Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 14 (1899)
Ms 193, 1899
Helping Needy Families at Cooranbong
NP
1899
Previously unpublished.
[First part missing.] 14LtMs, Ms 193, 1899, par. 1
... in Prospect with several children. He came to Cooranbong with the three eldest children, the third son a cripple. His knee was very much enlarged and he walked with a crutch. I took him into my family nearly one year ago and Sara gave him treatment. The story is [this]: He was at school, and while running for a ball he fell, and six boys after him fell on top of him. His knee soon began to pain him, and physicians said it might have to be amputated. For eleven months he was confined to his bed; then he was allowed to sit up a short time and he walked about with a crutch. Then he suffered considerably and was again in bed for six weeks. He said he was oh, so tired of having to keep still. 14LtMs, Ms 193, 1899, par. 2
He came to Cooranbong with his two elder brothers and his father. We let them live in a small house with three rooms, the house where the twins were born. This was granted them free of rent while the mother and children were in Prospect, held there until some way would open for them. I then commenced my missionary work. I selected a piece of land, seventeen acres, and loaned him thirty-five pounds to make payment on it. The two oldest boys helped the father, and Roy, our boy now, did the cooking for the four of them, walking on his crutch. We helped them, of course, as you know I would, in the eating line. 14LtMs, Ms 193, 1899, par. 3
Sarah saw she must take charge of the boy, and he improved. The swelling began to decrease. I knew this would have the best influence in binding the family to us and perhaps saving the soul of the mother who had given up the truth. They are all here now, living on a place of their own—father, mother, and nine of the children. One girl is in Parramatta at work. They managed to live in a home just composed of iron roofing and bark from the trees and a tent and a rude barn. A more grateful woman I have never seen. She has had a hard time throughout her life. 14LtMs, Ms 193, 1899, par. 4
We furnished the father and boys beds, bedclothing, and furniture for nearly one year. We saw that the crippled boy was losing all he had gained. There was no mother on the premises, for she had to care for five children in Prospect. We took the boy into our home and gave him treatment. We took him with us to the camp meeting, and there he was treated all through the meeting. A swelling came under his knee. Sara poulticed it and worked with charcoal compresses and finally opened the swelling and matter and pieces of bone were discharged. We have kept him as a member of our family since. We feed and clothe him. The knee had some difficulty for some weeks. Sara kept at work faithfully over it, for it was a question whether the limb could be saved; but the bits of bone kept working out. Now the limb is all well, as sound, apparently, as the other. The family feel so grateful, and well they may. 14LtMs, Ms 193, 1899, par. 5
We dared not have him roistering around with the family or school children, so we took him as our boy. He has learned to take copies of my writings on typewriter and to use the press, putting articles in copy book. Thus we are educating him. We clothe him and board him and for a few weeks back we have thought best to give him the advantage of attending school. 14LtMs, Ms 193, 1899, par. 6
This kind interest shown for the family has been appreciated. The mother says the boy may always feel thankful that Miss McEnterfer has saved his leg. The doctors said they could do nothing for him, probably he must lose his leg. This is medical missionary work, and only one instance, for there have been feet and limbs she seemed more as a miracle wrought. Thank God for this. This boy is a promising lad, bright and as neat and tidy as any child we have ever seen. 14LtMs, Ms 193, 1899, par. 7
In doing what we have, we have bound ourselves with the entire family. They now have a good piece of land of their own, several acres cleared and set out to fruit trees, and Sister Thomson says she never experienced such kindness and thoughtfulness as we have shown them. The two eldest boys work with their father, who is a master workman. They will soon have a good home of their own, and this mother, who has never had a home of her own, is a thoroughly active, earnest worker, making everything go the longest way, keeping the children tidy. Her energies and tact and ingenuity to keep their children clothed have been no small matter, her husband getting work only occasionally. There is plenty for them all to do here on their place, and with their father at their trade, they can now make a living and will be, with their talent, a help to the business that must be carried on in Cooranbong. 14LtMs, Ms 193, 1899, par. 8
Brother Pocock is a fine-appearing gentleman in every sense of the word. He was a coach builder, a wheelwright, and a house builder, but he had settled on a rocky piece of land which would yield them only about three pounds a year and two pounds must be paid for the use of that rocky spot. The was thrown out of work when the banks failed. 14LtMs, Ms 193, 1899, par. 9
He embraced the truth, and the Sabbath was a hindrance. I employed him to paint my home. Thus I became acquainted with him. We learned something of their situation and our family sent them a box, and sometimes two boxes of clothing each year. We saw that he must have help, and we worked to remove him to Cooranbong. He has had to be helped to get him a piece of land for which he will pay so much per week from his wages. 14LtMs, Ms 193, 1899, par. 10
I have pitched my family camp meeting tent in my enclosure nearly opposite the land he has purchased. Here his family will live for a time until a cheap wooden building can be erected by himself and with the donation of help from others of his carpenter brethren. This family is now provided for. He lost a most beautiful boy soon after coming here. He ate of a bird that was cooked by their neighbors, thinking it would be a treat for the little fellow, but it poisoned him, and although everything was done for him he had not strength to rally; he died. The bird was a parakeet, poison at some seasons of the year. That flesh meat dinner cost the little fellow his life. They have four more children living. We are helping this family to help themselves and be in comfortable circumstances. 14LtMs, Ms 193, 1899, par. 11
We are keeping this land for just such purposes. It is the school tract. Persons have wanted to purchase farms of this land of thirty acres. We say, No, decidedly. We shall keep it and do God service by selling it to worthy poor people. This is missionary work we have been engaged in ever since we have been in Cooranbong. There are two more families that are waiting for allotments of land. All these have large families of children, but we can help them who never owned a home to secure one now, and this is as God would have it. 14LtMs, Ms 193, 1899, par. 12