MISSION TIDINGS

GIFTS RECEIVED FOR MISSIONS IN MARCH 1978 CLASSIS MIDWEST SOURCE AMOUNT

In Covell Ave.Col. Gift 150.00

Friend in G.R. Gift 20.00

Friend in Michigan Gift 125.00

Unionville Calendars 40.00

Friend in Chicago Hghts. Gift 125.00

TOTAL: $460.00

Dear friends,

Herewith we want to acknowledge your gifts for the support of the mission work. May the Lord bless you and your gifts. Rev. Vergunst with another member from Holland hope to visit the mission field in Irian Jaya, leaving Holland the later part of April. Mr. and Mrs. Tom Moerdyk with Eric expect to leave for Holland on the 13th of April, and hope to visit the states later in the summer, the Lord willing. Mr. and Mrs. Louwerse hope to leave for Holland sometime in June, and possibly will visit the states the later part of the year. May the Lord bless His Word at home and in the mission field. We include also a letter from the Moerdyks.

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 THE MISSION FIELD

PMB 49

Abakaliki

March 15, 1978

Dear friends,

Another three months have passed, even though it hardly seems possible. We have enjoyed all your letters and cards received during the holidays and at the start of the new year. Some are still arriving.

Right now we are living at the change of seasons again. We had a very ‘cold’ harmattan. The people felt very cold and were wondering if this is what they called winter in our country. (It was 64 degrees one morning!). Then, very suddenly the weather changed. The dusty, dry winds stopped, and very warm weather started. The sun just burned and the air hardly moved. That night we had some nice breezes, but during the day very little.

It was during this time, in February, that Tom’s youngest brother Bill visited us for 3½ weeks. It was a very enjoyable time. He went along with Tom, also when he needed to travel, and saw the different aspects of the work here. He got acquanted with the way of life here, and the food and the water shortage, on the day he arrived, we finally received our long-searched for adaptor for the refridgerator. Now we had cold water and ice-cubes for the first time. It was amazing how much better the otherwise luke-warm milk tasted and we thoroughly enjoyed jello and other things.

Just before Bill left, we had our first shower. Remembering last year, we did not expect more to follow, but the rains have been coming at regular intervals. It looks like the rainy season, which started two months late last year, has started a good month early this year. It does make a big difference. These early rains allow Tom to start some of the farm work with the Bible school students. They are busy preparing their school plots right now. This week is exam week for them, and then the school will close for a few weeks. That way they can work on their own farms at home.

Otherwise Tom continues to be busy with the building. The new clinic is nearly finished now. A bit more painting and then the finishing carpentry work. Our work shop is so far done that we can start to use it. It still needs doors and shelves. The house in Oswanka is pretty well finished and the new house for Dr. Scheer is nearing lintle height. It sure will look different to have another house across the street. Recently it looks different already, because some of the few remaining, mighty forest trees have been cut down this past month. It is really sad to see one giant after the other disappear (without replacement).

At the river we still hope to be able to put a water sand filter in and build a supply tank and pump, to get better water and reduce the time needed, to fill our tractor tank. Right now it is quite time consuming to keep everyone supplied with water. And then it still needs to settle for a day, with Alum, before we can use it. It looks like the bridge over the first stream to Abakaliki cannot become reality yet. The local people have not yet brought the needed stone and sand. We did get quite an allotment of cement from the plant in Enugu-a miracle, because it is very scarce right now.

Here at home we are busily preparing for our furlough. In less than a month, on April 13, we hope to fly to Amsterdam, DV. There remain a few things to be cleared legally, but we pray that everything will work out in Gods way and time. We plan to stay in Holland until our baby is born, sometime in May. This far everything has gone well. With the words of Phil. 4:6,7,19 we look forward to the future. I have not been working at the clinic. I do teach Hygiene to class 1&2 at the Bible school and math to class 2. Besides that I have been working with some boys on Sunday school teaching. They come here on Saturday for the preparation. We are trying to have them do it completely in Izi, so that it can continue while we are gone. However, it is very hard for them. Please remember them in your prayers.

Eric likes to go along to school. He chalks on the board and asks the students what we talked about last week. I am sometimes amazed at what he remembers or imitates. We tried to teach the oldest Sunday school class the doxology. Eric would sing at the top of his lungs, clapping his hands and pointing with a stick. It is a bit hard for the students yet. At home Eric is a real two year old-always ‘helpful’ and never at a loss for things to do. He likes to tease our animals, too. Since January we have a baby parrot. For the first month we had to spoon feed it, but now he is growing and starting to fly. A month ago three little kittens were born, to Eric’s delight. We need to keep a close eye on them and Eric.

In Iseke, the church attendance continues to be good. The church is too small and the people are discussing about building a larger one. At Christmas time they had a church meal together, and there were 170 plates to be filled. They had a very nice day together. We do not know yet, when we will travel to the States. We commit this to your prayers, as well as where to go and the best use of our time. We hope we can meet many of you. The Lord be with you, until we meet again, at His time.

Your friends,

Tom, Meta and Eric

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