Janette Oke

by Laurel Oke Logan

  With Friday’s arrival, more reinforcements were needed for the trailer. Hopes for arriving in Indiana on that day were left behind when they heard the clank of metal on pavement and realized it was a support piece from their own vehicle. Edward walked back along the roadway and picked it up, then stopped at the next town to have it welded back on.

  Slow driving followed, and they spent Friday night in a suburb of Chicago. All efforts had been expended not to drive into Chicago itself. They had been warned to avoid the difficult streets and traffic of the large city.

  Morning began with anticipation of reaching Bethel before noon, but a flat tire soon frustrated this. Not completely unexpected, the tire that had bulged before leaving Champion had simply not lasted the entire trip, and a replacement was necessary. Janette and Eleanor searched for a shady place to wait while Edward and Cliff went about repairs. It was hot—terribly hot, and the day was heavy and muggy. The Canadian ladies were familiar with neither the heat nor the humidity. In the shade of a large tree, Janette sat at a picnic table writing a carefully penned letter home—trying not to let her disappointment show at how poorly the trip was progressing.

  On Saturday, after five days on the road, the tired foursome arrived in Mishawaka, Indiana, and immediately headed to Bethel College. The long trip was over.

  On arrival at the campus shortly after noon, though, they found empty parking lots and buildings. They discovered that the faculty had gone on retreat to Winona Lake and, further, that there were no waiting apartments for them as they had expected. Leaving the trailer on campus, they began the tedious job of searching for accommodations, armed only with the local newspaper and a map of the city.

  Rent was the first consideration. Budgets were tight and accommodations would not be fancy. They were prepared to take whatever they could find. After viewing one apartment after another, they wandered into a building owned by a local dentist, where a two-room apartment was available. It was small, but as soon as Edward walked in he muttered, “Let’s take it and be done with it.”

  The long day had dashed some expectations, and they were all willing to take whatever might be workable. When the owner discovered that both couples were looking for a place to live, he admitted to having a second apartment, and spirits began to brighten.

  They were told that the second flat had been vacated quite recently when its tenants had been evicted. The apartment owner explained further that they had left quite a mess, but he would give them a break on rent if they would agree to clean it themselves.

  They quickly decided to take both apartments and to figure out later which couple would be in each. As it turned out, the caretaker had already started to clean the second apartment, so it was not in terribly bad shape.

  Relieved at finally finding some good news, Cliff and Eleanor took the second apartment for $55 a month, including utilities. Edward and Janette took the first apartment for $65, and the work of settling in began, each thankful for being able to live so close to friends.

  Chapter Twenty

  Indiana

  Hot weather continued, and without even a fan, Janette found it difficult to relax in their small quarters. With Sunday upon them, she knew she could not begin the mountains of work before her, so she and Edward went for a walk in the park instead. That evening they attended the Gospel Center Missionary Church and began to make new acquaintances.

  Some other friends from Canada had been recalled to their port of entry, and Janette feared they also would need to return. The car might not be able to carry them back over the winding miles, and there would be so many complications. Surely if God intended for them to be in Indiana, He would provide the means for them to stay there as well. She prayed continually about it.

  In the first week at the new campus, a student get-acquainted party was to be held at Bethel. Edward and Janette had planned to attend with Cliff and Eleanor until Janette began having trouble with her pregnancy.

  She longed for her own doctor who might be able to give her advice during such a worrisome time. Instead, Edward called a local doctor listed in the telephone directory and was told that Janette should remain on bed rest for some time. It was likely that the long trip, along with the stress and the strains of unpacking had triggered the problem.

  Janette obeyed and went to bed. Eleanor, being a true friend, refused to go to the party and leave her alone. So the two stayed home while their husbands went to meet the students who would be classmates during the year.

  Janette did lose the baby. In the strange apartment, miles from her mother, and with no doctor’s care, she lay on the foldout bed and cried at the loss of the infant. Though he would have caused so much inconvenience at this time had he lived, she felt “mother love” for the little one she never had a chance to see or know.

  The following morning she tried to put her grief behind her. God was God, and there was nothing to be gained in fighting His will. There was more work to be done in getting settled in their new home, and though she was still required to rest for the major part of the day, Janette busied herself with plans and accomplished what little she could.

  Edward began school as well as work at a local church. Twenty hours of his time each week, not including Sunday, went into pastoral duties under the supervision of Rev. Gordon Bacon at Beulah Missionary Church in Elkhart. Edward was thrilled to find that his pay would be $40 per week, which he considered “just fantastic.” His responsibilities would include the weekly bulletin, scheduled visitation, and some duties with the youth group.

  Life had begun to settle into routine, both for Janette and for Edward. Gradually the apartment had been put into order and days became familiar. Then the dreaded notice came. Janette’s visa did prove to be a problem. Edward immediately began calling the various offices to determine what would be necessary to get Janette’s papers in order. Fortunately she would be able to get it straightened out in Windsor, Ontario, a relatively short distance away.

  The thought of traveling so far alone worried Janette—especially to such a large city. Edward was deeply involved in his work and studies by this time and could not accompany her. So Janette was delighted when Eleanor agreed to go along. After a short stay, the women returned with papers in order and permission to work in the United States, so the job search could begin in earnest.

  Eleanor found a job in a bank, and Janette applied for an opening in the same department. In the meantime she began to reap some of the benefits of being a pastor’s wife. Mrs. Bacon shared some of their “gifts of love” with her, including eggs, beans, and tomatoes. It felt good to have this practical support.

  The job at Eleanor’s bank turned out to be suitable for Janette. She was glad to be working in the same department as her friend, and since the men needed the car for their trip to campus, the two walked to work together. Days fell into busy routine.

  Janette worked in the accounts department, which included the daily and monthly balancing of accounts and ledgers. Her first problem was to balance the ledgers that had not been checked for several months. It was a tedious task to go back through pages of work to find hidden errors. She spent many nights of overtime poring over old checks and pages before she finally completed the job, but her boss seemed very pleased with her efforts. Over and over he commended her for her work.

  Apart from work, there were college and church events to attend until there was hardly any time to relax. Edward was busy with classes, and Janette still cleaned, baked, and canned in addition to her job. The days were full.

  Once fully settled, the couple had applied for a telephone and now waited somewhat impatiently for its installation. Edward and Janette were planning a Halloween “trick” on his parents: they would call collect, giving themselves a “treat” in the process. But October 31 came and went, and the promised telephone still had not been installed.

  Edward and Cliff had still not received their working permits, and their temporary visas had expired. Because of the delay, the church was unable to p
ay Edward for his hours. It was difficult to wait when the money was needed so badly, but they continued to hope and pray. Finally all the “red tape” was behind them, the paper work in order, and Edward received his check. Now they were both free to work their way through Edward’s education.

  At last the new telephone arrived, and a call was placed to Edward’s parents. It was wonderful to hear their voices, and Janette found herself trembling with excitement as she placed a call to her own home.

  She listened intently as the operator rang through to Edmonton, then Camrose, then Ferrintosh, and finally the Steeves’ number. A stranger answered, and because of the poor connection, he and Janette were not able to understand each other. After struggling for as long as she felt she could afford, Janette was forced to hang up, and the disappointment was hard to shake. Thoughts of trying the call again were quickly set aside. It was too awful to think about failing again after so much excitement and expense.

  The new church was beginning to feel like home. More and more faces were becoming familiar and the church services were fully enjoyed. During the years since Janette’s conversion there had never been an opportunity for her to be baptized. The churches where she attended had not had baptismals, and there were few streams that were convenient as an alternative.

  At the time Janette had joined the church, she had promised the Lord she would be baptized at the first opportunity. So she was thrilled when she discovered that the Beulah church had a baptistery. After her arrival in Indiana, when the first candidates were to be baptized, she joined them. It was important to her to fulfill Christ’s command to His followers to “repent and be baptized.” She had repented and experienced an inner act of cleansing through the blood of Christ—now she was also baptized as an outward demonstration to others of her obedience and determination to follow her Lord.

  At Thanksgiving time, the church threw a “pound shower” for their young intern and his wife. Janette was moved and thrilled with the many canned goods and variety of other food items. Though it seemed a bit ironic that she had to come to the United States to discover “Canadian bacon.”

  Then the Christmas season drew near, and Janette felt the familiar excitement mixed with loneliness for her family. Parcels were mailed and Christmas cards sent. Counting faraway family and friends and local church people, she sent over three hundred cards, an incredible amount of work for someone whose life already seemed too hectic.

  Her employment at the bank continued to go well, and when the bank’s manager came through to personally hand out the Christmas bonus checks, he shook her hand firmly and said, “I’ve heard about you.” Janette tried to hide her surprise. She had not felt she was doing anything worthy of special notice, but the attention and praise were appreciated—almost as much as the bonus.

  Christmas Day arrived, and Eleanor and Janette teamed up to prepare the shared meal. It was the first time away from the family Christmas dinner table, and Janette felt her throat tightening with loneliness.

  It also felt odd not to have snow for Christmas. The winter in Indiana was unusually mild, and they did their best not to notice. The newly acquired used television set in the Quantzes’ apartment helped to make the day pass, as well as a visit that evening with the Dycks, another young couple who had been classmates at Mountain View Bible College. But throughout the day thoughts of family members and the missed activity of home hung heavily in Janette’s mind.

  Shortly before the New Year, snow fell and beloved sister June and husband, John, came for a visit. With them they brought their two young daughters, Karen and Cheryl, who seemed to think that sleeping on the floor of the small apartment was a treat. Janette and Edward slept on the foldout couch in the Quantzes’ apartment, leaving room for their guests in their own bed. It was such fun to visit with June and to enjoy her little family. The girls were so sweet with their long curls and pretty little dresses. Perhaps someday Janette would have girls of her own. It was a lovely thought, but for now her place was in the work force.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Elkhart

  First-semester grades came and Edward had done very well. Out of a possible three points, his grade point average was 2.8.

  Graduation was to be held in June, and Edward’s parents announced that they would make the trip to the United States in time to be present. This was wonderful news, and the young couple waited impatiently for the term to end. For the entire year, letters, newspapers, and gifts of money had been mailed from home, and Edward and Janette were so thankful to have support and love coming regularly. It helped to bring home a little closer during the times of loneliness.

  After Edward graduated from Bethel College in the spring of 1958, a move to Elkhart was planned. Both his work as assistant pastor and his seminary courses at Goshen College in the fall would be outside the town of Mishawaka, so it seemed to make more sense to move to the nearby town. Janette resigned her bank job, and they found an apartment in the home of Dorothy Yoder, a widow who worked at their denomination’s office.

  Mrs. Yoder lived with her elderly mother and was a wonderful landlady. Edward and Janette stayed with her for two years. Church responsibilities, classes, and work left little time to socialize with the landladies, but they were much appreciated by the Okes.

  Soon after leaving her previous bank job, Janette was shocked to learn from the newspaper that her boss had been charged with embezzlement. He had devised a nice system of skimming off money from “dormant” savings accounts and depositing it into his own “very active” checking account.

  On thinking back, she wondered if perhaps that had been why he was so pleased to see Janette’s ledgers balance. The entire department had been close to being invaded by auditors just before Janette was hired, and his activity was sure to have been discovered. Janette’s balancing of the backdated accounts had temporarily removed the threat. But eventually, as in most cases, “his sins found him out.”

  Now it looked as if the tight job market in Elkhart would leave Janette unemployed. After much searching she took a job at Adams and Westlake, a manufacturing company. Typing seemed to be a prerequisite for the position, but the interviewer was convinced that Janette could handle the work, even if she herself had some doubts. She had very little typing experience, and it had been a while since she had used her meager skills. Immediately she dug out the typewriter in order to practice for her new job.

  The starting pay was $50 per week, with a possible raise in three months. Janette was thrilled with the income; it was more than she had been paid at any of the banks where she had worked. And the woman who would be training her and helping her brush up on her typing skills was reputed to be very patient and kind. Edward joked that it was pretty nice to be paid $50 while someone taught her to type, and Janette supposed he was right.

  Edward decided that it was time to trade in the old black car with its mechanical problems and found a 1955 Chevrolet Belle Air. It was a lovely soft blue-and-white two-tone, and they were proud to drive it. The new car meant car payments, so Janette’s new job had come at a wonderful time. God had been faithful and timely once again.

  The day after Janette began her job, the company hired a second girl whose experience in typing far exceeded Janette’s. So she was moved from the steno pool to the mailroom. Though she was a little disappointed at not having a chance to improve her typing skills, she felt mostly relief. The bookkeeping department would have been even better in her way of thinking, but there had not been an opening.

  The mail arrived by bag in the morning, and the mail clerk was responsible for sorting it and opening any letters not specified as “private.” Then the mail was sorted by department and delivered, first to the executive offices and then to the various departments of the factory. It was quite a walk since the factory covered two full city blocks.

  This task was repeated twice a day—to deliver what had come in and then pick up the outgoing mail, all of which needed to be stamped and weighed. For the most part, Janet
te liked the work, but with no air conditioning in the factory buildings, it did get hot and miserable in the summer.

  Fall at Beulah Missionary Church found new responsibilities ahead for both Edward and Janette. He was put in charge of more services and other tasks while Reverend Bacon was away at various times, and Janette found herself in charge of the teenage Sunday school class—quite a shift from teaching first graders. She had been told that it would be an easy job but soon declared in a letter home, “I’ve been took!”

  The youth program was in need of a great deal of organizing, and she didn’t want to rush in to “fix things” too quickly. The patience and tact that was required for the task soon paid off, and she found herself enjoying the new relationships with the teens.

  Fall turned to winter and a second Christmas arrived, bringing another welcome visit from Edward’s family. Janette had spent time in thought trying to devise a way to squeeze her parents-in-law, as well as Edward’s sister, her husband, and newborn son, into their small apartment. But an unexpected and much appreciated answer to prayer came from the president of the denomination. Reverend and Mrs. Geiger had heard of the situation and, because they were to be vacationing elsewhere, offered their home for the visiting family members over the holiday period.

  Following Christmas together, they all traveled to Kansas City to attend the wedding of Edward’s cousin. The Alberta relatives returned to Canada from there, and Edward and Janette left for Elkhart, stopping in Chicago to visit June and John on their way.

  While they were still enjoying their time with June’s family some shocking news reached them. One of the youths from Janette’s Sunday school group, Judith Yoder, had been overcome with severe pain in her head on Friday and by late Saturday morning had passed away of an aneurysm.

  The church was stunned. Judy had been a wonderfully sweet girl, capable and responsible. The whole church shared the difficult loss, but God also used it as a time of growing. Many of the church young people made new commitments to the Lord as a result of Judy’s death.