Iquique, Chile by Mrs. A. R. Ogden

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 4, 1902

Iquique, Chile

By Mrs. A. R. Ogden

Chile

IQUIQUE.—It has now been more than one year since we left our home and started for Chile. After a pleasant voyage we landed among people speaking a strange language, and having many strange customs. But after being here a short time, they did not seem so peculiar to us, and now we have become quite accustomed to their ways, and are at home among them.

Their habits of living are very unhygienic, cleanliness being but little regarded by the majority of the natives. The women know but little about cooking and housework in general. A large amount of beer and wine is used by all classes. These seem to be regarded as the most important articles of their diet. And they eat at nearly all hours during the day. When we visit them in their homes, they must serve a lunch before we leave. They think it a very queer custom to have but two meals a day. Many of the women, especially of the lower classes, smoke.

Certainly these countries are in a pitiful condition, and need the message which the Lord is giving to the world. Many are ready to accept the truth when they hear it, and when converted, they love it as much as people in other parts of the world. Many of them are very liberal with the little they have, and make donations to help carry the truth to others.

Here, as in other Catholic countries, there are many feast days. There are, in all, about sixty of these feast, or holy, days during the year, many falling upon Sunday, which is really regarded as no more than a feast day, all kinds of work being carried on much the same as on other days of the week. Business houses generally are closed in the afternoon, and the time is spent in places of amusement. This being true, it seems evident that the persecution for Sunday violation can never be very great in this country.

We feel to praise the Lord for the many good experiences he is giving us, and for the many lessons we have learned since coming to this field. The Lord is blessing the work.

Mrs. A. R. OGDEN.