Page 132 - Neglected Arabia Vol 2

22 NEGLECTED ARABIA

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cllol,gh to make our best efforts well worth while, bontetin.es the num-

'^Upon Mrs, .Mylrea’s departure for furlough Miss Van Felt took over
the Kuwait Women's work in addition to her own work as buper.ntendent
of the Hospitals. She writes that the crowds of women each morning at
S the dispensary offer them their greatest evangelistic opportunity borne
women attend the Sunday services for Moslems regularly. Frayer u
asked for one in particular. . .
Mr Fennings states that in Bahrain the jieople arc enjoying prosperom
times i'n all respects save in things spiritual. The pearling season was a
•mod one and material prosjierity alxninds. There is not so much a spirit
ut opposition to our mission work as a spirit of indifference, lhe people
are friendly and the Halmranas, once the most fanatic, are nowadays fully
i n* friendly an the Sunni#. The Sunday preuching Bcrviccn Imvc licen well
attended and .K> new folding chairs were needed to provide for the In* 4
£
creased attendance. ' ^
Mrs. Pcnnings and the liible Woman found great friendliness every- \
where among the women. Not a home is closed to them and many women i
ask for a reading from the Bible. But as Mrs. Pennings says, "We receive }
much encouragement in the friendly reception given us and the interest ;
which is shown towards our message, but the deeper, abiding results of
; our work are still lacking.” Disappointment is expressed over the un-
. friendly attitude of one who lias for a long time been considered a secret
believer and who now through illness seems to have drawn away and lia»
been relying on Moslem practices for physical relief and has refused to
i
attend our services as formerly. Prayer is asked on her behalf.
i In Muscat Mr. Van Peursem tells, “The blind and the otherwise poor
have continued to come to our Sunday morning services. They gather
|
after the service in the mission house, where the message of the day it
re-emphasized. After this coffee is served and each blind man receive* hit
penny. I am convinced this custom is bringing blessed results. There it
no doubt as to their poverty and they receive our offerings with thanks and i
i appreciation.”
The opening of the Matrah hospital gave an impetus to the evangelutic '
work and many new contacts are being made. The doctor and the padre i
made a tour to Sohar where they stayed for twenty-two days and the {adf« }
became as well known as the “Hakeem” but perhaps not so well liked. !q
the evenings pictures were shown by a magic lantern and no objection waa
raised when religious views were shown, even a picture of Christ on iht •
cross. More than a hundred boys and men came out each evening, Thi*
was true also of the *ix village# Mnp|>e<l at tin the return trip from Sohtr^
to Muscat where a day and night wan spent at each village, and the tnedW*i
dues given out in the afternoon and pictures shown in the evening. “Tl*
whole experiment,” says Mr. Van Peursem, “was more than encouraging* ;
Miss Lutton finds that working among the Muscat women day after
day serves to emphasize their need of God the Father. Father U not