Puno, Peru by John M. Howell

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jan 27, 1916

Puno, Peru

By John M. Howell

JOHN M. HOWELL

WE are now located in two rooms of the mission house at Plateria. We are very well contented here. Of course, we have not many conveniences, but we believe this is where God wants us to be, and how can we help being contented?

Last Sabbath there were about five hundred people at church. They had much the same expression on their faces as people in the homeland. Since coming here I have had the opportunity of helping Brother Achenbach and Brother Stahl in three operations. One was a tumor on the eye, another gangrene in the foot, and the other was tuberculosis of the knee joint. Day before yesterday Brother Stahl let me perform a slight one myself. I painted the diseased portion with iodine, and then lanced the infected member with a knife. The patient never even flinched, and when I finished he took hold of my hand and thanked me heartily. I am glad for my stay at the Washington hospital, and for my little pocket case of instruments.

I enjoy working with Brother Stahl very much. There is nothing romantic about the work here, but we did not expect this, and the need is so great that it is a pleasure to endure the hard things for the sake of these poor downtrodden people.

Last Sabbath after meeting we visited the sick. One girl who was to have been baptized in December had died before we reached there, and they had her ready for burial. They carried the body out, and we gathered around it. Brother Stahl spoke a few words of comfort, telling them he believed the girl had accepted Christ as her Saviour from sin and that he believed she would have a part in the first resurrection. Then we had prayer, and left them to bury their dead.

We visited another place where the wife, who favors the mission, was sick. The husband has been bitterly opposed. After attending to the sick woman, Brother Stahl asked the husband’s permission to have prayer. He not only gave this, but even seemed pleased. In the prayer Brother Stahl prayed for the sick one, and then that the husband might investigate the truth and accept it.

By this time it was dark, and it was hard to find the way down the mountain to our home. Our horses had to jump fences, break down hedges, and walk narrow walls. I was very thankful for my experience of two years in Texas and New Mexico as a cowboy.