Tanganyika Plateau

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D. C. · Apr 15, 1915

Tanganyika Plateau

THE readers of the REVIEW will be interested to know how Brother and Sister Joel Rogers are getting along up on the Tanganyika Plateau, where they recently pioneered to establish a mission. In a letter to W. B. White, Sister Rogers gives their recent experiences:—

“It is a far way back to the day when I saw you at Malamulo Mission. How little we thought what was coming! Doubtless had we had the least sign of what was before us, I should not have left for the north. Perhaps it is just as well we did not know, and this is just what the Lord wanted me to do. But we have been hindered in every move since the war began, and have risen up or sat down just according to the dictates of the boma [the native governor]. The very least a civilian can do is to keep out from under foot of the harassed officials. In the meantime we are doing our best on the language, which may prove a blessing to us later on.

“We are living in a wattle-and-daub hut, built round, with dirt floors and thatch roof, and are thankful for a place of shelter during this waiting time. The roof leaked like a sieve, and it was a daily struggle to cover with canvas the few garments and books we have. The boma lady needed some dresses made, and I was glad to assist her, as she has no idea about sewing; so she was here and saw our struggle to keep from being flooded out.

Her kindly offices resulted in the boma himself sending down a lot of grass and some government laborers to thatch the roof. Now we have only the calico windows to take care of in time of rain. When they are shut, it comes through only moderately, and we can control it, but the room is so dark that we can see only the indistinct outline of objects. “Ever since coming here I have been preparing our food on a sheet of iron laid on bricks, and swallowing smoke enough in the operation to make me as brown inside as it has made me outside. All solid foods like bread have to be baked in a three-legged pot, with most deplorable results a good part of the time. Food is very expensive, oatmeal being two shillings and sixpence a pound, and sugar a shilling.

“O, I shall be so glad when this pressure lets up and our mission site is definitely allotted to us, and our real mission work begins! It is so hard just to wait. As our temporary quarters are in the station of another society, of course we can carry on neither a school nor village work, but can do some hospital work. We have planted gardens at every possible spot where ground is available, and hope to get food from them in time.

“Fifteen hundred troops are being withdrawn from Abercorn, en route for the Kongo. They are Belgian troops who were sent through here for Aberdeen weeks ago. We do not know why they are returning, but we are hoping and hoping that danger of further outbreak is past.”