Chapter 7
REPATRIATION
Late in the summer of 1943 rumors began to
circulate about a pending prisoner exchange which would mean the repatriation
of a large number of civilian P.O.W.s in
The list of internees selected for
repatriation on the Swedish ship S.S. Gripsholm
included the names of 200 Americans and 89 Canadians. With throbbing hearts we
scanned that fateful manifesto for names of OMS missionaries. The names of
Annie Kartozian, Mary Maness, Harry and Emily Woods
and their children leaped out at us, and there were others. In fact, every OMS
American missionary held in all three of the
---"A British family, the
Richard Hassels, also remained in the
Our hearts sank. How to account for this omission? One possible answer was that since I was of military age I was to remain in prison to keep me out of combat. And Christine had made it clear that under no circumstances would she and Sandra go home without me. Yet this was not entirely plausible since other young men in their 20s were, in fact, on the list. Another explanation was that camp authorities were aware of my over-the-wall business and had black-listed me. Whatever the reason, we must believe that God, in His gracious wisdom and kind providence, had willed that the Helsbys remain prisoners of war in Weihsien for two more years.
It was a poignant moment when we remaining
internees waved a solemn, tearful farewell to the parting friends and
colleagues leaving the old camp for
How we would miss Harry and Emily Woods — our leaders, mentors, confidants and friends. With them gone we felt suddenly like small, frightened children who had been abandoned by their parents. "How is it possible," I wrote in my journal, "to feel lonely in a camp of 1600 people?"
"Although our friends and fellow missionaries had left and we felt very alone," Christine remembers. "The Lord spoke so clearly to me and said, `Just because they have gone, doesn't mean I've gone. I haven't left camp. I'm still here with you.' "
Japanese guards, sensing our crushing disappointment, sought to cheer us. "Don't be sad," they said. "There will be another repatriation soon. You'll be in the next group." Cheering words that bolstered our spirits a bit, but it was a blessing that we did not know we had just witnessed the last Weihsien repatriation until the end of the war.
The camp population was further reduced when
the following month our 380 Catholic clerics, fathers and nuns, were relocated
in
But the vacancies left by the departing groups were soon filled by the arrival of two additional contingents in October and December. The first group numbered 230 and was the entire student body, staff and faculty of the CIM (China Inland Mission) school for missionary children in Chefoo. This throng of students made for a lively addition to camp life. Since most of the youngsters had been separated from their parents by the war, missionary families in camp agreed to "adopt" a student, providing parental love, guidance and emotional sup-port. Our adopted kids were two delightful teenagers, Ruth and Clifford (not brother and sister), who became very dear to us.
The second group of new arrivals consisted of
120 Italians, who living and working in
Before leaving Harry Woods had asked me to
take over leadership of the weekly church services he had started. And as the
last OMS missionaries in
