The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1921, Page 53

Transcription machine transcription, uncorrected

⤓ Download .txt · copy text

'The Lutheran Pioneer.

53

when I boarded the Christopher Colon at Batabano,
a small port chiefly frequented by sponging vessels,
T felt I was in a different world, more so even than
in Havana. A*complete change in the atmosphere
has an irresistible charm; a dream-land effect. And
I wondered just where I was going, how I would
manage the important work, and the like. Not
being able to speak the language (Cuban), I felt
quite lost and lonesome. It was mere chance that
I happened to meet one of the men from the South
Coast. ‘

And what a peculiar sensation it was as we drew

son, with tears in her eyes. And I shall never forget
the satisfaction her eyes and face expressed and the
words she said: “I’m so glad. For years I have
been praying night and day; now I know that God
heard my prayer. How thankful we ought always
to be!” She surely showed that she was thankful.
The love of Christ, her Redeemer, ever radiated in
all its warmth. She called me her “old son,” having
lost her own son in a sad accident. A mother could
not have been kinder and more loving toward me.

And what had been her prayer? That her people
might have a school in which the children would

Our Mission School at Plaquemine, . La.

Teacher J. Thompson standing at the door, in center.

nearer and nearer to the South Coast! From a dis-
tance the Coast had a somber appearance; it was
one dark gray mass. As we drew nearer, the bright
tropical sun revealed more and more of its beauty.
First the palms were discernible; then the white-
washed, palm-thatched cottages appeared here and
there along the coast midst cocoanut-palms. A little
nearer, and there stood practically the whole settle-
ment watching the launch come in. \

How my Caymeneroes looked me over! Old
Grandpa Powery thought I-was quite young- to
preach.- No wonder. He was going on 70, and I was
barely 20. A. broad, rugged, honest smile stole over
‘tall Mr. Jackson’s face, as I was introduced, and then
we went to his humble home. ‘There was Mrs. Jack-

learn the Word of God, learn to know their Savior;
that they all might hear the Word of God in divine
worship. In other. words, she wanted a parochial
school in connection with the mission. She had
written to various denominations, but without re-
sults. She was told that they had no one who woul:l
both teach and preach. “For years,” she said,
“T wrote and wrote, until I grew tired. Finally
I decided to leave it to the Lord.” Her prayer was
‘answered. ;

On Sundays when she could not go to the chapel,
she would give me her offering upon return from
services. For hours she read her Bible. And every
morning and evening there was home devotion in the
Jackson family, when either father or mother led in