Page 36 - History of Arabian Mission 1926-1957

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Ruth Young'o flr3t report mentioned with appreciation the fact that "1 uui very happy and thankful to notice how well AJeeba is developing.
some oi' the flncGt witncasing Christiana in Bahrain were young people who had She iu always ready to lend a helping hand and is so oweet with Laila. It is
their otart in life in Beit Saeed. She longed for more ataff to train the a Joy to hear AJeeba giggle and sing as she goes about her work. It was not
present group in the Christian way of life, to help them to overcome bad very long ago that we thought she might be the major problem in Beit Saeed. f
habits and to develop Christian character.
"Solly is now working full time In the hospital and enjoys her work
"All the children need a great deal of love and opeci'al atten tion," very much. She, too, has developed into a nice young lady. She haa learned
she wrote. "Most of them need help with school work. It is impossible to to hold her tongue admirably when angry. She Is making her place socially, !
give the children all the time they need and at the same time take care of too. j
correspondence, books, ordering supplies, shopping, meal planning, regulating
clothing, caring for the laundry, keeping storerooms clean and neat, and "AJeeba and Fareeda have occasionally been invited to the home of j
doing many odd Jobs." Sheikha Lulua al Khalifa by her daughter, as well as to other houses.
She told of two of the original orphans - Ruthie, who was giving "It is good to know that these girls have been accepted by those round
splendid Christian service as a nurse in the mission hospital, and Paul, who about them.
had been sent to England by the Bahrain Government for training in engineering,
and whose character and development had always been a Joy and satisfaction. "Ruthie has been enrolled in the Nursing Training Course in the Presby­
terian Mission hospital in Tripoli, Lebanon, and Is missed in Bahrain by all.
In 1953 two of the boys were sent to schools In Lebanon, where the She finds everything quite different there, is undergoing a personality change
fine Christian training and the discipline of well-organized institutions were in that she is coming 'out of her shell1 and becoming a much more interesting
just what they needed. person than she was in Bahrain.
Bill and Mae Dekker were now ready to take charge of the orphanage, "Saeed, who returned from school in Lebanon and went to Muscat, con­
thus providing the discipline and stability of a complete family life. In tinues to write his thanks to the Mission for sending him there. Evidently he \
her first report Mrs. Dekker said: "In Arab lands, If a woman's husband dies enjoys his work there. He has also surprised us by his abrupt change of atti­
or leaves her, she returns to her parents. Thus two of our girls have come tudes and habits."
back to us with their children - Miriam with her two handsome boys and Fatima,
who is the mother of the sweetest little pair of twins you could ever hope to The missionaries in Muscat give Saeed unqualified praise as a worker
see. Our oldest orphan boy is another handsome fellow who has done very well. and as a practicing Christian.
He is always concerned about what is the Christian thing to do and is a fine i
example for all. Paul, who had studied In England, and continued his fine record when
he returned to Bahrain, went to America and is well established In a good Job J
"One of our older girls is a great help in our mission hospital and and living in a congenial Christian environment.
takes part in all- of our mission activities. Ailie, who Is deformed and has i
a heart ailment, is a Christian, very happy and friendly, and always willing Abood's brother Yusef has a good position with an English film in .
to work in our mission homes. Bahrain. i
;
"The six younger ones are the ones with whom we must labor to make In concluding, Mrs. Dekker regrets that they have had to turn away :
them know the difference between right and wrong. ' In the Arab world there unwanted babies and needy small children, for lack of room and personnel. :
often does not seem to be such a distinction, and so it is rather difficult "We still believe," she says, "that the future Church of Bahrain is in Beit
for these children." Saeed, and we know God Is guiding his little flock here, Who knows but that
these other children, too, are sheep of His fold."
In 1955 the Dekkers wrote that they had much to be thankful Tor as
they looked back over the year, There had been trials and heartaches, bub Beit Saeed has had temporary help from many of the missionaries from :
also periods of rejoicing, when they felt that progress was being made. Of time to time. It has been In charge of Mrs. Van Pcursem, Mrs. De Jong,
the family of twelve, three girls were attending the mission school, while Mrs.Luidens, and Mrs. Almond. Both Anne De Young and Rachel Jackson have
the boys had to attend the Muslim government school because there is no looked after It during the absence of the Dekkers on vacation. After the
Christian school for Arab boys in Bahrain. Two of the boys had been cent to Dekkers' departure on furlough, Miss Madeline Holmes was In charge.
Christian schools in Lebanon.
O Three more were sent in 195^• The year had been much better as far
as discipline and personality problems were concerned. The three who went
were happy to go off to school, and although the house was very much quie
without them, it was a relief not to have to worry about them, and to v
they were receiving a good education in a completely Christian envlro
Mrs. Dekker gives graphic word pictures of different individuals.