Pernambuco, Brazil by F. W. SPIES

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 30, 1915

Pernambuco, Brazil

By F. W. SPIES

F. W. SPIES

AFTER finishing our work in Maceio, as described in my last report, I started with Brother Wilfart, on the fourth of June, for Pernambuco, his field of labor. We had sent an appointment on ahead, and I was much pleased to find the following day, Sabbath, fifty-two adults gathered at Musahiba, all of whom, with the exception of four or five, were members of our church, living in and near the capital of the state.

The following Monday, June 7, we embarked for Caruaru, a city in the interior, some eighty-five miles distant. We were glad to find our people there of good courage, and feeling that the Lord had been especially good to them, having preserved them from the dangers of the bubonic plague and an epidemic of smallpox that had shortly before passed through that section. I enjoyed much the privilege of making a visit for the first time to Vasco, a place about five miles from Caruaru, where shortly before ten persons had been baptized; and I also had the pleasure of spending a day at Condessas, about five miles distant from Caruaru in another direction, where seven others were preparing for baptism. On Sabbath, June 12, we had a general meeting at Vasco of all the brethren in and about Caruaru, at which sixty-two adults were present. The ordinances were celebrated, and it was a day of rich blessing.

The following day we started for Santa Maria, going as far as Guarita, where we spent a day with our brethren. Here we began to see the effects of the drought. There had been practically no rain in this section for more than ten months. The planters had planted as usual, but the seed that sprouted and came up was withered by the scorching rays of the tropical sun. The supply of drinking water was also about gone, and all nature looked parched and dreary. Ten leagues farther on toward Santa Maria, conditions improved somewhat, and during our stay of nearly a week it rained a little almost every day, so that we had fresh water from the clouds to drink. After much effort we finally found a place where there was water enough so we could have baptism.

We organized a company of twenty-six, the third company organized on this trip, the three companies having a membership of seventy-one. The Sabbath spent at Santa Maria was also a blessed season, the celebration of the Lord's Supper closing the day's services.

As we were returning from Santa Maria to Caruaru, Elder Wilfart was taken with a severe fever. Time and again he was compelled to dismount and rest in the shade, though we traveled leagues without being able to get the cool, refreshing drink that he craved, the only water available being strongly saline and having a nauseous taste.

From Caruaru we returned to Recife, spending a Sabbath at Paulista, where we had a good meeting. I then returned home, having been absent nine weeks, instead of two, as I had planned when I started. I was thankful to find the work everywhere prosperous, but I realized more than ever the need of more well-trained workers. We are taking steps to start a school for educating such workers, and we believe this need can be to a great extent supplied in the near future, and then the work will make greater progress.