Neno, Nyasaland, British Central Africa
By S. M. KONIGMACHER
THIS is a lovely day, very hot in the sun, but pleasant and cool in the shade. The mangoes are ripening, and soon we shall have some to use, also guavas. Today (Oct. 28, 1912) we had fresh green corn for dinner. The work is onward in this part of the vineyard. We have been very busy lately, making needed repairs before the rains set in. Brother Robinson made us a visit a few weeks ago, which we appreciated. While here he assisted me in my first baptismal service, twenty-four persons acknowledging the Saviour and showing before their brethren a desire to leave their old customs and walk in the narrow way. The enemy claimed two of our members this year by death, but with the new ones added, we have now a church-membership of thirty-three here at Mantandane. We have also been working up our little dairy. We send our butter to Blantyre, to help a little toward self-support; and are also putting in a native store. We remodeled one of our buildings, and by slight and inexpensive changes were able to fix up quite a suitable little brick store building, with iron roof. The expense of this mission is usually about thirty dollars a month. This includes only the wages of our twelve out-school teachers, the station-school teacher, and other help at the mission here. Knowing how heavy is the burden in collecting funds for mission work, it affords us much pleasure to assist all we can at this end. We find that it is a very good thing to have some work that we can give to our Christian boys and girls. We are studying Portuguese, so as to be ready to enter Portuguese East Africa, a very needy field, with the third angel’s message. It is rather difficult to get started in that territory, as the people do not especially love Christian missions or teachers, but the way will open as soon as we are ready. The work is going, and we are very thankful that we have a part in it.