MISSION TIDINGS

GIFTS RECEDED FOR MISSIONS IN DECEMBER 1977

CLASSIS EAST SOURCE AMOUNT

Clifton Calendars 150.00

CLASSIS MIDWEST

St. Catharines Mission Boxes 183.00

Grand Rapids Calendars 200.00

Friend in G.R. Gift 25.00

Grand Rapids Collection 1461.47

Friend in Chicago Hts. Gift 200.00

Friend in Michigan Gift 125.00

Friend Gift 5.00

Kalamazoo Collection 270.00

St. Catharines Calendars 60.00

Hamilton Collection 335.00

CLASSIS WEST

Rock Valley Church Col. Gift 200.00

Mission Book 5.00

Sioux Falls Calendars 32.00

Friend in Pella Gift 25.00

Friend in Sheboygan Gift 100.00

Friend in Waupun Gift 200.00

Sioux Center Dorcas Soc. Mesc. 271.20

Friend in So. Carolina Gift 100.00

CLASSIS FARWEST

Linden Collection 565.00

Chilliwack Ladies Aid Sale 5000.00

TOTAL: $9512.67

Dear Friends,

Again we want to thank you all very much for your generous support of the mission work. Herewith we also want to thank everyone for their gifts in the year of 1977, especially the congregations and the ladies aids, the Sunday schools, the catechism classes, the Christian schools, and also those who faithfully send personal gifts for the support of this important work. May it all redound to the honor and glory of a triune God and the spreading out of His kingdom from sea to sea and earths remotest regions. This month we include a letter from Mr. and Mrs. Henk Looyen. You can then read of their activities in Irian Jaya. Wishing you all the Lord’s blessing. In behalf of the Mission Committee.

American General Mission Fund

Netherland Reformed Churches

of United States and Canada

John Spaans, Treasurer

Plankinton Box 17 RR3

South Dakota 57368

A LETTER FROM HENK AND LYNIE LOOYEN

Abenaho December 1977

Dear friends,

It is again some time ago that you have heard from us, but let us inform you now, by means of a stenciled letter.

First we wish to thank you heartily for the mail which we might receive from you. It especially does us good that we now and then receive mail, as a token that you are remembering us, as well for us personally, and as for the work of the mission, which we might do since our last furlough. Next year in August 1978, we hope to come again on furlough. This year is drawing to a close again, and therefore we wish to take this opportunity to wish you all a blessed Christmas and a prosperous 1978. We are happy to be in good health, and therefore we are thankful that we may do our work with gladness. We cannot complain of being bored here, as our people always have something that keeps us busy. Also our son, Philip, may grow up in good health, and is already a stout boy of 3½ years old. An enormous difference with other children here of the same age. A small girl almost as old as our son is still on her mother’s breast, and still looks like a baby. Philip plays with a boy of 8 years old, who is not as tall as he is. The cause is mostly of being under-nourished. The people have no fat and eat potatoes exclusively. They also very seldom eat meat. Only on Sundays they eat some kind of potato leaves. These leaves, for instance, contain much iron. The above mentioned boy whom Philip often plays with lives here alone near the airstrip (small airport). Last January his mother passed away of pneumonia. His father and his second wife have moved to a far away Kampong, and this boy was left behind, alone, and must now help himself. Not so long ago thirty families moved into a territory, (where long before the coming of the gospel), their fore-fathers had lived, who at that time had fled, so they could live close to the airstrip. Now these descendants have returned, and we have to walk nine hours to reach this new area. We now have built a small house there, so that after such a hard trip we have a fairly good place to stay. Now the helicopter is such a great help, for with a helicopter it is only a flying time of ten minutes. Our houseboy, who formerly was with us, and has settled in this area, now gives lessons to about 50 children. From time to time he gives us a report of his work with the children, so that we are well informed of everything. We also have placed an Evangelist there, who stays a month, after which another Evangelist takes his place. We also send another Evangelist down there, who goes on foot, which is for him and us quite a sacrifice. Physically the people look healthy. The ground has not been worked for years, so the crops and fruits are of better quality because of this. We are hoping that the seed of the gospel wil bear rich fruits also.

And now to speak of another area nearby, where the people are in great rebellion against the public authorities. The police have now sent a punishing expedition there. Many of these people have fled to our area. These people are still real heathens, which can be seen in the way they have their hair, and is evident in their outward appearance. Although there is hardly enough food for these refugees, it nevertheless can be seen as profitable, since these heathens at least come under the word of God. We now have full opportunity to speak to these heathens, without going into someone elses territory. The treatment clinic, that is, the out patients department, is very busy, as many come for medical treatment, which of course gives us much additional work. As the people have no money, each treatment must be paid with a potato, but these are not always available either. Furthermore, the babies receive nourishment from us, as their mothers have no more nourishment for them. The wife of one who helps in the treatment clinic furnishes the bottles for this purpose. Two times a day she has to furnish warm water, which brings much work for her, because she must get the wood for this, which she must chop and get ready herself, so she can make a fire to warm the water. The other treatment helper (one of the best) is now in Landikma.

There is a mother here who had three undernourished children, and the oldest one, a boy who is about seven years old, received food from us. Some days ago he was laying in our garden, crying of severe pain, and vomiting. Oh! it was so pitiful! The child was nothing but skin and bones. The mother took him up, and brought him to her hut, where he died the same evening. Now she still comes to our house with a little brother and sister of the one that died, to eat and get milk. The little boy eats good, but the little girl, about 1½ years old, screams and yells, when we give her milk, and when she must eat. This little girl hardly weights 1½ pounds, just like a new born child. The father does not pay any attention to the children, but was very angry when his under-nourished child had died. The mother wanted to throw her little daughter in the river. Humanly speaking, the young boy would not have had to die if the mother had come regularly to our house to eat. When I was in Landikma in the month of October, this mother did not come for food the whole month. Fortunately, there are other mothers who come faithfully to get food and bottles with milk. A mother who had no more breastmilk for her children, has already lost three new born children. After I had a conversation with her, thanks be to God’s goodness, she has now a healthy son, for whom she comes to get milk every day.

Before we begin with the treatments at the clinic, we first read out of the Bible and pray with them, so that they may be thoroughly convinced that they cannot expect their help and healing from the medicine only.

The work of Henry is also manifold. This can be well understood as he has to bring everything to the post office. Next to the most important work, like giving lessons at Bible school, much other work has to be done, like support and repairs in taking care of the landing strip. Also, the towns must be visited regularly to give lessons to the lower grades, 5th and 6th, two times a week in the catechism classes. All in all, we do not have to look for work, but we may do it with delight and love.

Dear friends, we could tell you much more, but we shall now close this letter with the hope that we may hear from you again. We express our desire that you do not forget us and our people in your prayers because we cannot do without them in all our work. We hope that you may be much exercised in your prayers for us.

Receive our hearty greetings, commending you to the Lord.

Henk, Lynie and Philip Looyen.

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