Opening New Missions in the Lake Titicaca Region
By F. A. STAHL
SINCE the first of the year two new mission stations have been opened among the Aymará Indians. On the peninsula, at a place called Whatta, we have been able to place Juan Huanka, a good native worker. The people of this place have been waiting four years for help. Many have come the eighteen miles Sabbath after Sabbath to Plateria, the main station, to hear and learn the way of life. Returning at night, they have at times been overtaken by fierce storms, for which7this part of the country is noted. Some of these people have been baptized, and have stood by the truth very faithfully, pleading that a work be started among them. So Juan Huanka, one of our best native workers, was moved with his wife and two children to the peninsula, Brother Howell going with them to help open the school. It began with forty pupils, and has since reached an attendance of ninety-two, with a large Sabbath attendance. This is really remarkable, as it is the time of harvest. The large attendance has made it necessary to send an assistant, one of our more advanced and fully consecrated pupils of the Plateria school, a young man by the name of Ascensio Sosa. Quite a number are ready for baptism, and they have asked that a church be organized in their district. Some of our best Indian brethren say that that place will yield, by the blessing of God, a church of two hundred members. It was here that the priests worked so very hard to discourage the Indians, and in their zeal accused them of being Adventists, thus arousing their interest to such an extent that they decided to become Adventists in fact. After one of our large meetings at this place our native worker said, 'You see all these people so interested in the truth? Well, most of them were in that raving mob of three hundred who started for the mission one night five years ago for the purpose of killing you. I was one who tried to persuade them to desist from their evil purpose. Some did return, but others went on, and were met by more of our brethren, with the result that all finally returned to their homes.' As I saw the many bright faces, so hopeful and glad because of the precious gospel, I silently thanked God for revealing his truth to these people and for protecting us. The prospect is bright indeed for a rich harvest of souls. The other place where a work has been started is Esqueñas, about twelve miles north of this mission. We have stationed here Martin Velasquez, a native worker. He is a very trusty man. It was quite a trial for Martin and his wife to give up their little farm, with their sheep and cow. He thought to go alone first, but we persuaded him that to have the proper influence in the work it was necessary for him to take his family. Mrs. Stahl and I went to open this station, and on the way we overtook Martin and his family. It was a touching sight to see them. Three donkeys were loaded with their household effects, with their eldest son, three years of age, seated on top of one of the loads, and Sister Velasquez with the baby on another, while Martin, with a large load on his back, drove the donkeys. As we neared Esqueñas, we were met by some of our brethren with flags. On arriving we sang some hymns, and after prayer we opened the school. Then we helped Martin settle. The Indians had put up a nice school building, and also gave the teacher a house, all without any expense to the mission. Forty children are attending this school. It was a real pleasure to see their happy faces. They seemed to say, 'Just to think that we have a real school among us now!' Twenty-three persons are ready for baptism here, and they also want a church organized. Near this place is a town with three large Catholic churches. Already the influence of the new mission is being felt there. On our way to the station we had to pass through this town, and we stopped to visit the governor. We informed him of our purpose of beginning work near his place, and he quickly asked if we had a license to open a school. We smilingly told him that we had received a license from the mayor of Puno. He then told us that in a few days one of the priests would be elected mayor of their town, and that we could hereafter get our licenses from him. We thanked him, and assured him that we should try the priest for our next license. As we left his office, we came face to face with the head priest of the town. He extended his hand, which I shook very heartily. He asked us anxiously where we were going. We told him, and he nervously said, 'Ah, very good! Very good! Felicidades [Congratulations].' The priests of this town, and their assistants, have tried to avert the opening of this mission, thus working to keep out the Lord's message for this time. They have tried to have the Indians themselves refuse to receive us; but they failed, as all do fail who try to impede the work of God. While the Indians of two out of the three districts did give us to understand that they feared to have the work started among them, because of the terrible curses that the priests said would fall upon them if they consented to our work, this one district, in the face of all this and even of open persecution, sent us a written invitation signed by over fifty Indians, to work among them. The Indians of the other two districts, now seeing that none of the predictions of the priests are being fulfilled, are sorry that they did not encourage us to come to them, as they have to send their children a greater distance than they would had we opened a school in one of their more central districts. There is general satisfaction among the Indians at Esqueñas. All appear to be happy, and here we also expect a rich harvest of souls and much glory to the God of heaven. Just a week ago from this writing (April 26), while Elders Prescott, Town, Montgomery, and Maxwell were with us, it was decided to answer a most pressing call that came from the high mountain region two days' journey from this place. It was decided to take the assistant, Ascensio Sosa, who had been doing splendid work at the peninsula, to fill this place. We asked the peninsula brethren to release him, which they did rather reluctantly, and on the promise of receiving another man at once. Brother Sosa was willing to go. And as, among other advantages, he was born and brought up in the high mountains, we thought that he would be able to stand the hard work in that very high region, an altitude of from fifteen to sixteen thousand feet above sea level. While our visiting brethren from the States were with us, many calls came in to them. They experienced for a few days what we had been passing through for some years,—hearing the pleas of a needy people for the truth and for workers to be sent among them. We all received great good from the visit of these dear brethren, profiting much by their counsel, prayers, and good cheer. We felt very lonesome when they had gone, but soon the press of work made us forget ourselves. We beg our brethren and sisters to remember this work and us in their prayers.