Covenanter Witness Vol. 54 - Rparchives.org

needed and thought we would get several stored in
the baggage room next morning. As it turned out
they were still there the third day for that night
Hurricane Edna struck. For 30 hours we were rolled,
jerked, tipped one way, then the other. We could hear
the big waves slam the sides of the ship and go right
over the decks. We stayed in our room all the second
day and did not even want food. It was dangerous to
try to walk and the chairs and suitcases were shift
ing
around so we decided the best place was in bed.
However the thing I like to remember most is that
though seasick and rather frightened of the storm
I kept feeling that the Lord was able to make a path
right through the stormy sea if it was His will and
I felt near to Him and peaceful. May it be to His
glory that we came through the storm safely!
Getting into the familiar Beirut harbor was a
thrill. Before we got tied up we could see Mr. Hutche
son and Mr. Tewfik Awad, brother of the pastor, and
others. That afternoon two carloads of us left Beirut
when we reached Latakia we were a procession of
6 or 7 cars. According to eastern custom most of
Mr. Awad's family and relatives had come to escort
him home. It was after dark by that time and we
were hungry and quite ready to enjoy a delicious sup
per in the Hays home with Miss McClurkin and the
Hays family. Across the street the Awads had a
family gathering. Since then it has been a busy time
for all. Both schools are under way with good enroll
ment even though tuitions have been raised. Loyal
Christian teachers are at work in the two schools
but several more were needed and it has been hard to
find them. Substitutes or inexperienced ones have
had to be used. The weather has been fine and Mr.
Hays has been making frequent trips to the villages.
Rev. Awad is trying to have family worship with
each family of the congregation before the fall com
munion which is to be November 28. We are rejoicing
with Bassam and Shirley Madany over the birth of
their son. The women's society is making plans to
sponsor a junior society. Mrs. McKelvy's book,
"Taught of the Lord" is going to be used as program
material. I've promised to help with this project. I
am teaching three classes a day in the high school
and am looking forward to having this contact with
the younger children. Miss McClurkin is taking a
group of high school students to Tripoli on Saturday
for a one day rally of Christian Students Fellowship.
The boarding students plan to have a game night in
the lower hall of the girls school Friday night. This
hall is equipped for shuffle board. The boys will also
be using table games which friends from U.S.A. sent
out some time ago. Two junior high age Yugoslav
boys whose father is here in connection with building
the new port are in school this year. They do not
know English, Arabic or French but hope to learn
English and we hope to be able to talk to them some
day. We understand that they have been raised with
out religion. We miss Miss McElroy, the Sandersons
and our four children. We are always remembering
them in our prayers and enjoy the good letters that
come from them.
In closing I should like to thank the many who
entertained us in their homes as we traveled around,
and especially the Olathe congregation which did so
much to make our comings and goings pleasant
their love and their gifts of many kinds will not be
forgotten. I want to mention the nice stainless steel
table ware for the boarding school, a gift of the Kan
sas Presbyterial. There was a nice quilt from the
College Hill congregation, a gift of money from the
Stafford congregation and several other gifts of
money from individuals truly the Lord has been
Then at sailing Mrs. Beatty and Miss Weir,
representing the Synodical, saw that we had fruit for
the trip and an orchid for decoration. The good
wishes expressed in these ways are very precious.
And I almost forgot to mention the steamer letters !
It would have been terrible to have to sail without
steamer letters. May God's richest blessings rest
upon you all.
In His service.
Foreign Missions Board Treasurer's
Report
(Condensed)
Sept. 1 Dec. 1, 1954
RECEIPTS
Living Donors $ 968.71
Bequests 900.00
Invested Funds 158.00
Miscellaneous 1,229.21
Total Receipts $ 3,255.92
EXPENDITURES
Travel Expense
___$ 1,810.92
Cyprus 2,030.15
Syria 4,501.80
Japan 2,687.60
Home Base 1,017.45
Total Expenditures $12,047.92
Excess of Exp. over receipts $ 8,792.00
Overdraft Sept. 1 3,548.58
Overdraft Dec. 1 __$12,340.58
RECEIPTS
April 1, 1954 Dec. 1, 1954 _._$14,993.08
EXPENDITURES
April 1, 1954 Dec. 1, 1954 ___$26,070.94
Overdraft April 1, 1954 1,264.72
Overdraft Dec. 1. __$12,340.58
CURRENT EVENTS Cont'd from page 3
and kidney ailments and diabetes declined. There were more
cases of measles and whooping-cough last year than in 1953,
but few fatalities.
VOLCANIC POWER
Scientists are beginning to exploit the tremendous re
serves of heat in the depths of the earth. Volcanic steam will
be used to generate electric energy in a new power develop
ment in New Zealand. The chief engineer of the Ministry of
Works predicts that in three years the South Pacific islands
will have 40,000 additional kilowatts of capacity from this
source. Three test drillings show steam pressures up to 200
pounds per square inch at a depth of 2,000 feet. The power
capacity will merely depend on the size of the shaft that is
sunk. Natural steam has been used to produce power for many
years near Florence, Italy, and has also been harnessed for
heating purposes. It may yet prove to be a major source of
energy for some parts of the world.
January 5, 1955