p. 19 | In Foreign Fields

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 17, 1913

In Foreign Fields

Sivas, Asia Minor

I AM glad indeed to know that our medical missionary work is gaining strength, and will have a good part in the discussions at our General Conference sessions. Personally I am deeply interested in this branch of the message. My daughter is already a trained nurse, and I will, the Lord willing, make my son a medical missionary. Wherever I work, I try to awaken the interest of the believers in this line of missionary activity. One of my helpers in the Armenian Mission will devote himself to the medical missionary work. If nothing hinders him, he will sail to America this year to enter our Loma Linda College.

I am laboring now in the Armenian Mission field; but as all Turkey has been the field of my labor, I shall speak about the whole. Wherever we go, we find the people are prejudiced against us as preachers. As the religions or churches are national, whoever teaches a new religion is looked upon as an enemy to the nation. Such preachers are called “men stealers.” In my own experience I have seen that medical missionary work is overcoming these prejudices and leading us into homes which we could not otherwise enter.

Here in Sivas, while we were persecuted severely and even beaten, medical missionary work brought us before the honorable people, and even the government granted us a policeman to protect our meeting. The government physician-in-chief had a son who needed massage. When he heard from a patient to whom I was giving treatment that I knew how to give massage, he called me to treat his son. This opened the door to an acquaintance with the director of the police and with others. Some, hearing of the good results of the treatments, have called on me; but as my knowledge is very limited, I have not attempted to look after every case. If we had a lady physician in the city of Sivas, she would find much work to do, and could carry the message to the homes.

The same is true of other cities. Last year I labored in Tokad, and the people entreated me to secure them a good Christian physician who loved men’s lives. About two years ago I traveled in Armenia, and saw the poor condition of the people. If I were a medical missionary, I could help them much more. Everywhere sickness is sending many victims to the grave. The hearts of the people are softened when we do them good.

Z. G. BAHARIAN.

Norfolk Island, Pacific Ocean

I am very glad to hear of the plans for the development of our medical work, and I pray the Lord will bless abundantly. It would make a great difference to our work here if we had one of our doctors to work with us. All our missionaries should be given the opportunity of some training in simple treatments before going to the field. In the island work we are called upon to treat all kinds of diseases and complaints, from simple colds and accidents to malaria, lockjaw, consumption, etc. There is no need to bury one’s talents here, and such as we have will not rust for lack of use. How we do wish we had more to do with!

I trust that in the future an opportunity will be given every one who is preparing as a foreign missionary to receive practical instruction in medical missionary work. The workers already in the field no doubt find it difficult to get such help on account of the heavy expense involved in going long distances to secure it, and because of the pressing demands of the field, making it impossible to leave. If it were practical for suitable persons to visit the field and give instruction to the workers, such as is done in our canvassing work, profitable results would follow, I believe. When one of our brethren was going to the New Hebrides from the Sydney Sanitarium, he stopped off at Norfolk Island and gave my wife and me quite thorough instruction in massage. We have since been called upon almost constantly to give treatment, always with good results. Every help of this kind given a man in the field can be used.

Our health journals should be circulated widely. Such books as “Ministry of Healing” should be in the hands of every worker. How true it is the world over that the right arm of the message opens doors for the presentation of the truth!

A. H. FERRIS.