WORK IN CHINA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 March 1940, Page 8

WORK IN CHINA

REV. E. G. JANSEN’S ACTIVITIES ASSISTANCE TO REFUGEES EXPERIENCES UNDER TERRIBLE CONDITIONS. Wgrm tribute is paid to the Rev E. G. Jansen, M.A.. by his senior colleague, the Very Rev G. H. McNeur. who has just arrived in New Zealand from China and is visiting Masterton. He says that in the few years this Wairarapa representative of the Presbyterian Church has been in South China, he has won for himself a very high place in the estimation of both missionaries and Chinese. After completing two years’ study of Cantonese in the language school at Canton, Mr Jansen took up residence at Kong Chuen, the headquarters of. the New Zealand Presbyterian Mission. Because of its proximity to an important station on the Canton-Hankow railway and the first long bridge on

that line, the Mission Compound found itself in a very dangerous position when the Japanese began bombing Canton and the surrounding country in August, 1937. Planes passed over the place almost daily and when trains were seen at the station bombs were dropped. There were also a number of attempts at the bridge. Most of the missiles failed to reach their objectives, leaving great craters in the fields adjacent to the mission buildings. But the poor marksmanship of the Japanese only served to increase the danger to the people in the compound. Hundreds of bomb splinters fell round the mission houses, one end of the hospital was badly damaged, and many windows, locks and bolts were broken by concussion. This condition of things continued for over one year. On the compound and throughout the district Mr Jansen gave splendid service in his preaching and pastoral work, and his courage contributed greatly to the morale of the Chinese church and its staff.

In October, 1938, the Japanese troops occupied Canton, and before long extended their operations to the district in which the New Zealand mission works. During the evacuation of the Chinese army, and when all highways were being intensively bombed by Japanese planes, Mr Jansen made an attempt to get an isolated member of the mission, Miss Annie James, away from her interior station. Miss James had with her two Chinese nurses, a Bible-woman, and several children. Mr Jansen, after a terrific experience from bombers, reached the station and the party started on the return journey. But the Japanese advance forced them to turn back and when Miss James and her Chinese family had found shelter in a mountain village Mr Jansen returned'alone to Kong Chuen. Fortunately he had already brought the car used by Miss James in her medical work down to that station. If not it would certainly have been destroyed or stolen. During the occupation Mr Jansen has made many perillous and exciting trips in the service of the mission, sometimes by car to and from Canton, and sometimes on foot through the lines and over the one hundred miles of track necessary for the return journey to Miss James’s shelter among ■the Tsungfa mountains. One day when the British Consul was speaking to Mr McNeur he paid the highest possible tribute to Mr Jansen’s courage and devotion to duty.

When the Japanese army occupied the district their soldiers burned two market towns close to the mission, and many refugees, women and children, found shelter within the compound gates. There was a general exodus from the whole district, the villagers fleeing to the west where the invader had not yet entered. The rice crop was just in process of being harvested and many fields were left uncut. Mr Jansen used the refugees in cutting the grain near the compound, and thus saved their crops for the neighbouring farmers, who when they returned later were naturally extremly grateful to , get their grain or its equivalent in money. About a hundred of the poorest refugees, who were housed in a conference building on the compound, were entrusted to Mr Jansen’s care. He has had efficient and faithful Chinese helpers, but the marked success of that camp, which still continues, is mainly due to “Paddy,” as he is familiarly called. His agricultural experience has helped him in putting a large part of the compound under vegetables. All the labour is done by the refugees and thus they provide a substantial portion of their own food. The milling of the rice and cooking of meals is also done by them. To see Mr Jansen in the midst of his big Chinese family would do your hearts, good. His efforts have brought safety, comfort and health to many a poor refugee. The story of his experiences would make a fascinating book. Unforunately he is far too busy to do much writing.

When his well-earned summer holiday comes round Mr Jansen is found in a mountain camp on a British Island near Hong Kong. In the cosmopolitan company, enjoying the fresh cool air and outdoor life of this holiday resort, "Paddy” is the leader of the "nature club” which tries to familiarise all visitors with the plant and bird life around them. The Mission, says Mr McNeur. feels itself exceedingly fortunate that at a time when only a man of Mr Jansen's experience, courage, scholarship, physical strength, Christian character and kindness of heart could have fitted into tlie desperate situation of human need and suffering at Kong Chuen. he was available for that service.