40-8 Kamizono-cho r Nishinomiya, ^ ^ " 662 Japan D S ^ Telephone: (0798)-26-7170 , H /J 'y FORWARDING ADDRESS: Mr. & Mrs. Oden E. Brown Rochester, Illinois 62563 ' r, _i George and Ethel Beckman A WEEK WITH THE BECKMANS AT NISHINOMIYA Bible School at Koyoen Church interested in sports and plays the piano. She holds some school track records. From Tuesday until Friday, break fast is a little earlier when George leaves for chapel and his classes at Osaka Bible Seminary, about an hour's trip by train and bus. This six weeks he may be teaching an intensive course in the exegesis of some of die New Testament letters, or another sue weeks he may be teaching Background of the New Testa ment or again Text and Canon. Two Thursdays eachmonth supper is reheated as he returns late from faculty meeting. Tuesday morning after every one has gone to school Ethel cleans up the house for her Women's Bible Study Group that meets every Tuesday from 10:30 until noon, unless there is a school holiday. Always there is something in which to rejoice after these studies. It may be an exclamation such as, "Oh, now I understand what is meant by...It may be a testimony prompted by some point in the lesson. Wednesday evening is prayer meeting in the Beckmans' living room. Ethel also teaches four aftemoons a week at the Seminary for one term each year. The course is Christian Women and the Home for all the women students. Saturday is catch-up day, family day, get-ready-for-Sunday day. This is more or less a typical week. Occasionally there are other activities that come in any regular schedule. There are special committees in connection with the Seminary, camp, etc. Ethel is on a committee for researching Bible School teaching materials to be published. Two Friday evenings each month the missiona- I lies of the Osaka area gather for prayer meetings. Here we receive mutual en couragement and spiritual recharging in our fellowship together. Page 3 Sunday services begin at ei^t o'clock at Koyoen Church of Christ, which meets in the basement of the Beckmans' home. Moon Bae and Moonja Sunoo meet with Ethel for Bible study in English. They are the two oldest children of Mr. & Mrs. In Sunoo, from Seoul, Korea, who are now living in Koyoen. Bible School for the children begins at nine o'clock. At present there are three classes, taught by Mr. Fujimoto, the preacher; Mr. Homori, a student at Osaka Bible Seminary; and Ethel. Ruth Beck- man is organist for Bible School and church. After the opening services in Bible School are over, she goes back upstairs, where the three Beckman girls have a Bible lesson with their father as teacher. One of the main concerns of the missionaries is the spiritual guidance of dieir own children. As the children get older and go to En^ish-speaking schools, they understand less and less of the adult Japanese language, so that if they attend Japanese worship services they get very little out of the service beyond having the Lord's Supper and participating in the singing and offering. Worship services begin at ten-thirty. There is very often one or two young people who have come a long way to church, and they stay after worship for a short or long visit and eat lunch with us. Every second Sunday of the month George is gone to Kyoto, where he preaches at the Sakyo Church of Christ and stays for an officers' meeting in the aftemoon. The Sakyo Church began in the Beckmans' first home in Kyoto in Febmary, 1949. The church is now self-supporting. Monday moming finds the ^rls off to school at Canadian Academy, in Kobe. Since Nishinomiya is midway between Osaka and Kobe, they can commute to school. Jenaim, the oldest daughter, graduated in June, 1970. She was active in the band for three years, playing the French hom, and was treasurer of the Girls' Athletic Association last year. She plans to stay in Japan a year after graduating, working and studying part time. Mary was a junior last school year and believes in becoming involved to get things moving. She was the editor of the school newspaper last year, and believes that she has learned enough through her mistakes to be able to get out a good paper. Ruth, making the transition from junior hi^ to high school in that in-between ninth grade, is especially George preaching in chapel with Akira Oda interpreting.