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OSAKA CHRISTIAN MISSION, Inc. '

(of America)
January 4, 1972
Dear Christian Friends;
Happy Nev/ Year, We pray that the peace of God which passes all understanding
may fill your hearts throughout this new year. . We pray that we may see peace in
the world because the Prince of Peace reigns in the hearts of men.
We appreciated so very much the greetings and letters received from you at
Christmas time. We had a special blessing at Chjristmas time this year as Grace
Farnham came to spend the Christmas and New Year holidays with us. It was a joy
to have her and she seemed no older than when sho left Japan ten years ago.
The church here in Nishinomiya kept Sunday, the twenty-sixth, for special
Christmas meetings. The morning was devoted to the children from ten o'clock to
noon. Our regular worship service was at four-thirty in the afternoon followed
by supper together and a short fellowship meeting; Twenty-six in all gathered
for the evening meal.
Since Sunday was on January second, the senond of the regular three day
New Year celebration, the church people stayed and had lunch together and played
games in our home until about four in the afternoon. That evening our family,
including Mr, Sugano and Miss Farnham, were invited to our next door neighbors'
for a typical New Year's meal. Most of the foods had been prepared on December
31st and eaten cold except for the hot ozononi - a special New Year's soup.
Word came from John that he expects to be sent to the Philippines in April,
As a Medic in the Air Force he will accompany wounded servicemen being evacuated^
from Southeast Asia to hospitals outside that zone. In view of this we are
hoping to be able to see him this year.
The final decision on the Yen-dollar exchange was that the Yen should be
raised 16.889^ to 308 Yen to the dollar, with a limit on possible fluctuation from
301 to 315 Yen per dollar. This was considerably more than we had anticipated
(and was a serious threat), but it should help the international monetary
situation, Commodity prices here continue to rise. The Prime Minister's Office
published a r eport that the rise during 1971 v/as 6.1^, We are very grateful for
the way in which many of you have responded to this "monetary crisis." Some have
indicated a raise in the regular church budget to increase our support. In
addition we have received several special offerings to help in the present
emergency until the budget increases can go into effect. Thus God abundantly
provides through you and we praise Him.
Thank you very much for your continued support of us in a number of ways.
May God bless you.
Ministers to Japan,
The Beckmans
8-kO Kamizono-cho
Nishinomiya 662, Japan
\ Nishinomiya^ Japan
April 17? 1972
Dear Christian Friends,
Yesterday as Ethel called another missionary on the phone, and with the commonly
used salutation asked how she was, she replied, "We're praising the Lord." Ethel
thought, "What a womderful answer!" She wondered afterward how many of us could an-^^
swer that we were praising the Lord, or, when,we so often automatically reply,
or "Pretty good," we are mentally complaining of the difficult lot we are in. How
wonderful it is that we can praise the Lord in spite of, rather even because of the
difficulties, frustrations, or heartaches that come our way, for it is through these
that we can learn the full joy and peace of total dependence on Him. And how marvelously
does He sustain us.
The school year for the Seminary ended March thirty-first. Because the two
who were finishing this year each lacked some required credits for graduation, we had
no graduation exel?cises. Mr. Masuda returned to Hiroshima to begin his work, while
Mr. Homori is staying on another^ix weeks to complete his required credits. he new
school year begins this week, Ap'ril 187 We have one new student^ enrolled, making a
-9t5tifW'WH"TMi~t^m. This seems like a very few, but when'^^old another missionary^
exclaimed, "You are doing well to have that many these daysi
rwiuii aWinMiilliMrj" III - n.w -
T?he last week of March was the annual missionary convention, with Brother William
Ellis, Orlando, Florida, as the main speaker. Unfortunately we were unable to go, but
i^uth went, and we praise God for the wonderful blessing that she, as well as the other
young people, received. She came home with joy and a new confidence in her faith and
a desire to witness to gethers.
This week Brother Ellis will be speaking at Osaka Bible Seminary each morning and
to the various churches in the area in the evenings, Friday evening we are antici
pating a rich fellowship with him at our missionary prayer meeting here at our house.
May third to fifth is the annual all-Japan convention of the Churches of Christ,
in Kagoshima Prefecture this year, with Mr. Ellis as the main speaker again. Pray
with us that each of the Christians attending will be strengthened and be instilled
with a sincere desire to live and witness his faith.
The lastest v/ord from John is that his orders to go^he Philippines have been
cancelled and that he will continue to be at McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas for
some time yet. He is now a sergeant and working in emergency at the hospital there.
Saturday, April 15 the movie "The Restless Ones" was shown here in Nishinomiya.
Ruth asked several of her friends to see it and come here for dinner afterward. We
rejoiced that Munb^e Sunoo, the teenage son of our Korean friends, went forward and
expressed a desire to become a Christian. We do covet your prayers for each one in
this family as they face many difficulties that really test their faith.
We rejoice with fellow Christians here in the Ggaka area and in some of the
other areas where ^saka Bi^ie Seminary personnel visited for special services in
hearing about I5 baptisms from July to December last year.
V/e thank God for each one of you, for your concern and your prayers on our
behalf. V/e pray continually for you, too, that His peace may fill your hearts, that
you may know the joy of full surrender to Him in all things.
Yours in Christian love.
^he Becl^ans
OSAKA CHRISTIAN MISSION, Inc. (of America)
8-^ Kamizono-cho, Nishinoffliya 662, Japan
July 21, 1972
Dear Christian Friends;
Greetings in the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord,
your continued help.
Thank you very much for
Osdca Bible Seminary closed the first term of the new school year this month.
At the end of the first six weeks, Mr. K. Homori, who had stayed to finish one
course still needed for graduation, returned to Kyushu to begin work in his home
prefecture of Kagoshima. His degree will become effective next jj^ch, the end of
the present school year. Mr. Homori has been one of our most active and zealous
students in recent years. During his last years at school he had financed and
conducted a weekly meeting in a rented hall near" the school, with the help of
other students and faculty. We wish him God's richest blessings in his work.
Jenann was able to join a charter flight from Chicago to Japan on July first
for a two month stay dviring summer vacation. Since there are several other former
students of Canadian Academy home for the sxiramer, she has been able to renew her
"memories and feelings of the past." It is wonderful for us to have her hone
again for a few months.
Ruth has spent the first five weeks of vacation helping at school in the day
camp for elementary school children who have needed special help in English
because it is their second language. Though it was hard work she was glad for
the experience and did enjoy it, too. Sunday she will leave for Karuizawa where
she will be helping the Fleenors in their summer camps.
The monetary situation in the yen dollar exchange continues to be disturbing.
The dollar has fallen to 300 yen now and there are continuous speculations that it
will continue to fall to possibly as low as 270 or 280 yen. At the same time
commodity prices continue to rise. Today's newspaper reported a rise of 30.8^ in
train fares to be approved soon.
Some times it is with extreme sorrow and diffictilty that we must write
etters or parts of leters. This is our feelings at this time. We have known
for some time that Oden and Reraa Brown, our forwarding agents, have not enjoyed
excellent health. Rema especially has found it difficult at times to carry on id
a very active manner. Now it has become necessary that they give up their work
for us. We have felt that this was a team working together with us for these
many years. Now that team must be separated. We deeply regret it but cannot
expect them to continue under the threat of worsening health. We know that they
will continue active for the Lord even.though their service will take different
shape in tlie future. May ^od bless you, ^den and Rema, and may He comfort and
strengthen you.
When Ethel was home last fall she had talked to Richard and ifWgaret Saevre
about the possibility of assuming the task when the Browns found it necessary to
retire. They are able to take over the work right away, so the arrangements have
been made and they will be our new forwarding agents from thj& first of August.
Therefore, frcmi now on all checks and correspondence to us 'throu^ our forwarding
agents should be sent
% Richard Saevre
R. R. 1
Brodhead, Wisconsin 53520.
6^
Ministers to ^'^apan,
The Beckmans