Progress in Rhodesia by M. C. Sturdevant

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Apr 7, 1903

Progress in Rhodesia

By M. C. Sturdevant

M. C. STURDEVANT

We are glad to know that the Lord is moving upon the hearts of our brethren and sisters in the home field, and that they are taking fresh courage to press the work to the ends of the earth. It gives us courage here.

We are all quite well, though pressed with work almost beyond our strength. Brother and Sister Anderson have gone down country to attend the conference meeting, for a three months' rest. They have needed this for some time. They left us the latter part of December; so the entire work falls on Mrs. Sturdevant and myself, with the help of Brother Tarr, except the work our native teachers are able to do in the school.

There are twice as many in the home as there were when we came. And besides caring for her own family, my wife has between forty and fifty in the school home. She has to see that all food is prepared, and also has the oversight—which is truly the doing here—of all washing, house-cleaning, mending, and garment-making, and the care of the milk and butter from thirteen cows, which is in itself enough for one woman. She also helps in the Sabbath meetings, and looks after the sick and suffering.

My work is the general oversight of all—finding work daily for thirty boys, which is no small task, since we have so few tools with which to work; the care of about one hundred and twenty-five head of cattle, goats, and mules; I teach arithmetic in the day school, and have the care of the night school, with the precious charge of a church of seventy, young people mostly, ten having been baptized at our last quarterly meeting, which was held December 27. With this I have the care of two out-stations with four young native teachers, and they also look after the store, with the help of a native boy. Brother Tarr does the plowing, as our boys can not do it yet. He also goes into the field with the boys, when he is not plowing.

There is no comparison here with farming in the States. We have in about ten acres of peanuts and Kafir peas, twelve or fifteen acres of corn and enyouti, and three acres of sweet potatoes, with our gardens. This means as much work as one hundred acres in the States, with tools and horses. The dry weather has nearly ruined all crops. Last week we had quite a rain, so many began to plant again. We then planted one third of what I have mentioned, yet it is very dry again the last four days, and without more rain at once there will be scarcely any harvest. Our farm looks better than any other farm which I have seen for miles around. Our peanuts and Kafir peas look splendid. The old people say it is the driest they have ever seen it here. We know that the Lord has especially blessed our place. While others' grass was so dead and dry it would burn, ours was fresh and green.

“O . . . let us exalt his name together.” What I have written looks like a dark story. But be assured it is not so dark here. No; the Sun of Righteousness shines upon us daily, so we can see our way clearly, though clouds do gather. While we are weary in body, and do greatly feel the need of help, we are confident that it was the Lord who led us here, and are truly happy in our lot. Our courage never was better. I never knew the leading of my Father more than now, and my only anxiety is, Am I letting him do the work in me? I do pray daily to walk softly before the Lord, and his peace fills my heart. The Lord is giving us precious children here, and it is so much more to me than farm or stock or goods. I believe I can see the Spirit of God moving upon the hearts of some of the older ones. I have a great burden for them. It seems to me that some of them must also take hold of God's truth.

There is work here for at least three earnest families. I believe there should be three families at each station. Thus they could carry the work, letting one have a three months' rest yearly. But for one or two families it is too much.

I have had three fever patients here the last few days, but all are better now. To-day I have one in the kraal. Yesterday I went to see a man buried who had been sick only two days with the fever.

I truly believe that Christ is coming in this generation, and am encouraged to know that our people are awakening to the fact, and are taking hold of the work. Looking at it here in Africa, seeing what must be done,—the people in utter darkness,—from a human standpoint it means ages of work. But when the spirit of Pentecost comes, and seventy-five thousand people are living the message, one shall chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, and the trumpet will call us home. O glorious rest! I wish those at home, holding on to farm and houses, could know the joy of laboring in a foreign field. I am of good cheer; for we are well able to go up and possess the land.

Bulawayo.