Series 1: Photographs

Photographs in this collection are arranged topically into the following Photo Folders:

BRAUN, RAYMOND AND LILLIAN. Photos of Raymond and Lillian in Central African Republic and in the US, both with their pet monkey Burt, of Raymond showing the effects of Guinea Worm, their home, and Lillian later in life (1970s?). Also includes a large portrait photo, possibly Lillian's mother, Rosa, and several of Lillian's sister Mary, possibly with her husband Milton. 12 b&w.

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC. Photos of native African people, some showing deformities, others showing native customs. 8 b&w, 1929.

MISSIONS--CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC. Photos of boat taking missionaries on the river in Skelemba. 1 b&w.

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Series 2: Paper Records

Arrangement: Alphabetical by form of document. Although some material when received was foldered with some description of the contents, there was no discernable established order to the papers when they were received and the processor provided the order and folder titles.

Date Range: 1926-1975

Volume: 1.1 cubic feet)

Boxes: 3 (30 folders)

Geographic Coverage: United States, France, Congo, Central African Republic, Chad, Ecuador, Peru, Puerto Rico

Type of Documents: Personal letters, unpublished sermons, meeting minutes, poems and articles, annual reports, booklets, printed materials

Correspondents: Raymond and Lillian Braun, Milton and Mary Young, Paul Young (Lillian Braun's brother), other family members, fellow missionaries Subjects: Missionary work in Africa and South America, and life and culture of the people of Central Africa

Notes: The bulk of the collection consists of letters written by Raymond and Lillian Braun to their families (primarily to Milton and Mary Braun), friends, and the individuals and churches who supported their ministry; also included are letters they received from others. These letters were written as early as their departure for and while traveling into Africa. It appears that Raymond made several copies of the letters for circulation back home, as well as for his own files. Some duplicates were removed from the collection by the processor. In the letters the Brauns described in detail their life and ministry in French Equatorial Africa, the customs and activities of the Africans, the surrounding vegetation and insect life, and recounted anecdotes relating to their work and living conditions. Often their letters decry the difficult mail situation, and they always thank their friends and supporters for their prayers and gifts. As might be expected, these letters among family members are more candid than those designed for public consumption.

The volume and frequency of correspondence is greatly reduced during the World War II years; even during the war, the letters make little if any reference to world affairs or current events. Included in the collection is a small gathering of reports and papers written by Paul Young, Lillian Braun's brother.

Exceptional Items: Folder 1-12 includes a copy of a mission financial report, and a set of the first year of letters that Raymond wrote from Pembe (Congo), including samples of some of his French letters to show his brother.

Folder 2-1 contains letters to Mil and Mary while Raymond and Lillian were on furlough, later in France, and then in Chad and finally Fort Sibut (Central African Republic), dating from 1930 to 1939; copies of support letters are also included.

Folder 2-2, covering 1940 to 1973, contains letters and copies written from Fort Sibut, and then later, letters from Lillian as she returned to Bangui after the 1962 death of Raymond.

Folder 2-4 contains letters from Milton and Mary to Raymond and Lillian, in which among other things Milton discusses Mary's health. These letters were all written from the US during furloughs between 1927 and 1947.

Folder 2-7 contains letters to Lillian's mother Rosa written from Pembe.

The letters from other missionaries in folder 2-3 of special interest are from those who also were serving in the Central African Republic, including letters from the co-workers in Pembe updating them on happenings at the mission during the Braun's furlough, and other friends in Chad, Central African Republic, and India.

The series of articles in folder 1-1 written by Raymond were possibly for submission to mission publications; there are several copies of the articles, which might indicate that he sent them to several recipients. They generally describe life in central Africa.

The poems (folder 2-12) by Raymond span several years during the 1920s.

Among the medical records in folder 2-9, while incomplete, is Raymond's death certificate from Orlando, Florida.

Folder 2-11 contains obituaries of both Lillian and Raymond, as well as letters of condolence.

Folder 2-10 contains miscellaneous clippings, certificates and other things pertaining to the Braun's life and mission work, such as articles about their pet monkey, pages from Raymond's passport, and documents pertaining to their marriage.

Folder 1-2 consists of printed bulletins and minutes from Baptist Mid-Missions, as well as Raymond's and Lillian's commissions to the mission field.

Paul Young's papers (folders 2-14,15,16) pertain to his work in South America, particularly Ecuador, but touch on missions more generally in South America and especially Puerto Rico.

Folder 2-16 contains annual reports from the North Andean Agency of the United Bible Society (Peru and Equador) of 1957 and 1963.

The duplicated material in folders 3-1 and 3-2 relate to two African conferences held in 1966 and 1973; typescripts of messages at the first are African leaders and expatriate missionaries (including Ken Downing and Clyde Taylor), while those for the second include recommendations and reports, especially on the possibility of an African Christian education publishing house, and a typescript of S. Odunaike's address to the 1973 General Assembly of the Association of Evangelicals of Africa and Madagascar, of which the Christian Education Strategy Conference was a part.