IDENTIFIED BY SCARS.

Nanoo Kilbourne clicked up her blue umbrella to protect her from the rain as she emerged from the Seoul airport. She ran towards the plane on the soaked tarmac. Under her arm was a large folder, inside which were the x-rays and medical records of six Korean children.

The children were already in the plane and supervised by the air-hostesses, who settled them into their seats while waiting for Nanoo to have their medical records cleared by the airport authorities.

Nanoo was the wife of the veteran missionary, Dr Ed Kilbourne, a 3^rd generation missionary for 26 years in China and Korea. Their own three children had returned to America where Nanoo longed to visit for the wedding of their son. It was a costly trip, but when she heard of the opportunity to act as escort to Korean children flying to their adoptive parents, she offered. Willingly and cheerfully, she accepted this formidable responsibility , with the added joyful anticipation of the wedding.

The airport official accepted and stamped the medical records of the orphans, and Nanoo hugged them under her arm, hurried up the stairs, and into the plane, and with a satisfied sigh slumped into her seat. She silently said, ‘Thank you, Lord,’ that at last she was on the plane to fly to her children in America.

But work came first. Of course, she must look after these dear young orphans, who were abandoned children of American soldier fathers. Now they were to be adopted into American homes.

Nanoo looked around, and began to count. One, two, three, four, five…. Oh, no! It couldn’t be true. The medical records indicated that all the children were well and fit. This sixth child. There was something wrong. Hastily, Nanoo took out the record of the young boy. It showed that he was fit and well. But…no!…his face. A huge wound with rough scarring gashed the child’s face. How could she take this young boy and present him to adoptive parents in America. What would they say? With dismay she bowed her face into her hands and quietly prayed for wisdom and strength.

The children behaved well on the long, exhausting, Pacific flight, and with the help of the air-hostesses, Nanoo cared for them until their arrival at Los Angeles, where one child left the plane, received by gracious adoptive parents. At each successive stop Nanoo escorted a child to an excited American family, until one child remained. The boy with the scarred face. A hand grenade had wounded him, leaving repulsive scars.

A weary Nanoo finally alighted from the plane with the Korean orphan clutching her hand as they walked towards the crowded terminal, where a message awaited her that the adoptive parents were late, and would Nanoo kindly wait.

Shy and bewildered by the noise and strange people, the young boy began to cry. Nanoo discovered, too, that he was hungry for rice. She found a restaurant where the only rice available was chicken-rice soup. She bought two bowls of soup. Nanoo and the child sat at a table, where the laddie began to pick out the rice grains one by one, enjoying each one. Nanoo watched him, and pity welled within her, as she wondered about the anticipated reception. People at the nearby tables already stared at them.

While enjoying their soup, Nanoo noticed a distinguished, well-dressed lady enter the restaurant. She looked across to Nanoo and the boy, and without hesitation walked over to where they sat. To Nanoo’s surprise, she threw her arms around the child and said, ‘Oh, my Johnny, my dear, dear Johnny. You have come at last.’

Astonished, Nanoo asked, ‘How did you know him? ‘

‘I knew him by the scars on his face.’ She went on to the surprised Nanoo, We saw the photo of this child and my husband and I longed to give him the love and security he lacked, so we specially asked that he be sent to us. And here he is,’ and she gently stroked the scar-faced Korean orphan.

The lady and her husband gave this orphan boy all the love, affection and security of a good home. For a year they cared for him till he felt part of their family. Then they enlisted the services of a famous plastic surgeon, who removed the scars and repaired Johnny’s face. Operation after operation. Later, when Dr Ed Kilbourne visited the States he met Johnny, whose scar was scarcely discernible.

One day we shall see our Saviour, and we will know Him by the scars in His hands and side.

‘Whom having not seen, we love.’

Included by the kind permission of Mrs Nanoo Kilbourne, who told me this story.