Page 252 - Neglected Arabia Vol 2

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|i.i\r a lair knowledge of ( hrisiiauity. Me made i»ne request. and dial wa>
111-11 we help him. if possible, lo immigrate to die U. S. A., lie himself heai - 1
Ulg all expenses. Me did nut appear to he ready to lake die step «»l om*
fessiug Christ while continuing to live in Kuweit, The oilier young man is
a Sliammari. lie had keen in Cairo; he hecame ill and was eared lor in
die Mission hospital. While there, missionaries and helpers gave him
pamphlets and spoke lo him about Christ. Since that lime wherever Ju­
lias ^une, he has sought out missions and their Bible shops. While lu re
in Kuweit he came regularly in the morning and afternoon and remained
a long lime. Me would read a good deal of die Scriptures, and after that
die various pamphlets that set forth Christianity, lie said that if there
were hut two more of his tribesmen to lake die step with him he would
make the briak and come out for Christ. Inn by himself alone lie felt he
euuld mil. lie went oil to sav that there were quite a lew young men who
lelt as he did. hut did not dare lake the step. Me also travels about a good
bn and made die latter statement as a result of personal observation and
knowledge of Palestine. Syria and Iraq. We may well send up fervent
pi.iveis that these young men may not be almost but altogether persuaded
to live openly lor Jesus Christ."
Mrs. Me Jong carried on a sort of ’’Daily Vacation Bible School” in
Kuweit, and she says, that after the children’s initial fears were overcome,
"a number of little boys and two girls braved the dangers uf the compound
and presented themselves. When 1 inquired why 1 could gather no girls
they told me they were afraid we would "sacrifice" them, and showed l»y
appropriate gestures just where and how. However, after several days
when those who did come returned not in g.iry gore. Inn with bright pic-
till es aud sweets iu their hands, more were encouraged to attend. Then,
besides the regular attendants there were usually several children at
l» M I.
the hospital who came up, their mothers keeping guard on the veranda.
••( Jue of Kuweit’s laundries is located on the beach rocks near the
\ miieiCs hospital. I was usually heartily welcomed when I went down to
pass the time of day and talk to the women there. Sometimes we had
lather beneficial conversations starting with remarks made by •lie who
had happened to he at hospital prayers that morning. < Mie gels into con­
tact with many women, forming various classes of society there, for the
persuiiuel of the laundry is constantly changing. It was nice to have some i
,/t them come to the mejliss later as a result of meeting on the beach." :
Basrah evangelistic for men was put in Mr. Dykstra’s charge after Mr. .
Ihlkert’s death. As the building operations on the girls’ school and ladies’
residence claimed an increasing amount of his time, his efforts were limited
111 Sunday services held in his own house in Basrah city. Suuda\ school
Bible classes held at niglu. and supervising the work in the two Bible shops.
However, ’’All during tile week,’’ he reports, ”1 tried to make the building i
work serve as an evangelistic agency. I did- not use au\ middlemen «»r
>li.iw bosses in dealing with the fifty or sixty laborers hut dealt with them
and directed them personally, hoping in that way to disarm a lot «if preju­ rs
dice they have toward us. and also to show them I’hrisiian dealing a> a
U-iween employer and employee. They were put on their honor as lu w
faithfulness in service, and I promised them fair and considerate tratment.
with special reward for continued and outstanding usefulness. The nia-