Evening star., 1943-12-26
Missionary, Back From China,
Delights in Free Christmas

lea without her husband, who re-
manned behind.
After living on the prison fare
food made possible by the allotment
OF yen per day, augmented by such
vegetables as the prisoners could
raise themselves, she naturally can
not realize that rationing even exists
Her own country, with its abun-
dance of food, warm shelter and
the good things of life, seems like
a heaven here on earth"
| The little story-book girl in the
fairy tale of "Goody Two Shoes
couldn't possibly have had more Joy
than Mrs. Coffin has in her new
shoes, the first she has been able to
purchase in nearly three years. III
was the same way with our clothes >
she says. They just wore out and
there was nothing we could do be-
yond mending them to the last shred
and patch"
When the time came for the ex-
change of the United States prison.
erS, no British ones were in this ex-
change, they were permitted to take
only their bedding. clothing and a
limited number of toilet articles and
personal possessions. Such musical
instruments as clarinets, violins and
accordions were denied them. The
Bible which Mrs. Coffin has carried
everywhere with her since it was
given to her as girlhood treasure
by her mother, was returned after
it had been minutely censored and
every annexation. even to the in
scription, meticulously removed.
! When the delegation of japanese
officials, accompanied by few
Chinese puppets took over the Sew
enth Day Adventist Hospital, which
was located within a mile of the
Chinese airfield at Canton, the pa
tients who were refugees were left
until they had recovered.
The German neighbors who came
as patients were permitted to GO
and come as they pleased for treat
ments without moleStation or even
the presentation of credentials. Dur
ing this time when German
mother was brought in with cholera
Mrs. Collins took care of Heinz, hel
2-months-old baby boy, in order
! to save its life Presently the hos.
pital staff and its employees were
calling him either, Heinz ST." Of
Mrs. Cofin's Little Nazi Enemy.
He remained her particular charge
and care until the whole American
Seventh Day Adventist group ane
others, including British prisoners
of war were transferred to The
property of the Oriental Missionary
Society which had also been con-
fiscated by the japanese, and was
located on an island in the river
off Canton.
The head foreign man" at the
Oriental Missionary Society Prison
Camp was DR.. James Henry, presi-
dent Of Ling Nam University before
the japanese occupation, and ar
eminent educator and psychologist
Mrs. Collins emphasizes the in.
genuity and resourcefulness which
he brought to his leadership of the
entire group of internees.
He so schooled them as to the ad.
visibility of meeting condition.
without exhibiting emotional reac.
tions to their captors, that they
even managed to be equal to the
supreme test in the rigidity of theil
facial expressions on that wonder.
ful 4th of July, 1912, when the
American flyers zoomed over the
camp, engaging japanese planes ir
successful combat. Although their
Jaws ached from the tension fol
hours afterwards while their hearts
sang, they had so managed to con-
ceal their elations, not q reprisa
was made by the guards.
The general health of the in.
termed was kept exceptionally high
by the four physicians and si1
nurses among the group and the
vegetables such as tomatoes, cab.
bage, celery, caulif1ower and lettuce
which they were able to raise. They
even cultivated a nearly extinct
pineapple grove TO the point where
they enjoyed its fruit TO the amaze.
ment of their sentries.
I there is ever any doubt as tt
what you should include in a prison
package to war internee, Mrs
Collins urges that you tuck in pack.
ages of the very best vegetable ane
flower seeds available. Even theil
most Jealous guards would occa.
sionally stand for a moment in ap.
probation before the beauty of theil
flowers. Sometimes they would ever
accept armfuls of them with pleas.
ure, which indicated their love fo,
them. They would often take pic.
lures OF themselves beside the pine.
apple trees, too, but they could nevel
be induced to taste them.