p. 18 | Solusi (Africa) Mission by W. C. Walston

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 28, 1911

Solusi (Africa) Mission

By W. C. Walston

We are glad to report that “all’s well” at Solusi. Our large family of over eighty persons is in good health, and all are of good courage. Our crops, of which we had a bountiful supply, are all harvested. Mealies demand a fair price. No cattle disease has come among our cattle, although it is not far away. Our school numbers about one hundred, with seventy in the home. The interest is excellent, and Brother and Sister Wilson are doing good work for the natives, and enjoy the school work. Mrs. Walston and I have just returned from a trip, visiting some of the out-schools. We went with the mule wagon and camp outfit, and were away eight days, traveling nearly one hundred fifty miles and camping on the veldt. It was rather cold at night, the water in the water bucket freezing sometimes; but we had a profitable time, visited five schools, and called the natives together at nearly all the schools, having service with them. This they enjoyed, and it was encouraging to the teachers. We found the attendance at the schools very good, considering the disadvantage of having the white labor agents going through the country compelling the young men to go to the towns and mines to work. This seems to be one of the latest methods of compelling the natives to work. At the school at Mkupavula there are over fifty in attendance.

We have three calls for out-schools at places where there is a large number of natives, and we are sending teachers to fill these openings. This will make the eleven schools, with an attendance of about three hundred students.

We have selected a plot of ground, and have set out fifty-eight fruit-trees of different varieties. We hope to be able to grow our own fruit soon. We plan to put out more if these trees live and do well. It has always been very difficult to grow fruit-trees here, because of the white ant, but we have placed our trees where there are no ants, and we hope to succeed.

The spiritual interest is good in the school, and our church is well filled each Sabbath with natives living near the mission.

We visit our white neighbors, giving them reading-matter, also sending them the Sentinel; they return our visits and appear friendly. The Lord is blessing our work in many ways, and we praise his name for these blessings.

We have perplexities, but try to look on the encouraging side. We are glad to see the good reports of work done in other parts of the field, and we know the message is onward, and will soon be finished. Then there will be rest for the faithful. “In due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

W. C. WALSTON.