Page 183 - The Diary of A. H. W. Behrens

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1900
1900 started with a severe malaria epidemic under which we all suffered, white as well as black. My dear father fell ill in March. He had a very severe fever. Because of his big brother he refused to take quinine. Nothing helped, he fantasized and died on 22 April and was buried by me on 23 April. Only Br. O. Behrens from Eben Ezer could come. At the time many were ill with malaria, even in Berseba. The Bethanie congregation “crawled” behind the coffin because they were all so weak. My entire family was well. Because of the war we could not get a doctor or other medical supplies. When we woke up during the night we were
ice cold. It was horrible with many deaths. Father had always thought that he was immune against malaria because he was a smoker. Did not help him. He was 73 years old. Our children were at school in Morgenson. There diphtheria broke out among the children. All of them recovered except for our Gussi whom we took home for the July holidays where he died because of
the consequences of diphtheria. He had simply become too weak and had grass-green diarrhoea. He was nine years old. In the next months our two-year old daughter also died. We had to rely fully on our homeopathic medication. Father, son and daughter and many members of our congregation in one year! It was difficult! So, father had worked in Bethanie for 36 years, had always been healthy and now had to die of malaria! We had all become dull and weak because of the [fever] attacks.