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Experiences in British East Africa

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Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · May 8, 1913

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 90, No. 19.

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Experiences in British East Africa

By L. R. CONRADI

L. R. CONRADI
NATIVE TEACHERS AT GENDIA, BRITISH EAST AFRICA
NATIVE TEACHERS AT GENDIA, BRITISH EAST AFRICA
AFTER our good meeting at Majita, we left on the night of Dec. 29, 1912, on the mission boat “Herold,” reaching Shirati late the following night. Here the “Kavirondo,” with Brother Sparks, was awaiting us. On the afternoon of December 31 we again reached Karungu, and our missionaries here informed us that there is a favorable outlook for a good attendance at the school. Brethren Lane, Sparks, and Philipps, with their boys, joined us, and we spent New-year’s night on the lake.
A fair wind brought us to the island of Rusinga, by noon of January 1. We here called on the chief, who lives in a village about a mile inland, and he informed us that all the chief inhabitants had unanimously agreed for us to open a mission school on his island. Quite a good site on a prominent hill has been chosen, where the station can easily be seen by the steamers as they pass on the lake.
From Rusinga we had an excellent wind, but within an hour’s sail from Gendia a storm and contrary winds came up, and we had to anchor for the night so near our destination. When we entered Kavirondo Bay the next morning, we enjoyed an interesting sight: hippopotamusses were popping up their heads all about us. One of them had to pay the penalty with his life for his extreme curiosity, and in the afternoon the natives enjoyed the great feast, dividing the meat of the monster among themselves. We found all our missionaries in good health, and they were all glad to hear the good news of the German field to the south.
Brother Carscallen and the brethren had a number of meetings with the candidates for baptism, and on Friday afternoon he buried sixteen with the Lord. Half of these were from Gendia, the other half from Wire Hill,—fourteen young men and two women. Not only did a large crowd of natives attend this baptism, but also some Hindus from Asia. As there are many thousands of Hindus in both German and British East Africa, we hope that some day something also may be done for them.
On Sabbath evening we celebrated the ordinances, and the Lord came very near to us by his Spirit. As the time was too short for a social meeting, such a meeting was held early Sabbath morning. Not only did all the baptized Christians take part, but many others who had offered themselves for baptism. Some offered themselves anew for baptism during these meetings. Our total membership in the two British East African churches is now sixty-five.
We had a good meeting Sabbath forenoon. Brethren Kotz and Dail remained at Gendia for a week, but I went on to meet an appointment with the governor at Nairobi, where I arrived January 6. The hotels at this growing capital were so crowded that it was with difficulty that I obtained a room with three other persons. Nairobi is about five thousand five hundred feet high, and is a very healthful location. There is no malaria whatever here. To the east of Nairobi are the large game reservations, while to the west there are about one million Kikuyus people. There is considerable building going on, very substantial shops and hotels being put up. The natives live mostly in villages outside the town limits, while there are about ten thousand Indians and Goanese, who do chiefly the native trading. There are seven hundred Europeans, mostly English, in the town and immediate surroundings.
His Excellency received me very kindly, and we had an interesting conversation of about thirty-five minutes, during which he assured me that he would do everything he could for us, the same as for any other mission, while on his part he expected us to cooperate with the government. He laid special stress on the necessity of our living harmoniously with the other missions, and preserving the native characteristics of government so far as consistent with the gospel. He thought that in the near future the way might open for us to receive a suitable location for a health station. As to pushing our work toward the Abyssinian border, he stated that matters are still so unsettled that for the present it would be impossible for us to locate in that direction. He then invited me to have a conversation with his wife, and I stayed there over an hour, being only invited to tea. This is the third governor I have been able to visit since June, and I find that they all show a deep interest in our mission endeavors, and also in the peculiar truths we profess.
On the thirteenth I joined Brethren Dail and Kotz, and we had the good fortune to secure next day a German steamer of the Bombay line, for Tanga. We were very glad indeed that the outlook is so bright for extending our work in British East Africa, and that we shall be able during the present year to double our mission stations there. The Kavirondos are one of the most promising tribes, and we have already secured a number of bright young men to assist our English missionaries as native teachers.
We are also progressing well in securing literature in the Kavirondo. As Brother Carscallen will be with us in Europe, we expect that some of the needed books can be printed during his stay. Let us remember the Kavirondo mission in our prayers, that we may see still greater results in the near future.