KAR 11 1982Tosa-YamadaShikoku, JapanFebruary 22, 1982

To all our Friends;

It does seem rather late to be writing you a letter concerning our activitiesof 1981. We do want you to hear them, though, and perhaps you will have a littlemore time to read this letter than you would have had, had it come at Christmastime. While we are at it, we will just include January and February 1982, andbring you up to date.

The year 1981, including the last two months, has been a very fast-movingyear for us. There has been "a lot of progress on the part of the churches.There has also been the normal amount of discoiiragement and disappointment. Wewere so happy to know you were praying for us.

The Yamada church, which meets in our home, has grown in Christ duringthis year. Michiko Fukoe returned from 8 years in American Bible Colleges, andhas worked with us as an Education minister during 1981, more or less ontemporary basis. Now she says she will stay in Yamada for a while longer , forwhich we* thank the Lord. In the last 4 months Shinya Yoshida (a high school boy,16) and Dr. Kaku (a dentist, 40) have been baptized into Christ. Two ladieswere also baptized into Christ at Noichi during 1981.

Our "office" helper. Miss Yuka Hosokawa, left us to enroll in Osaka BibleSeminary in March. Another young Christian lady. Miss Kyoko Nishiuchi, came towork with us and to help with Don's Kanji research in the Japanese language.

Don's mother (87 years old) was with us almost a year, thanks to M. St.Helens eruptions in her own home area, but left us at the end of April. Wemissed her, but we understand that she can be happier where she can understandthe language. She came to Japan for our daughter. Sarah's wedding in June 1980,missing by only hours the shut-down of Seattle Airport because of the eruption.While she was here, she went regularly to our (Noichi church's) Christian Kindergartento talk and play with the children. She also studied Japanese. [She took a semesterof Japanese in the Community College near her after returning to-'America, too.]All of which ought to prove that 87 is not yet old enough to sit down and quit.There is still time and strength to serve the Lord,' Grandma Burney said shejust might come back to Japan again after our next furlough. If so, she wouldbe over 90,'

Although we live in a part of Japan where you have to really want to go inorder to get there,and our guests are something like one guest every couple years1981 has been different.' First, Don's brother, Bob. and his wife came for Grandma;then Howard Harris from Kern Park church in Portland, Oregon, visited a few da>s.Exie Fultz, our nearest missionary neighbor, spent some time workii^ with Normaover the editing of a book, and brother Ikeda, from Kyushu, held an evangelisticmeeting for us. At New Years Betty Turner, from Tokyo, came for a 4-day Kanji(Japanese writing) Seminar for which we, were the hosts and she was the teacher,Keith Summers, a new missionary from Okayama, was one of the students and ourhouse guest; another student (a native of the island of Bali in Indonesia) came inthe daytime to study with us. Lastlyj son Joe brought his bride-to-be for a three-week visit. This town hasn't seen so many "outlanders for years.

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During 1981, Nonna spent hundreds of hours proof-reading, correctingmanuscripts and typing copy for a book of Devotions being written by Japanmissionaries. Her work is finished now, and the book has gone to anothercommittee in charge of getting it printed. We hope it will soon be published,and that, when it is, you will want to buy a copy.

The children are scattered. Paul is In Athens, Georgia at the University ofGeorgia. Sarah (Mrs. Geof Acker) lives on the Canadian side near Niagara Falls.She worked*~as a guide (to Japanese tourists) at the Falls throughout the summer.She and her husband are hoping to eventually work for the Lord in Japan, Josephgot his M.A. from the University of Illinois and also his bride-to-be. They arepresently in Korea where her parents are missionaries with Seoul Foreign School.The wedding has been set for April. Thomas is also on the Canadian side ofNiagara Falls, attending college there. Rachel Is at home and at an age to begrowing taller every day. She passed her "middle-class test in (Japanese) signlanguage, and has become quite good at talking with her hands. She has manyfriends among the deaf.

We want to thank you for your love for the Lord and His work here in Japan,and your love for us. The boxes of food have been delicious and time-saving; theclothing money-saving and, in fact, "life-saving" since we just^can't buy thingsin our sizes here in our part of Japan. We want to give special thanks to theindividuals who have written us and sent Christmas cards this year: you also haveministered to a "hunger". Our deep thanl.s for your financial contributions tothe work of winning souls to Christ. And to those who have prayed the^Lord forus, our deepest gratitude. We would not want to do without any of youJ

Please keep on praying for us.

I^uch to our regret, Harold Jones, who has been our forwarding secretarythrough many years of sacrifice of time and labor to the Lord*s work inJapan, has found that he cannot continue. V/e are very grateful for what he hasdone for us and take this opportunity to thank him. We could not have workedfor the Lord here with any efficiency without his selfless work.

We are glad to announce that we have fouxid one willing to take his placean old friend, the mother of three grown children, and a grandmother severaltimes. She is Carleen (Mrs. Delbert) Pickett. a member of the Pana (Illinois)Christian Church, We thank God for her. She will receive your contributionsfor us, banit them and send you a receipt. We would ask you, however, to pleasebe patient during the period of time it takes to transfer all our affairs toPana. We and Harold and Carleen will try to accomplish it as efficiently aspossible, with the Lord helping us.

In Christ,

Don and Norraa Burney

Japan address: U.S. . address: Shikoku ChrivStian MissionDonald G. Burney c/o Mrs. Carleen Pickett2-1-6 Asahi-machi 107 S. HickoryTosa Yamada-cho Pana. Illinois 62557JAPAN 782