ANOTHER NEEDY FIELD

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 18, 1897

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 23, No. 11.

ANOTHER NEEDY FIELD.

WE have several times called attention to the sufferings of the victims of Armenian atrocities. The latest report we have from the National Armenian Relief Committee contains the following paragraph:—

In Arabkir there are 1,700 orphans, while the whole number dependent upon charity this winter is over 3,000. In Malatia there are from 2,000 to 2,500 widows and orphans. In the whole Harpoot field, 43,500 souls will be dependent upon charity this winter. It is difficult to secure accurate statistics of the number of widows and orphans in the villages, but there can not be less than 15,000 widows and fatherless children in this field; there are probably more than 20,000.

Donations for this charity may be sent to Brown Bros. & Co., Bankers, 59 Wall Street, New York.

The sufferers in Armenia no doubt are in great want, but they have been the objects of attention by the civilized world for some time, and, while we would not wish to detract aught from the disposition to help them, we would inform our readers that there is another field of devastation and famine that has received very little notice from the outside world. We refer to Matabeleland, Africa. There was first an uprising of the natives, and a devastating war; then there was rinderpest among the cattle, and now famine is abroad in the land. The following statements of a missionary who but last year began to open up a mission farm some fifty miles from Buluwayo, tells a harrowing tale; yet this is in but one locality of a very extensive range of country similarly afflicted:—

When I last wrote, I could chronicle the fact that many who were mere skeletons had been seen, and that deaths were reported from adjoining neighborhoods. Now we can say they are no longer at a distance, but have become a reality at our door. The dead from hunger are all around us, and human skeletons are walking about on every side, begging for a morsel to eat; but even this has often to be denied them. The road to Buluwayo has been for a few weeks dotted here and there with the bodies of those who have gone as far as they could in search of food, but strength failing, they perished by the way. In many instances these bodies are left to rot or be eaten by dogs or other animals.

Children especially are great sufferers. Hundreds of little ones, mere skeletons, are among us, and their appeals for food are piteous and hard to deny, yet sometimes we are forced to do so, because we have it not. This is much more trying to our workers than their work. The condition of the people may be illustrated by one incident. Last Thursday, as Brother and Sister Anderson were in the school with the children, one of our boys called attention to the fact that a boy was attempting to steal a chicken. Brother Anderson went in pursuit of the boy, a lad of about fifteen, and soon overtook him. As soon as he saw he was caught, he urged Brother Anderson to follow him to a kopje, a short distance from the house. This he did, and soon heard the cry of a child. The boy hurried him on, and he soon discovered a little boy about two and a half years old, buried alive in a hole dug by ant-bears. The little fellow was thrust into a hole, and a little small brush thrown on top, and over all a thin layer of dirt. Air, however, had penetrated, and the child was still alive. Brother Anderson hastily took him out, and brought him to the house. The little fellow’s head, face, ears, mouth, and other parts of his body were eaten by maggots that were rapidly multiplying upon him.

He was cleaned, and at this writing gives good evidence of recovery. He now lisps a few words, the principal ones being “mama,” and isitjeze, the last meaning “porridge.”

Two other children were found at the same place, but they were already dead. The boy who revealed the place of their burial said the children’s mothers placed them there. This awful deed shows the extremity that the people have reached. Rather than see their children drag out a lingering death by starvation, they thought thus to put an end to all. To-day another little girl was found who had evidently been left for dead. She seems unconscious, and we do not know the particulars of the case. She is much worse off than the boy who was buried alive. Yesterday a native told my wife that many are disposing of their children by thrusting them into holes, and covering them with whatever is at hand; then placing their fingers in their ears to drown their cries, they run from the place as fast as they can go. O, that we could take all these helpless ones, and feed them, and teach them of Jesus and a life beyond! We have taken thirty of these needy ones to feed and clothe and teach, and have appealed to the government in behalf of the many we are unable to help. We hope attention will be given to this appeal.

Persons who desire to help these suffering people may send relief donations to this office, or to W. H. Edwards, Treasurer Foreign Mission Board, care of Review and Herald, Battle Creek, Mich.