Rumuruti Laikipia
March 16 ‘07
Mrs. John Minch
Hoopole, Ill.
My dear mother:
It is such a long time since I have written
you that I almost feel ashamed, but Florence writes so much
and I must work so hard that I always feel tired evenings and
it always seems so easy to put it off just a bit longer. So
dont think that I am not thinking of you all almost
continually. Just say John is very busy. In fact as I learn to
know Florence better I cannot help to feel the rest of you
must be like her and I am longing for the time when we shall
be able to come home then I can see you all. Florence just
said “It certainly wont be more than four years”. She always
says after five years she is to have a furlough but where does
mine come in!
Last night we looked over our book
catalogues to choose a list of books. My but was’nt it a
picnic. We feel almost afraid to ask for so much for books but
our books are the only neighbors we have. We want some one to
talk to. You may not be able to understand it, but it is
remarkable how quickly one gets awfully narrow and even sour
and gloomy when he feels shut out as we are. The only thing
that can keep us bright and happy is books. So you wont blame
us if it seems we have sent for too many. You may especially
be surprised to see what music we have sent for. I do not know
the day when I have not been passionately fond of music. I
have never had an opportunity to study music but can I think
do quite well any how. My folks at home used to be surprised
at me some times. I know many times on rainy days when we
could not go out to work, I sat down at the piano right after
dinner and played continually until supper time. Here when
every thing seems to go wrong and I get the blues I can drain
it all away with an hour at the organ. The music paper you
have sent us called the organ is my favorite. I think it is
the finest thing there is as Florence perhaps has told you.
Among all the composers Mozart is my favorite. While I was
still at home and hardly able to play at all I got one of
Mozarts music books one time and was so fond of it and played
so much from it that my brother George used to say I was
crazy. For many years I had a strong desire to get a
collection of music from some of the best composers but never
had a chance. Florence says I may have the chance now with
some of the money from her book box. I dont think any thing in
the world would make me happier. I can play well enough now to
go through with some of the most difficult music and to have
music in our house continually from some of the best composers
cannot help but make our home brighter happier and better in
every way. If you will kindly get for us what I have chosen it
will be a favor I shall never forget. It will be a continual
joy and pleasure in our home and will save us many a lonely
hour even more so than good books. Aside from the Bible I dont
think any thing has helped more to build me up than music. It
is the one thing that I miss here more than any thing else.
Florence is writing about sending the music. I will make out
the order list and you can send it to the company and ask them
to send it directly to us. I will write the letter to the
Company, and you enclose just as it is written then no mistake
can be made. That will enable us to get it quickly, and I
think at very little more cost if any at all.
We are getting on nicely now with our work.
Florence is making wonderful progress with her boys. She has
been very steady with her teaching and it makes me feel as
though we were getting something done. Before when I was alone
with all the outside work to do it seemed as though no mission
work was being done. Now the work is all going on together. I
believe we have a grand work before us and I am only longing
for the time when there will be no building to be done when
all our time from morning till night can be spent at mission
work. Our big house is almost finished. Then I will have a
chapel to build a boys house and a girls house. It will take
some time to finish them. The work will though then be well
advanced. Mulungit at present seems to be the whole life of
the place. I knew he would. It seems he can do with the boys
just as he pleases. He is anxious to have the boys house built
soon. He says he is sure we will have all the boys we want
without giving them any pay. I am planning a house with a
large dining room so as to teach the boys to eat and cook
properly. Now they eat little better than your pigs out in the
barn. If they have a nice large dining room they can be made
to keep clean and cook their food well. Then we want a large
bed room to hold 30 or 40 beds. These beds I can easily make
myself. We can make mattresses and comforters for the beds
with the cat tail reed which grows plentifully in the swamp so
the boys could have good clean beds and warm. The nights are
quite cold. A girls house could be made in the same way. Then
we expect Mr and Mrs Starr here soon and they will need a
house so there is still some work to do. And besides I want a
garden large enough to grow food for all the boys and girls
and that will take some time so we can always be busy.
We expect Mr. and Mrs Hurlburt and Mr and
Mrs Starr and Miss Downing about next Sat. but do not know
sure yet if they will come. Hurlburt expects to do extension
exploring among new tribes and I believe wants me to go with
him. Mrs. Hurlburt will stay here for her vacation while he is
gone. Mr Hurlburt is planning to take up work soon among eight
new tribes nearly all of which know the Masai language
somewhat. Our mission will no doubt soon cover nearly all this
country this side of the Nile River. Hurlburt seems to be very
well now, and we believe God is leading him into this work. We
will be glad to have helpers here on our station. If I should
go with Hurlburt you need not worry because none of those
tribes are dangerous and some I already know. The country is
also healthy and safe but I must close. May this find you all
well and happy in Christ.
I am John.
|