Kijabe E.A.P. April 29 ‘04                                                                                                  Index

Miss Florence Minch
Naperville, Ill.

My dear Florence:
        I hope you will not scold me for not writing for so long a time but it was just impossible to do so. The last week I have been on the march every day going 20 or thirty miles daily. Now I am settled a bit, and hope to have more time to gather myself together. The reason for this mix up is because I have left the Mission station at Kijabe, and am now away out in the wilderness alone. Mr. Hurlburt has relieved me of all my work at Kijabe so that I might spend all my time and efforts among the Masai. So it is possible that although my home will still be at Kijabe, that I may be there only one or two days of each month. Dont let this frighten you however. It is true I am at a place where two years ago a white man would not have lived two hours. The Masai were then the most dangerous of all the tribes. Many are warning me now to be careful what I do, but I have’nt the least fear. Last night I visited a large kraal. Spoke to the people about Christ, and afterwards had a long talk with them about the work. I wrote you that they are very intelligent so I could enter into all my plans with them knowing full well that they would perfectly understand what I expected of them. I was surrounded by about 30 young warriors and there was a number of old men, old patriarchs of the tribe. If they had had the least desire to harm me they would only have needed to do so without the least danger on their side. The fact is however they treated me with the utmost courtesy. They listened to the story of the Cross with intense interest, and I never even heard a single insulting remark. This would be a marvel among the Kikuyu or Wakamba. This is however nothing more than I expected. If God will lead one out as he has led me, can we not expect that he will accompany that one and keep him safe. I am greatly encouraged with the Masai work. They told me last night that they want me to live right here with them and be their friend. To show their sincerity let me tell you what they have done. There is a pool of water near my tent. It is the only water I can get here. It is bad but by boiling and straining it can be made quite wholesome. I think there is a spring under it which I can get hold of and get fresh clean spring water. Now the Masai knowing that I want this water have ordered all the young men to keep their cattle away from it because the cattle make it dirty. Now this is no small matter since there are several thousand sheep and cattle which have been accustomed to drink here. To stop here means they must all go about two miles away for water. Another thing is this. There is a tree here which has a fruit which I prize highly. It makes an excellent sauce and is especially valuable to use in making a drink like lemonade. It is really fine. The old men have discovered that I like it, so they have given all the boys and young men orders not to touch it. They also offered to give me milk free of charge but this I would not accept since one must do all he possibly can to discourage begging. Mulungit is here with me and just what to say about him I do not know. I have so fallen in love with the boy that when he is gone only for a day, it really makes me a bit lonesome. He could not possibly be more faithful than he is. He is full of zeal for the work and is really valuable and in preaching the Gospel. Hearing Mr. Hurlburt for 4 or 5 months he has a good understanding of the Bible, and now he never meets a person without telling him something of the Gospel. And such a help as he is besides. You know a Masai is a Masai and they are never supposed to tell a lie to one another. Now he being very enthusiastic for the work of course is able to push things along rapidly, while if I were alone they would necessarily suspect me continually. Besides this all the Masai I know I got from Mulungit. He understands me perfectly and I understand him. When I speak to the people often they know nothing about what I am saying. This is because of some of their peculiar habits in pronounciation and construction. At such times Mulungit is always ready to explain and make clear. He understands me because he has been with me from the beginning. But enough of this.

        Now I suppose you will say well John is out there in the wilderness. He has no use for me so I will just stay at home for a while and not be a bother to him. But let me just say now is the time I want you most. I am planning to build a sort of a house here and of course will need a house keeper. Besides I hope soon to have a number of Masai boys and girls to teach and there are some bright little fellows here. There are about ten villages near enough to visit all in one day. Now if you could stay at the house and teach and I go out and preach could you imagine any way at all in which more could be done. And then there are the women. They are not supposed to have much to do with mens affairs. And then I ought to have some one to look a bit after my cooking. I am afraid if you wait another year you will come out here and find a sour looking old dyspeptic. He himself is too lazy to do much and, the natives do make an awful mess of it. And besides do you not think of me now as your “old man”. If so are you going to let your old man sit out here in this wilderness for two whole years alone and let him become so sour and crabby that you wont dare to touch him without being afraid he wil bite you. You had better take my warning and come at once. The place I am at now is only about five miles from a small railway station so you could easily get here. And besides speaking more seriously, Mr. Hurlburt says he does not think it would be wise for us to be married until at least one year after you are here. He thinks you ought to have at least one year free, to get hold of the language. Married women are usually so busy that they rarely learn any language at all. I agree with him in this. In this case you see if you stay home another year that would put it off nearly three years before we could settle down to good hard persistent work. Once more and this the last time let me urge you to decide to come as soon as possible after school closes. Unless you feel clearly led of the Lord to do otherwise write at once to Mr. Adams and tell him you are ready to come as soon as they are ready to send you. Once more have a bit of compassion on your old man and come on and cheer him up. I shall try to write oftener here after and let you know all about the work. May God continue to keep you and bless you is the prayer of

        Yours faithfully John.