Aba, Belgian Congo - January 13, 1947

In which Coralee catches the girls up on station news, x-ray machines, leopards, and steamers running aground. 

Aba, Belgian Congo, January 13, 1947

Dear dear girls,

Best Wishes for a very happy and Blessed New Year. Every day you have been especially in our thoughts and prayers. We are looking forward to your letters, that will tell us about your Christmas again.

Since I last wrote to you from Oicha I’ll begin from there.  We were able to leave Oicha on Saturday December 28 and Daddy drove to Blukwa that day. We started early and had a couple of hours at Nyankundi, then took the neuf highway, arriving at Blukwa about 5PM. It was nice to see Eddie and Nellie and Ruthie again.  We stayed with them until New Years. We left them early January 1st and came all the way home, even with two hours at Aru for lunch. We got home at 4:30pm. It was good to get home even though it was hot, and a rush of things met us right away.

The days at Blukwa were very quiet as Daddy wasn’t very strong, and neither was Nellie, and Eddie was very busy after their 7-week stay at Oicha. It wasn’t cold, and since it was very dry, most of the pretty flowers were gone. We walked around the roads a lot and I was often remembering the weekend which we spent there together. The Hubers were there in the rest house. Williams were getting settled in Stough’s house. Verna and Martha were having nice times together. Also, Edwin and Lester Huber. [personal, redacted]

We had to come home on January 1st because of many things. One was that the Haggars from near Yei (1) were due to come to the hospital for a baby also Mrs. Carolides and a Greek woman from Faradje and Mrs. Ziehl from Aba Poste SHUN (2). Also, on the 1st Daddy began to be responsible for the SHUN Medical Clinic both white and black. He goes down each morning about 10:30 to a dispensary down there. It has been a busy time for him getting things started down there. Also there has been quite a lot of surgical operations.

The Carolides baby came on Saturday night, it is a boy. The other children were so cute when they saw it the next day. They are staying in the Appendix (3) and I am taking care of her.

Today the Schlippes were here. Mrs. Schlippe wasn’t well. The girls Marissa (4) and Titule will be going back to school in a day or two. Marissa is tall and needs glasses very badly.

Yesterday Francis Sevec was here. He said a SHUN car hit a hyena near Kurukwata and killed it. Daddy saw it in the Poste. He said it was huge.

The big news is that Yoane Kusala (6) killed another leopard. He set his trap for wild pigs that were ruining his garden and when he went down at noon he found it had caught an enormous leopard. (5) He speared it alone. We do thank the Lord for sparing him for that is a very dangerous thing to do. We will have the skin this time. It will be a nice souvenir but not such a pretty skin as the one before. Mary bought that one.

The other big news is that the X-ray has arrived. We were surely thrilled to have this equipment actually here after so many years of prayer and longing. Today as Daddy unpacked it, he was almost in tears he was so disappointed to find one big case missing. He will not be able to use it until this arrives. Pray with us that it will come soon. It apparently is in Congo as near as we can tell from the papers.

Mr. Langford arrived back from Mombasa (7) this evening with his new Chevrolet 4-door sedan and trailer. Just before supper I said to Daddy, "Let’s go over and see the Langford children", we hadn’t seen them since our return from Oicha. We met Mrs. Landford and the children out for a walk near the church, so I said to them, “let’s go and see if we can find Daddy (Langford)”, thinking they would love a ride and that we might find their Daddy at the Poste, as he had been expected for days. Sure enough there he was in front of the Customs. Were they ever excited! It was lots of fun to see them get out of our car and greet their Daddy.

He brought the news that Amstutz, Piersons, and the Herbert Downings and Kenneth Downings are due to arrive in Mombasa on the 15th. Also that the steamer that was bringing Van Deusen's car and trailer and also Harter's had gone aground on a reef in South Africa and that it may be their things are ruined. We are surely sorry about this delay and loss.

No more news as yet about a car for us. We have been hoping they would be able to get a new one for us and that we can sell this Mercury as it takes a lot of gas. But already it has been a real help to us. Especially enabling us to go to Oicha for Daddy’s operation (8) and now the daily needs here. It has been a real help to him to have a reliable car.

We have been praying very especially about your future training and are longing to know if there are any new developments. Also, we’d like to know how you’d like to spend this coming summer before going into school We would love to see you spend some of it – the biggest part – in Hawthorne, New Jersey. It might be possible for you to help in some way and get to know the folks at the church there better. I hope to get time to write to someone there soon and see if anything can be arranged. (9)

Also, did you apply to Wheaton? It seems to me you said you had. Did you have a reply? We wondered if you were accepted, if you’d be interested in going there and entering the five-year plan. No doubt Dr. DuBose knows what this plan is if you don’t. It’s an arrangement so you have more time to work and help support yourselves. If you’d want to do this, you know we’ll surely help in every way we can. Always we’ve wanted you to go to college, mostly because you are good students and deserve the best. Also, all the young folks in Daddy’s family have gone to college. We have hoped that you too might also, because of the testimony it would be to them and to others of how the Lord does care for those who are in full-time service. Let’s continue to pray about it all. If Moody is His choice, we’ll surely be happy about that, but if it’s Wheaton we’ll be equally happy.

So far, the dry season hasn’t been bad. We’ve had several rains and a number of days when there has been a cool west wind. It has been a real help to us. For about a week we slept with blankets.

They had a blessed time here Christmas, although we were sorry to be away and miss seeing the folks. There were 3,200 and 33 were baptized. Mary had 600 children in the special Children’s service on Sunday and again on Christmas morning. The Lord has been blessing. Keep on praying for greater things.

The hospital is full. We need more beds so much, and more houses for patients.

My time has gone and so I’ll close here. Much much love to you both and lots of greetings from many black and white friends.

Your loving Mother

P.S. Daddy is very well but thinner.

FOOTNOTES
(1) - City in Sudan
(2) - SHUN. A transportation or trucking company.  Headquartered in Aba Poste.
(3) - Appendix is a building next the Kleinschmidt house, sort of a guest house.  Ralph nicknamed it the Appendix since it was an extra little thing.
(4) - Marissa grew up to be a translator. She knew English, Russian, French, Finnish.   Mom remembers that the original family name was De Von Schlippe.  Mr. Schlippe (prounounced "schlipp-ee") fled from Russia to Belgium, then finally to Belgian Congo and set up the plantation. Kurukwata was about 13 miles away.
(5) - Mom remembers a cave on the back side of the hill that she and Edie found, and it smelled very much of leopard.
(6) - Medical assistant who was Ralph's chief assistant during surgery.  He also killed a python once on the way to work, with a club!
(7) - Mombasa is a seaport in Kenya.
(8) - Probably a hernia operation.
(9) - In the end, the girls stayed with the Paul family in Montrose, Pennsylvania at the Bible School that summer.

Aba, Congo Belge, November 15, 1949

In which Ralph and Coralee write to supporters regarding work with leprosy patients in Azande-land. 

Dear Friends:

Last week it was possible for us to leave our medical work here for a few days to

make a hurried trip to the West to see about the new leper colonies in our Azande

Section. It was a journey of about 1200 miles thru hot, dry and rather monotonous

country but there was never a dull moment during the 6 ½ busy days we were away,

for so much was packed into each day.

It was precious to meet these groups of lepers. To renew with the ones seen last

trip, and to meet the many new lepers that have come into the Leper colonies

located in that big area stretching 500 miles west from Aba. Doctor usually sees the

lepers on the new Diasone [1] treatment first. This is always a special thrill for it is

wonderful to see the changes and improvement. The results of this Diasone

treatment has given all the lepers new hope. So far we have only had enough of this

drug to treat about 70 cases. Doctor has tried to introduce this new treatment in

each leper group, that is in each colony because everywhere these cases have been

the means of drawing in many new lepers. All of the other lepers (over 600) are

receiving Chaulmoogra [2] oil injections. This is a much slower treatment but it usually

helps treat sores to heal, and also their general condition to improve. When the new

supply of Diasone, now enroute to the field, arrives it will then be possible to add

quite a large number of lepers for this newer treatment. We hear that there is now

another new drug available which is very effective, but as yet we have not been able

to get information about it.

After seeing all the new lepers, making their diagnosis and prescribing treatment

Doctor sees each of the other lepers seen on previous visits. At Bafuka Station, our 

first stop, (200 miles west) it was very encouraging to find that the brand new village

of 20 tiny mud huts seen on our last trip had grown and not only was there a whole

row of new houses in all stages of construction, but around the houses were nice

gardens, some hens busy with their chicks, and several native dogs, added to the

picture of a real native village. Mrs. Stauffacher, the nurse in charge, said the

patients (around 70) seemed very contented and cooperated well. Mr. Stauffacher

said, “I just love to go down and visit with those lepers.” Their friendship and loving

help does much to prepare their hearts to receive the Saviour.

Our next stop was at Banda Station, 360 miles west. It was a joy to find that this

colony has made a real beginning and that now about 100 lepers were living in the

colony, in their own tiny mud huts. Last trip not a single house was then in the

colony. We gathered with this group for an early service on Sunday morning.

At the Asa Colony (500 miles west) things had become more established and the

Lord has been saving souls. The number of patients remained around 240. Some

had gone away to see about their “affairs” and quite a few new cases had come in. It

was precious to see how many had improved physically. These lepers have built a

large new chapel that would seat about 200. Miss Congleton has been having school

with them, and recently she held a Daily Vacation Bible School. I believe she said 16

out of the 20 that began, finished all the verses and showed real interest in all that

she taught them.

At Dungu the colony had become more established and there were crowds of new

cases to been seen. Some of the Diasone cases here have responded so well, it is like

a miracle! One of these is a little girl of 12, another is the eldest son of Chief Ngilima.

This has caused much comment and interest.

The Lord undertook in special ways. We were able to meet the Government

administrators in the Dungu, Ango and Faradje territories and talk over plans for

advancing the work. Continue to pray definitely regarding the establishing of these

Colonies. It now seems definite that the Government will grant us land for chapels

and dispensaries without charge, and it may be they will agree to help in other ways.

But Government formalities move terribly slow in this land, and meantime we are going

ahead caring for these lepers just as the Lord enables. At present our 9 Leper

Colonies scattered over an area of about a 1000 miles are the only active places for

treatment of lepers. But as yet we have hardly scratched the surface. There are

thousands of lepers in this area. Join us in prayer that this work may continue, and

be used to lead many of them to know the Saviour.

Here at home, our Aba lepers had a real treat last week when Doctor was able to

buy gunpowder and one of the men shot an antelope. Meat is a real treat and we

rejoice with them for we had been unable to provide any meat for them for at least

2 years. We have been enlarging our brick leper chapel to 3 times its former size

because so many new lepers have entered.

Here in the hospital the Lord has been blessing in our medical work, and in recent

days, not only have souls been saved but it has been our privilege to help many

Christians who steadily have real physical needs. Samwele, the youngest son of

Yakebe Sulimani, one of our oldest Christians, has been here in the hospital some

weeks very ill with tuberculosis and bilharzia [3], a very bad combination. Last week

he became critically ill and it seemed he was very near the end, but the Lord has

undertaken and now for several days he has regained consciousness and seems very

happy and radiant. So here again it has been precious to minister to him and the

many needy folks that come daily. There has also been a lot of surgery.

Yesterday Doctor left to take one of our native nurses out to the Maitulu Station in

the mines section to the Southeast. Remember Enosa in special special prayers he

begins the work in the new dispensary and also caring for the lepers in that dark and

difficult section.

Remember to pray for our native nurses for they join in every part of our dispensary

and hospital work. They are earnest Christians. This year’s class of 15, from 8 mission

stations in this section, have been doing good work. Finding time for classes is often a

real problem for us, with all the many demands of each day.

To you each we send our sincere thanks for your interest, and prayers, and also for

the generous gifts, that have done so much to make this work possible. We know

our Father will return richly to you all that you have done in His dear Name. We are

asking Him daily to remember and to give you many blessings. 

With our grateful thanks, Ralph and Coralee

FOOTNOTES

1.  Diasone is a sulfa drug that was used in the treatment of leprosy. It does not cure, but does improve symptoms in many patients.  The drug was being trialed in Carville, Louisiana beginning in 1940, so the use in Congo is interesting.   

2.  Chaulmoogra oil is an older treatment. It was usually administered by injection since taking it by mouth induced severe nausea in a significant number of patients.  At Kivuvu, the leprosarium and hospital where my parents worked for several years, we had a small planting of chaulmoogra trees.  When we left in 1973, they were about 6 feet tall. I do not know their current status. 

3.  Bilharzia is another name for sleeping sickness, a parasitic infection.    

Aba, Congo Belge, Africa, August, 1949

In which Ralph and Coralee write to their supporters in the United States regarding the ongoing work in Congo. 

Dear Friends:

“I will lead them in paths that have not known, I will make darkness light before

them, and crooked things straight...”

“He that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by springs of waters shall He

guide them...”.

[personal, redacted]

In recent months there have been many new experiences along with the duties of

each day. Life on “hospital hill” is never dull. Often there are weariness and stress

and strain in caring for the sick, but there are also many joys, and we praise the Lord

for all the help and blessing that He provides. During this year a good deal of time

and effort has gone into construction of new buildings and repair of old. The biggest

of these jobs was the remodeling of the dispensary building, which included the

addition of some new rooms and an entirely new roof with tiles to replace the grass.

It was well worth the effort for new the building is much more convenient and more

fire-proof as well. We are hoping to start soon to put a tile roof on the other main

hospital building, as it houses a good deal of valuable equipment and the fire hazard

is a very real one.

Long journeys have been made during the past year in an effort to establish new

leper colonies at nine of our stations in the section of our field. A beginning has been

made so that more than five hundred lepers are now under treatment at these

various places. Government formalities are still pending, but we trust this part of the

work may be developed into a means of reaching many of the lepers for the Lord.

We would especially value your prayer help that these colonies may be established

without undue restriction.

This year’s class of “nurses” or “medical boys” has settled in nicely. There are fifteen

students, coming from eight mission stations, all of them Christians who plan to

serve the Lord in ministering to the sick on their own stations after their period of

training is completed. The class work and the supervision of their practical work

helps make a full schedule, but it’s all in the days work.

The surgery has been a strenuous part of the job and somehow we never seem to be

able to catch up with the waiting list. There is enough of variety to keep it

interesting. This department more than any other enables us to reach patients from

far afield, for they readily walk two or three hundred miles for an operation. One of

the recent “interesting cases” was an old man who walked about two hundred miles

from his village in the Sudan for a cataract operation. He had waited over a year to

come because his mother, whom he needed to lead him, had no dress to wear.

Somehow a dress materialized, for she proudly wears it every day. And he too is very

pleased with himself now that he can see again, and it’s fun to watch him walk up to

 the Gospel service in the morning on his own and not at his mother’s apron strings.

And her grin is as broad as his.

Our warm greetings to each of you, together with sincere thanks for your prayers,

your letters, and your gifts, all of which have been a great help in the work here.

May his blessing be yours daily in a very special way.

Yours in His service, Ralph and Coralee Kleinschmidt

Aba, Belgian Congo - May 22, 1946

In which Ralph is still waiting for his car, and the X-ray machine... and takes a little vacation due to an infection.  

Dear Seniors!

Or have you flunked out and remained Juniors?

It seems to me you have been getting the small end of the letter writing deal of late. According to Mother’s book we haven’t written to you for about a month, and we have had letters from you almost every week. But then you know all about the life out here and how little there is to write about.  But if we haven’t written, we can assure you we have thought about you and prayed for you daily. Your happy letters buck us up a lot, for while we are very lonesome for you yet we are very happy in the knowledge that you are having such good and profitable times. There seems to be no lack of interesting and helpful activities to keep you busy, and we are glad your school days are not just a dull uninteresting grind day after day. [Personal section redacted.]

Aba station is filling up again for now Miss Hayes, Miss Gingrich, and the Cooks are all back again. But it is not at all sure that the Cooks will stay here. It seems the Mission wants to establish a Central Press to serve Congo, Kenya and Tanganyika, and it may be it will be located at Kampala in Uganda. This however is still undecided. Herb Cook has gone down to Mombasa in Kenya to get his truck and car and the press equipment, all of which have arrived there. The press has a three ton truck and about ten tons of equipment, including a number of printing presses and a Linotype machine. Then the Cooks also have a new Ford car. Herb went to Kenya with Akulu in Landrith’s old car. They will probably have to make a second trip in order to get the rest of the freight as well as the Ford car.

A couple of weeks or so ago the Landrith family and the Dix family drove in here at almost the same time. They are all on the way to America via Egypt. Mrs. Landrith was not well and I felt she ought to avoid the long Nile boat trip if possible. Dixes thought they were booked on the Nile steamer, but at the last minute learned their bookings had been cancelled. And so Landrith, Dix and I made a trip to Juba to see if they could get air passage. They were able to make arrangements with the R.A.F. at Juba to take them at least as far as Khartoum. But that little trip alone would have cost the Dix family around $800. They were all booked on a steamer going from Alexandria to New York, sailing the 21^st of May, and the time was getting very short. And so Dix decided he would like to try to drive to Khartoum from Juba (1). He was told the road was almost sure to be impassible in the wet season, and he had already sold his old car. But even so he went all the way to Dungu to borrow Hubers’ car. Then he had to telegraph to the Governor at Stanleyville for a permit to take the car out of the Congo, and had to wait several days for that. At Juba they were again told that the road was all muddy and that it would be impossible to make the trip. But Dix finally persuaded the Governor to at least let him try it at his own risk. Well, it turned out that there was no rain during the whole trip and the roads were quite good.  In fact they had no trouble of any kind and arrived at Kosti after 2 ½ days driving time. At Kosti there is a train which takes them a long way north to Wadi Halfa where they get a steamer for a short Nile trip, then another train to Cairo and Alexandria.  They telegraphed us from Kosti, but we don’t know as yet whether they were able or not to get Alexandria in time to catch their steamer. They put the car on the Nile steamer at Kosti to return it to Juba, and when it arrives there either Huber or I will go there to get it. Dixes took Tito, Yoto’s son along with them on the trip, and he will return on the steamer with the car. Landrith took a plane as far as Khartoum, but we don’t know yet how they got along from there. I wouldn’t be surprised if you should get a letter from them one of these days telling all about the trip (I mean, the Dixes).

Aunt Rose Mary is now living in Eddie’s house. She is going to take charge of the Women’s School.  Her old house is to be torn down and a new small one built for her using the materials from the old house.

We have finally got the tarabai working on tile making, and they are turning out about a hundred a day. This may be doubled after a while as we have had two more molds made. It’s a question of getting enough men. Today we had the roof of our cookhouse removed. The timbers under the tiles were in very bad shape, and they are being replaced by new-sawn timbers. We are also having some more single room medical houses built in the native quarters. The new ones will have tile roofs, and we hope eventually to have all the medical buildings so covered. But that will take a long time. Pray with us for this. 

They have been having some especially good meetings in the Kakwa tarabai lately, and recently our old Yoto got up in one of the meetings and said he wanted to take the Lord as his Savior, that all these years he had been hearing the Gospel but had never really given his heart to the Lord. They say it made a great impression and that many people were in tears. I’m sure you will be happy to hear about it.

Another bit of good news is that we have recently had word that the X-Ray apparatus that we ordered will be shipped early in June. It will be a great day when that arrives, and I’m sure it will prove a big help in the work. We are still waiting for word concerning a car, but the latest we heard was that Mr. Schuit had said the dealers are all playing Black Market tricks with new cars, selling only to those who have old cars to turn in, and paying three or four hundred dollars less for the old cars than they are really worth. And so thus far we are still without a decent car, but we keep hoping that we will have better news one of these days. 

I recently had a bit of vacation – a week in bed with a streptococcus infection of the arm. I had removed a small wart with the electric cautery some time before and then neglected the wound, which became infected. And so I had a chance to try out the Sulfa drugs, and found they worked me almost worse than the disease. But they cleared up the infection at last and now my vacation is over. What with that week out and all the visitors we have been having lately the surgical cases have been piling up on us again. We got three of them done today and will tackle some more tomorrow. 

Jim LaFourneau is at Aba just now, on vacation. He has been running a freight boat on the Aruwimi river for the SHUN. He has been thinking of going to South Africa for his vacation, but I imagine he will spend some time around here anyway.

When Eddie was in East Africa to get his car he met a relative of Evart Kleinhans (2), who said that Evart was soon going to America to Bible School, probably Biola.

Guess this is as good a place as any to stop. Good Night. And a very very happy Vacation!

With love mingi,

Daddy

FOOTNOTES:
1.  This is a distance of 1,155 miles, a formidable trip even now. Google calculates it as 29 hours driving on today's roads.
2.  This is Evert Kleynhans, who eventually married my aunt Edith. 

Aba, Belgian Congo - April 24, 1946

In which Ralph and Coralee describe the many comings and goings of missionaries traveling through Aba. 

Dear Darlings,
Your letters have been very precious and I do thank you for being so faithful in writing. They have comforted my weary heart and encouraged me. These have been days too full for words. Daddy was away at the F.C. for a whole week and life was too hectic for words.

Misses Wightman and Utting left for furlough this last week. Daddy is telling of the other comings and goings. Marube and all the boys have been so helpful. I don't know what I would have done if they hadn't! This is the last week of womens school and Boys school. Miss Gingrich was pleased to see how well the boys had come on. I am so glad about that. Aunt Rose Mary will be coming back home soon  now when the Kerstettles come back which may be any day.

We're beginning to get the Stam house ready in case Langfords come ere long. It's a real "matongo" over there with lots of jamba.

Now about clothes - thank  you for telling me in detail about your things. Do get new shoes when you need them and other things. I want you to have things that you need. You can always get up to $50 by writing to the Mission office. We've told them to send money when you request it. I think it is very wonderful how the Lord has cared for your needs and I am so thankful and pleased at all your cooperation. The idea of keeping an account is helpful and I am glad you are doing it. You know I'm so proud of you both sometimes I tell the Lord it's too wonderful. All the hard things seem easy when I remember how wonderfully God has cared for you both who are the dearest on earth to us. We are much in prayer for your future.  The DuBoses will never fully know how much we appreciate all their loving help.  Never will we forget it. It was so nice of them to give you new dresses. They do too much. I wonder what we can do for them. Have you any ideas?

The Epps and Mr. Bill have left for furlough. Pauls hope to go very soon and Brashlers before very long. Harters are assigned to go to Blukwa to have charge of the station when they return.

We have been having lots of rain.  It looks like spring now and it is so nice.

My time has gone and so I'll close here. My dear girls I hope you receive some letters soon. Yours have been reaching us quickly. This mail we had yours of March 31 and the written regular mail.  All you tell us of your good times help us to picture you and your life there. Your report cards were perfectly lovely. Congratulations to you both.

Now dear dear girlies goodbye and much much love to you both,
Mother

Dearest Edith and Esther,
Just as I got this far we heard a car coming and thought it was the Imhoffs coming from Bafuka on their way home to Putu, but it turned out to be only a Kurukwata truck. We expect the Imhoffs will arrive some time this afternoon however for they are planning to catch the boat at Rhinocamp next Sunday. Then on May 1st we expect to see the Dix family and the Landriths, as they too are leaving for furlough.  But they will be going via the Nile. Miss Wightman and Miss Utting left via the Nile last week. But while we're glad to see folks being able to go home for much needed furloughs, we are also glad to see others returning. And now that the Nile route is being used by so many we are getting to see quite a few of those who are returning to the field.

You have probably already received word of the fact that Eddie and Nellie have arrived, and that they are already hard at work at Blukwa in the Evangelist School I saw them at Rethi last week at the meeting of the field Council. The next ones to arrive after the Schuits were the Hubers. They are stationed at present at Dungu, while awaiting the decision of the Mission as whether or not F.E.A. field is to be kept up by the A.I.M or to be turned over to the Mid Africa Mission in F.E.A. Then last week Miss Gingrich arrived, and she is already on her own in her house. And last Sunday morning at 2AM, the Cook family and Miss Ruth Meredith arrived from Juba, having flown down from Cairo.  We had not expected them for two or three weeks. Miss Lois (Basha) Uhlinger was also in their party but was left behind at Khartoum. Mr. and Mrs. Uhlinger had received a telegram from her and had arrived at Aba on Saturday, just a couple of hours after I came back from Rethi. Then Sunday morning they went to Juba and got Lois, who arrived there by air while they were there, and they returned to Aba Sunday evening. Miss Short had come to Aba with me for a little medical attention, and Mr. Huber also, and so we had a big crowd here over the weekend and - the Cooks, the Uhlingers, Miss Short, Miss Meredith, and Mr. Huber.  Huber will take the Imhoffs to Aru tomorrow and come back the next day, and the following day probably leave for Dungu. Miss Short will be here until next week, and then the Dixes and Landriths will be here. This week end I expect to go to Todro. The Kerstetters are now in Egypt, and we will not be surprised to see them arrive by air any day. And so you see we are having plenty of excitement; and all this, while pleasant, doesn't help us get our work done.

Last week also our freight finally arrived at Aba, and yesterday I got them out of the Customs. The boxes are still on our veranda, unopened, as we have not had time to open them, with all these people here. However there are not many things really exciting in them. We are still waiting for some drugs and surgical supplies that we ordered after arriving here. And yesterday I cabled final instructions about the X-Ray. I suppose we will have to wait another six months or more for that. The thing we were needing most is the car. The car strikes have held that up and so far we have had no news whatever from Mr. Schuit. In the meanwhile we are still running around in the little Chev Roadster, but at least it has brakes that work now, after having driving it 2000 miles without any brakes at all. Being an open car it is not much good for long trips in the rainy season, but I guess we are fortunate to have a car that runs at all these days.

Mose Mude has just returned from a bush conference at Bagali where Enoka Wulinga is the teacher. You may remember him as our bedroom boy of years ago. Mose was full of good news about the time they had at the conference, and said that six people had made profession of faith and about twenty Christians had come back into fellowship with the Lord. The Kapita of the village had attended the meetings with twenty of his men. Soseten Diriba and Yosefa Dropa, former medical boys who are now outschool teachers near Bagali also attended the conference.

Thanks for all your good letters. It certainly is great to get them and we are very sorry that we have not written for so long a time. We are very happy that you are enjoying your time at DuBose so well, and that you are profiting so much by it. Congratulations to both of you on your excellent grades. The reports arrived last mail. We're proud of you and glad for you!  We are eagerly looking forward to the next "Esse", and hope it will have lots of good pictures in it. The two photos you send were good, and brought back memories of the day we were there. Hope you'll be able to send more soon.  But don't send any films for our camera, I think we will be able to get some before very long from Leopoldville.  Many thanks just the same.

The Lord bless you,
Love,
Daddy

FOOTNOTES
Landriths - probably Loren and Henrietta Landrith, missionaries with the Africa Inland Mission.

General Motors strike - from November 21, 1945 to March 13, 1946, the UAW organized a strike against General Motors, who produced both Dodge and Chevrolet cars.
F.E.A. - French East Africa, I believe.
Mid-Africa Mission - More info here.

Aba, Belgian Congo - March 26, 1946

In which Coralee writes about a "hot, hard day", and Ralph sends oodles of love and a flower to his girls.


Dear, dear girls,
Your letters have been so good and they have come through very quickly.  Yours of March 4th reached us March 18. That is lovely! It makes the absence seem less.

This has been a long hot, hard day. Eddie and Nellie and Uncle John left us this morning. Eddie and Nellie are to be in the Evangelist school at Blukwa. We are so sorry they will not be here, but the need is very great there and so they are happy to fill in. We hope and pray that they may soon come back to us here. The Epps hope to go for furlo as soon as possible and the Brashlers too. 

Uncle John came and spent the weekend here.  He always brings a blessing. He is just the same.  Miss Wightman came in with Uncle John and also Aunt Rose Mary. Miss Wightman and Miss Utting plan to leave for England April 21. Aunt Rose Mary is to be at Todro with Miss Settles until someone comes out to help in the work there. Just now she too is here because her boxes came and she wanted some things out of them.

A cable has come saying Miss Gingrich is coming by clipper on March 21. So we hope to be able to welcome her soon. Cooks, Basha, Uhlinger and several single ladies hope to sail the end of March.  The need is very great.  So we hope many will soon come.

We are in the midst of reroofing the white hospital. It is a tremendous job not only in size but because of the high eaves.  The roof leaked so badly we couldn't have used the building in the rains. We are disappointed that no tiles were made for it while we were at home.

Ralph's gara lily

We have had several good rains and it is lovely and green, real spring-like.  The red lilies are simply gorgeous. Eddie took a lot of colored pictures.  That reminds me that Father Schuit wrote that the colored pictures Eddie took of us as a family were very nice. It may be you will have received yours. I hope so. Thank you for the snaps you enclosed. They were very interesting. Hope the next ones will be better and give us a clearer idea of what our daughters look like. Someday I hope you can have a better camera. So glad you persevered in fixing the film Edith.

I have written on this paper because Daddy drew this "red" lily from some on the desk here.  He didn't want me to send it but I know you'll like it. He says he can do better and I hope he will be good and do it.

We are enclosing a check for $50.00 for you both. We would like for you to use as much of it as you need for some new evening gowns or if there's something else you need or want more that is okay with us as long as it is for you both.

My suggestion would be white evening dresses that you might use in Wheaton if the way should be open for you to go there. As I remember many of the girls wore white there. But you feel free to choose as you prefer. This is for your birthdays. We thought to send it now so you could have it for all the special events before Commencement.

Get the pajamas and other things you need and send the bill to the mission. We love the way you girls so carefully think of the cost of things. That is lovely but it makes us long all the more that every need be met for you deserve the very best, and we mean for you to have it as much as is possible. 
Some day when you go shopping would you look for a couple of patterns for me. Something neat and tailored. Something you think would do for me. Thanks a lot.  Also a nightie pattern. Now I'd better close here and see to other things.
With a heart full of love,
Mother


Dearest girls,
Your old Dad is very tired tonight as we have been getting to bed late with the company here, and up very early for the meetings.  But I must at least say hello, and many thanks for your fine and cheery letters. We are happy that you are happy and we trust the Lord will continue to bless you as He has been doing.

We are still waiting for news about a car to be sent to us.  We have heard that the Dodge strike is over and so maybe a car will soon be sent us. But we have written to Mr. Schuit saying we would prefer a Chevrolet as they are cheaper to run, and gas is a real item out here. But Chevrolet is still on strike and so he may have already bought a Dodge.

The rainy season is very near and we are glad! 
Oodles of love,
Dad


FOOTNOTES

Aba, Belgian Congo - March 20, 1946

In which Eddie Schuit writes to Edie and Esther about Aba.


Africa Inland Mission
Aba
March 20, 1946


Dear Edith & Esther,
Greetings from Home!  We wish you could be here, these spring days when rainy season isn't far away and when the hot dry days are about gone. The red lilies are all out today and the clear skies make the hills so clear out Todro way.  There's still the gara winds to keep one form perspiring too much, and its one of the nicest times of the year at Aba.


Now I know you can just about picture your house - your Mother walking down the path in her white dress to talk to men fixing soli for the hospital roof, and we found your Dad tapping his finger on a black man's chest down in the ward of the hospital which is so typical of our Africa Doctor - so the machinery at Aba and Hospital Hill moves along.


The ol' homestead is exactly like it used to be, except for the two big mango trees which used to stand in front of the house. Nothing has changed outside of that.


We have been living in the annex for several weeks now, (eating with your Mother and Dad) and it's been grand to awaken in the morning fresh and cool, listen to the hymns being sung on the dispensary porch, and realize that men and women are hearing the life-giving story of Jesus and His death on Calvary.


There have been a number of remarkable conversions lately, and one can see the Lord working in various ways. There's no doubt at all that His hand is upon this place and His presence dwells here.
There's a real need still for more helpers in the harvest field - "the laborers are few" and that's never been more true than present. So it's our duty to do what the rest of the verse says, "Pray ye therefore..."


Your letters have been good to read, and we praise the Lord for caring for you in such a wonderful way. May He continue to guide you in your future days. We'll be praying for you about all this.


I just went down to Kenya to get the little Chev - that we rode about Hawthorne in, and now it is here at Aba. I wish that I could have bought your Daddy's car out too, for he needs a better car than he's got. You'd have lots of fun in the roadster though, and the rumble seat is nice and comfortable - except when it rains!!!


Akubu, Yoane Kusala, Mose Muda, Timeteo Tiriaba, Ysefa Drupa, Kibi, etc. are still on the job and are the old faithfuls abou the work - pray for them.


Will close now. We think of you and speak of you often.


Love, in Him,
Eddie


I John 3:1-3


FOOTNOTES
I believe this letter is from Eddie Schuit, a very close friend of the family. Click here for his obituary.

ABFMS Missionary Pamphlet, November 1928

I do not know if my grandparents would have known the Reverend and Mrs. Brown.  Their travel up-river from Matadi to Kinshasa seems to have occurred four years after Ralph and Coralee made their way on the same path. Missions were separated into geographical regions at least in the beginning. It's not clear to me exactly where Ntondo and Gombe are, but I'm hoping my Baptist friends will enlighten me.  

First Impressions of Belgian Congo, 

By Reverend and Mrs. Harry D. Brown

American Baptist Foreign Mission Society, November 1928

Purchased on Etsy, August 2016.  

First Impressions of Belgian Congo, cover page

First Impressions of Belgian Congo, pages 2 and 3

First Impressions of Belgian Congo, pages 4 and 5

First Impressions of Belgian Congo, pages 6 and 7

First Impressions of Belgian Congo, pages 8 and 9

First Impressions of Belgian Congo, pages 10 and 11

First Impressions of Belgian Congo, final page

At home, Aba, Belgian Congo - March 7, 1946

In which Coralee writes of local news and a trip to Faradje and the coffee plantation and sugar factory at Kurukwata. 

Dearest girls,

It was so nice to received your letters telling about your Christmas. Every detail was interesting. We are so glad that you had such a happy time. Our thoughts and prayers were especially with you at that time. Be assured that even tho every day is very busy, you are always remembered in prayer and our love ever remains the same.

Yesterday we were especially wishing that you had been along with us. We and Mary and Eddie and Nellie, left here about 10 o'clock. Daddy and I were in the rumble seat all the way to Faradje.[1] It was real nice back there. Eddie wanted to get a permit to import his guns. Then we went on to Baki where Yoiafa and Araba live.  We had a nice visit with them.  They have a new baby girl about 6 months old. Taniara and Affia and Turupina have grown a lot. They are a lovely family.

Yoiafa brought a table and we had our picnic lunch under the mango trees like before. Only this time we had a birthday cake for Eddie.

You'll be surprised to know that your old wagon looks much like it used to look. Araba uses it to go to her garden.

On our way back we stopped at the Faradje outschool and at three other schools on the way back to Kurukwata. It was so nice but very hot. We were very thirsty and dirty when we reached there about 5 o'clock. After tea we went with Mr. Schlippe to see the plantation and sugar factory [2]. It was all very interesting. The elephants were very interesting to Nellie.

1946 Belgian Congo bank note featuring
elephants working in a plantation. 

Mr. Pere of the Shipu Coffee farm[3] has announced his engagement to the daughter of our official at Faradje. This is a family of five girls. They are close friends of the Schlippes and their oldest girl and Marissa are very good friends.

Yesterday Eddie received a telegram saying his car and trailer has arrived at Mombasa and eight of their boxes. He plans to go down to Juba on a truck tomorrow and fly to Nairobi. Nellie is going to stay with us.  She is studying Bangala. We hope to have some good times even while Eddie is away. It'll be lots of fun to have a little pal like when you girls were here.

The teachers have given Eddie such a warm welcome back. How we wish they might remain here while the need is so great and there is such a fine opportunity.

The Logo pastor Timiteo has just returned from the Kaliko conference. They had 1005 people on Sunday. We would have liked so much to have gone but it wasn't possible.

Catherine is working here in the hospital now. Her husband has treated her so awful she doesn't want to return to him.

Did I tell you that each week I go to Aba Poste to the chapel for Sunday School?  Last Sunday we had 151 children.  I teach the lesson each Friday to the volunteer teachers; Christian women here on the Station who go down with me in the car and also the O.S. teacher and their wives.  It is very interesting. Every week I wish you were there to play[4].  I'm thinking of learning to play in my old age. Just hymns would be enough. Pray for these children.

Daddy took Aunt Rose Mary to Todro today. The car didn't play up for a wonder and he missed the heavy rain we had today. The Bakua rain. Picture Nellie eating our first white ants in a few days.

Mary is working hard to learn French. She hopes to go to the Gilles plantation with the Littlejohns in April so they can get a lot of practice.

Mrs. Schlippe has an orange bougainvillea and she is going to give me a slip. I wonder if it is not the kind you saw over there. The one on the Appendix has grown real big. Mary has a pretty red one. Nearly all my roses have died. All the bushes by the bedroom window. I'll have to start in new, I guess. Time is a such a premium I don't have much to spare. The ice plant I brought from Florida is growing nicely.

[Personal notes.]

Now dear darlings I love you across the miles and send to you a heart full of love and prayers.

Your Mother

FOOTNOTES
1.  About 65 kilometers.
2.
3. An interesting article about Starbucks Congo coffee. I cannot find any reference to the Shipu coffee farm - no doubt it has changed hands many times since 1946.
4. Mom and Edie played the organ.
5. I'm not sure I transcribed this word "Bakua" correctly. Hopefully Mom will give me some pointers.
6.  "White ants" are termites, which typically swarm after the first good rains of the season.  We caught and ate them at Kimpese too.  See here for a post about our experiences with these delicious little creatures.

Aba, Belgian Congo - January 28, 1946

In which Coralee writes of the heat, various visitors, and the slow delivery of mail. 

Dear girls,
Your letters have been so lovely. Thank you for each and every one. The details you both have written help us to know more of your life there. We are so thankful that you both are happy there. I'm glad you have good food and such a lot of happy events together with such a good spiritual environment.  All this we know is a very definite answer to prayer and it is precious to us.

These have been very busy days and those just ahead will probably be even more busy. We will need your special prayer help. The Brills expect to go to Aungba tomorrow. The boy's school and women's school open this next Friday. Then seeing to the press and bookroom as well as the Station workmen and all the church and outschools it will simply be stiff going unless the natives really help.

It has been so nice to have the Hubers back. Maratha is a big girl of 13 years in 1st year high. I feel real homesick for you when I look at her. Vivian is a pretty little girl of 9 and her brother Lester nearly 7 years. They are nice children.

A Miss Shade of the U. F. M. [1] travelled with them. Mr. McMillan [2] and Miss Walker of the U. F. M. arrived at 1:30AM on Friday or I should say Saturday morning to meet her. These folks were here the weekend also. The Hubers are staying in the Stam house as we had a couple of Greek families here in the hospital. The U. F. M. ladies were in your room. We are putting new mud ceilings in the Appendix as the old ceiling fell down.

We have had a shower of rain, the first since we came to Aba. [3]

Pray especially for the S. S. [4] that has been organized in the Poste. It was begun the week before we came. I have been down each week with Mrs. Bill and several of the Christian women.  Yesterday I had charge alone. There were 134 children. We believe there is a wonderful opportunity there. Eleya Akulu takes us but I'm hoping soon I'll be able to drive down after I've a few more lessons. [5]

Last night we had the white service in the evening in our front yard. Mr. Huber spoke. It was a lovely service. Often we sit out in the yard evenings now since it is so hot. Often you are in our thoughts and conversations.

[Personal notes.] I can hardly wait to receive your next letter. It will tell us of your Christmas. Yours of last week was written on December 23rd and we received it January 21st. That's a shorter time than before. I really don't know why it should take that long when there is air service all the way.

Must close here with a heart full of love to you both with hugs and kisses too.
OOOO
XXXX

Mother

FOOTNOTES
1.  Uganda Foreign Mission?
2.  Hector McMillan
3.  The Kleinschmidts returned to Aba from furlough on December 7, 1945.
3.  Sunday School.
4.  Coralee learned to drive quite late in her life.

Aba, Belgian Congo - January 27, 1946

A brief note from Coralee to the girls

Dear Girls,
Just a note to come along with the Bangala Conference items. I thot you'd be interested in it.

One hundred Aba natives and also Daddy, Miss White and Miss Lutz went from here. They had a lovely conference. The other whites at the conference were Mr. Brand, Mr. Litchman, Evelyn, Brashlers, Mr. Paul, Mr. Miller, Mr. Harris, Dr. Williams, Mr. Brill, Seuffs, Littlejohns, Misses Sutter, Short, and Wrightman.

Mr. Bill and Mr. Seuff shot five buffaloes. It has been very hot and dry.

Aunt Rose Mary arrived by plane last Monday January 14th. It is so nice to have her back. We expect the Hubers on the 25th. We didn't even know they had sailed until last Monday.

Your letters have been so nice. In last mail we had the Thanksgiving program and menu, and also your air mail written just before Christmas. They mean so much to us. I stop here and hope to get an air mail ready to come in just a day or two.

With much love,
Mother

Aba, Belgian Congo - January 27, 1946

In which Ralph discusses the Bangala Conference, a Logo proverb, and the cost of flying to Aba.  

Dearest girls,

I'm starting out with small writing as if I expect to write a long letter, yet I don't know if I can fill all this paper this time or note.

We are now in the very hot part of the dry season and during the day are unable to find a cool spot anywhere. Maybe that cave on the back of the big hill would be a good place. But fortunately it cools off quite a bit in the evenings. We have not gone swimming yet. Guess we'll have to wait until Eddie & Nellie arrive before going. It doesn't seem so inviting when there's not a crowd.

Since writing you last time I have been to the Bangala conference at Aja. They limited the native attendance to about a thousand otherwise there would have been far too many to accommodate. And only those missionaries who were on the program or who helped look after the meals were supposed to go.  It was a very fine conference, the general theme being "Kulika" or triumphant Christian living. Each morning a native and then a missionary would speak on the same topic for that day, and it was interesting to see how the different aspects of the same subject were brought out in that way.

This morning the Pastor, Timoteo Tiriable used an interesting native proverb to illustrate a point in his talk. He said the Logos have a proverb which says:  "If you want to buy a wife, don't look for one at a dance", the idea being that at a dance a girl would be all dressed up with a lot of lipombo and have a new hair-do, etc., trying to look her best to make an impression.  But when you married her and took her to your house you might find she was a lazy wife, and not at all what she appeared to be.

Miss Hayes has finally arrived. She became quite ill on the Congo steamer and had to stay in the Government hospital at Stanleyville for a couple of weeks. She wired us asking me to come get her, but I was then at the conference and our car was not in good order. Besides to go there for just one person would cost much more than for her to come in a plane.  And so Mother wired her to come by air, which she did. It took about 3/4 hour to get to Buta, the only stop on the way, and then only 3 hours from there to Aba. So she left Stanleyville about 9 AM and arrived here at 1PM. Quite a contrast to our trip on the Courier!  Did we tell you that there is now a landing field at Aba, just beyond the SHUN farm?  Every Monday a plane arrives here from Costermansville and it leaves about 8AM on Tuesday for Stanleyville.  Then every Friday a plane comes here from Stanleyville and goes to Costermansville (at the southern end of Lake Kivu) on Saturday. It costs 3000 francs to go to Stanleyville from Aba. The planes are converted British light bombers holding about 8 passengers. They have two motors and are very pretty and very fast.

Mother will write you about the arrival yesterday of the Hurber family. And now we are eagerly looking forward to the arrival of the Peter Stams III, and of Eddie and Nellie.

A plane full of love,
Daddy

Aba, Belgian Congo - January 8, 1946

This letter is just a fragment, from Coralee to the girls. We are missing any pages beyond the first...  

Dear girls,

I'll send some Bangala letters along and also one I received from Frieda.

Daddy, Mary and Miss Lutz left this morning with Mr. Brandt for the Bangala Conference. So tonight I am all alone on the hill. Even the strong gara[1] wind died down this evening and it seems so still and sultry.  Maybe it will rain.

Orange bougainvillea
watercolor by Sydney Parkinson, 
1768, in Brazil while traveling with
Captain Cook on the Endeavor. 

Some odd details you'll be interested in.  The dead branch is still hanging in the eucalyptus tree, the one Eddie and Daddy tried to get down.  Nearly all my rose bushes have died. I brought cuttings from Rethi and I think one or two will grow.  Oh, yes, the first night after we left Orlando we stayed in a tourist home where the lady had a lot of cactus. She gave me slips of several... I passed them on to Mother Schuit. But one called an ice plant I brought. It suffered much enroute but it is growing. It makes me think of you and Florida. I was so interested in what you wrote about the orange bougainvillea. Wish I had one. I'd especially like a white one. The gold shower is simply beautiful these hot days.  There is a bouquet here on the desk...















FOOTNOTE
1.  The gara wind is a strong north wind from the desert, very hot and dry.  Mom also remembers the east wind, which is the one that brought the locusts. She remembers seeing a great dark cloud of them coming relentlessly towards Aba.

Aba, Belgian Congo - January 3, 1946

In which Ralph talks about burning grass, a new car, and air service to  Aba!  

Aba
Belgian Congo
January 3, 1946

Dearest darling daughters,
We have been thinking a lot about you during these Christmas-New Year days.  We remembered that Christmas is a really big day at DuBose and have no doubt you had a very good time.  To you a Christmas without ice and snow does not seem so strange as it does to a lot of others. We hope to hear all about it soon.  Except for the early morning Christmas Carols and the presence of a lot of natives from the outschools, our Christmas this time was pretty much like any other day. You may be sure we missed you mingi pinza[1] and that made it hard to even think about Christmas.

We are happy to have received a couple of letters from you since our arrival here, but there have been almost none other from America except one from Eddie[2]. No second class mail at all has reached us so far, but I guess that's just as well for we haven't had time to do much reading anyway. We are just about floored by the prospect of having to look after almost the whole of the station besides our own department until someone comes to take over. We wish it were going to be Eddie and Nellie, but they have been assigned to Blukwa, for the present at least.

We were thinking of you a lot the other night too when the grass was burned on the station. One part, the north end, was done Saturday night and our end Monday night. All the whites came up our hill to watch, including Mr. and Mrs. Littlejohns and Miss Short who were passing through on their way to Adja where the Bangala Conference is to be held. They were going early to help do some hunting so that there will be meat for the crowd.  All went well on our hill until after we had nearly gone to bed and the natives had all left. Then some wind blew up and started the fire again which came up the back of our hill and nearly reached the big stacks of soli that had been cut for roofing. A lot of natives came back when they saw the fire and some of them stayed around until the night sinziri arrived to keep an eye on things throughout the night. However while he was looking at things around the hospital about 2:00 AM fire started up again and this time it reached and burned up the boys "little house" at the back of our hill.

You ought to see our swell "car", the nearest thing we'll ever have to a Jeep, I hope. It's a 1936 or 1937 Chevrolet Roadster with Rumble Seat (or is it Grumble Seat?). It runs fine but just at present it doesn't stop so well for something went wrong with the hydraulic brake system. Francis Sense, Jim LaFoureau's nephew, who now works at the SHUN at Aba came up to help fix it, but it still needs a small rubber part which seems to be hard to get. And so now the car is just part of the scenery, standing under the orange tree at the side of our house. It has 4 good tires and a good motor, but that is about all the good that can be said about it - except of course the Rumble Seat. It's not so hard to climb into that seat, but to get out is hard on a fat man, take it from me! It's a good thing we are having dry season now, because when it rains you have to put up curtains on the doors and they don't look very rain-proof to me. If we ever get the thing running again, or rather, stopping, I'm going to try riding with the top down just for fun. I wish I could send it to you when we have finished with it; you'd get lots of thrills out of it I'm sure.

One exciting bit of news to us, though it will be old to you when this reaches you, is that Eddie and Nellie are due to sail January 10th.  That's just about three months later than our sailing date. No doubt they are all excited now with only a week more left for "Sassparillas". And Aunt Rose Mary [3] must be very close to us now as she was due to arrive at Stanleyville 4 days ago.

But then there's one other bit of news that I'm sure will interest you. Aba is now an airport!  A new Airline has been started, running from Aba to Stanleyville and Costermansville [4]. A plane comes to Aba twice a week, arriving in the afternoon and leaving about six the next morning. They carry air mail, and one passenger.  The present planes are converted British light bombers we have heard, two-engined Blenheims. It is said that before long they will add two new American planes. Regular service was started last week. The planes fly over the Faradje road on their way to Aba, and so pass close to our house flying low as they near us.  That field is a little beyond the SHUN Coffee plantation somewhere on the ridge south of the swimming pool. We have not been to see it as yet as we have not had our car very long and haven't had the time anyways. Neither have we been swimming or fishing as yet, although they say there are a good many "big" fish in the pond now. How about you, do you ever go fishing?  That's where I'd spend my study hours if I were you.

And that reminds me, we are proud of your grades that you told us about, and hope you will have the fun of keeping them up like that. You won't do it by going fishing, but don't let the ambition for high grades keep you from having the fun and recreation you need. We're glad to hear about your "Orchestra". Keep it up! It will do you no end of good. I hope you both will be able to have regular lessons in music somehow and that you will keep up up the good work you have so well begun. You would be interested in hearing the natives sing at Aba these days. Elekana Yoga went to Rethi last year for the Fourth Year Course that was given by Miss Wambold, and he brought back an enthusiasm for song leading and has taught the natives here a great deal about keeping together and keeping time. There are also about seven of the school teachers who have been taught to sing in harmony, four parts; and they give special numbers at the services once in awhile and do it very well. One of them is Adolph, who himself is developing into quite a song leader on the platform! I'm sure Bumps and her mother would be amused to see him. There is a finer spirit among the Christians here than we have ever seen before. The Communion service the day after Christmas was a real inspiration to all of us. The new church building was about three-fourths filled by the Christians who took part in the Communion. That morning 18 were baptised in the baptismal pool in the new church.

Lovingly,
Your Dad

FOOTNOTES
1.  Mingi pinza =
2.  Eddie Schuit.
3.  Mary White?
4.  Costermansville is now known as Bukavu.

Aba, Belgian Congo - February 4, 1946

In which Ralph and Coralee write to their supporters about the state of the mission field after being on furlough for 14 months.

Dear Friends,
We praise the Lord for a good and restful journey back to the field. All along the way the Lord wonderfully undertook. We thank you for your prayers. The ocean trip was the calmest we have ever had. Our ship accommodations were poor, but we had very good fellowship on board as there were more than a hundred missionaries going to all parts of Africa and the Middle East. In Egypt we had a delay of two weeks while trying to make arrangements to go on to the interior. The journey inland across the desert by train and then on the Nile steamers was tedious as there were a lot of changes. But we rested truly as we journeyed for the Lord's presence and help were very real to us daily.

We arrived at Aba December 7th.  Miss White our nurse had the lights on in our living room, and she and the natives gave us a very warm welcome. We had left our house furnished and she had used it as a guest house while we were away. She has kept it just as we left it. When we awakened next morning in our own beds amid familiar surroundings it seemed so natural that it was like a dream that we had gone to America. Miss White and the native nurses have done a fine job in the hospital. It has been precious to see how the Lord has blessed during this year away. We can see that many of the natives have grown spiritually.

The Christmas season is always a busy time when all the Christians from the district gather here for special meetings. It was a blessed time spiritually, and a joy to greet many old friends. There were more than fifteen hundred gathered at the service on Sunday and again on Christmas day. Eighteen were baptized.

We have been asked to take charge of the station and district work here temporarily, along with the medical work, until more workers are available. This seems to us a tremendous task. However the natives have learned to assume more responsibility during the shortage of workers, and they will be able to carry on some of the departments without a great deal of supervision. Miss Lutz has charge of the Girls' Home, and a native is in charge of the Boys' Schools of 400. Besides there is the Women's School; the Book Room and Printing Press which serve our whole field and neighboring Missions; the Carpenter Shop and the general workmen, and care of the station, the care of the Native Church, and the 70 Rural Chapels and Schools manned by native evangelists; and, with the able help of Miss White, the Dispensary and Hospital. Then, when able we are to visit seven other stations to supervise their dispensaries. These are scattered in three directions at distances up to 50, 160, and 500 miles.

The task is far beyond us, and we are at the end of ourselves before we begin. And so we begin with Him. Pray that during the shortage of workers nothing will hinder His blessing here in the work. The opportunity is very great, but the time may be short. Pray for the salvation of souls, for the strengthening of believers, and for the much needed missionaries and native leaders. A recent War Bond poster entitled "He's in it up to his neck. Are you in it with him?" reminds us of our present position. The soldier is up to his chin in water, his hands holding his rifle up over his head. Our hands are up in prayer for the the Lord's help. Won't you "come in with us" by sustaining prayer that His strength may be ours in the task that lies ahead?  We are thankful for you who pray and who have done so much for us during our furlough. You have refreshed us in the bonds of Christ Jesus.

Letters from our girls, Edith and Esther, assure us that they are well and happy in their life at Hampden DuBose Academy at Zellwood, Florida.

With Christian love and greetings,
Ralph and Coralee

Aba, Belgian Congo - December 18, 1945

In which Coralee shares many details of people and plants she has seen upon their return to Aba and visit to Rethy.

Aba, Belgian Congo, December 18, 1945

Dear girls,
We have been so glad for your letters that we found here. They were so interesting and it was lovely to have some details from you after so many weeks. These letters were dated in October and told of your interesting Halloween party. Yesterday we received your letter of October 18 (which you sent to the Mission office and it was forwarded to us here).

Through these weeks we have tried to picture you daily in your lives and we have been praying for you and loving you daily.  We are so happy that you enjoy your home there and the school. It was good to hear that the Glee Club has been organized.  Tell us about your music.  The details you have tucked in your letters are very interesting and help us visualize you there.

I hope you have received letters from us. We wrote in Cairo and twice while traveling up the Nile. The Lord gave us such a restful trip except the time in Cairo. Those were busy days for Daddy.

It has been lovely to finally reach home and receive the warm welcome that awaited us here. Mary and Ombasa [1] had kept the house exactly as we left it. It did seem that you girls would be somewhere about and that Purr and Blackie would come in. Mary has Cook's cat and it is exactly like Purr in the markings but bigger as it's a tomcat.  It spends a lot of time here and is a nice cat. Eddie's cat is over at Stam's house. Now that we are having our meals here, I will try and care for him until Eddie comes. He is very fluffy and still has lots of character. I'll tell you more about him when he joins our family circle.

Your room is arranged just as it was. Now I've even hung up the horse pictures [2]. The music Daddy printed on the wall is still there but it is a little smeary from the pencil [3]. I'm not going to try and erase it and keep it just as it is. The curtains are the same all through the house. We thought maybe the house would look shenzi[4] to us but it doesn't at all.  It's just home sweet home and compares pretty well with other places.

The rose bushes have nearly all died. Only one of the Jack Litchman[5] bushes by your door is alive and one old white one. The big yellow one on the trellis is dead. Many of the other rose bushes are dead, both here and at Grimshaw's and over at the hospital.

Gara lilies at Aba Station.  Date uncertain, probably in the 1950's.

The yard is clean and tidy with one or two gara [6] lilies in bloom. It was still quite green when we arrived but there hasn't been any rain since and so it's getting dried out.

Mary's cactus has grown huge [7].  You can see where you wrote your names. It has added about four new parts above the ones you wrote on. Mary has lots of pretty petunias. There was one yellow lily in bloom to greet us and two of the bell-shaped white ones. The ferns and flowers on the veranda are lovely just as they used to be. When I look at all these familiar things it hardly seems true we've been away fourteen months.  The bougainvillea on our house is full of flowers. Also the one at Grimshaw's. It has grown very big and looks very pretty.  The whole station looks nice, all the roads are in good order and the palms lining the main road are trimmed. The road has been widened going down to Aba and it is very nice. The white cemetery looks better than I have seen it in years. All the grass is cut down so you can see the graves plainly.

Over at Stam's the place looks more deserted than it does at Eddie's. His man has kept his place lovely. I was amazed at how much his cactus has grown and the other plants in his rose garden. The gardenia bush has nearly doubled its size.

Brills are staying in Cook's house.  Their freight hasn't come yet so they are using various bits of furniture and the dishes and pots and pans from the Appendix [8]. The F.C. has assigned them to Aungba. We are sorry about this and wish they would at least stay here until the Langfords or someone can come. I don't know how we'll ever manage seeing to everything but the girls [9]. We will need your special prayers.  Aunt Rose Mary is assigned to Todro so that Station won't have to be closed when Miss Wightman [10] goes for furlough. Miss Settles is there with her.

Steadily natives are coming to greet us. It has been a real pleasure to see them again. All the teachers are coming now for Christmas and will be arriving on Friday of this week. You'll be sorry to know that [illegible] has left his [illegible] and taken a second wife. We were surely sorry to learn this.

Mon Godin wrote asking if he can come for Christmas. He will come on Saturday and stay over Christmas. He is now stationed at Gariga not far from Bunia. It is where Zekaya Bage has opened a new school.[11]

Daddy mentioned that we went to Rethi for the F.C. meeting on Monday after we arrived late Friday. As we traveled down the familiar road it seemed just like we'd find you there at Rethi even though I kept reminding my heart to not expect any such thing. We got there about 8:30AM and stayed at the new rest house just between Millers houses. It has three rooms and is very neat and nice.  We had meals at Stauffachers. It seemed so strange not to find the Millers, Longmans, Trouts, Camps and Miss Clapper there. It really seemed like someone had died.

It was great to see Uncle John and Auntie Mabel [12] again. They all gave us a warm welcome.  The dormitory is so different as there are only about 20 children. Not even all the rooms in the old dormitory are filled.  The program was in the girls dorm. It was very nice but not so elaborate as those of former days when you were there and not so interesting as when you took part. After the program refreshments were served in the dining room and then there was a testimony meeting in the old dorm. The three new ladies that came out with us gave their testimony and then the returned missionaries. Mr. Brill spoke and then it was my turn. Daddy wasn't there as he had a medical committee meeting.  I spoke for you both. Everyone asked about you and all send their greetings.  It was hard to recognize some of the children, they had grown so big.  Sara and Jurena Coetzee[13] are real big girls now, nearly as tall as Freda. Even Mim has grown tall and is quite plump.  It was so nice to see Freda.  She looks well but is thinner. I let her read your two letters about the Halloween party. She was so pleased with the white dress I gave her. Mrs. Miller gave it to me. It was too small and I thought she would like it. It was a little like your two-pieced white ones but this was all one. She was so pleased. The Paul children went with the Stauffachers to Ruwenzori for a holiday. They will return the end of December. Then the Stauffachers are coming through to Bafuka to visit the O.S.

We heard that Jack[14] is living at their plantation. He married a Polish girl. She doesn't speak French. Folks say she is nice. He was drinking and cold spiritually after he met this girl but they say that now he is friendly again. I am going to write to him.

Daddy went to Kurukwata one day on business. [15] They gave him a warm welcome. Marissa has been out of school for a year because of her eyes. She has a very bad condition that requires special glasses. Tituli is in school in Kisumu. Mr. Schlippe is now much improved.

It seems so strange to be without a car. Daddy has been trying to buy an old one to use until the new one arrives. It may be he'll buy one that a Greek has offered. It has a folding top with curtains and a rumble seat. Want a ride?  We'll go to Aba fishing and swimming but maybe not till someone else comes along to join us.

On Sunday we went to the lepers in the afternoon. They asked about you and send their senes.  I went to the children's Sunday School in the morning. It was lovely to see nearly 300 children singing and making the motions of the choruses. Mrs. Brill has started a Sunday School in Aba poste. There were 115 there last Sunday.

Just a few minutes ago an airplane flew over Aba poste and circled several times. Daddy heard today that soon there will be a private airplane service stopping here. All the little boys came running up the hill to get a good view of the plane and we went out to look just as we used to do. It looked like the same Lockheed.

The elephant ear in front of the house I think is the largest I have ever seen. It is simply huge.  The flamboyant trees in front of the house have grown a lot too.

I am glad you got the pearls and I hope you have all the things you need. It's nice to think that you aren't getting fat. I do hope you both keep well and enjoy all the life there.  Eddie mentioned having forwarded some catalogs from Wheaton and Moody. If you have two copies send one on to us and if you have time, mark which courses are interesting to you.

We are wondering if Eddie and Millie have sailed as Stanley wrote from Cairo that the Gripsholm was making another Mediterranean trip. Hope they can come soon. They are assigned to the E.V. School [16] so they'll be a long way off too.

Millers and Harrises hope to leave for furlough soon. Someone said Millers hope to go in January via Mombasa. Dixes and Imhoffs are looking forward to going in the near future, also I believe the Landreths.

Peanut Williams is quite grown up. I could hardly recognize him. Verna is thinner. Jaceline is now a big girl.  Victor Paul has grown so much and his hair still stands on end.

My letter has wandered all around but I know you'll be glad to have these details. Read in it all our constant thoughts of you and everyone asks to be remembered to you. There are no words to tell you how much I love you.

With a heart full of love as ever,
Your Mother.


Pray much for us.

The golden shower has completed covered the trellis and it is full of flowers. It is beautiful!  M.

FOOTNOTES AND MEMORIES

1. Houseboy for the Kleinschmidts.  He did the ironing on the back porch using a charcoal iron.
2. Horse head portraits drawn by Eddie Schuit.
3. Ralph had drawn a mural around a pump organ found in pieces in the attic of the hospital. (May have been brought to Aba by the Hurlburts.) He put it back together and it played beautifully. Both Esther and Edie learned to play on it, with Ralph teaching. He drew bars of music on the white wall of the house.  Ralph's brother Harry had a hobby of restoring church organs, and Ralph apparently had absorbed some of that.
4. Bangala or Kingwana, possible meaning close to "shabby".
5. Jack Litchman was mostly at Aba, and had a great garden.
6. Gara lilies are red, and they come up without their leaves. An amaryllis of some kind, possibly a red variant of Amaryllis belladonna. "Gara" is a Bangala term for the dry season. 
7. Sisal cactus (an agave). One was dark green, one was variegated.  They had terrible thorns, and leaves that were long and sword-like. The girls wrote their names on some of the leaves, so that Mary wouldn't forget them!   
8. A garage, which eventually became a small guest house, and named the Appendix by Ralph.
9. A dormitory which housed Christian girls who were taught to read and also various housekeeping skills. Many of these girls married the preacher/teacher graduates of the Bible training schools at Aba and Blukwa. 
10. Ethel Wightman, tall lean woman might have been from England.  Marian Settles.
11. None of the names here are yet firmly identified.
12. Buyce (pronounced BICE).  
13. South African family
14. Closet - a Rethy student, the child of a local Belgian business man.
15. A plantation near the forest edge, with coffee. He had a clay factory, made clay pots, had African elephants trained to work moving logs. DeSchlippe (a Russian) escaped political persecution into Congo, married to a Finnish woman.  Read more about DeSchlippe here (in French). He also had two domesticated African elephants that were trained to haul logs in his forest on the plantation. Mom remembers sitting on the grass and stroking a baby leopard, maybe 2 months old, who had a great big purr.
16. Evangelistic Bible School (Blukwa).