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Isobel Kuhn - Letter - August 16, 1935
[Note: Text of one of the prayer letters Isobel sent out
to the supporters in North America of the Kuhns' ministry. In the 1930s, these
letters were usually titled, Lisuland Calls. The Kuhns were especially active
in holding brief Bible schools in the various villages of the Christian Lisu to
train worship leaders and deacons and others in the Scriptures. Punctuation and
spelling has been maintained as far as possible as they were in the original letter.
Comments in brackets [] are by the archivist. The letter is in Collection 215,
Box 4, Folder 32. ]
Lisuland Calls.
China Inland Mission,
Luku, West Yunnan, China
Aug. 16th., 1935.
"Get you up...into the mountain and see the people that dwelleth therein, whether
they be strong or weak." (Numbers 13:17-18).
Down the northern trail, with the sunset a golden halo behind them, came three
men; first was a little fellow in a big hat and wearing a big smile. Behind
him was a tall husky old Lisu with a gruff growl for a voice, but a kindly eye,
and behind him again was a gentle-faced lad. They had come expressly to invite
us to go and hold a Short Term Bible School on their mountain, but as Husband
John and Teacher John were away on a trip south these had to wait till their
return. The decision turned out to be that we experiment, and go as a family.
So on July 21st. we set forth.
The journey?.... "in perils of rivers", perils of mountain slides, and in PERIL
of being the mountain slide! This is the rainy season, you know; one stream
was flooded, a landslide had covered the trail at another place, and I had to
go over on hands and knees, hearing the gravel slip as I went. The second day
we cams to a new road, just tree boughs, mud and stone (no lime) built up against
the cliff; the rains had broken it and it was most dangerous; on one narrow
ledge my mule' foot went through up to his knee and the jerk almost threw me
over the edge; at another place this road was already cracked and ready to plunge
down hundreds of feet. There was neither time nor space to dismount and lighten
the weight of the animal and myself, so John, ahead, stood with averted, face
while we crossed, and called back, "Belle, are you over?" When he turned around
he was deathly pale - it would be no fun to see one's pal go over the precipice.
But there are unseen Hands that keep missionaries; "for He shall give His angels
charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways."
"Their mountain" is three mountains north of us, and we took the villages starting
from "Cow's Hump" on the brow of the hill that banks the Salween [river which
flows through Tibet, China, Myanmar, and Thailand], and worked in on this south
ravine to the last Christian village "Beheaded Tribesman", then crossed the
mountain top to the point and down the northern slope to the village of "Small
Hump". So "Cow's Hump", named from the formation of the hills, was our first
stop.
"This is the victory that overcometh....even our faith." (1 John 5:4)
COW'S HUMP'S VILLAGE.
Satan had a heap of small miseries all ready to clamp down upon us as soon as
we arrived - and send us home: Imagine to yourself the ricketiest old junk shop
you ever saw, with no windows, ceiling and walls so black with soot that it
is dark at noonday if someone stands in the doorway, big cracks in the rough
floor thru which you see and smell the animal pen that is beneath, and a wood
fire in the middle of the room July or December, with its suffocating smoke
blinding the eyes and choking the throat - that is a Lisu hut, and into such
we were ushered that evening!
Add to this, no pot where one could retire for a few minutes without Lisu pressing
in and on all sides, little daughter on the verge of dysentery (an epidemic
in the district is taking many lives) and outside.....shafts of relentless rain
pouring as if it did not mean t stop for weeks - Satan had his stage set nicely.
At length a small inner room was vacated for Mamma and sick girlie, and, kneeling
there in almost despair this verse came quickly, "When the enemy shall come
in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him."
(Isa. 59:19). So I cried unto Him (and outside unknown to me John was praying
the same,) "Oh, Lord, lift up Thy standard against him...lift Thy standard"
and soon a peace and quietness came into one's spirit, and one knew that that
Standard had been silently raised over one's head.
A list of missionary hardships, if it is only that, is untruthfully incomplete.
If there were only that, none of as could stand it, but there is an unseen Comradeship
and whiff a of heavenly contact and blessing that we cannot describe.
"They tell me there are trials
In the path my feet must tread,
But they cannot see the glory
That is shining o'er my head."
"Dost thou know when God...caused the light of His cloud to shine?"(Job 37:l5)
Cloudy times come to all of as but happy are those who experience His light
shining through!
Rain continued to fall, but mostly at night, and Kathryn recovered and was loss
of a worry in bed, really, than when she was well and in danger of falling over
ho edge into that awful pig.-stye[sic] underneath And most cheering--down in
the chapel some three hundred feet below, the Lord was blessing. On that Sunday
over two hundred Lisa wore present and a spirit of confession of sin broke oat;
backsliders were reclaimed, and I think one heathen saved. Some three years
ago, Friend Husband made a trip in hero and all these people were heathen; now
it is possible to have the sweetest Christian fellowship with them!
I seldom lose the thrill of joining in the doxology with these once wild people
of the hills. It is always sung heartily, and at times it is as if one were
standing at the bottom of a tower of praise that pierces through to heaven itself
with challenge to the family there - "Praise Him above ye heavenly host" and
than sometimes--it is as if their answer came swiftly down to unite with ours,
"Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost"
Our schedule often began with 5:45 A.M. when they assembled for early prayer
meeting, and except for meal times classes went on day and evening. I wish you
could have enjoyed the fun of the Scripture Memorization periods; on one occasion
it was Matt. 5:16; even Gruff Growl, despite his hoary head, got the verse,
but one husky Lisu lad (more blessed with brawn than brains), determined to
get it, always "stuck" at the end of the first clause. His patience, perseverance,
and hopelessness, were unparalleled. Over and over, till his audience fell into
fits of laughter (and by the way, I wish I could capture Teacher John's chuckles
and enclose one to each of you, they are as good as a tonic!) he repeated "that
men may see...good works". (That is where the Lisu starts, but he continually
left out words) "that men may see...good works" "that men..." till he was like
a gramophone which had got caught in one groove and could not get out. In between
the others' recitations come this voice - a monotonous undertone, "that men
may" etc. Final1y Ma-ma took pity on him and prompted when he got stuck, so
with this mental cane to loan on, he at last got through, but imperfectly. The
last thing as the meeting broke up was the voice of "Gramophone Brawn" going
over this verse, and when we departed from Cow's Hump (he came to see us off)
the last thing I heard as I turned to the trail was his now familiar voice,
"that men may see...good works...let light shine....glorify Heaven Father".....which
was his final version!
Service Leader here is Bah-deh-shia, a young man rather Jewish looking, and
another alternating leader is Cho-gee-wo, a sturdy fellow. We would like to
see these two more earnest. Deacon Choo-fu-si-pa is a gentle-faced man; when
asked who Abraham was he replied, "King of Egypt:" Deacon Sa-deh-fu-pa, a kindly
middle aged man won our love. Bah-se-me did too. She is an unusually clever
earnest girl.
"His banner over me was love." (Cant.2:4) [Canticle, the book of the Bible also
known as the Song of Songs or Song of Solomon.]
KNOLL VILLAGE.
I left my little inner room with a sigh, wondering what crowded publicity was
to await me et Knoll; as if our Lord's loving kindness had an end! At this village
they had partitioned off a section of the long thatched chapel for us and e
had a beautiful little clean, airy chamber all to ourselves.
We had brought our organ and guitar so that the Lisa had music to their heart's
content. Although these villages are not very far apart we stayed in each one
so that the old folk could attend. You should have seen the open-mouthed wonder
over the "cupboards" (Lisa word for any music box); the "Ah beh" and "Ah geh"
of delight.
Some of the younger more earnest Christians came each day, no matter where we
were. The little man in the big hat who came to Oak Flat to invite us belongs
here. His name is Sammy-pa and he was Service Leader but had to lose his office
because he went to law with a fellow Christian. Despite this discipline, he
attended most faithfully---please pray for him.
A nineteen year old cripple girl, Mary, is one of Knoll's brightest Christians;
she got 100% at Scripture Memorization Test. "Jas." (I try to dive the names
as they sound) is a dear boy of mach promise and devotion; he is afflicted with
deafness. Do remember him too.
One afternoon in walks Teacher Jesse and Keh-gee-son They had finished their
two months at "the heathen patch" which, by the way, is the "robber district"
that Luda Peter opened up as told in one of Mrs. Cooke's recent circulars [one
of her prayer letters sent to supporters in the United States]. Mr Cooke was
very pleased with their work.
"The ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them...to search out a resting
place for them." (Num. 10:33)
BEHEADED TRIBESMAN VILLAGE,
It got this awful name in the old wild days, before the Christ had "gentled"
their hearts, because a Min Chia tribesman wondering in, had his head cut off
by them. The two deacons here are able men, Shih-seh-pa and An-ah-deh-pa, and
didn't they give us a reception They attended regularly all through, but the
day before we left for their village they disappeared. When we arrived we found
out why. They had put up a most beautiful floral arch of strength blooms something
like cherry blossoms and wistaria, and were in line singing the Lisu hymn of
welcome, "There's a Stranger at the Door" when we arrived. Not only that, they
had vacated a whole hut for us and even built us a porch with a view of the
mountains - could love and gratitude do more?
Again Sunday was a big day. They had to take out the end wall of the chapel
to accommodate the crowd. Teacher John was to preach, and for the first time
since we have known him, he got "stage fright"; turning to us he said,"Do not
the Scriptures say 'Feed the hungry', and look at all these hungry ones Oh,
have I enough to feed them?" Then we told him (how we do love him) that he could
never have enough, but that the Holy Spirit who dwells within him was plenty,
and would never see them go away hungry; and we believe it was so. Seven backslidden
families returned to the Lord.
"What a God, Who out of shade
Nest for singing bird hath made." (A. Carmichael) [Amy Carmichael was a missionary
to India of the Church Missionary Society of the Church of England. She founded
the Dohnavur Fellowship to care for children. She also wrote many books and
hymns.]
THE VILLAGE OF SMALL HEMP.
This place is so hard to reach that they usually get passed by, but this time
they pled that we would visit them too. Our experience here was that of the
above complete; outward circumstances were "shade" of deepest gloom, yet the
memory is that of a "nest of singing birds".
We arrived in the rain and soaked to the knees from pressing through thick dank
undergrowth; early a Lisu had been detailed off to support me, for the descent
was steep and very slippery. Once we both slid at the same moment, and would
have fallen flat if I had not happened to slide on to his toe and thus "checked
the mad career"! So laughter mingled with the rain. But as we approached the
village even to stand became impossible and he had to take me on his back. It
was a distressingly undignified way to arrive, and what was worse, the boy with
the gong was right behind, banging away for all he was worth, as if to ensure
that the world gave proper attention! But right grateful was I that it was only
a gong he held and not a camera.
The warmest of loving welcomes awaited us from behind another floral arch, and
much lamentation was made over what they called our "sufferings" in order to
come to them. We had to stay in the chapel which was small and our partitioned-off
corner was so narrow I had to stand in the middle of my bed to make it! We we
[sic] hastily tried to unpack and get into dry clothing, a crowd was already
in the chapel waiting to be taught, so we sent the Victrola [hand cranked phonograph
record player] out to them. Dry things were difficult to find quickly and a
dismal gloom was about to settle down "inside" when a line from the Victrola,
sung in beautiful chorus, pierced through - "O come let us adore Him" It was
as if a gentle Voice had whispered, "Can you 'adore' under these circumstances?",
and it was with a glad cry that one recognized Him "O yes, dear Lord:" that
loving gentle reminder of His presence with us brought in such joy that the
"gloom" was ashamed and had to go.
All week, night and day, the rain came down; in our private quarters wet laundry
hung limp around our faces and over our bed; my beloved Hawaiian guitar disintegrated
with the damp, much to my sorrow as it has been joyous company for years, but
I am glad to say we did not "disintegrate", not even our tempers. The latter
were beginning to strain one day, when in walked a runner with a pile of mail
wonderful letters that told of many answers to prayer and st our hearts to happiness
again.
Attendance was splendid every day, but again Sunday was the climax - five big
meetings, two out of doors because of the crowd and a few minutes sunshine.
One was the baptismal service when 27 were immersed, and more will soon be ready.
We baptize none who have not been believers at least a year, and thoroughly
examined. So imagine our joy at welcoming this number! A wonderful meeting followed
when backslidden young folk confessed their sins and bravely took the church
discipline which followed; and three heathen turned to the Lord. After years
of work among unresponsive Chinese, so shallow in their devotion even when they
are converted, one feels that these despised people of the inaccessible hills
satisfy the missionary heart.
Service Leader hero is a fine big follow of 29 years, Ya-fu-bo by name; he is
very active though he has a huge goitre.[sic] Deacon Va-gee-gia-pa is such a
dear earnest man. A new deacon was elected, Ma-fu-yi-pa, little and wizened.
He was so sweet to us he was actually funny!
Shih-fa-nich, who is married to an opium sot, was one of the newly baptized
ones. I will never forget her face and its beautiful glow of joy as she listened
to the organ hymns.
John says I must tell you "of the descent from Small Hemp." I was brought up
at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, have travelled [sic] over Yunnanese mountains
for six years, but never yet hove I encountered any wrinkles on earth's crust
like those mountains! It is the steepness of their unbroken declivity that saps
one's life. After climbing to the crest above Small Hemp we had to descend about
3,000 feet. So abrupt was it that to ride was impossible. Hour after hour, with
a Lisa man holding each hand, I plunged down through damp undergrowth over a
slender and slippery trail. The tension became painful, I was shaking so, and
once everything began to swim, but after a short halt - no place flat enough
to sit with comfort - we went on, and finally got down. After two days of some
such travelling [sic] we reached home, both of us feeling as if we were bruised
all over; but who would have missed it ---- any of it?
"And aye the dews of sorrow
Were lustred by His love."
Yours for love of Him,
John and Isobel Kuhn [The names are in cursive script in the original.]
LITTLE DAUGHTER'S CORNER. [story about the Kuhn's daughter Kathryn, who was
traveling with them.]
One evening at Small Hemp, when Daddy got up to preach, ho had only said one
sentence, when from the other side of the partition where girlie was in bed,
came a small voice in excellent Lisu - "Pay strict attention! This is my Papa!"
Of course the audience howled with laughter, whereat wee monkey was delighted
and essayed again, in perfect imitation of a Lisu adult - "Quiet! Be quiet there!"
Needless to say discipline was difficult.
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