the planes from going

Qr, thg 14th, they planned to stay over in Myitkyina (planes

fj _

,/
^

would wait for another flight as

were in condition for the

have no difficulty that far) and

Eugene was planning to join

difficult overland trip.

goon the last of May.

cfaughter of Robert and Betty Morse,

Dorothy Dremee Mene, one year eld Helen and the children in Ran-

MINISTRY IN WRITING
By Lois Morse

Teachers and preachers of the Word of God,, if someone were to walk Into your study and take from off the book shelves every
volume which was not also available in the Lisu and Rawang

pertaining to Christian doctrine and theology, devotional material, and so forth, you would be shocked at how bare your shelves

languages, including large portions of your Bible, commentaries, Bible encyclopedias, concordances, Bible dictionaries, assorted books

would be! It is true that there are thousands throughout the

world today, still having no written language of their own, who are not so richly blessed as are the Lisu and Rawang. However, there is no comparison between the amount of printed material available in these tribal languages and the amount available in the many major tongues of the world. We, as an English-speaking people,
have a wealth of material at our hands. Do we often thank the Lord

for it? Or do we take it for granted, as though we either deserved it or as though it were no more than others the world around have in
their possession?

At present, the Lisu have in printed form the New Testament,

Genesis and Psalms. The other books of the Bible are in the process

of being translated by members of the Overseas Missionary Fellow ship who are working among the Lisu in Thailand; but these Scripture portions are not yet in the hands of the people. The Lisu also have a hymnal consisting of 289 different songs, ranging from the simple but majestic hymns of the faith to some of the
well-known anthems, such as, "The Hallelujah Chorus", "The

Heavens Are Telling," and "Gloria, From Twelfth Mass." There is In addition a 67-page primer in the Lisu language which contains basic Bible truths, hymns, and prayers. Also, Book III of The Life
ChrisI- Visualized was translated and shipped to the field in 1954.

The Rawang tribespeople have the Gospel of Mark and the book of Acts in print. Also, the Epistle to the Ephesians has been mimeographed and distributed, and the Gospel of John is ready to be printed as soon as funds are available. Other portions of the New Testment are in the process of being translated, but no addi tional books have as yet been completed. There is also a Gospel primer in Rawang which contains 243 pages and follows the basic style of the Lisu primer. It includes 102 hymns and
information at the front of the book (including the Rawang alphabet and a few simple sentences) to aid those just learning to

read in their own tongue.

ized is likewise available.

Book III of The L!fe of Christ Visual

Aside from the printed books mentioned above, there are numerous helps which have been mimeographed into both languages, such as those listed in the article, "Christian Literature," which appeared in the First 1959 Newsletter. But the field is wide open to great effort and is, indeed, a field in which much must yet be ac complished before the people will be able to stand by themselves. As is expressed by A. T. Houghton in his booklet entitled, Pre

paring To Be A Missionary, "No indigenous national Church can

afford to do without missionary help until it has a whole Bible in the vernacular as well as commentaries, devotional and theo logical study books, and an adequately trained ministry not only capable of undertaking the pastoral supervision of the Churches, but of training others also.The great emphasis today, therefore, is on the provision of Christian literature for an increasingly literate people, and on the training of the ministry and the development of
. . . leaders."

For quite some time I have been working periodically on the compilation of a Lisu concordance, using Cruden's Complete Concordance as a reference. The task grew to be quite com plicated at times in the very first step of production, the gathering

of the Scriptures. Much more was involved than simply looking up

one English word in Cruden's concordance in order to locate the

At times. It was as simple as this. For instance, the word, "Satan," is always translated by the same Lisu word no matter where it appears in the Bible. However, the individual words in every language have their own areas of meaning which may or may not fit into anoth er language pattern. One word in English may be expressed by three of four different, more precise words in another language, and vice versa. For example, in Lisu, the word, JE, can mean, "go," "depart," or "leave." On the other hand, the English verb, "to be destroyed," may be translated in Lisu by at least three different words depending upon the specific meaning the speaker or writer wishes to convey, i. e., "to be destroyed so as to be exterminated," "to be destroyed so as to be lost from its owner or
place," or "to be destroyed so as to be useless."

passages in which the Lisu equivalent might be found..

Another item which has to be kept in mind in locating the

English antonymns are often formed in Lisu by the use of the negative particle, M:, preceeding the word. Hence, In looking for Scriptures under the word ."Confess," for example, I also had to look up words found in Cruden's concordance under the word, "deny," for in Lisu there are not two distinctly different words but
simply, "confess," and "not confess."

various possible meanings in English of a given Lisu word is that

Adding to the diffuiculty is the fact that the English itself

language, as, for instance, the Greek, en, which may require as many as 15 different words to be properly translated into English but which may be translated adequately in Lisu by only 2 words.
Again, in trying to make the Lisu New Testament translation

cannot be a literal translation of the original, but has varied idio matic usages and expressions which do not carry over into another

acceptable to four widely scattered and differing dialects, many ap

parent inconsistencies of translation occured in order to meet the

idiomatic demands of one dialect and still not conflict with the
other dialects.

lated into a Lisu concordance, nor even be correlated entirely with the scripture references of the Lisu. Consequently, each verse listed in Cruden's Complete Concordance had to be checked against

The net result is that an English concordance cannot be trans

the Lisu Scriptures and one or more word lists made accordingly. Many of these word lists were turned over to Stephen, the minister of the Muladi church, in order that he might help prepare the phrases to be used for the Lisu concordance; and many of them LaVerne and I prepared. All of this was done, incidently, without reference to the phrases written in the English concordance as Lisu sentence structure is vastly different from our English sentence structure. By way of example, the passage, "I can do alt things through Christ which strengtheneth me," reads in the following order in the Lisu language: "To me Strength Giver within I anything even to do am able." Because of the strength and help which the Lord provided, I was able to complete the stencilling and mimeographing of the first 100 pages of the concordance before leaving for Rangoon in early March. The material covers approximately 80 words which were chosen, for the most part, according to their individual im portance rather than according to alphabetical order. In order that additional pages might be added and the concordance expanded from year to year, a loose-leaf binding was used. This consisted of two bamboo sticks with holes drilled through both ends tied together with a piece of string. The first complete edition of 300 copies has already been completely cleared out by evangelists and Christian workers through out the mission field. Many further individual requests have come which we have not been able to fill. The preachers have truly been thrilled with this new help and we pray to God that it will greatly increase the effectiveness of their messages, Please continue to pray for us all as we continue to engage in the ministry of the written word for the strengthening of the
church near the roof of the world. Lois Morse

h/e

ifou- to

and- aMe4uL ike.

12th nationAl

missiompy convention

FAIR GROUNDS - SPRINGFIELD, ILLINOIS

SEPTEMBER 29 -

OCTOaER 2

IF YOU WERE
By Helen Morse

>^I5

"vv^Vn
Showing Lisu house en stilts.

IF YOU WERE A LISU BOY OR GIRL, you would live in a bamboo house, up on stilts, something like the one shown in this

picture. Your house would have no windows, and no electric lights. But during the day enough sunlight would come through the cracks in the wall of woven bamboo strips that you could see
what you were doing. At night the only light you would have would be firelight. It would be like the bonfires you have at wiener

roasts, only smaller, perhaps, as it would be right out in the middle of the room, in a dirt box set into the floor. Perhaps you might have some beeswax candles you made yourself. IF YOU WERE A LISU BOY OR GIRL, you would probably have to carry your little brother or sister on your back while you
played or did your work, so your mother and father could work in

the rice fields. Your work would be like taking care of your younger brothers and sisters, getting firewood, going to get water from the river or creek (which might be a half mile or more away, perhaps down a steep mountain side.) You would carry water in a long bamboo tubeabout six inches in diameter, and about three to four feet long, and holding more than a large bucket full of
water.

IF YOU WERE A LISU BOY OR GIRL, you would not have

toys to play with, nor nice clothes to wear. Your clothes would

be of home-made cloth which your mother would weave, And you wouldn't have very many, either. As a Lisu girl you would have one skirt and one waist a year, and a boy would have one shirt

and one pair of trousers a year. When these began to wear out you would just have wear them anyway,, or perhaps your
mother would have a piece of an old skirt or waist which could be used as a patch. You would have no shoes or stockings, but would go barefoot all year round. Maybe you would think that was fun in the summer, but you'd find it pretty cold in winter, especi ally up in the mountains where it snows. IF YOU WERE A LISU BOY OR GIRL, you would never have cake or pie, ice cream or candy. You would not have milk to drink every day. You would never have bacon and eggs and toast for breakfast, and no fruit juice, either. You would have only two meals a day instead of three, and you would have mostly rice to eat. Sometimes you would have some soup made of boiled mustard greens to put on your rice, but you would likely have no salt to put into the soup, because most people can't afford to buy salt. In summer time you would have squash to eat with your rice. And for a between-meal-snack you would have a nice, big, juicy cu cumber. If there were some special occasion, like your big brother getting married, you might have meat as a celebration. Your parents would kill a pig, but because you would have no cooking oil in which to fry the meat, It would be boiled, making soup. (Pigs aren't fat like those in America. You might have salt for this special occasion, or, you might not. When the meat is cooked, then
all the friends would be called in for the feastand that would

include the whole village! In summer you would have corn to eat. You would take an ear of corn, lean it against a stone or piece of wood up close to the fire and let it roast. You would watch it carefully, and turn it round and round until on all sides it was golden brown. And then how you would enjoy eating that corn! But you would not eat all the corn in your garden that way. You would let some get hard and dry on the stalk, and then shell it and pop it in the hot ashes of your fire. IF YOU WERE A LISU BOY OR GIRL, you would have no

school to attend unless you lived in or near Muladi or Dukdang where schools are now being held. If you learned to read and write, it would be from an older brother or sister or neighbor of your parents. Your only books would be your hymn book and
Bible.

IF YOU WERE A LISU BOY OR GIRL, you would go to church on Sunday and sit on the floor, boys and men on one side of the church, women and girls on the other side. You would attend three services each Sunday, and sometimes if the preacher preached a long time, the second service might not be over until about
3:00 o'clock In the afternoon.

IF YOU WERE A LISU BOY OR GIRL, you would do all these

things. But you are an American, and you have many, many blessings for which to thank God. Don't forget to do it, each day. And don't forget to pray for the Lisu boys and girls who worship
the same God you do. Ask God to help them learn more about Him so that they can tell about Him and His Son, Jesus, to other people.

FIRE AT MULADI

In an area in which there are no stores for emergency sup plies, no doctors and hospitals, and, as came to our full attention recently, NO FIRE DEPARTMENTS, it is very natural and indeed is true that those who live thus must lean heavily on their FAITH.

"V

Reroofing the kitchen house and ramp alter the fire February 10, 1959.

The following quotes from Helen's letter gives us one more example of God's loving watchcare over them as they serve Him In
this primitive area of Burma:

"Just yesterday we had another example of how the Lord

keeps and cares for us. John McCoy, the tractor mechanic from

Rangoon, and David were in the back yard, when they happened
to look towarcj LaVerne and Lois' kitchen house and saw the roof

ablaze! He shouted immediately and all the folks came running.

They were joined at once by the middle school students and the

200 or more Bible School students.

Some climbed to the roof,

pulling off bundles of burning grass, while others collected all available buckets, panS and bamboo tubes with water and passed
them up to those on the roof . . . The kitchen house is connected

flames got down to the bamboo roof supports. One boy got his face burnedsaid he almost gave up. It was so hot, but just could
not stopso kept on beating the flames . . . Bamboo is one of

to the main part of the house by a runway 10-12 ft. long, and since it was so close, the students carried everything from the house and had It cleared up in a matter of minutes . . . Oh, those flames were fierce!shooting up in the air 5-6 ft. or more as the

the materials that burns most quickly and the timbers of the main house had been treated with earth oilso it too, would have burned quickly. Also the grain is stored in that building and if it had caught fire, it would have burned for days. "Of course the kitchen house was a messashes, water, etc. but the girls who help were able to clean it up and Mother, Drema and I helped Lois get things back in order in the up-stairs

living room.

It seemed as if the fire would never stop, but There was enough
their house and from our old

actually it was only about 20 minutes and in another 15-20 minutes

the students were all in their classes again.

usable grass and bamboo from

house to do the necessary repairs and by 4:00 p.m. all was com pleted and ready to resume normal living.
"Incidentally, Eugene was speaking in Chapel at the time the fire was discovered. His subject, "The prayer of a righteous man availeth much." He had used the story of Elijah calling down fire from Heaven to consume the sacrifice, as an example. The Lord sent that fire and He stopped this one. Everyone said it seemed
almost like a miracle that the fire was confined to the roof. If the

flames had gotten down to the woven bamboo walls, nothing could have saved the whole house from being destroyed. Our hearts are filled to overflowing with thanksgiving to the Lord for keeping us from what would have been such a terrible thing." (I'm sure you will feel led to join us as we say, from the depths of hearts, "Praise
the Lord!"Ed.)

HISTORY OF THE CROSSBOW

By Robert Morse (The following is a tetter from Rob ert to a young boy to whom he hod given the crossbow.)

To the new owner of this crossbow:

From time immemorial the

crossbow has been the chief weap

on of the LISU tribe. The Lisu

have a rich and courageous tradi tion of taming the jungle, fighting hostile tribes, and defending them selves against all marauders. Liv ing mainly in the innermost re cesses of the "Hump" ranges, they are independent, quick to de fend their homes, and always ready for the hunt. Surprisingly, the chief weapon which helps them back up their claims is this harm less looking crossbow, with little
bamboo arrows. In their time the Two Lisu boys with their Crossbows.

Lisu have successfully fought off Chinese expeditionary forces armed

with modern weapons, Tibetan robber bands with their well-armed horsemen, and even the militia of the mighty British empire. For this

they are feared by the tribes living around them, handled with "kid gloves" by governments trying to administer law against them, and generally called "yeh-jen" and "Yawyin" by the Chinese and Kachins,
(meaning "the Untamed People"),

How could a little combination of wood, ivory and hemp help make such a big impression in the history of this part of the world? Back in 1943 the writer arranged a competition between some Lisu crossbow marksmen, and three officers of the American army, using
pistols and rifles, and saw the mortification and embarrassment of the army men who lost out to the crossbow. Shooting at a rose for a target, at a hundred paces the crossbow arrows hit the bulls' eye every time, whereas guns sometimes missed the target altogether, and never did better the crossbow shooting. There are different sizes of crossbows, from the little ones which the 6-8 year olds use to shoot little birds and mice, to the giant ones which only the strongest can bend. This bow here is medium size, a teen-ager's bow, and has been used for four or five years by one Magaltaq Aram of Waqkwe Village in the Nam Tamai Valley, the eastern headwaters of the Irrawaddy River. It's a good bow, and has shot its full share of birds, squirrels, and mice. The bowwood is good, hardy bowwood from the highlands (6,000 feet and up).

The crossbow is deadly not just because of its accuracy in the hands of an experienced bowman. Being comparatively noiseless it is a good weapon for stalking and ambush. And deadly poisons can be used in the arrow tips. The favorite of the Lisu hunter is the "black" variety of Aconite root, which grows on the Himalayan ranges from 10,000 feet on up. Brewed into a thick syrup, this poison is taken by those on the warpath, and used to dip their arrows into just before shooting; and certain death will result to the enemy who is merely nicked by such an arrow, even at a range of 400 paces. In hunting

big game, the arrows are fashioned so as to break off back of the poisoned tip, after the arrow has found its target. Thus even the biggest game is vulnerable, from wild elephants and rhinoceros to tigers and pythons. For some unknown reason, tigers are especially
vulnerable to Aconite poison. As soon as the game has been killed
the meat around the arrow wound is cut out and the rest of the meat

is unaffected. It is because of this certainty of success in the hunt, that wherever the Lisu spread out it isn't long until most if not all of

the jungle life disappears, having fallen to the voracious appetite of these strong, virile men of the hills.
A REMINDER

PLEASE do not send funds fo Burma. All funds except living link funds should be sent to their forwarding agent, Mrs. Oscar L. Myers, 2024 N. 14th Street, Terre Haute, Indiana. Personal checks, currency and money orders cannot be used in Burma. We do not know how many hove been lost, but sometimes letters of inquiry ore received many months after money has been sent.

BapHsm of Joni Morse, oldest son of Robert ond Betty Morse

In our Third 1958 Newsletter we had a picture and told of baptism of David, oldest son of Eugene and Helen Morse. Just a few months later, Jonathon, oldest son of Robert and Betty Morse was baptized and recently we received the picture of that joyous occasion. Though young in years, these boys have an understanding of the purpose of salvation, and realizing that they have need of a Saviour, have been obedient to the commands of Christ. We pray
that their lives will be examples to those with whom they work and that they may be able to win many to Christ. STILL WAITING FOR VISAES

During the past few weeks, in fact since early in March and continuing into May, Mrs. J. Russell has worked diligently to expe dite the granting of visaes to Miss Dorothy Sterling and to the Brown family who are ready to go to Burma to serve in the medical work. Because North Burma is a troubled area, there is consider able red tape in obtaining visaes and entry permits. Mrs. Morse has made more than forty trips to various agencies and officials

on behalf of Miss Sterling and the Browns. We know the wonderful work Dorothy has done during her years on the mission field and the following article by Dr. Brown, we feel, presents his purpose and hopes better than we can possibly express them;

Storn,but hey can't save him,

MESSAGE TO CHRISTIAN BRETHREN
By Dr. Chorles V. Brown

Two Lisu parents carry out their small son, wan and shrunken with dysentary, and lay him in the

and they can no longer risk in fecting the other children. A Rawang girt lies racked with abdomlessly commiserating. The tribal
doctor exerts himself to frighten

missionaries give her their hearts and what medicine they have. But gery. These are the reasons 1 want to practice medicine in North
Burma.

Gertrude and Russell

Morse

had already been several years on

the field when I was born in Phila-

later I lost my mother to disease, and determined to go into med

icine. There were a few details to

get out of the way, such as grow-

da Sue, (Standing behind Dr. Brown) me and I was ready. It was then will be going to Burma with them, that I met J. Russell Morse. He was in Inglewood, California, preparing to go back to Burma, and ! chauffered him around town on his errands. He told me of the people in his mission area and of his efforts to treat
their ills without equipment or formal training. And he urged

Dr. Mrs. Charles V. Browr., "P. a war, but Charles. Corol Ann ond Harry. Lyn- ^'^ally m 1946 the Navy released

me, when my training would be complete, to take it to those people.

At the same time, oddly enough, he tried to recruit an Inglewood

girl named Betty Gilmer, but she was busy raising her three small
half-sisters who had lost their parents.

Thirteen years went by. I married Betty, daughters and all, and we had three more children. I got the medical education and settled into a busy general practice in Riverside, California. Then Dorothy Sterling came to town. She reminded me of the nearly forgotten Burma field, pointed us in that general direction and
kicked.

In deciding to go, we had to face certain issues which others must face in deciding to support such a project. Why judge med icine, which treats primarily the body instead of the soul, worthy

of missionary energies? First, Christian compassion forbids ignor ing our neighbors' pain, whatever its cause. Christ specifically bade His disciples to heal as well as teach. Second, experience has repeatedly demonstrated that treating men's ills often makes them more receptive to the gospel message. We may note that the Baptists, Adventists, and Catholics have accepted the challenge
in a big way

Why Burma, when we can stay here and minister to suffering

among people of our own race? Christ was not interested in kinds of men, but mankind, and so must lie our interest. Our field of en

deavor then should not be determined by the mere presence of need, but rather by what is the greatest need. We feel that our little efforts will go much farther in the medical vacuum of the Lisu country than they ever could in the U. S. A. We propose to start with the establishment of a hospital which will treat all who can reach it, and will at the same time train nurses who may later operate clinics in the outlying areas. Our concern at first will be controlling the widespread debilitating dis eases such as anemia, vitamin deficiencies and malaria, which in terfere with the ability of the people to provide themselves with adequate food and shelter. As facilities increase, we will deal with the less common but individually tragic problems, such as tumors or heart diseases, to offer help long taken for granted here in the
United States.

Dorothy's kick was sound and well placed, but she is only one Christian, and Burma is a long way off. If our hopes are to reach fruition, it will be by the combined push of many Christians sharing
the same vision.

Miss [Dorothy Sterling, R. N., with

her adopted Lisu children, Mark

V,

and Judy. She has completed their legal American adoption and they have also been granted American citizenship. In speaking on behalf of Dr. Brown and the need in Burma, Miss Sterling calls attention to the fact that the mission personnel as well as the natives would greatly benefit by having a doctor on

Dorothy, Mark and Judy

the field, saving many trips to Rangoon for medical care.

Miss Sterling, also points out the urgency of the situation

as she calls attention to the needs in the following statement:

"J. Russell Morse and Drema are treating more than 300 patients a week in their clinic at Muladi. So many refugees from China,
and also the Burma-side folks from the famine districts in the

mountains, have moved onto the plains that the multitude of patiens cannot all be cared for by so small a staff. The Putao hospital has had no doctor for some months now. Treatment there for any disease has long been three atabrin tablets, good
for malaria but quite insufficient even for that disease.

"Medical needs are very great in Burma, and yet the pur

pose of the hospital is to use medical care as an opening for teach ing the people about Christ, and as an example of active living
Christian living."

Miss Dorothy Sterling and Dr. Brown and family are ready to go, answering the call, "Go ye into all the World . . . "Now it

may be forthcoming and also that support shall be supplied for

is the responsibilty of Christian brethren to pray that the visaes Dr. Brown and family. How wonderful it would be for some con

gregation to take this family as their ministers in Burma.

THINGS.

Their

forwarding agent is Mrs. Rylis Brown, 3160 Maude Street, River side California. May we never forget that PRAYER CHANGES
Flash: As we go to press, word has been received that Mr. and Mrs. J. Russell Morse ore able to go all the way up-country by plane on May 22ndthe plane being turned bock after it hod storted to return from Myitkyina to Rangoon,
and instructions given to pick up passengers at Myitkyina, and take them to
Putao. The statement was made, "This has never happened before. When service was suspended, it wos suspended!" Another unexpected ond unscheduled flight took Drema Esther ond little Sammy back to Putoo on June 2nd. We are so thankful that oil were saved the ordeal of the overland trip during
the monsoon.

Mailed by Mrs. OSCAR L. MYERS

2024 N. Mfh St. Sec. 34.66 P. L PAIP & R

Terre
For

Haute, Indiana

U. S. POSTAGE

NORTH BURMA
CHRISTIAN MISSION

Terre Haute, Ind.

PERMIT NO. 321

return

POSTAGE GUARANTEED

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. %

HARROLD MeFARLAND
MISSK^ SERVICES

BCK 968
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