MULTIPLE WORLDS TO VISIT! A World in Conflict was presented to us as Teens in 1941. Tom Brokaw wrote a very popular Book on the 'Greatest Generation'. Simply stated that 'World no longer exist'. We were not a perfect generation, but we possessed a deep seated quality and respect for Life. We knew a little about Economics 101. Dollars did not come easy. We also knew something about morals & ethics. Our language was more proper, at least in the presences of ladies. Neighborhoods were more cohesive. Churhces were more respected. The challenge to write came to me in Guatemala as we were visiting select primary-secondary schools. Dr. Stuart Salazar, Director of the ACSI Latin America office, encouraged me to write a Book about my travels. Later I accepted this challenge. At Fifty Four I began to travel the World. No 'Five Star' hotels & dinning. It was Cucumbers - Potatoes - Small Beds - Worn out Buses and cars with no shock absorbers - 'Driving with a horn' was the norm - Packed in like Sardines - Good People - Bad People - Saints & Sinners - Good Flights - Bad Flights - Luggage lost - A beautiful World - An ugly World - A hurting World - Don't drink the water - Cold shower - Adapt to the Culture - Travel light - Watch your exchange of Money - Guard your Passport, it is your Life line to Home - Do not challenge Custom Officials - Somebody will speak English - Children still have Fun; even if their School House is in a Barn . . . COME WALK THE WORLD EXPERIENCE GLOBAL EXPOSURE A FRESH LOOK AT THE WEST

COME WALK THE WORLD

THE COURAGE TO RISK Traveling With the "Greatest Generation"By Malcolm Eudaley

AuthorHouse

Copyright © 2009 Malcolm Eudaley
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4490-2239-6

Contents

DEDICATION.................................................VINTRODUCTION...............................................IXIT BEGAN VERY SIMPLE.......................................XIGLOBAL EXPOSURE............................................XVCHAPTER 1 MAKING AN ENTRANCE...............................1CHAPTER 2 YOUNG YEARS IN TEXAS.............................11CHAPTER 3 MULTIPLE WORLDS IN VIEW..........................17CHAPTER 4 NAVY DAYS........................................24CHAPTER 5 BACK HOME........................................44CHAPTER 6 WALKING ON WATER.................................55CHAPTER 7 A NEW BASE.......................................76CHAPTER 8 ENTREPRENEUR DAYS................................102CHAPTER 9 THE FAR EAST.....................................141CHAPTER 10 LATIN AMERICA...................................151CHAPTER 11 GLOBAL EXPOSURE IN THE WEST.....................162

Chapter One

MAKING AN ENTRANCE

My trip began when my mother said to my Dad and the family - (three children already) "Well, it is time." I had no voice in the matter. I appeared on the scene in 1923. It was on a Wednesday, October 17th. I have no idea if the sun was shinning or if it was raining and cold. There I was. That was 86 years ago. Again, I am at the place where I have little to do or to say. Very seldom do I have a speaking platform, so I have decided to write. Wander with me through the thousands of days that I have lived. Some of the days I crawled, some I walked, some I ran, many I flew. Come, let's take the Walk.

Decade one and two allowed me to finish High School in 1941. I really enjoyed these two decades. This was followed by three years at sea in the Navy. I have never walked on water, but for three years I lived on water. The sea was good and bad. Often it went wild. Other times it was as smooth as glass with flying fish racing with us alongside our bow. These were good days.

Bad days followed. At the close of an invasion we would be standing along side the dead and the wounded. These were Soldiers or Marines who had died on the beaches and were returned to our ship for burial at sea. Later our own crew would die in fire and shrapnel. I was beginning to see the reality of life and death at the age of twenty.

There is nothing like "TAPS" being blown on a bugle or trumpet as your close friends slide off into the ocean. There is no marker for the grave. Only the latitude and the longitude were recorded in the Ship's Log. The military also fires a few rounds from a rifle to close the service.

When my day ends ... Please no rifles. Just Taps, played by a good trumpet man.

In the world of the Navy the best for `recreation' was a can of Beer. When we dropped anchor off some island, probably in a deep cove, we would have `recreation time' on a sandy beach. Three cans/bottles of beer would be passed out to us. The Chaplain was in charge. I took the beer and sold it for $1/bottle. I never was around a Minister who pushed beer. Yet, on Sunday I would go to Chapel and hear this fellow preach. Why? I suppose it was because my Mother took me to church as a kid. Bad as I was, I still went to church.

Only one time did I hear a Chaplain speak with clarity. The Marines were landing on the beach the next morning and this Baptist Chaplain presented something worth hearing, especially to young men that might die. It was at the invasion of the Marshall Islands. Some did die.

Nothing happened for me in these Chapel services each Sunday. However, I have always thought if I could have nine lives, like the proverbial cat, I would like to be a Navy Chaplain in one of those lives.

STILL WALKING

I was home again in 1946 with a marriage to follow. I met and knew Evelyn Baldwin for three months. We are still together 63 years later and still in love. I told her that yesterday. Four years later I received my degree at the University of Oklahoma. A short stint in business ended with a brief career at General Motors in Kansas City. Twenty-two years followed serving as a pastor. From there to a new beginning, serving on the staff of World Vision International, one of the world's largest relief and development Agencies.

Later I traveled as a Christian entrepreneur visiting nations where we associated with small bands of Christians who rose above the governmental restrictions that existed in their situations. They also rose above their cultures where many gods were in place. We will visit some of these strong people of faith.

At retirement, I, along with a selected Board of Christians created a 501(c) non-profit Corporation. Out of this creation multiple trips were made to conduct Pastor Conferences along with assisting Christian Schools with textbooks, teacher conference support and some new school houses. To visit with Christians all over the world helps one to know how "big" the Kingdom of God is that stretches around the world.

NAILING IT DOWN

Everybody has a story. Remember, though, few want to hear your tale. On one of my many trips into Latin America, a friend of mine, who is the Latin American Director of the Association of Christian Schools, Dr. Stuart Salazar, shared with me in a hotel room in Guatemala a simple statement. "Malcolm, you ought to write a book." My response to him was that I was to busy living life to stop and write about it.

MIND CHANGE

I changed my mind about writing.

It was a little village near Paris, Arkansas. The days were rough. Dad did a little coal mining and later a little farming. His Dad had owned a small general store in the country. Some years ago I visited with a cousin of mine and she had in her possession a small ledger book. My grandfather, whom I never met, had written in this little book the names of his customers and the items they had purchased - a nickel here and 15 cents there - a pinch of salt and a pound of sugar. The astonishing thing as I viewed his book was his perfect hand writing. That I did not inherit.

Out of this rugged setting my mother chose to visit a church. There she listened to a presentation of the Christian faith. She embraced the Gospel. Mother did not have a formal education. If she had had the opportunity of some of us, she would have earned a Master's degree. She now has five grand children who have their Master's degrees.

Her days were the late 1800's to the mid 1900's. During her life some had the privilege of attending school, but not many. I never looked on my mother as an unlearned person. She had a strong sense of purpose for herself and her children. There was a dignity and strength about her that gave her a desire to pursue life with vigor. This made the difference in her family. Though she missed the opportunity of a good education, she gave to her children a sense of being and purpose. She passed it on to us.

At that time my mother and a lady by the name of Kenny Nichols decided to begin a Sunday School. A small community opened their arms to these two ladies. After several months my mother shared with Mrs. Nichols that she was pregnant again with her fourth child. I was that child. Soon their activity came to a close. I was 32 years old before she shared this story with me. Later I will share with you why she kept this secret to herself...