, 1701. 55 � I mirth Quarter. ISllili � No. I THE THIRTEENTH SABBATH OFFERING OVERFLOW WILL GO TO THE SOUTH AMERICAN DIVISION TO BENEFIT TWO HOSPITALS: 1. The Penfigo (pen'-fee-go) Hospital, Mato Grosso, Brazil. 2. Our needy hospital in Sao Paulo (sung pow'-lo), Brazil. Hospital director, Doctor Gunter Hans, and patient afflicted with savage fire (pemphigus) at Penfigo Hospital, Mato Grosso, Brazil. THE SOUTH AMERICAN DIVISION [The following paragraphs should be presented to the Sabbath School on the first Sabbath of the quarter, together with the article prepared for October 1.] The 179,529 Sabbath School members of the South American Division in eight different countries send greetings to our Adventist brethren around the world. A total of 133,000,000 inhabitants live in these lands. Of this number 80,000,000 live in Brazil, the country designated to receive the overflow of the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering this quarter. The South American Division was organized in 1916 with only 4,903 baptized members; but it has grown rapidly so that today our church membership is 156,925. We have 2,648 Sabbath Schools dedicated to evangelism through Branch Sabbath Schools, Child Evangelism and Vacation Bible Schools. Even though we are giving special emphasis to these phases of evangelism, we have not neglected to place importance on overseas mission expansion. Our offerings, especially those of the 12 Sabbaths of each quarter and the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering, are generous, and each week our people are giving more and more, so as to uphold in our part of the world mission growing. �• The interest of our Sabbath Schools during this quarter are focused on Brazil. This large country is divided into three unions. The South Brazil Union will benefit from the offering overflow. (Look at the map on the last page of the Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly.) We have in this country 113,580 Sabbath School members and 92,460 baptized church members. This is about 60 per cent of all Seventh-day Adventists in the South American Division. The city of Sao Paulo is the headquarters of the South Brazil Union. According to the statistics of the United Nations organization, it is one of the fastest growing industrial cities in the world. In this great city is located our Sio Paulo Hospital known as the Casa de Saude Liberdade (c5-za da sä-OW-da le-bar-d5.-dd), which needs your help. It must be enlarged immediately in order to fulfill its mission of helping those who are in need of physical care. Our Penfigo (pen'fee-go) Hospital is located in the State of Mato Grosso. We shall also hear of its needs during this quarter. Though it is located in an isolated area, and surrounded by those in extreme poverty, yet it shines like a brilliant the northeast and far to the south, come the sick and suffering for relief from the lighthouse over the vast territory of Brazil. From the distant Amazon region, to 1 terrible torment of savage fire. Each time that we visit this hospital and observe the intense suffering of the patients, we ask God anew to bless the doctors and nurses so that they will be endowed with power to give health and healing to those who are so gravely affected. Also we ask God to provide us with means to enlarge the hospital, to better equip it, and to provide us with many more missionary workers for this great humanitarian endeavor. � 4. We believe that these two important projects present a special opportunity for our brethren around the world to dedicate their hearts, their prayers, and their means in the form of a generous Thirteenth Sabbath Offering for the medical work in S5.o Paulo and Mato Grosso to be taken December 24. These two projects and the sick who shall find health in these institutions are awaiting your generous gifts. Juan Riffel Sabbath School Secretary South American Division MISSIONS QUARTERLY � 3 SABBATH, OCTOBER 1 Forward With Brazil JAMES J. AITKEN Elder Aitken graduated from Union Col- lege, Lincoln, Nebraska in 1941. He entered the work in Kansas, where he was ordained. In 1944 and '45 he took special work in the Theological Seminary in Washington, D. C., in preparation for rehabilitation work in Europe. From 1946 to 1958 he labored ap- proximately 12 years as Missionary Volun- teer secretary and assistant religious liberty secretary in the Southern European Divi- s:on. In 1958 he was elected president of the South American Division, which position he holds at the present time. Saudacoes! (si-ero-da-soings') means greetings from Brazil. Without a doubt Brazil is the fastest growing country on the South American continent. The pop- ulation and industrial explosion is coming about in spite of great areas of poverty and misery and galloping inflation. The Brazilian cruseiro, once worth 34 to the dollar, has since gone as high as 2,250. The Brazilians have a saying, however which depicts the true spirit of the coun- try—Brazil nao pode parar (nung po-di pa-far) "Brazil cannot stop." The most encouraging thing for our Sabbath School members around the world to know is that the spread of the Advent message in Brazil cannot stop and will not stop until the darkest corner of this great na- tion of some 80,000,000 souls has been reached with the gospel light. At present the baptized membership of Brazil is about 100,000. The doors of opportunity are open. In the 14 Sabbaths of this last quarter of 1966 the South American Division wants to make a most urgent appeal to each of you to help them in strengthening the right arm of the message in two im- portant places in Brazil—first our hospi- tal in the great metropolis of Sao Paulo (sung pow'lo), and second our small Pen- figo (pen'-fee-go) or savage fire hospital in the State of Mato Grosso in the far west near Campo Grande. Sao Paulo could be compared to a teeming Chicago or Los Angeles metrop- olis. In the heart of this great city we have an old and out-of-date hospital called the Casa de Saude Liberdade (ci- za di sd-c7o-da li-ber-dat-di), which means "house of health on Liberty Street." Even though it is wholly inade- quate in its facilities, it has been giving a wonderful Christian testimony in the city of Sao Paulo over the years. A group of doctors recently said that unless we modernize our equipment there, or build a new hospital, they will be forced to take their patients to other more modern hospitals. However, they said they much preferred bringing their patients to the environs of the Seventh-day Adventist hospital. And now in its outdated condi- tion something must be done. Your gen- erous gifts on the thirteenth Sabbath will help to rebuild this important institution. Seventh-day Adventists are famous in Brazil for their great humanitarian work at the small Penfigo Hospital, often called the Savage Fire Hospital. Dr. Gunter Hans and his staff of nurses have dedi- cated their lives to the healing of one of the most dreaded diseases of medical his- tory, savage fire, which is a living death, comparable only to leprosy. Ulcers and eczema, from the sole of the feet to the top Of the head, with a continual burning sensation, make the condition of one with this disease most pathetic. We, as Sev- enth-day Adventists, are operating the only private hospital in Brazil for the Read story many times until you can tell it from memory. Prepare well. 4 � MISSIONS QUARTERLY treatment of this disease. As Elder Ait- ken walked between the beds of the sick at this institution, one man pulled back the blood-stained sheet covering his head to protect it from the flies and said, "Oh, Pastor, please thank the Adventists wherever they are for the wonderful help. I was once a prosperous rancher with a fine family, but I am now become as Job. I have lost my family and every- thing I possessed because of this terrible disease. Now I hope to start life over again because of the good help of the Adventist people." As Elder Aitken saw this poor man, he wished we could have a new and well- equipped hospital to care for these pa- tienti—a building with screens, lights, and running water. Because of our sci- entifically developed treatment, the death rate for this disease has been cut from forty to four per cent over the years, in spite of the primitive condi- tions. We have launched out in faith in lay- ing the foundations for the new Penfigo (savage fire) Hospital. God is reward- ing our efforts, and local and interna- tional funds from organizations as far away as Germany have come to help us. However, we are dependent upon a lib- eral Thirteenth Sabbath Offering for the finishing of this institution. Let us re- member these poor unfortunate people by bringing a special Christmas gift to the Master. "The Spirit of Christ is the spirit of missions, and the nearer we get to Him the more intensely missionary we must become."—Henry Martyn. SABBATH, OCTOBER 8 Evangelism on Fire M. S. NIGRI (nee'-gree) Elder Nigri has been secretary of the South American Division since 1962. Before this time he was president of the South Bra- zil Union for eleven years. He has been a conference president, departmental secre- tary, pastor of the Central Church in Sao Paulo, Brazil, district leader, and Bible in- structor. He has worked 30 years in our denominational employ. Today I bring you greetings from nearly 200,000 Sabbath School members in the South American Division. South America is still a continent of surprises and contrasts. The weather is cold, hot, or temperate. It has highlands, jungle, and coast; knowledge and back- wardness; the rich and the poor; believ- ers of our faith and unbelievers; witch- craft and pagan traditions; and millions still in dense darkness. Because of this, South America is to- day one of the greatest challenges of the remnant church. Our evangelists and lay- men are working with faith and courage, and the Lord is winning thousands of souls every year. In just three series of evangelistic meetings held simultaneously in three large cities, 500 souls have been baptized. The South American Division is seeking the Lord for 21,000 baptisms in the year 1966. It is an inspiration to know that our pastors, evangelists and laymen are in the front lines meeting the public even in the face of criticism and persecution, but always going forward by faith. Close to 1,500 new members have been won for the Lord in the cities of Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile, Uruguay, and Argentina in only two year's time! .4 Read story many times until you can tell it from memory. Prepare well. MISSIONS QUARTERLY � 5 The same thing is happening in Brazil —a country considered to be one of the modern miracles of evangelism in the Adventist world. It has 100,000 Seventh- day Adventists, and 1,000 new members are baptized each month. Our workers in Brazil, evangelists and laymen, are shak- ing great cities like Brasilia, Rio de Ja- neiro, and Sfio Paulo; and their influence is felt from the city of Manaus (ma- nous') far up on the Amazon River to Porto Alegre in Rio Grande do Sul. Our evangelist, Altino Martins, went to the little town of Itaquara (ita-kfif-ri) in the interior of the State of Bahia, where there is developing a little Advent- ist colony, and there he held a wonderful series of meetings. But something extra- ordinary happened. A young lady 17 years of age, a student in our academy, though a devout Catholic, began to at- tend the meetings. Her parents were opposed to our truth. But since in this city there is no theater, because of the Adventist influence, and no dance hall, nor other worldly attractions usually found in a city, everybody in the little town went to the evangelistic meetings just to help pass the time away. The evangelist began to notice that this young lady was the only one who met him at the door and shook hands in greeting. "What a shame," he thought, "she has no interest in the truth." But one night, almost at the end of the series of meetings, she asked Elder A � � Martins if she could talk with him. She told him the night before she had awak- ened and saw in her room a heavenly being, resplendent in light, and that this being said, "Young lady, why don't you keep the Sabbath?" And then the heav- enly being left. The young lady arose from her bed, trembling and curious, got out her rosary and began to pray. At this instant the heavenly being returned and said, "No, not this," and he pointed to the rosary, "I'm not talking about this. You should keep the Sabbath. Read in the Bible Isaiah 58:13." But she did not have a Bible, so the next morning she went to hunt one. As she read she be- came perplexed. That night she said to Elder Martins, "I can't keep the Sab- bath, Professor, because in my house no one keeps the Sabbath. But the heavenly being told me that I must." Elder Mar- tins said, "It isn't I who is talking to you, but God." She replied, "But the market day is Sabbath, and I have to stay home to clean the house. What shall I do?" Again Elder Martins said, "You must follow the counsel of the heavenly be- ing." So she made her decision. The next Sabbath she was in Sabbath School, and entered the baptismal class. Elder Mar- tins baptized 21 in the first baptism in that little city, and many more are study- ing, just like this young lady. In this way and in many other ways the interest is awakening here and there. But the largest ingathering of souls, it appears, is in the great city of Sio Paulo, with its 4,000,000 inhabitants, and its 80 Adventist churches with more than 12,000 members. Not long ago our evan- gelist, Alcides (al-see'-dis) Campolongo baptized 280 souls—the largest single baptism in the history of the South American Division—in a series of meet- ings in the suburb of Casa Verde, where a new church was organized. And in 1965, 400 souls were won in another series in a new suburb where we had no Seventh- day Adventists. Victories have been won in these meet- ings. One man who had drunk three bottles of wine daily, and whose wife In your presentation, refer to printed page only as absolutely necessary. 6 � MISSIONS QUARTERLY said he was a devil in his own home, at- tended the meetings. Soon he stopped drinking and smoking and took his brother-in-law and sister to the meetings with him. On the day he was baptized, his wife, his brother-in-law and sister were baptized also—all because of the missionary work of this former drunkard. So, in this city where soon we will have 100 churches of more than 15,000 mem- bers in all, we have only one old hospital that is no longer representative of the name Seventh-day Adventist. The old building needs to be replaced by a new and larger one. Part of the offering over- flow for this coming thirteenth Sabbath will be used to help with the building of a new hospital in Sao Paulo, which will be a great monument to the Lord's work in this huge city. SABBATH, OCTOBER 15 The Growth of One Union OSWALDO R. AZEVEDO After graduating from the theological course in our Sao Paulo (sung paulo) Col- lege in 1936, Elder Azevedo (azee-vay'-do) has held the following positions in our work: Bible instructor and pastor in Sao Paulo, professor and departmental secretary in the Rio Grande do Sul Conference, prin- cipal of one of our academies, president of the Sao Paulo Conference, and now presi- dent of the South Brazil Union. The South Brazil Union is comprised of six states in the south-central part of Brazil. The population of this union is approximately 30,000,000, distributed in areas that are well developed, partially developed, or under developed. Since Brazil has always been a nation with full religious liberty, it has been easy to present the Adventist message in every aspect, and we have approximately 60,000 baptized members in the South Brazil Union at the present time. The growth of our membership, due to evan- gelistic fervor and success, has brought a growth also to our responsibilities and necessities in this large union. We have in the South Brazil Union three second- ary schools, in addition to our Sao Paulo College which is an inter-union institu- tion of secondary and higher grades. We have hundreds of primary schools where thousands of children and young people • are studying each year, helped financially by the sacrificial giving of our faithful members. Besides our schools and colleges, we have three medical launches in the rivers of the South Brazil Union treating the people of those areas who are suffering from terrible diseases, hunger, and other physical needs. One of these launches, Pioneira III, travels between nine to twelve hundred miles on the Araguaia (ar-a-gwy-a) River, treating especially the Indians that live in the jungles of central Brazil. Among the Caraja' Indi- ans we have a school where children and young people learn to read and do man- ual labor. We have spent thousands of dollars in the care of the medical launches, but at this moment what we need most is finan- cial help for two old and inadequate hospitals, which need to be enlarged. Construction of the new wings has begun on the Penfigo Hospital in Mato Grosso and the Sao Paulo Hospital in Sao Paulo. The Sao Paulo Hospital (Casa de Saude Liberdade), which was formerly a residential building but adapted for a hospital, with only 36 beds, is now being Read story many times until you can tell it from memory. Prepare well. MISSIONS QUARTERLY � 7 enlarged to 110 beds. The installations and equipment must be in condition to care for all classes of people of this great city of 4,000,000 inhabitants, and espe- cially our Adventist brethren, numbering about 24,000, in the capital and in the interior of the state. The budget of the Sao Paulo Hospital building program is almost $1,000,000. The Penfigo Hospital in Mato Grosso is an institution of about 60 beds, which treats the very poorest of patients from several states of the great country of Brazil. These two hos- pitals are now under construction and need our help financially. We plead with you this morning, our dear believers, to be generous in your offerings for these two monuments of the work in the South Brazil Union. We hope that the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering overflow for this quarter will be the larg- est in the history of the Sabbath School Department. May the Lord bless abun- dantly those who give for the advance- ment of the cause of God in the great country of Brazil. SABBATH, OCTOBER 22 Unlimited Possibilities in Northeast Brazil RUDOLPHO BELZ -A Rudolpho Belz, the grandson of one of the first Adventists in Brazil, was born in 1898. He has just completed 44 years of denominational work. During these years he has been a secretary, Bible instructor, pre- ceptor and professor of theology in one of our colleges, evangelist, president of two conferences and two unions, and field secre- tary of the South American Division. Today Elder Belz is president of the East Brazil Union. At a camp meeting in Baixo Guandu (bash-o gwan-doo) the ministers were preparing for the church service, when a poor little girl, without shoes, came to Elder Belz saying, "Will you accept my two cruzeiros? (less than one-tenth of a cent U.S.) I had to go out of Sabbath School to help my little sister just at the time the offering was being taken, so I didn't get to give my offering." Elder Belz thought, "It is this spirit that will finish the work. Would that all of us, especially those to whom the Lord has entrusted much could comprehend the hour in which we live. The end is near and there is still much to do." Dear Brethren, the East Brazil Union is the smallest in territory, but the largest in population of the three unions in Brazil. Mrs. E. G. White says: "The Christian life is a battle and a march." There are two kinds of marches—steady and accelerated. The accelerated march characterizes the East Brazil Union. Re- cently it has begun a new academy and organized a church of approximately 100 members. A man of means in Itaquara (eta-ke-ri) gave us the building and all the necessary equipment. In the Mineira Mission this year, a medical clinic and a cultural center have been established. The march is moving faster. Now we need to build a hospital. And we trust that God will impress all His dear people to supply the funds. In Rio de Janeiro, because of a series of evangelistic meetings, we have a new church of 120 members. But where shall we put these new believers? The rented hall must be given up, and there is no money with which to build a chapel or even to buy the land. In a section of the city of Recife a church building was built in three In your presentation, refer to printed page only as absolutely necessary. 8 � MISSIONS QUARTERLY months, with a capacity for 200 people. Our Silvestre Hospital, at the foot of the Corcovado* in Rio de Janeiro, needs more rooms, more space. Dr. Edgard Ber- ger, the medical director, has planned an enlargement. It is hoped that somehow God will help to complete this plan. On the great Sao (sung) Francisco River we have two medical launches. One is in the State of Bahia, far away from the great centers, without roads or facilities. And the other is in the State of Minas Gerais (mean-as jer-ice). But another is on a large artificial lake of Furnas, also in the State of Minas Gerais. Churches, schools, orphanages, and medical posts spring up wherever there are openings and possibilities for the advancement of the Word of the Lord. It is impossible to recite all the ways that doors are opening in the East Brazil Union. We have invitations from all sides, but we have no means to enter. Dear Friends, many today are waiting for God's people who have been given the last warning message to bring them the story of salvation. My brother, my sister you have a task to do! *Co r cov ado (kor'-ko-va'-do) literally "hunchbacked." Peak 2,310 ft. on S side of city of Rio de Janeiro, SE Brazil; has gi- gantic figure of Christ on its top. "Work, brethren. . . . now is your opportunity; improve it. If there are some who cannot give personal effort in missionary work, let them live economically, and give of their earnings."— T estimonies, vol. 5, p. 732. SABBATH, OCTOBER 29 The Birth of the Penfigo Hospital DURVEL STOCKLER DE LIMA Brother Stockier began his work in 1923 in the Brazil Publishing House. Then he stopped work to attend college. Upon re- turning to the publishing house, he became editor of our papers and books. Evangelism and departmental work next took his time and attention. Twice he was professor in our Sio Paulo College, and for four years he served as president of the Mato Grosso Mission. After dedicating 28 years to de- nominational work, he retired for health reasons. -4 The beginning of our Penfigo Hospital in Mato Grosso, Brazil was indeed of divine origin. Pastor Stockier has always believed in medical missionary work, and especially in Mato Grosso, where evan- gelistic work for many years moved very slowly. And so it was, when he was asked to direct our work in that territory in 1949, he almost immediately went to the capital of the state to ask that the authorities help us buy a medical launch. During the time that he was on this trip, the local pastor noticed a sick woman, apparently abandoned, sitting under a tree near the city. She was a maid in a large farm home, ill with the terrible dis- ease, savage fire. Our local pastor put the lady in a little wooden house that was owned by one of our sisters of the church, and there he treated her with a medicine 4. made from coal tar, a formula that had already cured his wife some time before. J. Two or three days later another lady came who was also sick with the same dreaded disease, and she too was treated by our pastor. So that is how, when Pas- tor Stockier returned from his trip to the state capital, the members of the MISSIONS QUARTERLY � 9 church, and especially his wife, insisted that they change their ideas and plan for a hospital for savage fire patients instead of a medical launch. From the moment that they began to pray about it they felt that the hand of God was resting over them. A piece of land was obtained from a farm owned by one of our Adventist sis- ters on which to construct the hospital. Immediately she and her husband accom- panied Elder Stockier about 60 miles to ' � � a little city in the interior to see the man who had made the formula for the mar- 4 velous medicine that was curing this dreadful disease called savage fire. He was now in the last days of his life, on his bed from which he would never again arise. They urged him to reveal to them the secret of the medicine. With reluc- tance he finally gave them the formula, but with the condition that it be used I only for benevolent purposes. A few days later there arrived at Brother Stockler's home a colored man and woman with their little son seven years of age, suffering terribly with sav- age fire. They said that the mayor of the city—a doctor of ill repute—told them, "Only the Adventist pastor can cure this sickness." Brother Stockier looked at his wife and said, "Here is our opportunity to find out if the formula is correct." They kept the little boy in their home, treating him with, the medicine, and in a short time he was cured. From then on the news traveled through all the mission territory, even to distant 1 � � frontiers. In order to have means for this endeavor, donations were solicited from business men, farmers, professional men, and others. First a little lean-to of straw was built for the men, and soon one of brick for the women. The first beds were given by the army hospital. One bathtub was purchased. The bathrooms were out- of-doors, with only walls of bamboo. And thus we began our hospital for the pa- tients of this terrible disease. The great work continued. By the end of the fourth year, the first section of the Mato Grosso Penfigo Hospital was dedi- cated. And since that time this hospital and the work that has been done there has been a great blessing in the name of the Adventist church. We are asking all of our good brethren and sisters to give all they can on the thirteenth Sabbath to help our hospital in Mato Grosso, together with the hos- pital in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil. May God bless you as you give to Him. SABBATH, NOVEMBER 5 Humble Beginning—Great Possibilities DR. GALDINO NUNES VIEIRA Dr. Galdino Nunes Vieira (gal-de'-no new-ness ve-a'-ra) was the founder of the Casa de Saude Liberdade, our Sao Paulo Hospital, in 1942, and its director for seven years. He left his professorship at the Uni- versity of Rio Grande do Sul to enter the medical work. Later on he was the medical director of the Silvestre Hospital in Rio de Janeiro and the Born Samaritano Clinic in Porto Alegre. He is now retired from active service, but still is active as church elder in the Central Church of Porto Alegre. The Sao Paulo Conference, under the dynamic and strong leadership of Elder G. Ritter, with much sacrifice, purchased a house in the center of the city of Sao Paulo and reconditioned it. This was the beginning of our medical work in this Read story many times until you can tell, it from memory. Prepare well. 10 � MISSIONS QUARTERLY "No, Doctor, we cannot refuse a pa- tient who can be a blessing for our hos- pital." The patient was brought in and the operation performed. Regular working hours were impos- sible. The personnel was insufficient— they worked 12 to 14 hours each day in order to attend all the patients. But God blessed. After one year, during the bien- nial session, the doctor was able to report that they had performed approximately 300 operations, and not one of their pa- tients died. The Sio Paulo Hospital has progressed greatly. Another doctor's appraisal of the hospital was, "The installations of this place do not meet the modern surgical requirements, but I bring my patients here because of the personnel. I have never found more dedicated people. I have never seen so much self-denial as here." It is urgent that we build a big, modern 4 hospital according to modern architec- tural standards, where the name of God and our good work can be daily repre- sented. The plans are already in hand. Our workers at the hospital write as follows: "Dear Sabbath School mem- bers, you have already shown your gen- erosity in giving for other lands. We are counting on you this next thirteenth Sabbath to give for the Sio Paulo Hospi- tal, praying that you will give the largest offering you have ever given." great city. In 1942 this hospital opened its doors. The beginning was hard and strenuous. Only the most necessary equipment was on hand to carry out surgery, clinical work, and hydrotherapy. These installa- tions were poor, and the purchase of new equipment and instruments had to be carefully studied, since the hospital did not have an operating capital. The hos- pital was very small. An adjoining prop- erty was bought to enlarge the hospital's premises. The enlargement was com- pleted by great sacrifice. In the beginning there were only four nurses. The first surgery was done the day after opening. Soon the hospital was crowded, and once more there arose the problem of lack of space. There was too much work, but those workers dedicated to the cause of the Master did not give up in discouragement. One day, after long hours of surgery, and just as Miss Treftz, the supervisor of nurses, was finishing the work of putting the operating room in order, Dr. Galdino received a phone call from another doctor with regard to an- other surgery. He talked to Miss Treftz. "It was a hard day, wasn't it, Miss Treftz?" He didn't dare to tell her that they were going to have another opera- tion, since she was already doing the work of one of the nurses. "Yes, we had a lot of work, Dr. Gal- dino. We are exhausted," was her answer, while she smiled. "They are asking for another opera- tion, right now," the doctor hesitatingly said. "Oh," she replied, with a very gay countenance, "We have to do it." "But, won't it be too much for the nurses?" asked the doctor, more encour- aged. "Those whom God employs as His messengers are not to feel that His work is dependent upon them. Finite beings are not left to carry this bur- den of responsibility."—The Mount of Blessing, p. 175. In your presentation, refer to printed page only as absolutely necessary. MISSIONS QUARTERLY � 11 SABBATH, NOVEMBER 12 Breaking Through the Barriers of Prejudice BENITO RAYMUNDO Elder Benito Raymundo was for six years a missionary in the Ribeira (re-bicra) Valley, as captain of the medical launch Samaritana. He is now president of the Mato Grosso Mission. never spoken to us. He sneered at those who sought our help, warning them that they would be cursed because they were taking Protestant medicines. One day, his youngest son became seriously ill. All the resources of the region were used, but the child was getting worse and worse. The man was desperate and grieved. The life of his son was in danger. One of his neighbors who understood the situation said to him, "Why don't you call the doctor of the Samaritana medical launch?" "Oh," he said, "he would never come. The doctor knows I have been fighting against him. It is impossible." "Well, I will call him them," said the neighbor, and he left hurriedly, without listening to his arguments. This was how we first entered that place. This was how this man became a great friend of our missionaries and an unwearied searcher of the Holy Scrip- tures. This was how the strong feelings of prejudice disappeared and we conquered hearts. Today, after ten years, hundreds of souls rejoice in the blessed hope of the second coming of Jesus, and the work is well established in the valley, with churches, schools, and medical mission stations. One day our missionaries were called to help a lady who was about to give birth to her sixth child, and she was very sick. Her husband had a lung disease, and the five children were ill too. They had no food in their humble hut, and no comforts. They had no furniture, not even beds. They slept on mats on the bare floor. There was nothing ready for the baby who would soon be born. Mrs. Raymundo started working to prepare the clothing needed. Several sheets were made into diapers. Clothing The valley of Ribeira, where the med- ical launch Samaritana is working at the ▪ present time, was until a few years ago a forgotten area, without means. In this F area lived good, hospitable people—a people abandoned to their own fate, full of prejudice and superstition. ▪ When Elder and Mrs. Raymundo ar- rived in the valley in 1955, they found that there still existed remains of the discoverers who many centuries ago had been there. Everything remained as they had left them. Our missionaries found their first years in the valley meant sacri- fice and hard work. As the work grew, they were asked to attend the most diffi- cult cases. The Sao Paulo Conference considered the possibility of coordinating 4 � � the work of the medical launch Samari- tana with our hospital in Sao Paulo. This • brought a new impetus to the work and a good reputation even among the med- ical circles. Now it was not just a launch with a nurse doing first-aid work, but they had a hospital that backed up their work and received the most serious pa- tients. The work was growing, thereby breaking down prejudice. In one of the river towns there was a man who, because of religious reasons, was a great enemy of the work. He fought us openly, even though he had Read story many times until you can tell it from memory. Prepare well. 12 � MISSIONS QUARTERLY belonging to her own children were changed into baby clothes. Finally the little wardrobe was ready, and it did not lack even Johnson's Baby Cream. During their stay of three days in that place, they administered intensive med- ical treatment and medicines to the whole family, even preparing meals for them in the launch. When they left they noticed that the family was all greatly cheered. Dear world Sabbath School members, it is a great privilege to be a member of God's church and to have the opportu- nity to serve humanity at a time like this. While others make dry speeches, with no value or benefit, we serve with happi- ness those who need us. Our hospitals, our launches and mission stations speak out in a very loud voice what the Ad- ventists are doing around the world. Wouldn't you like to help extend this work in Brazil, where there are still so many needs? Your Sabbath School offerings will al- low us to help thousands who are suffer- ing, who daily extend their hands seeking help, and who will one day be able to stand in our ranks, reinforcing the work of carrying the gospel of salvation to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people in this generation. "If the hearts of God's people were filled with love for Christ, if every church member were thoroughly im- bued with the spirit of self-sacrifice, if all manifested thorough earnestness, there would be no lack of funds for home or foreign missions. Our re- sources would be multiplied; a thou- sand doors would be opened, and we should be invited to enter."—Testimo- nies, vol. 6, page 450. SABBATH, NOVEMBER 19 Sergio JAMES V. HOLDER James V. Holder has been radiologist and laboratory technologist of the Belem Hos- pital since 1961. He recently returned from a business trip to the United States, where he bought several thousand dollars worth of equipment for the hospital, plus an eight channel electroencephalograph, the first in the north of Brazil. Sergio was a little Brazilian boy much like any other three-year-old boy from a poor family living in a rough wooden house with a thatched roof, in the city of Belem, located near the equator on the mouth of the mighty Amazon River. One day little Sergio left his playing in the dirt with the other children and went inside complaining to his grand- mother that he did not feel well. The next morning his face was swollen, and the day after his whole body started to swell. His mother and grandmother be- came alarmed and took him to see a doctor at a first-aid station. But the swell- ing continued to increase, so an appoint- ment was made with a specialist. The trouble was diagnosed as nephritis. His kidneys were not functioning properly, and the fluid and poisons were backing up into his tissues, causing the swelling and pain. Sergio was then admitted to the state-financed charity hospital, where he stayed over a month. The doctor at last pronounced the case incurable and told the grandma to take Sergio home, for they could do no more for him, saying that he would die anyway, and it might as well be at home. One day a neighbor told Sergio's -A 4 In your presentation, refer to printed page only as absolutely necessary. MISSIONS QUARTERLY � 13 grandmother that perhaps the Spiritu- alists could help her grandson, as they make many claims of miraculous heal- ings. With hope, they took Sergio to the Spiritist Hospital where treatment began with rituals and chants and calling upon the spirits. This type of treatment con- tinued for another week at Sergio's house, but it did not improve his condi- tion. Another neighbor knew of a witch doctor where Sergio was immediately taken, as the parents were willing to try anything by this time. At the witch doc- tor's house he was given a bath in a mix- ture of human urine, tobacco juice and cipoalho (se-piii-lyo—an evil smelling tree from the jungle, like garlic). This was followed by a bath in a juice ex- tracted from the dreaded Anaconda snake. This same treatment was repeated three times during the following month, during which time poor Sergio was at death's door. It is a common sight to see a picture of the virgin Mary or of Jesus on the cross hanging in a Brazilian home. Sergio's home was no exception. One afternoon, after the suffering became un- bearable, Sergio pleaded with his grand- mother to carry him out to the living .• � room to see the picture of Jesus. After looking up at the face of Jesus, Sergio cried and pleaded that Jesus would not let him die but would relieve him of his pain. The grandmother's heart was deeply touched, and she also told the Lord that if He would help them to find 1 � a place that could cure Sergio, that she too would dedicate the rest of her life to Christ. A little later that day, Sergio announced that he wanted to go to the Belem Hospital. As far as the family knew they had never mentioned this name before, nor had they ever visited this hospital. Plans went into motion and soon Sergio's uncle, who is a State em- ployee, contacted the governor who promised to pay for an examination and treatment. Sergio arrived one busy afternoon at the Seventh-day Adventist hospital in Belem. After an examination by our doctor, he was found to be at the point of death and was hurriedly admitted. The doctor explained to the family that Sergio's kidneys had completely stopped functioning and there was very little prospect of his living for more than a few days, but that he would do all that was medically possible and would ask the Master Physician to perform a mir- acle in Sergio's behalf. In a few days the swelling began to subside and transfu- sions were given to build up Sergio's blood supply, which was critically de- pleted because of an abundance of worms which complicated his condition. As Sergio improved, his grandmother did not forget her promise to the Lord and began to study the Bible with our hospi- tal chaplain. Ten weeks later Sergio went home to finish his convalescence, and each Sabbath found him and his grand- mother in Sabbath School at the chapel of our Belem Hospital. The grandmother is now a baptized member, and Sergio's mother is showing an interest in studying. Sergio is growing rapidly, and is as nor- mal as any other little boy, thanks to the Master Healer, the dedicated staff at the Belem Hospital, and to you who have been generous in your Sabbath School offerings so all could be made possible. May the Lord bless you and guide you as you plan your Sabbath School offer- ings for Him. Read story many times until you can tell it from memory. Prepare well. 1 4 � MISSIONS QUARTERLY SABBATH, NOVEMBER 26 South America—the Continent of Opportunities JUAN RIFFEL Elder Juan Riffel is a descendant of the Adventist pioneers in South America, being a grandson of Jorge Riffel who emigrated from Kansas to Argentina in 1890 for mis- sionary purposes, where he became the founder and local elder of the first Adventist church on the South American Continent. Elder Juan Riffel was born in Argentina and studied at the River Plate College, graduat- ing in 1929. Since that time he has worked as Bible worker and district pastor, and for 15 years he was secretary for the Sabbath School and home missionary departments in local fields and at the Austral Union. For seven years he acted as president of the Uruguay Mission and the Central Argentine Conference. For nine years he was public relations and home missionary secretary for the Division, and since 1963 he has been secretary of the Sabbath School and public relations departments of the South Amer- ican Division. Those who were born, reared, studied, and worked in South America for almost four decades, can assert that "South America Is the Continent of Opportu- nity." When we recall the vivid stories told by grandparents about the beginning of the work in these areas—about the first person who was interested in the Adventist message; the first baptism; the organization of the first church in Crespo; the first local field and the or- ganization of the first union, and after- wards the South American Division in 1916; all of these events were of great importance in those early days, and now almost three quarters of a century later, when viewing the triumphs of the growth of the work, we cannot but think again of South America as the continent of innumerable opportunities. The growth has been very fast during the last years. Here is some interesting data: 505 radio and TV programs are broadcast every week in South America; besides the millions of listeners, we have 50,000 active Bible Correspondence stu- dents. Last year, more than 1,000 stu- dents of the Bible courses were baptized. We find in Brazil an excellent land of possibilities, and the South Brazil Union, where the overflow of the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering is destined, is the great- est in the world as far as the number of colporteurs and souls won by them is concerned. This union has more than 400 colporteurs, who in only one year won 622 persons, and another year 511. One colporteur, Antonio Andrade (in-dra'- da.), alone won 120 souls in two years. According to the school reports, the South American Division has 765 ele- mentary schools with 34,269 students and 1,222 teachers; twenty-five academies and colleges with 7,949 students and 578 professors. There were 930 young people baptized in these institutions. The 68,000 Missionary Volunteers form a great potential for God's work in the South American Division. This youthful army is not considered any more as the "tomorrow," but as the "today"—the lively force of the church in "The Continent of Opportunities." In answer to the confidence placed in them, our South American young people gave their word of honor to devote their talents to the noble aim of their evange- listic target—"1,006 souls for Christ in 1966." We have no doubt that they will meet this ideal. One of the most evident facts showing that the opportunities given us by the Read story many times until you can tell it from memory. Prepare well. MISSIONS QUARTERLY Lord are taken advantage of is the work done in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, where is located the hospital which will receive part of the overflow of the Thir- teenth Sabbath Offering. Last year 1,421 persons were baptized, and this year we hope to baptize 2,200. Pastor Alcides (51-se'-das) Campolongo, the evangelist of the Sao Paulo Conference, won for Christ and His church more than 400 souls in a series of evangelistic meetings. Among their first plans, our pioneers had in mind to establish the medical work. Elder Riffel reports that his grand- parents and parents generously contri- buted to God's work. The River Plate Sanitarium, which was established 60 years ago, together with 15 other sani- tariums and clinics, is fulfilling the work of the right arm of our message. Sixty persons were baptized lately as a result of the work by the chaplain, the doctors, and the rest of the personnel. As in any other part of the world, there is also a great temperance work to be done here. Our department is promot- ing with success the "Five-Day Plan to Stop Smoking." This program has been presented with great success in the most important cities of South America. Our senior institution, the Sabbath 4 School, largely fulfills the many oppor- tunities that are being offered. Besides taking care of and giving instruction to approximately 200,000 members, it car- ries our evangelistic work through the Branch Sabbath Schools, Child Evange- lism, and Vacation Bible Schools. The South American brethren are also very generous in their mission offerings. These are being doubled during 1965 and 1966 as we endeavor to have the gospel ex- tended rapidly to the farthest ends of the world. As the Master gave, let us all give with sacrifice in order to finish the work which our parents started in the past with greater sacrifice. SABBATH, DECEMBER 3 The Providences of God in Our Hospital PIRAJA DIAS PINTO Brother Pinto has worked in our Ad- ventist organization since 1938, when he began as a professor in our Sao Paulo Col- lege. Since that time he has held many responsibilities in our food factory at the college � cashier, bookkeeper, treasurer, as- sistant manager, and manager. From the beginning of 1963 to the present time he has been the administrative director of our hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The city of Sao Paulo is the capital of the state which bears its name. The city has 4,000,000 inhabitants, of which 12,000 are Seventh-day Adventists. This city has become the industrial center of the whole country of Brazil, a city of skyscrapers, great wealth, and great poverty. In this immense city we find our hos- pital, Casa de Saude Liberdade (ca-sa da sa-cTo'-da. 1i-bar-dal-di). The present building has only 42 beds, never sufficient to care for the needs of all those who come for help. If it were not for dedi- cated doctors and nurses, we could not possibly have the good name that we have in this city. Many patients come from the interior of the state, and sometimes there is no place to put them. But there was space found for a young girl who arrived by In your presentation, refer to printed page only as absolutely necessary. 16 � MISSIONS QUARTERLY ambulance. Her arms and legs were stiff. After having been the patient of two doctors in another city, the pastor who brought her said, "As our last hope, we have brought her to the Casa de Saude Liberdade. The people of her city are sure that she will not return alive. Be- cause of that let us see what can be done for her." After many examinations and much study, her trouble was located in the spine. She was operated on, and after some months of treatments the little twelve-year-old girl, who appeared to be only six years of age, started to walk. She recuperated rapidly, and their efforts were crowned with success. She was given permission to return to her home. She cried bitterly because she loved the hospital and all the personnel, and they too loved her. She was com- pletely cured, and before she left for home she said, "I will return some day as a nurse." Her friends in her home city could hardly believe this smiling, well girl was the same person who had left them a few months before like a rag doll in the arms of her mother. The hospital, too, converts people: Anesio Correa Pinto (a-na'-seo cOr-ria' 1)611'46), after many long days of suffer- ing, and after he had been converted to our wonderful faith, said to the chaplain, "If because of being cured I would lose my salvation, I prefer that the Lord take me now." Mario de Freitas (ma-reo da fra-tas), a Catholic, after reading the book Bible Studies said, before he died, "I am an Adventist. If I live, I want to work in this hospital without salary." He prayed daily until the end. Yes, we believe Mario will be among those who will meet our Saviour. How much more could be done if only there were more beds and more comfort for those who come for physical help. It is impossible to continue with only 42 beds. From the interior of the state people come without asking if there is a place for them. It would be impossible to send them away when they have come from such a distance, because usually when they come to the capital city they are gravely ill. The hospital has been awaiting the ar- rival of the chief of the Caraja Indians, from the Bananal (ba'na-nal') Island, who is in need of an operation. It could be that when he arrives there will be no vacancy, but some provision must be made in some way, for the chief must not be sent back without this surgery. The building plans are ready for the new hospital that is to be constructed. A budget of $1,000,000 is needed to pro- vide for 82,850 square feet of floor space; 122 beds; rooms for psychiatric treat- ment, physiotherapy, obstetrics, radio- therapy, and more rooms for additional patients. Our workers know that this un- dertaking will not be easy, but it is nec- essary to sacrifice so that we may build this hospital in this great city. Our workers in the Sio Paulo Hospital write that even though the old hospital is deficient in many ways, they are enjoy- ing the appreciation and respect of the higher social class of the city. Many pre- fer our hospital even though some com- forts are lacking, because here they find human warmth and Christian love. Bra- zil is counting on the united help of our brethren and sisters in all the world when our Thirteenth Sabbath Offering is given. They know that you will help in this great work that is being undertaken. Read story many times until you can tell it from memory. Prepare well. MISSIONS QUARTERLY � 17 SABBATH, DECEMBER 10 Like the Sickness of Job DR. GUNTER HANS Dr. Gunter Hans, medical director of the Penfigo (pen'fee-go) Hospital in Mato Grosso, Brazil, was born in Germany. He arrived in Brazil in 1936, and graduated from the medical college of the University of Parana, Brazil. From 1957 to 1959 he worked in our Sio Paulo Hospital (Casa Saude Liberdade) (ca-za sa-oo-cla da-da), and since 1960 has been medical director of our Penfigo Hospital, Mato Grosso. ". . . and smote Job . . . from the sole of his foot unto his crown." Job 2:7. Yes, and without a doubt, this is much like the sickness of those who come for treatment of savage fire to our Penfigo Hospital in Mato Grosso, Brazil. The origin of the word "penfigo" means blisters or scales. This terrible skin infection has no re- spect for age, race, or sex, although it is more often found between the ages of 10 to 30 years. It is predominantly in the white race, and the percentage is equal for both sexes. The sickness be- gins without physical signs of any kind, until little blisters show up on the skin, which may be as small as the head of a pin, in an area the size of the palm of the hand or larger. The blister is always soft and full of a puss-like fluid. The weight of this fluid causes the blisters to open, exuding a discharge which has such an offensive odor that it causes nausea. When these blisters dry up, they form the scales; but the center of the blister remains an open sore, and they turn a dark color, about the color of the soil. The poor, unhappy patient, with his outer skin destroyed, always feels like his skin is on fire, or he may feel cold, and there is always a terrible itching over his body. In bed he may be covered by a sheet, or uncovered completely because he cannot tolerate anything against his body. In these conditions we think of the faithful servant of the Lord, Job, using a piece of broken pottery to remove the scales from his body and sitting down in ashes, which was a symbol of grief. The development of the cruel disease savage fire continues until the patient is dark skinned. It is believed to be caused by a virus. Our Penfigo Hospital admitted 135 of these suffering people last year, of which 77 per cent were cured. We are sorry to say that not all can stay in the hospital until they are completely cured, for we do not have sufficient accommodations. Our hospital was built to accommodate only 30 patients, and the number of in- patients always exceeds an average of 55. So many times when a patient improves just a little we have to ask them to go to their homes, or somewhere else, so that we can receive other patients who are more in need of hospital care. Our patients come from near and far, not only from the State of Mato Grosso. One day a man and his wife came to us from a neighboring country where the husband had been in a hospital but had made no improvement in his condition. We had no space for him in our hospital, but when Dr. Gunter saw his suffering he could not turn him away. The wife, dedi- cated to the welfare of her husband, in- sisted that she would stay by him to en- courage him. And God, in His infinite mercy helped us to cure him of his dis- ease. Then, fulfilling the promise to his wife and to God, he was baptized. The wife became our cook at the hospital, In your presentation, refer to printed page only as absolutely necessary. 18 � MISSIONS QUARTERLY and the husband became our carpenter and stone mason. Today he is the builder of our new hospital wing. By the coming of this man and his wife to Mato Grosso, our hospital was greatly blessed. And they are very happy because they have found physical and spiritual help and are glad to know that soon the Lord will return to claim His own. The hospital has broken down walls of preju- dice, making it easier to enter difficult areas with our truth. Dear brethren and sisters, we need a larger hospital to give more comfort and adequate help to those who come for assistance, and a center of research to study the cause of this terrible disease called savage fire. Considering that governors, consuls, Catholic priests, and others do much to help us, what will our response be on this thirteenth Sabbath? What will be YOUR gift at this time of the year when the world commemorates the Greatest Gift—God's dear Son for humanity? Shall we not follow His ex- ample and give the greatest sacrifice we have ever given—for our "neighbors"? SABBATH, DECEMBER 17 Reasons for Brazil's Progress ROBERTO R. AZEVEDO Elder Azevedo is secretary of the depart- ments of public relations, radio-TV, and temperance of the South Brazil Union. In the last 10 years Brazil has been ex- periencing a great surge of progress. It is a new country with the spirit of an ex- panding frontier. This spirit of progress is evident in our own church as we see Read story many times until you can our members and ministers uniting in an evangelism that is gathering more and more souls into the church. In 1955 there were 53,160 members in our Sabbath Schools; today there are 109,459. Ten years ago we were baptizing 3,500; each year now we are baptizing around 12,000. There are three major reasons for Bra- zil's progress: (1) The fact that the attention of the public has been attracted by such things as: The social service work of the 12 medical launches that are operating on Brazil's rivers; the four hospitals; the nine educational institutions; the liter- ature distributed by our courageous col- porteurs, the food products produced by our college health-food factory, "Super- bom" (meaning extra good) ; the pro- grams of the Voice of Prophecy and Faith for Today; and the 287 primary schools. (2) The information published by our public relations department in the last few years, telling the story of who Sev- enth-day Adventists are, what we have done, and what we believe, has been pre- sented in the public press, and has helped to break down prejudice and established confidence in our work. (3) The new approach in promoting temperance has awakened all social classes, establishing the idea that we are doing something of value for the public. Doors are opening on all sides. Never before have we had so many opportu- nities to present our truth, and never be- fore have we enjoyed such broad accept- ance of our work as now. Colporteurs have presented films on temperance and documental films pre- senting the medical missionary work of tell it from memory. Prepare well. MISSIONS QUARTERLY � 19 our launches. They have gone to factories and Army barracks, and after identifying themselves with the Adventist work, have presented our publications, without meet- ing prejudice and have sold hundreds of volumes. This new approach has been miraculous in its results. Public Evangelism has found an atten- tive public wherever the Voice of Proph- ecy and Faith for Today programs have opened the way, by a systematic cover- age of the territory with enrollments in the Bible course. 4 � �In three large series of meetings where this plan was followed, 70 per cent of those baptized who had accepted the message were students of the Bible Cor- respondence Course. With new methods of evangelism and with systematic courses for laymen in the churches, the baptisms have in- creased five to eight times more than in the past. Your financial investment is well worth while in a country where the doors are wide open and where the truth is advancing so rapidly. Is it worth your investment to build two hospitals with the overflow of the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering for this quarter? It is worth your investment to build a monumental hospital in the great city of Sio Paulo, with more than 4,000,000 inhabitants, which will be rep- resentative of our work there and a con- tinuous testimony to God. It is worth your investment to build a hospital that specializes in the treatment of the terrible savage fire skin disease. The eyes of all Brazil are focused on our work in Mato Grosso because of our efforts to "quench" the malady, savage fire. The hands of these sufferers are extended in your di- rection, even as their bodies burn with this savage fire! How much will we help these needy ones this coming thirteenth Sabbath? Today the church around the world will participate in the expansion of the Advent Movement in this country with its open doors—tomorrow may be too late. Note It is the recommendation of the General Conference Sabbath School Department that the special program be presented, and that the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering be taken on the Sabbath before Christmas. THIRTEENTH SABBATH DECEMBER 24 Suggestive Program 9:15- 9:29 Inspirational song service 9:29- 9:30 Program participants enter. 9:30- 9:34 Silent prayer and opening song. 9:34- 9:36 Prayer—remember the South American Division, Brazil in particular. 9:36- 9:59 Missions reading for the day. Thirteenth Sabbath special fea- tures—one or two children's di- visions may provide items. See children's edition of the Mis- sions Quarterly. 9:59-10:37 Class period. (Five-point pro- gram—record, offering, etc., 8 minutes ; lesson study, 30 min- utes.) 10:37-10:40 Closing exercises. Note.—Arrange all the details of your pro- gram early—at least two weeks in advance. Instruct division leaders, whose children are participating, so that each may know the amount of time allotted. In your presentation, refer to printed page only as absolutely necessary. 20 � MISSIONS QUARTERLY SABBATH, DECEMBER 24 Savage Fire Hospital Needs Help LESLIE C. SCOFIELD, JR. Elder Scofield is director of the medical launch, Lumina,- II, on the Sao Francisco River, Minas Gerais (me'-na zha-ris') Brazil. He has spent ten years of his life in medical launch ministry, teaching, preaching, and healing, to the benefit of over 300,000 people. Situated about 30 miles from Campo Grande, Mato Grosso, Brazil is the Sev- enth-day Adventist savage fire hospital. Here in very humble, crowded buildings is being practiced true medical mission- ary ministry. Here hundreds of suffering souls, their skins in shreds, passing through the torment of savage fire re- ceive care for their affliction, sympathy for their suffering, and courage to live. The dynamic motivation behind this Christian endeavor is a slight, energetic, sparkling young man, Dr. Gunter Hans— a medical missionary whirlwind! Dr. Hans migrated to Brazil from Germany at an early age, and in spite of a rheu- matic heart defect and lack of funds completed his medical training. He was soon caught up in the Lord's work and took upon his heart the savage fire vic- tims of Brazil, taking charge of our small hospital with a microscopic budget, tremendous courage, and superhuman effort. Elder Scofield was deeply touched to see the savage fire victims, their faces grotesque masks of pain, enduring the al- most constant burning, itching agony as their skin falls in shreds when they give vent to uncontrollable scratching. It is a rather depressing scene of human despair, but Dr. Hans interjects his forceful personality with unmeasured effort and enthusiasm. The only element he did not lack was many patients, as he took over the hos- pital. Insufficient buildings, little water, no electricity, no milk, no agriculture, few medicines, inadequate help, poor transportation, very limited funds and food supplies, and a lagging interest in the project presented a discouraging pic- ture as Dr. Hans moved in. But, to him, it was a stimulating challenge, and in a short time new hope began to appear in the eyes that peered out from their world of torment. He lacked money, so he earned and solicited it, working night and day in nearby Campo Grande, exam- ining patients and operating in a clinic and hospital, but he battled through the muddy quagmire road in an antique Model A Ford to see his savage fire pa- tients daily. He soon earned their respect and admiration as well as that of his medical colleagues. Dr. Hans runs the hospital on a charity basis. The patients of more means and some doctor friends soon find themselves providing for an artesian well, then a power line, donating a milk cow, 20 bags of rice, a hive of bees, or a new pavilion for thirty more patients. His German background helped in procuring a Volks- wagen Microbus and equipment for the hospital from a German firm and the German Embassy. He has his fingers in everything—dairy cows, bee culture, vegetable gardens, research in new medi- cines for the disease, and a new hospital under construction. How the Lord does bless! After ten years on the Luminar on the Sao Francisco River, struggling to bring Read story many times until you can tell it from memory. Prepare well. MISSIONS QUARTERLY � .2 hope and light to five and a half million souls in the dark Sao Francisco River Valley, Elder Scofield knows how Dr. Gunter Hans feels, how he hopes, how he works. Elder Scofield has listened to Dr. Hans's defective heart which should have more rest, but he knows he can't rest. The greatest blessing that could come to him would be an outstanding Thirteenth Sabbath Offering overflow that would relieve the constant financial pressure and finish the new hospital. Dr. Gunter Hans and his savage fire patients must be helped in a very generous way. He turns down patients almost daily, and this hospital is their last and only hope. Elder Scofield says he knows how deep this cuts into Dr. Hans's compassionate soul, because he himself has felt this same anguish for ten years when he has to leave mothers with dying children in their arms on a jungle river bank. It is almost too much to bear. Elder Scofield struggles to get all the help he can for his medical launches, medical outposts, orphanage, schools and churches for the miserably poor along the banks of the Sao Francisco River, but he is going to help Dr. Gunter Hans and our savage fire hospital with a truly sacrificial offering. What are you going to do, my friend? Ask God about it, and do as He directs! "Christ entreats, 'Lay up for your- selves treasures in heaven.' . . . All that is given for the salvation of souls and the glory of God, is invested in the most successful enterprise in this life and in the life to come."—Counsels on Stewardship, page 342, Ellen G. White. SABBATH, DECEMBER 31 Brazil, Too, Has Its Doctor Schweitzer S. F. MONNIER Elder Monnier was born in Switzerland. He graduated from our college in France, in which country he served as an evangelist six years of his ministry. From 1953 to 1958 he was president of two different missions in the Inter-American Division. From 1959 to 1963 he was departmental secretary in the Franco-Haitian Union Mission, and since 1963 has been a departmental secretary in the South Brazil Union. On this the last Sabbath of 1966, let us visit together our Penfigo (pen'-fee-go) Hospital in Mato Grosso, Brazil. As we arrive at the front of the main building, we notice how very small this brick and wood structure is. Adventists the world around have heard of this hospital, imag- ining, of course, that it is a beautiful hospital, large and well equipped. But it is nothing like this. Entering, we find a clean building. The sheets on the beds have been washed, although they look gray because the medicine used to treat the patients is a cream with a base of pitch, which discolors everything that comes in contact with it. The skin of each patient treated little by little turns dark. After an intensive treatment of Cortisone they are painted with this black salve. The appearance of the pa- tients is repugnant—the face is swollen, the skin is scaley, causing an intensive burning and itching. The patients scratch constantly, and this causes open sores which rapidly become infected. The men wear loose trousers, and the women a large sack-type dress, so as not to touch nor irritate the open sores. These un- In your presentation, refer to printed page only as absolutely necessary. 22 � MISSIONS QUARTERLY happy people carry a piece of wood to use when necessary to relieve the itch- ing on their backs. Not only is their appearance so terrible as to be heart breaking, but there is also a foul odor which is very offensive. The natural impulse, when in the presence of these victims, is to RUN. But we must not run. These people need our help. Dear brothers and sisters, they need your generosity, understanding, and love. Dr. Gunter Hans, medical director of this hospital has two Argentine nurses— Brother and Sister John Belvedere, and two Brazilian nurses—former patients of the Penfigo Hospital. All have more than they can do. Our hospital is completely philan- thropic. The patients, numbering about 40, cannot pay, even though the expenses in the hospital are heavy. Everything is free. This work should be better known among our Adventist people the world around. It is a noble, beautiful work. Dr. Gunter Hans does not fear to touch these patients. He loves them and brings changes in body and in spirit. You would only need to observe the way they look at Dr. Hans to realize that he is to them a friend, a father, a deliverer. He has the hand of a master. His beautifully cultivated gardens, fruit trees, farm, dairy, and bakery provide for the needs of the institution; and the patients who are able help with these enterprises. In order for the hospital to keep ahead fi- nancially, many times Dr. Hans has visited the local farms to solicit rice, beans and fruit for the patients. He is well known, and doors open to him. He is also the doctor for the army barracks nearby. Our doctor deserves to be called "Dr. Schweitzer" of Mato Grosso. It is an inspiration to hear his medical colleagues talking about him, encouraging him, ask- ing his counsel, and supporting him. You should see him at home with his wife and three sons studying the Bible and the books of the Spirit of prophecy and meditating on them. We can justly be proud to have such men in our ranks. Today we can testify of our appreciation for the work of this faithful doctor and his co-laborers by helping to finish the new hospital for these patients and trans- forming the present little hospital build- ing into a laboratory where doctors from the four corners of the world can come and dedicate their forces to discover the origin of this terrible disease and find the means of stopping it. It has been one week since Christmas. Money was used abundantly, we gave each other gifts, and in general we ate well. Have we thought of those less for- tunate? What will we do today to help build a real hospital in Mato Grosso Brazil—something more than usual for those who suffer so terribly? Jesus Calls Us "Go ye," were the words that Jesus said. I want to share that Living Bread. Again He said, "I send you forth"; So I would go, East, South, or North Or West; and if my Lord doth send, Why should I fear the journey's end? "I will be with thee"—precious thought. I volunteer, for I am bought. And if my Saviour paid for me Then His I am and His I'd be; To do His will, His love to tell And serve Him in His vineyard well.. —N. H. J. Smith 1 MISSIONS QUARTERLY From Night to Light IVY SWANSON In the night of sin's enslavement Hands are raised and voices cry, Calling for the light of freedom, Brothers, dare we pass them by? Sin's dark night of gloom has settled Into many an heart and home. Sad and weary souls are longing Nevermore sin's paths to roam. Fields of golden grain are waving 'Neath the brazen, cloudless sky, Waiting for the reaper's sickle, Reaping day is drawing nigh. You who have the precious treasure Of God's love within your heart, Go and share the light with others, God's precious truth to them impart! Can You Hold to Your Gold? MARGARET LOCKE Can you hold to your gold when the poor needy cry For the light, but in darkness they suffer and die, When the light was entrusted to you? Won't you give so they'll live in His love and His care And for all of the glories of heaven prepare? Can you hold to your gold and be true? Has your joy no alloy when for some fan- cied thing You give means that to them heavenly treasure might bring, Do you care what your angel records? What you send you will lend to the One who'll repay In delights never ending some glorious day, And you'll thrill at His welcoming words. The Other Angel J. W. MACE Down from heaven that other angel Comes in majesty and power, Lighting all the world with glory, In earth's last probation hour; Joins the three already flying Swiftly over land and sea, Bearing hope and joy to millions. Reaching souls where'er they be. And there comes an added glory As the four fly swiftly on, Loud proclaim the judgment hour And the coming of the Son. Back to earth the Saviour's coming Not as prophet, priest, but King. Quick prepare to give Him welcome, Let the good news loudly ring. Oh, what joy to see Him coming If our sins we have confessed, And we know He is our Saviour, Then in rapture we'll be blessed. So we'll send the glad news onward To earth's darkest heathen-strand, And we'll give to those in darkness Visions of that heavenly land. The Thirteenth Sabbath Offering Overflow For the First Quarter, 1967 Will Go to The Far Eastern Division Issued quarterly by the Seventh-day Adventist Sabbath School Department, Washington, D. C. f"tr`b UAL. SOUTH BRAZIL UNION PENFIGO HOSPITAL -iiiirmiiiiiiTiiiiiiiiiiiiirail I t_ 11111111111111uuninumiummo 1111111111111111111IlluIllUniumpH 1111111111111111111iMiumiummo, 11111111111111111111111iIIIMiTr 111111111111111111119,1:,::i.i,T.,.. LH 111111111111Mo' SAO PAULO HOSPITAL SOUTH AMERICAN DIVISION UNIONS POPULATION CHURCH CHURCH WWI TASZ:. AUSTRAL 25,341,020 109 17.583 17,955 CHILEAN 8,001,000 66 10,060 9,441 NORTH BRAZIL 10,631,000 36 9,328 11,675 EAST BRAZIL 35,668,000 153 27,173 33,671 INCA 18,804,219 153 36,822 38,553 SOUTH BRAZIL 34,723,000 210 55,959 68234 TOTALS 133,168,239 727 156,925 179,529