Carl with his faithful pony
Bringing coffee down from the mountain plantations
We have heard the Macedonian call, “Come Over and Help Us,” and the love of God constrains us, so “onward we must go, regardless of the foe.” Truly these dear people are calling for us to come and give them the Gospel. Shall we fail and allow them to perish without the knowledge of the love of Him, who so freely died to save them?
Late one afternoon we arrived at a small village, and being tired from the hard day’s travel we decided to stay for the night, but when we stopped, ready to dismount, we were told that
Robbers
had swept down from the mountains on the towns and villages of that district, had robbed the people, and driven off their stock. The soldiers had been sent out, and already one battle had been fought, and more trouble was brewing, so it was very dangerous for us to be traveling. We looked to the Lord for guidance, and felt that we must lose no time, but taking the Blood for our protection, should move on. Arising at two o’clock the next morning we went over the road on which the robbers were supposed to be, through a dense forest, but saw nor heard nothing except the many parrots and birds, screeching and singing.
We made seventeen leagues that day, crossing mountains and plains, stopping at noon at a little hut by the roadside for food for the beasts and rest for ourselves. We were received with much hospitality by these people, with their bamboo covered house, its walls composed of a few sticks stuck up at intervals. The entire inside had on its dress of mourning from the smoke from the family cook-stove, which was a pile of rocks in one corner. While the woman was making us a fresco of gourd seed, (a favorite drink they make there), grinding the seeds on the tortilla stone, the old mother pig and her babies were having a real jubilee under the rickety table. In that country hogs seem to be the family pets, for in every house there are many of them. The beds were merely a few sticks covered with a rawhide. Other sticks surmounted by a rough board served for a table, and a black smutty pile of rocks was the stove. These articles completed the home furnishings. The host was poor, but oh, how he and his family listened to the Gospel story! This is the picture of thousands of homes in that country. The people are exceedingly poor, but hungry for the Bread of Life. How we enjoyed preaching the Gospel to them! Although there were numerous hardships to endure, it was sweet to be in God’s will, and to tell these dear ones of His great love for, and His desire to save them.