Bolivia, South America by E. W. Thomann

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Sep 12, 1907

Bolivia, South America

By E. W. Thomann

E. W. THOMANN

JUST a few days before the time of our annual gathering in Chile, I felt the burden to pray for Bolivia, and to ask the Lord earnestly to send a worker soon to that neglected field. I could not see where the Lord could get the man needed, because I did not understand how any of the workers could be spared for that field. After a dream, I felt like going myself, if no one else could be sent.

Then I wrote to America, advocating the sending of a worker to Bolivia from that country, but offering myself to go, if no one could be sent from there. A few days after, before my letter reached its destination, I received a letter from the secretary of the General Conference, stating that it was impossible to send a worker from the States at that time. I felt a little disappointed. But as I had offered myself, I thought the Lord might want me to go, and if so, he would open the way. And, although this letter was not a reply to mine, yet it answered as such to me. I saw in it the providence of the Lord, and presented the matter to our brethren in South America.

At the Santiago meeting two or three days later, a young brother who had backslidden made known his determination to serve the Lord anew, and said that if we could use him in any way, he was willing to serve. I saw in this

the hand of our Heavenly Father. This young brother had been editor of a paper for some time, understood the Spanish language well, and he was just such a one as we needed in our printing plant, if I should be released from my work on our Señales de los Tiempos. He accepted the invitation to go to Valparaiso and take charge of the printing work, which opened the way for me to go to Bolivia.

Our baggage did not cost anything extra on the boat from Valparaiso to Antofagasta, and from there to Oruro the railroad company gave us free passage, also carried our baggage without charge. Our trip was as pleasant as good weather and health could make it. But, after all, we were very glad when we reached Cochabamba.

Brother Pereira has been in the country now about six months. He took a few subscriptions for our Spanish missionary paper, and sold a few books and some tracts. There are no Sabbath-keepers here as yet; but there are those who are willing to listen to the truth, and we hope that soon some will take their stand for it.

The language mostly spoken in Bolivia is Quechua, an Indian language; but the official language is Spanish. Perhaps one fourth or one fifth of the whole population understand more or less Spanish. In the northern part of the country the people speak Aimarah, another Indian language.

As we have no literature in either of these Indian tongues, I decided to go to work to prepare some. I bought a cyclostyle apparatus. First I write in Spanish, and some of the interested ones translate it into Quechua; then we duplicate as many copies as we need. In that way we get the message into a new language, and some who can read Spanish and at the same time understand Quechua can read it to the Indians, and thus they get the everlasting gospel in their own language.

One of those interested is quite an educated man, and speaks both Quechua and Aimarah. If converted, he will be able to help in preparing literature. In Chile we have also a Bolivian brother who speaks both these languages. It is probable that he will sell his bakery, and come to labor in his native land. I hope that I shall be able to learn at least the Quechua so as to be able to speak and write it.

When I consider Matt. 24:14; Rom. 9:28; and Rev. 14:6-14, I can but think that the work must go rapidly in some way in this country; because, being entered late, it must be warned quickly. I pray that the Lord may give me wisdom and understanding to begin the effort aright.

We are of good courage, and I am confident that the One who has sent us here will fulfil his promise to be with his followers everywhere, and to the end of the world.

Cochabamba, Bolivia.