THE LIFE OF RICHARD WILLIAM MUELLER, JR.
(Continued)

Dad’s Autobiography – Chapter 5 – In Book, Page 9

Call Accepted, Delay of Official Papers, Health Delay, New York Memories, Europe, Long Flight, Rome Experiences, Over Africa, Orientation, Lessons Learned, Mission Objective

Call Accepted! With that knowledge, I called the Chairman of the Executive Committee for Central Africa and told him that if the Call would be sent to me again, I would reconsider my decision. Sure enough, soon after, the Call to serve our Lord and His blood-bought souls in Zambia came to us again – and we accepted it. On the 7th of January 1957, in Crivitz, Wisconsin, in the midst of a snowstorm, my Commissioning took place. However, our departure for Zambia did not take place until April of that same year.

Delay Of Official Papers! We spent the interim with Irene’s parents, Henry John and Frances Erna Bertha Kuckkan in Watertown, Wisconsin. During that time, we applied for visas and entry permits. The days wore on without any reply from the government of the Federation of the Rhodesias and Nyasaland. Finally, totally frustrated, I was directed to a ‘ham’ radio operator in Watertown. Someone knew that he had contacts with ‘hams’ in the Federation. I told him of our plight. That day he told a ‘ham’ in Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, about our situation. They next day he had a reply. Our entry permits were on their way – and a few weeks later we were on our way to the vineyard of souls into which He had called us.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

Health Delay! We began our journey to Africa from the Milwaukee airport. I can’t remember who all came to see us off, but I do remember that at least one of the members of the African Executive Committee was there. There were also a couple of uncles of mine and a cousin. My parents were there, too, but they were flying with us to New York to see us off to Northern Rhodesia from there. They thought that they would see us off – but, as it turned out, we saw them off to Milwaukee instead. Chicken Pox kept us in New York longer than we expected. Debbie and Dick had acquired them from their aunt before we left Watertown. However, those pox did not show up until we had been in New York for a couple of days – and they kept us in New York for two weeks. Those two weeks were spent on the fourteenth floor of the Taft Hotel, about two blocks north of Times Square.

New York Memories! Even though we were in New York for two weeks, I do not remember much of note about our stay there. We did manage to take a tour around the Statue of Liberty and take in a show at which the Rockettes performed. A couple of things do come to mind, however. I remember going to the Automat to get sandwiches. We did not have the money to spend in restaurants. The one time we did eat at a restaurant, we experienced something we will never forget. After our meal, we left a tip on the table. Being greenhorns, we had no idea how much we were to tip the waiter. We found out in one big hurry. As we were going out the door, the waiter came running after us and told us that we had not tipped him enough. I do not remember exactly what we did, but I do know that we were very, very embarrassed.

I also remember the St. Patrick’s Day parade. We were taking pictures of the parade when a man on the street told us we should turn around and take a picture of our kids in their strollers. Both were sound asleep.

EUROPE

Long Flight! Finally, on the 25th of March, 1957, we boarded a KLM flight bound for Amsterdam, Holland. The airplane was a propeller plane. Every hour on the hour, it seemed, the pilot burned the carbon out of the engines. As he did, flames poured out of the engines which made me even more determined to stay awake to see to it that the wings did not fall off in the process. Fourteen hours later we landed in Prestwick, Scotland for fuel. The airport was out in the middle of nowhere and consisted of Quonset huts. After a short stop, we were off to Amsterdam, Holland. We headed as quickly as we could for our hotel and tried to keep the walls from closing in on us. They seemed to be coming at us from every direction.

Rome Experiences! The next stop that I remember was Rome, Italy. We were to be there only a few hours, but it turned out to be a longer time than that. The pilot reported that one of the instruments was not working properly – and that he would not take off until it had been fixed. We were not happy about the delay, but thankful that the pilot was as careful as he was.

While we waited, we were served an evening meal. I do not remember what it was, but I do remember that our waiter placed two large glasses filled with liquid in front of our two children. Debbie was two years old and Dick was one. We thought the liquid was Coca-Cola. No, the waiter told us. It was wine. Water is not the preferred drink. That was really our first introduction to a more complete understanding of the Bible. Jesus’ miracle at Cana of Galilee became much more meaningful to us.

OVER AFRICA

After we left Rome, it was only a few minutes later and we were across the Mediterranean Sea. However, hours passed before we had crossed the Sahara Desert and landed in Kano, Nigeria. Africa is a big place, almost three times as large as the United States. Then it was hours more to Port Harcourt on the southern coast of Nigeria. There, Dr. William Schweppe met us – and drove us to the Mission Station at Obed-Edom.

ORIENTATION

Some have called the time we spent in Nigeria a ‘busman’s holiday’. It was, however, the best introduction to foreign mission work that I could ever have wanted. I learned so many things which helped me in my work of establishing an indigenous church in Central Africa. Watching experienced missionaries at work and listening to them talk to each other, to me, and especially to the Africans they met and served, taught me lessons I shall never forget.

Lessons Learned! One of the first things I was taught was to listen. Listen to what people are saying – and then listen some more. That applies not only to people’s desires, but their fears as well. It also applies when trying to learn the language. Try to mimic their speech. And especially try to pronounce their names correctly. Remember that our names are who we are. That is especially true for an African, for many times their names reflect who they are. They can tell something about their character – even something about their birth – as I learned later.

Then watch, observe. Customs of people with whom we come into contact may be different from our own. We may launch right into a subject. A Nigerian does not. First of all come the niceties – an inquiry into your well-being and you into their well-being. Dr. Schweppe taught me that from one of his experiences. A Nigerian had done something he should not have done. Dr. Schweppe reprimanded him – going on for some time about the fault that had been committed. When Dr. Schweppe finally paused to let the man speak, the man said, “Hello”. He had not heard a word that had been said – at least he did not acknowledge that he had. Then, after they had exchanged pleasantries, they went on with the subject at hand.

Respect for all others! I hope I did not have to learn that in Nigeria, but it was certainly reinforced by our visit there. Treat everyone – including servants – as you would want to be treated. Respect them and their customs even though you may not agree with them. Learn the customs – and abide by them.

Mission Objective! Above all, I learned how to go about establishing an indigenous church. Always remember that a missionary is seeking to work himself out of a job. He wants to train others to do what he has been sent to do. As soon as the missionary has taught his contacts God’s Word – even the rudiments of God’s Word — he is to encourage those prospects to bring God’s Word to their own people. He is to put himself into the background as much as at all possible. The people are not to think of the missionary as a permanent fixture in their land.

No, our stay in Nigeria was anything but a busman’s holiday. It was an orientation into the work into which I had been called. It was an immense incentive to establish an indigenous church in Central Africa.