Page 88 - Protestant Missionary Activity in the Arabian Gulf

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seeking power, diplomatist seeking privileges or spheres of

influence or even businessmen seeking profits, They were rather

teachers and doctors motivated by religion. They were, of

course, seeking conversion, and in a highly religious Islamic

society they were distrusted by many for that reason. But

they did not make conversion a pre-requisite for entering

their schools or for receiving treatment in their hospitals

and clinics, and so through these activities they received

invitations from more and more rulers to visit their countries

and gradually won an unprecedented amount of trust and re-

spect from the people they served. This close relationship,

according to Zahra Freeth, is partljr responsible for the con­

tinued good relations between the Kuwaitis and the West today;

"In his years of patient unselfish service in
Kuwait, Dr. Mylrea did as much as any man to foster
friendship between the Kuwaitis and the British and
Americans. At a time when the natives distrusted all
foreigners he set an example of integrity which gave
them a standard by which to judge the Westerner, and
by winning their trust and respect paved the way for
the good relations that prevail today between the Arabs
and the Anglo-American community in their midst." 154

The Arabian Mission did, of course, still encounter a

considerable amount of resistance from the local religious

leaders and the populace at large even if the Arab rulers

"Good in-
were soon convinced of their good intentions,

tentions pave the road to disaster" as the saying goes. The
fact that they brought something that was universally re­

second essential key to the mis-
cognized as needed was a
sionaries’ success and acceptance. With Shaikh Mubarale’s

daughter going blind due to an infected eye and hundreds Oi