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News from Korea!

SeAty /^cutge <md Qohn,(-tiU, - P, 0- iSoK lUI ^ Padatt, K<ytea

^ear Urietul^ o/ Ckriit'

mm 2 1973

/Jptii, 1973

Greetings again from Korea! By this time most of you have heard why this newsletter has
been so long delayed, Bert has been seriously ill. He came down with the flu on Sunday,
Dec. 17 and was quite ill, but after a week in bed with the doctor visiting twice a day
it seemed to clear up, but then, suddenly, he became much worse. About 2:00 AM Christ

mas morning he was taken to the hospital as an emergency case with an extreme case of
pneumonia, severe tonsillitis and other complications. On the way to the hospital he
stopped breathing momentarily several times. Only the skilled service of a good medic
al staff and the grace of the Lord kept him alive. He was critical for about 5 days,

then spent a total of 17 days in the hospital, and almost a month confined to his bed
room at home. His recuperation has been very slow but he is now carrying on an almost

normal schedule by carefully pacing himself and resting when he gets tired. He is still
weak and his voice is not yet normal; for about 5 or 6 days he could not talk at all!
We are just thankful that he is still here!

His Illness has of course hampered the work somewhat. With the new school year we

began a new graduate program f6r Korean preachers and teachers, having made an arrange
ment with a U.S. school to grant degrees for work done here under Bert's supervision.

We tried this program last year in cooperation with the seminary here where Bert has
taught for almost 10 years but it did not work out so well as the seminary administrat
ion saw it as a means of making money by admitting unqualified students, not making them
work or attend, and practically selling degrees. As we had no assurance it would be

better this year we decided to go it alone and withdrew from the seminary. We placed a
few small ads in Christian newspapers here and had more than 100 inquiries concerning

the program. From these we had more than 50 applicants who were qualified for such a
program, having graduated from a 4 year theological school, having good grades and hav
ing taken certain required subjects. We have 20 students enrolled here in Pusan in two
classes, and everything here is going well. There were a number of applicants from the

Seoul area and as Bert's illness prevented him from handling things there we turned it
over to one of our missionaries there. Things did not work out as we had hoped so it

was necessary to cancel the Seoul class for this semester. A number of students applied
from other areas but we were unable to arrange classes for them this year. Our plan is
to hire local teachers in the various areas part-time for some of the classes and go out

to do part of the teaching ourselves. We will extend the classes to any regional center
where we can have 10 or more students; we estimate that a minimum of 10 students will

pay the basic expenses for these centers. When our son John returns he will be assist
ing in this. Bert's illness came just at the time when we were making preparations for
this program as the school year here begins in March, so we were handicapped. We antic
ipate further enrollment here in Pusan in September, possibly another class of 10-15,
and there is also good possibility of a class in Taegu, a city about Zh hours away by
bus or train. It is evident there is great interest among the preachers and there seems
to be no limit to such a program. These students are mature men and women who are al

ready in Christian service and it is a joy to teach them. We have found that the
majority of thpse who complete undergraduate theological schools here never go into fulltime Christian service so we feel this program actually has more effect upon the growth
of the church. By being able to give degrees, which the majority of theological schools
here cannot do, we are able to attract a higher class of students, as a degree means a

great deal in this class conscious society in which we live, even among Christians. We
are quite enthused about this program- Please remember the students and teachers in
your prayers.

Apl, 1973 NEWSLETTER - Page 2

2 73

We also began a new congregation in the area near our home in Pusan on the first Sxmday in April. It is a small group but we believe that with the help of the Lord it will
grow. We told in our last letter how a small group of Christians who had been duped by
a Korean preacher, some of them for as long as 20 years, came to us with a request for
help in starting a church. They had finally concluded this man was not interested in
the church and was only interested in feathering his own nest. Unfortunately this man

is one of the Koreans who has studied in the U.S. and is presently living high on funds ^
from U. S. Christians. After a great deal of thought and discussion we decided to help
them. Bert is doing the preaching at present, they do not have funds to pay a Korean
preacher, and they are saving their offerings until they can feel free to assume the re
sponsibility for a preacher; we are also making a small monthly contribution to them of
about $35. We estimate this will take at least a year. We will keep you informed.
We are also continuing our interest in the work of the young Korean preacher whom we
mentioned in our last letter. He was a student of ours at Pusan Seminary in undergrad
uate days and is presently in our graduate program. He is now dealing with 3 rural area
churches, in addition to his own congregation in Pusan, and is doing very well. There
are 7 preachers in that area who have asked him to come teach them and he is trying to

do so. He plans a 10 day conference for teachers and preachers in that area in May. He
tries to visit the-area at least once a month for a week; during vacation he will go -

more often. This young man labors against a big handicap as he is slowly going blind,
can only see to read now with a magnifying glassI We wish we could find others with the
devotion to the Lord that he has! He has been financing this work out of his own pocket

and his only income is the small salary, about $75 monthly, he receives from the Pusan
church. The work has grown beyond his financial capabilities. $100 monthly would mean
a great deal to this work; we will be telling you more about him and his work in another
letter soon.

He has asked us -to visit these churches with him and help teach and we are

planning to do so when possible. He has set a goal of 100 New Testament churches in the
area! Pray that God will bless him in this worki

--

- - - John has finished the 2nd quarter at Wheaton Graduate School

- and is now in the 3rd. He is preparing his sinraner schedule
THANK GOD FOR YOU! - for camps and churches and will be glad to hear from you if

By Dr. Joseph Clark

- he can be of service. His address: John Ellis, 818 North

Thank God for you, good friend of mine," Sxmmit, Wheaton, Illinois 60187.. Please keep him busy! He
Seldom is friendship such as thine;

*" will especially be interested in talking to any church who

How very mudhi I wish to be

- would like to sponsor and support him as he returns to the

As helpful as youVe been to meTHANK GOD FOR YOU.

work here. He is needed here for the expanding program but

will not be able to come without further support. To this
- point he has been supported on our salary which is a strainI

81XM
&rpSr - We especially want to thank those of you who sent extra
Rich blessings from His storehouse rare,"" fund8 to take care of Bert's medical expenses. Some of you
And grant to you His gracious care - saW the report in HORIZONS and hastened to help us and what
THANK GOD FOR YOU.

When I recall, from time to toe,

- a tremendous blessing that has beenl

- is vital for the work herel

Your continued support

Continue to send your gifts to:

_ Miss Loraine Lindsey, Cabool State Bank, Drawer M, Cabool,

rZdX^fol.td
65689. She has been our faithful forwarding agent
"God bl^ my friend this veJy day-" - for almost 16 years, contributing her services freely. We
THANK GOD FOR YOU.

So often, at the throne of Grace,

- do love and appreciate this dear Christian friend 1

Again our thanks to all who support us regularly; what
- good friends you have been to us and to the Lord's work for

There comes a picture of your face; ^ almost 17 years I May God richly bless you is our prayer!
And then, instinctively, I pray

That God may guide you all the way"

THANK GOD FOR YOU.
Some day I hope with you to stand
And say to you at journey's end,
tc me a
"Praise God, you've been to
friend -"
THANK GOD FOR YOU.

Faithfully yours,

^
ft ^

mm

MM

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Report from Bert Ellis ( Apr. 12, 1973 by W.E.Mc)

You will recall that the Horizons # 603, February 17, 1973
gave a report on the illness of Bert Ellis, Box 141, Pusan,
Korea.

Bert wrote a letter April 5th and we quote from it:

I appreciate very much the article about my illness in

Horizons.

You will be interested to Jcnow that enough money

has come in from non-regular givers to more than pay my medical

bills, praise the LordI

I am slowly getting

better; I still do not have anything like my normal

strength but am improving from day to day.

I am able to take

care of m^y of my normal routines by spacing myself and

resting when I get tired out.
like this in my life.

1 have never experienced anything

I am hopeful that warm weather will help

me to get rid of the rest of whatever is bothering me."

Bert_is_busyL in the_graduate^rQgram_for,preachers and _ _

teachers.

He promises to share more on this when he finds time

to write it.

He is also preaching every Sunday now.

The

forwarding agent for Bert and Marjory Ellis is: Miss Loraine

Lindsay, Cabool State Bank, Drawer M, Cabool, Missouri 65689.

II II If
If If M

411111
If If II

I^roAdca^tln^
^KTii^yion

ews./iR^elea,se
&OK

^aMn, ^orca
November 11, 1973
WILL

YOU

HELP

SAVE

LIFE?

Monday, November 5, 1973, we learned that a young lady of our acquaintance

was at the point of death and that without immediate hospitalization and intensive

care would die in a short time* The young lady is 25 years of age, the oldest of
4 children of a widowed mother, all Christians, and helps to support the family;
the mother has also had to leave her job in order to care for the girl* We knew
the girl had been ill for a month but also knew she had been to the hospital for
several days for diagnostic examination and treatment and we assumed everything
was proceeding normally*

Then we learned suddenly that the hospital had diagnosed

the case as TB-meningltls, told the family what hospitalization and treatment
would be required, and the family's response had been that they simply did not

have the money and they had taken the girl home to receive once a day treatment
from a local doctor and what amounted to eventual death* After a hurried trip to
the hospital and a conference with the medical chief we learned that the prognosis

is very poor but there is a slight possibility of recovery if she receives care
and treatment*

We then talked to the administrator of the hospital and assumed

the financial responsibility for her care and had her taken to the hospital by am
bulance* She received emergency treatment for several hours and is now in an in
tensive care unit* It will be a minimum of 30 days before the diagnosis is con
firmed and no one even hazards a guess as to the length of the hospitalization re
quired* It is a day to day proposition just now as to whether she lives; she is
in a deep coma.

We simply do not have the funds to take care of this emergency as Bert himself
has had two lengthy hospitalizations, a total of 30 days, this year*

Christian

friends have responded to our needs and Bert's hospital costs have now all been

paid* Presently it is costing about $25 a day for this case, not so much by U* S*
standards but a staggering sum to the Koreans* There are no other resources for
these people, no insurance, no public health care etc*, and so we either had to
hospitalize her and assiune the financial responsibility or stand by and watch her
diet We did not believe you would want us to do that and, for our part, we could
nott (The girl is under the care now of the same doctors who so marvelously help
ed Bert during his illnesses.)
Please send your gifts to: Miss Loraine Lindsey, Cabool State Bank, Drawer M,
Cabool, Missouri 65689. Mark them: HOSPITAL. We will keep you advized of the sit

uation here.

God bless you all, and above all, pray for this girl's recoveryI

FROM: Bert Ellis

P. 0* Box 141

Pusan, KOREA

We will deeply appreciate your carrying this storyl

A Christmas Day in Africa,in

China and Japan;
A Christmas Day in India and
far Afghanistan:
A (Ihristmas Day in all the world,
the Islands of the sea;

A Christmas Day for everyone

that's how it ought to be!
But there can be no Christmas

joy for those who never heard

This storythere can be for

them no meaning in the Word

A Christmas Day in heaven! Oh,
yes, I think the angels know
When Jesus' birthday comes, and

sing as they did long ago.

Do you suppose they wonder why
wc are so slow to tell

The tidings of great joy they

sang that night,and loved so well?

Sometimes I think they long to

speed on eager wings away,
To tell the story of the C:hrist

who came on C:hi istmas day.

But turt to angels was His last
commission given: "(Jo! Tell all
the world." It was to us; and oh,
we've failed Him so!

Shall we not give tnirselves to

Him and then go forth to share

Our Christmas Dayour Christ

with needy, lost ones everywhere?

a
r --

Dear Christian Co-Workers:

Yes, it's Christmas time againi

CHRISTMAS, 1973

Here in Korea ciecorations have

appeared in the shops just after Thanksgiving and "White Christmas" is being heard on
the juke-boxes in the tea-rooms. We look back over the year and in many respects it has
been our most difficult since we first came to Korea in 1958. Last Christmas Day Bert
was taken to the hospital with a critical illness and had a 17 day stay with a long per
iod of convalescence then later in the year he was again critically ill and had another

14 days in the hospital and is still recuperating. These illnesses of course put added
strain on Marge to keep things goring. John wrote from school to say he did not worry
about Dad's condition as somehow the Lord always took care of our emergencies but the
strain could hardly add to his peace of mind in a strenuous graduate study program. The
illness has prevented planned extension of the work this year. We separated from the
seminary where we had taught for some 10 years when they refused to meet any ethical or
academic standards with the new graduate program and tried to make a "racket" out of it
like so much of the theological education in Korea. We felt we must use Christian stand

ards in training men for the Lord's work so we have continued the program separately.
Our former associates have engaged in numerous unChristian activities since our separat
ion and made life difficult for us. One can get very lonesome standing for a principle 1
There is political unrest which has kept people stirred up, particularly students, and
concentration on economic growth has made Koreans more concerned with the material than

the spiritual and this hampers the growth of the Lord's kingdom.

But there are blessings to remember in the past year also. We have been especially
conscious of the Lord's presence with us during illness and Bert is able to carry on al
most a normal program although he cannot do the extra that is presently needed. You won
derful friends have again showed your concern with continued financial support and pray
ers; enough extra gifts have come in to take care of Bert's substantial medical expenses.

^od bless you all 1'-"T^JohTi has completed 4 quarters of work at Wheaton College Graduate
School and has only 2 to go before receiving his Ma8tLer^-.s_degree in Junej^_.Our graduate
class in Fusan has been a good one; we have had a total of 22 students enrolled in the
first year, all of them graduates of 4-year colleges- Of these, 9 will be receiving
Mater's degrees in January (providing their theses are acceptable and they pass the fin
al exams!)-

Dr- Charles Bachman of Berean Christian College in Wichita will be coming

to Korea to confer these degrees and we are looking forward to a wonderful time! Our
old friend. Pastor Kwon, the refugee pastor of the little church on the mountain has
continued his faithful vjork for the Lord, the congregation has completed a new building
on their own with some assistance from friends at Cabool and Wilsey, Kansas in complet
ing their bell-tower; a new road has been completed around the mountain, coming within
100 feet of the church door and we no longer have to climb like a mountain goat to get

there as bus service along the road is good! This is important as it has caused this
area to begin to build up and makes better prospect for church growth-

A young pastor

whom we taught in undergraduate school and who is now one of the candidates for the Mas
ter's degree has not only increased his own congregation in Pusan and built and paid for
a new building but has been working with a group of churches in a rural area, teaching,
preaching, and training the ministers with great success- We are encouraging Pastor Won
in furthering his education and in his work in the rural area- So the year has certainly
not been all on the deficit side by any means!

We are particularly interested in this graduate program- We are hoping to begin

classes in Seoul in March, the beginning of the new school year- We have an invitation
to open classes in Taegu and have been offered the use of classroom space in a Christian
high school there and assistance in- enrolling students- Interest has been expressed in
starting classes in Taejon, another regional center, and we have also received some app

lications from Chonju, another center- Eventually.we intend to start classes in all the
centers here named, teaching one concentrated day each week in each place. We wish we
could expand immediately but this will have to wait until John is able to return to Kor
ea to assist- A,nd may we insert this appeal: John cannot return until there are funds

to support him- . He needs a sponsoring and supporting congregation or congregations- He

Vis experienced, has spent 5 years in Korea already, has a good educational background,
{having done undergraduate work at Milligan and now in a graduate program at Wheaton
'College Graduate School, has for 10 years been representing the mission in churches and
camps and, if a father may say so, has the ability and desire to do the job in Korea for
the Lord. You may contact him: John Ellis, 818 N- Summit, Wheaton, Illinois 60187. He
will be glad to confer with you-

This is an urgent need-

We have an urgent financial need. On Nov. 5 we were made aware of the plight of a
young Korean lady, seriously ill with meningitis- Her widowed mother has 3 other child
ren and cannot take care of her medical treatment- After diagnosis at the hospital she
had been taken home because of lack of money- It was apparent that if left at home she

would die soon- We could not just sit by without making some effort- We had her taken
to the hospital that day, she was in deep coma, where she received several hours of emer
gency treatment and has been in intensive care- The prognosis is not good but she is yet
alive- We have obligated ourselves for the bill which at the end of November is already
around $500! Please pray for the girl and help us pay the bill! Send your gifts with a
note that they are for HOSPITAL to: Miss Loraine Lindsey, Cabool State Bank, Drawer M,
Cabool, Missouri 65689. Miss Lindsey has been our faithful forwarding agent for some 16
years. Lord bless her!

We are planning a short, 6 months furlough beginning next June. We are now in our

are frankly a bit weary. As our furlough will be short, if you

se get your bid in now!

your prayers and gracious gifts- You have been very

ances have kept us from communicating with you as we

0%^

bless you allI

Faithfully
Faithfully yours,
yours,
I

e & John Ellis, P.O. Box 141, Pusan, KOREA)