ducive to the sort of adjustment that would make for
the most effective carrying on of the work.

Even married couples will feel this to a certain extent. A young
married couple will probably have to live with an older couple for the
first two or three years on the field. Owing perhaps to the shortage
of men, and perhaps to other reasons, it even happens that sometimes a
young married couple is sent to live for their "breaking-in" period
with one or two older single lady missionaries! The initial period
passes, and they are given a home and a work of their own. But they
are not likely to be left alone long. Younger workers will be coming
along, and most married couples are rarely without other workers
living in their homes. Besides this, it is likely that the husband
will need to be away from home for weeks and even months at a time,
leaving the wife at home with the little ones and the junior workers.

The single worker feels the force of this even more strongly. Two good
friends _may_ be placed in a station together; or what is more likely,
two who have been placed together may become especially good friends.
The fact that they are good friends, however, cannot be a reason for
placing them together, nor for leaving them together. Any of us would
realize that. The placing of workers is determined by the best
interests of the work. If, when the best interests of the work are
considered, it seems right to place two special friends together, or
to leave them together, well and good. If not, why, that's the end of
it!

Not being able to choose my own fellow worker will present two
possible difficulties for me. One is that I may be placed with someone
who does not appeal to me. The other is that I may be separated from
someone with whom I strongly desire to remain. The first difficulty is
one that comes along now and then. Probably most missionaries, at one
time or another, have had a period of living with someone with whom
they did not seem to "hit it off." The second difficulty is, for the
unmarried worker at least, of much more common occurrence. Over and
over again it happens. Just when you and someone else have lived
together long enough to rub off the rough corners, and come to a place
where you really "fit," along comes an upheaval, and you are
separated. We like to put down roots. We like to make friends and stay
with them, but on the mission field frequent change of location and of
fellow workers is the normal t