Self-Supporting Medical Missionary Work in Bloemfontein, South Africa
By D. H. GROENEWALD
We are told by the spirit of prophecy that the medical missionary work is the right arm of the message. This is certainly proving to be true in Bloemfontein, the capital of the Orange Free State. This is the most central town in South Africa, and the junction of the main railroads to Cape Colony, the Transvaal, and Natal. It is also an important educational center, and for these reasons should become a strategic point in the closing work of the message. Our consecrated laborers have repeatedly presented the truth here, but with apparently little success. I shall ever feel thankful that the providence of God led me to leave this, my native country, and spend four years at the Battle Creek Sanitarium, where I took a thorough nurses’ training course. I was recalled from the States in 1896 to help start the Claremont Sanitarium. For several years my wife and I worked in different health institutions in South Africa. Later I was called to the ministry, where God also blessed my labors; then my wife and I were asked to take charge of the health institute in the Natal. When Dr. J. J. Bell was ready to enter that institution, the conference released us; and as the treasury was nearly empty, we were asked to take up self-supporting medical missionary work. Although my wife’s health was very poor, we were glad to do this, that our salary might be divided among the workers who had families to support. As the climate is much better here than in the Natal, we came to Bloemfontein, trusting the providence of God to open the way before us. We began our work by selling Life and Health from house to house, and also doing private nursing wherever opportunity offered. We had many difficulties to meet, but God greatly blessed us, and soon there was a demand for treatment-rooms. No means were at hand with which to start this work, and in our perplexity we sought the Lord for help. This he sent us speedily from an unexpected source. The director of education for this province resigned, and Dr. Vilogen, whose confidence we had gained years before through nursing in16his family while in Cape Colony, was appointed to fill the vacancy. He was happily surprised to find us here; and when he learned our needs, he very kindly offered to lend us £50 ($243) free from interest. The Lord helped us to secure the rental of a building in the central business district, which we equipped with the money so kindly lent us. The Cape Colony Conference aided in the enterprise by furnishing us with a fine electric-light bath cabinet which we were to pay for when we could. Our rent was high, £8 ($40) per month, not including water-rates and lights, but we launched out trusting in God to help us pay expenses and clear off our debt. About Dec. 1, 1910, the local newspapers announced to the public that this institution was open, and patronage was solicited. Under the blessing of God our work started most encouragingly. Members of the best class of society came for treatments. The patronage increased month by month far beyond our most sanguine expectations. During the eleven months from Jan. 1, 1910, to Nov. 30, 1911, our monthly averages were as follows: Number of patients treated, 45; treatments given on full or part pay, 194; free treatments, 19. As we look over this record and consider that these treatments have all been given by my wife or myself, we are profoundly grateful and must exclaim, “What hath God wrought!” Government officials and leading business men are our patrons and friends; we have gained the confidence of the medical men, and calls continue to come from surrounding towns and country places. If we had the means, we could start a sanitarium and it would soon be full. Truly the harvest is ripe, but the laborers are few. Our great need now is consecrated, wide-awake, energetic, trained nurses to assist us in the work. Trained help can not be obtained in our field, since all our health institutions are full and need more help than they already have. I feel confident that a good doctor would soon have a good practise, as our methods and principles of living are fast taking hold of the people. We pray that God will send efficient workers into this part of the harvest-field to help speedily finish his work. May all the REVIEW readers remember us in their prayers.