Bogota, Colombia, SeA.
Apartado 35,

Dear Friends: oe

»,_. Happy New Year to all of you! This year we are all finding it hard to sing,

Peace on Earth’ aren't we? Our thoughts have been with all of you mothers since
the radio and newspapers announced "War!" Yet, some way, some how we feel that God
will show us the right side and will reveal to the world that Heis still in heavene
Every day we pess the German Embassy where the swastika has been flying. Down ‘the
street a fow blocks is the rod, white and blue waving over the Ue Sa Embassye A
few days ago that swastika was takon down, that Evbassy was emptye But the Stars
and Stripes still wave in the breeze. Now, frionds, is the opportune time for
ming that "Good Neighbor Policy” a true symbol of Christian friendship, Early
the next morning eftcr the redio had announced the bombing of U» Se proper
Colombian nowspapors onnouueced in large headlines. "Colombia breaks dipiomatic
rolations with Japan", A fow days later we read, "Colombia breaxs diplomatic
relations with Germany and Italy". Thesc South Amorican countries showod this true
loyalty to our country when «11 the news wis bad for us. If now wo North Americans
will do our part and not “bunglo the job", If wo will only give to these people
true values, truo represontations of our pooplo, not false ideals as wo too often
have done in the past!

In tho past meny peoplo came down hero from the stetes with the solo aim of
moking moncye Aftor thoy had mado their "pile of gold" thoy hurried home. They
loft nothing hore exccpt false impressions of our citizonse Many South Americans
thirk thot ull North anoricons drink and, ingonoral, "toar up ned", They think that
North Amerteans feel themselves superior in ovory way and, after knowing these
sonsitive, omotione] end proud people one ean understand thoir distrust of the
northein neighberse

When wo arrived in Bozote we had to take a Colombian teacher from our school
with us to buy our furniture. Why? Bceuse wo aro North Americans and the prices
would be doublod, This Colombicn mon bought o11 our furniture for us at a very
reasoncble price.

When wo went into a store some timo ago to buy something « young men behind
tho counter said, "You are from the stotos. Whee state? Wo answered, "FKonsas”.s He
said proudly, "I hevo boon in the statos. I wont to go becke It is wondcrful thores
Her in South Amorior it is tco slows Wo don't havo night=clubs or anythings"

All Gclombia roeognizcs Eka Tevancemont oF the Ue S. in oducation, scientific
research, otc. They admire the coumtry up north but they do nov ontiroly trust
their noighber. If wo can only woke that Good Neighbor Policy workable, make it
work both ways, wo will havo accomplished somothing very worvhwhile, They have
oponed the door for uses They sro showing us they wont to be frionds. Let us not
eloso tne door by sending poopie whe arc not true North Americans down here.

Tnosc poopke aro quite differont, they speck a different language, thoy havo
different customs. Wo can Learn much from thome They have retained the gracious
noss that so many of us havo loste Thoy aro appreciative. They livo simply. The
streets arc almost ompty after 10:30 in the evenings

In order to undorstend them one must lourn their langucge ond their customs.
They aro ahcad of us in this rospoot. English is required in all the schools hore
Every one wants to sponk Englishes Even taxi drivers are striving to spoak English.
We have found that, with only « small amount of language study, we know these
poople botter. It is « terrible misteke for anyone who docs not speak Spenish to
come dowm hore, iook around, then roturn and writo or tell of conditions down hore.
It cannot be donc that way. There is much criticism of John Gunther's book on
“Inside Latin=-Amorica". Ono must livo, talk, wolk ond visit in the homes of these
people to really know thome Thoy hevo en inborn, uneultivated appreciation of art
and boautye It scoms to us that whon that lovo of art and beauty exists in a
people then God will not be hard to find. Tho art teacher in our school is an
artist from Frenece He bolicvos in froe Fronece Ho hes studied in England, France
Italy ond UeS.e Wo hevo seon somo of tho charcoal drawing made by students of his
and wo aro gertain that thoy would be 1 marvel to poople in the statese

A short time ago a fether of one of the boys in our school came to plead
that we give his son some work to do that ho might continue his education. This
boy had won moro scholastic honors than any other in tho sehool but his father's
business hed beon so poor that he had been unablo to pay the boy's tuition in
full during the past year and foared thet his business would not improve during
the coming yoare Yot he wanted his boy to attend our school so that he could get

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