Page 203 - Neglected Arabia Vol 1 (3)_Neat

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America in Kuwait i

Rev. G. D. Van Peursem
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Tho following appeared as an article in “Al-Failiaa wockly Araliio newspaptr nrlntrd
U Diiumimis, lUo ,(Hiper is widely rend In MuswhI, and perliupi in (lit l’lriUii Hull. (I
jkiiswi llnld uii Arab opinion ul Ute Mlnluii.
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<(TN OUR extended tour, we visited Kuwait, diat beloved city of the
I Arabs. Before this have we related to our readers about this city
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and its ruler. We have also spoken to them about the doctor of
the American Hospital and about the minister, the evangelist.
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Then we reported the discussions, political and social, which took place
between us.
Now there may be among our readers men who think it strange that
these foreigners should be in this faithful city. They think it a great
deal more strange that these foreigners are Americans and not English. .V
For this reason we deemed it fitting to speak in short about the American
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Evangelistic Mission and its good work, so highly praised in Kuwait. \
Ixt die reader herewith be informed how these came here, and how
they made it their home and established therein two up-to-date hospitals. !
About sixteen years ago Shaikh Mubarek, shaikh of Kuwait, sent an •r
official invitation to the American Mission, implying a request for one
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of its members to come to Kuwait, the capital of the province, and
oublish a hospital. The Mission responded to the invitation and they
entered Kuwait in the year 1910. But the Mission was not able to com­ t
plete the building of the hospital and open its doors for those for whom
g was intended until 1914. But during the four years' interval which
pused before the opening of the hospital, the Mission performed her i
murk in a special place which Shaikh Mubarek had provided for them. .•
From the beginning the shaikh was favorable to the Mission and
aused his people to befriend them. He showed his people at every ■«>
opportunity the benefits which would accrue to their city because of such
i pure institution in it. The first aid he gave to the Mission was his .1-
buying a large tract of land on which the present castles of the Mission
ut built. Then the successors of Shaikh Mubarek came and followed in
the way of favor to the Mission. Indeed the property of the Mission !
ku increased many times over. It has increased 88 per cent, over what • ..
i had in 1911. And what is worthy of mention is that the Mission did
mA buy a handbreadth of its land. It all came to her by way of free
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The Mission herself rightly values the friendship of the shaikhs
U Kuwait. But for the friendship of the rulers, they would not have
been able to remain in the city. ■
Shaikh Mubarek was an executive and without timidity. So he was
able lo bring those foreigners into his country and extend to them his
food will. He was able to persuade his people that what he did was
mat good, and that in spite of the fact that the people of Kuwait do not
Uik with favor on foreigners and that those who came were foreign
ttuionaries. But a few years were sufficient to prove the great wisdom i
J Shaikh Mubarek, for the Mission hospitals are today a boon to every
ttk person.
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