Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

The Children's CornerDR. PEOPLES' WA R EXPERIENCES(continued from last week)by Mrs, Kenneth SandersonStill later, in February, Dr. Peoples wrote theForeign Mission Board: "I am longing to get some wordfrom my family for I have had no word since they leftSwitzerland. — We are waiting and wondering as to whatthe outcome of all this will be. We know this, that thewhole business is the Lord's business and He will bring itout all right in His own good time."What it has really been to have lived through theseyears only those who have actually been through them canappreciate. Not always because of what really happened,but because of the suspense and fear as to what was likelyto happen."Finally Dr. Peoples was able to leave Mersine, onApril 27, 1920, and traveled through Switzerland, Italy,and France before he at last reached Philadelphia on June19. What a joyful reunion that must have been for theirfamily after more than three years of separation.During her years in Turkey, Mrs. Peoples hadcontracted amoebic dysentery, which with other complicationsbrought about her early death, in 1925 followingmuch suffering. Their oldest child, David, had died, onAugust 6, 1924. During his wife's prolonged illness Dr.Peoples had been practicing medicine in Philadelphia andhe continued to do so.Turkey and its needs were constantly weighing onhis mind. In May 1926, he informed the Foreign MissionBoard that he was willing to return to Turkey if he couldtake his two children with him. After considering his offer,the Board expressed their thanks to him, but said that theyfelt it wasn't wise for him to take his children to Turkey,and also the medical work in Mersine had been closed.While denied the opportunity of further work in Turkey,Dr. Peoples continued his work as a missionary bybecoming an enthusiastic and faithful worker in his freetime in the Jewish Mission in Philadelphia until God calledhim to his heavenly home in 1965.In accepting an award from the Medical AlumniAssociation of his university, Dr. Peoples concluded hisacceptance speech with these words: "God in His HolyWord promises us another award, one not of merit, but ofgrace. It behooves us to walk this highway of faithfulnessto our Master that we may receive His award. "Be thoufaithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of Life."Truly Dr. John Peoples was a man who proved himselffaithful.THE END10THE DOCTOR OF HOA KHANHA Medical Doctor Brings Hope andHappiness to Viet Nam ChildrenA tall, slim, blond American steps into a wardcrowded with Vietnamese children. The children in the bedsturn toward him with happy smiles. Those who are ambulatoryrush across the room toward him. With a quicksmile he scoops up a child in each arm. After a few friendlywords he sets them on their feet, and he proceeds down theward.The young American with the warm smile and thefriendly, happy personality is Dr. Robert G. Long, medicaldirector of Hoa Khanh Children's Hospital in Danang, VietNam. There are 120 beds in the hospital with a daily bedoccupancy of 70-80 patients and an active outpatient clinic.Under Dr. Long's care and responsibility is everything frompremature babies to tuberculosis of the spine.At 7:30 in the morning he is at the hospital checkingon a 14-year-old boy upon whom they worked to bring out ofshock for three and a half hours the preceding afternoon. Orperhaps it's a two-year-old blind girl with pneumonia—andso malnourished it is difficult for her to eat anything morethan small sips of high protein milk. This is the beginning ofa demanding day that often lasts until ten at night.Bob Long is a friendly, outgoing person, yet a manwho obviously knows his direction and has a deep resolve tofulfill it.Even before his discharge from the Army in July, theyoung Chief of Pediatrics Service of the USA Hospital inOkinawa had had invitations from over 30 organizations tofill medical missionary posts. In fact, he had visited facilitiesin several countries.Long explained, "Though we'd considered manyareas, we did not really know where we were to fit in. Wewere willing to go anywhere the Lord directed us. . .and Heheld us to that. Just before being discharged to the UnitedStates, in direct answer to prayer for the Lord's guidanceconcerning where He wanted me to serve, I received therequest to come to the Hoa Khanh Children's Hospital. Itold the Lord, 'If You want me to go there, make it possiblefor me to visit the hospital.' Knowing all the time that it wasimpossible, humanly speaking, I checked to see if there werea military aircraft available. To my amazement, I was toldthere was one going that very week. I knew that God had Hishand in it."A spiritual program has been instituted to supplementthe medical feature of the hospital. There is a Bible StoryEvening for the children on Thursdays and Christian booksfor them to enjoy. There are also daily staff prayer meetings.see page 8COVENANTERWITNESS