Central America by L. O. Corwin

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 2, 1902

Central America

By L. O. Corwin

UTILA, BAY ISLANDS.—We have just closed a six weeks’ vacation. Our schoolhouse is still unfinished; as times have been hard here this year, we have not been able to raise money to complete the work.

I believe we told you some time ago that most of the people here were English. About a month ago an English man-of-war came here, and informed the people that all who were on the island when it was ceded to Spanish Honduras by England in 1860, were not English subjects if they remained in Spanish Honduras. This also included their children born here. This has made quite a stir among the people of the Bay Islands, as it included many of the best families, and they declare that they will not be subjects of Honduras. So they must make their homes elsewhere. Some have already gone, and others expect to leave soon. The hard part of it is that there is no one to buy their homes. The people seem to be afraid to spend a cent now, so many of them have taken their children out of school. This has brought our attendance down from seventy to about thirty-five. We do not know how long this state of affairs will continue. We trust in God, and wait. The tuition in this country is low, and with the present attendance our income is only fourteen dollars a month.

We are trying to show the people that this is only one of the signs of Christ’s soon coming, but nothing seems to have much impression on them. Utila has been warned repeatedly by good workers, and although still indifferent, the people like the school.

Some of the young people manifest a little interest, and are anxious to take part in the social meetings by reciting verses of Scripture. The little native girl staying with us is making many changes for the better. She also takes part in worship with us. She was about as wild a little girl as there was in Utila when we took her. Every one speaks of the change. We thank God for the little good done, and long to see more.

There is truly much work to be done among the Spanish people here, as well as among the other classes. We have purchased some Spanish books, and are trying to study the language. The little girl with us used to talk nothing but Spanish, so we hope to be able to do something for this class of people. However, there are not many of them in Utila.

A good Seventh-day Adventist doctor and a nurse are needed here very much. Although our knowledge is so limited, we are kept quite busy, as there is no doctor here at all. The people suffer much from fever. Most of them are afraid of water, especially when it is cold. We are of good courage to press onward in our efforts to do all we can for the Master. Pray for the work here.

L. O. CORWIN.