CHUNGKING,
Working among homeless refugees in Wuchow, China, the American Maryknoll Fathers have found that their work has resulted in the conversion of scores of the inhabitants.
When the Japanese advanced in Kwangsi, thousands of refugees poured into Wuchow. The city gave an old school building and a large campus for harbouring the waves of refugees that poured in. The mission gave some travel expenses to the needy moving on. To those who wanted to remain in Wuchow, the priests lent a little capital to get them started.
One day one of the missioners suggested that the refugees form an evening class after their work was over to study the catechism. Nearly 40 joined the ekes, and 24 continued through the three months to baptism.
T he.t! came a strange reaction. City people living around the refugee camp asked if they could loin the classes. Their request was granted and the second class of half refugees and half local people was started. This was the beginning of eight successive classes in the two years following. Three-fourths of the converts were local people and only one-fourth refugees Wuchow has long been known among the French Fathers and the Maryknoll Missioners as the " City of No Conversions." Because of the work with the refugees a thriving city parish was built. The refugees cut loose from their moorings in Kwangtung, became restless and most of (hem moved on, but the city people stayed. Now they are building their own church.