Laikipia
Masai Reservation Oct 8 05
Mrs.
John P. Minch,
Hooppole,
Ill.
My
dear mother and the rest of you:
When
you receive this letter, Florence will no doubt be gone from
you, or
the time will be near. I need hardly say that my thoughts are
with
you. Perhaps there will be no one who will know your feelings
better
than I shall, for there still comes to my mind only too
clearly my
own experience of a little over two years ago. More so do
these
things come into my mind since I am here all alone far away
from
civilization. It’s nothing pleasant we look forward to, and if
I
am honest I must admit that the life Florence goes forward to
will be
full of loneliness, there will no doubt be many bitter hours
intermingled with the sweet. The missionary who follows in the
steps
of his Master, must expect like Him to suffer, to be lonely,
to feel
sad, and many times almost overcome. I have experienced some
of this
the past few weeks, and yet it always almost brings tears to
my eyes
when I think that He knows it is hurting. Often as He sees His
children bear up under that which in His great love He
permits, how
must His great heart yearn to remove it, yet he cannot for He
loves
us. I am often cheered in a bitter hour to know that He
suffers
perhaps more than I do because of the very thing that makes me
sad. So while it may be hurting to see Florence go so far
away, and in
such an unknown land, lets remember that His big heart aches
more
sorely than ours, and that it is only in His great love that
He
permits it, that He may better prepare us for that Home above.
As
Florence goes away from you she is not going to what the world
calls
pleasure. Rather than ease she goes to toil and labor, rather
than
riches to poverty, rather than joy to sorrow, yet to a joy
which no
one but He who goes on such a mission as hers can ever know.
The joy
of going forth for the Saviours sake is greater than any joy
one can
ever know. As to what her work will be I cannot tell you
better than
from a little happening which just took place near my tent.
Some
imagine when they go to the mission field, there will be a
great
flourishing, a going about preaching the Gospel to the
heathen, so
that many people shall honor them. I choose rather such as
this. Just about an hour ago an old man came staggering along
the path near
us, when he got near our tent there was a nice shady spot,
under a
large tree, and he staggered toward it, and fairly fell upon
the
ground. He lay there panting for a while, and finally
recovered
again. Behind him came his poor old wife with two little
girls, and
a baby boy. They were in little better condition than the old
man. They were driving a few goats two of which were giving
milk, and this
with a bit of musty corn was all the food they had. This was
all
five persons had to eat on a journey of nearly one hundred
miles. I
quickly got some water for them to drink, and cooked them some
food,
and to see them gradually get over the fear of a white man,
from whom
they expect nothing but cuffing and cursing, and to hear the
little
girls begin to chatter as the food refreshed them, was worth
more
than I ever suffered to reach this land. For my part I should
rather
see Florence go to such a mission, to relieve the pain and
suffering,
even without any preaching of the Gospel whatever, than simply
to go
flourishing about preaching without anything to follow. Our
opportunities here for doing good will be great. This station
is the
only one within many miles of all points about here. Many
people who
travel make it a point to pass here. Many of them suffer
frightfully
before they reach this place. To relieve such will be part of
our
work. Many Masai will be of the number. An old woman who
passed
here a few days ago, because I gave here some food came later,
and
said she would like to leave her little boy here to be taught.
Another old woman and her little girl would like to stay, but
I
cannot care for them now. I can have excellent gardens however
in a
short time then I hope to take in all who care to stay. I know
it
has been your wish that we might stay at Kijabe. It has been
mine
too, but the opportunities for doing good are as nothing
there,
compared to this place. Since the Masai will finally all be
brought
here, it is now more than likely that we will be here
permanently. Here we will be shut away from all influence of
white men, Swahilis,
Indians, and will have the pure Masai alone. Perhaps no one of
any
description will ever be allowed here except our own mission.
So the
influence will be all our own, free from Catholicism,
Mohammedanism,
or any other religion. As I think over it more and more, I
cannot
help but rejoice, and believe that it is Gods own plan. The
people
receive me very heartily wherever I go, and it cannot be but a
short
time before we can win many of them. While as I said Florence
will
not go to a place of enjoyment only, yet she will go to a work
more
pleasing to our Lord than any we can think of.
I
am glad when I think why you permit her to go so far away. I
can
hardly believe it would be only for my sake. Supposing I was
only a
trader would you let her come? I think not. I should hardly
care to
remain here for the sake of even my dearest friends.
I
am glad because I know we are working all of us together only
for
Christs sake. My parents let me go, even encouraging me to do
so,
yet I dare say had it been for any but Christs sake they would
have
refused at once. So not only we suffer who go, but you
who have loved us suffer with us in permitting us to remain
away, and
while it is hard one of the most pleasant thoughts that have
ever
come to me, is the thought of when we shall all gather
together in
our home above. Then our tears will be joy, our sorrows will
be
glory, and forever we will be together to shout the praise of
Him who
has loved us. It is possible that we might never see one
another
again here on earth, but it will only be for a little while,
then the
more we have suffered for His sake the greater will be our
joy. So
lets be patient for a little while. For my own sake I should
never
ask Florence to come here, and sometimes I almost feel guilty
in
permitting it now, but God who cares for all His little ones,
can
certainly care for her. It will no doubt be a hard experience,
but
should there be the marks of sorrow, or a care worn brow, when
we
reach the other shore, would you have it removed when you
remember
for whose sake it was made. Our losses on earth will be our
gains in
Heaven, so if we ever write of a seeming loss or misfortune do
not
sorrow with us, but rather rejoice that He permits us to
suffer that
we may receive a greater crown of Glory when we go to be with
Him. And now may he keep you all. I am glad when I know why
you suffer,
and I am sad when I feel the awful strain. May He comfort you,
and
give you much joy in that which you do for His sake, and may
He
prepare us all for that final glorious home going when we
shall be
with him forever more, this is the earnest prayer of ever
yours,
John.
|