1959

 

Aldo and Lynn Hoyt and Grandpa Hirschy
Chiclana 1074
Don Bosco,  Buenos Aires
Argentina

In order to put together the happenings of 1959, I gathered from several sources: old photos (sadly most of them are not labeled); copies of letters I wrote to my best friend; notes from my grandparents' letters and "Aunt" Margaret's letters to her family; articles from The Brethren Missionary Herald; and a chronology of the Grace Brethren in Argentina.

Grandma Hirschy's family letter dated January 23, 1959, included a quote from my parents: 

Sam and Kathryn write about the unstable prices of everything there. . . "tickets from here to Río Cuarto went up from 103 pesos to 179. People are considerably perturbed. Our Christmas was spent with no unusual happenings. . . Aldo had his tonsils out December 29. He had no difficulty at all and was talking very soon afterward. We trust he will soon get a better appetite and have more energy. Ivan always has plenty of energy although he gets a cold and diahrrea quite often because of his teeth. He now has 10 or 12 teeth at one year of age." Sure wish I could see him and hug him. Kathryn says he is so cute.

The quote continues:

"Lynn is in children's camp with three others from our Sunday School. This next Wednesday they will be home and we will be going to Young People's camp. Kathryn will go along taking Aldo and Ivan and Rita. I will try to lead the games and have the morning devotions."

Children's camp was January 6-13 and youth camp from the 15th to the 23rd. This was the second use of the newly purchased campgrounds. The very old tents were still in use. Construction of permanent structures began later that year, perhaps precipitated by a disaster that occurred during the last camp session. Donald Bishop wrote about the event in "Camp Disaster in Argentina." (Brethren Missionary Herald, 6.06.59)

It was Thursday evening, and we were in a wonderful camp location at the foot of the Cerro  San Lorenzo. The four large tents (one of them being close to the thirty-year mark in age) and about six smaller ones had been located on the high ground in a corner formed by a large stream and a smaller one which flows into it. This was the first day, and there were still seven great days to follow. 

Brother Phil Saint was with us this year, and after supper we enjoyed the singspiration led by Brother Solon Hoyt; then we saw Phil Saint draw, and listened to him preach. Everyone knew that we would have a wonderful week ahead.

Sunday afternoon it rained; Monday morning also, so by breakfast time there was mud everywhere. During the second class, the rain stopped and the sun started peeping through. Everyone was feeling relieved, knowing that the sun would dry off the playing field for the afternoon. Brother Don Bishop was about halfway through his class on personal evangelism when there was an explosion in the kitchen tent. The bottom had blown out of the kerosene pressure stove, and about eight gallons of kerosene gushed out over a charcoal burner.

Immediately there was another explosion when the kerosene caught fire. Just a few minutes before there had been fifteen people, some of them small children, in the tent. In some miraculous way everyone got out before the fires started and no one was burned. The flames jumped high and endangered the other tents, but the Lord had sent the rain to moisten the canvas, and to save the other tents. Every year these old tents are painted with a beeswax solution to keep out some of the water, but this makes the canvas very inflammable. In about three minutes there was nothing left of the kitchen tent and equipment except charred tables, melted plastic plates, cups, and bowls, twisted spoons, ruined gas lamps, and just chaos in general, to say nothing of the tray of blackened meatballs on what was formerly a table. There were many tear-filled eyes and hearts as we scraped and scrubbed. The third class was called. Brother Saint went ahead with his class. 

Mabel Devesa, Rita Hoyt, Norma Fontana

The photos prove that I was there. However, I have no recollection of the event as disastrous as it was. And I wonder how we got along for the duration of the camp with an impaired kitchen. Perhaps some of these campers will remember.

In February, during Carnaval weekend, the annual conference is held in Río Cuarto.Then in March the school year begins. Lynn and Aldo attended the primary school in Don Bosco. I started secondary school, although behind most of my friends, having lost a year while in the US. 

Of the three or four options, we chose the course that led to become an elementary school teacher.

Escuela Normal Mixta de Quilmes Almirante Guillermo Brown

In a letter to my friend Mirtha, I wrote: 

"Some days before school started, I got a note advising me to go there in person. I didn't know what it was all about and was a bit worried, but when I got there, you know what it was for? To tell me I had to choose what language I wanted to take. I didn't want to take English because that would be boring, so I ended up with FRENCH, NO LATIN."

Rereading these letters written when I was an adolescent is a humorous, almost embarrassing, experience. Mirtha and I shared about our teenage crushes. We gave code names to all our friends and shared funny anecdotes. We used very flowery silly language and apologized profusely for tardiness in responding. So, often the long letters could be boiled down to very few pages of factual information. I was grateful to learn from my June 29 letter that my grandfather's visit was in July of that year. I had photos from that special time but did not know where they fit in. (In a previous post I wrote about his visit in February 1953.) 

My cousin Kae, an archival librarian and keeper of the Hirschy family historical documents, provided me with letters Grandpa wrote during that trip. This time it was very different. Instead of serving as chaplain on a cruise ship, he traveled by air to visit missionary friends and family in six different countries--Barbados, Jamaica, Trinidad, Brazil, Argentina, and Peru.

I was especially surprised to read a note in which he had urged grandma to fly to Buenos Aires and meet him there, and even gave detailed directions regarding what monies to use to finance the trip.  "Mother—come to Buenos Aires and meet me there. It would do you good to see these places."

He arrived in Buenos Aires Wednesday, July 15, at 6:00 P.M.  Grandma never did see her way clear to follow through with his directive.

Rev. Norman Hirschy

On this occasion, mid July, it was winter, we were in a different house, and the growing congregation had a building of their own. 

On July17, Grandpa wrote: 

My dear dear Companion,

 Here we are again--we were downtown Buenos Aires today had dinner in a restaurant. Swell place - all of us and our cost only about 3.50 I believe. So things are cheaper in some ways and higher in others. All of us are well here. House seems cold to me, then stoves are not working well. Hope they get them fixed. 

I spoke last night at prayer meeting. 18 present. Solon interpreted. Have some fine Christians. One can tell by the spirit and love that they love the Lord. 

Sunday morning (8:30) Family is just getting up. Ivan is here on the couch, still in his nightie. He is looking at pictures. He is happy, active and is a regular "private investigator."

Solon and I have been up a while and just had a word of prayer together.

Rained, thundered last night. Hope it is a bit nicer today. I have not been able to take pictures these days. I took some of funeral yesterday. . . horse drawn hearse and flower wagon. 2 horses for flower wagon and four horses for the hearse - all black. Drivers wear high hats.

Ivan wrote on opposite side to you [in red]. Abuela (grandmother). He calls me that instead of Abuelo (grandfather). Talks more Spanish than English. Some boy!

Ivan's scribbles on back of letter

Sunday P.M. The rest except Kathryn are all resting. Kathryn is reading. I rested a bit but could not sleep much. Was thinking of washmachine--they still haven't gotten it--It looks humanly-speaking like a loss of about 350 dollars. 

This note brought back the memory of the washer dryer stuck in the Aduana [Customs] because Dad did not believe in giving bribes, which apparently is the cultural and necessary thing to do. We never did get that appliance.

Well, tomorrow morning we have to get up early. I need to be at airport at lest by 6:30. It takes 30 min. to drive out there so we have to leave here about 5:45.

 

July 20, 1959 

We are about 20,000 feet up in the air, traveling towards Lima. This morning at 4:45 we left Solon and Kathryn's home in their model A Ford for the airport. It rained all night and so at places there was water over the road - once it about drowned the motor. We made poor time - distance about 22 miles. Then about one or two miles from airport the motor stopped - dirt in gas line. I got a bus for airport. Had Sam's overcoat on - what to do with it. Then Kathryn appeared - she had taken a bus. Soon Solon, Aldo & Lynn came, they got car to run. Some time we had! Well, they saw plane leave. Rita and Ivan stayed at home. Was hard to leave them.  

 School winter break followed shortly after with even more special visitors.

Don Bosco, Argentina—During their recent midyear vacation, six Bible Institute students held a four-day meeting at the church here. Much blessing resulted. The versatile musical talent of the group was especially appreciated. Rev. Solon Hoyt, the missionary at Don Bosco, will also take charge at José Mármol during the Maconaghys' furlough, overseeing the work which will be cared for by two of our Argentina Bible Institute graduates. (News item in The Brethren Missionary Herald, 9.05.59)

Having these young people in our home, led to some interesting dynamics with a certain young man who asked me to play the piano for him repeatedly. I wrote about all this to my friend Mirtha, two years older than me, asking her advice. My father became worried about his only daughter, and decided it was time to have a serious talk with me. This was the beginning of the relational struggles I went through growing up between two cultures and nationalities. Nowadays we are called Third Culture Kids.

I made friends in school that year. Interestingly, after several decades, some of us found each other thanks to the internet. 

The school year ended in November. Then began the hectic summer cycle of Vacation Bible Schools, Christmas program, camp sessions, and general conference. 

I wrote to my dear friend Mirtha the day after the Christmas program when we had some 105 in attendance. 

Everything turned out well . . . especially the drama "A Prisoner's Christmas," quite long but very good. Mrs. Fischer directed the drama and did such a good job. She knew exactly what gestures and expressions we should use. We had to dress in period costumes because the story took place in the times of Christ. There were 16 actors and she knew exactly how we should dress, especially the Jewish women. She brought many of the costumes and even rented one for the Roman soldier because it was too difficult to make. She was concerned about the spiritual aspect, and would explain to those who had longer parts to do so loud and clear because the message was so important. . .  I had to be an angel.

Thus conclude my findings and memories for 1959, yet another year of God´s faithfulness despite our failings and weaknesses.

Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:4-6).

1958: Return to Argentina

 

Introducing Ivan Wayne Hoyt

When we arrived back in August, it was time to introduce our eight-month-old new family member and become reacquainted with the Argentina of 1958, what was happening politically, and religiously, in the Brethren mission and in Don Bosco.

Only days after our first arrival in Argentina in 1946, national elections took place with the popular vote going to Juan Domingo Perón. Again in 1952, after our first furlough, he was voted in with an even higher majority. Interestingly, it was the first-time women were allowed to vote. Another note of interest, Perón's second-term inauguration was the first to be televised. However, a complicated series of events forced him out of office. He resigned and sought asylum in Paraguay in September of 1955 and was exiled for nearly two decades.

Now in 1958, as we prepared to return a third time, following a very complicated and polarized season, the interim president called for national elections. The newly elected president led Argentina's twenty million people into a period of opposition and reprisals against the peronist regime.

I have spent days reading about that period of Argentine history, fascinated by the complexities that I would never have understood or even been interested in as an adolescent. Even now, it is too much for me to fully grasp, and I wonder how that political climate affected the work of the Gospel.

Regarding the religious scene in Argentina at the time, Dad wrote an article,"The Battle on Many Fronts in Argentina," listing the various groups. (Brethren Missionary Herald, 1.04.1958) A question he was asked, whether there were false cults in Argentina, probably sparked this response: "Undoubtedly this person almost unconsciously formed the idea that Catholicism reigns in Argentina . . ." He quoted from a Catholic magazine, The Sign, in "How Catholic is Latin America:"

(1) Eighty percent of the entire population profess Catholicism, but by the most generous figuring we may say that only ten percent practice it.

(2) The Catholic Church is strong and has vitality in Argentina, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Columbia; whereas it is dying in Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Brazil, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, and Haiti.

In his article, Dad went on to elaborate about his experience with false cults. 

I have seen and talked with a good many of their followers and witnesses. In greater Buenos Aires they are all present and active.

Time after time the Jehovah's Witnesses invaded our neighborhood. Six or eight well-dressed, cultured young people would canvass block after block selling and giving away their literature. . . 

The Christian Science movement is not so large nor so active, but they make people know that they are present. . . 

Spritism is very popular in Argentina. Their mass meetings in Luna Park (a place which would correspond to Madison Square Garden) are quite frequent. Several of our neighbors were faithful followers. . .

The Mormons are active throughout the country. In the suburb of Buenos Aires where we last served they were constantly working. . . young "Americanos" well-dressed and wear hats unlike North Americans. . . they seek entrance into the houses. . . like to pray with the people . . . leave a pamphlet making arrangements to pick it up when they've finished it . . . offer free English courses to anyone interested. . . 

Modernism has made its inroads also. . . and becomes an increasing problem for us who are near Buenos Aires.

The cult which is one of the most peculiar and one of the better known in our area is called "La Nueva Iglesia Apostólica (The New Apostolic Church). . .  Their chief apostle is somewhat like the Pope. He seems to have full authority and has contact with the archangel Gabriel, receiving one message each week. . . then given to the under-apostles who then proclaim it to their individual churches. . . they have little to do with the Bible. . . 

What had happened among the Grace Brethren in Argentina during our absence? 

The newly purchased camp site was inaugurated! The children's session ran from January 7 to the 14th, followed by young people's camp, January 16-24. The video prepared in 2018 to celebrate 60 years highlights the blessings as well as the buildings and improvements throughout the years.

A new member was added to the missionary families, Marilyn Ruth Churchill was born April 21. Sadly she was not well and lived only a year. In hopes of finding help the family returned to the US, but the baby died soon after.

The Schrock family moved to Córdoba soon after their furlough, to plant a church and establish a radio broadcasting center in the big city of half-million people.

Hugo Félix Di Nardo & Francesca Ana Diedrich de Di Nardo

Hugo Di Nardo, a young graduate of the Bible Institute, was ordained and moved to General Cabrera with his wife to take charge of the work in that town.

Our family of six now, were privileged to move back to Don Bosco as Dad explained, "It had been the practice of our Foreign Mission Society to replace a missionary for another when it was time for furlough, and thus he would remain only five years in one place. We returned to the mission field grateful to the Lord for the privilege of continuing the work begun in 1952." 

Dad wrote an article titled: "It's Work to Build a Church" (Brethren Missionary Herald, 5.03.58) where he described the work in Don Bosco before we left and what we would find on our return.

Buenos Aires, Argentina has a very humid climate with dark, dismal days. Due to its phenomenal growth in population, it is very difficult to locate a house except in new housing projects with no pavement nor even such a hope within sight. In such circumstances the little church was begun in Don Bosco a suburb about eight miles from the big city. 

Since all the meetings were held in our home, scraping the mud and dirt from the house came to be a very common experience . . . Nevertheless, those things were as nothing compared with our desire to have the people come to listen to the glorious Gospel. . . Some had several blocks of mud to encounter in order to arrive for the meeting. The sidewalks were only as occasional encouragements along the way, and for the most of our four years in that place there were no streetlights. We learned to thank God for those who had sufficient desire to come. . . 

The need for a meeting place was evident, but the obstacles were many. Dad explains: 

We had no lot on which to build--a matter of 65,000 pesos at least. We were only a few believers . . . Any small building would cost at least 50,000 pesos just for the materials without all the finishing touches. Humanly speaking, the task looked impossible.

Little by little we were encouraged to make a beginning. The Foreign Missionary Society agreed to buy the lot if we would put the building on it. . . but where could we borrow the money for the building?. . . The banks won't do it. No loan company will do it. We had no personal connection to make it possible. . . So, we decided to start and go as far as we could as the offerings came in.

The lot was purchased, the plans drawn up, the foundations dug and filled, and the little church began to take shape. It was the joy of my heart to see this place of worship take shape on a prominent corner in Don Bosco. From sunup to sundown almost every day for one year I labored with bricks, cement, lime, sand, angle iron and dirt. Some days the exhaustion was intense, but the joy was likewise immense. . .

December 23, 1956 is a date long to be remembered as we used the church for the first time. The floor was just old mother earth, the walls were ugly, rough bricks, the platform was lumber used in the cement work quickly and temporarily nailed together. It was a joyous experience although much work remained (and remains) . . . 

My father's farewell address later, after ten years, added a few more interesting memories to the months that followed after the memorable inauguration. 

January 1957 through August 1957

    . . . we tried to do only the basic essentials on the temple in order to dedicate time to the spiritual aspects which had been neglected. We were able to make a basic cement floor with the help of believers from Wilde. The tower was finished and the over roof. Our attempt to waterproof it failed. For some time we preached to the accompaniment of drips from a leaky roof. 

Some may remember the special meetings with Brother Schrock during Holy Week in 1957. On Good Friday Mrs. Allessandria, Mrs. Devesa and Roberto Spina were to be baptized, but the baptistry was not ready nor the rest of the platform. At last, we were able to have the baptistry in working order and made a provisional cover. However, there was a gap behind the platform of half a meter to the floor. Brother Schrock was very confident when he got up to preach because he said, "I don't move much when I preach." But in a moment of excitement, he took a step back and stepped in air. He would have fallen had he not been able to lean against the wall.  

August 1957 - August 1958  

Eunice Siccardi y Nélida Zannetti

I cannot say much about the work during the year we were absent. God raised up two young ladies, graduates of our Bible Institute, to minister under the supervision of Mr. Maconaghy. They were well loved and made an impact for the glory of the Lord. Several made professions of faith, Mabel Devesa was baptized and there was growth in the lives of the believers. 

About the months following our return, Dad wrote: "No sooner had we greeted everyone, we began work to finish the temple. . ." sidewalks, plaster, floor and so much more.

However, he was careful to add the distinction between the material building and the true church,  believers, like "living stones" who make up the body of Christ. 

Yes, it's work to build a church. But the material building isn't the church and will not build the church. . . The Lord Jesus Christ has committed himself to the building of His church but has chosen to use His people as instruments in this task. 

My father's message to the Bible Institute graduates years before, was mentioned in the article "Serving My Master on the Mission Field."  

It was graduation time in 1952 in Argentina. The exercises were to take place in Río Cuarto. Brother Hoyt was asked to give the address. The text was Mark 10: 45, "For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." The point which is applicable to each of us is that the Lord Jesus didn't come to earth to be waited upon--to be ministered to--but to minister. He came to serve. (Lois Schrock in the Brethren Missionary Herald, 9.13.58)

Here we were once again in our beloved Don Bosco prepared to serve. What opportunities, challenges, changes, blessings and difficulties awaited us the next five years?

1958: Ivan & Perú

This opening photo could explain why Dad was the only one of our family who attended Grandma Hoyt's funeral in early December. Mother was eight months pregnant at the time. A month earlier, Uncle Phil had taken my parents and Grandma Hirschy for a ride to Elwood to show them the way to Mary Evans Hospital. It was important to know the best roads and be prepared for any eventuality. The area is very hilly, there are so many curves, and the weather is unpredictable in the middle of winter. Ivan Wayne Hoyt arrived safely January 5, 1958. 

   

Aldo, Lynn, Rita

We three siblings waited eagerly to hear the news. Each time Mother gave birth I hoped for a sister. But, again this time, it was not to be. We loved watching our new baby brother grow and change.

We enjoyed those months shared with grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins. A few of the other relatives came and went from the other missionary fields. 
 

 

                                                                       

Winter turned into spring, then summer. The adventure of a school year in the US ended. I look back at my first impressions in the classroom. "Everyone speaks English," I thought. It was all so strange and quite an adjustment. I was socially awkward and didn't fit in. My courses, on the other hand, were not difficult. I was surprised to find that school could even be fun.  

Piano lessons continued throughout that year with an elderly teacher. I remember she wanted me to master a composition by Claude Debussy.

My parents kept busy with mission-related responsibilities--visiting churches, writing articles for the Brethren Missionary Herald, in addition to the building project for my grandparents and speaking in their church on occasion. 

We enjoyed family outings, like this picnic roasting hot dogs by a lovely pond.

Then it was time to return to Argentina. According to a note in the denominational magazine (8.02.58), our fellow missionaries the Schrocks were already on the high seas in July. However, the Hoyts´ promised passage had been cancelled and were awaiting their time to travel.

The following issue (8.09.58) mentioned our departure August 7 and that we traveled via Latin American Airlines. 

Another news item appeared in the August 30th publication:

I knew about our stop in Peru to visit the de Rossets but did not remember my father's back difficulty. More than once in his lifetime he was laid up with back trouble.

The de Rosset family

Obviously my missionary aunt and uncle, who were our neighbors that whole year in Evans City, had returned earlier to their place of service in Trujillo, Peru. Their two oldest, Eddie and Karin, stayed behind to continue their education in the US. 

 It was such a privilege to visit them and learn about their work and surroundings. The eight-hour taxi ride north from Lima, the capital, to Trujillo, was the scariest I can recall. The winding narrow highway hugged the coast between a serious drop to the ocean on the left and a steep sandy mountainside on the right. The experienced drivers were not afraid to speed.

Although I was too young to appreciate the lengths to which these dear relatives went to entertain us, I do remember Aunt Joyce's pies, and Uncle Ed's generosity. 

The following photos tell of the sight-seeing outings. All these sites were in their area. The Huacas (shrines or temples) of the Moche peoples from nearly two thousand years ago, are enormous adobe brick structures. They have since become sophisticated tourist destinations, highly commercialized.

Huaca del sol

Huaca de la luna

Joyce & Kathryn in forefront

Rosie and Rita in back

Ed at Huanchaco

Huanchaco has become a popular beach city. 

Salaverry, the gateway to Trujillo, is the great multipurpose port of Northern Peru. In addition to all the historic and archeological sites in the area, the natural attractions are a big draw--great beaches and opportunities to surf, fish, sandboard, and more.

Uncle Ed and Aunt Joyce tried to start a church there. Mostly they worked in Trujillo, Peru's second largest city. The following photo is of the church front and on the left you can see the Christian bookstore.

La librería y la iglesia en la Avda. La Unión

Trujillo is now a very modern city. These are glimpses into life sixty or seventy years ago.

Callejón típico

Cousin Karin says this may be the narrow corridor near the church where her best friend Natalia lived at the end in a two-room adobe hut. She also recalls the burros that carried fresh milk they bought.

This was market street. Uncle Ed did all the shopping because he was a better bargainer. 

En el mercado: Freddy, Lynn y el tío Ed

This photo brings back the memory of Uncle Ed's generosity. He heard me hint that I wanted to take back souvenirs for my friends, and he immediatly bought an assortment for me.

I asked cousin Rosie to write a summary of her parents' ministry in Peru. She sent me a piece she wrote a few years ago after her parents moved out of the Evans City family homestead, where they resided after retirement. The painful task of dealing with the accumulations of several generations, had fallen to her. Here is an excerpt.

I found letters from my father back to the 30’s, chronicling his meeting my mother and their missionary career.  In 1944, during WWII they went out by boat from Texas to Peru on $60 a month support without the language which they learned by walking around and listening to people talk.  They arrived in the port city of Callao with almost nothing and went by bus to the coastal city of Trujillo, Peru.  It was a hard and lonely beginning.

I read about how my mother at first felt forsaken of God as they lived in two rooms in a rat-infested primitive hotel with unsavory toilet facilities down the hall.

I read about her longing for trees and home then about her first Peruvian friends and her love for them and the beginnings of a church in a ramshackle fishing village, about my father’s discouragement over theft (he used to have the windshield wipers stolen off his Model T Ford, a car that had to be cranked and had no back doors so he just told us to sit in the middle).

And so many times I read about his clinging to I Peter 5:7  “casting all your care upon him for he careth for you.”  

And I read about how they began to plant churches and finally in the 80’s founded a seminary which flourishes today.

My mother, who never took no for an answer, taught hundreds of people to read and women how to care for their children. She used every resource she had and even taught many people to play the piano on a cardboard keyboard, and they could play when they hit the real thing. 

They lasted through sorrow, loss and joy for 42 years. It is a story of ordinary people to whom God was faithful; they clung to Him, and He was with them, performing His good work.

I conclude with Rosie's opening paragraph to her reflections and the scripture which expresses my thoughts also as I look back on my parents' ministry:

As I sat in the middle of both the documents of my teaching life at Moody Bible Institute and the records of my history at home, I came back to Paul’s familiar words in Philippians 1:6: 

“I am persuaded of this very thing that He who has begun a good work in you

will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." 

1957: In the USA

 

Our time to return to the US had come. Why are we looking so glum in the photo? Sad to leave Argentina for a year? Or still into the old-fashioned serious-look for photos?

I was surprised to learn from "Aunt" Margaret's letters that we flew out of Río Cuarto, in the center of the country, rather than from Buenos Aires, the capital. I remember nothing about that time in the interior. However, the details she wrote are interesting.

July 30

We are expecting the Hoyts tomorrow evening, so this is going to be a busy week. Hoyts will go to Río Tercero to visit the Churchills on Thursday and come back here on Friday. Then they leave Río Cuarto by plane Sat. morning, so we'll have the fun of seeing them off. I'm looking forward to having them for we've seen so little of them since we've been back. [The Marshalls were our first missionary neighbors and dear friends in La Carlota.]

August 11

The Hoyts have come and gone. They came Wednesday evening just about supper time. I had fixed supper before the Women's meeting so that it would be ready--had noodle-pea-and-tuna-fish casserole, cole slaw and lemon pie. (made 4 pies that morning).

They left for Río Tercero Thursday morning and got back here for dinner on Friday. They were busy washing out clothes, buying a few last minute things, bathing, etc., the rest of that day. Then we all drove out to the airport Sat. morning to see them off. They were flying over to Chile and then up to the States.  They will be landing in Pittsburgh Wednesday night. 

The more I read Margaret's weekly letters, the greater my admiration for her. I don't know how she managed to show hospitality to the constant visitors who stopped by the headquarters while keeping up with three little active boys, as well as all the missionary work. And to make life even more difficult, all that year, 1957, they were dealing with the additional turmoil of renovations: a new roof, some remodeling, and the entire building painted room by room. As the family's living quarters were worked on, they relocated from one area to another continually, including setting up a kitchen elsewhere and using outdoor bathrooms for awhile.

Aconcagua from the south (Wikipedia)

About the flight, I do remember the noticeable change in scenery as we flew west and over the Andes mountain range. The central plains turned into rolling hills, then mountains, some snow on the peaks and finally all you could see was a white landscape, without even a speck of color or a black dot. It was winter and we were flying over the area where the highest peak in the Americas is located, Aconcagua with an elevation of  22,840 feet. Perhaps this was the flight when we had to wear oxygen masks while flying at such high altitudes. 

A week after leaving Don Bosco, we arrived in Pittsburgh, in Western Pennsylvania, not too far from  the Hirschy homestead in the town of Evans City where Grandpa pastored the Baptist church. 

The first photo is of the parsonage where Mother grew up and the church where my parents were married.

Baptist church and parsonage next door, on right

Sometime later, a new church was built a couple blocks down the road. And the old church building was made into a home for missionaries on furlough, as seen on this 1955 Christmas card.
 

I have no recollection of our arrival, so can only imagine that either my grandparents and/or uncle Phil met us at the airport. Nor am I aware of why my parents chose to be based in Evans City for the year. The previous furlough was spent in Winona Lake, where our mission's headquarters was located. Dad built a house there during that time. Again this year, Dad was involved in a building project, an addition to the parsonage, a small apartment for Grandpa and Grandma, while we occupied the main house. 

The annex

Both apartments in the missionary home next door were occupied. One of the families was that of Joyce (Mother's oldest sister), her husband, Ed de Rosset, and their four children, on leave from Peru. It was during this year that a friendship grew with my cousins Karin, Eddie, Rosie, and Freddy.

 
Karin, two years older, passed on some of her clothes to me. Grandma noted in her October 18 weekly letter to the family scattered abroad. "Rita has grown quite a bit since here. We can tell by her clothes. She is wearing several of Karin's skirts and blouses that are too small for Karin."  

Eddie and I were in the eighth grade. I remember how handsome he was with his thick shock of red hair.

Rosie and I often walked to school together. She was in the fourth grade, I was in eighth.

[We were sad to hear that the school is closed now after eighty four years.]

In the same letter, Grandma mentioned my parents' travels and some of what Lynn and I were up to. "Letters from Kathryn say that they had a safe trip down to Tennessee. Solon has been quite busy speaking five times. They were staying with Mother Hoyt up at Grandview."

Lynn and I stayed with Grandma Hirschy so as not to miss school. Aldo went with my parents and took his school books so Mother could help him not fall behind.

Saturday, Oct. 19:"We expect Solons home Monday. They are to be at Dayton, OH, on Sunday. . . Rita went up to clean upstairs and Lynn has been tooting his trumpet which he got yesterday. Now he went out to rake leaves."

The next weekly letter, Oct. 25, adds that they drove through the night so that Aldo could attend school in the afternoon. 

They were tired and went to bed for an hour or two. Then in the afternoon worked at the building again. Now tomorrow he [Solon] has to go to Canton, Ohio. This is the church that supports them, and they want the whole family to come. He has another appointment in Ohio next week. They sure don’t give him much rest. And I guess we don’t either. However, he enjoys working at this more even if it does make the muscles sore. 

Throughout that year, Grandma's letters included details of the building progress. The two brothers-in-law (Solon and Ed) worked steadily and sacrificially. In November she wrote: "The annex is progressing. The bathroom is about ready to paint and put the blocks on the floor. The plumbing is almost finished."

Where was Grandpa Hirschy all this time? After thirty years pastoring the Evans City Baptist Church, they granted him a ministry leave. He spent October and November on the island of Barbados. He wrote that the warm climate helped his catarrh (buildup of mucus in the back of the nose, throat, or sinuses). It was very restful there. His stomach was feeling better even without medication. Early every morning he walked to the ocean, half a mile away. By mid November he had spoken more than fifty times, was feeling miserable with a cold and so very lonely he could cry.

Grandma was struggling to keep up with everything during his absence. "I have all the correspondence that Pop did to look after beside writing to him and you all."

My grandparents had prayed for a missionary family. Of their six children, four went out as missionaries, in two continents, Africa and South America. Long before the internet or even good and affordable long distance phone service, communication was a challenge. For decades, Grandpa and Grandma kept the family informed and united by typing extracts or summaries of the letters that came in each week and mailing out carbon-copied versions. (No copy-machines back then either.) We looked forward to these lengthy single-spaced epistles, and treasure them to this day!

Now, about my other grandmother, the one I never got to know very well. She looked after me and must have been very helpful to us when she lived close in Winona Lake. However, I was only an infant.

Grandma Hoyt holding Rita

I have a vague memory of playing with buttons or trinkets she kept in a lower drawer. The photo tells me she enjoyed caring for me, her very first granddaughter, after several grandsons.

I admired her from afar, for all that I learned about her. She lost her three-month-old firstborn son, then gave birth to ten more children (including a pair of twins) over a period of fifteen years. Life was hard. They were very poor. There was much dysfunction. Grandpa Hoyt abandoned the family when Dad (# 8) was still a youth of about 16 years of age. And yet, all ten living children achieved high levels of education and most, if not all, were involved in Christian ministry.

Dad never spoke much about his parents. He was a man of action and lived very much in the present. The past was pain-filled.

More recently, I came upon a couple documents and four handwritten letters that told me so much more about this amazing little woman that many have said I resemble.

Grandma's little white house in Grandview, TN

The first document was titled: ANNA  LEOLA  DORSEY  HOYT'S ITINERARY  FROM  BIRTH (A copy of notes found among Grandma Hoyt's papers).

She had kept a record of her many moves from age 9 to 72--family relocations and visits with each offspring as she traveled from one to another in her latter years. I counted at least eighty five moves. 

The only four letters in my possession were written to my family in 1957. She commented on every detail of what was going on in our lives in Argentina and then shared her news and whatever she had heard from the other Hoyts. She always expressed a longing to hear from us, and that the time would pass quickly until our return to the US.

  

January 14: "Your Jan. 3 letter was so welcome for I had waited for it since first of Nov. I do hope you are well situated in your new house. Moving is a real task which I've learned thru many long years. Surely hope you were able to get the temple in perfect shape for the Christmas program. . . 86 was a goodly number at your Christmas program, wasn't it?"

She enjoyed her little house and the church nearby. She helped start an adult Sunday School class. They were studying prophecy in the book of Daniel. 

It was a very cold winter. She had to heat with wood, "It is getting near chore time for me. Must bring in small sticks that burn up quickly then some large dry ones that hold fire longer then a lot of big green chunks to keep fire all night." 

When it rained, however, there was an extra step. "My pile of wood is completely saturated with water. I have to bring in a few small pieces in evening to dry in oven ready to start morning fire."

Racial troubles were uppermost there at the time. There was KKK activity. A negro camp near Grandview had their kitchen and dining room set on fire. "The feeling against the negro is a fast growing menace," she wrote April 30.

In February, Grandma received the Bryan Newsette in the mail (a publication of Bryan University, my parents' alma mater), and wrote, "Lo and behold! What met my eyes? A letter from Solon and Kathryn, and what I liked most was your intention to visit Grandview." 
Later she said, "I'm praying you may spend some time here and then I'd like to be where I can see you many times during your furlough."

As already mentioned, my parents and Aldo did visit Grandma Hoyt in Grandview. They stayed six days, probably their last time together. Lynn and I never got to see her again. In early December, she became ill and died. She was 73.

I remember my father's sadness when she passed away. He was the only one of our family who traveled to Winona Lake for the funeral.

Hoyt family reunion for Grandma's funeral

The second document in my possession was MOTHER'S 1957 DIARY (Excerpts from Anna Leola Dorsey Hoyt's diary for 1957, the year of her death).

Perhaps whoever compiled this did so in an effort to understand what led up to her demise. Her very brief daily entries reminded me of Grandma Hirschy's diaries. There were notes about: the weather; visitors, comings and goings; letters received; the garden, flowers and harvest; household tasks or problems. At regular intervals, two entries which I found interesting: "Defrosted refrigerator." (almost monthly) and "Shampooed my hair."  There was only one hint of a health issue: "September 8 - I had a slight heart attack at about 1 or 2 AM. Also had (almost) a dizzy spell at 8 AM." She immediately moved on to the water problems she was having, "The well went dry or something wrong with the pump." Nothing more was said about her health.

The earthly cause of death will remain a mystery. However, we know that God has an appointed time for each of us to be born and to die. His ways are perfect. And we also know that to be in His presence is unfathomably more desirable and He longs to welcome His own. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints (Psalm 116:15)."