Somlimo, S. Rhodesia,
August 8th, 1958.
Dear Mr. MacLean,
I am sorry I have not yet replied to your letter of May, in which you asked me to take over the administration.
We are on trek again for a week across the river. I have more time to write while on trek than when at Zenka, so I want to take this opportunity to let you know something of my work here.
Mr. Fraser will no doubt have written to you about the keeping of the Mission books. Miss Nicholson was already doing the Ingwenya books at the time of your writing, and more efficiently than I could ever do it. At that time Mr. Fraser asked me to take over the teacher’s salaries from Mr. Miller, as well as the Zenka Cashbook. Mr. Fraser would like me to start the new method of bookkeeping on January 1st, 1959. Please pray that the Most High will give me Wisdom to do that large and difficult part of the work.
I am therefore often concerned about the medical needs of the Zenka people. (As well as their great spiritual need). I had hoped to have a place where patients could stay for a few days, while undergoing treatment. But there is not even storage-room for the building materials at present. We are very short of covered space. This will be more difficult still when the rains begin. Mr. Fraser’s old thatched house which was to be demolished long ago, is being used again out of necessity. The domestic science teacher uses one room as a classroom. Two builders are living now in another, and one room I have in use to put up patients who come from afar and require daily treatments. Such people are often heathen who would never come near the mission, were it not for their physical sufferings. Their stay at the mission brings them under the hearing of the Gospel, as we have worship with them, morning and evening. We have made a ruling that they must bring their own bedding and food, and if it is a very sick person, someone to look after the patient. There is thus no additional financial burden on the mission. Things become very difficult when there is more than one family staying. They then cannot share the same little room. I am hoping to get a more convenient place built after James Tallach has completed the schoolbuildings.
There is practically no time to speak to the outpatients about their souls, which often grieves me. The rush is usually so great, that I need all my time to get through them, but patients that are staying at the mission we can talk to at the time of worship in the evenings.
A few weeks ago there was a young couple with a sick baby from Bubu. Neither of them ever went to church or read the Bible. The child died of Broncho pneumonia after a desperate struggle for her life for three days. During that time we spoke much with the parents. The mother in particular was interested and asked sensible questions concerning sin etc.
We buried the baby on the edge of the schoolfield at Zenka. My prayer was that the Lord would yet glorify Himself even through the death of this child.
A few weeks later teacher Ndebele and I went to Bubu on a Sabbath. Both parents came out to the service. We spoke with them and Ndebele got the impression that the woman is concerned about her soul. It is difficult to say yet what the outcome will be as so much of the seed seems to fall among the thorns and we are often disappointed in those who appear very promising at first. But we must continue to look to the Holy Spirit for a blessing.
You will remember that the well at Zenka collapsed some years ago during the rainy season. We are now trying to open it up again. We asked several welldiggers to do the job for us, but they all let us down. They are afraid that it is too dangerous. We are now doing it ourselves with the borderboys. It is a slow job, as they can only do a few hours in the afternoon. However we will persevere. With God’s blessing we will have water from that well yet. My father has sent me an engine as a present. We are hoping to use that to operate the pump. Mr. Tallach is greatly handicapped as he has to get all the water for the building from a pool several miles away, which is a great expense in time and petrol. We therefore hope to get our own watersupply as soon as possible.
Mr. Fraser has asked me to go to Ingwenya once a fortnight since Mr. Miller has left. Miss Nicholson carries a heavy burden of responsibility. Apart from her daily school problems, the people come to her with all their difficulties that arise daily in a community of a hundred people. There has been a good deal of sickness among the boarders. Miss Nicholson often has to do the trip of thirty miles to Bulawayo to take them into hospital.
I am afraid the friends in Holland have now ceased all negotiations as far as helping our mission is concerned.
With kind regards,
Yours sincerely,
Jan van Woerden.
“The Seven Churches of Asia” by R. M. McCheyne.
The delivery of this publication was unexpectedly delayed owing to printer’s difficulties. As it has been bound in paper cover the price of copies sold after the 15th January, 1959, will be reduced to 2/6 per copy. W. Grant.
Rev. James Fraser’s leave from Africa.
We understand that Rev. James Fraser, M.A., of our Rhodesian Mission, comes home this month on leave, with his wife and family. They sail from Capetown (D.V.) on 2nd January, and arrive at Southampton on the 16th January. They come for a much needed leave and rest. Friends in this Country will be pleased to meet them once more.