A Special Visitor

 

Esther and Norman Hirschy
My maternal grandparents

    When Grandpa Hirschy prayed that God would give them a missionary family, could he foresee the sacrifice and separations to come? God did indeed answer the prayer. Four of the six children became missionaries and moved to far away countries. 

    I never heard how it happened, but Grandpa found a creative way to be able to visit our family in Argentina. He was able to board the SS Uruguay as a chaplain, all expenses paid! It was one of the ocean liners belonging to the Moore-McCormack Lines (or simply Mooremack) and could carry 750 passengers and 350 crew members.

 

   Grandma's diary provided a few details, like the dates of departure and arrival, which helped calculate the length of time he was gone, some 41 days.

Tuesday, February 3, 1953

Daddy left after church with Levi to Altoona where he took the train to N.Y.

Wednesday, February 4, 1953

Daddy called up from N.Y. Was at the dock and ready to pull out on the "Uruguay" at 5 o'clock. Catholic priest as a roommate.

Tuesday, February 24, 1953

Phil brought me two letters from Papa.

Tuesday, March 17, 1953

Daddy called from N.Y. Arrived there this a.m. Bessetts took me in to Pittsburg to meet him at 8:20.

    Thanks to my archivist cousin who was able to find Grandpa's diary and the letters he wrote during that time, we have a careful description of his travels. I transcribed them carefully to maintain his style with dashes, punctuation, numbers, characters and spelling.

    Diary entry: 

Sunday, February 22

Arrived at Buenos Aires at 8:30 got thru Customs. Solon met me and we got out to the home about 10. Rainy weather.

Glad to see the folks. They have a nice home. I spoke at meeting tonight 13 folks present and with us there were 19. Solon interpreted for me. It's hard to speak that way.

    He wrote a letter the next day. 

Don Bosco

Feb 23 - 1953 Monday A.M.

 My dear Companion,

Here I am in the sitting room just had breakfast and worship. It is now 9:10.

Your letter awaited me here. Glad to get it. It helps so much along the way. As to my letters to you - I wish you could have gotten letter sooner but since we went ten days without a stop and two more days till letter was mailed at Rio - You were 2 weeks without a letter - which was no fault of mine. Surely by now you have about 3 letters anyway.

We arrived at B.A. about 20 minutes late. Got off boat - Sam was to meet me - It took about 30 minutes to get thru customs. It rained quite a bit. We went over to subway - then transferred to train and got off at Don Bosco. It rained fast at that time - It was a walk of about 2 blocks to home here. We got here about 10 a.m. No one came to S.S. because of the rain.

We talked - had dinner - then rested a while. Then in evening - got ready for the service here. - Had it here in the sitting room. 13 outsiders here and with us there were 19. Solon asked me to speak - he interpreted. I suppose it was about 15 minutes - Solon spoke some more. I do not fancy speaking thru an interpreter. 

Today Schrocks are coming and will stay here a few days while we take car and go out into country.

    So it was that our family welcomed this very special visitor, my grandfather, Norman Hirschy. The challenge for my parents was how to show him the places they had served in the previous term and have him meet as many of their friends as possible in such a short time. They planned a whirlwind tour [viaje relámpago]! 

    Diary entry:

Feb. 23

Kathryn did my washing.
Solon and I went to city. I bought a suit - ($27)
Rested this P.M.
Rev. Schrock and family came this evening. 

Tues. Feb. 24

This morning we took Schrocks Plymouth (1941) and started for La Carlota . . .     

    We must have stopped along the way for a picnic lunch. I noticed in the photo that Aldo had a cast on his right arm. Then I remembered the sad accident that was partly my fault. As a clueless eight-year-old, I was pushing him on a tricycle too big for him. He got scared and jumped off. When he fell, his arm bent backwards and broke. Sadly the arm healed with an unnatural-looking elbow, a new joint which the body made with what it had to work with. And it can only extend 130 degrees rather than the normal 180. Gratefully, this has never kept Aldo from doing anything nor has he ever complained.

    The diary note continues:

Had supper at Corral de Bustos about 35 miles on dirt road off of highway. After supper we went to La Carlota. Got there about 11 P.M. went to bed so we could rest and be ready for tomorrow.

Wed. Feb 25th

I got up early - saw sunrise. Saw milkmen with their cans on two wheel horse drawn carts deliver milk. Interesting. Walked up town. Wrote letters - Walked around mission premises - saw artesian well, swimming pool - etc.

Had barbecued chicken for our noonday meal. Helped butcher chicken. Afternoon rested then went out to see cemetary, 1 1/2 miles in country. Bought a white slip (jersey) for Mother in one of stores in town (4.00)

Went to prayermeeting tonight. I gave greetings, Solon spoke a bit - Horatious [Horacio Bettinalio] spoke (he is a student at Bible Institute. Good crowd present. 

    The same day he wrote to Grandma:  

There is an Areomotor windmill just outside here pumping water into a tank. Sounds very old fashioned and familiar.

                                                                                    La Carlota at 11:45 A.M. 

My own dear Companion,

 We left yesterday morning from Buenos Aires. Shrocks came in their car Mon. eve. They stay at Kate's home while we take the car and come interior. We went to Corral-de-Bustos where the Marshall's are - had supper there - they were expecting English folks there for supper also so we ate early while they waited for later. When we left those folks came. They expected 2 grown ups - but lo and behold 6 came and 2 or 3 children. - Mrs. Marshall expects [a baby]in about less than a month. I pitied her. Such is the life of a missionary. We had a 2 1/2 hr. drive over here and got here about 10.15 P.M. Dowdy's are on vacation - A Bible School student is here. Very nice fellow. So we have the place to ourselves.

It is nice here - like it better than any place I've seen on whole trip. Quiet - large swimming pool - artesian well - running into pool continually. Trees - (Euclyptus many of them) flowers, birds, chickens, ducks, cow, bees - garden - etc. etc. 

 Sam & Kate right at home here. Wish they were stationed here - You would like it - all except the high ceilings.

We expect to be here for prayer meeting and then go on to B.A. again and soon its time to start home - time is too short here. I miss you here more than ever. I do so much want you to see the place here. The quaint type Spanish architecture - People friendly. Got up early and walked round town - Saw way they deliver milk here. - The two wheeled carts drawn by horses etc.

The scenes along road - fields of corn (many dried up) thistles - weeds - large herds of cattle. Horses. Flocks of sheep. Mile after mile of prarie-like land - It is northern edge of Pampas. There is a lack of aggressiveness here - Govt. hinders progress in farming rather than assist it or then the people lack courage or finances to go ahead . . . 

Believers here gave Solon & Kathryn 2 chickens and invited us out for Supper. 

I washed out some clothes this morning. Kathryn washed out clothes for me Monday. So I'm about ready for the return trip - wish I had a nylon shirt - one that could be washed and dried and no ironing in a few minutes. It would help me in traveling. I'll get one when I get home. Here they are too high priced. 

            Much love. - Kisses - 

                                                Your husband

    I have one memory from  there in La Carlota. Grandpa and I were outside looking at the night sky. He pointed out how to find the Southern Cross.

    Margaret Marshall wrote in her weekly letter to family in the US, February 26, 1953:

    Tuesday was a most hectic day. I had invited a family for supper that evening - and then the Hoyts told us at conference that they'd be dropping in on us sometime during the day with Kathryn's father . . . Sam thought they could only stay about an hour, so I didn't think the two sets of company would conflict too much. Well, the Hoyts got here about 4:30 & stayed till 7:30. They were so hot and tired and dirty. There were six of them - I gave them supper about 6:30. Then just as they were ready to leave, the Livingstons came . . . we enjoyed seeing the Hoyts, but I didn't have time to visit with them much.

Jim, Michael, Margaret Marshall and Normal Hirschy
Solon and Rita Hoyt

    Grandpa's diary entry, Feb. 26:

We left last evening after service and drove all night over 300 miles and got to Don Basco about 8.15 A.M.

Rested a while.

Got ready to leave. Started about 8:55 - missed one train - made good connection at Suburban but at end  - No taxi. So we had to walk fast got to boat about 10:20. Had about 20 min. on boat - then good bye and they watched till ship was on its way.

Time was too short.

Sailed at 11 P.M.

    Excerpts from Grandpa's letter to Grandma:

                                                                        Don Bosco - Argentina

                                                                        Thur 12:15 PM. Feb-26-1953

My own dear Companion,

Greetings in Jesus Name. We went to Corral de Bustos visited the Marshalls then on to La Carlota. We were there till after prayer-meeting then started for here. children slept most of the way - I drove two times to let Solon sleep a bit.

The Schrocks are still here. Men are in city somewhere looking after business. Children are playing. Kathryn has dinner ready and men folks aren't here.

I packed my suitcases and am about ready to go. Time flies here these days. It however seems a long time since I saw you last. I do not want to be gone that long again if possible to avoid it. . . 

Was at prayermeeting last night, about 25 believers and children there.

Kathryn played organ.

Horatious a student of Bible Institute led the meeting and spoke. I gave a few words of greetings - Solon interpreted and spoke a bit. He is lonesome for La Carlota and I do not blame him. . . 

    Diary, Feb 27: 

Arrived in Montevideo at 1 P.M. - Walked around town bought a nylon shirt - ($9:00) So I can wash it if need be and as it does not need to be ironed then I can do it myself. 

The treat by government to passengers was show them fire works- As it was raining I did not go - Saw many of them from the ship.

Started at 12 midnight.

    Parts of one more letter:                                                                              

                                                                    Montevideo, Uruguay
                                                                    Feb - 1953 10:15 A.M.

My own dear Companion, 

Here I am on the journey home. They brot us here a day sooner to give us a special treat. . . I left Kathryn & Solon last evening. The Shrocks left at same time. It was almost 9 when we left house. Missed a train had to wait 20 min then till we got on suburban and got to place where one usually gets a taxi the time was 9:55. No taxi in sight so we had to do some tall walking to get to boat. It was a 25 min. fast walk. Hot - sweating we went on ship - staid about 20 min  had prayer - kissed each other goodbye - settled our financial accounts and then waved goodbye for about 20 min. Children watched - folks gave some of those plumes (paper) they wave. I threw each one one on dock - How they did wave them.

Sam cried and Kate also- I wish we could have had a few days extra. Glad for this much time. It was a blessing to me and I trust to them.

I'm glad to be on way home and see you again. How I've missed you. We leave here tonight at 11 or 12 o'clock - forget exact time. . . 

Aldo with his broken arm in a cast, does not have it in a sling - It just hangs there - hope its O.K. He never fusses about it (Does fussing because he can't have his own way.) He is quite a talker now. Children are nice. I enjoyed my stay there.

I learned so much on this trip. I appreciate you more than ever. I always knew I had a good wife but I realize it more than ever now . . . 

    The mention of my father's tears touched my heart as I reflected on the fact that Dad did not have a healthy and nurturing relationship with his own father.

    One last letter that came into my possession, written to people in the  Evans City Baptist Church that Grandpa pastored to thank them for praying. And said he still needed prayer as he was to preach three more Sundays on the ship. He was grateful for no seasickness.

    I can only imagine what an encouragement Grandpa's visit was to my parents.  What he experienced and shared served to multiply the prayer support back home.