This is the story of how young, idealistic Norwegian/Americans lived and learned as they carried out their missionary responsibilities in central China in the first years of the 20'h century. As background, we should first gain a sense of the culture, values and society norrns that prevailed throughout China at that time. These were an outgrowth of China's own history and, particularly, the history of China's interactions with the Western world Rather than giving a chronology of dynasties, wars, treaties, revolutions etc., I will show a picture or cartoon covering some event or activity that may have significance to Chinese beliefs and values. We will identify what the picture is about and try to project the impact of the event on the experiences of the protagonists in our story, my parents. We must then, of course, explore the problems, adaptations, compromises necessary for effective Christian missionary programs in a what was for them a strange and exotic environment.