This is before CD's and ipods!

My junior year in college was interrupted by health problems. The doctor was pretty sure I had a thyroid problem so told me to go home and get it checked. I did go back to Okinawa, but my condition had worsened to the point I couldn't express myself clear enough to say I needed to have my thyroid checked. So, for a few months, I lived an emotional roller coaster ride; and even after I'd finally managed to have my examination and treatment had started, it took awhile to take effect. The following incident happened that year out of school.


My thyroid problems led to uncontrollable emotions. One day, I found myself flinging angry words at Daddy...my siblings had been given braces: I hadn't; they'd been given radio casette tape players: I hadn't...I was unable to stem the furious torrent of grievances, although my mind said, "Stop it!"

The very next day, after coming back from shopping, Daddy tossed a package to me, saying, "Your mother and I picked this out; hope it's okay." I opened the package to find a brand new radio casette tape player inside, something I'd wanted a long time.

"How can Daddy forgive me like this for all those horrible words?" I hadn't even said I was sorry! Tears streamed down my face.

The best present I ever received came from Daddy, too: a casette tape series on the Christian's thought life (I don't remember who the tape seminar was by). It was, of course, listened to on the tape recorder from Daddy.

God is ever-willing to forgive us and bless us; if we'd only turn to Him more often!

Family Day Drives

Church work was put aside on "Family Day." "Churchwork put aside" sometimes meant hospital visitation when going shopping or seeing relatives when going for a drive up north, or "family evangelism," but that didn't bother us kids one bit. Even when adults rejected missionary efforts, children's presence sometimes opened up hearts and witnessing opportunities.

We never got tired of family drives: on one occasion, everyone got in the car, & we headed north. When far enough not to know the location, a small road was taken for the sole purpose of getting lost. After turning right and turning left until certain of being completely lost, someone walking along the road would be asked for directions to a nearby city. When that destination was reached, another narrow road would be taken to "get lost" on purpose; rights & lefts would be taken; a person at roadside would be asked how to get to such-and-such a city; & the routine would be repeated. When noon came, the car would be stopped for a picnic lunch. We enjoyed the fried chicken, onigiri (rice balls), boiled eggs, etc... Mother had made & ice-cold drinks in the cooler box Daddy made. On the way home, the rest of the family, exhausted, slept in the car while Daddy drove home.

Thank you, Daddy.

Start of Okinawa Christian School

There was no Christian school in Okinawa when my parents started their ministry on the island, yet in its pioneer stage as a mission field, WWII having just ended. (Yes; that's a LONG TIME AGO!) But God saw us peon missionary children who needed education and started a school--it began as a handful of kids being taught by one missionary teacher & ended up growing to a student body of several hundred by the time my sisters & I got there. Then God saw we needed college education too so made financial provision for that.

Let's see...the school on the field, started for missionary children, ended up being the school to which Filipino, Chinese, Indian, Korean, etc..., businessmen sent their kids to also, so I had the privilege of growing up in a pretty international environment. I also remember in 2nd grade looking forward to going to public school on furlough because that would probably mean more witnessing opportunities, different from my Christian school where even unsaved classmates would claim to be Christians to keep from being left out. Of course that changed in jr-sr high when it seemed "more cool" to rebel, to fight the status quo...yes, that happens on the mission field too.

Underneath

I still remember my favorite jacket: it was red, warm, with ribbed knit sleeves & collar, a Donald Duck motif decorating the breast. It was while the 3J's wore these matching jackets & went shopping that the following event happened.

My younger sister put out her foot in front of me. Normally, I would've been able to stop, but this time I ended up tripping over it; since both hands were in my pockets, I was unable to stop myself from falling. I must've hit my ribs hard & got windknocked; when I got up, I found it difficult to breathe.

"Junie, are you okay?" Daddy asked me.

"I...can't...breathe" I remember saying before passing out. When I regained consciousness, Daddy was standing behind me, holding me up by my elbows, & I was groaning & stomping my feet--the body's automatic effort to breathe?

God, I realized, is always there supporting us...even when we're not conscious of it!

"The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms" (Deut. 33:27a)

He Lessened the "brrr"

Winter mornings were cold, even in the concrete home we'd moved to. To make it easier to get up, Daddy would warm the rooms with space-heater-stoves, casting grid-designs on the ceilings and walls.

Later, I remember he did the same thing on furloughs--in the U.S., unlike Okinawa, it got cold enough to snow. But when we had to go somewhere, Daddy often went out to the parking lot early and turned on the car heater so that by the time the rest of the family came out, it was nice and warm.

Thank you for thinking about us, Daddy.

Economy, Business Class, 1st Class, and one more...

I hear going back on plane for our first furlough to the U.S., my parents really had a handful with three children: one infant, another child still in diapers, and a toddler! During one leg of the journey--and you can see we're talking ancient history here, because nothing close to this would be allowed today--the airplane staff let our family actually take the PILOT'S SLEEPING COMPARTMENT, so my mother could lie down too!

Most MK's can talk about the quality of travel, can compare various flight agences' services, etc..., but I would be able to talk about what it's like to fly in the pilot's sleeping quarters too, if only I'd been older--I don't remember it at all!

Financial Investments

One of my favorite pasttimes on rainy days during elementary years was in going to the encyclopedia shelf & pulling out a thick volume--no thought really to what volume it was--and browsing through whatever looked interesting. (Since it was World Book encyclopedia with tons of pictures for children's eyes, it kept my curiosity. I doubt Britannica would've done the same thing.)

My parents weren't financially lavish in any way, but I remember three pretty large investments they made that I think were worth it. One was mentioned in the previous paragraph: an encyclopedia set. Later on it was used in all oral reports in school; especially with group reports.

The second was a "used" piano. I put that in parentheses, because I'm sure my sisters & I put in more years of use on that keyboard than the former owner. I remember my parents driving down south quite a ways--during those days, roads weren't what they are today so shorter distances took a lot of time--to get it.

The third purchase was tied in to the above. It was a "Children's Music Library" 15-volume set. Each volume had two record albums & two picture books, giving information on musical instruments as well as large works & the stories they conveyed. We spent HOURS listening to them...without my parents' urging us to do so, let me add. I think I practically memorized "Peter and the Wolf".

There were other large purchases like an air-conditioner, autos, sound-absorbent ceiling in the living room, large appliances, piano lessons at the Classical Music Academy, a water tank to put on the roof; but the THREE investments were what I remember most since they affected me most, I guess.