Mel and June Byers

i9S3

LIBh

rHE GREAT COMHISSiiiliNHR

Andfhe heathen shall know thatlam the Lord, when / shallhesanctifiedinyou t>efQre theireves.
^ Ezk/36:z3

6oyeinfoall the world,andpreach fheqospeL.

' ' 7

fMark/6:/5

Publishedandmailedfree by
melvertw.Byers

MISSION
NIO

ForwardingAgent
MRS.ALUMR. Nichols

2111 S.E.SilverSprings Rd.

1 ACT O/^lll O PartlandHZ,Oregon

LOST SOULS
JANUARY

march, 19?3

" . . . .AND 'rfHEN THE DAY OF PREPERATION HAD COME" Somehow I have learned to sympathize with the child ren of Israel. Experience inclines me to believe that a modern day Exodus requires more red tape then the Israelites and all their dealings with Riaraoh. When they made ready to leave Egypt and go into the promised

land I don't imagine they had to wait many days applying

to the capital for a passport nor seek the counselers of

Canaan to be granted permission into their land. They stood ready "vdth a staff in their hands, shoes on their

feet and only the supplies that they could carry, l-hen they got to the Red Sea they -were fortunate in that they
did not have to make reservations for the next ship out ^

ffo through cTistoms and irandgrations - sign papers - strap ^

boxes and rush around as though you had been hired by the
steamship con^any.

With the major excitement over June and I find that t-vb
are also left "with, a suitcase in one hand a typewiter in

the other and just enough necessities to maintain normal life until the ship leaves. It vras a relief tl? finally sign the last paper, irei^, measure and tag the last box and leave it all in the care of the boat con5)a2:5r Truly the days of preparation had come, and \vb would soon be on our -way to Thailand* Tour prayers have gone before the Lord and He has opened the iway. Vfe praise Him for it.
Our ship called the "Steel Architect" sails ftom Oak land March 7 and if you receive this bulletin ire should

be at sea for I*m not mailing it until I get aboard.

AS ABOARD SHIP and set sail we realize the fulfilment

of many praQ^rs.

In ny otoi heart I rejoice for it is the

fulfilment of tyro years of -waiting, and further prepara tion. As Tse anticipate the years of service ahead of us T?e also want to look back for a season and express our sincere love and gratitude for the faithfulness of congre gations and just some of those little things done by indi viduals Mihlch have meant so much have been recognized so
little. The Multnomah Church of Christ and other churches and

friends Tfilio have faithfully supported me "sstoile home, and Tfdiile attending a years training in Missionary Medicine. Ihis year the Muitnomah church has increased their support
since my wife acquired a new husband.

The Milwaukie Qiurch of Christ has recently promised a portion of our mon'tiilly swiport as we retuni to the field*

The women of the church also gave many items of clothing

to my wife.
The Molalla Christian Church has shared in this endeavor

for the last five years.

The women of the church got to

June ex !Qiere

gether and made several new dresses for rsiy wife. presses her sincere thanks fot the work of love.

were also bandages and quilts made up by this group.

Yfe appreciate the work of the women from the Immanuel

Tabernacle in Seattle for makincr some nurses uniforms

and contributing clothing to the work.

Rex and Pearl Nichols have faithfully served as for-

^ardinrr agents. They have given of their time and sincere devotion in caring for the accounts and the mailing of the bulletin. Again they have accepted this responsibility
and -we love them for it.

'

Mom and Dad ^srers have patiently endured our unexpected appearances any hour of the day or ni^t. They have per mitted June and I to constantly keep the house cluttered

with boxes, "wrapping paper, missionary supplies and make the place a general depot. Dad helped make boxes %'hi2 Mem cooked and cleaned up after us. I guess all this is involved in raising missionary minded kids# Nevertheless
Mom said she loved it.

Richard and Dorothy TUdlcox minister of the Church of

to store our boxes until -we "were reai^ to sail. They "were
always ready to put us vip Tsiienever we made our unesqjected appearance. e appreciate Jth&t they have done to help us
on our way.

Christ in Oakland offered us a good place in their home

Roy and Helen Schaefer along with many others have always
opened their hon^s unto us and afforded us with the xseces-

sities of life as we have worked towards the day of depart?ure. Many others have contributed financially, some have humbly, cpxietly and faithfully prayed. In the spirit of
Christ we thank you as feUow workers in this labor of

lovie.

^ye shall strive to do our very best in His stren^h

to fulfill your faith in us.

RECEIPTS for December:

Florence Christian Endeavor. Miss It^liaxiease Franklin...

^,00 200

First Christian Chur<di, Roseburg... ..

Mr. & Mrs. A.E# Garcbier.... Church of Christ, Coburg Multnomah Qiurch of Christ..
Mrs. 0. E. Hobart ^ n t Church of Christ.

1600
^00

10.00 ^0.00
10.00 10.00

Mr. & Mrs. lioyd Aubrey Mr. & Mrs. Larry Copenhayer.
Grace Kowalk. Central Washington School of Bible..

2^00 IjOO.OO
^.00

Christian Church S.S., Tfoodland, 30#00 Oiuroh of Christ, Medford - lYomens groT:^) 1^.00 Church of Brethren, Medford............ 16.^9
Jefferson Church of Christ.,... ^8.00
conto

Dec. 1 Mr. & Mrs. Bill Amick Christian Church, Woodland, Ifti...
Total
DISBURSEMENTS for Dec.:

$ ^95.56

$ 7U9.02 25.00

36.00
510.02
Bal

810.02
SUjD5.5ti

Clothes and shoes..$ 81.2$

Food Gas, oil & cas maintenance.*. 22.17 60*21

PMsports - Embassy correspondence. 39.75 Medicine and Supplies 18S.72 Mission Supplies. 99.78 Material for boxes & strapping.... 75.26
notions^. Personal. ......................... Tithe.. 11.35 2)-(-*79 35.00

Total
HEOBIFTS for January: Bums Church of Christ
Sisters Church of Christ...

?635.2t}
I 29.15
60.00

635.28

Bal.........? 770.30

Mr. & Mrs, E. A. Gardner......... Tillamook Cliriatian Qiurch.. ...

Lebanon Christian Qiurdh.........

5*00 25.00
21.00

Friends, El Cajcn, Calif#........ First Christian Church, Roseborg. Florence C. E. Church of Qirist^ Coburg.........

Garibaldi Qiristian Churcj^......

8.00 33.00 5.00 1000

20.00

MilTmukLe Church of Christ....... Multnomah Church of Christ...*.

100.00 50.00

Trent ChTirch of Christ... 10.00 Drain Church of C h r i s t . . 6 0 . 0 0

Bible Rock Camp.................. 22.50 McKinley Mission, W a s h . 3 5 * 2 9

Miss Francese F r a n k l i n . 1 0 0

Ch\irch of God. (Woodstock)........ Church of CSirist, Cascade Gcrgo..

Church of Christ, Central Poi^..

Prairie Bible Institute..........

25.78 10.00

U7.85
75.00

Dale Sherwood, Modesto, Calif....

Delbert Stanton.

5.00

Total

$ 60.57
Bal

12.00

^0.57
laH!

jamjary
DIS6UHSEUENTS for Jan,:

... SLl|l;0,8?

dothee Food

I 18.63 38.83

Gas5 oil &'car Meiintenance...* 62.86 Supplies. 6^.36

Ifedicine 101.28

Travel

1^.89

Stationery Supplies
BootOm-Bill
Boxes and material....

25*70
28.00
32.39

Tithe The Photo Lith Co

35.00 2$*70

Total. .
Bal..

hh96k
? 991.23

RECEIPTS for Feb.:

LaHBTTOOd Ghurdti of Christ.....^ 20*00

KLorence > Ore.^ C . E . ^ O O First Christian Church, Rosebur^.OO

Ghnrch of Cairist^ S.S. Greenwood Wash....26^8?
Trent Churoh of Christ......... 10^00 ^"ilnstQn Christian Ch. Mis'n Soc.30.00

Friend^ San Jose, Calif. 10.00 Hultnomah Church of Christ..... $000 Church of Christ Coburg. 1000
Garibaldi Christian Church..... IQwQOO Ir. & Mrs. E. A. Gardner 10.00

Christian Church, Lebanon......lOOcOO Church of Christ, Medford. 2.00

Mr. & Mrs. Bobby Pruitt.. 17#00

Maurice Pierce.....

_^?*99 Total.......376.57

yj^ qj

Bal

a36Bll6

Februaiy ^6840
DISBURSEMENTS for Feb.:
Gas,oil and car maintenance***$ 6228
Slothes** * 7219

/-

Fcod*.

38.23

Mission supplies Stationery supplies.* Frei^t charges to S^ Francisco*.*

Medicine Box material******* Mscellaneous*.**

$8*2U 1$*7^ lj5#12

811 37*08 ^*00

Tithe

Trtal......^TO55

36.00

377,00

Sal**** **$991*10

VJe -will appreciate hearing frcei csar friends^ and -will do our best in ansvieringyour letters* Airletters can

be sent for ten cents*

oimce*

Regular ainnail is 2$^ a half

Sea mail idiich

Both of these arri-ve in tiro -neeks*

costs

takes as long as three months^

Mr* and Mrs* Melvert |yers

Talat Ghiengkam^ Ghangwat Chiengrai,

Thailand^ Asia

GREAT COMMISSION REMINDER

Among the tribes of Northern Siom
And the heathen shall

know that / am the Lord,

when / shall be sanctified

Go ye into all the worlds and preach the gospel.....

Mark 16 us

in you before their eyes.

Ezk.36i2S

Published and moiled free by

Forwording agent
MRS. ALLEN R. NICHOLS 2111 S.E. Silver Springs Rd.

MEL ond JUNE BYERS To lot Chiengkom,

Cltongwot Chiengrai,

Portland

22, Oregon
U.S.A.

Thoilonc^ Asia

VOL. 5

JUNE - AUGUST

N0.3

1,759,1<X> bumps & 5t) MILES

After spending eansldsrable tine In Ban^ok ente]>released and permitted to prooeed on to our destinatlcm to the North. Since "we "nere unable to speak the language^

taining the Costons,police and oldier offlolals ve nare

Dorothy and Garland Bare -were there to help us. '.'Shen tob left Bangkok one evening^ the Nidiols family and J. Russel Morse ^re there to see us leave. We travelled aU

ni^t and half the next day in a day coach ndiieh brou^t
us to a hot dusty little torn. Bie mid-aftemoon sun was merciless. Old fashioned horse and buggies jogging about

helped to stir up a fine powdered dust. We sou^t "Uie nearest place for a room. We found a room and a cotqple of bedsteads "vd.'tti boards for springs. June didn't mind
the boards but she refased to sleep in sheets "where some one else had been. a little questioning the manager assured us that there "??ould be clean sheets ty ni^t#
Downstairs ire ordered our first native food from a

little open air restaurant. According to custom the chef took a dirty old cloth and -wiped the plates in prepara tion for serving. Ify wife isn't very good at learning a foreign language but she soon learned how to say> "Please

dip all the eating utensils in boiling nater." June did

not eat too snich that first meal*

The following day we located a truck that was going to the next village. We paid our passage and climbed aboard. The two girls were priviledged to sit on the front seat, -vdiich was a boards while QaLand and I found lodging in back on top of the frei^t* This ride was bumpy but it could have been worse. We arrived in an^

ot^r dusty village and found lodging in a C2iinese

operated hotel.
anot^r open air restaurant.

We had flies and noodles for si^iper in

The next and final day we had just fifty miles to

travel in order to reach our destination. It was

supposed to take all day.

The day began at 6 o'clock

at the police station. We had to permit all of our things be opened and inspected again before the last stage of our joifimey. As our things were Inspected they
were loaded onto iAie truck. The truck was well loaded*

First there were several layers of bricks > then all our

belongings and last of all the extra passengers that

could uncomfortably, yet politely squeeze in.
fall there isn't much rocaa for your head*

!Diese

trucks all have wooden frames over them so when they are

The truck

appeared battered and worn as usual, with a reckless drtver who took great pride in his relic and his abililgr
to drive it. After making a few romds in the village trying to stir up a few more passengars we got down to more serious business of reaching our destination. I soon discovered why it took all day to travel fifty miles. The truok was unable to go above fifteen miles per hour
due to the condition of the road. Nevertheless the

truck proved to be worth its hire. It had been bounced and twisted from hitting so many bmops that it was com pletely loose in every joint. TWLs was profitable for

now it patterned itself after each bump and ruji encount ered. C5ontinuely we twisted,bunped and swayed. One had to hang onto sonthing all the time. Bveiy once in a
?Mle we would get 8 rest when the motor died and needed
a little attention. Thus we inched our way along t^at

would normally be a good creek bed.

Our driver was the adventurous type and we had to try out several new routes vtoich proved to be of no value for we usually ended up with a dense jungle blocking our way. One time passing through a village we picked up about forty children who took great delight in running after the truck.

This was made possible due to our slow spped.

. for repairs.

Their

efforts "were rewarded 7,iienever the truck had to stop

They would gather around and "watch the

fascinating procedures.
About 3 o'clock in the afternoon we came to a

small creek.

The bridge appeared to be very unstable.

After some serious deliberation the driver with the help of another truck driver viio was also stopped, decided

that the bridge was not strong enough. Thus our little group cruickly converted itself into a construction gang. The bridge was completely tom down and rebuilt
in about two hours time* It did not look a whole lot

stronger even then. The two trucks crossed without event. Now most of the day was spent and it was a race with the ccaning darkness. We all decided to go on until we reached our destination. Once again we ^ill resumed our stations grasping frantically in the dark for some thing to hang onto. We were now in dense jun^e. All
I could see was darkness and aU I could breathe was

dust. Around 8:30 we reached our last barrier. Biere was one stretch of road iidiich was very steep and the driver had been worried all the trip about the possibil

ities of getting to the top. At the foot of the hill the drivers stopped to give the trucks a breath and a

drink of gas.

The first truck was not very heavily

loaded and with roaring motor made % to the tc^. 0ur truck proceeded to duplicate the same effort, except that it didn't make the top. The motor kept gotog slow
er and slower until it conqpletely stopped just a few yards from the top. The thunder and lightning in the

distance did not make the prospects for the evening too
hopeful, Tfe connected a rope between the two trucks and

hoped that this added pull would be enough.

After
The

everything was ready the truck fefused to start.

crank stubbornly wore out two natives

to wdar me out "iriien it started.

tras just about

Thus with both trucks

roaring and everyone pulling on the rope the truck struggled over the top. Once again we resumed oua? posi tions for the last ten miles. About half way "Uiere the rain began to pour. Just as we neared the edge of the village we were stopped again. Another bridge had been washed out. It was -Uien nearing mid-ni^t and no one felt in "ttie mood for another bridge building cas^aign.
The driver announced that we would remain where we were for the night. We all knew -wfeere there was a nice warm
bed not too far av/a^ so we took our shoes and socks off

and -waded through -the mod and inater to the mission hoiise. In th^ condition m -nere met by the blinking eyes of the other missionaries* ^Hiey gave us some food and
chat-bed avihile and -Uien -we sou^it the comforts of a dry
clean l^d* ^ .

I-fc hai

ei^teen hours to tra-vel

fifty miles. We ^re all tired but happy that wb had finally reaehed our destination* It had been just a little over tyro months since "we sailed under the probectiing aarm of Golden Gate.

LANGUAGE STtlDY. Since arri-ving -we ha-ro set our selves -bo diligent study again. At present -we live in a wood frame house "vdth Dorothy and Garland Bare. We

have two rooms. June has -baken great delict in fixing it up niTO# Hiere are all kinds of pictures and fancy doings around. It doesn't look like a singQjr mans ro<i
anymore. We ha-vs been putting in a good six hours a day on the language.

PROSPECTS.

The worfc here in Ghien^cam -was origin

ally opened T:y Mr. &

C.W. Callaway and Imogene

ira.lliams formerly of China* They ha-ve been here about three years. There are mainly -bhe Northern Thai in this
area^ some Chinese and several moun-bain tribes -vMch

have been unreached by the gospel message. Since then Miss Doro-fchy Ulig, a registered nurse^ has come and is doing a good witness through the aid of medicine. Next
came Dorothy and Garland Bare and Miss Margaret Aldridge# Miss Aldridge is getting married next month and will be li-Ting in Bangkok, June and.I are the last to unite our

efforts in the -work in ttiis area, ^e opportunities are urQ.imited for evangelisim. If im pray-God's Spirit
shall move in a migh"ty way in this area

RUMORS. Several people have come reoantGLy from far ami near asking if IJiey could beccane Christians. This

seemed unusual. Upon further questioning the answer was found. Someone had started a rumor that if anyone be came a Christian the foreigners -?rould give them a brand new bicycle plus 200.00(forty doUans gold). These people belie-ved this report and came eispeoting to collect. Kiose -wdio were able ti explain told them that this was not true, but there was a gift they could receive and
that was God's Son.

Apri3.
BEGBIPTS tor ApriXi

88880

First Christian Gbnrdi# Rosebi]rg,*t2900 BeginnerDepths Lebanon Christian Caw.l328

Ghur<^ of Christ Coburg,......*.***.*** 1000 Florkaiee Christian Ebdeavor* $00
!!^:^t Church of Christ****..*********** 10*00

Mr* & Krs* E* A* Gardiner * $#00 lli!lnston Christian Osareh Missionary**. 30*00
Maltnomah Church of Christ********** S>0*00
rowL.a52.2 iS[LO{p,*O0

DISBDB^SAENTS for April:

Ijonigration and police****.***$Llt5*^ StQppli^s***..*****.*** 23*60

doi^es**. Tra:vel****.**.****** * Ttooher*...*.***** 36*68 7*26 $*70
3^*00
* 30*00

Postage*******..*
Tithes
FUm

*** 1^*32
*

Total**.*5299*06
HEGBIPTS for M^:

299*06

Balanee**********.$71t2*02

First Christian Cborchy HosBburg*****$3600

Cboreh of Christ Garibaldi#*.**.*..** 2628

El Gajon Friends

800

Dordthy Bare*....*. ...**.* 30*00 Carardh of Christ Coburg*.. ***** 10*00

MUwaukis Church of Christ**. ..****100*00 Lebanon Qiristlan Chnrch************* 1000

Maltnomah Chusrch of Christ*..*.**** ^*00

Garibaldi Chnrdi of Christ^***.**** 10*00

Mrs* HU3nah Osterloh*..,.*.*..*..*.** g*00

Total* * *.$298*20 298*28
IBSBOi

first Christian Churchy Roseburg*.** 13*00

Brou^t Fnd,|lOlj0,3O
DISBURSEMENTS for May:

Iiimigration and police* $93U7

T^avsl* 122^ Boom and board,*^*20612

Supplies Postage
F13jn Tithe

^*57 21*li3
23.3U 3'^.00 l4l#31 3*0^ 1690
Total.50it.itit Balance 5 535S6

Freight up-country Household expense Ihe Photo Idth Co.,#