Forty four years after he died, I would like to share with you the story of Haakon Ingwardo Andersen. He was my Grandfather's youngest
brother and my great Uncle He was born on September 9, 1891 on the island of Tjome, in Norway and he died on
January 14, 1970. Haakon was a missionary with the Norwegian
China Mission. His mission had an enormous impact on his family and the missions where he served. This story is told by his daughter Randi Ingwardo. She shared it with the Tjome Historical
Society to be published in the Vol 9 Tjome History - 2013 and has been translated using google translate.
A life in the tension
between mission call and parental responsibility
"O, victims
Mig there life and all your Tears .." The appeal is strong - It
does not allow for reservations - it requires a total commitment. The
young businessman, Haakon Ingwardo sensed that something radical
for his life was in store when the calling came to him: "Drag
ud! thi I will send thee unto the Gentiles far away. "In 1915,
24 years old, traveled Haakon Ingwardo to China, where he had his
work until the summer of 1947, interrupted only by two brief stays at
home.
The
Norwegian China Mission field was located in the northwestern part of
Shansi province , a mountainous area consisting of a series of
plateaus cutaway by numerous valleys . The air is thin and dry .
About summer the weather in from the south, and the temperature can
go up to 40 degrees celsius , winter makes the harsh winds from the
mongolslettene biting cold. All mission stations were 1200 m. Roads
did not exist in this area until the end 30's . Conveyance was mule
who took up everywhere . These animals did not depart back to embark
on narrow paths along steep mountainsides the abyss deep . The trails
also went through rivers , some came for animals and humans to ford
where the stream was at least contend . Perilous, arduous travels
commanded the terrain , and the many bands of robbers in the
mountains did not so rare travelers with a sense of horror and
insecurity. In this area came the young missionary.
He had many rich working years there,
characterized by hardships and privations ,but even more joy and
happiness over to live with the Chinese, preach gospel and teach the
Christian faith . It was with great sorrow he had to leave Tsinglo in
1943 when the Japanese captured the city. His beloved organ and
typewriter would he have liked to themselves ! But no, it was denied
him. A suitcase with some clothes , Bible and some books plus a
bundle with bedding was all he arrived Tientsien with . After
war ended in 1945 , he made many attempts to return
to the field to see the churches and drives the missionaries had
had to leave, but in vain . Melancholy was for him to return to
Norway in summer -47 ,without knowing anything about how the
Christians had in Shansi .
New
challenges
In 1951 Ingwardo went
to Japan , 60 years old ,together with two young missionaries ,
hoping to find a new field after China was closed in -49 . Now he
would not go into the barren , would mountain areas , do not take
them by foot on narrow paths,or sit on muldyrsryggen through
narrow mountain pass . He was going to a country with developed
road and let the transport of trains at a speed of many miles per
hour . And - he was going to land that had brought much sorrow and
pain , death and destruction over the Chinese people - the people he
had lived in for 30 years, become so fond of , but had to leave. The
conflicts must not have been in the 60 -year-old's mind, as well as
the voltage across the new set before him ? « Roading switch goes
ahead ... "words of Micah 2:13 , he had to promise before
departure. The three arrived at Yokohama 22 April,1951, they
experienced really that " roading switch had gone before . "
Already 25 May was the first Mission is a fact. After finishing
period Japan , arrived Ingwardo home for good in 1959. He had lived
nearly 40 years of his life in the East.
Selvstendighetsprinsippet
One
aspect of missionary work should be mentioned here , namely the
effort to empower churches. Today we often hear about the "
Three – Self Church " in China. Most people know that the
three "Self" is for autonomy , self- subsistence and self-
propagation . But many are not aware that the missionaries from the
beginning of the 20s and up 1949 , downloaded a purposeful work in independent process. The words' autonomy , self- maintenance,even
evangelism / self- distribution " is like red threads through
the annual reports of overseer , as well as from the various mission
stations in these years. The word of God was sown, yes, but also
the seed of practical management and working methods were laid down
in the Christian churches, before missionaries had to leave the
country.
Empowerment principle was central in
Ingwardos misjonssyn . He measurable this principle both as a
member / chairman of the China Council for the field and as overseer
, 1933 in China and later , until 1959 , in Japan. Overseer How did
his missionary colleagues overseer many years ? "It always
felt safe with Ingwardo. His ratings we listened to. We knew that
they were made under prayer and silence over an open Bible ,
" says Borghild Horgen, for many years a missionary in both
China and Japan, and she continues: "He was always concerned
case , personal prestige , he was not looking . " "
Ingwardo was very disciplined throughout their journey . He conveyed
a real sense of security. We could always expect that he would listen
with interest , when we went to him to discuss something. If we
confidence in him as the elder with a long missionary life experience
behind him , so we also experienced that. He showed confidence in us
young . " This says a Japan Missionary and adds : " He
was highly respected also from national workers. " Ingwardo
appreciated missionary community. He rejoiced in the slightly freer
intercourse. When he was amused and laughed , he did it with all his
much to the amusement of those present. Even he
probably was often characterized as a man of few words , he often
talked eagerly about everything concerned work. A warm humor flash
forward on a pre-emptive manner when the young missionaries was a bit
of " aspiring " in his zeal. About the although he never
spoke , they say. "Let him down all their personal concerns ,
loss and pain in the regular personal prayer times with their God? "
wonder one of his colleagues. " Ingwardo was always so smooth
! " He thrived in the role of overseer and missionaries For its
part , enjoyed having him in that role. Yes, they still had selected
him as overseer before returning home in 1959. It could become a
fifth period?
Tjøme – Shansi
Haakon Ingwardo was from Grimestadstranda , east
of the idyllic island Tjøme , the Oslo Fjord. On Glenne , west on
the same island , grew Anna Charlotte Skafjeld up . They were both
baptized in Tjøme church, was confirmed there were all happy years
in her childhood church and appreciated the Norwegian morning
service . His spiritual home, they had in the Evangelical Assembly,
as they always referred to as "friends" . Anna Skafjeld
already had a year of language study behind him, when Haakon arrived
Ingwardo China in 1915. They married in 1918. ( Acc CIM 's rules
could not marriages until after at least two years in the mission
field . ) Though hardly Shansi can be characterized as an idyllic
natural setting, had the young missionary couple rich and happy years
in Tsinglo . Both emphasized frequently that year until 1936/37 was
the best in their lives. Why ? - Both got unfold in the service they
were traveled to China to perform. Anna wrote Ingwardo home
missionary friends in vivid terms about his meeting with people in
the marketplace around the villages. They thought she was a man ,
"How high? So big feet! Not ringing in your ears! But - they
listen ! " Yes , they did enough! The tall woman reached forward
with their spontaneous behavior both in the Marketplace and in homes
as well as in Bible classes
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| This photo was sent to Andrew from his brother Haakon. It is from 1915 and was taken at the mission in China. |
|
Women on Mission
Anna and Haakon Ingwardo complemented each
other; they gave each other space in the service, as they both was
called out to. In Tsinglo had also home together. They rejoiced over
the children who came to. Family life and missionary service was an
integral full in the year. Dog - they had to miss the oldest of the
daughters for several years. She attended English boarding
school 1926 , four days' journey from Tsinglo . In Annual Report
for 1932 can read , " Haarde was it to be separated from our dear Else, more
than it can be said in words . " Then the 13 -year-old on the
cover of ' Raj Putana Greenock "and waved. After two months
board she would be promoting in Norway – far away from the father ,
mother and siblings. "Go out! " In his speech at the
farewell meeting in 1938 , before the third exit, took Ingwardo basis
of his mission call "Go out! I will send you out to the nations
far away , "and said in part:" At the first exit in 1915
and by another exit in 1926 , together with my wife , I went out with
unmixed pleasure . Had circumstances allowed to go out with friends
,all would be well, but now it is with a sense of deep pain that one
looks forward to the break-up . " his wife would be left with
five children. As a young she went out in 1914 with Rome. 15, 16 that
his mission call :" I shall be servant of Jesus Christ Priest
the Gentiles. " In 1938, felt the call heavy, victim was
painful. In Ingwardos last period (1951 -1959 ) in Japan , he had his
beloved Anna by his side in the past three years . There was
significant for both they did end service time its together in the
mission field .
In the years when Ingwardo was in the East
without family, was at 14 (14:00 or 2 PM) a particularly important
point in the day Him. Then at seven (7:00 AM) in Norway . At this
time - In the middle of the day for him - he had a prayer for the
spouse and each of your children . Now they should start their day.
In all the years he otherwise into their daily schedule of prayer and
Bible reading morning , noon and night. This regular rhythm in his
personal devotional life giving sustenance to his contemplative
orientation. He was praying , so David says about himself : "I'm
just praying . "
After returning in 1959 , and he died in 1970 ,
His life was marked by prayer closet service. Those who were close
to him know that he spent countless hours in his room in prayer.
China employees that he had been forced to leave ,was borne to God
in prayer , one by one, the name's mention of . The schoolboys who
he was so dearly loved , was living near his shrine . Congregations
and individuals in the closed China could he just follows
through faithful intercession. He thanked God and rejoiced over
new churches in Japan , young missionaries and Japanese employees.
He lived in Rome. 12.12 : " Rejoice in hope , patient in
tribulation; continuing instant in prayer . "
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| Photo of the Haakon Ingwardo family taken in 1950 and sent to Andrew. | | |
|
Father and mother
One of the pictures that we have kids in
the retina the father , the man at the workbench with a number of Bibles in front
of them - in many languages. His many Bibles, yes mother to
constitute an entire small library , a well-used library that
provides : "God's word is our heritage , our children it will
be, "or - set in a mission context : God word has been, is and
must always impart the basics tool in all missionary work.
Father and mother, missionaries Haakon and Anna
Ingwardo, lived their lives in the tension between custody and
mission call between love the children and the love of oriental
people, between service offerings and service joy. Father died in
1970 , aged 78 . Mother died in 1983 at age 93. In his youth
scouted they probably lack even excess water from the beach width
Tjøme . In which direction should their livsbåt go ? - It came
to date longer than UTI archipelago. Now both threw his life
anchored in eternity bright country.
The Ring is
Closed
In 2013, says Randi Ingwardo : When his father in
1938 went to China alone , it would be many years before he and
family saw each other again , and all contact ceased at the outbreak
of war . Contact was first resumed when Japan surrendered in August
1945. Haakon Ingwardo never come back to China. It did, however, his
daughter Randi. In 2001 she traveled back to their native
China. Course, the knowledge was weathered , but she traveled
together with a Chinese -speaking friend. were the traces left by the
missionaries and family Ingwardo ? she wondered off. And the answer
was yes !
She describes a wonderful meeting with Chinese who
remembered her as a playmate ,even one that had been a cook for
missionaries. House churches still existed . Randi Ingwardo says that
in Japan exist small independent Christian churches, a legacy for
his work. Missionaries are also present , and it engages in
extensive humanitarian work. It was in Fukushima mission was
established , rather still a disaster area after tsunami and nuclear
accident in March 2011. Even in North Korea is Ingwardos mission
organization contributor and works with a humanitarian organization
to deploy greenhouse to a value of kr . 20.000 , - and water pumps to
kr. 200 - the civilian population .
Randi Ingwardo wonder: What would his father have
intended for work today? She has come that he would support it
fully, for the body needs are juxtaposed with the spiritual needs. He
'd been hurt pleased to see that his mission strategy for
independence for churches has led congregations yet exist both in
China and in Japan.
Three brothers with wanderlust
In Tjúma No. 8, which came out in 2011, we had a
long article entitled " A Norwegian American Story ." It
was about Anders Andersen (b. 1883 ) , from Grimestadstranda ,eldest
son of Hans Henrik and Ingeborg Helene Andersen . He went to sea and
landed in America in 1904. There he married and had eight children
and many grandchildren before he died in 1970 , without having been
back in his native country. His younger brother , James Hagbart (b.
1888 ) , also went to sea . On the way to
Australia by sailing
ship , he became ill and died on board in 1909. The youngest was
Haakon Ingward (b. 1891 ) . It is he who later took the name Ingwardo
and that his daughter has told about here. His mother died when
Haakon was three years and Hans Andersen was left with three young
boys. He was , as two of his sons, also a sailor, so it probably was
not easy to take care of sons. But in 1898 he married Mathilde Zeiner
and she became the mother of the three , especially for younger boy
Haakon .
************************************************************************
Note that everything does not translate perfectly but it
is as Randi wrote it. She spoke proudly of her Father, her
Mother and her family. Sadly she did not see her chapter in the
book. She died in September of 2013. The book was
published in early December of 2013. At the time I received the
book, I did not know that Randi had died. The book was sent to
me by Inger Zeiner, the great, great neice of Mathilde Zeiner.
Mathilde Zeiner Andersen, who became the second wife of Hans, and my
Great Grandmother thru her marriage to Hans. Inger is one of three editors of this book.
Happy Hunting,
Jan
