Page:Kvartalshilsen (Kvinnelige misjonsarbeidere). 1921 Vol. 14 nr. 3.pdf/2

 everything they held dear here on earth and were driven around from one place to another. Some of my dear people from Musch and Bitlis are in Constantinople, and it is impossible to enter the country, so I think it would not be in vain if I were allowed to work among those whom I already know.

May the Lord open the way if this is according to His plan. Pray that I might walk in the works prepared by him so that he could bless me. Ephes. 2, 10.

Thank you very much for all the great gifts and the small gifts, it is great to see how many who love and follow this people in prayer and work, and what willingness to sacrifice there is among so many.

With regard to the condition in Armenia, it is more difficult than ever, as the nationalists have power in Asia Minor. Their leader is Kemal pascha who has his seat in Angora and has power over the Armenians inland.

From the excerpt of a couple of letters, which appeared in " Sonnenaufgang", we understand how difficult the situation is for the Armenians.

Hannum, our dear helper in Musch, who with his sister and brother-in-law fled to Smyrna, writes: In Adana there are now no more exiled muhadjis, the French have sent them from Harunje, Marasch, Hassanbeyli and Bagthsche to Dörtjöl. What are all these going to do in this small village? Mustafa Kemal has banished many Armenians to Afijon-Karahissar and killed 1,500 of them. At Hadjin's inauguration, it went as it did in Marasch (during the occupation of Marasch in the early 1920s 10,000 Armenians were murdered). Many took poison so as not to fall into the hands of the Turks. What will become of us, who will rush to our rescue? How can a people suffer like this without winning anything? We have no home, why should we shed our blood! It seems that there is no natural death for us, we must always be murdered. - -

The following letter to Sister Hedvig Bull allows us to understand that these miserable children not only suffered an external loss, but also suffered an internal injury. One of the teachers from Harunje, Margarit writes: We have come to Adana (Adana is located in Cilecia, near Tarsus). We live in a large house outside the city, it is the French orphanage. Armenian is spoken. The number of children is 1100. Martha, Serpuhi and I teach here. The girls here are not like our children from Marasch and Harunje. Almost all the older girls are gathered from Arab, Kurdish and Turkish houses, they are difficult to keep track of. We do not teach religion, because two priests do that. When we have the opportunity, we talk to the children. They are not too hardened to hear of it. As soon as I talk to them about heaven, they hit their chest and say, "What will become of us?" They pray and plead. "Tell us more about Jesus!" A 12-year-old girl who's been taken back from the Arabs asked me, "Is that a sin, too? The Arabs ate themselves and made me go hungry. When I couldn't stand the hunger, I stole bread and ate. How should I repent for this transgression? "

Here there is so much work for such as you. Can't you come to Armenia? Return to our poor fallen people.

One of the teachers, Ohannes, writes from Marasch in February 1921: Our life here is a life of prayers, and that we are still alive is a wonder. Many times I think I am not worthy to experience such wonders; but his grace is great. . . . We do not know if, when we walk from here to the American college or back again, we will arrive in one piece or with broken heads or limbs; because the Turks are always patrolling and suddenly a stone is thrown by an unknown hand. Still, we are always happy and will do our duty. Mr. L. and badvelli A. are doing amazingly. They do everything they can for the Armenian people, and we stand in prayer behind them. 2 months ago Armenians were