Our Missions on the Victoria Nyanza, German East Africa
By B. OHME
B. OHME
By the help of God, the work here in the district of Shirati is onward. We see that the Lord opens the way before us, and we need only to follow in his providence.
A MISSIONARY'S HOME AT BUSEGWE, EAST AFRICA
In the district of Shirati, there are about two hundred thousand people. A large part of the district is closed on account of the ravages of the sleeping-sickness. How many souls are dying in this region without hearing the message of salvation! For this reason we are anxious to bring the glad tidings to those who are living, as their life is but a span, and passes away like a vapor.
Our forces in the district number eleven white missionaries—seven brethren and four sisters. We should still enlarge our three stations of Majita, Busegwe, and Kidzo, and we expect to open three other new stations this year. Suitable sites for these have already been found at Nyabangi, Ngruimi, and Ntussu. We also have permission to start two stations in the district of Muansa, near Ntusu and Tutwa.
The country surrounding our Majita station, which is located on the peninsula of the same name, is inhabited by a large and industrious tribe. As the country is thickly populated, the land is well cultivated, and one can pass through green fields for hours at a time. Millet, rice, sugar-cane, bananas, and edible roots are raised.
The head of the local government is the sultan. Worshiping God, and giving honor to him, here means kneeling before the sultan, clapping one's hands, and saying, “I worship thee, god.”
We have gained the confidence of the natives, and the youth attend our schools, though they have to be admonished to be regular in this. About one hundred come daily. Workmen eagerly come to labor for us, that they may earn something. They are given opportunity, at morning and evening worship, to hear the Word of God. Six have signified their intention of being baptized, and they come thrice a week for instruction. Our Sabbath meetings are well visited. We hope to be able to baptize our first converts in this district during the present year. We are working upon a primer and a song-book in the native language.
Our second station in this district is Busegwe. It is three days' journey from Majita, in the country of the Wasamiki, a people fond of war and of the chase. These people are shepherds, and cultivate only a few orchards; they do not like physical labor, and it is hard to train them to work; therefore, our station at Busegwe has been not a little care in this direction. However, the youth are more willing to learn to work, and are easily influenced. Many of them have heard the Word of God at our station.
Although the altitude at our mission station is over 4,500 feet, yet our workers at this place suffer from fever. In April, Brother E. Raessler, who, with his wife, began the work here two years ago, was taken ill with blackwater fever, to which he succumbed after an eight days' illness. Thus another of our missionaries has fallen at his post; but we are assured that we shall meet him in the resurrection morning. His wife, who has been a true helpmeet to him, will continue the work he has laid down, seeking to educate the youth who come under her care. May the Lord soon give fruit as the reward of the work among these people.
The third station is Kidzo, and it is established among a large tribe known as the Kidzu people. The station was opened nine months ago. About one hundred pupils are in daily attendance at the school. The sick have also learned to trust us, and they come every day for medicine and the binding up of their wounds. Our Sabbath meetings here are well visited.
We plan to open the fourth station in June, at Nyabangi. This is a military and business place in the district of Shirati. A large number of natives live in this neighborhood; and twelve Indian shops conduct the mercantile business. The place is located directly on the Victoria Nyanza, at the mouth of the Mara River. It is the port for our mission stations Busekwe and Kidzo, and it will serve the same purpose for our future14station at Ngruimi. As soon as workers are furnished us, we are planning to open Ngruimi as our fifth mission station. I was with Brother E. C. Enns in the tour throughout this district last January, and we found here a favorable opening for the establishment of a mission. As the people are mostly shepherds, it was not the most easy thing to secure just the proper place here for opening a station, because of the migratory life led by the inhabitants, who often change their place of residence every year. We hope that in course of time they will become more settled, cultivate the soil, and settle near our mission.
The sixth station planned will be located among the Wasukuma people. This is a promising people for our work; there are about ten thousand of them, and they should hear the gospel. May the Lord provide workers who can be trained at the Hamburg Colonial Institute in the language, so that they may join our forces here soon.
During the next year or two we expect to begin our work in four other places besides those named. As we see the fields white to harvest, and the souls who should soon be prepared to meet Jesus when he comes, our cry is that the Lord of the harvest will send forth more laborers to gather in the precious sheaves.
