Page 396 - Neglected Arabia Vol 2

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12 MiU.liCTlil) . //\. //>’/. I

Of .1//'.Y(c<lucalioual effort Mr. Van IVuimmii \\ riles, " I lie Ihiy’j,
School was carried cm by Mrs. Van iVurscm during our lour inland.
The usual fifteen boys were in attendance, the reason being that we could
give them English. Now the Government school has secured a teacher
for English from Beirut and it will be inure difficult for us to secure the
old enrollment. So far, however, the school and the book shop have been
our main points of contact with Moslem men and boys. In our hook shop
it becomes more and more difficult to sell Scriptures. But we are selling
large quantities of educational books which is some encouragement. Pupils
from the government school buy our Arabian Readers from the shop.”
Writing about both evangelistic and educational work, Mr. Dc Jong
reports, “Perhaps, if I may so differentiate, the school has given me per- !
sonally the most recompense and joy in the midst of daily routine. It i
is hard to give expression to, but there has sprung up in the boys a friend- |
liness or beginning of it which has dispelled their mistrust and aloofness, I
and one is aware of their regard and esteem which is very gratifying.
In some of the boys I have detected a very real rise of spiritual realiza­
tion and perception. In many of them it is as dead as their prophet, bul
in others it has been refreshing and gladdening to find a turning to spiritual
possibilities, which we hope may be used to captivate for Christ that they
by His Spirit may be led to full spiritual comprehension, understanding
and surrender. The farewell as I left for India and the welcome of the ;
boys upon my return were outstanding joys. Thirty-five of them man­
aged to pack my room the night before I left and some others came in
later. Tt sent me away with a lighter heart. And they all appeared also
to welcome me back. Seventeen new boys entered school during the year
and 45 was the highest attendance that we had. The average attendance
for the year has been 38, which is 7 higher than last. year. You may be iu-
liTesled lo learn that IIis Excellency, the Sheikh, wishes bis voting sou,
the crown prince, to enter our school in the role of a listener. Little Jabir
is less than 5 years old but His Excellency wishes to boy to grow accus-
tomed to English and to acquire it well. Hence he is affording the lad
an early opportunity. Later he wishes lo send him to Basrah that Mr.
Van Ess may prepare him for English schooling.”

MEDICAL WORK
"And she felt in her body that she was healed of her plague ”

B went better; the hospital remained open during my tours: more
til RAIN had another tremendously big year. Ol the Men s work
Dr. Dame writes, “Because of our assistant. Dr. Lakra, things

work was done; a larger number of patients were treated.
The most noticeable thing about the year’s work was that as soon
as we were able to take care of more work, more work came. A total
of five months was spent on tours. One of my helpers spent a month and
a half in Hassa and Quittar, and I was away from the station three and a
half months. It has certainly not been a question of getting enough work
or of securing invitations to visit our neighboring towns. It has been
more a problem of complying with all the demands jnade upon us, and
of accommodating all the patients that come to us.” He mentions the
possibility of a government hospital being opened, a project that has been
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