Thursday, April 23, 2009

Congo (61) Luebo, Congo 1/1/1922 [BMS] [DCS]

Luebo,

Jan. 1st , 1922

Dear Hickman & Nettie and James:

As this is New Year's Day, we send you our best wishes for this New Year, and trust there may be much happiness in store for each of you.

Your letter of Sept. 21st came a few weeks ago and it is needless to say that we enjoy your letters. You perhaps can't appreciate just what this means until you have been a good little bit further away from horne, and when you can't get letters any week. So you may be sure that this is one place you write where your letters receive a big welcome. This is beside the fact that we want to know how and what and why about you folks, not to mention James the First.

We have been busy enough during the past several weeks. Beginning the first of December we had our Annual Mission Meeting, which lasted two weeks. There were representatives for all the stations here, and with accommodations for about twenty w~ had thirty-six folks at one time, which means we were crowded. We had a couple in our horne for this period, and an eight year old boy, too. So this kept Dot hustling to keep them fed and so forth.

Christmas passed off rather quietly here, that is compared with the way it is celebrated in America. We all had a big spread together Christmas Eve night, and had a little program with quartets, readings, etc., and some little Christmas sox for everybody~ it was a pleasant evening. The "Missus" was one of the quarters. The biggest affair was that of our little missionary children, there being six on the station, from a few months up to 8 years old. They had their Christmas trees, presents, etc., and seemed to enjoy it.

In one section of our territory this is the season for ants, and the natives are having a big time getting a supply. They find them in big and little hills, from two to six feet high, and dig down to get them. After they get them, when they wish to preserve them they dry them or smoke them, which is when they don't eat them just so. I think this is when the young ants hatch out and are big enough to eat. It's turned around with you folks, I believe, for here the people eat the ants, while you the a(u)nts sometimes eat the people? However, these ants, or "nsua" are quite a delicacy (to the natives, of course.) They are not a stinging species, as they don't eat the stinging ants. But ants is too large a subject in this country to discuss in one letter, or in several letters.

Note that you had fourteen little chicks the last time you wrote, so that by the time you get this letter, they will be about big enough to eat. Hope you have been able to raise them. We have found it a difficult job to raise them here. We buy most of the chickens from the natives, and this is the most common meat we have. Just the other day, we bought a young pig and had pork, spare ribs, etc., which was a good change.

While you are perhaps having your coldest weather we are having our warmest, for January is our warmest month. However, even in this month it does not get as close and hot here as it does there, for it is seldom so hot that you feel the need of a fan when you are in the shade; it is only when you stir around in the heat that you feel it. It is very rare that it is so warm that you can not find a cool quiet spot, which is often the case there in July and August.

Well, let us hear from you again. We are always anxious for a letter from you.

With love to all,

B.M. and Dot

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