The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-12-27
Missionary Describes Christnsas in India
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 Recipe For The Ladies
 "fatef c good sweet potato crop started coming Into the market White potatoes afe c rarity and very expensive, They gre tiny too, varying from the size of golf ball down t0 marbles, i did ( lot of experimenting with the sweet potato and discovered ttat I could do almost anything with lt that i did with white potatoes, Try eecalioped sweet potatoes s0fneAfiep
 When Mrs. Hickman wanted to buy eggs she couldn't send Otit to the store for c dozen, or drop in Oh ( nearby farmer, She had to send the elderly man who helped around the garden Co SCOUT the fieiehb0flio buying on egg at c time.
 The indians seldom iise the eggs for themselves but they afe c spot cash commodity and rather scrawny things, at best, IL Is along the lines of improving poultry and poultry products, introducing more and bets ter vegetables into diets and defns of1strating the health value of milk, that rural and social Christian ifltss sIofafies work toward the slow but siire tipiift of the village people, Ali the vegetables and fruits which the Heclsniafis eat, whether boiled or tiftboiled, are soaked for quite c spell in medicinal solution Of Potassium perfnafiganate. Every drop Of water must be strained and boiled. During the day they wear clumsy stifi topees and at night they wrap tip iil ffi0ss quito nets.
 T must not forget the faithful Iodine bottle" Mrs. Heckmafi hast. ems to add. We fight infection ifi every tiny abrasion, but nevertheless it is fun. It lS more than ftif1, though. Many of otir experiences gre deep and heart warming; some are sobering and thought provoking; often we are puzzled, Yes, disc couraged, too, but always there fe- mains before tis the challenge of the greatness and urgency Of otir mis- slon."
 Mir. Heckman makes no effort to prophecy as to the future of Christ ian institutions and work in India under the new political set tip, but he Is firm in his conviction that "1fls dia's true leaders are men of high caliber."
 Mir. Hickman believes that these leaders are eager to cooperate with any who work for the betterment Of India. "1 believe Christian work CTS are making and will continue to make Q great contribution"
 The Heckmans feel that they are learning as much as they are teach- ing in India. Mir. Hickman has been much impressed by the custom of the Christians to dedicate fruit or other things to God, and to hold services of thanksgiving after re- covery from serious illness. Son1e- times village church members bring 6 single egg as an offering, and again the chickens may be very evident during the service.
 At the first cackle of c hen in the rear of the church 1 was gome- what disturbed, but 1 soon was able to disregard this" writes Mir. Heck man. My tongue s still clumsy when I try to speak Tamil; my joints still ache when I sit cross- legged and my eyes still water when I eat hot spicy Indian foods"
 India is a fascinating mixture of the ancient and the modern, the primitive and the developed, Mir. Heckman maintains. He has seen the simple, almost childiike wor- ship of the villager and has attend- ed services of dignity and beauty in older churches which made him feel at home and expressed an iri- tellectual level comparing favorably with any college church in the United States
 Former South Dakota Pastor
 The Heckmans are on their first term of service as missionaries tirl- der the American Board of For- eign Missions, Boston, Mass, inter- national headquarters of the Con- gregational Christian Church. They went from successful rural pas- torate in South Dakota to India, having lived and worked in Edge mont, South Dakota, where Mir. f1eCkHldH WdS HhAAlobtI VI bAtN EASN Congregational Church, serving also churches in Ardmore, South Dakota, and Spencer, Wyoming.
 MT. Hickman, who is the son of MT. and Mrs. Henry J. Hickman of 3i3O E. Street, Lincoln, Neb, was born in Friend, Neb.. and edu- cated at the University of Nebraska and Chicago Theological Seminary. Mrs. Hickman, who was born in Oiltown, okla, and is the daughter of Mrs. Grace Eastman of Green- wood, Neb., was educated at Me- braska Wesleyan University and Chicago Theological Seminary. The Heckmans have two small daugh- ters, Lana Lee. age 5, and Diana, born in Madura, India, last Aug ust.
 Diana may not have all the handy gadgets that the American Mothers say are 'mtlsts' for their babies" writes Mrs. Hickman, but she does have a lovely custom-built rosewood crib big enough to hold her until she is 5. It was built in our mission trade school in Pasu- V,a ao1to O