p. 12 | ARGENTINA by N. Z. Town

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 8, 1900

ARGENTINA

By N. Z. Town

DIAMANTE, ENTRE RIOS.—While we were in Las Tunas, it was decided that we come here to connect with this school; so in November, as soon as we had rooms under cover, we moved over. When we came, there were no floors, doors, or windows in any of the rooms. After about a week we got floors down in two rooms, and we moved into these. We have no doors or windows yet, but hope to have as soon as the brethren get over the rush of harvest. Not having any horses or wagon, we are rather dependent on the mercies of the brethren; and at present they are so busy with their wheat that they will not stop for anything.

We have forty acres of good land in a fine location. To the west of us four leagues lies the city of Diamante, which we can see very plainly from the house. The nearest railway station lies three leagues away to the north of us, and this also we can see. The land here is a rolling prairie, and we are in the midst of one grand wheat field. On every side is wheat. Last week when they were cutting, we could count from six to ten reapers at work within sight of us. During harvest I am doing what I can laying floors, plastering, building well curb, etc., and after harvest I hope to have help again.

Men who have had experience in building in this country say that such a house as we have put up would cost ordinarily six thousand pesos; but we have paid out only about twenty-five hundred. The work has nearly all been given. We bought eighty thousand brick about twelve miles from here, and the brethren hauled all of these free of charge. They have also hauled lime and sand, timber and zinc for the roof, and tiles for the floors, free of charge. A brother from the Chaco gave two months of mason work, another made the doors and window frames, and other brethren also worked without charge. For digging and bricking up the well, and for work on the building we have paid one hundred and twenty pesos, or about fifty dollars in gold. The well alone would have cost us more than this if we had hired ordinary help to do it. We have five rooms under cover: one, nine by five meters; one, five by five; and three, four by five. Our plan is to build on seven more sleeping-rooms, four by five, a kitchen the same size, and a dining-room eight by five. But we shall have to wait some time before finishing it. We believe the Testimony that tells us to shun debt as we would the leprosy; and as far as we have gone, everything is paid for. But our funds are exhausted, and we have only made a beginning. The brethren here have helped nobly, and are still willing to do all they can, but the most of them are poor; and unless we receive help from some other source, we shall have to turn many away who are waiting to enter the school, simply because we can not accommodate them.

We want to make this an industrial school from the start. We have forty acres of excellent land, which has been deeded to the Foreign Mission Board, but we have no horses or farming implements with which to work it. The land here is all ready for the plow. Then, too, we need money to buy fence posts and wire to fence in our land. Besides, we need a pump or windmill for the well. Drawing water with a rope from a well seventy-five feet deep is no small job. We also need money to get desks and benches and other furnishings for the house. But as we do not intend to run in debt, we must wait for these things until the money comes in. I believe if some of our brethren at home could be here, and could see the urgent needs, they would loosen their purse strings and help.

N. Z. TOWN.