Covenanter Witness Vol. 86 - Rparchives.org

Some This and That in W M.S."COME AWAY BY YOURSELVES TO ALONELY PLACE AND REST A WHILE. "(Mark 6:3DAn interview with Miss Eleanor Faris,Missionary to Japan"You mentioned one or two subjects about which wemight talk when we meet, and I thought that missionaryvacations in Japan would be my choice. I've come to have anew appreciation of the necessity of these."This was Eleanor Faris' remark to me over the phone,as we finalized our appointment to talk together at her homein Denison, Kansas, on the evening of January 22.That evening came, and I sat listening to Eleanor inher living room. On the nearby table, a graceful Japanesedoll stood poised for a bow in her glass case. Eleanor wasgiving me a word picture of a special place in Japan."Don't you and Orlena have a cabin somewhere forvacations?"' 'Yes. In 1959 we bought a part of a field belonging toa man in Yamanaka, a village about ten miles from Mt. Fuji.The village is larger than Denison, and is on LakeYamanaka, one of five lakes which are around Mt. Fuji. Wehad a cabin built on our piece of land, between the lake andthe mountain, so we have a beautiful view from our cabin.The cabin is well built, even though the walls are of veneer;it has three rooms and a kitchen; we have it furnished andeven leave our old clothes ready for vacationing there. Thebuilder, who lives near, and the owners of a shop not faraway, all keep an eye on the place while we are in Kobe. Wecan cook our own meals, for the shop and a butcher's areclose, or, for a treat, we can dine out at an eating place in thevillage. We sometimes cook food American-style, butusually we eat Japanese food since that is what the shopshave. In this place, six to seven hours by train and bus fromKobe, we enjoy relaxation, rest, reading, and bicyclingaround the lake. For Orlena it has included a climb to the topof Mt. Fuji. We often feel we can go for only a week or tendays, but this is really not long enough for a complete rest."I asked Eleanor how the missionaries in Kobe wentabout planning their vacations so that they wouldn't all beaway from their work at the same time. We reviewed themission organization there. The three fellowship groups ofCovenanters are these: the congregation at Higashi Sumaunder the pastoral leadership of Mr. Masunaga; the group atTarumi, led by Mr. Pennington until his return home; andthe Okamoto group which meets in the Spear home. Thefirst two groups have church buildings and residences inconnection with them. The last named has purchased a loton which there is a house which can be remodeled for use asa church. Each of these congregations need leadership, aswell as the Bible classes and other activities connected withthem and the Covenanter Book Room. The missionariescannot all be gone from their work at once. The Japaneselaymen have exacting jobs from which they take only brief,16two or three-day vacations, thus living and becoming accustomedto sustained job activity. It is easiest for themissionaries to try to fit in their vacations in little bits, asbeing more understood by their Japanese friends. Now MissFaris feels that her illness will increase the understanding ofothers of the missionaries' need for longer times ofrelaxation.Missionary work in Japan is a God-controlled enterprisefor our workers there. A witness for Christ is carriedon. During her years in Japan, Eleanor says that her facilityin using the Japanese language has grown, so that conversingwith people is done now with ease, and is not astrain. But the many things to be done, and the pressure onefeels to get caught up on work that has fallen behind causestension. Sabbath is a full day. Not only worship services areheld, but other groups, such as the prayer meeting, cometogether in the afternoon, because the members are fullyoccupied rather long hours on every other week day withtheir jobs.A Japanese holiday also makes the best time to haveone-or two-day conferences. For example, recently awomen's meeting was held on January 15, which is aholiday called "Older Persons' Day" in Japan. ManyJapanese businesses maintain a summer house in pleasant,restful surroundings where their employees may vacation forbrief periods. The summerhouse is staffed with those whocare for the maintenance and cook the meals. Many of ourshort church Bible study and youth conferences have beenheld in the rented summerhouse of the city office workers ofKobe, which is located on the small island of Awaji, near thecity. The conferees sleep in large rooms with straw matfloors, each on his own "futon" or padded sleeping mat.The summerhouse staff provides the meals. These are happytimes of fellowship, though hardly vacations for the leaderswho have planned and carried them through. Happily, thislast year of furlough for the Gene Spear family, has made itevident that the members and officers of our Japanesechurches carry on the responsibilities of the church workwell in their various capacities alongside, or without, themissionary leadership.For each missionary, Eleanor says, what constitutesan ideal situation for relaxation is different. In summer time,when the children are out of school, the Spear family may gofor a month's stay on Shikoku Island where fishing andswimming are enjoyable. Orlena Lynn likes bicycling, hikingand climbing the mountain slopes. Others prefer amissionary vacation resort of which there are two on theisland of Honshu, with opportunities for fellowship withother Christian workers.Eleanor says, "I think I prefer a fall vacation, after theheat of summer is over, and I can relax in a cool place. At thecabin, without many others about, we can just get awayfrom it all, rest, and read."After our conversation, Mrs. Faris, Eleanor, and I hadtea and cake together, and I could almost picture Eleanorsee page 7COVENANTER WITNESS