South Central Africa by F. B. Armitage

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 3, 1902

South Central Africa

By F. B. Armitage

SOMOBULA FOREST.—Our work is progressing slowly. Our first boys are now away, working in Gwelo to earn money to buy Bibles, that they may go on with their school work, and also pay their hut tax, and purchase some clothes. When they left, they asked if I would send with them a letter to anyone who wanted to hire boys. I talked with them about the result if I should write the letter and one of them would do something wrong. They all promised that they would be good; so I gave them a letter, and they went away happy. They will be back in about three months.

At present we have eight young men about eighteen years of age. The average attendance is about twenty. There are six girls, the first whose parents have given their consent to have their daughters come to our school. We hope and pray that God will help us to lead these dear people to the Fountain of life. We do not have as much hope for the aged people as we do for the young. These live in fear of the old people, so cannot always do just as they would like to. By the help of the Lord, I hope to see the seed take root.

There are some of the best natives I

ever met, here. They show their kindness by bringing us a few early peanuts, a few ears of green corn, or a few eggs, and now and then a hen—seven in all, some of which are worth ten shillings each. It is something new in our experience to be the receivers of presents. These people are far more generous than the Matabeles. There is a large settlement about one hundred miles from here, and they want a teacher. I am trying to push my oldest boys as fast as possible, so that they can go there and begin the work, hoping for other help to continue it.

I expect to make a visit there soon and secure a good location for a station. We must not neglect this good opening among these people.

The Shuna is a much more generous people than the Macalinga people. Some of them come in every few days to see how we are getting along. These little acts of kindness do one good. They also come to me for advice about buying and selling. We hope, by the direction of the Spirit of God, to see a great work done here. Surely God has gone out before us; and it is time to awaken and bestir ourselves.

We have been quite free from fever thus far. All our native children have had the fever. To-day two are sick with it, one of whom is a young man from the Portuguese territory. We hope through him to send the gospel to that people. He is anxious to learn, and says that he wants to be ready to meet Jesus. He can speak English some, and the burden of his prayer is that the Lord will keep him from sinning. The other is a young man who had been home for a few days, and returned with the fever.

F. B. ARMITAGE.

Gwelo, B. C. A.