After seeing the Lord's wondrous undertaking in the missionaries' lives, the Indians became more interested. Mothers were bringing their babies to be vaccinated. They also wanted their babies to be named with a name from the Bible. The missionaries happily did this and then entered the names in a book. Most of these babies are grandparents now.
Since more children were coming around now, the missionaries decided to build a school near the little clinic. A number of the Indians helped with this building project. Once in session the school had to be operated according to the government curriculum. Although the children could speak only Quichua, they were required by law to learn Spanish in school. This meant a qualified teacher had to be paid to teach in the school. At the close of the year the government inspector who came to examine the work of the boys was very pleased with the results.
The priest of that district opposed the school and told the parents their children were being taught a foreign language-not Spanish-as they had been led to believe. He influenced the Second-Chief to stop the classes. Putting the boys out with a whip, the Chief warned them not to come back again.
Two of the boys did come back at the risk of being punished by their parents. Their names were Francisco and Valeriano. The missionary had to dismiss the teacher, and he and his wife continued to teach these two faithful boys. They were old enough to realize they were being taught Spanish and not a foreign language as the priest had told their parents.
The missionary took the long journey to La Paz to see the Minister of Education and told him their difficulty. As a result the Minister of Education instructed the Inspector of the Department of Potosi to the effect that the school was to be re-opened; no private schools were to be closed, providing they fulfilled the educational requirements of the country.
The two boys soon learned to speak Spanish. When the other boys saw how their friends enjoyed the school, they became interested and came back again. Once more the school began to function. Another government teacher was hired to teach the children. Soon there were twenty boys and one girl. (The Indians did not believe girls should go to school. Instead, they were usually kept at home to watch the goats or sheep in the fields and also to learn weaving.)
Every morning the Word of God was read in the school. While reading the Gospel of John the boys seemed to especially enjoy Chapter 10, particularly when it was explained to them. One morning Valeriano, whom the boys called TATA NOKA (to this day they still call him by that name, although he is a grandfather now), went to the missionary shyly and quietly said, "Sir, I am saved!"
With joy the missionary asked, "How do you know, Valeriano?"
He opened his little Spanish New Testament, which each boy had received when he started to school, and answered with real confidence, putting his finger on verses 27 and 28 of chapter 10, "Because God says so! 'My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.' "
This was the first school started among the Incas. Later the missionary had the joy of starting seven other schools in other places at the people's request. School was started each morning with Bible reading; many have been saved in these schools. Later the-Government took over all the schools. Some of the: boys were allowed to continue as teachers and also to continue with the fifteen minutes of Bible reading each morning.