p. 16 | Fiji by Myrtle Griffin Parker

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Washington, D.C. · Sep 15, 1904

Fiji

By Myrtle Griffin Parker

Lomaloma, Lau District.—My heart is full of praise to God for giving me a place in this vineyard. I feel so unworthy. My physical strength is small, but God’s grace sustains me, and enables me to help hold up the banner of truth. When I am unable to get about in the villages, my work comes to me. I am just as comfortable and well off here as I could be anywhere, and do not wish for a better place. The first part of the year it seemed as if I should be prostrated again; but God in his rich mercy again thwarted the enemy, and I am able to take up my work of teaching the children as formerly.

Before we obtained this piece of land, we lived for eight months in a native house, a hut fourteen by twenty-four feet, with thatched roof, ground floor,

and reed walls. It was on the beach, within a few feet of the restless waves, and served as bed-room, sitting-room, and schoolroom. Our present little house, which Mr. Parker has put up, seems like a palace to us. It has a board floor, corrugated iron roof, and reed walls. Help was unattainable, and my husband was obliged at last to prepare and weave on the reeds himself, as the hurricane season was approaching. We lived for months with only a roof and floor and part of a wall around two rooms, and this in all kinds of weather. We have prayed, hoped, and worked for more than a year to prepare a place where students might come.

There are now two native houses, and a third in process of erection. You can not realize what a slow, taxing, tedious job it is to procure native help. They wait and wait, and never do to-day what can be put off till to-morrow. And then there is another drawback—the native is not his own master. He must do the work appointed by the town chief and the district chief. It will be different with the students, for they are released from town and district work. You can imagine our joy when at last we can see our hopes materialize.

A man and his wife of mature years now occupy one native house. Two young men occupy the other. Students will have a piece of land, and provide for themselves while carrying on studies. They pay their tuition by working a few hours a day for us. In our home we have two native girls from another island, who have come here to be taught.

We find many sick to care for, and we receive many callers upon one pretense and another. As the people come in, their backs are covered with flies, and many of them have bad sores. They do not always regard the rights of property, and perhaps a choice mummyapple or pineapple will be missed.

We have had very little fruit, bananas being our mainstay, and we have been without them for three months at a time. Fruit is the only food which we miss very much. The Lord has blessed our garden, and we have had some green corn and beans. Sweet corn will not mature, only the field corn.

Last January a severe hurricane devastated some portions of Fiji. For four days and nights the wind blew with unabated fury. Each blast seemed to be stronger. The tall, majestic cocoanut-trees bowed like reeds in the wind. It is taxing upon one’s nerves to pass through such a strain. (I only mention this that you may know what we have to meet.) During the storm Mr. Parker was busy keeping things about the house from being blown to pieces. Our little daughter said, “Mama, the angels are holding the house.”

Yes, God has protected us from several severe storms. When the house was in erection, our temporary walls were blown down one night, and we escaped to the bush to await the morning. Near daylight the rain fell in torrents, and all we had was drenched, but we were unharmed.

Mr. Parker has had several narrow escapes in boating. The Lord answered his prayer, and the winds ceased in time to save him from being driven upon the reef.

The work seems to go slowly sometimes, but it is steadily advancing. God has precious souls here, and we must find them.

Myrtle Griffin Parker.