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Show being put in the hospital to get rid of trachome and scabies. The younger sister wept bitterly and begged, "Let your little child come back to you," and it was hard to tell her that she was too small and we didn't have room or money for her. Some day I hope she may come too. Loving Heart is older than the other girl. All the fall we tried to think of some way in which we could take her into the home without placing ourselves in the position where we would have to refuse others who were over age. Seven years before her stepgrandmother had "married" her off because she did not want to be bothered with the orphan child. Loving Heart never saw her husband for he was away but she knew far more than she cared to of the father-in-law. When he was at home and not fleeing from justice he would beat her unmerecifully. Last winter she was living with the old grandfather-in-law and begging for everything she had to e a t : then he was taken sick and she had to beg for both of them. Then the old man died and his son, the father-in-law of the girl, returned and the beatings began again. One of their neighbors came to us with the word that he was having a hard time to keep the father-in-law from selling her as a slave, and we took her in to help the younger children do things that they couldn't do for themselves. This fall she went home to the home of this kind neighbor who had told us of her danger last year. He kept her as long as he dared, the father-in-law coming and dragging her away at times and administering the usual beatings, and she escaping and going back. When we could stand it no longer, we took her/ and tried to force or *' persuade" the man to give her up. He said he was willing but his relatives would not let him. Because we are not supposed to have " married" girls in school, even if they have not seen their husbands, we very, very sorrowfully told him he would have to take her home. But we reckoned not on the powers in the girl herself. She had taken all the beatings she would and the only way he could have gotten her out of the yard would have been to bind her and carry her out. Finally he agreed that he would leave her in our care for seven years and then she could decide for herself what she would do. Can you imagine her going back to that home ? These are just three of the children whom some of you have helped us care for. We pray that we may be given the wisdom to care for them so that they may be prepared to do whatever it is Jfis will for them. It seems worth while to try, don't you think? Ruth E. Van Kirk - m '; m-,m |
