Ecuador

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 4, 1912

DURING the summer, Brother W. W. Wheeler, our missionary in Ecuador, found it necessary to immediately leave his field on account of severe and repeated attacks of malarial fever. He and his wife stopped in Colon at one of the United States hospitals, where they remained a short time, and were then able to return to their field. After returning, Sister Wheeler writes:—

“We can not express our praise and heartfelt thanks to God for what he has done for us, that we may remain here in this dark and most needy part of his vineyard. It was our Heavenly Father who, in answer to earnest prayer, restored Mr. Wheeler to health; for the physicians in the American hospital at Colon examined him thoroughly and pronounced him perfectly sound in every way. Mr. Wheeler said to the doctor, ‘What has become of those malarial germs? I know that I have had malaria.’

“The doctor replied: ‘Yes, indeed, you have had it, and the kind that you had leaves a person as weak as if he had had typhoid fever.’

“He also said: ‘The people in the States think they know what malaria is, but just let them come to some of these South American countries, and they will know. It means something here.’

“Mr. Wheeler got malaria nearly a year ago when he and Brother Osborne went on their second trip to the coast canvassing. He took quinin and the malaria disappeared for a time, but in a few weeks it returned more severely. He took more quinin, and it acted the same. Each time it returned it was the more severe, until quinin or water treatments would have no effect. The last attack was something awful,—two chills one day and one the next, with fever 104° and over. This continued for two weeks or more, until he was as near death’s door as one could be. Brother Osborne was with us when he had his last chill, and advised me to take the very next boat and go where I could get help. We had special prayer that afternoon, also the next morning, asking that it might be held in check until we could reach a place of help that God had provided.

“I am sure that no missionaries ever left a field with sadder hearts than we did; and as we talked over the condition of the field, the scarcity of means with which to forward the work, and the need of workers, especially in Ecuador, we could but weep. But now we rejoice that we are here again.

“We are of good courage, though the work seems to go slowly and hard. We are sure that there are better times ahead for Ecuador. Pray for us, as workers.”