In the Light of His Word Volume 1
Section 10 A Clear Vision
“Buddy preached at a second preaching point this morning. There were 17 present.” Jean Albright, November 12, 1961
The mission work was progressing slowly, slower than Buddy ever anticipated. His earlier hopes of stepping in to catalyze the PIM band of churches around Lilongwe had been stymied by indecision of PIM leadership. The Lord had not altogether closed that door, but at the moment, it was closed enough to prevent access. The handful of churches in the Achewa branch of the PIM was interested in having Buddy assist them, but thus far it had mainly been training of lay preachers and sporadic preaching, nothing very focused. The opening of the ‘office’ in the African township gave Buddy a physical point on the map that could be called a mission base, but it was far from being considered a church. It was a preaching point that reached no further than a few block of homes in the township. Still, it was an important presence in the African township and a mental milestone for Buddy. But, Buddy knew the steps needed to grow a church and build a body of believers. He had learned them well as a pastor in Kansas and northern Kentucky. He knew that the advancement of the Kingdom of God ultimately rested in the power and purpose of the Lord. He knew he was to be a servant in God’s work. A servant entrusted to take a talent and Figure 10-1. Buddy Albright. 1961 multiply it again and again. So, that is what Buddy set about to do.
During the week days and Sundays, Buddy continued to devote a lot time in visiting nearly village PIM churches of the Achewa branch and talking with Achewa PIM lay pastors. He was, of course, called on to preach when he visited a church, which he readily agreed to do. He also continued to show slides and filmstrips in the evenings in villages, drawing large crowds. A
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second preaching point was established about mid-November in a village about four miles out of town; at the very end of a bush road. Seventeen people attended the first service. The arrival of the blue Hillman would bring a swarm of African children all shouting “Moni, moni (hello, hello)”. The children would wave and chase the car. Max soon nicknamed them the ‘Moni Mob’.
Buddy was still dealing with a feeling of frustration that he and Jean were being ineffective in their mission work, that in a district of half a million Africans they were only reaching very few. With less than a year left in their first term of service, Buddy, for the first time, began to doubt his calling to be a missionary, a calling that he had Buddy was still dealing committed to as a child. Jean did not share the frustration or with a feeling of have the seeds of doubt. She would calm and encourage her frustration… husband, but Buddy’s frustration simmered below the surface.
Buddy’s proficiency in the Chinyanja language was improving with every sermon. He still struggled to hear the deflections and nuances of the language, but his ability to mimic them was gaining ground. He would tape entire services128 and listen to the inflections of the words in the songs, the phraseology used in the prayers, and the tones of the words in the sermons. And then he would practice and practice them on his own. His confidence in his language skills had moved him beyond the tedium of committing his sermons to memory in private, as he had to do just two years earlier. But, he still had quite a ways to go before he could be regarded as fluent.
Mission business was keeping him busy. A cadre of six men arrived in Lilongwe and a second survey of northern Nyasaland was undertaken during the first week of November (1961). This second survey was the “official” one with the proper committee from the Central Figure 10-2. Survey of northern Nyasaland. Sign Africa Mission conducting and recording the near Livingstonia. L to R: Bill Wester, Tom Small, effort. The purpose of the survey was to John Cheyne, Gene Kingsley, and Ralph Bowlin. (Buddy took picture.) 1961 evaluate the evangelical needs of the northern area and propose where to place missionaries in the future. As before, Buddy took the Willis Jeep on this excursion. The Hillman had the pesky problem of the battery going dead. Buddy
128 Africans loved to hear their own recorded voices. Once in a village, a man asked Buddy if the tape recorder could record anything else besides Chinyanja.
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had to physically push it to a garage for servicing before leaving on the survey trip129. About mid-November, Buddy flew to Southern Rhodesia for an EC meeting at Gwelo. He returned a week later to a terrible rain storm that delayed his plane from leaving Blantyre. The rainy season had begun.
Buddy obtained town council permission to hold a week of revival meetings in the Lilongwe town hall. This would be the first revival session Buddy had organized in Africa. Buddy knew that a well delivered revival could propel the work forward in large measures. He invited Rev. Greenwall Mapfupa (mop-foo-pah) to be the guest keystone speaker. Rev. Mapfupa was from Salisbury but had a home village near Ncheu, a town between Lilongwe and Blantyre. Tracks advertising the services were printed and handed out all over town. Buddy and Jean were so preoccupied with getting the tracks out and preparing for Rev. Mapfupa that they forgot to drive out to the Lilongwe airport to meet with Dr. Roger Smith, who was the Vice-President of the FMB. Dr. Smith was touring the Central Africa Mission and stopped over at the Lilongwe airport for a short visit with the Albrights. Instead, he probably visited with the airport manager for the hour he was there. Rev. Mapfupa stayed with the Albrights. The services ran from November 26 to December 3 (1961). The crowds loved Rev. Mapfupa’s sermons. Eleven decisions for Christ were made during the week. Countless seeds had been sown. Rev. Mapfupa stayed a few extra days as he and Buddy followed up the revival by visiting some villages around Lilongwe. One of the villages was Rev. Mapfupa’s home near Ncheu. The last night of the revival was Buddy’s 34th birthday.
As the revival campaign wound down, Buddy The revival set into motion a did not realize that this event had actually been an series of events that would answer to his frustration with the mission work. The bring Buddy to the point where revival set into motion a series of events that would he had to deal decisively about bring Buddy to the point where he had to deal his call to be a missionary… decisively about his call to be a missionary and his perception of mission work.
The Harveys (Gerald and Eunice) came to visit the second to last day of the revival. They had flown from Salisbury to Blantyre and drove to Lilongwe in the Wester’s car. Their five girls, Judy, Janet, Jill, Joy, and baby Jennifer were with them. The day after the revival, Jean and her three boys led them to Lake Nyasa where they all stayed a night in the Assembly of God mission cabin (the Brays kept the keys to the cabin). The Harveys left to visit the Kingsleys in Limbe on December 4.
129 This was one of the main advantages of the Hillman: that it was small enough to be pushed by one person.
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The school holidays soon followed. This was the end of Standard Four (sixth grade) for Max and KG2 (second grade) for Rodney. Max was awarded a book for showing the ‘greatest effort’ in his class. It had been somewhat of a difficult year for Max. His Australian teacher had been very strict and quick to punish. Max had become involved in Cub Scouts. He had risen to the rank of being over the entire pack. The pack was divided into groups of six called ‘Sixers’. Max was over all the Sixers. He could quote the Scout motto, knew the history of the Union Jack and could sing “God Save the Queen” from memory.
Rodney’s teacher praised him as being, “a joy and read and did his math well.” He was so good at math that the teacher had already moved him on to Standard Three level math. Rodney’s left handedness would cause him to get low marks in penmanship. All hand writing was done with a fountain pen (old fashion kind that required constant refilling from an ink bottle). The ink would take several minutes to dry on the paper, however, Rod’s left hand would rub against the damp ink and smear it. To compensate, Rod had to crook his left hand upwards and his hand writing style suffered as a consequence.
Christmas was in the air. The weather was hot and dry, interrupted by irregular rain showers. Mangos were again plentiful. This would be the first Christmas in the mission house on Laws Avenue. Last Christmas was spent in the second rental home. A pine tree was found and well decorated. Jean had to make do with a broken oven, so the usual spread of cakes, pies, and cookies was put on hold until the oven piece arrived in the mail. Christmas morning (1961) saw toys, puzzles, clothes, and candy scattered across the living room floor. Rodney opened up a View-Master viewer130 which had several film reels. Ray was given an inflatable punching bag decorated as a clown. Max was delighted to get a real camera; delivered by a Stateside box a couple of months earlier and hidden until Christmas. Buddy had been slowly gathering equipment for a dark room. He acquired the last piece, the enlarger, from a Southern Rhodesian supplier in November. He and Max developed prints of the first roll that Max took with his new camera.
Nine year-old Max felt that maybe their Christmas had been too excessive. Presents from churches, family and relatives started arriving in November and were stashed away until the big day. Buddy and Jean gathered presents on trips to Salisbury and Blantyre such that by the time Christmas day came around piles of presents appeared under the tree. Max felt self conscious about the luxury and cost involved in all these presents, especially in the setting that they lived. Most all Africans in Lilongwe district, Nyasaland even, lived in utter poverty with little assurance of food, clothing or shelter. It struck Max odd that he should be handed such wealth
130 View-Master viewer gave stereoscopic or 3-D images from a stiff paper reel which held fourteen film slides (seven stereoscopic views). Rodney soon started a collection of reels from the different places he visited while on furlough in the States. At one time he had over 50 different reels.
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while most others had no such privilege. His concern points to one of the difficult questions that US missionary parents continually face: how to blend the native culture and the home culture into their childrens’ lives. Most missionary parents realize that it would be a disservice to their children not to emphasize some of the American culture since their kids would eventually return to that culture. But the native culture has to be emphasized as well since their kids live in the middle of it everyday. Buddy and Jean well knew that a decorated tree and wrapped presents were not African symbols of Christmas, but they practiced that American tradition every year because they felt it was an important cultural lesson for their children. As the years progressed, the tree grew smaller and less decorated and the presents dwindled in number, size, and price.
Buddy enjoyed a few days of rest before boarding an airplane for a two week trip to Nigeria on the 29th. He was representing Nyasaland at the All-Africa Baptist Mission Conference held in Oshogbo, Nigeria. Africans represented all the other Baptist missions, except for Northern Rhodesia and Nyasaland. These two mission fields were so new that a missionary was asked to attend. There were about 60 Baptist leaders in attendance. Southern Baptist work was well entrenched in Nigeria. Buddy noted that there were thirteen Baptist churches in Oshogbo as well as a hospital, schools and a seminary. A Baptist leprosy clinic and an orphanage were a little ways out of town. He returned to Lilongwe on January the 12th to a welcoming family.
While Buddy was in Nigeria, Andrew’s wife delivered her second baby, George. Jean was woken up late on the night of January 7 by a tapping on her window. It was Andrew, the house helper. She drove the excited man and his wife to the hospital. A baby boy was born about thirty minutes later. Agnes, the older sister, was almost two years old. Many miles away, Becky McKinnley was delivering her third child, a baby boy to be named Dale Thomas. The McKinnleys had sailed to Africa with the Albrights.
Figure 10-3. Andrew, his wife The year ended with some prayer requests for healing. Dr. and Agnes. 1961 Sam Cannata (at Sanyati) was facing blindness in his right eye. Back in August, a toddler with a sore throat had coughed into Sam’s eye as the doctor was checking his throat. A viral infection ensured that could not be stopped. Months of treatment and medicine had, in some ways, made the situation worse. By December, Dr. Sam had resigned surgery practice, in pain and unable to see to thread needles or perform delicate operations. In January, he was in Houston, Texas where eye specialists were unable to save the vision in his eye. He had been on the hearts and prayers of everyone in the Central African Mission. All knew that Dr. Sam and his family were in the middle of a very agonizing, confusing, and
Volume 1 – Section 10 A Clear Vision (1961-1962) Page 159 depressing ordeal. The reasoning of God in this situation was very obscure. One could only trust in His faithfulness.
Another prayer request was also being made for Margie Lanham. She had contracted a severe infection about mid-December and almost died. After a couple of very difficult weeks, she responded to treatment and slowly revived. But damage had been done to her heart by the infection. She was allowed to return to her home the first week of the new year, to stay bed bound for a long time. She had her fifth birthday in the hospital. A week later, her oldest sister, Betti Ann, came down with rheumatic fever and was hospitalized. Muriel Lanham had one daughter recovering at home and one sick in the hospital.
The rains had settled in to make this a normal rainy season. Each day seemed to bring another large rain storm. Ordinarily, it could rain without stop for an entire week in January or February. January was, by average, the wettest month of the year. Nevertheless, this was a school holiday and a lake trip was in order. So, three days after Buddy arrived back from Nigeria the family packed themselves into the Hillman and headed to the lake for three days. The Brays (Assembly of God missionaries) joined the Albrights and all stayed at the Assembly of God cottage beside the lake. It did not rain the whole time they were there. The little town of Salima was about eleven miles from the lake and marked the end of the paved road. One had to travel through Salima to reach the lake. There was an open air market at Salima that the Albrights often stopped at to get fresh vegetables for their stay at the lake. There was also a leprosy clinic in Salima where people came for treatment. It was common to see people with missing fingers, discolored skin and deformed faces at the open air market in Salima. The family arrived back home on January 17 (1962).
Jean marked her 32nd birthday on the 19th. A pretty birthday dress had arrived earlier in the month in the mail. To celebrate the day, the family made two freezers of ice cream. Two were needed because the first one was finished off quickly.
A new school year started on January 26. Max (nine years old) and Rodney (seven) returned to Bishop MacKenzie as a Standard Five-er and Standard Three-er, respectively. Standard Five was the highest grade offered at the school. Afternoon games began again as well. In no time, both boys had adjusted well to their new Figure 10-4. Max and Rodney (in hat) classrooms and their new teachers. Ray (four) started back return from a day at school. 1961-62 to nursery school, only it was at a different home. A lady
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had converted an outside garden house into a school room. Ray was one of the older kids because most British kids started KG1 Common Chinyanja Words for the Albrights at five years of age.
bakha (duck) All three boys had fairly distinct British accents, acquired bambo (mister, father) from their classmates and friends. Max had started to pick up bwalo ya ndege (airport) bwino (good, well) the accent in Southern Rhodesia and now, three years later, he chimbudzi (bathroom) spoke the Queen’s English with perfect pronunciation. And chipatala (hospital) without even realizing it. Rodney sounded almost as British as dambo (grass wetland) galimoto (car) his older brother. Ray jabbered as any four year-old would do galu (dog) except with a mixture of American, British and Chinyanja iai (no) words. Jean and Buddy showed almost no change in their inde (yes) kalulu (rabbit) accents. The southern US accent of Jean was just as pure as the katundu (load, baggage) day she left Georgia. She was only one of few people able to kaya (I don’t know) take the British lingo and Chinyanja language and put a southern khasu (hoe) drawl on them. Regardless, Jean was the second most proficient khonde (veranda, porch) kuti? (where?) speaker of Chinyanja in the Central African Mission, surpassed madzi (water) only by Buddy. mayi (madam, mother) mbuzi (goat) mfumu (chief) It was common for the family to unconsciously substitute a mkaka (milk) number of English words with the Chinyanja equivalent in moni (hello) normal conversation (see inset box on common Chinyanja mpamvu (power) mtedza (peanuts) words). Indeed, some things were more easier described using a mudzi (village) Chinyanja word, such as a dambo (daam-bow) which has no mvula (rain) good equivalent English word, except to call it a wide, low mwana (child) nchito (work) lying, grass dominated wetland which borders streams. Some ndalama (money) Chinyanja words just sounded so much better than the English ndege (airplane) word, such as njinga (nn-jean-ga) which means bicycle. Njinga ng’ombe (cattle) conveyed the musical jingle of a bicycle bell and associated the njinga (bicycle) njoka (snake) object directly to the word. Max had a much better vocabulary njovu (elephant) of Chinyanja words than his brothers. He could converse fairly nyama (meat) well in Chinyanja. nyumba (hut, house) pepani (sorry) tambala (rooster) There was another language spoken, Chilapalapa (chee-la- ufa (flour, mealie meal) paw-la-paw), which was sort of a makeshift trade language. zikomo (thank-you)
The same kind of makeshift language that Swahili is. Many other words were used Chilapalapa had a mixture of Shona, English, Hindi, Portuguese, on a less common basis. Arabic, and Chinyanja words, plus other words from who knows where else. There were no articles, no gender, no tones, no tenses, and no tight grammar rules.
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It was a fad among British school children to talk to each other in it. The British also talked to their hired house helpers and gardeners in it. But Buddy did not like to use it or hear it. He knew that Africans appreciated their own language, so he avoided using any Chilapalapa, even if an African spoke to him in it. And he did not want his boys speaking it. So, Max and Rodney (and later Ray) would use Chilapalapa with their British chums, but only speak in Chinyanja to an African.
Dr. Goerner, the SBC FMB Area Secretary for Africa, was making another visit to Nyasaland. The whole family was planning on making the five to six hour drive to Blantyre to see him and his wife. Plans were changed when Ray started a high fever. The diagnosis was tonsillitis and the four year-old was admitted into the hospital. This was his fourth round of throat infection since Christmas. His ears had been giving him trouble off and on for over a month, but they were free of infection this time. Buddy and Jean were counseled by the doctors to have the tonsils removed. They were hoping that it could wait until they were back in the States in August. When Buddy entered the children’s ward in the hospital he had flash backs of the weeks that Max had spent in the hospital in Salisbury. Only Fundamental Forces That this time, Ray was by himself in this ward and the family could Shaped the Lives of the visit almost any time all day. Ray stayed five days in the Albright Family: hospital. By early February, his tonsils looked so good that the Doctor consented to leave them in for the time being. 1. Family vehicle 2. Tea time 3. Mission family It may sound odd to the reader, but illnesses and injuries 4. Family journeys were a fundamental force that shaped the lives of the Albright 5. Lake Malawi family. From that night in November of 1958, when Max and 6. World Book Rodney were so violently sick from eating wild, green Encyclopedia tomatoes, sickness from one source or another had stayed with 7. Illnesses and the Albright family. Boils, upset stomachs, terrible injuries headaches131, malaria, head colds, dysentery and ear aches had thus far stricken the family. They had also endured stings, bites, cuts, and sprains. Max’s bout with cellucitus in his leg (March-May, 1959) had been the most serious illness thus far. The reader will learn more serious sickness and injuries will later occur. Twice to come Buddy will sit with a very sick Jean, expecting her to die and once to come Max will almost sink to his death. Mumps, measles, chicken pox, and hepatitis await them. Threats of cholera, small pox, meningitis, tuberculosis, and all kinds of disease viruses were always present132.
131 Buddy suffered from severe headaches the first few years in Africa. Although not exactly certain about what would trigger them, he learned that concrete dust would usually start one. He eventually went to an ex-army doctor in Salisbury who gave him much stronger anti-malaria medicine. He never had the headaches nor malaria again. 132 Incredibly, the family did not have any broken bones or snake bites the whole time in Africa.
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It was a serious matter when a family member became sick or was injured. There were no drug stores to conveniently get medicines from. The only medical physicians for all of central and northern Nyasaland were in Lilongwe. Severe illnesses or injuries had to be treated in Salisbury or Sanyati, Southern Rhodesia. Buddy and Jean kept a stock pile of medicines, ointments and salves to which they often went to treat fevers, cuts and upset stomachs. Taking the bitter malaria medicine was a weekly ritual, an ingrained practice for the family. Regardless, there were many times when the family had to change plans and activities because of sickness or injury.
Buddy reluctantly left the family the day after Ray entered the hospital to travel to Blantyre. He was a day late in meeting Dr. Goerner, and he knew the road would be muddy from the relentless rains. The only plane flight for the day was full. Fortunately, the Brays had to attend a meeting in Blantyre, so he rode with them. The trip took eight hours of difficult driving on slick muddy and rutted roads. Once in Blantyre, Buddy joined an important discussion about a new missionary couple who had been assigned to Nyasaland: the Thomases. Eugene and Betty Thomas with boys Stephen (seven years old) and David (four) were due to arrive in late March. They decided the new missionaries should study the language for six months in Blantyre and then for six months in Lilongwe. The new family could move into the mission house on Laws Avenue while the Albrights were on furlough to the States. Buddy flew back after the meeting to be with Ray on the child’s last evening in the hospital. He shared with Jean that Dr. Goerner had approved their furlough plans.
Every four years of mission service a missionary was allowed to return to the States (or home country) for a year of furlough, or stateside assignment service. This was the standard procedure for most all Southern Baptist missions at that time. The procedures have since changed and furlough schedules are much more flexible. During furlough, the missionaries are still on salary and are expected to become a voice piece for foreign missions in and around the state that they return to. They are expected to speak in as many churches and to as many church groups as possible. They are to speak at associational meetings of churches and attend associational functions that sponsor missions. They are to participate in regional and national meetings that stress missions. They fill the role as a missionary in residence and portray the story of Southern Baptist missions to home churches.
The one thing a Southern Baptist missionary on furlough is not supposed to do is solicit money for their own self. They can solicit financial support for the entire Southern Baptist mission effort (called the Cooperative Program), but not singularly for themselves. Each Southern Baptist missionary is paid through a salary that comes from the Cooperative Program monies. One of the blessings of this system is that a missionary on furlough can offer a message
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of thanks to a church rather than offer a begging hand. The other blessings are that it assures the missionary of a steady income (albeit a meager income) and a The Albrights were source of mission funds that is equitable to other Southern Baptist well into their fourth missionaries. Most all missionaries do have a special home church year of service and that “sponsors” them and provides special gifts to the family. Some having to make plans sponsor churches even provide housing for the missionary while on for their furlough.… furlough. But, the sponsor church is expected to send financial support to the Cooperative Program as well to benefit all missionaries around the world.
The Albrights were well into their fourth year of service and having to make plans for their furlough. They had known before leaving for Africa that they would spend the first furlough in the company of Jean’s parents, Cecil and Georgia Flowers. The Flowers had moved from Decatur, Georgia while the Albrights were in Southern Rhodesia and were living in the panhandle of Florida. Georgia Flowers had been suffering for several years from a degenerative hip bone that was causing her considerable pain. The warm Florida weather helped, but the humidity did not. Through correspondence and tape messages, the two families had decided to spend the furlough year together in Phoenix, Arizona. The dry heat climate was exactly what Georgia Flowers needed. In early February (1962), Jean sketched out the return plans by writing, “We’re planning on leaving in August133 and coming to Arizona. We want to make stops at Cincinnati airport for Figure 10-5. Jean with women’s group at the Petersburg and Georgetown and possibly Atlanta on office. 1962 way to Arizona.” Little did she know that all those plans would be thrown out the window.
Jean and Muriel Jean and Muriel Lanham had becomebusy in starting some Lanham became the women and children’s work. The two ladies worked well together best of friends and fed off each other’s energy. On February 7, they held their during the years in first women’s meeting that involved sewing and devotions. Four Lilongwe. African ladies attended. By early March there were 23 attending. The Sunday School lessons at the ‘office’ had grown to 30 kids and about twenty adults were attending the preaching service. Jean had even started Sunbeam
133 The Albrights had to get special permission from the mission to start their furlough in August since they had not arrived on the field until October. The 27 days traveling on the ship to Africa did not count towards their time on the field.
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classes on Sunday afternoons for very young boys and girls. There were 37 at one session. Jean had also joined a European Bible study group that met on Tuesday nights.
Jean and Muriel Lanham became the best of friends during the years in Lilongwe. Jean never found a closer friend in Africa. The two ladies shared their lives, their time and their families. Their children spent considerable time together, seeing each other almost every day. Morgan Lanham and Rodney almost immediately became fast friends. In some ways, Morgan became the fourth Albright boy. The telephone line between the two houses stayed warm, mostly from Jean and Muriel talking to each other over it. Muriel’s husband, John, worked as the manager of the telephone service for Lilongwe. He would comment that Jean and Muriel were his main customers. In fact, he said, his business would ‘throw down’ if they ever stopped talking as much as they did on the phone. John remarked, “I do get numerous complaints from Jean about the telephone service, but she won’t give time for that instrument to cool down”!
Max turned ten years old on February 10 (1962). At his request, there was no party but there was a special dinner. The piece for Jean’s stove had arrived and Buddy repaired it the day before the birthday134. So, Max was able to have a cake. He also was given a watch (that Buddy had bought in Nigeria) and a globe for his desk. Two days later, he received a birthday box from the US that had even more gifts. Max kept himself busy with Cub meetings, with stamp collecting, and with picture taking by his new camera. Buddy would set up the dark room in the kitchen at night and everyone gathered in to watch the whole marvel of the photographic development process (black and white prints). Buddy had also helped Max build a soap box derby car. They had taken some scrap wood and nailed old skates on to be the wheels.
A new American family arrived in Lilongwe with the Church of Christ mission, the Higginbothams (Press and Marriane). They moved into the last (third) rental house that the Albrights had lived in. Their fridge was delayed in arriving, so Jean would run a tray of ice by their house everyday as she came to pick Ray up at nursery school. Within a very short time, the Higginbothams (Church of Christ), Brays (Assemblies of God) and Albrights (Southern Baptist) formed a close friendship, often getting together for teas and meals.
The rains were tapering off by the end of February. Far above the clouds, John Glenn had successfully circled the earth three times in Friendship 7 as the first manned orbital mission of the US. Buddy made a very short trip to an EC meeting in Southern Rhodesia, returning in time for a visit by the Westers and Kingsleys. The three families filled the Laws Avenue mission house with two or three people sleeping in every room. For one meal, they cooked up 40 ears of corn on the cob, roasted two ducks, had peas, fried okra, potatoes and gravy, bean salad, and
134 Her stove had been broken since before Christmas. This was equivalent to tying her right hand behind her back for that long.
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chocolate pudding with dream whip and a cherry on top. The children played non-stop. Jean and the boys were able to see baby Mary Frances for the first time. The Kingsleys moved into their new mission house in Blantyre a couple of weeks later.
The yard of the mission house was under an intense transformation. Buddy had hired several extra men to help Yosek get the yard and garden into shape. There was brush that had to be cleared and trees that needed to be planted. A large garden plot was created, held in place by a rock wall. Grass was being planted in some areas and bushes in other areas.
Since the week long revival in late November (1961), Buddy had been focusing on the discipleship of new believers and the training of lay pastors. With the eleven who had made a decision at the revival, he had started a new believer’s class that taught fundamental Christian tenets and basic Baptist beliefs. They would meet once a week at the office in the African township. These were the first converts that Buddy could credit to his service. His spirit lifted as he realized that his talents were starting to be multiplied. Buddy knew that these were low numbers, but this was laying a foundation. It was important work. From these early classes, believers would step forward to become leaders in the church. It was the training of the lay pastors that lifted Buddy’s spirits even more.
Shortly after the revival, the sole ordained pastor of the Achewa branch of the PIM church, Rev. Kankalamba, approached Buddy and requested that he teach and prepare four lay pastors for ordination. Buddy seized the opportunity and day long classes began at the office every Wednesday. The five men would come in by bicycle from their villages, stay all day, and then cycle home135. Jean brought over the lunches and these indigenous lay pastors learned to eat stew, cornbread, and other strange American foods. Most importantly, they learned the Bible and they learned about the Christian faith. The young missionary patiently taught the essential elements of the Old and New Testaments, the basic precepts of Christianity, the path of the believer, and Baptist doctrine. He also taught standard church administration and sermon preparation. It was classic small group training. But Figure 10-6. Rev. Kankalamba. Buddy learned an incredible amount as well. Besides honing his Mid-1960s language skills even more and he began to see through these lay
135 Early on Buddy noticed Rev. Kankalamba repairing a flat bicycle tire inner tube with twine from a sisal plant. A quick count revealed 28 such home made patches to the inner tube. Buddy quietly gave Rev Kankalamba two new inner tubes for his bike. A few days later, a small boy led a goat up to the Albright’s home: a thank-you gift from the African pastor. The market value of the goat could have bought many new inner tubes.
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pastors the everyday challenges and constraints that these men faced in their villages. As he schooled the men in the Bible, they schooled him in real African village culture.
In retrospect, these once a week training sessions, the new believer’s class and the lay pastors, was God’s way of taking Buddy’s mind off his frustrations and putting Buddy’s attention on something that he was good at: teaching. God was preparing him for a life style of teaching. And God started Buddy out with two small groups knowing that the missionary needed to be trained himself on how to teach Africans in the context of their culture. The training sessions confirmed to Buddy an idea that he had been pondering on for a while: the creation of an intense, focused time of teaching African lay pastors and believers. It was an idea of a Bible school that met daily for several weeks at a time. Buddy began to plan the format of the first Bible school with Bill Wester and Gene Kingsley.
In mid-March, Buddy had started a third preaching point in a nearby village. There was a pressing need for lay pastors for these preaching points. The dates for first Bible school had been set for May. It was Buddy and Jean’s prayer that lay pastors would step forward as a result of this Bible school. …the origin of the Peace It was about this time that Sergeant Shriver Corps program in… appeared at the doorstep of the mission house one Sunday Malawi…started at the evening. He came as a Peace Corps representative from doorstep of the Laws the office of the US President, John F. Kennedy. The Avenue mission house. Peace Corps program had been formed in March, 1961 but did not get funding from Congress until September. So the Peace Corps were now scouting out African countries where they might send workers. Buddy had unofficially been appointed as the ‘keyman’ by the US Consulate in Salisbury, meaning that he was responsible for keeping track of the few Americans that there were in central and northern Nyasaland. Buddy was also supposed to report to the Consulate any dangerous conditions that might come up as the Nyasaland Africans pressed for independence. The US government knew that Nyasaland would be independent in a couple of years, and were working behind the back of the Federation government to get assistance ready. Sergeant Shriver had come to deliver a clandestine message to Dr. Banda about the US’s promise of help and he knew that Buddy could get him to the right people. Dr. Banda’s second in charge on the Legislative Council lived in Lilongwe and owned a hotel not far from the African open air market. This was who Buddy set a meeting up with.
They met together at the hotel about 10:00 P.M. that very evening. The room was full of African leaders and chiefs. Buddy made formal introductions recognizing the ‘Ngwazi Hastings Kamuzu Banda’ as well as ‘President John Fitzgerald Kennedy’, though neither were in the room. Once the formalities were over, the attention turned to Sergeant Shriver. He stated that
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the US knew Dr. Banda wanted to develop a massive education program immediately after independence and the US was offering teachers. The message to Dr. Banda was: how many teachers? The second in charge responded with a story. He recalled that when he was a child, word came through the villages that Americans would come to help the Africans. And now it was true. At the close of the meeting, the African leaders told Sergeant Shriver to ‘tell Jack hello’, meaning JFK.
The message was delivered to Dr. Banda and a response was secreted back to the US Consulate in Salisbury. That late night meeting was the origin of the Peace Corps program in the present day nation of Malawi. It started at the doorstep of the Laws Avenue mission house.
The Thomases arrived in Nyasaland on March 25 (1962) as the newest Southern Baptist missionaries. There was a mix up in timetables and their furniture was being shipped from the US as they arrived in Africa. The family moved into the rental home in Blantyre that the Kingsleys had been in. The Westers and Kingsleys loaned them some essential furniture. Buddy, Jean and Ray drove the Hillman down to Blantyre so that the Thomases would have a car to drive around for a while. Press Higginbotham rode the 200 miles with the Albrights. After meeting the Thomases (Cliff and Betty), Press drove the three Albrights back to Lilongwe in a new car that had come for him from the US. Muriel Lanham took care of Max and Rodney while the others were away.
Rodney celebrated his eighth birthday on the day after April 5. He had a party with about a dozen boys. They all watched some Walt Disney film strips, ate Figure 10-7. Swimming pool at Bishop MacKenzie School. cake, sang some funny songs and played games. Jean made two cakes with holes in the center and then laid them side by side to form the number eight. White fluffy icing covered the giant number. The week before, a new swimming pool opened at Bishop MacKenzie school with a dedication gala. There were races, life saving demonstrations and clowning acts in the water. The school served tea as well of course. The pool was open every day in the late afternoon for swimming.
About that time, Buddy had received a letter from Dickie, his younger brother. Dickie was planning on getting married and he wanted Buddy to perform the ceremony. Buddy had received several letters from Dickie over the last couple of years and knew about the budding romance. He had already surmised that it would eventually lead to a wedding. He kidded with Dickie
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about trying to save some money by having his older brother be the minister, and then Buddy offered some sage advice, “It’s not the original investment that hurts – it’s the upkeep afterwards.”
Furlough plans were being firmed up. Airplanes were now the mode of long distance travel. Ships were losing popularity to high speed commercial jets. Airplane flights between Europe and Africa had become frequent and dependable. The Albrights planned to leave Lilongwe on the 18th of August, be in Georgetown, Kentucky (Buddy’s home town) from August 25 -31, then to Atlanta until September 4, and then on to Phoenix in time to get the boys into school. They also planned to see some of Europe on the way to the US. One day in Athens, one day in Amsterdam and one day in London. It did not quite work out that way.
All families have idiosyncrasies that cannot be fully explained. For instance, some families are invariably late to everything, some families always seem to have someone suffering from a sickness, some families cannot keep a car running for very long, and some families cannot throw anything away. The Albrights had a trait of not being able to take just a ‘normal’ trip. Something unusual or entirely unexpected would invariably occur. The Albrights had a Evidence cited would be some of the trips to Salisbury when they trait of not being ran out of gas or slogged across washed out roads, or had the engine able to take just a catch on fire. SOMETHING always seemed to happen on every ‘normal’ trip. trip. Why would they expect the furlough trip to be any different?
The Thomases drove up to Lilongwe on April 14. They were given a tour of Lilongwe in the Jeep. It was either the jeep fumes or something else that caused Cliff Thomas to get very sick that evening. He revived somewhat on Sunday and was ready to head back to Blantyre on Monday. On the drive up from Blantyre, Cliff realized that there was no mechanical service to be found anywhere along the 200 mile route, so he was very nervous about the return trip. He had Buddy check the Hillman over before leaving. Buddy had already put two new tires and a new battery into the Hillman for them. It made Buddy smile because the Albrights would just jump into a vehicle and take off. If something broke, they would fix it along the way.
Mid-April (1962) saw two school events. A three day Vacation Bible School was held at the office in the African township. Buddy and Jean had spent a lot time preparing the school and then putting it on. They also had their weekly commitments of Bible studies, pastor training and women’s meetings. Mid-April also saw the end of the first term at Bishop MacKenzie. Max and Rodney welcomed the holiday. The new pool was now open both in the morning and in the afternoon and they hardly missed a day to swim
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Mission meeting started on April 24 at the seminary in Gwelo, Southern Rhodesia. It lasted for a week, as usual. There was Vacation Bible School, Royal Ambassadors, and Girls in Action for the missionary kids. The adults deliberated and discussed mission policy, plans and projects. Jean and Buddy were very glad to be able to visit with dear friends in the large mission community. There were several new faces in the group and there were some missing faces of those on furlough. Jean reflected that she may not see some again for two to three years because of her up coming furlough. Overall, it was a wonderful time.
Buddy was into car trading again during the mission meeting, as he had done the previous year. This time he did not buy anything but he sold the Willis Jeep. He had bought it for US$ 600 a year earlier. Now he sold it for US$ 225. The Albrights had driven it to mission meeting through Northern Rhodesia, a 29 hour ordeal, and were dreading the trip back in the old rattle trap. The Jeep needed quite a bit of mechanical work so Buddy was glad to unload it. He calculated that he had put 15,000 miles on it and US$ 375 into it. Jean calculated it a different way, stating that all things considered, “we came out even Steven on the Jeep.” The Central African Mission had assigned a car to the Thomases, so the Albrights had their Hillman waiting for them in Limbe.
After mission meeting, the Albrights visited with the Neely family in Bulawayo and spent a day at the annual Trade Fair held outside of town. They caught a train back to Limbe in Salisbury after visiting with the Joneses. Not surprisingly, the train trip was much easier than pounding over 400 miles over rough, dirt roads for thirteen hours136. Once back in Limbe, the family loaded up into their familiar Hillman Husky and drove the 200 miles to Lilongwe, arriving home on May 9. The second term of school had started on the 8th.
Buddy and Jean were starting to feel overwhelmed. They counted the days left until they rolled out of Lilongwe on furlough and they looked at all the tasks that had to get during those days. It looked almost hopeless. This would be a familiar scene on all subsequent furloughs – the final mad dash, so to speak.
Near the end of May (1962), the four Southern Baptist missionary families in Nyasaland gathered at the Grand Beach Hotel on Lake Nyasa. There were nineteen of them in three cabins. The weather had turned almost too cool to swim, but this was more than a vacation. The four couples needed to discuss how to cover the work in Lilongwe while the Albrights were away, how to get the Thomases launched on the right path, and how the upcoming Bible School was to go. This was a mini-mission meeting in most all respects. The first real focused meeting of just
136 Surprisingly, the Albrights faired real well on the return trip. Bill Wester broke down twice and Gene Kingsley bent his fender so bad it took two hours of work on the side of the road to straighten it enough to limp back to Salisbury for a week of repairs.
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the four Nyasaland missionary families, not counting dining table discussions or late night talks. Jean recorded that, “the trip to the lake was just grand.”
Another first began a week later on May 29: the Bible School for African lay pastors. Buddy, Bill Wester and Gene Kingsley had been planning for this event for several months. The seed of thought had been planted by Dr. Georner on his first visit to Lilongwe almost two years earlier (July, 1960). The idea was confirmed in Buddy’s heart after the November (1961) revival when he taught four lay pastors of the PIM Achewa branch. The Bible School was not seminary level teaching, but a program to train lay preachers for several weeks at a go. Actually, anyone who wanted to be taught the Bible could attend. Training that would include Biblical theology, Baptist beliefs and practical church administration. Buddy had been spreading the word about the Bible School to all the villages he visited, trying to build interest. Bill Wester was bringing a group of men from Blantyre. One of the men had been a witch doctor in a village who now wanted to be a pastor. The yard helper of the Kingsleys wanted to be a pastor as well, so he was coming. Gerald Harvey was coming to make pictures. Rev. Abel Mziramsanga137, pastor of the Harare Baptist Church in Salisbury was coming as a teacher for the first two weeks.
The Bible School ran for five weeks, from May 28 to June 29 (1962). About a dozen men attended the entire time. Buddy had rented two small houses in an African township of Kawala (cah-wah-la). Bambo Bonzo and his family lived in one house. The second house was used as a dormitory and classroom for the Bible school. Gene Kingsley, Bill Wester, and Abel Mziramsanga taught different sessions on different weeks. There were 66 devotional times in the five weeks, one devotion on each book in the Bible. Max, Rodney and Ray were thrilled to have their ‘uncles’ staying at the house. Buddy taught almost every day, but was also the logistics manager. Tea breaks, meals, and numerous other details had to be seen to. He also became an emergency mechanic having to tear down the engine of the Hillman one afternoon and send the pieces to Blantyre by night bus. He cycled over to the Bible School for a while.
Africans typically love to sing and this group of men at the Bible School were no exception. Without the aid of musical instruments (too expensive to own), their voices resonated in pure a cappella. The weighty, bass voices blended with the tenors in rhythmic unison. One of the men would lead each song in typical African call and response manner138. One such song was Kuli Dziko Labwino M’Mwamba or There Is A Land That Is Fairer Than Day (In The Sweet By and By)139. The first verse and chorus when like this:
137 See Section Two for more about Rev. Mziramsanga. 138 Call and response meant that a song leader sings a line (of first part of a line) and the congregation answers him with the same line. There were few song books because only a few people could read, plus new members to the congregation did not know the songs. The call and response technique resolved both of these issues. 139 Words: Sanford F. Bennett, 1868. Music: Joseph P. Webster, 1868
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Chinyanja Version English Translation English Version Kuli dziko labwino There is a good place that There's a land that is fairer m’Mwamba shines than day Lakuwala koposa dzuwa’ brighter than the sun And by faith we can see it afar Yesu atikonzera malo Jesus loves the wicked For the Father waits over the way Pokhalira ife komweko. to say with him in that place. To prepare us a dwelling place there Bwinoli tipita, To the good place we go In the sweet by and by Tikomana mwa Dziko lija. We are meeting in that Name We shall meet on that beautiful shore Bwinoli tipita, To the good place we go In the sweet by and by Tikomana mwa Dziko lija. We are meeting in that Name We shall meet on that beautiful shore
This first Bible school was a pivotal event in several different ways. It brought Buddy face to face with his call to be a missionary. It brought men It brought Buddy face forward to be church leaders. It brought a pattern into place for to face with his call to all future mission work in Lilongwe, even present day Malawi. be a missionary.
The outcome of the first Bible school was highly successful, beyond the dreams of Buddy. Confining a group of men together for five weeks will either create bonds of brotherhood or ignite brands of hatred. It was brotherhood that emerged. The daily training sessions, the shared meals, the enriching devotions, the nightly talk sessions galvanized the group of men. They began to see each other as brothers in Christ with kindred spirits, not Africans or missionaries or black or white. One of the lay pastors said in his evaluation of the Bible school, “I learned something important: that God could love other people from other tribes.” God moved through that first Bible school to knock down barriers and build relationships. In those five weeks, more Christian growth, more unity, and more commitment had been experienced than during the entire three and a half years that Buddy and Jean had been serving on the field.
The course of Buddy’s life changed forever in those few weeks. As Buddy started the Bible school he had all but decided that he would not return to Africa for another term of service. He was discouraged, frustrated and heavy hearted. He doubted whether his call to Africa had been real, or something of his own desire. Before he had left for Africa, a large Baptist church in Florence, Kentucky had approached him to become their pastor. Now he regretted that he had
Volume 1 – Section 10 A Clear Vision (1961-1962) Page 172 turned the position down. At 34 years of age Buddy knew he could easily find a pastorate at a small or medium sized church in the US. He knew he and Jean could serve their Lord, impact lives, and advance the Kingdom with certainty in the States. It seemed they could not in Africa. That opinion changed as the Bible school progressed.
Buddy was amazed at the power and effectiveness of the training school. He saw how God blessed it beyond measure. He saw the countenance of men visibly change before him. Most importantly, he saw God’s vision for him in Africa. It became clear to Buddy that training and equipping groups of lay pastors would impact the multitude of Africans around Lilongwe more surely and swiftly than anything that he could do by himself. He also saw the value in building unity and brotherhood among the lay pastors in a group setting. The first Bible school caused Buddy to confront his discouragement and frustrations. By the end of the Bible school, Buddy had resolved to remain a missionary, that his calling had been true. He also resolved to change the way he did mission work.
Buddy decided to turn his focus from assisting the PIM churches around Lilongwe to now teaching and preparing cadres of lay pastors who would disperse through the villages and build groups of believers. This was a momentous change. It It would be a mission would be a mission philosophy that Buddy would follow philosophy that Buddy would for the remainder of his time in Africa. Since arriving in follow for the remainder of Nyasaland, Buddy and Jean did not have a firm vision of his time in Africa. what kind of work they should actually be doing. The task of assisting the PIM churches was placed on them by the Central African Mission, but Buddy only encountered roadblocks in this effort. He could not get a decisive answer from Dr. Malekebu about cooperation. His only success had been working with Rev. Kankalamba in the offshoot Achewa branch of the PIM. It was a very limited success at that. Now Buddy and Jean had a vision. Buddy would still assist the Achewa branch, but most of his energy would now go into Bible schools and shepherding the African lay pastors.
Before leaving the topic of the first Bible school, two more stories must be told, stories of two men who attended. One was Bambo (Mr.) Jackson Makhaya, the yard helper of the Kingsleys who felt called to preach. Bambo Makhaya came not knowing what this Bible school was all about, and not sure what preaching was all about either. The young man listened to the missionaries, preachers, and other African men at the school. He listened intensely to the open discussions in the evenings that often lasted way into the night. The more he learned, the hungrier he became to learn more. In those weeks he had a personal encounter with the Lord. The call to preach was confirmed to him. Without knowing how he would support himself and his family, Bambo Makhaya committed his life to preaching. In the years to come, he became a powerful preacher and emboldened warrior for the Lord, one of the stalwart pillars in the
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Southern Baptist mission in Malawi. He even became a missionary in his own country, starting a church in Nkotakota.
The second story is of Bambo Stephen Galatiya, a rich business man in South Africa who was a believer and a Baptist. Bambo Galatiya had his wealth seized by the South African authorities, and penniless, he returned to his home village near Blantyre140. Not long after, he visited the Baptist church in Blantyre and he met Gene Kingsley. Gene told him of a Bible school which was to be held in Lilongwe and invited him to attend. Bambo Galatiya walked the first hundred miles to the town of Ncheu to save money, and then he caught a bus for the second hundred miles. He arrived at the Albright’s front door right at lunch time on the first day of the school. Buddy greeted him and welcomed him to the lunch table. Seeing that Bambo Galatiya was covered in dust from the trip, Buddy offered him a chance to wash up before eating. Expecting to hear sink water, the family was surprised to hear the bathtub filling. Bambo Galatiya had taken one wistful look at the bathtub, knowing full well what this European contrivance was from his past days of luxury, and yielded to the temptation of a warm, soaking bath. Bambo Galatiya came to the school already as a strong believer, and left with the commitment to be a pastor. He started a church in Limbe and went on to become one of the strongest leaders of the Southern Baptist Church in Malawi.
These were two men were led by the Spirit to the first Bible school. They heard God’s call for their lives and they followed the plan that God had prepared for them. No greater privilege can a missionary have than to know that God worked through him/her to forever transform the lives of others. This was the blessing that Buddy felt from the first Bible school.
During an afternoon on the fourth week of the Bible school (June 21), Ray suffered some severe burns. He was exploring behind the servant’s quarters at the Laws Avenue mission house when he encountered a small mound of ashes. These were ashes from the cook fires of the African helpers. His four year-old curiosity took charge and he stepped into the margins of the mound, excited to see clear imprints of his shoes in the cold, shallow ashes. For reasons unknown, he slipped off his shoes and stepped deeper into the ash mound, taking several slow steps to make a firm imprint. By the time he felt the burning sensation, his feet were deep into the ash mound. Racing back to the house the pain grew with each “I have burnt feets.” step. His feet were on fire. Ointments and cold water did little to reduce the searing pain. Jean had to call John Lanham to get Ray to the hospital since Buddy was still at the Bible School. The doctor treated and bandaged his feet. Blisters had started to swell between all his toes, on the bottoms and edges of both feet. A tablet of codeine put Ray into a merciful sleep. The next day, lying in bed with the covers draped over a chair in the bed
140 Once back home he found out he was rich again. His family had regularly purchased cattle with the money he had been sending home. Their investment made him a very rich man.
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so they would not touch his feet, Ray told Muriel Lanham, “I have burnt feets.” It would be a couple of weeks before he could walk again.
Muriel Lanham had a very sick girl on her hands. Betti Ann had suffered another bout of rheumatic fever (her fourth or fifth round) sending the eleven year-old back to bed. The health and strength of her heart was of utmost concern. The doctor told Muriel to forget about school for the poor girl this year.
It was early July (1962). Bishop MacKenzie held its annual Field Day with the four houses competing against each other. Max and Rodney were in many of the races. Buddy and Jean were starting to pack some metal barrels with some kitchen items and clothes items that they would need for their year in the States. Jean was planning on buying new sheets, towels, pillows and such when she arrived there. She planned to do a lot of shopping in the US to supply the family for the next four years in Africa. Buddy was in correspondence with a realtor in Phoenix trying to have a rental house lined up for them before they arrived. He was not having much success. One thing was that they could not decide how many bedrooms were needed. There would be seven people in the house (Albrights plus Flowers), and they thought they might need a guest bedroom and they thought that Aunt Ruth Albright (Buddy’s Great Aunt) might come spend the year with them. The FMB would provide $115 a month housing allowance regardless of what size house they rented.
Ray’s feet were healing nicely. The burnt skin on both feet had peeled off, leaving a pink, healthy new skin. He still could not walk very well and had to be carried from spot to spot in the house. He was getting very tired of sitting. He did join the family to celebrate the 4th of July at the Bray’s house. The Higginbothams were there as well. They cooked hamburgers and ate three freezers of ice cream. Ray was able to put his shoes back on by the 8th of July, but his feet were still peeling.
July was a busy month for Buddy and Jean. There were numerous loose ends that had to be tied up before the departure date for furlough. There were numerous questions that had to be answered about what to pack, what to store, what to sell, what to give away and what to throw away. There were numerous details that needed attending to Stateside about a temporary post office address, the schedule for visiting family and friends, Dickie’s wedding (to be August 31), and the Flowers moving their belongings to Phoenix. And there still needed to be some normality of routine in the family life as kids went to school and mission work stayed on track. Buddy even had to attend an EC meeting in Southern Rhodesia between July 6 and the 14.
At the end of July (1962), the Albrights made a short trip to the Luangwa game reserve in Northern Rhodesia, but not before attending school concert. Bishop MacKenzie held their
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traditional school concert on July 27 and 28. Max was ‘Kobus’ in the play of The Poppenkast, a Dutch tale.
At Luangwa, they stayed in a cottage at the Nsefu Camp this time, which operated the same as the one at Big Lagoon, except it was situated right beside the Luangwa River. One night Buddy was stirred from his bed by the sound of mice nibbling crackers in the food box. No, the sound came from the front It was a hippopotamus… door. Was something chewing on the door? Buddy listened a huge one… [its] dark and then carefully opened the door. The Hillman sat parked profile was larger than not far from the door stoop, its side profile clearly visible in the car. the darkness. The sound was coming from the other side of the car. Slowly an image emerged in the darkness. It was a hippopotamus which had come out of the river, a huge one, and it was eating sausage fruit141 which the boys had collected that day while touring the game reserve. The hippo’s dark profile was larger than the car. Buddy watched for a while then silently stepped back into the room, closing the door behind him. That was a big mouse! During the days at the reserve, the family greatly enjoyed seeing all the various African animals. Luangwa is known for having the greatest number of different animals in one area. Warthogs, hippos and giraffes were always a favorite to watch. The elephants were just awesome.
In early August, the family said good-bye to Pepper, their black cocker spaniel. Pets are one of the more difficult things to deal with when preparing for a furlough. It is not easy to find someone who will take care of a full grown dog or cat for a full year. And it feels like you are leaving a member of the family behind. Pepper was a little over two years old with still a lot of “puppy” energy in her. Buddy found Pepper a home with a South African family with several kids at a mission called Nkhoma. Their dog had recently died and Pepper was readily welcomed. Although the family spoke Afrikaans in the house, they only spoke English to Pepper because they knew that was what the dog understood. The South African family loved Pepper so much that Buddy did not have the heart to claim the dog back when he returned the next year. Many years later, Pepper was taken over by an elderly, single English woman and the dog lived out its days as the center of adoration.
One day, during the first week of August, Max came home from …Max was covered school with a fever. Within five days Max was covered in the in the measles. measles. Jean and Buddy were not aware that measles had been moving through the school. Now they knew. And they also knew that Rodney and Ray had
141 Sausage fruit comes from the sausage tree (Kigelia pinnata) which was so named because the fruit hangs from the limbs on ropelike stalks and looks like giant sausages. The fruit can be up to two feet long, six inches across and weigh fifteen pounds, just like a huge sausage. Not the best choice of a tree to stand under for a long time.
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been fully exposed. And they also knew that they were due to fly out of Salisbury in a matter of days. These were the ‘German’ measles, meaning they could cause blindness if not properly cared for. They had no choice but to stay on their schedule for wrapping things up and getting to the States.
Ray’s fifth birthday party (August 15) had already been postponed until the family would be back in the States. Ray was OK with this, figuring that it meant more and better presents142. The movers arrived that day to put the furniture into storage (into a storeroom built by Buddy beside the servants quarters). The Thomases would be moving into the Laws Avenue mission house in March, next year. Max was almost back to full strength from his bout of the measles. But that evening, as the family took up lodging in the Lilongwe Hotel, Rodney and Ray were warm with a fever. Jean at first thought that their bath water had been too hot, but she soon conceded they both had the measles.
On the 18th of August, 1962, the Albrights boarded the little Beaver aircraft and flew to Blantyre. The Hillman was in storage in the corner of a Lilongwe garage. Andrew and Yosek had already returned to their villages with some bonus money to help carry them through the year. Jean had sewn matching ‘traveling’ shirts for her three boys to wear to Salisbury. Each Albright also had a suitcase of clothes to travel with. The five of them and their baggage completely filled the little Beaver. The pilot agreed and flew low over the Lanham’s house. The Lanhams spilled out to wave at the circling airplane. It would be a year before the two families would see each other again.
Figure 10-8. A DC-3 airbus much like the one the Albrights flew to Salisbury. Early At Blantyre, a DC-3 airbus carried them to 1960s Salisbury the same day. Jean kept her two fevered boys apart from the crowd as much as possible. Buddy and Jean reasoned that it would be best to weather out the measles in Salisbury near both medical help and the international airport. As soon as the boys were not contagious, they could catch a flight out to the States. They had already called the Westers, Kingsleys and Thomases to say good-bye not wanting to inoculate those families with measles in a farewell visit.
Two days later Rodney and Ray broke out head to toe in measles. Rodney seemed to have it the worse of the two and much worse than Max had been. The family was camped in an empty mission house set up for visiting missionary families. The Joneses were next door and
142 He actually ended up with three birthday parties in the States.
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graciously tended to the stricken family. All travel plans had been cancelled and Buddy was working with a travel agency to get new ones in place. The reader may recall that sickness was identified as a fundamental force that shaped the lives of the Albright family. This bout of measles are a case in point. Jean was watching over two very sick boys. They lay in a darkened bedroom, burning with fever. Too sick to eat or drink. This was a severe case of the German measles. It could be many days before The only person they would be ready to travel. Rodney even developed a bad ear enjoying himself infection while he had the measles adding even more misery and was Max. discomfort to the poor boy. The only person enjoying himself was Max. He was now immune to the measles and feeling 100 percent better. During the days he played with the Joneses, ate fish and chips, enjoyed soft ice cream, and drank fresh milk. During the evenings he watched black and white TV shows.
Across the Atlantic Ocean, two telegraph cables were opened with wonder. Cecil and Georgia Flowers were at Glorietta, a Baptist Camp in New Mexico when they opened their cable. They were making their way to Phoenix, Arizona to await the Albrights. They read the cable message with surprise and felt the dismay and despair that the family must be going through in Salisbury. But, the elderly Flowers were in no particular rush, they would patiently wait and welcome the Albrights whenever they arrived. The second cable was opened by Dickie Albright in Kentucky, who was in a countdown to be married. A shock ran though him as he realized that his wedding minister might not make it back to the States in time for the ceremony. He had less than two weeks to find a substitute.
So began the Albright’s first furlough.
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word, what a glory He sheds on our way! While we do His good will He abides with us still, and with all who will trust and obey. Hymn of Trust and Obey. Words by John H. Sammis. Music by Daniel B. Towner
Reference Sources:
1) International Mission Board Archives and Record Service. Solomon Databases. http://archives.imb.org/solomon.htm. Minutes of 1962 (January, July).
2) Letter to Cecil and Georgia Flowers from Buddy. 1962. Jan 4.
3) Letters to Cecil and Georgia Flowers from Jean. 1961. Sep 28, Nov 1, Nov 12, Nov 22, Nov 26, Dec 4, Dec 13, Dec 31. 1962. Jan 7, Jan 14, Jan 21, Jan 29, Feb 2, Feb 7, Feb 12, Feb 16, Feb 26, Mar 4, Mar 9, Mar 19, Mar 26, Apr 2, Apr 11, May 4, May 11, May 13, May 22, Jun 3, Jun 13, Jun 22, Jul 2, Jul 10, Jul 17?, Jul 27, Aug 9, Aug 21.
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4) Letters to Cecil and Georgia Flowers from Max. 1962. Feb 19.
5) Letter to Dick Albright from Buddy. 1961. Nov 1. 1962, Feb 2, Apr 9, May 18, Jun 13(from Jean),
6) Letter to Mrs. Loden from Jean. 1961. Oct 9.
7) Letters to Ruth Albright from Buddy and Jean. 1961. Nov 22. 1962. Feb 6, Mar 8, May 11,
8) Personal Interview of Buddy and Jean Albright. 2000. Microcassette #1. Interviewer: Ray Albright
9) Personal Communications with Buddy and Jean Albright. 2004 – 2006.
10) Recorded Tape to Cecil and Georgia Flowers. October 20, 1961, April 17, 1962.
Volume 1 – Section 10
In the Light of His Word Volume 1
Section 11 First Furlough
“We rented a partly furnished house, so have been to lots of auctions.” Jean Albright, October 2, 1962
The airplane bounced as its wheels touched the concrete runway. The aircraft bounced again and then slowed, it had landed at the Cincinnati airport. The five Albrights on board were weary and woozy, but glad to know the trip from Africa was over. As they walked down the ramp from the plane to the ground, the summertime humidity engulfed them like a hot, wet blanket. Buddy and Jean recognized the old familiar feel of an August afternoon. The bright daylight was at odds with their body clocks which were eight hours ahead in time. Their bodies said it should have been the wee hours of the morning, the best sleeping time, instead of mid- afternoon. There at the airport terminal gate stood Jim Woodruff, the husband of Buddy’s sister Doris. Jim was there to whisk the family off to Dickie Albright’s wedding in Shelbyville, Kentucky. The ceremony was to take place in just a few hours. Buddy blinked away his weariness and picked up the pace towards the terminal. The day’s work was not yet over. He still had to preside over a wedding. It was August, 31, 1962143.
The Albrights had flown out of Salisbury on Figure 11-1. Rod and Max in Amsterdam, Holland. 1962 August 26, 1962, a week later than originally planned. Rodney and Ray were still weak from their bout of the measles, but eager nonetheless to ride in an airplane and get to the States. The family had boarded a KLM-Royal Dutch Airline Douglas DC-8 bound for Amsterdam, Holland144, but with a stop over in Johannesburg, South Africa first. The stewardesses offered games and chocolate candies to the children. In Amsterdam, the family stayed at a bed and
143 According to passport stamp. 144 It was Jean’s wish to visit Holland.
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breakfast hotel near the Royal Palace. They toured the city by foot and bus, visited the flower market, took a boat ride on a scenic canal, and had a Dutch tea with cheese and pastries. They bought a large wheel of cheese which they carried with them to the US, even on to Phoenix. The custom of wearing wooden cogs caught their fancy so, after touring a workshop that made the cogs by hand, they each bought a pair. Late on the 28th, they left by rail for Rotterdam to then cross the English Channel and arrive in London, England (Liverpool Central Station). From the train, the charming beauty of the Dutch countryside amazed them. The tulip fields were not in bloom, but the patchwork of fields and farms was strikingly picturesque, nonetheless. A ferry trip of about four hours carried them across the Channel from Hoek Van Holland to Harwich145, and then it was by rail again to London. Waiting for the train in Harwich, Jean almost greeted a black man, who came up beside them, in Chinyanja. She stopped her mouth mid-word. She knew that she was going to have to recalibrate that custom.
They spent two nights in London, staying in a very nice hotel that had been booked in Salisbury. They saw many of the tourist spots in London: Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus, and Big Ben. They rode the double decked busses, watched the Bobbies, and drank good, hot English tea. Buddy led the family to Westminster Abby, to a large bronze memorial plaque embedded in the floor of the Abby that marked the grave of David Livingstone. Buddy silently gazed at the words on the plaque and his mind returned to years of long ago. Buddy had followed the call of David Livingstone to Africa. He had read all the books that David Livingstone had written. He had followed the path of David Livingstone in Nyasaland. He had stood at the very lake that David Livingstone had seen and he had walked under the very tree that …Buddy was David Livingstone had camped under. Now Buddy was standing standing where his where his hero was buried. It was a deep, emotional moment for the hero was buried. young missionary.
Around seven or eight in the evening of the 30th, the family boarded a PanAmerican Airlines ‘Clipper’, a four-engine propeller aircraft. Max was bitterly disappointed that they could not fly one of the new jet engine aircrafts. About seventeen hours later, the Clipper set the family down at the New York International Airport. The flight had made one stop in Reykjavik, Iceland and had served only one meal: scrambled eggs which were cooked in flight by the stewardesses. At the airport in New York the five Albrights went through customs and immigration146. Hurray, they were back in the States! About mid-day, a DC-7 carried the family from New York to the Cincinnati airport.
145 Arrived after midnight on August 29, 1962 according to passport stamp. 146 The Immigration officials issued the family a quarantine card for possibly having smallpox. They had to carry the card for the next two weeks in case someone came down with smallpox.
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Jim Woodruff did not rush the world travelers straight to Shelbyville for the wedding. They went to Georgetown, Kentucky first, to Buddy’s hometown147. There in Georgetown, the five Albrights were welcomed by Buddy’s mother, Jasmine or ‘Nanny’ to all, and by Buddy’s sisters Boots, Bonnie, Doris and Pat and their families. Buddy’s only brother, Dickie, was, of course, in Shelbyville preparing for the wedding. Dickie was very glad to hear the voice of his older brother on the phone, who was also his wedding minister. Dickie’s bride to be, Anna, had never met this older brother and had expressed some concern that her wedding minister might not make it halfway across the world in time. Nanny emphatically told her soon to be daughter-in- law, “When Buddy Albright says that he will be there, then he WILL be there.”
Everyone was there at the wedding ceremony, except Ray. His body clock had wound down and nothing could keep the five year-old awake. As Dickie and Anna stood at the alter before Buddy, watched by a packed out church of family, relations, friends, acquaintances, and guests, Ray was sound asleep in Jim’s car in the parking lot. Jean missed most of the ceremony as well, as she sat in the car watching over the slumbering child. During the wedding reception, some of the family came out to the car and carried the groggy boy back into the festive throng of people. A few days ago, the three boys had been among familiar people and a Culture shock was familiar setting in Salisbury. Now they stood in the midst of starting to set in. countless strangers148, in an unfamiliar church and a largely unfamiliar land. The transition from Africa to the US had been abrupt. The culture shock was starting to set in.
Culture shock is a fit of anxiety that is temporary, but traumatic. It is a period of mental imbalance. It occurs when someone abruptly changes their cultural setting, as missionary families do when they return to the US from being in a different culture for years. It occurs to any person who resides in a one culture for an extended period, and then abruptly moves into another type of culture. It can occur if someone moves from the West coast to the East coast or from one state to another. It can even occur if someone moves from the city to the country in the same state.
Culture shock happens when the brain, which is always measuring our environs and telling us what fits the pattern of being normal, acceptable and safe, becomes overwhelmed. Everyone creates patterns of familiar things, routines and behavior in their minds whether they realize it or not. Patterns of how to meet people, ask questions, give information, make purchases, take something serious, respond to humor, choose clothing, show appreciation or even eat food for example. It is part of our drive for self preservation. The values and practices of our family and the local society help shape these patterns. Shared patterns among groups of people create a
147 The I-75 interstate was under construction at that time, so most of the trip was on two lane roads. 148 Max knew some of his relatives, but four years had faded that memory.
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culture. When something we see or experience does not fit one of our patterns, something in our mind alerts us to it. We then have to make a deliberate, conscious response to the alert, such as avoidance, approval, or acceptance.
For instance, if one lived in a suburb in Tennessee and noticed that a neighbor had torn out his lawn and shrubs, creating a barren, packed earthen yard around his house, this would cause a mental alert because this practice does not fit the pattern of normal suburban lifestyle in Tennessee. It would be registered in the mind as being not normal, but not necessarily a threat. There would be no inclination to accept the practice of creating a barren yard since it is not normal, not part of the pattern. Transport that Tennessean to Nyasaland where the barren yard was a very common practice in the villages149. The mental alert would occur again since a barren yard does not fit the Tennessean’s pattern of what should be normal. But now, the mind of the Tennessean has a conflict because it becomes obvious that barren yards are everywhere. Which means it must be somewhat normal in Nyasaland even if is not normal to the Tennessean’s way of thinking. In time, the Figure 11-2. Typical village showing barren space around huts. 1970s. Tennessean will adjust his pattern of familiar things to recognize barren yards in the village as being normal and acceptable. Multiply that one point of conflict by thousands as a person’s patterns from one culture do not match cues of what is normal, acceptable and safe in another culture. The mind becomes flooded with conflicts and questions which take time to consciously resolve. There is a point at which the conscious will become overwhelmed and refuses to process any additional pattern adjustments. The mind goes into shock, a culture shock. Anxiety, irrational behavior, insomnia, insecurity, depression, and/or anger can then occur during that period of mental imbalance. Fortunately, culture shock only lasts for a short period as the mind processes the backlog and then becomes open to resolve new conflicts and questions.
Seasoned missionary families carry two patterns of what is normal, acceptable and safe in their minds: one for the “passport country”150 and one for the native country. This greatly diminishes the re-entry culture shock on furloughs. In the 1960s and 1970s the US culture was changing so rapidly, that even seasoned missionaries found their set of patterns for the US to be
149 The barren yard was a barrier to snakes entering the hut. Snakes usually do not like to expose themselves in open areas during daylight. The barrier was ineffective at night. 150 The passport country is where the missionary family’s home tribe resides. It is most often where they are a citizen of, although some missionary children have dual citizenship. The passport country for Southern Baptist missionaries is usually the USA.
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outmoded. The norms in values, practices, and behaviors were changing in the US at such a fast pace that one was subject to culture shock with every furlough. Conversely, the culture of south central Africa was barely unchanged during this same period of time, so the culture shock on returning to Africa after the furlough was hardly felt.
To ten year-old Max, eight year-old Rodney and five year-old Ray the days in Kentucky following Dickie’s wedding were a blur. It was a non-stop family reunion, a whirlwind gala event. There were aunts and uncles to become reacquainted with. There were cousins to play with. There were candy bars, soft drinks, and ice creams to experience. There was Georgetown with its American stores, American houses and American cars to marvel at151. And there was Nanny, the matriarch grandparent, who gave her full attention to seeing that three boys from Africa were well taken care of. And the three
Figure 11-3. Ray (with candy stick in his Albright boys caught the attention of their aunts, mouth) and his Aunt Pat. 1962 uncles, cousins and grandmother with their crisp British accents, British words, and British behavior. More than once the room erupted into delightful peals of laughter from an expression of one of the boys. And then, it was all over. The Albrights were back at the Cincinnati airport boarding a plane for Phoenix, Arizona. Jean’s parents awaited them.
Cecil and Georgia Flowers (Jean’s parents) were already in Phoenix when the family arrived. The Flowers had pulled up stakes from where they had been living in Cottonwood, Alabama152 and had traveled to Phoenix a few weeks earlier. Georgia had a degenerative hip bone that caused her considerable pain. They expected the dry heat of Arizona to help relieve some of the pain. The Flowers were staying in a small motel that consisted of single unit apartments, with a carport. The Albrights rented the one next door and began working with a realtor to find a rental house. They were late Figure 11-4. Georgia Flowers in front of motel getting their boys into school. They needed to room. 1962 find a house quickly so they would know which school district they could be put in.
151 Max saw the shades of segregation with the “Whites Only’ signs above public restrooms at the Georgetown courthouse. It pricked him with a sense of the racial tension which existed then. 152 The Flowers had moved from Vernon, Florida to Cottonwood, AL in May of 1962.
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The three boys were wide eyed in wonder at their new surroundings. Max and Rodney knew something of the States, but Phoenix was different than anything they could remember. Five year-old Ray was way out of his element but warming up to his ‘Papo’ and ‘Memo’, two grandparents that he was really meeting for the first time. Their adventure in Phoenix had begun.
There are only a few written records of the first furlough. Jean had no reason to write letters to her father and mother since they now lived in the same house. There are some letters to relatives which provided insights and a few newspaper clippings which gave some dates. Most of the content of this section comes almost entirely from memories (sometimes aided by pictures).
In place of a story type narrative (since there is not enough material to support that kind of detail), the time in Phoenix is described through bulleted paragraphs.
• By October, 1962 the five Albrights were settled in a rented, three bedroom house in a lower middle class subdivision of Phoenix, AZ153. The FMB provided $115 per month towards the rent. A small concrete patio at the back of the house became the washing area where Jean situated her washing machine. Not a wringer washing machine which she dearly loved. The house was partially furnished, so Buddy and Jean bought used furniture at various auctions. They would return with a bed for $10, a couch for $5, and a chair for $5, plus lamps and chest of drawers. Buddy bought a used black and white TV for $50 from a newspaper advertisement. They also bought some new things. Jean invested in new towels, blankets and cloth material in preparation for taking back to Africa at the end of the furlough. • The house was on a treeless corner lot. The whole subdivision was virtually treeless except for a few scraggly mesquite trees. Figure 11-5. Jean and her mother, Georgia Flowers. 1962 Phoenix was, after all, built on nothing but desert. Grass only grew in patches of yards that were regularly irrigated. Many homes had painted cobbles in place of grass and cacti instead of green bushes or trees. Daytime temperatures were still in the high nineties in early September, 1962. Down the street was a small hill that became a favorite spot for the boys to play on. They would climb the hill to fly kites or just explore around for a while.
153 10201 North 17th Avenue.
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• For the first five months, the Flower’s car served as the only vehicle. Buddy rode a bus or airplane for long distance trips. About February of 1964, Buddy bought a used 1950 Plymouth station wagon for $ 300 to carry the family around. It was a classic with a heavy metal body, massive chrome bumpers, plastic vinyl bench seats and large windows. It would top out at 50 miles per hour and leaked like a sieve when it rained. Fortunately, it did not rain much in the Arizona desert. No power steering, no power brakes, no power anything, and no air conditioner. The searing Arizona sun would get the outside door handles so hot that they would burn the skin on contact. But the station wagon never missed a beat and never gave any trouble. It faithfully carried the family where they needed to go. At the end of the furlough, Buddy left the vehicle on the docks of Long Beach (Los Angeles) as the family sailed off into the Pacific Ocean. He had put the keys into an enveloped addressed to a pastor154 Figure 11-6. L to R: Max, Rodney and Ray on the back porch, ready for who was going to pick the car up. school. 1962 • Ten year-old Max was placed in fifth grade in Washington Elementary School, with Mrs. Clemenz as his teacher. The school was about two blocks from the house. There were about 1003 children in the school (a whole bunch more than the 60-70 at Bishop Mackenzie). The school went from 9:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.. Max had already spent two terms in Standard Five at Bishop Mackenzie in Lilongwe. He soon became the top reader in class and was far ahead in math than his American school friends. Jean wrote that, “His teacher is a good Baptist that says each child can work at his own speed.” Max made the honor role at the end of the year. • Eight year-old Rodney was put into fourth grade (on the advice of his Great Aunt Ruth Albright) in the same school, with Mrs. Ruth McConnell as his teacher. It was a difficult year for Rodney. He was the youngest, yet the biggest boy in the class. Both he and Max had to adjust to a school lunch period, but they also had the pleasant surprise of having an art teacher, a music teacher and a school nurse. This was the era of the Cuban missile crisis, so the school often practiced bombing drills where the kids huddled under their desks and covered the windows. Rodney recalled the irony of coming from the depths of primitive Africa to the advanced US only to be taught to live in perpetual fear of a missile attack Rodney also made the honor role at the end of the year. • Five year-old Ray was placed into a kindergarten class at a different school than his brothers went to. He was back at home shortly after noon each day. Buddy and Jean withdrew him about March for the rest of the school year. The coarseness of his classmates and
154 This was an American missionary working with the Chinese in Phoenix. The man picked up the car the next day.
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callousness of the teachers concerned them to the point where they removed Ray from that environment. • Buddy and Jean soon realized that they were the only Stateside Southern Baptist missionaries in Arizona and one of the few in other surrounding states. Buddy was named as the “Missionary Deputation Representative” for Arizona. It did not take long for their phone to start ringing as Southern Baptist churches called to book them for a visit. As the Lottie Moon155 Christmas offering time in December approached, the phone did not stop ringing. It was not unusual for Buddy to speak at two different churches on a Sunday and another church on Wednesday night. The schedule was hectic at times as he traveled the state (and beyond) to talk at churches of Figure 11-7. Buddy and boys clown around with snowman. 1963 all sizes. Only once did he forget an appointment, which is remarkable considering all the dates and places he had to juggle. Jean and the boys would go with him to nearby churches, which turned out to be most every Sunday. The boys found themselves as spectacles of interest, sometimes uncomfortably, by the congregations that they visited. A ‘typical’ missionary presentation is described in a latter portion of this section. • The family did more than just travel to churches; they explored the southwest, especially Arizona. They went to ghost towns, Wild West towns, mining towns, and movie set towns. They saw adobes, cliff dwellings, ruins, and old homes. They climbed on rocks, stared at saguaro cacti, watched for road runners, and laughed at jackalopes. The Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, and the canyon lands astounded them. In the winter, they drove to Flagstaff, up to Snow Ball Mountain, and played in the snow. This was Ray’s first encounter with snow and icicles. • Jean almost died in Phoenix. Around the end of October (1962), Ray came down with the mumps and spread it to Max and Rodney. Jean and her father, Papo, at 60 Jean years of age, soon had the mumps as well. As everyone else became better, Jean almost became worse. The disease went into meningitis and Jean’s doctors confined her died in to her darkened bedroom since the disease was highly contagious, too contagious Phoenix for a hospital ward. A lung infection began that became more severe as the days past. The doctors could not pinpoint what the exact source of the infection was. They could only prescribed sulfa treatments. On the eve of Thanksgiving, Jean went into yet another coughing fit, but this time one of her ribs broke. The next day she was in the hospital hooked to an IV and receiving penicillin every six hours. Her pain was so intense that the hourly pain medicine only gave her relief for a few minutes. Buddy watched the strength of his wife’s life
155 Lottie Moon Christmas offering is name the Southern Baptist yearly campaign to raise money for international mission work. Lottie Moon was a missionary to China and during the campaign time, furloughing missionaries are called on to speak to promote international mission work.
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fade away more and more each day. The medicines could not stop the advance of the infection. He knew that she was dying156. But God was not ready for her to die just yet. The prayers of hundreds were heeded157. After about ten days in the hospital she began to rally. Her life energy began to return in small portions. A few days later she was released back to her bedroom at home. On Christmas day she emerged from the bedroom, on her feet for the first time since early November, and spent some time with her family. It was March of 1963 before she felt that her full energy had returned. The source of the illness was never discovered158. It was later reported that 1,500 people across the US had died from that same illness that year. • Birthdays were celebrated by all while in the US. Buddy turned 35 years old on December 3 (1962), Jean turned 33 on January 19 (1963), Max became eleven on February 10, and Rodney was nine on April 5. Ray had thrice celebrated his fifth birthday on the return to the US. • Buddy’s mother, Jasmine or ‘Nanny’ as everyone called her, flew out to Phoenix for a three week visit. She actually spent very little time in Phoenix. She arrived the second week of February and was almost immediately whisked away by the family on a sightseeing tour of the southwest. The old Plymouth station wagon carried them all, at a top speed of 50 mph, to the petrified forest,
Figure 11-8. L to R: Georgia (Memo) Flowers, Grand Canyon, Glen Canyon Dam, Hoover Jasmine (Nanny) Albright and Jean. 1963 Dam, Las Vegas, Death Valley, and Los Angeles. All the boys were excused from school for the trip. Max’s teacher said that he would learn much more on the trip than he would in class. While in LA, the group sat in the audience of two TV game shows, one being Truth and Consequences. After crossing the Mohave desert where temperatures still hovered around 90 degrees in February, they chugged back into Phoenix in time for Nanny to catch her breath and fly back to Kentucky. • Max and Rodney were baptized in Phoenix, on March 31, 1963. Max had made a public confession of his faith in Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord at mission meeting last May. But he was not baptized at that time because the Albright family did not have membership in any church. Rodney had on different occasions talked to Buddy and Jean out of his own curiosity about what acceptance of Jesus really meant. Before leaving for the states, Rodney had made a profession of his faith in Jesus Christ in the witness of his two parents. On arriving in Phoenix,
156 Two other times, Buddy watched as his wife lay dying, once in Zambia and once in Mexico. 157 Besides churches in Phoenix and Kentucky, they were praying in Georgia as well. Columbia Drive Baptist Church cabled Buddy on Dec 2, 1962 that, “Whole church remembering Jean in prayer. Will have special prayers in all organizations and church services tonight.” 158 The Foreign Mission Board appropriated an extra $1,127.39 for her medical expenses (Jan 63).
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the Albrights had joined the closest Baptist church to where they lived, which was the Valley Heights Baptist Church. The pastor was Reverend Robert Holmes. He and his wife, Janie, became very close friends with the Albrights from that time on. Reverend Holmes baptized the two boys, but not at Valley Heights because the little church did not have a baptistery. Max and Rodney, along with a group of others, were baptized in another church. Valley Heights was the first church that Max and Rodney became members of. During Jean’s illness, the Holmes kept close attention to the family. One Sunday, after the morning service, the Holmes brought over a full meal that Janie had cooked, and shared it with the Albrights. • During late April of 1963, the family loaded up in the Plymouth station wagon and made a pilgrimage to Kentucky and Georgia to visit relatives. On the way, they went to a camp for furloughing missionaries in Missouri. In Springfield, the three boys were placed on a Greyhound bus that went directly from Springfield to St. Louis. Dickie Albright was at St. Louis to meet the boys’ bus and he carried all three of them back to Georgetown, Kentucky. Jean and Buddy stayed at the camp for the remainder of the week and then went to Kansas City where they were active participants in the Annual Meeting of the Women’s Missionary Union159. Upon arrival in Kentucky, the boys were separated and housed by different aunts and uncles for a little over two weeks. Ray stayed with Bonnie and Tommy Robinson. Max and Rodney stayed with their Aunt Boots, who immediately placed them in Garth, a public school, for the two weeks. They even went on a school picnic during this time. When Buddy and Jean arrived in Georgetown, the family gathered back under one roof. There followed another whirlwind family reunion, much like the one that occurred when the Albrights first arrived in the States last August. The boys knew their Nanny much better now, after spending almost three weeks with her on the road in February. Buddy spoke at both the morning and evening services of Georgetown Baptist Church the Sunday they were there. Georgetown Baptist Church is a special church to Buddy and Jean. The Albrights began attending the church the first Sunday that they moved to Georgetown from Pineville in 1942. In fact, Buddy and his sisters started Sunday night Training Union at the church. They surprised the pastor by arriving early that Sunday evening, expecting a Training Union. The pastor started one that night with the Albright children. Years passed and when Buddy returned from the Navy he noticed an attractive new girl in the congregation of the church: Jean. She had become a member when she arrived to attend Georgetown Baptist Church and stayed a member the four years she was there. It was at a Fall Bible study course in the church that Buddy and Jean actually met. So, the courtship and eventual marriage160 of Buddy and Jean could be attributed to Georgetown Baptist Church. It was the same church that licensed Buddy, recommended Buddy and Jean for Seminary and then for mission work. It fits then that Georgetown Baptist Church also served as their main sponsor church and paid part of their salary
159 The WMU is an evangelistic organization for women in Southern Baptist churches. 160 Buddy was not married in Georgetown, but rather in the home church of Jean, Columbia Drive Baptist Church in Decatur, Georgia.
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for over 45 years161. Buddy stood behind the pulpit of this special church appreciative to this body of believers more than most would ever understand. • It was a headlong dash back to Phoenix from Georgetown, but along a convoluted route. First was a stop in Pineville, Kentucky to visit with great uncles and great aunts (and distant cousins). Buddy was back in the stomping grounds of his boyhood. He preached at the First Baptist Church, the seedbed of his missionary calling. There were a lot of memories tied up in that small eastern Kentucky town and that small Baptist church. From Pineville, the old Plymouth station wagon hauled the family to Decatur, Georgia. Now, it was Jean’s turn to be in her old stomping grounds. They stayed only two nights but the boys (especially Rodney and Ray) were introduced to a whole new set of uncles, aunts and cousins. Ray thought he was seeing his Memo again, but it was her older sister Mae. Mae was Jean’s Sunday School teacher when Jean was eleven. Mae also proudly told everyone that Jean was going to be a missionary, instilling confidence and courage into the heart of the young girl. A visit to Decatur is not complete without
Figure 11-9. At Stone Mountain seeing Stone Mountain, so the family spent an afternoon there Georgia. 1963 as Buddy and Jean recalled their antics of the night before they were married162. From Decatur, it was an eighteen hour marathon (at no more than 50 mph) to Marshall, Texas where the road weary family finally found a motel for some sleep. They pressed on from there to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico. Thinking that they might miss the last tour of the day, they dashed to join a departing tour group only to find that they had just begun a three hour walk through the cave. They later found out that a much shorter tour started after they had arrived. A shorter tour that even used an elevator to take people to the depths of the cave. For five Albrights, they had no choice but to stumble onward through the cold darkness of the long cavern. The little home on the corner of North 17th Avenue in Phoenix looked very welcoming when the Albrights rolled into the driveway the next day. Memo and Papo were very glad to see that the band of travelers had safely crisscrossed the country. Buddy was speaking from the pulpit of another church that Sunday. • Ray had his troublesome tonsils removed in early June of 1963. It was these tonsils that had plagued the boy with ear aches and sore throats for the last two years. Ray was checked into the hospital one clear, sunny day and joined a ward of other boys who where also going to have their tonsils removed. The next day they began carting the boys off, one by one, to the operating room. To Ray’s surprise, on his turn to operating room, all the doctor wanted him to do was
161 This has to be a record setting length of sponsorship of one church for one missionary couple. 162 They climbed stone mountain the night before they got married, watching the sun rise the day of their wedding.
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blow bubbles. To breathe deep and blow big bubbles. By about the fifth big bubble, a sleepy darkness set in. The next morning, the ward of boys was much quieter than the day before. A breakfast of hot cereal, a visit by the doctor and Ray was released and ready to go home. To be home bound for the next five days163. The ear aches and sore throats were a rarity after that operation. • The ten months with Cecil and Georgia Flowers brought the three boys much closer to their grandparents, their Papo and Memo, than ever before. Rodney and Ray were now old enough to understand and appreciate how special these two ‘older’ parents were. They knew about them in Africa because they continually heard their grandparents’ names and had often seen their pictures. They had even heard their voices on the reel to reel tapes. Cecil and Georgia wrote Jean almost every week, and Jean shared with her sons the lives of their grandparents. Cecil Flowers
Figure 11-10. Georgia and Cecil Flowers. 1963 kept all three boys well supplied in candies and cracker jacks from the numerous packages that he wrapped and sent to Africa. He continued to keep them well supplied in goodies in Phoenix. He introduced the boys to donuts and made sure that donuts were always around to nibble on. He would buy candy and cracker jacks for the boys every time they went to the store or the Chris Town mall164. The boys really became acquainted with their grandparents in Phoenix. They were unaware that they would only spend one more furlough with their Memo.
The table below is a partial reconstruction of the appointments that Buddy and Jean were involved in during the furlough in Phoenix. The information is based on an assortment of church bulletins, newspaper clippings and programs that are in the file. There are certain to have been other appointments of which there are no records of. Date (1962-1963) Location Sept 23 Valley Heights Baptist Church, Phoenix, AZ Oct 14 Pima Street Baptist Church, Tucson, AZ Oct 15 Central Association Annual WMU meeting (morning) Oct 15-16 San Carlos Association, AZ at Trinity Baptist Church Oct 22 First Southern Baptist Church, Tempe, AZ Oct 26-28 State BSU Convention, Univ. of AZ, Tucson, AZ Oct 31 Valley Heights Baptist Church, Phoenix, AZ – RA meeting
163 There is an instruction list for home patient care with a check-up scheduled for June 7, 11:45 A.M. on file. 164 Phoenix had a prototype of a new kind of shopping center called a ‘mall’. The Chris Town mall in Phoenix would be rinky-dink compared to today’s malls, but in 1962 it was a retail revolutionary wonder.
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Nov 4 Rose Park Baptist Church, Salt Lake City, UT (morn) Nov 4 Holladay Baptist Church, Salt Lake City, UT (evening) Nov 5 Calvary Baptist Church, Idaho Falls, Idaho – WMU meeting Nov 13-14 Calvary Baptist Church, Tucson, AZ – WMU 75th Anniv. Nov 14-16 AZ Southern Baptist State Convention, Tucson, AZ Dec 2 Central Heights Baptist Church, Phoenix, AZ Dec 3 Boulevard Baptist Church, Coolidge, AZ – ‘M’ night Dec 9 First Southern Baptist Church, Glendale, AZ (morn) Dec 9 Hayden Baptist Church, Globe, AZ (evening) Dec 13 First Southern Baptist Church, Tucson, AZ Dec Lake Mead Association, Las Vegas, NV – School of Missions Jan 6-13 19 different churches in Los Angeles Association, CA Feb 8-9 First Southern Baptist Church, Phoenix, AZ – YWA House party Mar 17-29 Valley Heights Baptist Church, Phoenix, AZ - revival services Mar 31 Valley Heights Baptist Church, Phoenix, AZ - Max & Rodney baptism April 5-6 First Southern Baptist Church, Page, AZ – GA meeting April 11 Central Association WMU Banquet April 14 Mision Bautista Memorial, Phoenix, AZ April 19-20 San Diego Southern Baptist Association, CA – GA meeting April 22-25 Eastside Baptist Church, Phoenix, AZ – World Missions Week May 6-7 Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, MO – WMU Annual Meeting May 12 Georgetown Baptist Church, KY (evening) May 14 Georgetown Baptist Church, KY – GA Anniversary May 19 First Baptist Church, Pineville, KY June 2 Maryvale Terrace Southern Baptist Church, Phoenix, AZ June 2 Valley Heights Baptist Church, Phoenix, AZ - farewell tea June 9 Manor Baptist Church, Tucson, AZ
Without conducting a scientific survey, it is safe to say that most Southern Baptist missionaries on furlough develop three or four, maybe more, canned presentations that they deliver to the different churches that they speak at. Presentations that can be repeated over and over again. A revival or mission conference that required a series of presentations would be the exception. And, again without asking everyone, it is safe to say that most Southern Baptist missionaries organize their presentations around this format: • first thank the church and pastor for inviting you over to speak and hope that you said the church’s name right and you did not inadvertently mention the name of the church you were at last week; • thank the congregation for their support of you as a missionary and their giving through the Lottie Moon offering and the Cooperative Program;
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• then introduce the wife and kids by having them stand up and maybe sing a song in the native language, having one or more in the native dress would be ideal; • then say a few words in the native language, maybe converse with one of your kids or your wife; • next, launch into a short sermon or presentation where you bring the congregation up to speed on where you serve, what the country is like and what God is doing around you in that country; the variance to this is to show slides165 while you talk or to show slides immediately before you talk. As part of the slides you would tell snake stories and other tales of near disaster. Every missionary has their set of snake stories that are guaranteed to bring any group to the edge of their seats. • at the end, you direct the congregation’s attention to a table set up with curios and artifacts from country where you serve. After the pastor closes the service, you then station your family around that table and answer every kind of question in the world about the part of the world you have been living in. Figure 11-11. “Deputation Photo” of • Buddy. This image was distributed by On the long drive home, as your kids sleep in the the FMB to requesting churches as backseat and as your wife stares reflectively out the side reference information about Buddy. 1962 window, her native attire looking out of place in the American setting, you think about the people and churches that you just once again saw slides of and that you are so far away from. Your heart yearns to be back there, back on that familiar battlefield. But, you know that these presentations to the American churches are important. After all, it was during a similar presentation of a visiting missionary many years ago that the Holy Spirit spoke to you about becoming a missionary. So, you draw yourself up in the car seat, lean forward over the steering wheel and begin to think which canned talk you will give the next church on the schedule.
Buddy and Jean Albright each had their canned presentations that they could deliver on the spot. It did not matter whether the audience was a big city congregation, a small rural church, a group of young girls or boys, an auditorium full of Baptists, or a formal gathering of influential pastors and church leaders. And they had their stacks of slides ready to go. Slide trays or slide carousels had not come into wide use at that time, so most slides had to be inserted one by one into the projector or in a hopper style fashion. The only people who knew the presentations as well as Buddy and Jean were Max, Rodney and Ray. The three boys had heard all the canned
165 Slides were the premier visual aids of the day in the 1960s. It was either show slides or pass around printed pictures.
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talks so often that they knew what Buddy was about to say, which slide was next, and which snake story would bring the biggest gasps from the audience. The three boys also knew that they were part of the show and had to be on their best behavior, regardless.
The following narrative are excerpts from a ‘typical’ missionary presentation that Buddy might have given at any number of churches across Arizona during 1962 and 1963. It would inevitably begin with the pastor saying, “Tonight we are in for a special treat. We have some real live166 missionaries who will be sharing with us. Let me introduce LeRoy Albright to my right over here. (Buddy stands, his dark suit draped on his tall thin frame, a pencil thin dark tie and a white shirt. His skin is dark from the African and Arizona sun, clean shaven with a navy crew 167 cut hair style .) LeRoy, or Buddy as he says he prefers to Figure 11-12. Jean’s Deputation be called, has come all the way from Africa to be with us. Photo. 1962 And we are blessed to have his wife and family with us as well. Jean…..where are you Jean?.....(Jean stands from where she is sitting on the second row, wearing a flower print dress, her wavy hair released from curlers and a scarf just half an hour ago during the drive to the church. Jean’s white smile is stark against her tanned skin.) Ah yes…and their three boys, uh…(Jean motions for Max, Rodney and Ray to stand, a murmur of approval sweeps the congregation as the young boys rise. Buddy steps towards the pastor and softly says the boy’s names)….uh, Max, Rodney, and Ray. Such a delightful family. Yes, we all at Mainstream Baptist Church are certainly glad the Albrights are here with us tonight (applause breaks out as the Albrights retake their seats). LeRoy, we look forward to hearing what you have to share with us about Africa. Now, Brother John, come lead us in a hymn.”
Buddy’s time to talk would eventually come. As he stepped behind the podium he would grin broadly and begin with,”Moni, muli bwanji? That’s the Chinyanja greeting for ‘hello, how are you?’ You see, in Nyasaland, Africa, greetings are very important and it would not be right if I did not greet you first. So I carry the greetings of the African Christians from Nyasaland to your church here. And I greet you in the name of Christ. Now I say ‘zikomo’ to you which is the Chinyanja word for ‘thank-you’ because I do thank-you for allowing me to come be with you tonight. I thank your pastor for opening his pulpit to me and I thank the people here at (pause to think) Mainstream Baptist Church for the kindness they have already shown to me. But mostly, I thank-you for allowing me to be your missionary. Your commitment and offerings allow me to
166 One should wondered how many fake or dead missionaries had come by the church to necessitate this kind of comment. But, the words real and/or live almost always preceded the word missionary in an introduction. 167 This description changes dramatically over the next two furloughs.
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be your representative, your missionary, in Africa. And I deeply thank-you for that. Now, let me tell you where Nyasaland is…..”
A few minutes later…. “We are going to do a little something different this service and I am going to ask Jean and the boys to come forward now to sing their song (Jean and the three boys parade single file to the front of the church). Jean will share a few words first…”
Jean, with her three sons lined up in front of her, faces the congregation and says, “Good evening to ya’ll. I want to say thank you as well for allowing us to be here with ya’ll. As we have been going to the many different churches while we are here this year in the States, I am always so struck by the warmth and welcome that we get and I want to say that I already feel that welcome from ya’ll today. The boys and I are going to sing a little song that the African children love to sing. As you know, Africans love music and they love to And away the sing and this is a song we sing almost every Sunday, isn’t it boys? quartet would go Now, most Africans do not know how to read, so someone calls the through Chinyanja song line by line and everyone else follows the lead of the caller. rendition of ‘Yes, Max, here, likes to be the caller and he will start us and lead us Jesus loves me’ through the song. Rodney (Jean touches the top of his head) and Ray (Jean looks down at him) will do the hand motions that the little African children do. Ya’ll try and recognize the song that we are singing. OK, Maxy why don’t you start us out?” And away the quartet would go through Chinyanja renditions of ‘Jesus loves me’, ‘Jesus loves the little children’, or ‘Oh happy day’. Heavy applause from the congregation would accompany the singers to their seats. As the boys settled back into their spots on the second row there would be a feeling of relief that the singing portion was over, and all that remained for them was the curio table at the end of the service. The sound of Buddy’s voice filled the room and they knew what was next: the slides.
For evening services, Buddy preferred to show slides while talking and then wrap it all up at the podium with a short call to missions. During morning services, when the church could not be darkened enough for slides, Buddy had a different talk, but still wrapped it up with a call to missions. On this ‘typical’ evening, Buddy had a stack of slides loaded into the hopper on the projector. He stood beside the projector and talked to the congregation which encircled him. He was already passed the introduction slides and was into the customs of Africans.
“African women carry their babies on their back until the child is about two years old. They tightly bundle the baby with a thin cloth, they call a ‘chitenge’, that you can see this lady has on, and firmly tie the baby on their back. Even as young girls practice this by carrying straw dolls on their back. Now there are several advantages to tying your baby on your back. First, you know exactly where your child is at all times. Second, your hands are free to do other work.
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Third, it gives tremendous feeling of security to the child. There is not one African that has been carried on the back of his mother that later suffers from feelings of insecurity…”
A few more slides go by…“Cattle, like you see here, are like a bank for many Africans. The more cows you have, the richer you are. They are not for eating or milking, just to hold as wealth. The youngest boy in a family is often responsible for keeping up with the cattle. These little cow boys, such as this young fellow here, follow the herd around all day and then drive them back into a corral beside the village at night. The leopards and hyenas would get the cows if they were not corralled at night. One time, a village was losing calves to hyenas that had roamed into the area. They somehow knew I had a “They somehow gun, an old hunting gun I had used here in the States and took over to knew I had a Africa with me, and they had me sit up all night watching the corral. gun…” Well, I spent two nights in the village but never saw the hyenas. They must have moved on. Now, a lion is another matter. It can jump a ten foot high corral fence, killed a young cow and then throw that cow back over the fence and into the bush…” The murmur of wonder from the congregation was on cue.
The slides had changed to pictures of African preaching services in the villages. “Now, Africans don’t wear watches. They judge the time of day by the sun. So when you call for a service to start at a certain time, it is understood that it might be an hour later before things actually begin to happen. Since I can’t see the sun, it might be a long time before we get out of here tonight…. (chortles of laughter can be heard from the around the room). The slide changed again.
“At this service, we were meeting right under a grove of trees because there is no church building. Notice how the women always sit apart from the men. This is how it is done in Africa. Men and women always sit apart in a social gathering…” Ray perks up at the picture. There is something odd about it this time. It is backwards! He glances at his mother to see if she realizes it too. She smiles knowingly at the boy. This usually happened two or three times in every slide show. The congregation would be none the wiser. However, with the next slide, the congregation could not help but notice that something was wrong.
“And this…, oops this one somehow came out sideways (all over the room heads tilt sideways). Anyway, this is a lay pastor standing by his bicycle. Let me go on to the next slide…” Buddy had skipped the story of how the pastor had abandoned an evil lifestyle and had accepted Christ and was now on fire for the Lord. But, the trouble with the slides was not over.
“Oh…., now this one is upside down! I’m not sure how that happened. Bear with me a moment and let me straighten it out.” Buddy removes the remaining slides in the hopper. The
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white brilliance of the projector light splashes on the screen, illuminating the room. The whine of the projector fan can be heard clearly across the quiet crowd. Jean turns her head in a slow nonchalant manner to check on her husband, now a silhouette hunched over the projector. She had to do the same thing before in the middle of a presentation and knows that Buddy will get the slide show going again in short order. Sure enough the culprit slide reappears on the screen, this time in the right orientation. Buddy holds the remainder of the stack in one hand and for the rest of the show feeds the slides one by one into the projector, quickly glancing at each one first.
“We have used this Willis Jeep to get us to many of the villages. It can carry lots of people and their katundu which is very handy.” Buddy notices a number of quizzical looks from the people nearby him and he hesitates. Then it dawns on him. “Oh, by katundu I mean their luggage or baggage. Some Chinyanja words are so common to us that I don’t know when I say them…” The boys know that the slide show is winding down.
“Africans absolutely hate snakes. And for a good reason. There are five kinds of poisonous snakes in Nyasaland that could drop you dead with one bite168. But the python is not one of them. It just squeezes. But it will bite if it gets cornered and scared. A fellow missionary in Southern Rhodesia one time picked up a large DEAD python killed on the road and stashed it in a box in his VW car, planning to have it skinned. But when he arrived at the house, the box was empty (a small murmur is heard from the crowd). He looked in vain for the snake, knowing full well that his wife was going to use the vehicle in about an hour to carry a group of African ladies to a meeting. His wife drove the group there and back, keeping an uneasy eye out for the snake. But it never showed itself, thankfully. He did find it later, wedged up under his dashboard. He had to totally dismantle the dash and pull it out of the car to pry the snake loose (another murmur). Now, a cobra is about the meanest snake you will find. I’ve had cobras flair out their hood at me and try to strike the car as I drove by (a few gasps). A Buddy had snake cobra can raise upright, supported by almost two thirds of its body stories that would length on the ground. Once when driving slowly through some thick freeze the spine of grass a cobra reared up and looked straight in the face at me through listeners, young the car window (more gasps). The snake had to be ten feet long, at and old alike least.” These were only ‘first term’ snake stories. By the Albright’s third term in Africa, Buddy had snake stories that would freeze the spine of listeners, young and old alike.
The slide show ends, the overhead lights are turned on and Buddy returns to the podium. Everyone knows that he is about to bring it to a close. Buddy says a few words about the need for Christ to be preached across the African continent. He gives a short version of his own call
168 Cobras, adders, boomslang, mambas, and vipers.
Volume 1 – Section 11 First Furlough (1962-1963) Page 197 to be a missionary. He either reads Acts 1:8 (about being witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth) or Matthew 28:19-20 (about going and making disciples of the all the nations) or both depending on the time left and the responsiveness of the crowd. The point is made that we are all to be missionaries, regardless of whether we travel to Africa or not. Buddy ends by encouraging all to be a missionary where they are. Appreciation is expressed again for being allowed to share with them and Buddy hands the service over to the pastor.
After a closing hymn, the pastor reciprocates the appreciation and comments on a striking scene or two from the slides. He then announces that the Albright family will be standing by the curio table and directs his congregation to talk with the real live missionaries.
The family of five gathers about the table as people press forward. Jean and Buddy shake hand after hand and talk about the various oddities on the table. The boys find themselves fielding all sorts of questions, most of which they had heard many times before. By the early 1960s, Tarzan movies and Tarzan comic books had infused the American culture with a strong, albeit wrong, stereotype of Africa. Here is a sample of the questions: Do you live in the jungle? Do you live in a hut? Do the Africans try to eat you? Do monkeys swing from the trees at your house? Do you swing from vines? Have you ever seen a lion? Can you say something in African? Is there TV in Africa? Are you glad to be back home? What kind of school do you go to? Do you ride elephants to school? Where do you buy things in Africa? Have you ever been bitten by a snake? Have you ever been bitten by a crocodile? What do you eat for breakfast? What kind of clothes do Africans wear? What kind of clothes do you wear in Africa? Why don’t you have any sisters? Do you ever go fishing in Africa? Why don’t they use dollars in Africa? Is there electricity in Africa? Aren’t you scared to be in Africa? Is America bigger than Africa?
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I know Mr. So-and-So in Nigeria, do you know him? Is your family driving back to Africa tonight? Do they have airplanes in Africa? Do you like living in Africa? Why do you want to go back to Africa? And the classical, certain question: Have you ever seen a tiger in Africa?
The time in Phoenix passed quickly. Before long the FMB was contacting Buddy about travel plans back to the field. Jean was putting serious consideration into what she needed to buy to have shipped back with her. She and Buddy were now veteran missionaries. They knew what kind of clothes they would need for the African seasons, they knew what kind of furnishings that could not be found in Lilongwe, they knew the kinds of medicines they needed and they knew what kind of Figure 11-13. Posing for cowboy pictures. 1963 kitchenware would be useful to them. By early summer in 1963, their hearts and minds had already left for Africa.
On the 21st or 22nd of June, the Albrights packed up the old Plymouth station wagon for the last time and headed for Los Angeles. They were headed for the docks of Long Beach to sail back to Africa on a ship. They had left some of their furniture in the rental house, had sold some at an auction and had given away some. Papo and Memo followed the family to LA to say farewell. They were actually going to turn around and head for Chipley, Figure 11-14. Three cowboys in a Florida after the Albrights sailed. The year in Phoenix ‘stagecoach’. 1963 had greatly helped Georgia’s degenerative hip bone, but Cecil had a house in Florida and was determined to live there. In LA, they all checked into a motel, but then found out that there were no parking spaces for their two cars. Buddy and Papo had to scavenge on the street for parking places.
With the passage and departure schedule of the ship confirmed, the family spent the remaining time
Figure 11-15. At motel in Los Angeles. 1963 seeing some sights in LA. Jean and Memo shopped
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for some last minute items to take back to Africa. The boys went to Disney land for an afternoon. The tickets were $1.60 for five child rides. They also spent an afternoon at Knox Berry Farm, just outside LA. Ray enjoyed the Old MacDonald Farm petting zoo. Rod was awestruck with the Stage Coach ride: a real six horse team that was pulled a real stage coach and was driven by a real two-gun toting cowboy. One day they drove to San Diego and visited the world famous zoo there. It was the children’s zoo where they spent the most of their time. There were all kinds of animals to pet and feed there. One exhibit had chicken eggs that hatched every few minutes. Another exhibit had a wad of snakes slithering all over it. People were picking them up and letting them coil around their arms and necks. Ray begged Buddy
to reach in and get him a snake. Four years in Africa Figure 11-16. On pirate’s ship at had taught Buddy to avoid snakes at all costs, or the Disneyland. 1963 cost could be his life. But Buddy mustered all his will power and plucked a snake out of the wiggling mass, handing it quickly to Ray. The drive back to LA was along the scenic California coast line. The sunset over the Pacific Ocean reminded all that the time in the States had almost drawn to an end.
On June the 24th the family of five was on board the SS Orsova, a 29,000 ton British passenger liner with the P&O Orient Lines. They sailed from Long Beach (Los Angeles), California bound for Hawaii, a three day trip, and then on to Japan169. Despite her bad hip, Memo walked the entire length of the wharf keeping in stride with the ship as it slowly pulled away. Tears in her eyes, she stopped just short of stepping off into the bay. All she could do then was wave until the ship was out of sight. Did she somehow know that her time left with her daughter and her family could be measured in months?
Figure 11-17. Rod looks at SS Orsova. 1963 The Albrights were once again on a passenger liner and headed for Africa, just like they had been five years ago. This time the family was split into two cabins. Jean and the boys were in a cabin for four (no private bath), and Buddy shared a cabin with two other men below the water line. The family immediately fell back into the British routines of tea three times a day and a regimented dining schedule. Jean particularly liked
169 $ 1130.50 fare for all five on this part of the trip. The ship was actually bound for England via Japan, Hong Kong and the Suez Cannal.
Volume 1 – Section 11 First Furlough (1962-1963) Page 200 having hot tea served at her cabin door at 7:00 A.M. each morning. The boys enjoyed the
Map 11-1. Route from Phoenix to Lilongwe. 1963 swimming pool, the library, the story times, the art exercises and deck games that were available.
It was one long day in Hawaii. The ship docked at six in the morning and then sailed at midnight. Coming off the boat, they purchased a lei (necklace of flowers) and posed for pictures wearing it. The family rented a car and traveled around the island of Oahu and the city of Honolulu. They were able to see a pineapple farm, a volcano, the SS Arizona Memorial, and swim at Waikiki beach. They found the beach to be rough and rocky, not the smooth sandy beach of Lake Nyasa. They bought fresh pineapple at a roadside fruit stand that was absolutely scrumptious. Jean had
Figure 11-18. Near SS Arizona Memorial. 1963 hoped to see an old college girlfriend, but she was on a different island and was not able to travel to Honolulu. That afternoon, the back of Max’s pants split completely out, so he wore a towel around for the remainder of the day. It was tired group that shuffled back on the ship that night. At midnight, the SS Orsova casted off from the dock and set course for Yokohama, Japan.
The trip to Japan took about a week. It was calm, smooth sailing most of the way. The family was able to tour the bridge (pilot’s room) of the ship. The helmsman allowed the boys to hold the ship’s wheel and ‘steer’ the ship. Buddy learned that they were moving at about 23 knots per hour, which calculated to about 625 land miles per day. During the week, Ray took swimming lessons and learned to swim (float really) on that leg of the cruise. The water in the pool was salty ocean water. Buddy had been teaching Ray how to read from a simple reading
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book. The little boy had almost made it through the entire reader when Japan was spotted on the horizon. The ship arrived in Yokohama at about seven in the morning of Sunday, July the 7th (1963). The family disembarked and took the train to Tokyo to explore the city. They stayed the night in Hotel Okura, a luxury hotel near Embassy Row in the heart of Tokyo170.
The next day (July 8), the ship left harbor about 1:00 P.M., but did not go far, arriving in Kobe, Japan early in the morning on the 9th. Here the family said farewell to the SS Orsova to spent eight days on land. The first night they stayed in a very expensive European style hotel. The next three nights they stayed in a cheaper Japanese hotel with the remainder of the days in the YMCA in Kobe. It was one Figure 11-19. Max at the ship’s wheel. 1963 marvel after another during those days: eating in Japanese restaurants with chopsticks, walking past ferocious looking idols at the entrance to temples, buying wooden cogs to wear, visiting Japanese parks that had tame deer and monkeys, and always pushing through crowds of people. Hordes of school kids in uniforms would fill the public busses and trains to get to and from school. Japanese cartoon characters, very similar to the ones today, were common in comic books, posters and toys. The small stores and stalls that lined streets were too numerous to stop at every one. They did enjoy buying iced coffee, mixed with sugar and milk, that was sold in soft drink sized cans.
One day they took the train to Nara, the first capital of Japan and home to some of Japan’s oldest Buddhist temples. There they visited Kofuku-Ji, a compound of temples. Picturesque three-storied and five-stories pagodas adorn the grounds. No two temples were the same. Some had large buildings Figure 11-20. Ray at helm with Rod looking on. 1963 that houses hundreds of idols. Others were small with one central, big idol. At another Buddhist temple called Todaiji (not only holds Japan's largest Buddha statue, but it is also the world's largest wooden building), a large wooden support column had a narrow hole that was claimed to
170 A twin room was US$13, a suite cost a pricey $42. Exchange rate was US$ 1 = 360 Yen in 1963.
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pass luck on to whoever could go through it. Some giggly school girls grabbed Ray and pulled him through it. His promised luck never appeared.
Sunday (July 14), the family attended the Kobe Union Church, a non-denominational English speaking Protestant church. It had Lutheran roots and an obvious German ambience. A special guest book was set up for visitors to sign in. It was odd to see the symbols of Christianity in this building, isolated as an island in a sea of Buddhist and Shinto temples.
On July 15 (1963), they took a train trip to Takarazuka, which was billed as a “town constructed for amusement”. Besides a zoo, botanical gardens, and museums, it was home to the Takarazuka Girl’s Opera, an all female theater troupe. After spending part of the day in the Takarazuka Familyland, a cross between an amusement park and a zoo, the Albrights went to the Takarazuka Girl’s Opera theater and watched a grand scale musical about a Japanese love story performed by scores of women dressed in colorful and beautiful outfits.
On July 17 (1963) the five Albrights boarded a different ship, the SS Straat Banka, a Dutch passenger liner with Royal Interocean Lines171. They were headed for Hong Kong first, with stops in Singapore, Penang, and Mauritius. In about a month they would land at Lorenzo Marques,
Mozambique, around 7,900 nautical miles Figure 11-21. The SS Straat-Banka of Royal away. This was a smaller ship than the SS Interocean Lines. Source: Duivendijk Photo Pages. Orsova. There were deck games and a swimming pool. Jean wrote172 that the, “ship has much better food than last one.” Dinner menus173 were elegantly designed, offering for every meal six or seven hor d’oeurves, two soups, two or three fish choices, steak, poultry, cold buffet, salads, two or three types of potato dishes, three or four vegetables, eight or nine kinds of cheese, breads, fruit and sweet desert. Coffee and teas were served after dinner in the lounge. Their waiter would amaze his table by eating light bulbs in front of them. The family had two cabins with their private bathrooms: Max, Rodney and Ray stayed in one, with Buddy and Jean in the other one. On the way the Captain had to deviate from the standard course to dodge a typhoon, but the ocean turned very rough pitching the boat about for a couple of days. The ship moved into communist Chinese waters for smoother waters passing close to a Chinese island. It was kind of tense. The Chinese communists were still purging the country of Western or non-
171 This portion of the trip cost $ 2,092.00 for five first class accommodations. 172 Jean and Buddy wrote at least five letters while on board the two ships. They picked up mail from the Flowers at Hong Kong and Singapore, demonstrating an incredible efficient surface mail system of the day. 173 Eight menus are on file
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communist thought, reportedly killing about 400 people a day to make their point. They could have seized the passenger liner as an intruder if they had wanted to. But nothing happened.
From there it was into the South China Sea. One afternoon the ocean was calm and yellow and the sky was green. A whale suddenly emerged off one side of the ship, almost colliding with the ship’s stern. It rolled over on its back showing its white underbelly. Then, it followed the ship for a while from a distance, blowing its spout of water every now and then as if to remind everyone that it was still there. Figure 11-22. Volcano sighted from ship. 1963 Another afternoon, the boys were awaken from their naps to look at an island with a volcano which was spewing dark smoke into the sky. The island was too far away to see any detail except the rising plume of thick smoke. Hong Kong came into sight on the 22nd of July (1963).
The two days in Hong Kong were spent with another missionary couple, George and Beth Wilson. Jean knew George’s mother and had notified the Wilsons through her. The Albrights spent the nights on the ship and the days with the Wilsons. The family showed the Albrights the city, taking them to a very nice Chinese restaurant. Hong Kong was suffering a water shortage. They would pass long lines of people who stood waiting to fill water containers. The ferry boat from the ship to the harbor was a Chinese junk. It fascinated the Albrights to see how large families lived on these junks with their pets, chickens, ducks and occasional goat. Buddy bought Jean a China tea set imprinted with a Figure 11-23. Walking in Honk Chinese design at the bottom of each cup, plus an Kong. 1963 elaborate silk jacket that was yellow on side and blue on the other. They all enjoyed eating a red, oval prickly fruit called a lee-chi (possibly a rambutan or pulasan) that yielded a white, sweet meat and were sold at fruit stands.
The next stop was Singapore (July 29). The ship dropped anchor three miles out in the harbor, so small launches carried the passengers to the shore and back. This added an element of excitement for the boys. One day the water was too choppy for the launches to run, so the family spent the day on board. Another day was Muhammad’s birthday, so all stores, offices, and museums were closed. The weather was hot and sticky since Singapore was almost on the equator. While in Singapore, the Albrights fellowshipped with the Rebers, a missionary family
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who had sailed with them from Japan, and visited their church on Sunday (Calvary Baptist Church). The service was in both Chinese and English. A Chinese family hosted the Albrights another day, taking them sightseeing and to another Chinese meal where they were served a massive red crab on a platter of rice. The family visited a city park where monkeys roamed free, like park squirrels. At another park (Tiger Balm Garders) were all sizes of plaster figures, some larger than life, that illustrated different Chinese mythologies. Some of the depictions were fairly grotesque and gory. Many of the depictions were difficult for the Albrights to interpret.
The ship left the Singapore harbor two days behind schedule on August 5, bound for two short stops at Penang, Malaya (August 8th) and the Island of Mauritius174 (August 16). The water was so rough in the Strait of Malacca175 (between Malaysia and Sumatra), the whole front of the ship would fall into the trough between the waves and seem to submerge for a second. Sheets of water spraying across the decks and pelted the viewing windows. While in Penang176, the Albrights visited the Snake Temple, billed as “a sight never to be forgotten”. The billing was definitely right. It was not so obvious at first, but one became aware that things were slithering and moving all around them. It then suddenly became apparent that swarms of live snakes covered every post, table, rafter, alter, and column of the temple. Several of the snakes were pointed out to be venomous. People fed the snakes with eggs when they came to pray to the snake idol.
After leaving Penang, the ship crossed the equator on August 10. A modest celebration was given by the ship’s crew and a special dinner was served. Certificates of the crossing were awarded to every passenger. The family held a small birthday for Ray on August 15 with a small cake from the ship’s kitchen and presents of books, plastic Japanese shoes and a Japanese alarm clock. A happy birthday song came across the ship’s loudspeakers. The boy turned six years old somewhere in the heart of the Indian Ocean. On August 20, the eastern coast of Africa appeared. Figure 11-24. Ray’s sixth birthday. 1963 Later the same day, the ship docked in Lorenzo Marques, Mozambique.
174 The island was of particular interest to Max since it was the first European sighting of the now extinct Dodo bird. 175 It was ironic that the ship was named after another nearby strait, the Banka Straits, which were about 250 miles SE of Singapore. The Banka Straits were a scene of heavy allied losses and misery during WWII. 176 The ship company had a choice of eight packaged trips already organized with a local tour service. It is not recalled which tour package the Albrights took since four tours included the Snake Temple.
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Once again, the family of five Albright stood at the deck rail of a ship in a remote port on the eastern edge of Africa. Once again, they could finally see, and hear, and smell the continent that they had been called to. But the scene had changed from way it had been in October of 1958. This was 1963. Buddy and Jean were now in their thirties, veteran missionaries, knowing fairly well the work that lay before them. Beside them stood eleven year-old Max, now almost as tall as his mother, more of a young man than a boy. Rodney at nine years was almost as tall as Max. Ray, still savoring a recent a birthday party, was as old as Max when he had first arrived in Africa. The family was eager to get off the ship and catch the night train to Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia.
But, the scene had changed in other ways.
The Albrights had left a United States that was starting to undergo a period of unprecedented cultural upheaval. Cold war tensions approached the brink of global nuclear confrontation as the Cuban missile crisis brought the US and the USSR toe to toe. The control of communist expansion in a little known country of Vietnam was pulling in more and more US military ‘advisors’ with President Kennedy pressing for more involvement. The President also had announced that the US would be the first nation to the moon, setting the pace for the space race. Racial tensions in the southern states and northern cities were raw. Rev. Martin Luther King was about to deliver his famous, “I have a dream” speech in Washington DC in ten days (August 28). The US Supreme Court had ruled that prayer in public school was unconstitutional. The Beatles had released their first recording, the single of “Love Me Do”. Buddy and Jean had reluctantly accepted that the America which they had known had changed in the four years they were away. And they were not sure they liked the changes.
The face of Africa had been changing. Over the last year and a half, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanganyika, Trinidad and Tobago had gained independence. There were now 37 independent African countries across the continent. Southern Rhodesia had enacted a new constitution in November of 1962 giving even more power to the white minority. The UN General Assembly scorned Southern Rhodesia for the action and put economic sanctions on the Republic of South Africa for their apartheid policies.
The face of Nyasaland had greatly changed as well. The British …the total breakup government, in a second constitutional conference in London in of the Federation November 1962, agreed to give Nyasaland self-governing status the was just months following year. On February 1, 1963, Dr. Hastings Banda (leader of away the Malawi Congress Party) became Prime Minister. The British still retained control over the banks, police and armies and the judicial systems. In May 1963, a new constitution took effect providing for almost full internal self-government for the Nyasaland
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Africans. It was well known that the total breakup of the Federation was just months away. Nyasaland would be an independent country in less than a year!
As the Albright family disembarked the ship and stood on the continent that they now knew so well, their thoughts were not on the changes that were taking place around them. Their thoughts were on going to Lilongwe. Their thoughts were on going home.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21 NIV
Reference Sources:
1) Certificate from the Ancient Order of the Deep Domain of Neptunus Rex announcing crossing of equator by Master Raymond Cecil Albright on the Royal Interocean Lines, SS Straat Banka. August 10, 1963.
2) Church service bulletins from numerous churches visited by the Albrights. 1962-1963.
3) Hotel Okura, Tokyo brochure. 8p.
4) International Mission Board Archives and Record Service. Solomon Databases. http://archives.imb.org/solomon.htm. Minutes of 1963 (January, October).
5) Kobe Union Church bulletin for July 14, 1963. Kobe, Japan.
6) Kofuku-Ji Treasure House brochure and map. Nara, Japan.
7) Letter to Cecil and Georgia Flowers from Buddy. 1963. Jul 8.
8) Letters to Cecil and Georgia Flowers from Jean. 1963. Jun 28, Jun 30, Jul 6, Jul 18(?), Jul 28, Aug 8.
9) Letter to Jasmine Albright from Buddy. 1962. Oct 12.
10) Letters to Ruth Albright from Buddy and Jean. 1962. Oct 2.
11) Nederland – Engeland Zomerdienstregeling (Netherlands – England summer schedule of transport) May 27 to September 29, 1962.
12) Oceanic Tourist and Travel Agency. Penang, Malaya. Listing of eight tours.
13) P&O Orient Lines. SS Orsova. Port Information for Yokohama and Kobe. 4 p.
Volume 1 – Section 11 First Furlough (1962-1963) Page 207
14) P&O Orient Lines. Foldout brochure for SS Orcades, SS Oronsay and SS Orsova.
15) Postcard to Cecil and Georgia Flowers from Max. 1963. Jul 10.
16) Personal Communications with Buddy and Jean Albright. 2004 – 2006.
17) Royal Interocean Lines. Guide and Information to Mauritius. 1963. 14 p.
18) Royal Interocean Lines. Guide and Information to Singapore and Federation of Malaya. 1961. 18 p.
19) Takarazuka tickets for Familyland and Girl’s Opera. July 15, 1963.
20) The Valley Dispatch. May 2, 1963. Vol 3. No. 12. (lists Max and Rod in honor role).
21) US Department of State – Passport No. Z167779. LeRoy Albright. Issued June 26, 1962. Expired June 26, 1967.
Volume 1 – Section 11
In the Light of His Word Volume 1
Volume 1 Index
A Achewa Branch of the PIM, 116, 136, 137, 145, 154, 165, 170, 172 Albright, Jasmine (Buddy’s mother), 2, 3, 64, 181, 187, 206 Albright, Ruth, 40, 49, 102, 128, 153, 174, 178, 185, 206 American Consul, 8, 152, 166, 167 Amsterdam, Holland, 168, 179 Andrew, house helper, 19, 38, 108, 111, 112, 131, 158, 176 Arab dhow, 89 Assembly of God Mission lake cabin, 148, 151, 156, 159 Atnip family, 20, 22, 144
B Banda, Dr. Kamuzu, 40, 69, 70, 71, 72, 104, 112, 136, 166, 167, 205 Bantu, 30, 31, 55, 62, 63, 73, 74 Baptist Industrial Mission, 70 Beaver aircraft, 108, 130, 131, 152, 176 Beira, Mozambique, 4, 2, 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, 22, 25, 40, 90, 128 Belharzia (Schistosomiasis), 7, 89 Bishop MacKenzie School, v, 112, 118, 128, 144, 153, 159, 167, 168, 174 Bonnie, Buddy’s sister, 2, 181, 188 Bonzo, Mr., 147, 170 Boots, Buddy’s sister, 2, 181, 188 Bowlin family, 20, 21, 22 Bray family, 151, 156, 159, 162, 164, 174 British accent, 12, 23, 93, 130, 160, 183 Brooner, Mary, 12, 19, 25 Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia, 20, 29, 107, 113, 103, 169
C Cannata family, 19, 22, 25, 38, 41, 42, 144, 158 Cape Town, South Africa, 7, 8, 29, 41 Cauthen, Dr. Baker J., 113 Cellucitus, 42, 161 Central African Federation, 4, 11, 30, 35, 40, 54, 69, 70, 81, 103, 112, 124, 103, 148, 166, 206, 207 Central African Mission, 21, 49, 57, 96, 105, 107, 117, 124, 103, 139, 144, 158, 160, 169, 172
Volume 1 Index Page 209
Chambati, Mr., 16 Chewa tribe, 62, 74, 75, 76, 77, 79, 80, 81 Chewa tribe, spiritual beliefs, 74 Cheyne family, 19, 22, 39, 50, 51, 87, 124, 127 Chilapalapa, 160 Chileka airport, Nyasaland, v, 59, 92 Chilembwe, Rev. John, 69, 72, 73, 81 Chinyanja, 20, 39, 41, 46, 48, 56, 62, 63, 65, 71, 83, 89, 92, 94, 97, 99, 106, 109, 125, 103, 137, 146, 155, 160, 171, 180, 193, 194, 196 Chiradzulu (PIM Main Church), v, 73, 83, 95, 100, 117, 124, 136, 138 Chiwala, Mr. Daniel, 56, 62, 109 Christmas (1958-1962), 4, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 36, 38, 84, 85, 87, 90, 91, 92, 103, 126, 127, 130, 131, 132, 150, 157, 161, 164, 186, 187 Claflin, Kansas, 6, 36 Clear Creek Spring, Kentucky, 3, 117 Common British words used by the Albrights, 94 Common Chinyanja words used by the Albrights, 160 Congo rebellion (1960), 112 Cooper family, 1, 9 Culture shock, 181, 182 Cunningham family, 20, 22, 50, 102, 105, 107, 144
D Decatur, Georgia, 4, 5, 13, 38, 83, 163, 188, 189 Dedza, Nyasaland, v, 125, 141 Dickie, Buddy’s brother, 2, 167, 174, 177, 179, 181, 183, 188 Doris, Buddy’s sister, 2, 179, 181 Dotson, Clyde J., 19, 20, 21, 22, 25, 72 Douglas Commercial Model 3 (DC-3), 92, 176
E Easter, 100, 138 Elephant charge on Hillman, 122 Equator, 8, 203, 204, 206 Evil spirits, 78, 79, 80, 81, 101, 102, 140 Executive Committee (EC) meeting, 92, 96, 112, 124, 147, 156, 164, 174
F Ferry, 53, 59, 111, 121, 127, 138, 140, 141, 180, 203 Fete, 45, 149 Fever, 37, 42, 44, 87, 131, 159, 161, 174, 175, 176, 177 Field Day, 143, 144, 174 First Bible School session in Lilongwe, 170 First SBC Church Service in Lilongwe, 137 First SBC revival session in Lilongwe, 156 First SBC Sunday School in Lilongwe, 146 First trip to Nyasaland, 52 Fleming Ward, Salisbury General Hospital, 42 Flowers, Cecil, 38, 49, 82, 93, 126, 150, 184, 186, 189, 190, 198
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Flowers, Cecil and Georgia (Jean’s parents), 4, 5, 10, 15, 26, 35, 38, 43, 49, 64, 81, 102, 103, 128, 153, 163, 177, 178, 183, 190, 206, 207 Flowers, Georgia, 4, 5, 10, 15, 26, 35, 38, 43, 49, 64, 81, 102, 103, 128, 153, 163, 177, 178, 183, 184, 189, 190, 198, 199, 206, 207 Flu, 44 Fort family, 19, 22, 25, 42, 44, 72, 102, 144 Fray family, 20, 22, 25, 27, 38 Free Church of Scotland, 68, 70, 71 French, 15, 30, 33, 40, 103, 112 Fundamental force for Albrights, 18, 46, 50, 86, 88, 150, 161, 177 Furlough, iv, 20, 21, 38, 41, 49, 50, 128, 157, 162, 163, 168, 169, 174, 175, 177, 183, 184, 185, 190, 191
G Galatiya, Rev., 173 Garrett family, 12, 20, 22, 25, 42, 106, 107, 113, 127, 103, 131 Gatooma, Southern Rhodesia, 20, 21, 22, 24, 29, 42, 106, 107 Georgetown Baptist Church, 188, 191 Georgetown Baptist College, 5 Georgetown, Kentucky, 2, 3, 5, 163, 168, 181, 183, 188, 189, 191 German Baptist, 21, 22 Goerner, Dr. Cornell, 49, 113, 116, 161, 162 Gokwe, Southern Rhodesia, 20 Grace (Southern Rhodesia), 45, 47, 52 Graham, Rev. Billy, 104 Grand Beach Hotel, v, 88, 119, 121, 130, 144, 149, 151, 169 Great Rift Valley, 65 Guinea pigs, 142 Gusto, 23, 26, 45, 52, 57, 92, 96, 100, 108, 111, 131 Guy Fawkes Day, 125 Gwelo, Southern Rhodesia, 20, 29, 41, 70, 101, 104, 106, 107, 124, 127, 138, 139, 147, 156, 169
H Harvey family, 12, 13, 20, 21, 22, 39, 50, 87, 107, 127, 144, 156, 170 Hawaii, 82, 110, 199, 200 Higginbotham family, 164, 167, 174 Hillman Husky, 17, 24, 43, 52, 58, 59, 61, 86, 107, 122, 125, 126, 132, 137, 139, 140, 141, 145, 151, 155, 156, 159, 167, 168, 169, 170, 175, 176 Hippopotamus, 54, 59, 89, 109, 175 Holmes, Rev. Robert and Janie, 188 Hong Kong, 199, 202, 203 Honolulu, Hawaii, 200 Hyena, 78, 102, 140
I Ice cream, 8, 38, 96, 110, 139, 159, 174, 177, 183 Italian, 15, 95, 108
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J Jackson, Pauline (Polly), 12, 20, 25 Japan, 199, 200, 201, 204, 206 John F. Kennedy election, 125 Jones family, 8, 13, 16, 19, 22, 23, 34, 36, 37, 38, 50, 109, 127, 144, 169, 176 Jones, Davy, 8
K Kachalola, Northern Rhodesia, v, 148, 149 Kandodo store, 115 Kankalamba, Rev., 136, 165, 172 Kariba dam, v, 127 Kariba Dam and Lake Kariba, 107 Kindergarten 1 (KG1), 16, 17, 45, 56, 93, 106, 112, 160 Kindergarten 2 (KG2), 16, 37, 45, 52, 56, 87, 93, 112, 130, 153, 157 King Neptune, 8 Kingsley family, 107, 120, 124, 125, 126, 131, 138, 139, 140, 141, 144, 147, 148, 149, 152, 156, 164, 166, 167, 169, 170, 172, 173, 176 Kitwe, Northern Rhodesia, 148, 149 Knox Berry Farm, 199
L Lake McIlwaine, Southern Rhodesia, 59, 86, 87 Lake Nyasa, 4, 62, 65, 66, 67, 68, 72, 87, 90, 119, 126, 151, 156, 169, 200 Language school, iv, 16, 18, 19, 20, 39, 41, 46, 49, 50, 57, 58, 61, 83, 91, 96, 105, 109, 131, 149 Lanham family, 151, 152, 159, 163, 164, 167, 173, 174, 176 Laws Avenue Mission House – 1. Site found, 118 Laws Avenue Mission House – 2. House started, 135 Laws Avenue Mission House – 3. Construction, 142 Laws Avenue Mission House – 4. Servants quarters, 143 Laws Avenue Mission House – 5. Moving into, 145 Leopard visit, 130 Lilongwe Rental House – 1st One, 111 Lilongwe Rental House – 2nd One, 119 Lilongwe Rental House – 3rd One, 135 Lilongwe River, 114, 134 Lilongwe town council, 108, 118, 135, 152, 156 Limbe Kindergarten School, 93 Little Red Hen filmstrip, 124 Livingstone, David, 3, 29, 39, 68, 69, 70, 71, 97, 112, 135, 180 Lochinvar compound, Southern Rhodesia, v, 48, 51, 61, 87 Lockhart family, 20 London, England, 6, 7, 9, 35, 69, 81, 104, 112, 168, 180, 205 Long Beach, California, 185, 198, 199 Lorenzo Marques, Mozambique, 202, 204 Los Angeles, California, 185, 187, 191, 198, 199 Louisville, Kentucky, 6, 95 Luangwa Game Reserve, 9, 148, 174 Luangwa Game Reserve - Big Lagoon Camp, v, 121, 175
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Luangwa Game Reserve - Nsefu Camp, v, 175 Lusaka, Northern Rhodesia, v, 58, 64, 127, 148, 149
M Mack, 15, 18, 26, 36, 40, 45 Mail order supply and shipping company, 38, 150 Makhaya, Rev. Jackson, 172 Malaria, 71, 97, 131, 132, 161, 162 Malawi Congress Party, 69, 104, 112, 205 Malekebu, Dr. Daniel Sharpe, 72, 83, 116, 117, 123, 126, 136, 172 Mandala store, 115, 152 Mango fruit, 15, 22, 85, 90, 115, 123, 126, 135, 157 Mapfupa, Rev. Greenwall, 156 Marlar, Monda, 12, 25, 90, 127 Maytag wringer washer, 23, 40, 108 McKinnley family, 8, 11, 12, 16, 19, 22, 23, 43, 50, 52, 83, 102, 105, 109, 127, 158 Mission meeting, 21, 49, 50, 96, 106, 107, 138, 139, 142, 169, 187 Moss family, 149 Move to Lilongwe, 111 Mrs. Wilkins, 17, 18, 41, 46, 48, 59 Mtoko, Southern Rhodesia, 52, 53, 59, 87, 106, 107, 140 Musiku family, 145 Mwanza, Nyasaland, 126 Mziramsanga, Rev. Abel, 24, 170
N Nara, Japan, 201, 206 National Baptist Convention, 72, 73, 116, 124 Ncheu, Nyasaland, v, 156, 173 Neely family, 169 New York City, 2, 6, 7, 8, 19, 40, 123, 180 Nkhoma Mission, 175 Noddy and friends, 43, 91 Northern Rhodesia visit, 148 Nyasaland African Congress, 69 Nyasaland bakery, 57 Nyimba, Northern Rhodesia, v, 148
P Pasteurized milk, 55, 82, 115 Pat, Buddy’s sister, 2, 181 Peace Corps, 126, 137, 166, 167 Penang, Malaya, 202, 204, 206 Pepper dog, 113, 118, 120, 122, 127, 151, 175 Peter, Limbe house helper, 57, 94, 96, 100, 108 Petersburg, Kentucky, 6, 13, 36, 124, 163 Phillips family, 20, 22 Phoenix, Arizona, 4, 163, 168, 174, 177, 180, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 189, 190, 191, 198 Pineville, Kentucky, 2, 3, 116, 188, 189, 191
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Plymouth station wagon -1950, 185, 187, 188, 189, 198 Pootsie fly, 15 Portuguese, 9, 31, 33, 53, 57, 63, 67, 95, 108, 145, 160 Post Office Box 249, 109, 150 Presto pressure cooker, 37, 98 Princess Margaret, 30 Providence Industrial Mission (PIM), v, 72, 73, 83, 95, 100, 116, 117, 118, 121, 123, 124, 126, 136, 137, 138, 145, 154, 165, 170, 172 Pugh, Ralph, 124, 103, 139, 151
Q Quarry township, Southern Rhodesia, v, 47, 51, 61 Queen Elizabeth II, 30 Queen Mother, 30, 107, 127, 149 Questions asked to missionaries on furlough, 197
R Recent dead, 77, 78, 79, 80 Rental of Office in Lilongwe, 135 Revell family, 17, 20, 25 Reverend Kelly, Lloyd Caswell, 3, 116 Reykjavik, Iceland, 180 Rhodes, Cecil, 29, 32, 68 Rift Valley Academy, Kenya, 84 Robinson family, 2, 181, 188 Rounders, 112, 143
S S.S. African Enterprise, 2, 7, 10 Salima, Nyasaland, v, 71, 72, 88, 121, 130, 131, 159 Salisbury Journey – 1st Trip (Sept, 59), 58 Salisbury Journey – 2nd Trip, 86 Salisbury Journey – 2nd Trip (Nov, ’59), 86 Salisbury Journey – 3rd Trip (May, 60), 106 Salisbury Journey – 4th Trip (Dec, 60), 126 Salisbury Journey – 5th Trip (May ’61), 138 Salisbury Journey – 6th Trip (April ’62), 169 Salisbury Journey – 7th Trip (Aug ’62), 176 Sanyati, Southern Rhodesia, 17, 19, 20, 22, 24, 25, 26, 27, 42, 43, 44, 49, 50, 90, 158, 162 Savage family, 149 School holidays, 16, 45, 46, 87, 90, 106, 118, 119, 147, 149, 151, 157, 159, 164 Scottish Presbyterian Blantyre Mission, 68 Sears and Roebuck Company, 126, 150 Sewing, 94, 95, 99, 111, 103, 134, 136, 163 Shabani, Southern Rhodesia, 20 Shire River, 66, 67, 111, 141 Singapore, 202, 203, 204, 207 Slide projector, 124 Small family, 149
Volume 1 Index Volume 1 Index Page 214
Smith, Dr. Roger, 156 Snake Temple, 204 Song – Jesus Loves Me, 146 Song – There Is A Land That Is Fairer Than Day, 170 Southern Baptist Southern Seminary, 6 Spiritual Beliefs of the Chewa Africans, 74 SS African Enterprise, 2, 7 SS Orsova, 199, 200, 201, 202, 206, 207 SS Straat Banka, 202, 206 St. Andrew School, 112 St. Andrews School, 56, 87, 93, 103, 112 St. Helena, 7 Standard I, 93 Standard III, 16, 106, 112, 157, 159 Standard IV, 93, 112, 130, 157 Standard V, 109, 159, 185
T Table of Furlough Appointments (1962-63), 190 Tape recorder, 85, 109, 155 Tarzan, 12, 127, 197 Television, iv, 82, 107, 127, 140, 144, 177, 184, 187, 197 Tete, Mozambique, v, 53, 59, 86, 127 The Free Church of Scotland and Chinyanja Inset Box, 71 Thomas family, 162, 167, 168, 169, 176 Thorpe family, 16, 19, 23, 25, 50, 83, 109 Typical missionary presentation on furlough, 193
U Udds family, 84, 90 Umtali, Southern Rhodesia, 12, 13, 20, 29
V Valley Heights Baptist Church, 188, 190, 191 Vernon, Florida, 38, 183 View-Master, 157
W Washington Elementary School, 185 Waterfalls, Southern Rhodesia, v, 13, 16, 27, 49, 57, 59, 64 Wester family, 20, 22, 49, 50, 51, 52, 54, 56, 57, 60, 61, 62, 70, 73, 90, 92, 95, 96, 97, 99, 100, 102, 105, 107, 109, 111, 117, 119, 120, 123, 124, 125, 126, 138, 144, 147, 148, 152, 156, 164, 166, 167, 169, 170, 176 Whale, 203 Wilkins, Mr. and Mrs., 17, 18, 41, 46, 48, 59 Willis Jeep, 139, 140, 141, 145, 147, 148, 155, 168, 169, 196 Witch doctor, 79, 80, 170 Women’s Missionary Union (WMU), 48, 92, 101, 102, 188, 190, 191
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Woodruff family, 2, 179, 181 World Book encyclopedias, 150
Y Yao tribe, 62, 73 Yates family, 2, 181 Yosek, gardener, 131, 135, 165, 176
Z Zambezi Industrial Mission (ZIM), 72, 84 Zambezi River, 30, 53, 59, 66, 127, 138, 140 Zomba, Nyasaland, v, 55, 67, 141, 148
Volume 1 Index