Luebo, Dec. 12, 1926
Dear Mother & Daddy:
Here we are back at Luebo. While we enjoyed our vacation and we believe all of us profited by it, still it feels good to be back at home again. Especially after having to stop and pack up again so much on our way back from the Lake. As I don't know what Dorothy has written, or will write in this letter, we may duplicate our remarks. But she is at church just now, and the "Lapsley" leaves tomorrow morning, so we must get our letter ready today.
Will try to give you some idea of our trip. We got the use of the Station (Ford) truck, which is being used by Stegall, and packed all our belongings in that. It has a rain-proof top, with curtains for the sides, so we were prepared for rain. We left here on Monday, Nov. 15th, and traveled that day about 120 miles, and stopped for the night in a native village; we left there early the next morning and reached Lubondai, our newest station, at 11 :15 A. M. It was our intention to go by Mutoto instead of Lubondai, but as one of the bridges was in bad shape we thought it best to go around. Then we had not planned to go by Lubondai, but a ferry on the Lulua river was reported to be in bad shape, so we went around by Lubondai, which is somewhere between 80 and 90 miles farther than the other way. However, we enjoyed our stop at Lubondai, where we spent the remainder of that day, and left again the next morning about 6:30. That morning we traveled till 11 :15, and stopped to feed Mrs. Shive's baby and discovered that we had lost our suitcase, containing nearly all the baby's clothes. Of course, this upset us considerably, and naturally Dorothy was very much worried. We turned and went back for about 12 or 15 miles, hoping we had just lost it. However, as our gas supply was limited for our return to Luebo, we decided to go on to the Lake, and send back word to Lubondai station and ask them to send out messengers to look for it. We fortunately met a Mutoto messenger on his way to Lubondai. So we went on to the Lake that day, reaching there about 7:30 P. M. The Smiths, who were to join us at the Lake had just reached there that afternoon. We would have arrived about 4:00 P. M. if we had not lost the time looking for the suitcase. But before I go further, I'll tell you the remainder of the story about the suitcase. While at the Lake we had word from Lubondai that they had sent out messengers all along the road we had traveled but had found no trace of the suitcase. Of course that made things look blue. Dorothy Anderson, though, sent Dorothy quite a number of clothes that just fit Max, so that helped considerably. We had faint hopes of finding the suitcase on our way back, so when we reached the place about where we thought we had lost it, we began to make inquiries; so after a bit we saw a white man, who is working a gang on the railroad being built through here, and he informed me that the State Officer about 36 miles away, and on our road to Lubondai, had sent a notice out stating that he had found a suitcase. So we followed this up, and found the State Officer, who duly turned the suitcase over to us, and with every article intact. We had lost it about 23 miles from Lubondai. You may know there was rejoicing in the family when we got the suitcase. And so it happened that we returned with all our possessions!! This event, though, almost made us feel like giving up our vacation,but of course, we became reconciled to it, for a great deal worse could happen than the loss of a few possessions.
We found the lake a splendid place, and had a fine time, including Max. It is one of the best bathing places I have ever been in. The water is very clear, and always remains at an even temperature, which makes it fine for a swim before breakfast; it has a sandy bottom. They have a boat, with an "Evinrude" attached, so we had lots of boat riding. There are lots of wild ducks and we had ducks to eat nearly every day. Shive and I each killed a large antelope, which has fine meat. The Lake itself is a beautiful sight; it is about 2 miles long, and a mile wide on the ends and about 2 miles in the middle; they have sounded it and found it about 140 feet deep in the middle, and 100 feet deep in most places. The shape is somewhat like two "y'"s joined end to end. There are very few trees as it is out in the middle of a great plain. It is surrounded by a high, but sloping ridge of hills, and on some of these hills you get magnificent views of both the lake and the surrounding country. There are no native villages close, as they have had superstitious legends about the water swallowing a village, and have always been afraid to build near it.
We left the Lake on Thursday, Dec. 2nd, taking the Smith family (Mr. & Mrs., Ruth, age 4 years, and the baby), with us to Lubondai. We reached Lubondai that evening about 6:30 (but don't forget that we found our suitcase just about an hour before reaching Lubondai!!) quite happy. We stayed at Lubondai until Tuesday morning, and had a most enjoyable visit with our Lubondai brethren (and sisters). We had planned to leave Monday morning but they persuaded us to stay until Tuesday, which proved to be better, for we had expected to spend a night on the road and reach Luebo the following day, as Monday is a hard day to get away early. But instead, we got an early start Tuesday and reached Luebo about 6:00 P.M. that day. The Lubondai missionaries are: Mr. & Mrs. Cleveland & family; Dr. & Mrs. Cousar, Mr. & Mrs. W. J. Anderson (Dorothy Anderson), Mr. McKinnon, and Miss Uston (nurse, and I believe has a little place on that family tree of yours, or some of her relatives; she is a relative of our first missionary, Samuel Lapsley). They have a beautiful site for a station, in a densely populated territory, and the best soil for farming of any of our stations.
We found our house and belongings in fair shape. Our pigeons, naturally, not prospering greatly as we had a native to look after and feed them, but they are in good shape and all here, and we have already begun to get them straightened out, and hope to have plenty of squabs soon. We were eating them right along before we left. We get a great deal of pleasure from them, as well as profit.
Have never told you much about Mission Meeting. The most important change, as far as we are concerned, is that the Printing Office was turned over to Mr. Longenecker, editor of our native paper, the Lumu lua Bena Kasai, in order that he might give his whole time to that work; he made a study of photo engraving while at home, and expects to print lots of pictures in the native paper. He had no special work when he came back, for he was at Bibanga his last term and did not go back there, so this job fits him very well as he can give his whole time to it, and which needs a missionary's whole time. And you may be surprised to know that I am to take over the day school here at Luebo the first of the year. We are hoping to get out an educational man this coming year, a Mr. Gordon, who is ready and anxious to come. But in the meantime, I will have the school, as well as the work of Station Treasurer.
The "Lapsley" is leaving tomorrow morning, and the following are going down with it, for furlough: Mr. & Mrs. Savels, and Miss Headen, from Luebo; Mrs. Bedinger and child, as her mother is not well and who is also keeping two of Mrs. Bedinger's children at home.
I suspect you are going to be without mail from us for over a month. We failed to get a letter off before we left, on the plane that left just at that time; then we did not get a letter in on the plane that left while we were at the Lake, or rather, that left just as we got back; we had thought we would be back in time to get mail off on this last plane. We are certainly sorry for this as we don't like to miss any mail in getting a letter off to you. And especially, too, since we got such a good mail on both these last planes.
It's about time for dinner, and we have the Bedingers with us. Mr. Bedinger came to Luebo to see Mrs. Bedinger off. He is staying out here for a year or two. Mrs. Smith came to Luebo in the truck with us, and she and Mr. Bedinger will go back to Mutoto this coming week.
Trust this finds you both well, and with lots of love.
B.M.
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