Mantandane Mission, Central Africa
By S. M. KONIGMACHER
This is Tuesday evening, August 6. The baby is asleep. Mrs. Konigmacher is probably preparing a place to sleep in a native village about thirty miles from here, on her way to the dentist. She left this morning, with eight strong men to carry her and a trusty boy to help her. A missionary has a long way to go for anything. She will have a four days’ trip, covering about one hundred twenty miles. This morning I sent sixty miles in the other direction for some necessary supplies and twelve miles for the mail. On my way home from visiting my out-schools, my hat touched a branch of a tree as I was riding down a short, steep hill; the donkey jumped and a strap broke, so I fell off. I strained my back severely, and could not stand straight for two days, but am all right now. Just before my fall I stopped to visit my second school that day. I asked the pupils to help me rebuild their church without pay, and was pleased with a hearty response from all. When they have collected enough grass, reeds, lambo and trees, and bark rope, I shall go over and help them rebuild. I also stopped in a near-by village where a chief had died, to pay my respects to the mourners. I found from fifty to seventy-five people gathered together. Some were eating porridge made from a red seed called maweri, and others were shaving their heads with sharpened pieces of iron. They were also getting the drums ready for a dance and beer drink.85I spoke to them, prayed with them, and then said: “If I hear the drums I shall know that my words have gone in one ear and out the other; but if I do not hear them, I shall know that my words have entered your hearts.” I did not hear them, and I hope the people will honor their dead chief by living better lives. Since then I have made two trips to this village in the evening to give lantern lectures, and one trip to visit my hill school at Chakachadza. We rebuilt our Mpusadala school nearer the village in one day, with six men from here and the help of the schoolchildren. Their allowing the school to be built near the village shows that the work is having its effect. Because of the distance and the fear of wild animals, we were obliged to build another school among these Ambo people, as they would not come to the school at the chief’s village. The work at the station is onward. Last Sabbath one hundred eighteen came to Sabbath-school and service. Many endure hunger, and some walk eight miles every day, that they may have the benefits of the school. Mrs. Konigmacher and I are studying Portuguese, and hope to be ready for the examination when we are allowed to start work on the new mission site. God is good to us, and we are seeking to give the trumpet a certain sound. We are quite well and happy in the work. Pray for us.