Page:Kvartalshilsen (Kvinnelige misjonsarbeidere). 1921 Vol. 14 nr. 4.pdf/8

the floor without bedclothes in their rugged, often wet clothes. In the morning they were driven off and worked under close supervision all day to repair the streets and roads and smooth the ruins of the destroyed Armenian houses. Many of the proud men from the Sassun Mountains, I saw as they were chased along by the overseers, thin, starved and miserable, a sight which is not easily forgotten. Pleadingly, they stretched out their hands to me when I met them, oh how much I wanted to help them, but I did not dare, everything at this time must happen in secret, as the Turks guarded my every move, therefore I pretended not to see them; but in secret I could often help them. Once I was with them and saw how horrible they had it, trying to get a few the Armenians who lived in the basements back. Their lives were never safe, often when the roads were completed, they were killed. When I saw them, I had to think that this is how the slaves must have had it, so I understand what Muschegh has gone through in the fanatical city of Diabekir.

How wonderful to experience that God hears prayers and rescues from the greatest tribulations! Dear friends, remember these two young men for the throne of grace, they need intercession.

This summer, I also had a letter from our friends in Smyrna. Our formerly teacher in Musch, Hagop Jeghiasarion and his wife Elmas sincerely thank you for the great gift of kr. 500,00, that you friends in Norway sent them last year, but that they first got this year, as the check was lost. They are very grateful because you so lovingly helped them in their distress. They have 4 children and Elmas's sister lives with them too. As you remember, they had to leave everything and flee, but eventually reached Smyrna, where they are safe and now well.

From sister Alma Johansson I had a letter about 3 weeks ago. She writes that she and Mrs. Grünhagen are still in Skutari. Several times it looked as if the road in to Mesereh was going to open up, but it has not happened. In June, Sister Alma was granted permission to travel, and joined some American relief workers to Samsun by the Black Sea; but unfortunately, she had to return to Constantinople again, as the Kemalists did not allow her to enter the country. Sister Alma is happy for her work among refugees in Skutari. Supposedly, it is not the Armenians of Armenia that we find here, she says; but we cannot help but wonder that distress and suffering have changed them. The overall impression I have of them makes me remember Job, who, in his anxiety, spoke very poorly towards God, but he could not let God go, and that was his salvation.

Mrs. von Dobbeler has heard from an Armenian woman in Smyrna that there has been a massacre of the Christians in Samsun, and from Konya all Armenians are banished. How dreadful it is for the poor people of the latter city who were already enjoying their freedom. In addition, the Turks in Marasch have deprived the Americans of the great orphanage for boys, and all schools are closed. To all this, the Americans must remain silent. The leader of the American mission has suffered greatly under the Turks in Marasch. Then I must add some sad news about Armenia, which was in the last issue of "Sonnen aufgang":

«In the Orient, the war between the Turks and the Greeks has flared up with renewed vigor. If the outcome is unfavorable to the Turks, they must put a damper on their hatred of the foreigners, which already during the world war, and even more after the progress of the Kemalists, have been very prominent. The suffering country will not be able to do without foreign aid. The need in the inland, including the need among the Muhammadan population, was already great during the war years, so it seems incomprehensible how the Turks can continue the fight.

A short time ago, the Turks not only expelled approx. 20 American missionaries from Marsovan, but also Colonel Coombs, the leader of the “Near East Relief”,