Missions, Nigeria

don · 06-19-09 8:42 am

1917, Nigeria. (This fascinating portrait of mission life and attitude in the early 1900's can provide a useful springboard for a discussion.) <a href="http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/MW/MW1917-V21-12/index.djvu?djvuopts&page=10" target="_blank">The Missionary Worker (Watford), December, 1917, p. 142</a><blockquote>THE following interesting paragraphs have been taken from a personal letter recently received by a member from Brother E. Ashton :<blockquote>"We are about 250 miles north of Lagos. The railway runs past our mission about two miles away and we can see the trains as they come. "Whenever a boat arrives from England a special train is run to convey passengers and when we see it we hasten a boy off to the P.O. eight miles away to get our letters. " I had an interesting experience this week. We have a pet monkey and as I heard him making a peculiar noise I looked out to see what was wrong. I saw an animal about two feet long and very much like a crocodile in shape, coming out of the grass. I suppose he was hungry and thought he would have our monkey, so I got the gun and shot it. One boy asked me for its head. He wanted it to "make medicine." Soon after, I went to his room and found he had skinned its head and then put the whole brute on the fire to roast for his dinner. I have told the boys repeatedly that they must not eat rats and snakes, but this boy thought he could fool me. He is our oldest boy, but he has to leave. Then I saw on another fire a rat being roasted. That belonged to our teacher who has been a 'converted' boy for years. I asked him what it was and he said he did not know. He told me so many lies that I have dismissed him as well. This illustrates one of the difficulties with which we have to contend. "I ought to tell you that the rats here are about 2 ft. 4 in. long. Just after we got into bed one night I heard, something, among the dishes. Mr. Rat had come for his supper. My wife is scared when I shoot in the house but it would not be safe to go for them with a stick. So I had one shot at him. He got his supper all right - thirty lead pills. "You may be interested to know the price of some of the foods out here. We are having hard work to keep body and soul together. Sugar is now 9d. per lb., butter 4/- per lb.; cocoa 6/- per lb., cereals 1/6 per lb. Jam is 2/3 per lb. when we can get it. Beans and peas are unobtainable. As for potatoes I have forgotten the taste of them, not having seen one since we left the ship. There is only one,shop, eight miles away, and they have scarcely any food in stock. We have a supply on order from the States, but it has not arrived yet. "Yes, I intend to build a house of some kind soon, if they will allow us a little money. Of course we cannot do here as in England. If I pull down this house (?) where shall we live while I build another? I shall have to make the bricks, build the walls and do practically everything myself. If I had nothing else to do it would be all right, but then I have my school and medical work to attend to. I would like you to see this house. No man ever saw such an one and my eyes are getting worse with looking at it. It really is not fit for a white man to live in. The roof is of iron, and, of course, when a tropical sun has been on it for two hours the place is like an oven. We go and live then in a grass hut that I had built for a kitchen. Every storm that comes we wait for the house to come down upon us. The windows, by the way, are of wire netting. "Where do we cook? Oh, I will tell you. We build a pile of clay with a hole left in it at the bottom for the fire and on the top other holes for the pans. But you say, Where do the smoke and dust go? Oh, they go up your nose and in the pans. "You will be sorry to learn that the little church I built soon after we got here was about a month ago burned to the ground by someone. At the church services I have to sing or play my clarinet. Fancy blowing that under a tropical sun! I am hoping for an organ some day, but must wait till funds permit. 'My courage was never better and the Message burns brighter every day."</blockquote><a href="http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/MW/MW1917-V21-12/index.djvu?djvuopts&page=10" target="_blank">http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/MW/MW1917-V2 1-12/index.djvu?djvuopts&page= 10</a></blockquote>Here is a report of the farewell meeting with Brother and Sister Ashton on leaving England for Nigeria.<blockquote><a href="http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/MW/MW1917-V21-01/index.djvu?djvuopts&page=2" target="_blank">http://www.adventistarchives.org/docs/MW/MW1917-V2 1-01/index.djvu?djvuopts&page=2</a> </blockquote>Discussion Points<blockquote>1. The meaning and usage of the term 'boy'. 2. The practical use of a pet monkey. 3. Rats.<blockquote>a. The use of a gun to protect against rats, etc. b. Eating rats and snakes.</blockquote>4. Minimum behavior expected of staff and students. 5. Dark humor. 6. Hardship and sacrifice. 7. The need for practical skills. 8. Is he complaining? What role does this kind of venting play? Why do some do it so well and others not at all? 9. The churchman outside of Paradise. 10. Compare colonialism, imperialism and missionary effort. 11. "Courage never better" means? 12. "Message burns brighter every day" means? 13. Go ye into all the world... Nigeria for Jesus.</blockquote>

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Missions, Nigeria

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