The little meeting in Potosi grew, and this was a joy to the young missionaries. Each week there were some who confessed the Lord as their Savior. Despite this encouragement, however, they both felt they were not accomplishing what the Lord had sent them to Bolivia for-to work among the Inca Indians. They enjoyed their home very much, and yet their exercise grew as to where their work for the Lord really was. Both of them had a deep desire to go into the mountains and valleys, among the Inca Indians who were neglected by the Government, to areas where there were no schools or hospitals.
One day the young husband became so burdened about this that as he walked down the street alone he prayed, "Lord, I really cannot go unless I have $500.00!" Then he had a conscience about praying in this manner to the Lord, as it were demanding $500.00 to serve the Lord. On arriving home he said to his wife, "I have sinned miserably, Honey!" and he told her how he had prayed. She tried to comfort him, and they knelt down together and prayed about it.
The following morning he went as usual to the post office. (Mail had been coming in slowly at that time because there had been a number of "strikes" in some of the post offices.) A letter-almost torn open-was awaiting him. Enclosed was a check for 100 pounds, English money (exactly $500.00 in American money). With it was a small note saying: "I am an old lady of eighty-five years and will soon be with the Lord. I have been praying for years for someone to go to the Inca Indians. Enclosed you will find 100 pounds to start this work for the Lord." The letter was from Australia and had been on the way for over three months! His eyes filled with tears as he remembered, "It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." Isa. 65:2424And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. (Isaiah 65:24).
He could hardly wait to get home to his dear one to share the news with her! Rushing into their little apartment he called, "Honey, when can you get ready to go to the Incas?"
She laughed and replied, "Right now, Sweetheart. Why?"
How true are the words of the Lord Jesus in Matt. 18:1919Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 18:19), "If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven." Kneeling down together beside their bed they thanked the Lord, asking His guidance in everything. This was an important milestone in their lives.
That evening he told the small group in the Meeting Room what had happened. Two of the young brothers volunteered to accompany him in search of the place the Lord had chosen for the work. They had heard of a place where there were Indian huts on both sides of a river many miles to the south. On hearing about this the young missionary believed the Lord would have them go. He knew the Indians spoke Quichua and few of them could speak Spanish. He did not know a word of Quichua, but one of the brothers who offered to go with him knew Quichua fairly well, so the Lord filled this need.
In the early part of 1925 he left his beloved wife in their apartment to undertake the preparations necessary in order to be ready to accompany him when he returned. He started out on foot with his two brethren, walking south "by faith,... not knowing whither they went." (Heb. 11:88By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. (Hebrews 11:8).) As they traveled along the way, they were able to give out many Gospel tracts. Sometimes when they saw a group of people who could speak Spanish, they stopped and had a Gospel meeting in Spanish.
Each night the two brothers would say wearily, "Brother, where are we going?" All he could say was, "Let us keep going South. I believe the river is in the South, but I don't know." By the fourth day he also was very weary and somewhat discouraged; but in the afternoon they came to a river, and as they looked down the hillside they could see Indian huts on each side of the river! With a sigh of thanksgiving to the Lord in his heart, he stopped, and pointing to the huts said, "Brethren, this is where the Lord wants us to stop." They rested that night on the hillside among the thorn trees, which are so common in Bolivia even to this day.
The next day they made their way to one of the huts they had seen in the distance, praying for guidance. To their surprise they found an old Slav living with a half-Indian woman in a small one-room shack. The dirt and poverty were terrible. They learned he had come to Bolivia many years before in hopes of getting rich in the mines. But he had spent all that he had and was living in absolute poverty. The missionary asked him who owned the property. He said it was his own-he had bought it many years before from one of the Indians. The missionary then asked him if he would like to sell it, and, if so, how much would he take for it? At first the man was too surprised to speak. Recovering from his surprise he said, "Do you really want to buy this place?"
The missionary replied, "Yes, I want to live among these Indians, to tell them about the Lord Jesus Christ and how God loves them and sent His Son to die for them. And I want to tell you that He loves you also, Sir, and He died for you."
The man did not answer. Then the missionary said, "How much would you take for this place?"
The man thought for a while, then slowly looking up he said, "Five hundred dollars!"
The missionary could hardly believe his ears! He thought of the five hundred dollars which he had changed into Bolivian money before leaving Potosi, and which he carried with him. Then he asked, "Do you know anyone who can make or write out a suitable paper confirming this purchase, and witness the same?"
The man replied that he did not know anyone who could write in Spanish or Quichua in that district. It was two days before they could find anyone who could write out a receipt for them and witness the sale between the two.
This gave the missionary an opportunity to look around, and also to find out what kind of people these Incas were. He loved them right from the beginning, but realized it was going to be very difficult to get acquainted with them or to win their confidence in any way. But his heart was filled with joy as he looked at these intelligent-looking Indians, whom he hoped to win for his Lord and Savior as soon as possible. He tried to get near to them and to show that he was a friend, but they would move away. They seemed surprised as they looked at this pale-faced, tired-looking man.
With thanksgiving and joy he carefully folded the precious paper, putting it in his inside pocket carefully. Next morning they started their four-day walk back to Potosi-back to his dear one, whom he knew was anxiously waiting for him. He carefully noticed the road back and places where they could stop over to rest on their way to their new home.
Upon arrival in Potosi he went to the Courthouse to register his property which he had paid for in full. When the lawyer looked it over, he seemed very concerned. After reading it he said, "I am sorry, but I am afraid you are in trouble. This is Indian property and no one can buy Indian property anymore; neither can the Indians sell it."
The lawyer had met the missionary at the University when he was teaching English there. He had also attended some of the Gospel meetings and had showed much interest. He felt sorry for him when he saw how very distressed he looked (as he thought he had spent the money which belonged to the Lord on property that he could not have.) The lawyer tried to comfort him, saying, "Don't worry, I will check into it and see what I can do. Come back in two or three days."
The missionary was back in the lawyer's office three days later, early in the morning. The lawyer looked much happier that morning as he exclaimed, "SURELY, your God is with you! This property in Yulo has been out of the hands of the Indians for over 25 years, so it is yours without any difficulty. If it had belonged to an Indian you could have been arrested for buying it."
How happy the missionary was as he hurried home to tell his dear one. Again they knelt together to thank the Lord for His goodness to them. Then they started to prepare for the journey to their new home. Their apartment had to be rented, certain things that they needed and that they could take with them had to be set aside, and tents and blankets had to be bought and packed.
Reluctantly the young husband left his wife again. Once more the two brothers traveled with him. This time they had a donkey to carry some of the heavier things they would need to begin building a little one-room house. He took his shotgun which his father had given him when he was fourteen years old. Little did he realize what a blessing this would be in providing food for them. For some time the Indians would not sell them anything to eat, so he had to shoot birds and little animals for food. He was thankful for some fruit trees already on the small property and for seeds with which to begin a little vegetable garden.
The Lord had answered their prayers in so many ways thus far, and they trusted Him that it would not be long before they would be re-united again-this time to work together among the dear Inca Indians.